A Typical Appalachian Holler - Could Be Anywhere...but it's on the Letcher/Pike Co., Kentucky border
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- Опубликовано: 29 сен 2024
- This is what we call a holler. This is a West Virginia holler to be more specific. You can usually tell you're in a holler when you look around and see mountains in pretty much every direction; you're on a road with no painted lines; and, a dead giveaway, when you see a dog standing right smack dab in the middle of the road staring at you like you're about to play a game of chicken. A holler has a head and a mouth...it also has plenty of eyes because if you happen to be a stranger driving up or down the holler, someone has more than likely taken notice - an informal neighborhood watch, if you will. If you live in a holler then you probably know every Tom, Dick, and Harry that lives in the holler with you and you're probably kin to more than a few of them. You probably know everybody's business whether you want to or not and they know yours. It seems like every holler has somebody that raises chickens and there's always a rooster crowing to wake you in the morning. A creek almost always runs alongside the road. If you've ever driven up the wrong holler, there's a 99% chance you had to use a stranger's driveway to turn around. It doesn't matter how many times the people that put up the road signs spell it h-o-l-l-o-w, it's a holler - it only makes them look dumb and pretentious to spell it that way. You can live in a holler and still holler at someone but that's a story for another day.
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I appreciate you picking a beautiful snowy day to film.
I came across this video pretty much on accident, but recognized where you were from the thumbnail. I grew up on another holler about five minutes from this in Pike County, but have relocated to Lexington since. It’s so interesting to be thrown back to this and to hear you talk about it. Awesome video!
Thank you, so glad you enjoyed it
I done the same. I live up the road from here a little ways.
Yes yes right on. Keep staying warm....
Looks like my kinda place. I’m seriously thinking of moving to this state within the next two years. Perhaps you have some real estate or other information sources to help in my research?
What do you mean by watching ? Like why do they do that ? People watching you from unseen areas or the houses ? How do you personally know that they are watching
Prettiest country, here in Appalachia!
Once a MOUNTAINEER, Always a MOUNTAINEER
😷👍
Growing up in WV I have seen my share of hollers and I love everyone. WV is great place to live. I haven't t traveled much in my life but what little bit I have there isn't a place I seen yet that I would rather live than good old WV. God bless her.
I am with you on that
👍❤️
Good living, got family in Scarbro, WV, Evans Holler!!
I m from Germany traveled a lot all over the us and canada ...some if the nicest people i ve ever met
I'm in North Carolina and grew up on a small farm in a place called Lizard Ridge. When I got out of the army in 1971 I wanted land of my own and it had to have a hollar because that means a creek in the Appalachians. I got my place and built a house, but I built it on a ridge that overlooks a hollar. By the way I'm one of them people who has chickens. Thanks for the video.
I too live in the mountains of Western North Carolina. One of the most beautiful places on God’s green earth! We had a hollar on my Granny’s farm. When I was very small I remember asking my daddy why it was called a “hollar”. He took me up the hollar and told me to yell really loud. My little voice bounced from mountain ridge to mountain ridge, echoing eerily until it was again completely silent. He said, “That’s one of the reasons it’s called a hollar!” 😁😉🙂
My Dad grew up in the Hollers of Logan, W.VA. Him in his family. The stories he told of life there were so awesome!!! I always wished that I grew up on a Farm there too. Sadly, I was born in DT. Huge difference than the country, lol.
I also had land in my family...in West Jeffersoson Co. NC. I was so sad when my father sold land we have had for generations. Living in Baltimore mean a drive down 81 to seeeverything. I love that area, and would do.anything to get back there. A beautiful mountainside, but locals began to hunt, ridr bikes on it, and drink. It became a hassle and liability. He sild in 2012 for littlr bc he said its swampy near thd creek and worthless. Totalky disagreed I did
I moved to West Virginia in 1988 with thinking they were a bunch of backward no tooth cartoons that most in our nation think it's prevalent even today. My job requires me to be on the move all the time and what I have experienced is quite the opposite . Most are welcome and helpful to a point that a "city folk" would not understand. It is Interesting that that sense of the common is Still alive but at the same time taken away . West Virginia has a history that should not be taken away . Every time I am on a Job I feel honored to hear the "old timers " Stories and see the light in the eye of what they are. I never had that in a big city ......Maybe This is where I am suppose to be. Almost Heaven - If a person is real WV is for you. If not , city life is you. I'm not bashing city life, but what is the hurry ... Look not at a building but the outdoors that you run to on a Vacation. WV has that here and I can make a living on it. This is just my opinion . I have lived in New York, California , New Mexico, Arizona, Utah , Colorado and Ohio. This is the Best in the Nation.
I know exactly what you are saying and I think a lot of folks can understand the sentiment you express. Different things appeal to different types of people but I love these mountains and its people.
