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 is known to exist. The mountain […]
Tag: Appalachian
The Wizards of Abingdon
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 struggle real, or just a myth? […]
Ciphering the Bell Witch
The “Bell Witch” is a famous haunting that hails from Adams, Tennessee. It has been the subject of poems, stories, novels, and films throughout the Twentieth Century. The earliest know work was a poem called “The Trials of Betsy Bell.” The writer is unknown, but it was published in Nashville, Tennessee, in 1906. Much more […]
The Sybert Witch and a Bouncing Bed
Reports flooded national headlines in December of 1938. The Sybert family lived along Wallen’s Creek in Powell Mountain. Their 3-room cabin was located in Lee County, Virginia. Their situation even baffled two esteemed psychologists from the University of Tennessee. The family reported scratching noises had started the previous month. The noise escalated into a bumping […]
The Legend of the Big Stone Gap Vampire
Vampire lore is one of the most popular forms of folklore and its reach spans the globe. Here’s a tale of ghoulish proportions that was supposed to have taken place in the small town of Big Stone Gap. The Folklore: In the 1890s, a European named Rupp moved to Big Stone Gap, Virginia. He […]
Old Hell’s Cabin
Old Hell’s cabin was located in Pocahontas, Virginia. This town sits in Tazewell County. There’s an area around Pocahontas called Sinking Creek and once, a log cabin there was known simply as, “Old Hell’s Cabin.” “Old Hell,” was the nickname of Philip Hellingham. He was an old bachelor who spent decades in the 3-room log […]
The Witch Bride
A wealthy bachelor named McKim owned a gristmill and much prosperous farming land in Virginia. His wealth made him very influential and citizens from the town all respected him. He was generous and kind, hosting many dinners and society events at his home. The parties he threw were lavish and enjoyed by all. McKim was […]
Miscellaneous Coal Mine Facts and Information
Odds and ends about life in the Appalachian coal mines. In 1897, miners in Appalachian regions earned around .30 per ton. Appalachian coal fields are reported to have given work to people from 30 foreign countries. Wise County, Virginia, boasted around 4400 coke ovens in use as far back as 1908. The process sent thick […]
Miscellaneous Coal Mine Knowledge
Odds and ends about life in the Appalachian coal mines. In 1897, miners in Appalachian regions earned around .30 per ton. Appalachian coal fields are reported to have given work to people from 30 foreign countries. Wise County, Virginia, boasted around 4400 coke ovens in use as far back as 1908. The process sent thick […]
Brown Mountain Lights: Blue Ridge Mountains, North Carolina
The Brown Mountain Lights in North Carolina have fascinated visitors for decades. The history of the lights can be traced, through the Cherokee, as far back as 1200 A.D. They have been described as everything from Native American maidens searching for their husbands who had died in battle to wives of Civil War soldiers searching […]