Some time ago, my son and I toured the Museum of Appalachia in Clinton, Tennessee. And, let me tell you, it is a treasure trove of Appalachian everything – from the pioneer days onward. The museum is located within view of Andersonville Hwy, is surrounded by an abundance of nativeContinue Reading

I am genuinely amazed when outsiders view Appalachian people as nothing more than incestuous (or inbred), uneducated (or lacking),  violent, “pillbillies,” (also here and here). To a good portion of people, we are poverty porn, and a host of caricatures. These views are psychologically brutal and personal. And we doContinue Reading

One of my greatest joys is visiting museums. I love museums of all kinds but I’m particularly fond of author museums. It should come as no surprise that my bias leans toward Southern authors. (And, if I break it down further, I’d say, I’m even fonder of Appalachian authors.) AContinue Reading

People are often horrified when I explain how much a scene in the movie Deliverance, based on the James Dickey novel, reminds me of my family and fills me with such fond memories. No, not that scene, though I can’t blame anyone when the mind instantly leaps to that part.Continue Reading

Welcome, readers. We have now come to the end of our journey. I hope everyone has avoided our creatures thus far. Hopefully, this series has better prepared readers for any future encounters. Let’s explore and investigate the following creatures together. XVI. Tennessee Wildman   First Encounter: 1800s in McNairy County,Continue Reading

In part two of our series, we examine creatures from the Kentucky Hellhound to the dreaded Snarly Yow. Our journey takes us into moonshine country and skyward, then makes a daring turn toward the woods and on thoroughfares. Take care on this trek, lest you get lost and are foundContinue Reading

In your long hikes and woodland quests, have you ever heard some noise you can’t quite place? A growl, perhaps, or even a howl? Have you shuddered when leaves rustled or a twig snapped? Walking on your way home in dark hollers, did you have a creepy feeling that youContinue Reading

Memories have a way of invading the mind, conjured from some small movement, an event, the lilt in a voice, a child’s laughter, or, sometimes, nothing at all. A few weeks ago, I came home after a hasty, masked, social-distancing trip to the grocery store. Like always, I entered withContinue Reading