Stories of Appalachia

On the first anniversary of Hurricane Helene’s flooding in Appalachia, Rod and Steve share the story of Maria True, general manager of Jet Broadcasting in Erwin, Tennessee. When the Nolichucky River overflowed, it destroyed the studios and AM tower of WEMB and WXIS, along with family belongings tied to her and her late father and former station owner, Jim True. In this episode, Maria talks about the impact of the flood, the recovery in Erwin, and her plans for the future of the stations. If you’ve not done so already, be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast so you don’t miss any of our stories. You’ll find us wherever you get your favorite podcasts.Thank you for listening.

In July 1944, a troop train packed with new Army recruits derailed near Jellico, Tennessee, plunging into Clear Fork River. Thirty-five soldiers died and ninety-one were injured. In this episode, Steve and Rod tell the story of how Tennessee prepared for World War II and the one tragic night that brought the war home to Appalachia.You can subscribe to the Stories podcast wherever you get your favorite podcasts and on our YouTube channel.Thanks for listening

In 1919, a nitroglycerin explosion near Torrent, Kentucky, killed four men and leveled a factory. Today we tell the story of that tragedy and the explosive history of oil well “torpedoes” in Appalachia.It’s another one of the Stories of Appalachia. Be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast if you haven’t done so already. You’ll find us wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

In 1750, surveyor Christopher Gist set out to explore the wilderness of what’s now Southwest Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, and West Virginia. Hired by the Ohio Company, Gist mapped the Appalachian frontier and discovered coal.  He also guided a young George Washington, becoming an important figure in the French and Indian War. Join us as we tell the story of Christopher Gist, another one of the Stories of Appalachia.If you’ve not done so already, subscribe to the Stories podcast wherever you get your favorite podcasts.Thanks for listening!

In March 1864, Union Colonel William B. Stokes and his cavalry were ambushed at Dug Hill, in Tennessee, leaving dozens of his men dead. Enraged, Stokes led a brutal raid on William and Cynthia Officer’s home, where Confederate soldiers, including their son John, were staying. Six were killed, and the family narrowly escaped destruction thanks to the courage of one of their slaves, Uncle Abe.This week we tell of the brutality of the Civil War, a story of vengeance, survival, and the high cost of that war in Appalachia.You can subscribe to the Stories podcast at Spreaker, Audible, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.Thanks for listening.

In the final years of the Civil War, a group of young women in Rhea County, Tennessee, made American history as the only known all-female cavalry unit: the Rhea County Spartans. Born from loyalty to their Confederate fathers, brothers, and sweethearts, they rode sidesaddle into history, carrying supplies, letters, and, according to some accounts, intelligence for the Confederate cause.As Union forces swept through East Tennessee, these women defied the odds, and the rules, to keep their mission alive. But in April 1865, just days before Lee’s surrender, Union Captain John Walker made them his personal target, arresting sixteen Spartans in a dramatic march through cold rain and mud. What happened next surprised everyone, including their captors.In this episode, Rod and Steve tell the story of the rise, arrest, and legacy of the Rhea County Spartans. You’ll hear how wartime loyalties split communities, how women stepped into unconventional roles, and how one small group of women from East Tennessee left a mark on Civil War history.Perfect for fans of Civil War history, Appalachian heritage, and untold stories of women in wartime.Be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast wherever you get your favorite podcasts.Thanks for listening!

In this episode, we tell the story of Henry Skaggs, one of the legendary Kentucky longhunters of the 18th century and his remarkable journey from his early days in Maryland to his time as an explorer and hunter on the Appalachian frontier.  Discover how Henry explored the wilderness, including his encounter with the infamous Harpes, America's first known serial killers. Hear tales of his daring exploits, including with other notable frontiersmen like Daniel Boone.  Be sure to subscribe to catch all our stories, available on your favorite podcast app. Thanks for listening!

In 1918, the mountains of North Carolina erupted in quiet rebellion. Dozens of young men dodged the World War I draft, hiding in the backcountry with help from friends and family. When a deadly shootout left two men dead on a remote mountain road, Governor Thomas Bickett launched an unprecedented campaign to bring the deserters in, using not just raids and arrests, but public persuasion designed to get these men to turn themselves in, no questions asked.And it worked.It’s another one of the Stories of Appalachia.Be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast wherever you get your podcasts so you don’t miss a single one of our stories.Thanks for listening!

In this episode we tell the story of Michael Stoner, a German-born frontiersman, longhunter, and close companion of Daniel Boone. From his early days in Pennsylvania to brutal battles like Blue Licks and Boonesborough, to his final expedition up the Missouri River, Michael Stoner was the definition of Appalachian exploration and settlement, making his story one of the Stories of Appalachia.Be sure to subscribe to the podcast if you haven't done so already.  You'll find us on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Audible and on our YouTube channel.Thanks for listening!

On February 28, 1890, a long-simmering feud turned deadly in the halls of the U.S. Capitol. Former Kentucky Congressman William P. Taulbee was shot on the marble stairs by journalist Charles Kincaid after years of personal and political conflict. In this episode, Steve and Rod tell the story of the events that led to the murder and the ghostly legend said to haunt the Capitol to this day.If you’ve not done so already, please subscribe to the Stories podcast on your favorite podcast app.Thanks for listening!

