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PODCAST

Stories of Appalachia

Steve Gilly, Rod Mullins

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.www.storiesofappalachia.com

history documentary

All Episodes

21:53

The Long-Haired Red-Bearded Beast of Georgia: John...

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/12/13

John Pemberton Gatewood was a notorious Confederate bushwhacker/guerrilla leader. Born in Fentress County, Tennessee, in 1844, Gatewood's life took a dark turn after a Union attack on his family led him to abandon the Confederate army and become a guerrilla fighter. Leading his own unit in north Georgia and known as the long-haired, red-bearded beast, Gatewood was driven by his thirst for revenge after the brutal assault on his family. John Pemberton Gatewood, a figure whose story is another one

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17:51

Moonshine, Murder, and Legend: The Story of Lewis...

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/12/06

Major Lewis Redmond’s story sounds like it comes from a 19th century dime novel. He was a Carolina moonshiner, an outlaw and, thanks to actually being in some of those dime novels after the Civil War, a folk hero. His killing of a U. S. Marshal led to a life on the run across North and South Carolina, making Redmond a legend. Today we tell his story. Be sure to follow the Stories of Appalachia podcast on your favorite podcast app so you never miss a tale from the mountains.

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16:55

Emma Gatewood's Walk in the Woods

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/11/29

In 1955, at the age of 67, Emma Gatewood became the first woman to solo thru-hike the Appalachian Trail, from Springer Mountain in Georgia to the top of Mt. Katahdin in Maine. In this episode, Steve and Rod tell the story of her remarkable journey from a childhood in rural Ohio, through years of hardship and abuse, to the day this grandmother stepped onto the trail with nothing but a sack, a shower curtain, and an iron will. Her hike captured America’s attention, inspiring generations of hikers.It’s

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14:36

Greed, Gold and Deception in Cocke County TN: The...

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/11/22

In 1909, a Johnson City businessman named A.J. Slagle was lured by promises of buried Spanish gold hidden in a Cocke County house. What began as a desperate bid to recover from business losses ended in a murder, the body tossed into the French Broad River.Join Steve and Rod as they tell a true story of greed, deception, and a treasure that never existed, a case that shocked East Tennessee and became another one of the Stories of Appalachia.Don't forget to subscribe so you don't miss any of our

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16:09

The Death of Jack Allen: The Hillsville Aftermath

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/11/15

Four years after the Hillsville courthouse shootout shocked Virginia, another one of the Allen brothers met a violent end. Jack Allen, brother of Floyd Allen, and once a constable in that Carroll County courtroom, was shot and killed in 1916 at a roadhouse near Mt. Airy, North Carolina. His killer, 24-year-old Will McCraw, claimed self-defense and was acquitted.But the story doesn’t stop there.McCraw may not have been a stranger to Jack Allen’s family and some believe he was nudged into the

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17:44

The Confederate Exodus: The Story of Ezekiel Pyles...

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/11/08

After the Civil War, thousands of defeated Confederates refused to live under the Union flag. Instead, they packed up their families and headed for new lives in South America in a Confederate exodus from the United States.One of them was Ezekiel B. Pyles, a young man from the mountains of north Georgia, who rode with General John Hunt Morgan’s raiders, fought across East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia and was captured at the Battle of Kingsport before becoming part of Jefferson Davis’ guard as he

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20:46

The 1925 Asheville Sessions: The Spark Before the Bang

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/11/01

In August 1925, two years before the famed Bristol Sessions, Ralph Peer and Okeh Records set up a temporary studio on the rooftop of Asheville’s brand-new Vanderbilt Hotel.Over ten sweltering days, local musicians cut sixty test records, capturing the raw sounds of traditional Appalachian ballads, banjo tunes, and old songs. Though often overlooked, these Asheville sessions lit the spark that would explode two years later in Bristol, igniting the Big Bang of country music.If you've not done so

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20:33

Tenth Anniversary Special: Two Tales from the Dark...

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/10/25

This Halloween marks 10 years of stories from Rod and Steve; to mark the holiday and our tenth anniversary, we’re going to take you deep into the dark side of Appalachia with two chilling tales from southwest Virginia. First, Steve tells the story of three strange sisters who ran girls’ schools in Murfreesboro and Christiansburg—women whispered to be linked to evil spirits and who eventually faced justice for a terrible crime. Some say their spirits still haunt the ground where their school stood in

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17:54

Two Men and a Plane: The Drug Smuggler Who Fell Out...

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/10/18

We’ve told hundreds of stories about Appalachia, but few are as bizarre as the night a Kentucky drug smuggler named Andrew Thornton II fell to his death during a smuggling run over south Knoxville, Tennessee back in 1985. Join Steve and Rod as they tell the incredible story of a decorated police officer and practicing lawyer who led a double life as a major drug smuggler and the connections between this run and an incident with a black bear in north Georgia that would eventually inspire a well-known

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15:48

The 1912 Ligonier Valley Train Crash

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/10/11

In July, 1912, a joyful Fourth of July outing on a mountain turned into a tragedy when a crowded passenger coach collided head-on with a massive coal train on the Wilpen Branch of the Ligonier Valley Railroad in Pennsylvania. The wooden coach was crushed between engines, killing 27 and injuring over 30, many of them young children.This week, Steve and Rod tell the story of that crash and the haunting aftermath in the town of Ligonier.Be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast if you haven’t done so

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22:19

The Bridge Burners of East Tennessee

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/10/04

In November 1861, a secret band of East Tennessee Unionists struck at the heart of Confederate supply lines by burning railroad bridges across the region. They believed the Union army would soon march in to liberate them, but it didn’t happen. Instead, Confederate authorities unleashed brutal retaliation, hanging several of the men, while others barely escaped with their lives. In this episode, we tell the story of the East Tennessee bridge burners, the risks they took and the terrible cost they

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46:19

Stories of Helene: David Biddix, Spruce Pine, North...

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/10/01

This week, we wrap up our commemoration of the first anniversary of Hurricane Helene by talking with Mitchell County’s David Biddix, who documented the effects of the storm and its aftermath in that hard-hit part of North Carolina. From his home in Spruce Pine to small communities like Poplar, and along the Nolichucky where CSX rail lines were washed away, he shares what he saw as the area endured the flooding of September 2024.Be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast. You’ll find us on your

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12:49

Stories of Helene: Kevin Behm, Marion, North Carolina

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/09/27

When Hurricane Helene tore through western North Carolina a year ago, it left behind washed-out roads, flooded homes, and communities cut off from each other. For first responders, the storm was more than just a headline, it was a fight to save lives.In this episode of Stories of Appalachia, we sit down with Kevin Behm, a firefighter and first responder with the Nebo Fire Station in McDowell County, North Carolina, who lives in Marion. Kevin was on duty the night Helene hit and in the days that

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20:54

Stories of Helene: Maria True, Erwin, Tennessee

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/09/20

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

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18:27

The Jellico Troop Train Disaster of 1944

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/09/13

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

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19:09

The 1919 Torrent, Kentucky Nitro Explosion

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/09/06

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.

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12:33

Christopher Gist and the Opening of Appalachia

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/08/30

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

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17:26

Bloody Vengeance in Appalachia: The Battle of Dug...

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/08/23

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

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15:30

The Rhea County Spartans: The South's All-Female...

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/08/16

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

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15:54

The Kentucky Longhunter, Henry Skaggs

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/08/09

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

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96 results

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