The Lumber King of AppalachiaThe Lumber King of Appalachia
William McClellan Ritter didn’t just cut down trees, he built an empire. In this week’s episode, we tell his story, from Pennsylvania farm boy to head of one of the
Category: The 1890’s
Moonshine, Murder, and False Redemption: The Outlaw Clifton BranhamMoonshine, Murder, and False Redemption: The Outlaw Clifton Branham
In this episode from our YouTube channel, Steve and Rod tell the story of Clifton Branham, an outlaw who lived along the border between Virginia and Kentucky around the turn
Middlesboro, Kentucky: A City Born in a Meteor Crater 135 Years Ago TodayMiddlesboro, Kentucky: A City Born in a Meteor Crater 135 Years Ago Today
On March 14, 1890, the city of Middlesboro, Kentucky, was officially incorporated—though it was originally spelled “Middlesborough.” Sitting just west of the Cumberland Gap, this city has a history as
Murder in the U.S. Capitol: The Death of Congressman William TaulbeeMurder in the U.S. Capitol: The Death of Congressman William Taulbee
On February 28, 1890, an argument that had been brewing for years turned deadly on the eastern marble stairs of the U.S. Capitol. William Preston Taulbee, a former Kentucky congressman
The Flannery Brothers: A Tale of Murder, Flight, and FateThe Flannery Brothers: A Tale of Murder, Flight, and Fate
In the late 19th century, the mountains of Scott County, Virginia, bore witness to a deadly confrontation that would send two brothers on the run for decades. It began in
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.
The Misadventures of Dick FellowsThe Misadventures of Dick Fellows
This week on our YouTube channel, we unravel the amazing tale of George Brittain Lyttle, a privileged youth from Harlan County, Kentucky who chose a life of crime over the