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

Pamela’s story from Lee County, Virginia I was moved to Lee County, my parents’ home place. Our first house was in Dryden. A fire took all we had. The people in the community rushed to help a family. My father died shortly after it of a heart attack. I was 9, my brother 7. Mother could not find work. We were at the mercy of strangers. First Baptist Church in Pennington Gap opened their doors asking for donations. My mother used everything we got. One thing was a Singer sewing

W e sure hope we’ve managed to capture St. Charles in the way it deserves — full of the heart and history that makes this town special....

How Coal Camps Carved Out a Future Through Education Roda School 1907 VA Tucked deep in the hollers and ridgelines of coal country, where...

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Hearts of Appalachia just turned ONE! Can you believe it’s already been a whole year since we started this little dream on a shoestring?...

Finding Strength Through Faith Suffering from addiction is a powerful and painful challenge, not only for those directly affected but...