The winter of 1971-72 saw large amounts of rainfall throughout the central Appalachians. By February, 1972, the ground was saturated, and the rivers were overflowing. And a gob dam located on Buffalo Creek in West Virginia which wasn’t designed to be a dam gave way in a rushing wall of water, muck and black death […]

The winter of 1971-72 saw large amounts of rainfall throughout the central Appalachians. By February, 1972, the ground was saturated, and the rivers were overflowing. And a gob dam located on Buffalo Creek in West Virginia which wasn’t designed to be a dam gave way in a rushing wall of water, muck and black death […]

A few weeks ago, our own Rod Mullins made an appearance before the Wise County Historical Society in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, where he shared the story of his own ancestor, Brandy Jack Mullins. Mullins was a colorful character, involved in counterfeiting, moonshining and other activities, many of which Rod shared with his audience. Today […]

A few weeks ago, our own Rod Mullins made an appearance before the Wise County Historical Society in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, where he shared the story of his own ancestor, Brandy Jack Mullins. Mullins was a colorful character, involved in counterfeiting, moonshining and other activities, many of which Rod shared with his audience. Today […]

On New Year’s Eve, 1959, Spruce Pine, North Carolina was rocked by a massive explosion, leaving a crater in the town baseball field. What had happened? Listen to today’s podcast to find out. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play or on your favorite podcast app. We’re on Facebook @storiesofappalachia and […]

On New Year’s Eve, 1959, Spruce Pine, North Carolina was rocked by a massive explosion, leaving a crater in the town baseball field. What had happened? Listen to today’s podcast to find out. You can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Play or on your favorite podcast app. We’re on Facebook @storiesofappalachia and […]

Mt. Airy, North Carolina, is known as the model for Andy Griffith’s Mayberry, as depicted on his television show. But, a hundred years before, it was best known as the home of the first well-known conjoined twins, Chang and Eng, who adopted the American sounding name of “Bunker” when they settled in Appalachia. On today’s […]

The feud between the Hatfields and the McCoys comes to a head on New Years Day, 1888, with the bloody Hatfield attack on the McCoy farm. In this last chapter in our story of the feud, Rod and Steve tell that story, as well as the aftermath of the fighting, which included a U.S. Supreme […]

The election of 1882 in Pike County, Kentucky, started out like any other election, but ended in Ellison Hatfield dead and three McCoy brothers, Tolbert, Pharmer and Bud, lynched on the banks of the Tug River. Today, Steve and Rod tell that part of the story of the Hatfield and McCoy feud. You can subscribe […]

We continue the story of the Hatfields and the McCoys with the tale of an Appalachian Romeo and Juliet. At least that’s how the newspapers of the time portrayed it. But was that really how it happened? Today, Steve and Rod tell the story of Rosanna McCoy and Johnse Hatfield. You can subscribe to the […]