I grew up watching my Granny live what I now recognize as mountain ways. Years later, genealogy led me from her East Tennessee roots to German miners and ironworkers, Germanna, and an iron forge on Piney Creek. This is part of my family story, and part of why preserving Appalachian stories matters so much to me. ❤️

My interest in Appalachia began with my Granny Rector Polk. Her side of the family had been coal miners and ironworkers in Germany before coming to Virginia, where they eventually settled in Germanna. Later generations made their way into the Blue Ridge Mountains and eventually into the mountains of East Tennessee, where the family continued their trade and built the first forge in the area. That is where my granny was born and raised. Although she left the mountains after sh

In much of Appalachia, Christmas didn’t always end when the wrapping paper was swept up. For some families, the real celebration waited quietly until January 6. They called it Old Christmas.

In the early 1900s, a journey across the Atlantic brought two individuals to America, each on separate boats, unaware that their paths would soon intertwine. These were Jeff Koss' grandparents and they embarked on a new life in Boulder, Colorado, amidst the waning days of the gold rush. Their first years in America were challenging, especially with young children in tow. After having a daughter and a son in Colorado, they decided to return to Pennsylvania, settling near Nanty

Abandoned General Store in Luck, NC Nestled within the rolling hills and verdant valleys of Appalachia lie remnants of a bygone era — the...

Step into the world of Appalachian music and discover the rustic allure of homemade instruments that have echoed through the foothills...

Echoes of Ewing, Ewing Virgina History: A Heartbeat in the Valley Nestled near the Cumberland Gap in western Lee County, Virginia, Ewing...

Love Sign at Peaks of Otter Winery Have you ever been driving through Virginia and suddenly come across these huge, colorful letters...

Faith and Song on the Mountain Immigrants began settling in the Appalachian region of the United States as early as the 18th century,...

Coal mining played a significant role in the United States' economy during the early 20th century, and many families found themselves...