Hammer and Steel: The Story of John HenryHammer and Steel: The Story of John Henry
Railroads played a crucial role in the development of Appalachia, but the construction of these vital links to the world was no easy feat. Today we go on the road
Author: Steve Gilly
Feud and Fury: The Dark Legacy of Bad Tom SmithFeud and Fury: The Dark Legacy of Bad Tom Smith
By request of one of our listeners, this week we tell the story of Bad Tom Smith, a notorious figure at the very heart of the French-Eversole feud in Kentucky.
Chief Nimrod Jarrett Smith: How One Cherokee Leader Changed HistoryChief Nimrod Jarrett Smith: How One Cherokee Leader Changed History
Nimrod Jarrett Smith, born in 1832 near Murphy, North Carolina, was a member of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee who played a crucial role in shaping the tribe’s future.
Philippi, West Virginia: The First Land Battle of the Civil WarPhilippi, West Virginia: The First Land Battle of the Civil War
At the beginning of the Civil War, the small Appalachian town of Philippi, Virginia, now West Virginia, became the site of the first organized land action of the conflict as
Bloody Harlan: W. B. Jones and the Battle of EvartsBloody Harlan: W. B. Jones and the Battle of Evarts
In the late 1920s and early 30s, the coal fields of Harlan County, Kentucky, became the backdrop for one of the darkest chapters in labor history. Known as Bloody Harlan,
Remembering the Sago Mine DisasterRemembering the Sago Mine Disaster
On January 2, 2006, a quiet morning turned into tragedy at the Sago Mine in Sago, West Virginia. A powerful explosion trapped 13 miners underground for nearly two days. Of
This Day in History: Lincoln Signs the West Virginia Statehood BillThis Day in History: Lincoln Signs the West Virginia Statehood Bill
On December 31, 1862, President Abraham Lincoln signed the West Virginia Statehood Bill, setting the stage for the creation of America’s thirty-fifth state. This pivotal moment in history was the
The Spruce Pine New Years Eve BlastThe Spruce Pine New Years Eve Blast
On New Year’s Eve 1959, the quiet town of Spruce Pine, North Carolina, became the stage for a teenage prank that would put the town in newspapers all around the
Moses Austin, of Austinville, VirginiaMoses Austin, of Austinville, Virginia
On December 26, 1820, Moses Austin, founder of Austinville, Virginia, met with Spanish officials in San Antonio with a daring proposal: to establish an American colony in the Mexican region
The Saltville Muck Dam Disaster: Virginia’s Deadliest Dam FailureThe Saltville Muck Dam Disaster: Virginia’s Deadliest Dam Failure
In 1892 Neil Mathieson was chartered to open the Mathieson Alkali Works in Saltville, Virginia, run by his son Thomas Train Mathieson, producing soda ash, bleaching powder, and other alkaline