I didn’t grow up thinking about family history. Most of us don’t. You assume the people who raised you will always be right there — sitting in their chairs, answering the phone, telling the same stories you’ve heard a hundred times. You assume there will always be another holiday, another Sunday visit, another chance to ask the questions you never got around to. But life has a way of proving you wrong before you’re ready. In 2023, I lost my mom. In 2024, I lost my dad. And in

Some people speak about Appalachia from the outside. Others speak from within it, shaped by the roads they’ve driven, the communities they’ve raised families in, and the places they intend to stay. Christopher Allen of Appalachia Insider speaks from that inside place. Christopher Allen, owner and co-founder of Appalachia Insider , belongs firmly in the second group. Christopher created Appalachia Insider out of a growing frustration with how his home region was being portray

Heartbeats of Appalachia The Heartbeats of Appalachia project is an open invitation for Appalachian towns to share their unique stories,...