Many Appalachian mountain stories originate in real life hardship and tragedy.  From ghost stories about the dangers faced by coal miners  to the struggles of farm families to survive, Appalachian stories can be as blunt as their tellers.  But these tales can also have an impish sense of humor, like the one about hearing the devil in the graveyard.

Many Appalachian stories first came over “on the boat” with the original settlers: Scotch-Irish, Eastern European, African-American.  Others are Native American stories, born from shared beliefs and superstitions toward this mysterious land.  Read below to discover more about the Appalachian Mountains through their unique stories.

Banner photo by Marc del Santro, all rights reserved.