Appalachian History

ED- Are there people you know in the Konnarock area with these Christmas tree plantations? JG – Yes, we have a little Christmas tree plantation here, too. We planted them ourselves and sold them for several years. They are getting pretty big now, but we’ve got some small ones that are 5 to 6 feet [...]

Up until the second World War, if a Shenandoah Valley [VA] family was a member of the Lutheran or Reformed church, the children could expect a Christmas Eve visit from the Belsnickle. The practice might even go well beyond just one evening, running for nearly two weeks, starting a week before Christmas and continuing until [...]

Chattanooga Daily Times, December 12, 1915– Mark Morrison, manager of Morrison’s, well known local drug firm, was arraigned yesterday before Esquire Kerby, charged with violating the child labor law, on a warrant sworn out by Mrs. O. D. Glenn, special investigator for the state. Mr. Morrison waived preliminary examination, and was bound over to the [...]

JOSEPH was an old man,And an old man was he,When he wedded MaryIn the land of Galilee. Joseph and Mary walk’dThrough an orchard good,Where was cherries and berriesSo red as any blood. Joseph and Mary walk’dThrough an orchard green,Where was berries and cherriesAs thick as might be seen. O then bespoke Mary,So meek and so [...]

We post a new episode of Appalachian History weekly podcast every Sunday. Check us out on the Stitcher network, available on mobile phones, in-car dashboards and tablets worldwide. Just click below to start listening: We open today’s show with a Christmas fable from Old Appalachia that explains why horses eat all the time, why donkeys [...]