Featured Story
The Golden Cracks of Appalachia: A Story of Land, People, and Resilient Beauty
The Appalachian Salt Boom: Eastern Kentucky’s Forgotten Industry
Before coal claimed the mountains, salt was the treasure that drew explorers, settlers, and ambitious families deep into the wild hills of Eastern Kentucky. Follow the forgotten salt trails of Pike, Clay, and Perry Counties, where bubbling brine springs helped build towns, shaped generations of family migration, and became valuable enough to fight over during the Civil War. Many of these once-bustling places have faded quietly back into the landscape, but their stories remain woven into the communities of Appalachia. Discover the nearly forgotten industry that helped shape Eastern Kentucky long before the first coal train rolled through the mountains.
APPALACHIAN TRADITIONS
How Appalachian Herbal Remedies Were Passed Down Through Generations explores this living tradition and the people who kept it alive. Step into a world where knowing what grew beyond the kitchen door could be as important as knowing a family recipe—and discover how generations of Appalachian wisdom continue to echo through the mountains today.
More Stories…
Made in the Mountains: Where to Experience Appalachian Art & Craft
Across Appalachia, artists and craftspeople are keeping old skills alive while creating something entirely their own. Visit the cooperatives, schools, galleries, studios, and craft trails where the region’s creative traditions are still being made. Discover Appalachian art and craft through Cherokee artists, folk schools, galleries, working studios, and craft trails where mountain traditions live on.
Discover Off-the-Beaten-Path: 10 Appalachian Places Worth the Detour
Beyond Appalachia’s famous parks and overlooks are old forests, mountain settlements, hidden wetlands, deep canyons, and backroads worth taking the long way to find. Discover 10 off-the-beaten-path Appalachian destinations, from ancient forests and mountain settlements to hidden wetlands, canyons, and scenic backroads.
The Legacy of My Melungeon Heritage: Following My Family Through America’s Backcountry
Explore the deeply personal story of Melungeon heritage in Appalachia, where generations of hidden identity, discrimination, family traditions, and remarkable resilience reveal a history that refused to be erased.
Made by Hand: Where Appalachian Craft Is Still Alive
Across Appalachia, potters, quilters, basket makers, woodworkers, blacksmiths, weavers, and other artisans are carrying generations of knowledge forward. Explore the traditions behind Appalachian craft and discover the schools, studios, cooperatives, and communities where visitors can still experience these skills firsthand.
Have a story to share?
Feel free to email us.