Stories of Appalachia
Welcome to "Stories of Appalachia," the podcast where hosts Steve Gilly and Rod Mullins have been unraveling the captivating history and folklore of the Appalachian region since 2015. Join them as they guide you through mist-covered mountains and winding rivers, exploring the stories that define the heart and soul of Appalachia.
- Update frequency
- every 7 days
- Average duration
- 12 minutes
- Episodes
- 557
- Years Active
- 2015 - 2025
The White Caps of Sevier County
Around the turn of the twentieth century there was a vigilante group that operated in Sevier County, Tennessee, named the “White Caps” for the white hoods they wore. Starting out as a means to enforc…
00:08:55 |
Sat 18 Mar 2017
The Donelson Expedition
In the winter of 1779-1780, a group of settlers set out from the present site of Kingsport, Tennessee, sailing down the Holston River to establish a new settlement in the wilderness. They succeeded i…
00:09:44 |
Sat 11 Mar 2017
Jack Tales
A little change of pace on today’s podcast as Rod and Steve tell about the old Scots-Irish tradition of storytelling that was brought to the Appalachians by the first settlers. And they also take a s…
00:16:51 |
Sat 25 Feb 2017
Parson Brownlow
If you think politics are nasty now, you should have lived in southern Appalachia in the middle of the nineteenth century. That’s where a Methodist circuit rider named Parson William Brownlow began h…
00:14:20 |
Tue 21 Feb 2017
The Christmas Flood
Times were good in Saltville, Virginia, in 1924. It was Christmas Eve and people were wrapping up their shopping and getting ready for parties and family and gifts under the tree. Then disaster struc…
00:10:46 |
Sat 18 Feb 2017
Juan Pardo
In the sixteenth century, Spanish conquistadors explored the Southern Appalachians, blazing trails for an expansion of the Spanish Empire. Captain Juan Pardo led one of these expeditions, which visit…
00:09:19 |
Tue 14 Feb 2017
The Stories of Abner Vance
Back in early 1800’s Abingdon, Virginia, lived a Baptist minister named Abner Vance, who had a daughter named Betty. Betty was done wrong romantically by a local doctor, and Vance took a shot at him,…
00:08:24 |
Sat 11 Feb 2017
Squeaky’s Run
On December 23, 1987, a prisoner escaped from the Federal Prison Camp in Alderson, West Virginia. But this wasn’t just any prisoner, this was a member of the Manson Family, a group of hangers-on to C…
00:08:27 |
Sat 04 Feb 2017
A Pot Of Gold In Cocke County
Today’s story takes place in Cocke County, Tennessee, nearly a hundred years ago. It’s a story of greed, deception, and murder involving a non-existent pot of Spanish gold. We appreciate you listenin…
00:09:33 |
Sat 28 Jan 2017
Glenn Roberts, Appalachian Basketball Superstar
On this episode of the podcast, we turn to the world of sports, as Rod tells the story of Pound, Virginia, native Glenn Roberts, the man who popularized the jump shot in the game of basketball. You c…
00:09:36 |
Tue 24 Jan 2017
The Grundy Christmas Fire of 1915
On this episode of the podcast, Rod and Steve tell of the Great Fire of 1915 that destroyed the downtown of Grundy, county seat of Buchanan County, in Virginia. You can subscribe to the podcast on iT…
00:07:09 |
Tue 17 Jan 2017
Katy Sage
In Grayson County, Virginia, in the late 18th century, there was a pioneer family by the name of Sage. One morning, while Mrs. Sage was setting about washing clothes, her daughter, Katy, wandered awa…
00:09:12 |
Sat 14 Jan 2017
Mountain Tales, Volume 3
Today, Rod and Steve take a look back at some interesting stories in old newspapers for the third and last time, as they share some “short stories” from Appalachia. You can subscribe on iTunes, Googl…
00:15:41 |
Tue 10 Jan 2017
The Independent State of Dade
During the Civil War, isolated Dade County, Georgia, decided to strike out on its own, declaring its independence from both the State of Georgia and the United States of America. And that’s how thing…
00:08:25 |
Tue 03 Jan 2017
The Coal Creek War
In the early 1890’s, miners working in the coal mines at Coal Creek in Anderson County, Tennessee, rose up against the mine operators over their jobs being taken by free convict labor. Things eventua…
00:13:48 |
Sat 31 Dec 2016
The Legend of Pilot Knob
On today’s episode, Steve and Rod tell an old Cherokee tale about a mysterious city inside Pilot Knob, in Western North Carolina, discovered by Tsuwe’nähï. You can subscribe to the podcast at iTunes,…
00:09:17 |
Tue 27 Dec 2016
Letters to Santa
Merry Christmas, y’all! On today’s Christmas Eve podcast, Steve and Rod take you back to the early 20th century as they read several letters to Santa Claus that were printed in newspapers in East Ten…
00:13:05 |
Sat 24 Dec 2016
Forsyth
(Left to Right) Trussie (Jane) Daniel, Oscar Daniel, Tony Howell (defendant in Ellen Grice rape), Ed Collins (witness), Isaiah Pirkle (witness for Howell), and Ernest Knox. At the turn of the 20th ce…
00:11:57 |
Sat 17 Dec 2016
The Lights In The Sky
In 1859, a solar storm stronger than any other in recorded history hit the earth, bringing the northern lights all the way down to Cuba and causing massive interference in telegraph lines throughout …
00:11:03 |
Tue 13 Dec 2016
The Laurel Creek Murders
In the little town of Hurley, Virginia, in 1909, a widow sold the timber rights to her 150 acres of land for a tidy sum, making her a target for anyone wanting to take that money for himself. On Sept…
00:07:24 |
Sat 10 Dec 2016
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