The Death of Edward Wentz
In 1903, the Wentz family of Philadelphia was in control of the Virginia Coal and Iron Company and Stonega Coal and Coke. In that year, young Edward Wentz came to the coalfields of Wise County, Virgin...
7 Maj 201617min
The Melungeon Trials
Starting in the mid-19th century, just before the Civil War, there were several Tennessee court cases that helped define the role of the mysterious people known as “Melungeons” in Appalachian society....
3 Maj 201616min
The Moon-Eyed People
There is a Cherokee legend about a war with a fair-skinned people with blue eyes and beards, who were extremely sensitive to light. One version of this legend has them responsible for pre-Columbian st...
30 Apr 201613min
The Duke of Asheville
In the fall of 1902, a sickly Englishman arrived in Asheville, North Carolina, from parts unknown. He passed away shortly thereafter and, over the next seven years, became a part of the fabric of the ...
26 Apr 201610min
The Deadly Harpes
On this week’s episode of Stories, Rod and Steve tell you the story of the Harpes, two men who, at the turn of the 19th century, led authorities on a horrific crime spree from North Carolina to Illino...
23 Apr 201610min
The Strikes of ’29
In 1929 a series of textile mill strikes hit the southeastern United States, starting in Elizabethton, Tennessee. On this episode, Rod and Steve tell the story of what happened in Elizabethton when wo...
19 Apr 201610min
The Bluebeard of Quiet Dell
Sometimes love just isn’t enough. At least it wasn’t for Harry Powers of Quiet Dell, West Virginia. On today’s episode, we tell a story of murder in the singles ads in 1920’s West Virginia. You can su...
16 Apr 201610min
The Great Cholera Outbreak
In 1873, there was a world-wide cholera epidemic. One of the worst hit places in the Appalachian region was the East Tennessee town of Greeneville, which saw 90 percent of its population either die or...
12 Apr 201611min
