An installment in our Blue Ridge Travel series. Driving up Groundhog Mountain from Mt. Airy, NC, to Meadows of Dan, VA, I pulled over on Squirrel Spur Road to pause and admire the view. Near the top of a close rise, I spotted a dark hole among the trees: a cave. Wild caves—that is, commercially…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series When you think about Prohibition-era rum runners, the image of a fast-talking, fast-driving man usually comes to mind. But in the hills of Virginia, one woman stood out above all the men: Willie Carter Sharpe. Born in Floyd County in the early 1900s, Willie was destined…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series In the final, desperate years of the Civil War, Confederate desertion rates soared. Exhausted and disillusioned soldiers, many of whom had been away from home for years, abandoned their posts, driven by the desperate hope of reuniting with their families and escaping the brutality of war….
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series In the heart of Foster Falls, Virginia, an Inn sits high on a hill, surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains’ serene beauty and the New River’s rippling waters. The New River Trail passes by, a rails-to-trails success story that is a magnet for recreation. The luxurious…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series In 2012, I participated in the Heritage Tune competition at the Union Grove Old Time Fiddler’s Convention. The competition is open to musicians of any age who have competed in one of the festival’s twelve instrumental competitions. I competed in the Mountain Dulcimer category, so I…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series In 1972, I hiked the Appalachian Trail for the first time. Inspired by the stories of Grandma Gatewood and encouraged by books like The Man Who Walked Through Time, I left my job and took to the trail. Over the years, I’ve hiked sections with my…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series Amid the harsh economic strains of the Great Depression, the unassuming craft of tobacco bag stringing emerged as a lifeline for many Blue Ridge families. This craft involved the simple—but tedious—task of threading drawstrings into tobacco bags. These bags held more than tobacco; they promised survival…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series Legend has it that in 1654, a group of weary English explorers stumbled upon a sight that defied explanation: a village nestled among the ancient oaks, its log cabins revealing arched windows, yards boasting fenced gardens punctuated by outbuildings. They were shocked: There should not have…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series Along a freeway passage where traffic travels north on I-81 while simultaneously going south on I-77 lies the exit for Ft. Chiswell, VA. One might expect to find some semblance of a colonial fort there, considering that Virginia is a state rich in historical sites. But…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series When European settlers came to the Blue Ridge Mountains, one of every four trees in the forest was an American Chestnut. This giant stood tall amidst the lush greenery of the Blue Ridge, its wood and sweet nuts a boon for both wildlife and humans. From…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series Ed. Note: Few photographs survive of early Appalachian earth-sheltered dwellings. As documented in WPA oral histories and early settlement accounts, families in the Appalachian region sometimes relied on dugouts or hillside shelters as temporary housing. The images used here are representative examples from other North American…
An installment in our Appalachian History and Culture series Al Capone, the infamous American gangster of the 1920s, is widely known for his involvement in Chicago’s organized crime and bootlegging during Prohibition. What’s rarely discussed is that his liquor distribution network spread far beyond his base in Chicago: It went well into the mountains of…