On June 23, 1944, a massive F4 tornado struck Shinnston, West Virginia, the deadliest tornado in the state’s history. This week we tell the story of the terrifying twister that tore through seven counties and its aftermath. It’s the story of the Shinnston tornado, another one of the Stories of Appalachia.If you’ve not done so already, subscribe to the podcast at Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, PlayerFM or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.Thanks for listening!

In this episode, we tell the dramatic true story of Charles Jefferson Harrison, a respected San Antonio businessman who became one of Appalachia's most elusive train robbers.  Caught when an employee tried to deposit some of the loot from a 1915 robbery, Harrison and his partners in crime were tried in Martinsburg, West Virginia in 1916, where the grizzled outlaw stunned the public by breaking down in tears and confessing to a string of crimes dating back more than two decades. It turns out Harrison lived a double life that fooled everyone around him including his ex-wife.It's another one of the Stories of Appalachia.  Don’t miss any of our stories by subscribing wherever you get your favorite podcasts.  Thanks for listening!

On December 14, 1910, a deadly explosion rocked the Greeno Mine in Tacoma, Virginia, claiming 14 lives and leaving a lasting mark on the Appalachian coalfields. Today we tell the story of Irish immigrant Patrick Hagan, who once owned the land on which the mine was located, and the dangerous conditions that led to this tragedy.It’s another one of the Stories of Appalachia.Subscribe to the Stories podcast on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your favorite podcasts. Thanks for listening!

A preacher with five wives, a kidnapped teenage girl, and a cross-country manhunt.  This isn’t fiction, it’s the unbelievable true story of Joseph Herman Johnson, a Primitive Baptist minister whose lies and crimes unraveled in an East Tennessee courtroom in 1927. From bigamy to abduction to a bizarre promise of Hollywood stardom to his victim, this episode covers one of the most twisted scandals in Appalachian history, another one of the Stories of Appalachia.  Subscribe on your favorite podcast app so you don’t miss any of our stories.  Thanks for listening.

In this episode we explore the lesser-known but historically rich Johnson City Sessions of 1928 and 1929. While the Bristol Sessions are often credited as the “Birthplace of Country Music,” Johnson City played a vital follow-up role in capturing the authentic sounds of Appalachia.Frank Buckley Walker, a Columbia Records talent scout, recorded local musicians in a Johnson City lumber company office, including Clarence Ashley, Charlie Bowman, and the Roane County Ramblers.It's another one of the Stories of Appalachia.Be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast on your favorite podcast app.

Nannie Kelly Wright ran an iron furnace at a time when most women weren’t even allowed near one. Born in Kentucky, raised on the Ohio River, and later married into the iron industry, Nannie became one of the few women in American history to manage a furnace operation herself — traveling weekly, overseeing workers, and building a fortune.Once rumored to be the richest woman in the world after Queen Victoria, she was also presented at the Court of St. James, backed Teddy Roosevelt’s trust-busting policies, and made headlines with a divorce scandal where her husband asked for alimony.Join us as we tell the story of Nannie Kelly Wright, Appalachia’s Iron Lady.

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 world’s largest lumber companies. He built railroads, ran coal mines, advised the U.S. war effort in World War I and once gifted $3 million to his workers. But that story also includes the cutting down of much of Appalachia’s old growth forests and forced labor charges that stained his legacy. Be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast.  You’ll find us on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, IHeart Media or wherever you get your podcasts.  Thanks for listening!

On a quiet Sunday morning in the spring of 1782, Pastor John Corbly and his family were headed for church when he realized he’d forgotten his Bible and turned back alone to get it. That action saved his life when his family was ambushed by Indians.In this episode of the Stories podcast, Steve and Rod tell the chilling true story of the Corbly family massacre near Garards Fort, Pennsylvania.Be sure to subscribe on your favorite podcast app for more Stories of Appalachia!Thanks for listening.

On this episode of the Stories podcast, we tell the dramatic tale of Gus McCoig, a Jefferson County boy who became one of East Tennessee’s most notorious Depression-era outlaws. McCoig’s story starts with his chance encounter with outlaw Clarence Bunch in a jail cell, followed by their escape and his later capture and conviction for crimes he committed while in the Bunch gang.  After he escaped the Tennessee State Prison, he went on a crime spree across East Tennessee that ended with his capture and execution at just 25 years old.It’s another one of the Stories of Appalachia.If you’ve not done so already, subscribe to the Stories podcast at Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, PlayerFM or on your favorite podcast app.Thanks for listening.

Step back in time to the golden era of Appalachian luxury as we explore the rise and fall of Tate Springs, a once-famous resort in Bean Station, Tennessee. Known for its healing mineral spring, lush golf course, and elite clientele, including the Rockefellers and Fords, Tate Springs was the South's hidden gem. Discover how this jewel of East Tennessee became a forgotten relic and what still remains today.Don’t forget to subscribe to the Stories podcast on your favorite podcast app or on our YouTube channel to hear more Stories of Appalachia.Thanks for listening!