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. ❤️

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