Stories of Appalachia

In this episode, we tell the story of Henry Skaggs, one of the legendary Kentucky longhunters of the 18th century and his remarkable journey from his early days in Maryland to his time as an explorer and hunter on the Appalachian frontier.   Discover how Henry explored the wilderness, including his encounter with the infamous Harpes, America's first known serial killers. Hear tales of his daring e...

In 1918, the mountains of North Carolina erupted in quiet rebellion. Dozens of young men dodged the World War I draft, hiding in the backcountry with help from friends and family. When a deadly shootout left two men dead on a remote mountain road, Governor Thomas Bickett launched an unprecedented campaign to bring the deserters in, using not just raids and arrests, but public persuasion designed t...

In this episode we tell the story of Michael Stoner, a German-born frontiersman, longhunter, and close companion of Daniel Boone. From his early days in Pennsylvania to brutal battles like Blue Licks and Boonesborough, to his final expedition up the Missouri River, Michael Stoner was the definition of Appalachian exploration and settlement, making his story one of the Stories of Appalachia. Be sur...

On February 28, 1890, a long-simmering feud turned deadly in the halls of the U.S. Capitol.  Former Kentucky Congressman William P. Taulbee was shot on the marble stairs by journalist Charles Kincaid after years of personal and political conflict. In this episode, Steve and Rod tell the story of the events that led to the murder and the ghostly legend said to haunt the Capitol to this day. If you’...

On June 23, 1944, a massive F4 tornado struck Shinnston, West Virginia, the deadliest tornado in the state’s history. This week we tell the story of the terrifying twister that tore through seven counties and its aftermath. It’s the story of the Shinnston tornado, another one of the Stories of Appalachia. If you’ve not done so already, subscribe to the podcast at Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts,...

In this episode, we tell the dramatic true story of Charles Jefferson Harrison, a respected San Antonio businessman who became one of Appalachia's most elusive train robbers.   Caught when an employee tried to deposit some of the loot from a 1915 robbery, Harrison and his partners in crime were tried in Martinsburg, West Virginia in 1916, where the grizzled outlaw stunned the public by breaking do...

On December 14, 1910, a deadly explosion rocked the Greeno Mine in Tacoma, Virginia, claiming 14 lives and leaving a lasting mark on the Appalachian coalfields. Today we tell the story of Irish immigrant Patrick Hagan, who once owned the land on which the mine was located, and the dangerous conditions that led to this tragedy. It’s another one of the Stories of Appalachia. Subscribe to the Stories...

A preacher with five wives, a kidnapped teenage girl, and a cross-country manhunt.  This isn’t fiction, it’s the unbelievable true story of Joseph Herman Johnson, a Primitive Baptist minister whose lies and crimes unraveled in an East Tennessee courtroom in 1927. From bigamy to abduction to a bizarre promise of Hollywood stardom to his victim, this episode covers one of the most twisted scandals i...

In this episode we explore the lesser-known but historically rich Johnson City Sessions of 1928 and 1929. While the Bristol Sessions are often credited as the “Birthplace of Country Music,” Johnson City played a vital follow-up role in capturing the authentic sounds of Appalachia. Frank Buckley Walker, a Columbia Records talent scout, recorded local musicians in a Johnson City lumber company offic...

Nannie Kelly Wright ran an iron furnace at a time when most women weren’t even allowed near one. Born in Kentucky, raised on the Ohio River, and later married into the iron industry, Nannie became one of the few women in American history to manage a furnace operation herself — traveling weekly, overseeing workers, and building a fortune. Once rumored to be the richest woman in the world after Quee...

William McClellan Ritter didn’t just cut down trees, he built an empire. In this week’s episode, we tell his story, from Pennsylvania farm boy to head of one of the world’s largest lumber companies. He built railroads, ran coal mines, advised the U.S. war effort in World War I and once gifted $3 million to his workers.   But that story also includes the cutting down of much of Appalachia’s old gro...

On a quiet Sunday morning in the spring of 1782, Pastor John Corbly and his family were headed for church when he realized he’d forgotten his Bible and turned back alone to get it. That action saved his life when his family was ambushed by Indians. In this episode of the Stories podcast, Steve and Rod tell the chilling true story of the Corbly family massacre near Garards Fort, Pennsylvania. Be su...

