Inside Appalachia

Something About The Water In Berkeley Springs There are natural springs all over Appalachia. The deep folds of rock that make up our mountains bring water from the depths to trickle out of our hillsides. That's where many people got their fresh water in the years before indoor plumbing. But in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia, people are still filling jugs with spring water to lug back home. Why? Folkways reporter Zack Harold decided to fish around for some answers. Keeping the Fires Lit On The Cass Railroad Since 2019, our folkways team has produced more than 100 stories about Appalachian folklife — that is, traditions that are being passed down from one generation to the next. Passing down those traditions is important. In our story about the Cass Railroad, you’ll meet railroad senior employee Rex Cassell. He passed away during the making of this story. But during his life, he was a crucial part of why visiting the Cass Railroad in Pocahontas County, West Virginia, feels like you’re stepping back in time. Folkways Reporter Lauren Griffin brought us this story. “Lark Ascending” Amid extreme weather events like floods and fires, a new literary genre is emerging, called cli-fi. Short for climate fiction. Cli-fi tells stories about the effects of climate change on people and society. And Appalachian writers are penning their own works in the genre, including one of the region’s premier writers, Kentucky author Silas House. His new novel is “Lark Ascending” which tells the story of a climate refugee from Appalachia.   The Message Behind The Music At “Healing Appalachia” The Healing Appalachia music festival returned to Greenbrier County in September. Headlined by eastern Kentucky’s Tyler Childers, the festival went from a single day to two and included performances by Arlo McKinley, Margot Price and Galactic, among others.  But the festival has a larger mission than just having a good time. Producer Bill Lynch spoke with organizer Charlie Hatcher about what the festival hopes to accomplish. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert. Other music this week was provided by Appalachian Road Show, The Company Stores, June Carter Cash and Tyler Childers. Bill Lynch is our producer. Our executive producer is Eric Douglas. Kelley Libby is our editor. Our audio mixer is Patrick Stephens. Zander Aloi also helped produce this episode.

When an award-winning Asheville chef decided to launch a restaurant, she returned to a rich community tradition.Also, the popularity of weaving waxes and wanes. At the moment, it’s having a renaissance. And, during Lent, Yugoslavian fish stew is a local favorite in Charleston, West Virginia.You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia. 

This week, in the 1920s, Oscar Micheaux was an entrepreneur filmmaker in western Virginia. He became a world-renowned director and producer. Also, Kentucky’s poet laureate lives down the road from what has been called the country’s most lethal cryptid. Attempts to spot it have led to deaths. And, we talk soul food with Xavier Oglesby, who’s passing on generations of kitchen wisdom to his niece. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia. 

This week, during the Great Depression, Osage, West Virginia was a raucous river town. It’s sleepier now, but music is keeping the magic alive.Also, a poet remembers growing up in a secret city in Tennessee that was built during World War II.And, rock climbing is usually for warmer months, but some climbers have taken to climbing frozen waterfalls. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.

This week, east Tennessee’s Amythyst Kiah. Her latest album contemplates the cosmos.Also, hair salons are important gathering places where Black women can find community. And, West Virginia poet Torli Bush uses story to tackle tough subjects. 

This week, some of the stories on our show inspired college student art — including a vivid image of a bear smashing a clarinet.Also, a Hare Krishna community in West Virginia serves vegetarian food made in three sacred kitchens. And COVID exposed the contempt society has for marginalized people. One author says, these folks are anything but passive.  You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia. 

This week, we take a look at how the U.S. government built a secret city in East Tennessee during World War II to work on the atomic bomb.Also, almost everybody has a favorite cup or coffee mug, but how far would you go to replace it? And, we hear from a cabinetmaker on the physicality of poetry.

This week, people continue to resist the Mountain Valley Pipeline. Some folks have complained to the company about noise from compressor stations. Also, why is Appalachia so prone to severe flooding? We spoke with a reporter whose team dug into the data to find out.And a good blanket will keep you warm on a cold night — but a handmade temperature blanket can convey a message to a loved one. You’ll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia. 