I Agree w/U 100%....Ive lived in Cleveland, & Columbus Ohio, Kentucky, Washington DC, Virginia & ive always caught myself packing my belongings up & moving right bk 2 WV, I was Born & Raised in WV & this is where my Heart belongs no other place has made me Happy like the good Ole state of WV the old saying is....theres no place lime home & i tell Ya that sure is the Truth. I Guess i will live hear till I Die. 🤗👍🏼
I left WV (Wayne County) back in 1985, moved just north of Atlanta and have been here ever since. The last time I was there was in 2000. Funny how some parts of it had changed and other parts looked the same just as it did back in the 70's.
One thing for sure is that some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet are there.
Kenny I lived in Jersey for 48 years before retiring to Florida years ago. If my health was better I would have retired to West Virginia too. I know what you mean about "city folk". 20-30 years ago I visited Aruba several times....the nicest people that I ever met outside the US. Aruba's license plates have their motto "One Happy Island" on the bottom. So very very true. WV has "Wild,Wonderful" on it's plates. Personally I would have liked "Almost Heaven" but all I'll say is..."God Bless West Virginia"!
That was a mighty peaceful video with the snow and gray sky. It brings back wonderful memories of living in McDowell County the first 32 years of my life. There is nothing like hiking to the head of a holler and walking up to the ridge line, with snow gently hitting you in the face and the only sound is the Appalachian wind blowing through the trees. Only Heaven could be more peaceful. Appalachian Folks are the finest in the world. Thank you for the wonderful video!
Hey Wythe...I was raised in western Maryland coal country...Frostburg/Cumberland area in Allegany County. I can identify totally with walking in the silence of the ridges on gray, snowy days...the smell of sulfur in the air rom burning coal in stoves and furnaces. Hard for people to understand
unless they lived it. Right?
Jay that's so true. I miss the smell of burning coal. Our house in McDowell County had a wooden coal box out back. The local coal company put them in. They held a ton of coal. I remember coal only cost $3.25 a ton! The coal company had a coal delivery truck with a little conveyor that filled the coal boxes. We would shovel coal from the box into coal buckets, to carry it into the house. We had a stove in the living room and kitchen. Great memories of a wonderful, simpler time!
I was born and raised in Appalachia (I'm 35 now). I've lived in 5 states throughout my youth and ended up in WV for work. Thinking I wanted to seek out a better place, I moved to Florida last year when the pandemic hit. It's now June 2021 and I'm moving back. My heart aches EVERYDAY and hasn't stopped since the move. WV was the kindest, most welcoming state I've ever lived. It's honestly home. The waterfalls, the neighbors, the attitudes, the scenery..... Almost Heaven is truly accurate. Nothing better.
You described it very accurately
Take me with you! Im stuck in Clearwater Fl. Ive lived in many states but West Virginia will always be my home.
@@Buck82Fla greetings from Largo... sorry to hear you're not too happy with Clearwater.
I left WV in 1981 as a teen. Wishing I was back home, but have wife, kids, and grandchildren here. All were born and raised in SC, and have no desire to leave. So I'm sort of stuck. Congratulations on you making it back home.
@@Patriot7476 last time i was in wv was in 1981, all of my dad's family that is left still lives there and i love them all and miss them, but i can't travel anymore, but i always loved west virginia. I'm actually related to the hatfields on my dad's mom's side of the family
I live in the southern Ohio hills. Its just like that. Great place to live
This is my home ole Letcher County. I'm 67 now I'll probably die there.
You couldn't pick a much better place to live, good folks there
❤️
Sorry to hear that.
I was born in Appalachia, VA..It is similar ..
Good show tank about loyalle
I'm half Appalachia and half native American, my dads family is from princeton, WV
I love Princeton, I'm glad you mentioned there because I really need to do a video from there
Hey honey ❤️
I also have Native blood running thru my veins. Mama being from Pike Co, KY. Cherokee blood runs deep in that area of R Country.
Some of the best people on God's green earth. Love the South❤️. Long live the South ❤️😃
Amen
I went to TN and people are friendly
I'm from the North but I have lived in the deep south, middle south, back North. I'm in southern Kentucky for 18 yrs near Ft.Campbell. You are right nothing like the South.
God's country. So thankful to be a Southerner.
West Virginia is not the south.
My mama comes from a holler. I've still got family that lives in that same old holler. Funny how they all seem to look alike.
I used to live in Greenup Kentucky...Lord do I Miss it there
I live in greenup close to green bow lake
@@jamesm9766 like I said, I Miss living there...I miss The Ohio River and lol the Trains too....
We live in Raceland in Greenup County, and I hear those trains buckling up and a short toot from their air horns in the wee hours of the morning and it just makes me feel good every time that they do! Glad to know I’m not alone in that and that I’m not plumb crazy for appreciating it! 👍👍
@@davidhall5070 Lmao, I remember when my son's and I moved back to Wisconsin We couldn't sleep in the beginning because we missed the Train's!! Now I bought a Farmette in the Quiet country with Alot of land and if I'd hear train's I'd Freak out thinking of Tornadoes!!
