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The Jellico Troop Train Disaster of 1944
In July 1944, a troop train packed with new Army recruits derailed near Jellico, Tennessee, plunging into Clear Fork River. Thirty-five soldiers died…
1 year, 1 month ago
The 1919 Torrent, Kentucky Nitro Explosion
In 1919, a nitroglycerin explosion near Torrent, Kentucky, killed four men and leveled a factory. Today we tell the story of that tragedy and the exp…
1 year, 1 month ago
Christopher Gist and the Opening of Appalachia
In 1750, surveyor Christopher Gist set out to explore the wilderness of what’s now Southwest Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, and West Virginia. Hired by …
1 year, 1 month ago
Bloody Vengeance in Appalachia: The Battle of Dug Hill/The Officer House Massacre
In March 1864, Union Colonel William B. Stokes and his cavalry were ambushed at Dug Hill, in Tennessee, leaving dozens of his men dead. Enraged, Stok…
1 year, 1 month ago
The Rhea County Spartans: The South's All-Female Cavalry Unit
In the final years of the Civil War, a group of young women in Rhea County, Tennessee, made American history as the only known all-female cavalry uni…
1 year, 2 months ago
The Kentucky Longhunter, Henry Skaggs
In this episode, we tell the story of Henry Skaggs, one of the legendary Kentucky longhunters of the 18th century and his remarkable journey from his…
1 year, 2 months ago
Mountains, Moonshine and Mutiny: WW1 Desertion in North Carolina
In 1918, the mountains of North Carolina erupted in quiet rebellion. Dozens of young men dodged the World War I draft, hiding in the backcountry with…
1 year, 2 months ago
Michael Stoner, Legendary Longhunter of Appalachia
In this episode we tell the story of Michael Stoner, a German-born frontiersman, longhunter, and close companion of Daniel Boone. From his early days…
1 year, 2 months ago
The Assassination of William Taulbee
On February 28, 1890, a long-simmering feud turned deadly in the halls of the U.S. Capitol.
Former Kentucky Congressman William P. Taulbee was shot o…
1 year, 2 months ago
The Shinnston Tornado
On June 23, 1944, a massive F4 tornado struck Shinnston, West Virginia, the deadliest tornado in the state’s history. This week we tell the story of …
1 year, 3 months ago