American folk music, and particularly traditional Appalachian music, would be incomplete without the signature twang of the banjo. Along with the accompaniment of the fiddle, the banjo has echoed from porches across the Blue Ridge Mountains region for centuries. Before becoming part of larger string-band ensembles, banjos historically supplied the background music for storytelling. Later, the banjo … Read more
The battles at Chickamauga and Chattanooga were a major turning point in the Civil War. Winning the Battle of Chattanooga in late November of 1863 created a path for the Union Army to take Atlanta, which had a direct effect on the end of the war. Today, these historic battlefields are preserved at the Chickamauga … Read more
The Appalachian Mountains run north to south in the eastern third of the United States, passing through every coastal state north of Florida and all the way up into Appalachian Canada. They also move slightly westward into other states, including Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia. Within this massive area— ranging from 100 to 300 miles … Read more
Stretching from Alabama and North Georgia to Maine, the Appalachian mountain range was formed millions of years ago before being settled by Native Americans and, later, Scots-Irish, English, German, and Polish immigrants. Since settling in the mountains in the 18th and 19th centuries, Appalachian people have developed a unique blend of cultures that has its own … Read more
If you’ve lived in the Southeast for a good portion of your life (as our team has), chances are you’ve been exploring Appalachia and the Blue Ridge range for years. Maybe you’ve visited state parks in North Georgia and North Carolina, hiked to various waterfalls, soaked in the scenery atop majestic mountains, or taken a road … Read more