I love visiting my family down in the hollers in louisa kentucky
If that is a little restaurant in town yes I do.. I've only ate their once but really liked it..I haven't been down much since my cousins husband became chief of police cuz he's always busy and don't want to butt in with having my tribe invade their house lol .. we try to get down at least for September fest each year
Looks a lot like where my grandparents lived in Clay county. Between Manchester and Oneida off Route 11.
I spent a lot of time there from the '70s through early '90s. Never had a minute's trouble and met a lot of wonderful people.
I'm on Hector creek
@@oldjake912 My grandparents lived on Crane Creek, and also on Teges Creek..
Son's grandparents and family are in Chop Bottom. I've been there plenty of times.
@@sallymulcare5254 Never heard that name...was that the dirt road just past the little bridge on Crane Creek? If that's what I think it it, there was an old red tarpaper shack that was supposed to be haunted.
This was back in the '70s and '80s...
@@scottthomas3792 the road goes over Goose Creek. Most of the family in there are at high enough elevation for a flood, like going up on Henson RD. There are Two parts of Smith Family graveyard. The main family names I know back in there are Smith (Bev Smith was my Son's G-Grandfather and G-Grandmother was a Henson), Marion, and Henson.
I was raised in David, Ky. The coal trucks had to pull their mirrors in or clip while passing on Route 404. Hillside on one side, drop on other, no street lights, wildlife(mules), wooden bridges, etc.
I feel ya honey-Buchanan County Virginia here❤️
I've had more than one visitor make it up here on the ridge and say "it felt like I was being
watched".
I grin at 'em and say "you were...probably had a scope or two on ya, too". :-)
Spent over half my life in urban settings; now the latter half out here on the ridge.
I prefer this more - a lot more.
Be safe out there, my friend!
-Ed on the Ridge
You know how it goes lol. I've wondered before just how close I was to getting a triggered pulled on me through the years lol. Ain't nothing like that holler life.
😁😉🥰
The trail behind my house in a nice WV subdivision leads to a view of a holler with the all of the things you mention, especially a good sized creek. It has the head of another holler up above it, both on gravel, dirt roads. Sometimes the holler dogs come up to check our dogs, but my big dog always runs them off. One other thing you can count on hearing is gunshots in the distance.
Gunshots, ain't that the truth lol
I live in a holler myself. Happy holler tyler county.
My mom was born & raised in Leckie w.v. , I grew up in San Francisco but always heard my mother & daddy talking about Leckie Hollar #9. That #9 was the coal mine my dad worked at for 25 years. They moved to San Francisco California during wwII to work in the shipyard there. Last year 2020, my wife and I rented a car and drove to Leckie w.v. , we found it believe it or not, the mines there closed half way thru the last century. Wasn’t much to see but I’ll be going back next month, there are some ghosts I need to talk to back there. Thanks for your video!
That’s great but it’s already April and snakes are crawling so watch yourself and be careful honey ❤️
😢😢😢 yep. I was running around down in Boone and Lincoln county talking to ghosts too. This place is in your DNA.
Drove through Leckie countless times.
Was t it named for Leckie Fuel? And glad you came back. Take a good look around. You might find a good spot to land on.
@@UncaDave I would move there but my wife’s not on board. I think that Lexy was named after a guy who owned some coal mines
My mother was raised in a holler in Pike County Kentucky. We would visit our grandparents once or twice a year. We lived 600 miles away. I remember the sound of the little creek in front of her log cabin house. The smell of the flowers and trees. Her yard and home were always immaculate and well kept. When I need a happy place to think of I often think of that holler because it reminds me of the people who love me the most in this life. Thank you for sharing this video.
glad it brought back some great memories for you
You forgot to mention the party line. I graduated high school in 1975. My grandparents had just got a rotary dial phone.
Prior they had a big black telephone with no dial just a smooth black ring. The phone had a crank on the side and used tall cylindrical dry cell batteries. You picked up and cranked the handle on the side to call the operator to call your next door neighbor. The operator knew everybody’s business and usually the whole valley as they all picked up and listened in.
We’d spend the summer with my grandparents and the phone would ring. Them being older we’d run to the phone to catch it quick. They’d stop us That’s not our ring! What!?! Our ring is two pulls and a yank ant that’s two yanks and a pull. What are you talking about. Everyone’s phone rang. But everyone had a different ring. Ours/theirs being two long rings and a short. And that ring was two short rings and a long one. Wow those were the days. They had one of the old wooden phones with the adjustable mouth piece and the separate corded ear piece. I think they finally sold it as an antique for $100.
I had customers up and down Hillbilly Highway, made that drive many times. Beautiful!
You're right about the neighbors. Once in1970a couple of buddies and I drove from Atlanta to see my Grandma in SW VA near Clinchport. We got there about 2 AM and stretched out in the back of the van to sleep. When we woke up in the morning everyone around was upset about that strange vehicle. Grandma took us in the kitchen, fed us country ham, bisquits and gravy.
