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Join Appalachian Shine for “More Than a Festival: Celebrating the Heart and Soul of Appalachia.” Today, we welcome Dr. William Wray, the Blue Ridge Folklife Festival’s longest-standing vendor, and Dr. Mirta Martin, President of Ferrum College. Together, we’ll explore the festival’s rich history, the traditions that define our region, and the importance of preserving Appalachian music, crafts, stories, and cultural heritage for future generations. Tune in for a celebration of the people and traditions that keep the spirit of Appalachia alive! #FerrumCollege #Appalachia #BlueRidge #FolkLifeFestival https://www.ferrum.edu/brim/blue-ridge-folklife-festival/crafts/ www.supportappalachia.org

Long before Russell County was formed in 1786, these mountains and valleys were home to Indigenous peoples, hunters, and the first settlers who made their way into Southwest Virginia. In this episode of Appalachian Shine, we travel through more than two centuries of Russell County history—from Castle’s Woods and the county’s first courthouse to the founding of Lebanon, the arrival of railroads, the rise of coal and timber, and the small communities that became the heart of the county. We’ll explore the schools, roads, farms, rivers, businesses, and people that shaped Russell County, along with the history behind communities such as Honaker, Cleveland, Dante, Castlewood, and St. Paul. We’ll also look at the Clinch River, the county’s changing economy, and the surprising emergence of vineyards among the mountains. Most of all, this is a story about place—and the generations of Appalachian people who built their lives here, left their mark, and passed their stories down to us. #AppalachianShine #RussellCountyVA #RussellCountyVirginia #SouthwestVirginia #Appalachia #AppalachianHistory #VirginiaHistory #VirginiaMountains #AppalachianCulture #AppalachianStories #LocalHistory #MountainHistory #ClinchRiver #LebanonVA #HonakerVA #ClevelandVA #StPaulVA #DanteVA #CastlewoodVA #RosedaleVA #SwordsCreekVA #ElkGardenVA #CopperCreekVA #MoccasinVA #NewGardenVA #DickensonvilleVA #VirginiaCoal #CoalCountry #AppalachianHeritage #ExploreAppalachia #HiddenHistory #MountainStories #SmallTownHistory #ForgottenHistory #OldAppalachia   Visit us online at www.supportappalachia.org. Donate $10 today to help us continue on. Thanks so much! 501(c)(3)

What did your grandma warn you never to do after dark? In this episode of Appalachian Shine, we explore the superstitions, signs, omens, and old mountain lore passed down through generations—from whistling after dark and rocking an empty chair to woolly worms, moon planting, birds at the window, death omens, haints, dreams, and the strange signs our ancestors believed could predict what was coming. But this isn't just a history lesson—it's an invitation to remember the traditions you grew up with. How much of this old folklore is uniquely Appalachian? Which beliefs came from Scotland, Ireland, England, Africa, and other traditions? Which ones vary from Kentucky to West Virginia to Virginia and the Southern Appalachians? And perhaps most interesting of all—which ones do people still believe today? So listen along and see how many of these old mountain superstitions you remember hearing yourself. And if you have a family superstition of your own, Appalachian Shine wants to hear about it. Visit us online and donate today at www.supportappalachia.org #AppalachianShine #AppalachianFolklore #AppalachianSuperstitions #MountainLore #AppalachianHistory #SouthernFolklore #MountainTraditions #Appalachia #Folklore #OldMountainWays