On this episode of the Stories podcast, we tell the dramatic tale of Gus McCoig, a Jefferson County boy who became one of East Tennessee’s most notorious Depression-era outlaws. McCoig’s story starts with his chance encounter with outlaw Clarence Bunch in a jail cell, followed by their escape and his later capture and conviction for crimes he committed while in the Bunch gang.  After he escaped th...

Step back in time to the golden era of Appalachian luxury as we explore the rise and fall of Tate Springs, a once-famous resort in Bean Station, Tennessee. Known for its healing mineral spring, lush golf course, and elite clientele, including the Rockefellers and Fords, Tate Springs was the South's hidden gem. Discover how this jewel of East Tennessee became a forgotten relic and what still remain...

In the winter of 1779, a determined group of Appalachian settlers set out on a thousand-mile journey by river, led by Virginia surveyor John Donelson. Battling disease, starvation, ambushes, and the raw forces of nature, they pushed westward down the Holston River, into the Tennessee River, the Ohio and then up the Cumberland River, all through hostile and unknown lands. Their goal? A place called...

Today we tell the story of the battle over the Tellico Dam, the last major project of the Tennessee Valley Authority. TVA's ambitious plans for the Tellico project included not only a dam and lake but also the development of a brand-new city to be called Timberlake.   However, the project faced fierce resistance from landowners who were being forced to sell their land, the Cherokee, whose most imp...

Nearly twenty years before Tennessee was a state, William Bean built a cabin along the Watagua River and planted roots. In this episode, we tell the story of his journey from longhunter to settler, his friendship with Daniel Boone, and his wife Lydia’s dramatic rescue from execution by Cherokee Beloved Woman Nancy Ward. It’s the story of Tennessee’s first settlement, the founding of Bean Station,...

This week, Steve and Rod bring you the remarkable story of Isaac Cline, a Tennessee-born son of Appalachia who rose to become one of America’s most respected meteorologists. From his humble beginnings in a two-room log cabin near the Great Smoky Mountains to his fateful role during the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, Cline’s life was marked by groundbreaking contributions, profound loss, and an endur...

In this episode of Stories of Appalachia, we tell the story of a shocking event in January 1927 in Jefferson County, Tennessee. That was when a prominent county businessman named W.B. Johnson turned from respected community member to notorious outlaw. This tale unfolds with a fateful meeting involving Johnson, two women, and a tragic dispute that escalated into a deadly confrontation. This is a st...

In this episode, we tell the harrowing story of the Jellico explosion, a catastrophic event that shook the town of Jellico, Tennessee, on September 21, 1906. What began as a normal morning quickly turned into chaos when a shipment of 11 tons of dynamite detonated, leveling the downtown area and leaving the community in ruins.   Join Steve Gilly and Rod Mullins as they tell the story of Jellico’s d...

In this episode, we tell the inspiring story of the packhorse librarians, a group of determined women who brought literacy and hope to the remote hollers of Eastern Kentucky during the Great Depression. As families struggled to survive, these brave librarians on horses (and mules) navigated rugged terrain to deliver books and educational materials to isolated communities where access to the writte...

In this episode, we tell the strange tale of Polly Feltner, a young woman from Hyden, Kentucky, who vanished in 1897 under mysterious circumstances.   What began as a search for a missing person quickly escalated into charges of murder, a frenzy of suspicion and mob justice, targeting an innocent man. As tensions rose and a near-lynching unfolded, the story took a dramatic twist that no one could...

In this episode, we journey back to the mid-1700s to uncover the story of the Schwartzenau Brethren, also known as the Dunkards, who established one of the earliest settlements in the New River Valley of Virginia. Join us as we tell the story of this fascinating religious community, their unique beliefs, and the challenges one family of Dunkards faced while trying to create a self-sustaining life...

In this episode of the podcast, we tell the story of Reverend William Riley Rickman, a steadfast preacher who took on the liquor industry in Pocahontas, Virginia. Join Steve and Rod as they tell you about Rickman's fervent battle against alcohol in that Appalachian coal mining community. Rickman’s tireless efforts resulted in Pocahontas becoming a dry town in 1916. However, that victory soon broug...

Today, we tell the remarkable story of the Overmountain men, Appalachian frontiersmen from the far western parts of North Carolina and Virginia.  As tensions escalated in the South, these settlers took a stand against British forces at Kings Mountain, on the South Carolina/North Carolina border.  Their bravery in that decisive battle was instrumental in securing America's independence in the Revol...