Appalachian History

By the time of the Great Depression, natural resource use and environmental change in the Appalachian region had become a national issue. In terms of conservation, the Depression accomplished what the USDA Forest Service had been unable to do: it reduced timber cutting throughout the Southern Appalachians. The slowdown in mining and other industries reduced [...]

When it comes to Baptists, “my father’s mansion has many rooms” is certainly true in Appalachia. “Old Time Baptists” or “Old Baptists” are informal titles employed by some in the central Appalachians to indicate not only the Regulars and the Separates, but also a host of equally small denominations with titles such as Old Missionary [...]

I had lived all my life an American away from America. Then I returned, a sort of immigrant among immigrants, except that I came to my native land. But it was as new to me as though I came from Sweden or from Italy or Greece. I knew almost as little what to expect before [...]

After heavy rains in Huntington, WV during much of December 1936 and January 1937, the Ohio River jumped its banks with a vengeance, cresting on January 27 at 69 ft. (Cincinnati, OH, further upriver, was 80 ft under water). By the time the waters subsided five days later, over $17,000,000 in damages had been done, [...]

I love little Willie, I do. Mama, I love little Willie, tra, la, la, la, la. I love little Willie, but don’t tell Pa, For he mightn’t like it, Mama, Mama. He told me he loved me, he did, Mama, He told me he loved me, tra, la, la, la, la. He told me he [...]