Long before school buses traveled winding mountain roads, Appalachian children walked miles to attend little one-room schoolhouses tucked into hollows, beside creeks, and along mountain ridges. In this episode of Appalachian Shine, we travel back to the 1850s and follow the evolution of Appalachian education through the Civil War, the rise of public schools, and the golden age of the one-room schoolhouse. We'll step inside these humble buildings, where one teacher might instruct eight grades at once, keep the fire burning, maintain discipline, and sometimes serve as the community's nurse, custodian, and counselor. Along the way, we'll hear about historic schools such as Walker's Creek, Kelly View, Groveton, Mason-Dorton, and the Hensley Settlement schoolhouse, as well as teachers and students whose stories reveal just how much determination went into educating children in the mountains. But this is more than a story about old buildings and schoolbooks. The Appalachian schoolhouse was often the heart of the community—a place for education, spelling bees, Christmas programs, church gatherings, meetings, and friendships. As roads improved, school buses arrived, and schools consolidated during the twentieth century, thousands of these little buildings disappeared, leaving behind only foundations, photographs, and the memories of those who attended them. We'll explore what modern education has gained through technology and consolidation—and what may have been lost along the way: independence, community, responsibility, quiet, and the personal bond between teacher and student. Most importantly, we'll remember a generation of Appalachian teachers and children who proved that a little wooden schoolhouse, a handful of books, and a determined teacher could open an entire world. www.supportappalachia.org #AppalachianShine #AppalachianHistory #OneRoomSchoolhouse #Appalachia #ForgottenHistory

Step into the remarkable history of Richmond, Kentucky, where the Bluegrass meets Appalachia and some of America's most dramatic stories unfolded. In this episode of Appalachian Shine, we journey from the frontier days of Revolutionary War veteran John Miller and the founding of Richmond to the thunder of cannon fire during the Battle of Richmond—one of the Confederacy's most decisive victories of the Civil War. Along the way, you'll meet the original Cassius Marcellus Clay, the fearless Kentucky abolitionist who survived assassination attempts, carried a Bowie knife, befriended Abraham Lincoln, and helped shape American history. We'll also explore Richmond's role as a frontier crossroads, the rise of Eastern Kentucky University, local ghost stories and Appalachian folklore, and the resilient people who rebuilt their community through war, fire, and generations of change. Whether you're a history enthusiast, a Civil War buff, a fan of Appalachian culture, or simply love discovering the hidden stories behind America's small towns, this episode offers a fascinating journey into one of Kentucky's most historic communities. Join us as we uncover the people, battles, legends, and enduring spirit that make Richmond a place where history is still very much alive. #AppalachianShine #RichmondKY #KentuckyHistory #AppalachianHistory #CivilWarHistory #AmericanHistory #HistoryPodcast #HiddenHistory #CassiusMarcellusClay #ExploreKentucky www.supportappalachia.org

The Appalachian Mountains are among the oldest on Earth—and perhaps among the most mysterious. In this episode of Appalachian Shine, host J.C. journeys deep into the hills and hollers to uncover ten of the strangest things ever found in Appalachia. From glowing lights floating above North Carolina's Brown Mountain to abandoned coal towns reclaimed by the forest, hidden moonshine tunnels, unexplained sounds in the wilderness, ancient artifacts, forgotten schoolhouses, cryptid encounters, and legends of lost treasure, this episode explores the fascinating intersection of Appalachian history, folklore, and mystery. Along the way, you'll discover the real locations behind these stories, the historical events that shaped them, and the enduring legends that continue to captivate generations of mountain people. Are these tales rooted in fact, folklore, or something stranger? Pull up a chair, settle in, and join us as we explore the secrets buried deep within Appalachia—because the mountains keep their secrets, but every now and then, they let one slip. Have a strange Appalachian story of your own? We'd love to hear it. Send us your experiences, local legends, and mysterious locations for a chance to be featured in a future episode of Appalachian Shine. #Appalachia #AppalachianMountains #AppalachianHistory #AppalachianCulture #AppalachianStories #MountainLore #MountainLife #Folklore #AmericanFolklore www.supportappalachia.org

On this episode of Appalachian Shine, we sit down to talk with Kathy Stewart about the upcoming Clinch River Days Festival and everything visitors can expect during the three-day celebration. From live music and local vendors to family activities and events happening all across town, we explore how this festival brings together the spirit, culture, and community of Southwest Virginia. If you love small-town festivals, Appalachian tradition, and summertime by the river, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. #StPaulVA #Appalachia #ClinchRiver www.supportappalachia.org

