Blue Ridge Parkway Overlook at Groundhog Mountain, Meadows of Dan, VA
November 2025: Vol 2, #11
This month, Blue Ridge Tales takes you on a journey where history, myth, and memory overlap. From the small-town charm of Mayberry Lives On in Mt. Airy, NC to the winding roads of Fancy Gap Mountain, we explore how the past still shapes the way we travel, live, and dream. The Black Dog Legend of the Appalachians reminds us that folklore is never far from fact, while Dolly Sods History traces the transformation of a harsh frontier into a wilderness sanctuary.
A mist settles along a mountain road. The night is still, until the sound of heavy paws keeps pace beside you. Step quicker, and the rhythm follows. Glance back, and a shadow slips into the trees. To many in the Appalachians, that wasn't just a stray; it was the legendary black dog. The Appalachian Grim The Black Dog legend crossed …
Across the Atlantic The ship pitched hard in the swells of the North Atlantic. Below deck, young Johann Dahle gripped the rough wood of his bunk and tried to steady his thoughts. He was twenty years old, a soldier-for-hire from Hesse, one of the small German states that had agreed to rent out regiments to Britain. He had grown up …
Mount Airy NC: A Town That Feels Like Mayberry The bronze statue outside the Andy Griffith Playhouse catches the last light of day. Sheriff Andy Taylor holds Opie’s hand, fishing poles slung over their shoulders, just as they did in the opening credits of The Andy Griffith Show. You half expect to hear that familiar whistled theme floating down Rockford …
The drive between Mount Airy, North Carolina, and Hillsville, Virginia, takes about twenty minutes today. Route 52 winds up and over Fancy Gap Mountain, a two-lane road that climbs up to three thousand feet before landing in Carroll County. The pavement is smooth, the grades are steady, and modern engines handle the climb without complaint. But a hundred years ago, …
Well, that's it for this edition. I hope you enjoyed it. If you would like me to cover a particular topic, drop me a line at the address below. And don't forget to "like" our Facebook page.
