Echoes of Appalachia
“Stories, culture, and memories from the heart of Appalachia.”
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recent posts
- The Wild Return of Bison to Appalachia After Centuries Away
- They Blew the Tops Off Appalachia and What Was Left Behind Tells a Darker Story
- Hidden in Plain Sight: Why Homelessness in Appalachia Reached a Breaking Point in 2024 and 2025
- Immigrants and Appalachia: The Hidden Story That Built a Mountain Civilization
- Urban Appalachia: Rural Memory Inside the Modern City
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Category: Appalachian food
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The Hidden Cost of Budget Cuts- How Republican Proposals Could Impact Their Own Voters in Appalachia
In the aftermath of the 2024 election, the newly empowered Republican government is moving forward with an ambitious budget resolution that proposes significant cuts to federal spending. While budget restraint is often framed as fiscal responsibility, a closer examination reveals a concerning reality: the proposed cuts could disproportionately impact many of the same voters who…
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“From cornbread to ramps, the flavors of the mountains tell a story of resourcefulness, community, and deep-rooted tradition. As the author of three cookbooks on the subject, I’ve spent years uncovering what makes this cuisine so special.” Appalachian food has always been about working with what’s available. Long before “sustainable” and “organic” became trendy, mountain…
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In the backwoods of eastern Kentucky, there’s an old church that’s been standing longer than anyone can remember. It’s a plain, boxy building with peeling white paint and a steeple that tilts like it’s about to give up. The bell inside hasn’t been rung in years, not since the last preacher left town. But folks…
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In the Appalachian Mountains, a healthcare emergency is taking shape. The new Republican budget resolution threatens to destroy the medical safety net that millions of residents depend on in a region already hit hard by poverty, health problems, and limited care options. Throughout Appalachian states — Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, and Ohio and more— Medicaid isn’t just…
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In the Great Smokie Mountains, Cherokee stories tell of a dangerous being that once hunted in the forests in the Smoky Mountains. Known as U’tlun’ta’ or “Spearfinger,” this shapeshifting witch is one of the most frightening characters in Native American folklore. Spearfinger had one terrifying feature: her right index finger was long and sharp like…
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Through ancient ridges draped in blue,I wind my way on trails worn true.Where rhododendrons paint the wayWith pink and white on summer’s day. The valley stretches far below,A patchwork quilt of green and gold.While hawks drift lazy circles high,Their shadows dancing cross the sky. Each footfall brings a gentle peace,As worldly troubles find release.The mountain…
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Liston B. Ramsey, an influential North Carolina legislator who championed the interests of Western North Carolina’s rural communities, left an indelible mark on the region through his decades of public service and dedication to local development. Born on February 26, 1919, in Madison County’s Walnut Creek community, Ramsey showed promise early in life. As valedictorian…
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The first time I watched my grandmother cure a wart, it wasn’t magic — it was something far more powerful. She took an onion hull in her weathered hands, a small heated rock, and a piece of clean white cloth. With practiced movements, she rubbed the wart on my hand with the onion hull and…
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When I was a kid, my grandma used to say, “Appalachia isn’t just a place — it’s a feeling.” She’d sit on her porch in Western North Carolina, rocking back and forth, her voice carrying the weight of generations. Back then, I didn’t fully understand what she meant. Now, after years of listening, learning, and…
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When William Bean built his frontier cabin in 1776, he did more than stake a claim as Tennessee’s first white settler – he established what would become a pivotal crossroads in American frontier history. The settlement he founded at the meeting point of the Great Indian Warpath and what would later be known as Daniel…
Echoes of Appalachia 