Tonight on Appalachian Shine, we travel into the mountains of Letcher County to explore the story of Jenkins, Kentucky—a town that didn’t grow slowly over generations, but appeared almost overnight with the coming of coal and the railroad. We begin long before Jenkins had a name, when this land was shaped by Native movement, dense forest, and the quiet rhythm of Appalachian life. Then, almost all at once, everything changed. A powerful coal company arrived, the railroad carved its way through the hills, and a fully formed company town rose from the valley—bringing jobs, opportunity, control, and contradiction. But this isn’t just a story about industry. It’s about the people who built lives inside a system they didn’t create… The families who found community on front porches and along creek banks… The stories that still echo—from the biggest fish ever caught in a local pond, to the quiet mysteries whispered in the mountains after dark. We’ll talk about the boom years, the decline of coal, and what remains today in a town still holding onto its identity while searching for what comes next. And by the end, we’ll leave you with a few questions worth carrying: What happens to a town when the reason it was built begins to fade? Can a place shaped by industry ever truly become its own? And how many stories like this are still waiting—just beyond the next ridge? This is more than history. It’s memory. It’s identity. It’s Appalachia. #StorytellingPodcast #HistoryPodcast #JenkinsKY #LetcherCounty #CoalMining #CompanyTown #CoalHistory #AmericanHistory #HiddenHistory #SmallTownStories www.supportappalachia.org

In the early morning hours of February 26, 1972, a wall of black water tore through a narrow Appalachian hollow in Logan County—erasing communities, taking lives, and leaving behind a silence that still echoes today. The Buffalo Creek Mine Disaster wasn’t just a tragedy—it was a moment that changed families, reshaped a region, and raised questions that have never fully settled. But history doesn’t always capture what it felt like to live there… to lose everything… to remember. In this episode of Appalachian Shine, we sit down with Isabel Reddy, author of That You Remember, a powerful novel inspired by the people and stories of Buffalo Creek. Through fiction rooted in a real tragedy, Reddy explores the emotional aftermath of disaster—the grief, the resilience, and the burden of memory carried by those who survived. Together, we talk about the real communities that were lost, the responsibility of telling stories drawn from tragedy, and what it means for Appalachia to remember—not just what happened, but who it happened to. Because some places don’t disappear…they live on in the stories we choose to tell.  #ThatYouRemember #IsabelReddy #HistoricalFiction #BooksThatMatter #AuthorInterview #BuffaloCreek #BuffaloCreekDisaster #WestVirginiaHistory #AmericanHistory #ForgottenHistory #AppalachianShine www.supportappalachia.org

In this episode of Appalachian Shine, we explore the origins and enduring legacy of Barbourville—one of the oldest towns in eastern Kentucky. Founded in 1799, Barbourville helped bring structure and stability to the Appalachian frontier, serving as the heart of Knox County through its earliest days. From pioneer settlement and early leadership to its strategic role during the Civil War, we uncover how this small town stood at the crossroads of history. We also look at the traditions, culture, and community spirit that continue to define Barbourville today. This is more than a story about a town—it’s a story about how Appalachia began. #BarbourvilleKY #EasternKentucky #AppalachianHistory #KnoxCountyKY #FrontierHistory #CivilWarHistory www.supportappalachia.org Donate $10 today!