Thanks Shane!
It sounds like you drew an ace on that trip lol
Dad had a 69 road runner we lived in Michigan when we went home to see grandma dads grandma , dad was pulled over by his cousin the cop who let all the other cops know that we belonged in royalton, ky
Why did you say " APPALACHICOLA"? That's way down in Florida .right??
In 1986 I traveled from a city in New Jersey to Thorpe, W.V. to visit the grave of my Grandfather...a WV coal miner who was killed in 1927. I got a hand drawn map from my Mom and an Uncle because they said...."You won't find the cemetery without this". (Good advice) They also warned me...."Be respectful" (advice I didn't need)....their 2 final warnings were...."Make sure that you're out of the hollers before dark". Great advice! As a city guy I was used to street signs....street lights....traffic lights....oh and guardrails on the dangerous roads. I was NOT used to huge dump trucks or lumber trucks roaring around hairpin turns and down roads barely passable with NO guardrails and a steep drop off. My Uncles final piece of advice....."Stay out of the bars"! He told me that the locals will see you're an outsider and a city boy in 2 seconds and may want to have some fun with you. If things go wrong you'll end up in a holler somewhere and no one will ever hear of you again. YIKES. Well....First...I'm no a-hole...2nd...I stayed out of the bars.....third....the people I met were some of the nicest Americans I ever met! When they saw my Jersey tags I was asked...."what's a city boy from NJ doing here"? When I told them about my Grandfather's grave it was like I was family come home. I was treated like family. I LOVE WEST VIRGINIA!
New Jersey has appalachian hollers and appalachian mountains too I'm moving to one
"Make sure that you're out of the hollers before dark" 👀
@@bradford_shaun_murray no way I live in one all the way at the top and don't bother people and you won't get bothered
@@evandorco5193 I don't know man lol. Seems a bit spooky down those places at night if I didn't know the area.
@@bradford_shaun_murray just don't go on anyone's property and youl be fine it's mind your business out here and thel be no problems when you call the cops out here thel not show cause there's no police departments. As long as you keep to yourself and show respect all is good I'm in jersey stokes state forest area if you ever wanna do a hike Appalachia in jersey has some of the most dense hardwood forests in North America
Well I was raised "in the bush" as a little girl. We had creeks to. Lived in a shack once or twice. Kinda like the holler I guess. Survived on wildmeat and homemade 😋.
bread. It was was good.
I kind of have to disagree with you on the word hollow and holler. The word 'holler' is the way 'hollow' is pronounced and it it's on an official state road sign, (of which there are few) it will be spelled 'h-o-l-l-o-w'. We have hills and hollows here. But, if you are dumb enough to pronounce it as 'hollow' folks will instantly know you are very much an outsider. It's just like where I used to live. There was an area called La Jolla. If you didn't pronounce it as La Hoiya, we knew you weren't from 'round there! I now live in Kentucky, in Clay County, and haven't been here a year yet. It truly is gorgeous here but very different than the mountains that I grew up in.
I was raised in the mountains of Southern California. It was basically a resort area with a lot of mountain cabins that were only occupied by flat-landers escaping the city on the weekends. The nearest local girl close to my age lived almost 2 miles from us. So.Cal. mountains are geologically new in comparison to to the Appalachian Range and quite different in the flora that is there. Western mountains in the higher elevations, where I lived, generally have more evergreens than deciduous trees, and because they are newer, they are much steeper and taller and they are still rising, and they didn't have hollers like here. The Appalachian mountains are not growing. They are getting shorter as time marches on. Mom was a geology major so I learned a lot from her and even attended many of her geology classes with her when I was a kid.
Anyway, from the gorgeous mountains I wound up stuck in the Mojave Desert for a couple years and couldn't wait to get out! Lordy, how I hated it! From there I became a city girl and worked as a vocalist in bands till I retired. I was sick to death of crowds, congestion, houses sitting right on top of each other, and the miserable 'rush hour' traffic that got worse and worse. I longed again for the peace and space rural life offers. California is simply too darned expensive to live so I searched and found a huge, gorgeous home on 15 acres of mostly wooded mountain, for a small fraction of what I would have had to pay in CA. Finally I'm back to mountain living and feel like I can breathe again!
As an 'outsider' I'd almost call where I live as a 'holler' in as much as the creek is right next to the road, and I'm surrounded by mountains on all sides. And yep, lots of folks have chickens, and you do still need to watch out for those dogs on the road. It doesn't fit the definition of a holler though because it's on a two lane paved highway with no mouth and head to it.
I always thought that they were called hollers because they were like open spaces between mountains (like valleys) and you could "holler" out to people on the other side and communicate that way. I'm not sure when or where I heard that explanation but I guess you can tell I've never been to WV. I've always been fascinated with the Appalacian way of life though.
