Echoes of Appalachia
“Stories, culture, and memories from the heart of Appalachia.”
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Tag: books
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In Appalachia, history often lingers in the landscape itself, clinging to roads, hillsides, and small towns where stories outlast the people who first told them. One of the most enduring mysteries in the region centers on the Sodder children of Fayetteville, West Virginia, five siblings who vanished during a Christmas Eve house fire in 1945.…
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Appalachia carries a reputation shaped by misty ridges, stubborn independence, deep faith, plus stories passed mouth to ear across generations. Nowhere does that heritage shine brighter than during Christmas. In mountain hollers, river towns, coal camps, plus farm valleys, the season arrives heavy with memory, ritual, plus meaning. These customs grew from hardship, faith, humor,…
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Families across Kentucky and Tennessee face a period of deep uncertainty as health insurance premiums rise at a pace many find alarming. Residents in counties across Appalachia feel the impact in their household budgets as they prepare for the coming open enrollment cycle. Premiums that once felt manageable now surge to levels that create anxiety…
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The hills of central Appalachia welcomed a yearly burst of color, sound, and cheer as the CSX Santa Train made its celebrated run through the region on Saturday and was it ever something to see. Crowds lined the tracks from early morning, eager for a glimpse of Santa, the sparkle of holiday lights gliding across…
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A proposal from BWX Technologies to rezone 128 acres near Jonesborough for a new uranium processing facility has triggered strong opposition from residents across Washington and Greene counties. The project would occupy the former Aerojet property, a site already burdened with a legacy of contamination, and would sit along Little Limestone Creek, a waterway that…
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If you scroll through social media or watch the news, you may see members of Congress and well-funded interest groups urging families across West Virginia and the wider Appalachian region to believe that the so-called Big Beautiful Bill, known as HR 1, will somehow strengthen our communities. Folks throughout these mountains understand a raw deal…
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When I was 10 years old my granny taught me how to make biscuits and gravy. The picture above is a pan of biscuits that I made, and if I had a dime for every biscuit I have made over the years, I would be a very rich man. Thinking back on those early mornings…
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The Appalachian region has seen a surge of online attention due to a heartfelt exchange between a Kentucky pastor and a TikTok creator who sought to explore how faith communities handle urgent pleas for aid. This story centers on Pastor Johnny Dunbar of Heritage Hope Church of God in Somerset Kentucky, whose gentle response to…
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Tucked within the Great Smoky Mountains of eastern Tennessee, Cades Cove remains one of the most beloved and historically rich valleys in the United States. Once a hunting ground for the Cherokee people and later a thriving farming community for early settlers, this mountain valley carries the story of centuries within its rolling fields and…
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Discover the tradition of Apple Stack Cake in Appalachia. Learn how to make this layered spiced apple dessert your granny served every Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Echoes of Appalachia 