PODCAST

Stories of Appalachia

Steve Gilly, Rod Mullins

Telling the history and the folklore of Appalachia, one story at a time.

history

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16:08

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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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22:03

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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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24:48

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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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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 […]

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Mountains, Moonshine and Mutiny: WW1 Desertion in...

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/08/02

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 […]

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Michael Stoner, Legendary Longhunter of Appalachia

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/07/26

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 […]

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The Assassination of William Taulbee

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/07/19

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 […]

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The Shinnston Tornado

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/07/12

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 […]

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The Harrison Gang’s Last Train Robbery: The West...

Stories of Appalachia ·

2025/07/05

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 […]

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Stories of Appalachia

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