Love for you to take a ride up Barnshe Holler. Freeburn ky- pike Co. Yeah Buddy Gary Stewart that's real country! How bout i see sparkling little diamond on your hand.. Yes Sir real country.. Thank You..
When I was in boot camp , absolutely no one could believe I was from West Virginia. There are so many preconceived notions about the state. I wouldn’t live anywhere else ❤️
As a multi generational Appalachian, this is excellent & it's all true! Right on the bullseye! All very well said, great video. Thank you. Subscribed!
Thank you 😊
I live in a holler too. Always amazed at how the sound travels. They can be logging tree 4 hollers over and it sounds like it right behind your barn or house.
Very very true
I would love to live somewhere like that if I was in better health. Very pretty and peaceful 😊
Keep praying, good girl...you'll get there
Yeah I was raised up in a holler so far up a holler you had a pump sunlight into it
That's so primitive. We have to truck our sunlight in
Que hermosos paisajes tienen los apalaches. Gracias por subir los videos y poder conocer tu tierra. Saludos desde Argentina.
This made me laugh out loud!! Living in Dickenson county va in a holler called bear pen creek I can attest to all of these!! Especially the dogs and chickens part!!
That's a sure is a flat hollar. I live in Toby Hollow in between Karns and Claxton Tn. Hate when it snows sometimes we can't get out for days. Great video.
I can imagine that being a rough day right there. Snow is a beast in a lot of these places, this holler is lucky it is located right beside a main road. I can imagine how a lot of folks get snowed in like you said. Thanks for watching.
I'd love to see some pictures.
The road I live on is a leftover from George Washington’s second French and Indian War campaign. It was blessed by remaining mud/gravel until 2 years ago when the State went and tar and chipped it. The road used to scare people off, but now that it sort of looks like pavement we get a whole lot of folks turning around in the driveway to our lower field……since the road continues on through a ford and driving through a creek normally isn’t what they have in mind. Living down such a road in the hills of West Virginia is just a comfortable place to be. I’m sure there might be better, but I know most are a lot worse.
I live in a gravel road too. Nice thing about it you can hear a car coming from way off. Also in the snow the tires can grip it a bit better. Less rain runoff too as it soaks the rain up better.
I live in a Holler in the Smokies of NC...and your right everyone knows everyone else’s business lol. Thanks for sharing💖🙏🏻
love your videos. reminds me of my grandparents farm and little town where they lived in eastern Ohio
Thank you so much 😊
My late husbands family was from Webster Springs West Virginia, the Carpenters and the Cogars, then we lived in a little town called Gasaway, and a small town Davisville next to Parkersburg, then we moved back to Mich , I loved West Virgin nia but had to move back so my husband could go back to work at his old job.
My grandparents and parents raised around Harlan area. Grandfather was a coal-miner. I spent one year at Alice Lloyd. I love eastern Ky.
Thanks for the tour ! Those creeks in the bottom of the holler get pretty wild in heavy rain with all that elevation feeding in to a small channel .
Exactly!
I lived in Pike County, McAndrews, Kentucky back in 1968 into 1969. The Hollow, or Holler, was called Octavia... Still remember the feeling of being an outsider, "City Slicker". I was 8 years old, n it was like a lil piece of boy heaven there... Creeks n snakes n lizards n frogs. Lightnin Bugs, Praying Mantis' , Spiders, Box Tortoises... We had an outhouse, n no running water. We had a brand new electric well pump pumping water into the kitchen sink. We burned coal for heat. There was a log cabin on the property. But the house we lived in was tar paper sided, a big cement porch, two stories with the bedrooms upstairs only divide by a half wall and we had a closet that joined both bedrooms. One window in the back n one in the front upstairs. The downstairs was a living room with a bedroom off to one side, a dining room n a kitchen The back porch was enclosed, screened in... The back field to the tree line was a garden, which we plowed n grew vegetables in... There was an old fresh water well next to the house, between the house n the cabin. We drew the freshest cleanest water outta that well with a galvanized bucket n used a ladle to drink a bit... The cabin, I remember was painted green, and had white doors and window frames... It was only used as storage, like an attic or a shed... I never went in there... But I thought it was very Cool. The front yard was wide and grassy. There was a cherry tree right in the middle of it... Got my Ass whoooopped with a cherry switch there !!! Neighbors to one side were the Blackburn's, the other side, I don't clearly remember, but Hackney Holler branched off right there... The best things I remember living there were my dog, Honey, n the food... Fried fish... Bacon, biscuits n bacon grease gravy !!! I think we grew the best potatoes I've ever eaten... Fried chicken that was heavenly... But we were Hippies, on the run from our previous stay in San Francisco.... we only stayed for about a year... Then moved across the border to the Williamson area of West Virginia... I'd like to go back n visit sometime... But, I know the people don't like strangers around... We lived up the Holler from Doc Hatfield's house, he was my school bus driver. And we were about a half mile down the Holler from a Family of McCoy's, who played Blue Grass on their porch in the evenings... There was still a few folks making "Shine" up behind the creek opposite our house... And there was a bit of fear there every now n then of something creeping around in the hills behind our houses... Star Trek, n Hee Haw were the tv programs we watched at the Blackburn's house every week... Loretta Lynn was everybody's favorite singer !!! "Harper Valley PTA" was a big hit there... Like "Ode to Billy Joe" was as well.... A great mix of things I experienced, leave me remembering, probably for the rest of my life....
