Hillbilly Highway: The Road Out of Appalachia

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East Tennessee here. I live in the house I grew up in on the land that’s been in my family for 150 years. my parents built this little house with their own two hands when dad came back from World War II. I live in a holler and the ridges that surround me protect me from storms and highwinds. The ground here is very fertile. I have a creek in my backyard. I’m never leaving and you can bury me in the backyard when it’s all said and done.

From Virginia (Abingdon) I was born and raised in a holler I will never leave the Appalachian mountains I remember we burned coal and wood to heat our house as a child Now you couldn't find a lump of coal. We gathered nuts from the mountains, raised most of what we ate swimming in the creek going to the spring for water we sure had it good

Born and raised in a holler in a remote area of WV. Lost both grandpas and my Dad to black lung disease. It was poverty but I had an amazing life as a child. Strongest people I’ve ever met. ♥️

From Pikeville (actually Johns Creek) Kentucky moved out when graduated in 1988 but moved back in 1991 and began working at Pike County Detention Center. Worked until 1995 there and was witness to the beginning of the end with the drug addiction and crime. Left and went to Virginia and worked at a Supermax Prison until retiring in 2008. Would travel back and forth over the years because my parents still lived there. By 2012 the crime had moved into where I was living in Virginia and I decided I had enough of the poverty and crime of the area and moved to Iowa. Love the beauty of the area especially the Breaks Interstate Park between Elkhorn Kentucky and Haysi Virginia. I have so many memories of happy times in the 70’s and 80’s there and it’s still beautiful but is a shadow of itself. The coal industry is gone (in my opinion thanks to the UMWA) and nothing other than the Prison systems has moved in to take its place! Crime is so bad because of poverty and no jobs! What I wouldn’t give to go back to the middle 70’s waking up to smell of fresh bacon, biscuits and coffee my grandma would get up at 5 a.m. every morning to start! All 7 of my aunts and uncles are gone except for my mom and 1 aunt and they are in their 80’s now and not healthy but still live there and love it and wouldn’t think of ever leaving! Pikeville will always have my heart but I know I’ll never return!

Maybe I got it wrong, but the love, the respect, the neighborly way people were, the way people helped each other, seems to outshine the neighborhood of today.

70 years old,now residing in Illinois and listening to you narrate my family history. Absolutely great story J.D. y'all stay safe out there my friends 🙏

Heartbreaking and sad, so many. Sometimes I think we should go backwards instead of forward 😢❤🍁

In the purple shadows of the Appalachian mountains, where the misty mornings dew. Evaporates with the arrival of golden Sunshine's first rays. The hills and valleys are dappled in delight, finally the day fades into night. That's where it all began and where it will end. Just a gentle whisper of the wind through the trees. The spirit's of loved ones and next of kin long forgotten now. Their spirit's dance upon the wind, riding sunbeams in the morning light. Dancing on raindrops, just a slight mist, but with a twist. Grandma and Grandpa's spirit's are home again. In the mountains they still love, Appalachia a gift from above. So when you feel that shiver on the back of your neck. Don't be afraid don't be alarmed, they don't mean you any harm. Just that Appalachia has an unbreakable charm. When this earthly life ends, many souls return to the place where it all began.

I’m Kentucky born and raised . Had to relocate for a Good Job . This year I’ll have 20 years in at my job. I look forward to the day I can retire and move back to Kentucky. I I’m a Kentucky Woman in my Heart and Soul ❤ If you didn’t have the kind of upbringing we had you don’t understand the love and loyalty . They were right ( in this video) my mom and dad had a 2nd grade education. If I had not lost my mom and dad 2 years apart . I don’t think I would have ever left. I was 21 and 23 when they passed away. Today will be my daddy’s 30th year he was called home to God. Mom passed away 1st so she has been gone 32 years now. I will get back to Kentucky through hard work and dedication or I will be brought home to be buried next to my Mom, Dad and my Son . Kentucky is calling me home… it’s never stopped calling me . I do still visit from time to time unfortunately night shift over 20 years is hard on a body. Especially as I get older I can feel it more. I’m just glad to know when I do pass away . I will be back in Kentucky next to my loved ones. Although I hope to make it there and enjoy the rest of my life peaceful with my fond memories and loved ones I have left. Thank you 🙏 for all your videos. You do a fantastic job !! I truly appreciate all of them ❤

My Dad was an old time reverend from the Old Regular Baptist of deep rooted eastern KY. He always said that Appalachians have the biggest hearts and Pike County KY is the heart of America. I grew up down Brushy. Havent lived in Pike since 1990, but I'm just in Kingsport. I'll never leave Appalachia for good .

I grew up in Manhattan, New York City. My old neighborhood is what is now known as the, "EAST VILLAGE". My neighbors were a large Family of country People from the Mountains of Apalacia, West Virginia. My very close fiend, Walter, had a wounderful black and white photo of his dear Mom as a small child sitting down with Devilance Hatfield, he was the leader of the Hatfield mountain clan that were part of the famous, and, extremely long lasting, HATFILD & MaCOY Family Fued. These Mountain Folks fought with each other for 100 years. Google this, it's an amazing story. Please, also understand, that my good friend, Walter, and his beautiful Hill Dwelling Family from Apalachia were among the kindest, intelligent, and caring People I have Ever known. And, I'm 79 years of age, and have known quite a few people in my Day. My sincere THANK YOU to the producers and staff of this well made, and outstanding documentary video!

All in the name of progress taking advantage of people wanting a better life for their families, very sad,you did a great job of telling this.

Wonderful story and so true. Born and raised in Appalachia. Tennessee Georgia Carolinas and I live in Kentucky now. Love my mountains. ❤

Readin’, writin’ and Route 23. It’s what I heard when grown up in South-Central Ohio. I remember a lot of people from Kentucky working in Columbus, Ohio, then going home on the weekends. Now the descendants of those same people long to leave Columbus, head back to Kentucky.

My blood and soul are rooted deep in these hollers and mountains and I’ll remain here as did my kin and those before them 🤘🏻 God bless WV 🤘🏻

JD. this is the story of my life. I had to leave the mountains to find work. My body left the hills but my heart and soul remain high up on a Tennessee ridge..waiting until I return home. For the mountains will always be my home, no matter where I live.

I'm a🎉 East Tennessee boy My mother's people come from Kingston Tennessee. She graduated from highschool in 1916! I love this Old woman to this day! Old Tennessee! Love your channel! Keep the truth alii! Love you brother!

My paternal grandfather was from Scioto County, Ohio and was a coal miner. He died of black lung disease in the sanatorium in Portsmouth in 1914. He was born, get this, November 1853, he was 20 years older than my grandmother. They married around 1900, my father was 1907. He was almost 50 when I came along…I’m the youngest. My maternal grandfather left Brown County, Ohio to work on the street cars in Cincinnati. He moved his family to Norwood, Ohio in the mid 1920’s. The coal mine owners are subhuman. I had a coworker who’s family was from West Virginia and had grandfathers and uncles who worked in the coal mine. A hard life. This is such a sad history.

Great video! My Appalachian ancestors lit out from South Carolina for Tennessee in the 1700’s then Ozarks in the 1800’s. Never left their mountain culture behind though, carried it with them to new mountains. ❤️