What is Appalachia? We’re giving our entire Inside Appalachia episode over to this question this week, with stories from Mississippi to Pittsburgh.Appalachia connects mountainous parts of the South, the Midwest, the Rust Belt, even the Northeast. Politically, it encompasses 423 counties across 13 states — and West Virginia’s the only state entirely inside Appalachia.That leaves so much room for geographic and cultural variation. This week, we ask people from five Appalachian states if they feel like they’re in Appalachia.

This week — too often, people with mental health challenges or substance use disorder wind up in jail. But crisis response teams offer another way.Also, changes to the Endangered Species Act could benefit big business. They could also kill animals like the eastern hellbender.And, in troubled times, a West Virginia writer says to find peace in nature. We talk about her collection of essays. You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia. 

This week, a look back at 2025. We met some fascinating people, like Aaron Dowdy of country rock band Fust. Alos, central Appalachia continued to recover from Hurricane Helene. From the beginning, the recovery brought people together.And we made a trip to Hillbilly Hotdog to take on The Homewrecker.

This week, Inside Appalachia dives into the holidays. We go a-wassailing in Asheville, North Carolina. It’s kind of like Christmas caroling, with a kick.Also, family recipes bring generations together. But what happens when you’ve got grandma’s potato candy recipe, and it doesn’t have exact measurements? And, a new book explores the magical dark side of nature. 

This week, when you’re the only doctor in a rural mountain county, you’ve got to think ahead to keep your practice going. Also, a West Virginia baker draws on her Finnish heritage to make a different kind of cinnamon roll.And if you bought a live-cut Christmas tree this year, there’s a good chance it came from Appalachia.

This week, a poet and musician draws inspiration from a distant family connection to the Grand Ole Opry’s Little Jimmy Dickens.Also, for 15 years, a Virginia library has been hosting a weekly Dungeons & Dragons game for teens. It can get wacky.And, a taxidermist in Yadkin County, North Carolina found her calling before she could drive a car. 

This week, one thing about Appalachians: we can get competitive. We’re proud of our local food. Love a good hunt. And enjoy competition with friends.  We learn the rules and celebrate our victories.But there’s more to competing than just winning or losing. In this show, we’ll also meet competitors who are keepers of beloved Appalachian traditions. 

Our Common Nature is a new podcast from WNYC. It features cellist Yo-Yo Ma and producer Ana Gonzalez, as they explore America and talk to folks like West Virginia coal miners.This week, we follow Yo-Yo and his team as they venture into Appalachia. And we talk with Gonzalez about meeting people where they are.  

This week, the cost of health insurance is going up in 2026. Millions of people are faced with sticker shock.Also, a mountain farmer kept an encrypted diary for years. It’s unclear whether he would have wanted that code to ever be cracked. And, a beloved West Virginia hot dog restaurant closed in 2018. An annual tribute sale gives people a chance to relive its glory days.

This week Inside Appalachia, we’re talking about traditional ballads - how they tell stories and connect us to the past. These old tunes can mean so much. They can tap into difficult emotions and give feelings space to be heard. Some songs may even be too uncomfortable to sing.In this special episode with guest co-host, ballad singer Saro Lynch-Thomason, we explore songs about lawbreaking folk heroes, runaway trains and murder ballads.

This week, central Appalachia is known for exporting coal. But it's losing people, too. Also, folk singer Ginny Hawker grew up singing the hymns of the Primitive Baptist Church, but she didn’t think of performing until she got a little boost from Appalachian icon Hazel Dickens. And, the chef of an award-winning Asheville restaurant was shaped by memories of growing up in West Virginia.

Just in time for Halloween, a suite of spooky tales to make your skin crawl.  Also, tales of the supernatural.And, ghost stories galore.You'll hear these stories and more this week, Inside Appalachia.