This looks very much like driving up a holler in the Missouri Ozarks. The mountains aren't as high but are just as rugged and beautiful.
I ain't afraid of no holler people, I will use their property to turn my truck around if I want to.
Ain't much chance of that, is there city boy?
Shane I had no idea that that was a holler it's amazing that I learned something new every single day thank you for this video my uncle passed away yesterday and my heart is very heavy so thank you for the distraction I really needed it
So sorry to hear about your uncle, I know that is tough. I am glad you were able to get a small break from the grief.
Very sorry for your loss.
@@sharondonelow5364 thank you for your comment God bless and stay safe
Me neither. We've got a couple of places like that where I live in southern Illinois. Love driving through them.
I’m very sorry for the loss of your uncle. May God watch over you and your family
Shane, good video. I will add, as a native West Virginian, a holler usually has junked cars, abandoned and dilapidated houses, and such. More so now than 50 years ago, when I was raised in McDowell county WV.
The snow falling made your video even more enjoyable.
I can give you some wild locations to visit that incredibly, have people living there.
Keep it up!
Thank you Daniel Coleman
Thanks, you're right in the money about junked cars and the houses
It's nice that you are filming such a small aspects of life in a state and its culture. It's a short video but as informative as 8 minutes could possibly be. I mean for most people it's just a one of a thousands such places but you decided that little Holler tour could be interesting and sure it turned out to be so.
Thank you so much for those kind words
I really enjoyed this video.
As you were driving, I was looking at the mountains, trees bare, light snow falling, and thought, “I wonder how many generations of people who have lived there have looked upon this exact view…hundreds of people over hundreds of years, and I’m seeing just what they saw.”
Thank you for posting this.
😊🙏
glad you enjoyed it, that was a great comment to think about
@@realappalachia - I wasn’t expecting to have the reaction that I did… those thoughts just sorta came to me as I was watching the video; the view through your car windshield of the slate-gray sky, the softly falling snow, the creek running alongside the road, the bare trees on the hills…and finding a certain unique kind of beauty in all of those things.
Despite the day being “gloomy”, there was a peaceful solitude and beauty about it -and I’m not sure I would have been as moved if the day had instead been sunny, and the hills green…
For whatever reason, that’s when the thought occurred to me…that no matter how many people have come and gone in that hollow, or lived their entire lives and then died there, (throughout what could very possibly be a span of over 200 years, right?) the hills remain…always they remain, like silent sentinels watching over time itself.
The trees and vegetation grow or die, little creeks carve out new bends or branches, so yes, those things will change throughout the years…but the hills themselves never do.
I apologize for waxing poetic, but your video unexpectedly moved me.
Thank you once again for taking us along with you on your journey that day through “the holler”.
😊🙏
@@donnythompson408 alright Dickens, you got your reply no need to lay it on thick
Loved Your tallest mountain ride, really enjoyed it! Black Mountain I think.. You and Your Wife are fun to travel with!! Thank You! 🦋
Growing up in the Pocono Mountains in PA, out behind my Great Grandfathers farm there was a Holler. You had to drive the dirt road through the farm and then at the mouth of the Holler it turned into a two track "road" and went way back into the mountains (and yep had a stream that ran along side). I would spend summers on that farm and even though it was known you didnt go back in holler I did all the time and all the people treated me like family. Not sure if it they were just nice or out of respect for my Great Grandfather. He was an old time farmer, and while he didnt say much he just had a way about it him. When he did speak, everyone listened and no one screwed with him, not even the bull..lol, I swear, even in his 90's he was made of iron....but he also was the first to lend a helping hand, so the holler folks had a lot of respect for him.
Thank you for these videos. I am trying to learn more and more about W VA and have actually walked the ground where the house used to be where my mother was born in 1929. The coal left that area and the town disappeared. Thanks again. retired ol ron in Alaska.
thank you, hope things are going well in Alaska
I grew up in one. Back in the Ozarks. Best memories I have.
Also a the mouth of the holler starts out wider and the longer it goes the the narrow it becomes. Grandparents lived in the holler in Lebrun, ky. My best childhood memories are from there.
Makes me homesick 👍❤️❤️❤️
Oh that was a pretty drive with the snow coming down & sticking to the rock walls on side of the main road. Been down many a holler road & about always had to turn around in someone's driveway! We'd holler "hey y'all! We're home"! Then back out & leave! Lol! Still having trouble getting notifications for some reason, Shane. Even though I selected "all" when I subscribed. Just happened to come across this one on another sleepless night. Glad I did. I really enjoy "riding around" with you! Stay safe! Many blessings!
