The Story of Wicked John and the DevilThe Story of Wicked John and the Devil
This week we have a traditional Appalachian folktale to share with you: the tale of Wicked John, a mean-spirited man whose dealings with a mysterious stranger set him on a
Appalachian Football: Toughness Isn’t Taught. It’s Born HereAppalachian Football: Toughness Isn’t Taught. It’s Born Here
There’s something different about football in Appalachia. Maybe it’s the mountains. Maybe it’s the coal mines, steel mills and hard-working communities where people learned long ago that nothing worth having
When Nightriders Met the Devil: John Wright and the Wright/Reynolds FeudWhen Nightriders Met the Devil: John Wright and the Wright/Reynolds Feud
This week we tell the story of the Wright-Reynolds feud and the legendary figure at its center: a man folks often called “Devil”: John Wesley Wright. Riding through the rugged
James Rumsey and America’s First SteamboatJames Rumsey and America’s First Steamboat
Before Robert Fulton, there was James Rumsey, an inventor who defied his skeptics and the power of the Potomac River at Shepardstown, in what’s now West Virginia. Today we tell
From Bear Hunter to Aviator: The Fiercely Independent Life of Levi TrenthamFrom Bear Hunter to Aviator: The Fiercely Independent Life of Levi Trentham
Before Elkmont became a tourist destination and eventually a ghost town, it was home to Levi Trentham, a mountain landowner, businessman, hunter, guide, and unofficial mayor. As railroads, lumber companies,