Once known across the region as Little Las Vegas, Middlesboro was a town of bright lights, coal money, gambling halls, and contradictions—nestled deep in the Appalachian Mountains. In this episode of Appalachian Shine, we explore the full story of Middlesboro from its ambitious founding in the late 19th century to its wild boomtown years, its crackdowns and coal decline, and its enduring reinvention as a cultural and historic crossroads. Built near the legendary Cumberland Gap and set inside a rare meteorite crater, Middlesboro became more than just a town—it became the economic, social, and cultural heartbeat of Bell County. We trace how railroads, coal, vice, art, and resilience shaped a community that refused to disappear when the lights went out. This is not just a story about gambling or coal. It’s a story about Appalachia itself—its risks, its reckonings, and its quiet strength. Whether you’re from the mountains or simply drawn to their stories, this episode sheds light on a place where myth and memory still walk the same streets. #AppalachianShine #LittleLasVegas #MiddlesboroKY #EasternKentucky #AppalachianHistory #CoalCountry

In this episode of Appalachian Shine, we explore how invention in the mountains didn’t come from laboratories or corporations—but from necessity. From the steamboat tested on the Potomac near Shepherdstown, to wire rope forged in Pennsylvania coal country, to moonshine stills refined in hidden hollers, Appalachia quietly helped build the modern world. With stories of overlooked inventors, unnamed craftspeople, and communities solving life-or-death problems, this episode traces how innovation born of hard terrain, isolation, and resilience reshaped industry, transportation, energy, and everyday life across America. This is not a story of nostalgia. It’s a story of survival, ingenuity, and Appalachian brilliance. #AppalachianShine #Appalachia #AppalachianHistory #BuiltInTheHoller #MountainStories www.supportappalachia.org Donate today.

As the calendar flips from one year to the next, Appalachia has never greeted midnight quietly. In this special episode, we journey into the hills and hollers to uncover ten powerful moments that unfolded on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, when history, hardship, and hope collided. From Civil War battles igniting in the frozen dark, to the birth of a new Appalachian state at the stroke of midnight; from coal miners rising up against injustice, to blizzards, floods, and faith carrying communities through the longest nights—these are stories rarely told, but deeply felt. Blending vivid storytelling with reflective insight, this episode explores how Appalachians have faced endings and beginnings for generations—not with fireworks, but with resolve. Along the way, we hear how music traveled the airwaves for the first time, how churches became sanctuaries in moments of grief, and how the turning of the year has always been less about celebration and more about survival. This isn’t just a history lesson. It’s a meditation on resilience, memory, and what it means to stand at the edge of a new year in a place shaped by endurance. If you’ve ever wondered how the mountains meet midnight—this episode is for you. #Appalachia #NYE25 #NYEinAppalachia #AppalachianTop10 #AppalachianHistory #AppalachianStories #CentralAppalachia #SouthernAppalachia #MountainLife #MountainVoices   www.supportappalachia.org

When winter settles into the Appalachian hills, life slows in a way that invites reflection, connection, and quiet peace. In this intimate episode of Appalachian Shine, we travel through small towns and mountain communities—from Tazewell County and Richlands to Abingdon, Bristol, Pikeville, and beyond—exploring how winter reveals the soul of Appalachia. Through gentle storytelling and familiar places, this episode captures the stillness, resilience, and warmth that emerge when the mountains rest, reminding us that sometimes the quietest season speaks the loudest. #Appalachia #AppalachianLife #AppalachianCulture #MountainLife #LifeInTheHills #RuralVoices #SmallTownAmerica #Bristol #Richlands #Pikeville #Abingdon #RussellCounty #PrincetonWV #LewisburgWV   www.supportappalachia.org

In this special Thanksgiving edition of Appalachian Shine, Cyrus Alderwood explores how the holiday took shape in the hollers and ridges of Central Appalachia. From early frontier gatherings to church-centered traditions, Depression-era community meals, and modern family celebrations, this episode uncovers the rich, heartfelt history behind a uniquely Appalachian Thanksgiving. Warm, reflective, and full of mountain storytelling, it’s a journey through gratitude, resilience, and the traditions that bind rural America together. #Thanksgiving2025 #ThanksgivingSeason #HolidayTraditions #GiveThanks #GratitudeSeason #FallStories #SupportLocal #CommunityStrong #AppalachianShine #Appalachia #CentralAppalachia #MountainStories #AppalachianCulture #AppalachianHistory #RuralAmerica #MountainLife   www.supportappalachia.org