My notifications are causing me problems too, hope it gets straightened out soon. It sounds like you have a great plan to get by with turning around in someone's driveway lol
My dad was from Letcher County. My family has been in that county since it was formed. Still have a lot of distant cousins there. My granny always spoke about the hollers. This reminds me of all my family trips to visit family.
When there youg they cant wate to get out ,but when there old they just dream of going back, we some times dont no what we have till its gone ,but thanks for the MEMMORY's
Most of the hollers I visited consisted of all family members. Parents in one house, each child with their families in other houses. Sometimes a aunt or cousin or grandchild too.
You definitely see that a lot
Absolutely agree with you!!
My mama was from Hazard Kentucky. My relatives still live in a hollar there. You’re video brings back fond memories of our family visits there as a youngen. And of my sweet southern mama who’s been gone along time now, she passed away. I love everything about Kentucky.
Sure do miss it too.
This was a nice holler he has shown. When I lived in Brethitt Co. Ky as a child in the winter you couldn't get a car or trunk in our holler because the creek ran in the middle of the holler and the houses sat on the sides of the mountain on a small flat area. Our holler had no paved road it was a narrow strip of smaller gravel that to the side of the small stream. As a matter of fact a lot of people would park their cars at the mouth of the holler in the winter. This was in the mid and late 60's.
As a Pennsylvania guy, I’ve been down a hundred roads like this. We just don’t call them hollers up here (as far as I know). Great video, thanks for posting!
I was thinking the same, I'm currently outside of altoona in a holler but grew up inside the city. I hunted out this way as a kid and teen so when I came home after a decade in the army , a few years in college, and working in the south I eventually bought a house on a private lane next to what I thought was a retired couple who I spoke to before making the offer. I was thinking I could come out here, mind my business, and work a little land until i checked out. Turns out they're not retired, just inherited family land and lived on inheritance, they're the main gossip yappers in the valley, and their adult children are up and down the "private" road all day every day banging trailers in loud trucks bringing off site trash here to burn here or bringing vehicles to cut apart in their undocumented scrap yard. What a paradise !!
Don't get me wrong, I got big trucks, tractors, and make noise....but I LIVE HERE.
Southern pa closer to the wv line we called ot the holler. Dowm 7 creeks road was at the mouth of the holler
West Virginia is beautiful. We call em hollers up in Mars...but they generally refer to a smaller valley with a "crick". They aren't typically big enough for people to want to build houses in.
Folks dont cotton strangers on their roads back up in yonder....they'll watch ya go up the road and then watch for ya to come back down the road
Yep 👍
I remember those narrow bridges made of boards and railroad ties! I could see the creek down through the holes in the wood! I went to kindergarten at Earling grade school.... Daddy was a coal miner.... We swam in the guyandot river with turds floating by for christs sake!!!!!! It's amazing I'm alive and safe in Tennessee today! I was born in man hospital in 1968
Thank you. I was born in Jenkins Ky and I love this little video but you should pick a longer holler and go around 8 pm hahahah, im just kidding but you are right, eyes are watching. A strange car comes up the holler and everyone will know it before it gets to the head.
My mother was born and raised in Logan Co around Gilbert Creek. I remember her mentioning a place called War Eagle. It was in that area. It was up in one of them hollors. These videos show me a little bit what kind of place she was raised up in . Pretty interesting. Thanks
Thanks for sharing! Makes me long for Kermit.
When you go eastern Kentucky, holler is everywhere man. Hahaha, that is so true, "you don't wanna sneak up on the porch" without saying Howdy lol. 🤣
I just finished a book called Hillbilly Elegy. Have you read that?
haven't read the book but did watch the movie
@@realappalachia Book's always better :)
Im a letcher county native, I no longer live there as I had to move for better job opportunities. Thank you for filming and taking me back to my roots.
Glad you enjoyed it
here in west virginia at one time you had coal tipples at the ends of manny hollers and a rail spur one side of the creek and a road on one side of the creek its fun to see whats left of the mines most of the time not much
I’ll tell yuins what, yuins don’t go up in the bloody third unless yuins know somebody. I mean Sheeut far!
We have several moonshine hollers/ valleys like that in northeast Tennessee. Beech creek and Goshen valleys in hawkins county and dry creek up in carter County and Bumpus cove in Washington county.
There were even more dangerous hollers up in Johnson and univoi counties.
The bloody third is in Johnson Co.Tn.
Copper Head Rd. That Steve Earl sang about is in Johnson Co. Tn.
The white huts on the right going in at the head are chicken houses. Usually fighting chickens. I'm born and raised in the mountains of E Tn. Lived here all my life. Grew up on Possum Holler Road. We have locals and we have move-ins. You can live here forty years and still be a move-in. Our county is prosperous now due to tourism. In witnessed a lot of poverty riding our local school bus. You'd see everything you can imagine.
