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
An old southwest Virginia mine operator visited a historic tavern in Richmond. He loved the hustle and modern life in the city. It was the 1890s and he was well into his golden years. He ordered a drink and soon curious regulars directed the conversation to life in the mines.Continue Reading
Dances were a common fixture of Appalachian life well into the early Dances were a common fixture of Appalachian life well into the early Twentieth Century. They were a form of entertainment, as well as a public forum to discuss community events and efforts. Everyone danced, feasted, and sang untilContinue Reading
Abingdon is the county seat for Washington County, Virginia. Founded in 1778, it has seen many changes through time. One of the strangest episodes in its long and storied history deals with two men, Marsh and Yates, and the conflict that made newspapers around the nation. But, was the struggleContinue Reading
Virginia City, better known as Dry Gulch Junction, was a wild west attraction in Wytheville, Virginia. Dry Gulch was situated on the edge of Jefferson National Forest, around ten miles from Wytheville. The attraction became most notable for the wrong reasons. Debt and death plagued everyone who attempted to makeContinue 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