A mysterious figure once haunted Indian Creek, in Wise County, Virginia. The phantom stood over seven feet tall and haunted everyone who passed his grave. The phantom has long been forgotten, but his story remains as compelling as it was a century ago. Origins Union forces camped at theContinue Reading
The Powell River meanders through Wise and Lee Counties for around 80 miles, before it crosses into Tennessee. The headwaters of the Powell, in Wise County, are known for excellent fishing and swimming. Long ago, one legend often kept locals away. Eustace and Cornetta Adams lived near the “swimming hole”Continue Reading
Big Bull Tunnel is a utilitarian fixture in Southwest Virginia. It’s never been an actual attraction, simply another train tunnel in Wise County. It’s difficult to believe the arched throughway has such a dark and mysterious history. Construction was so problematic, and so many mishaps followed, that many suspected theContinue Reading
The Holston Salt and Plaster Company reopened an old well on August 25, 1874. The shaft was made decades earlier, when locals attempted to find water. Residents dug around 120 feet down, but it was dry. They then dug another 130 feet into salt rock, but never found water. SinceContinue Reading
“Timber Tree” is a folksy name for a relatively isolated road that bridges the Gate City/Bristol Highway, in Virginia, with the Bloomingdale area of Kingsport, Tennessee. Few were as notorious as the Powell sisters of Scott County, Virginia. Moonshiners feared them and outlaws avoided them. The Powell sisters weren’t justContinue Reading
The Bermuda Triangle has puzzled researchers for centuries. Many people are surprised to learn the Appalachians likewise have areas known for unexplained events, disappearances, and a plethora of oddities. The Black Mountain range, on the Virginia-Kentucky border, is one such area. No precise record for the Black Mountain events isContinue Reading
This figure was once common in cautionary nursery tales, used to keep children from being naughty. If a child didn’t behave, legend said “Rawhead and Bloody Bones,” would come and take them. The legend was prevalent in the Appalachians throughout the early 1900s, however eventually faded into oblivion. While notContinue Reading
Agatha and Drusilla were born as all normal girls are. They grew up in a typical home nestled within the rural Appalachian Mountains. However, these girls’ normality was short-lived. Upon reaching adulthood, they became twisted, deviated from the standard they knew growing up. They were notorious for their deception andContinue Reading
Eugenia Murray was not a kind woman. She was not a good woman. She lived life away from others and wanted it that way. The reasons for Eugenia’s bitterness and hatred were never known. It could’ve been a spurned lover, an unfaithful spouse, or a bad childhood. Whatever the reason,Continue Reading
Burton Hensley was an out-of-state peddler when he arrived in the blossoming town of Bristol, Virginia. He was not a great success, but adequately provided for himself. The locals told Burton of a great mansion just about ten miles away. They suggested he travel there and speak with the landowner.Continue Reading