Them appalachian hollers can turn quite spooky/ eery like with lots of wild animsl calls shortly after the sun sets each night.
My dad grew up over behind east tennessee state university off id cherokee road. The cherokee national forest foothills started right behind their house. I never wanted to go outside to use the outhouse in the late 1960's until they built their indoor bathroom in the mid 1970's.
Anyone else expecting some native shouting or yelping?
Believe it or not, we have hollers in NW Alabama, too. The tag ends of the Appalachians come down into north Alabama, and the area is very much like the more traditional Appalachian areas. Speech is the same, expressions, way of life, food, music, ideas, customs, etc. are very similar. I'm of the first generation in our families to be born and raised in town. Some of my cousins still are living the very rural, country/mountain life. I'm jealous of them!
That is awesome
What is the difference between a.getto and the holler
They are called hollow s but we call it home
What's that got to do with the price of eggs in China? You trying to make fun of us holler folk or something?
My ancestors were both Natives and first settlers here. Thank you for sharing such beauty!! 🥰
Plenty of them around my parts. Southeastern Ohio. It's called good neighbors. If we get bad one that don't last long.
That wasn't a holler.. That was a street. A holler is a path for one car and the creek is usually next to a mountain that's almost straight up. You might have enough flat for a garden, but the cows etc have to graze on the hillside.
idk looks like a holler to me. One lane road with a creek next to it
I agree. Holler roads ain't paved!
Hollers are one lane streets in the country.
I'd get a big new car with NY City license plates, put in a big Dodge engine and go through several thin roads like that engine roaring doing the longest Burn-outs......just to see how popular that would make me.....
I am guessing "not very" lol
Maybe just shot at. Folks like their peace and don’t put up with much nonsense. That’s the way it was when I was coming up. I wouldn’t recommend it.
Any of you all ever read the book Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls? One of the best books I've ever read. There is a lot in it about Welch, WV. And McDowell Co.
I agree Glass Castle is one of the best books I’ve ever read! I love it. I’m hoping to do a video touching on the spots she talks about. - Melody
@@realappalachia I hope you do a video, I used to live on Hobart St but I can't recall little Hobart St.
Hey did I see a fire hydrant? They got city water?
Just my thinking
This isnt the most rural of hollers, hope to show a couple more that are further out soon.
@@realappalachia what area do you typically go to?
Geography has made us what we are here in WV. For a long time I lived on the side of a mountain. Had to wear golf spikes to cut the lawn. You could actually “fall out of your yard”. Then I lived many years at the head of the hollow. Now I live in the river bottom next to a small river. WV is really a pretty neat place to live and raise a family, especially if you have a steady job. We all need that steady job.
Grandma lived in flemming spent a summer there loved it
As a holler hillbilly (northern Ky) I think the reason people watch who goes up the holler is because their elderly family members live alone. It’s a protective thing. We figure we know everybody’s car/truck that usually go up the holler so when there’s a new one we get curious. Who are they? What business are they here for? Are they thieves or are they official ( cops, revenuers, or granny’s sister from Michigan )? It is the first & best ever neighborhood watch. Anyway. Great vlog. Thanks for the nostalgia & have a great day.
Very good points, thanks for commenting and watching
I recently learned that my ancestors are from Pike county. James and Rhoda and Edmond Milam/Milum. I dream of being able to see where they lived. Your videos make it real. Thank you
Reminds me of some of the places in Franklin County Va where my family is from some of the old roads back in the mountain you cant pull over or you'll fall off the mountain haha
One day many years ago, I rode with a friend who was a vacuum cleaner salesman. We went to Harlan County, which has many hollers. He would make one or two stops near the mouth of the holler and then drive all way to the head and turn around. On the way back down, housewives would be standing by the road waiting to buy bags or shampoo. One lady even told him that Mrs. So-and-so a few houses down wanted to buy a shampooer. My friend made a lot of money that day.
Sure does remind me of Butcher Holler, where Loretta LYNN'S family lived...
Good people, minded their own business, family came 1st❤
The dogs running out in the road and you almost hitting them is a classic. The rooster is too and especially the little branch that’ll run beside the road. I can already smell the cigarette smoke and feel the cold air on my ears. But there is always some other random teenager carrying a taser, gun or a pitbull
The hollar my husband grew up in had dirt road with ruts where most of the time they had to walk to the house. And when it rained forget it. But the mountains are beautiful.
that sounds like a very legit holler
@@realappalachia It is. The county finally put gravel all the way up. Better than sliced bread.
Makes me home sick!! I'm from the southeastern Ky. I'm very familiar with Hollers. I lived in a few.
I imagine it is pitch black at night and you can see a lot of weird stuff in the sky
Oh that made me homesick. I'm stuck out here in Colorado. Desert. Planing to move back East this year. Hopefully find a place in eastern Kentucky