Things to do / Travel Guide
The inhabitants of the southern Appalachian Mountains can trace their ancestry to Scottish, Welsh, English, Irish, French, and German immigration in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. These immigrants, refugees from religious persecution and for want of work, came to the mountains of Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky, and North Carolina, and became farmers and workers of the land. They farmed, hunted, and remained insular for quite a long time. They've always been known as fiercely independent, both in times of war and in peace.
In many places, you'll find families living on the same homesteads their ancestors did, going back generations upon generations. West Virginia and the mountains of North Carolina have many pockets populated with families of this sort.
Industry and Employment in the Southern Appalachian Mountains
Nowadays the inhabitants of this mountainous region are still working the land as farmers and so forth. They're also working in the land as coal miners and other natural resources. Because of the National Parks and parkways, many locals work for the upkeep of these national assets.
In Virginia's Shenandoah Valley, and in North Carolina's Yadkin Valley, vineyards and winemaking are up-and-coming industries. A big industry in North Carolina's western mountains is Christmas tree farming. Horse breeding, and apple growing also plays a role in the region's economy.
Music in the Southern Appalachian Mountains
Music has always played a part in the culture of the Appalachians. The old Scotts-Irish ballads they would (and still do) sing to the banjo or guitar provided much of the texture for bluegrass music and country music. Bluegrass got its start in and west of the region, and many famous country musicians are identified with the region's locales. Traditional square dancing was also prevalent in the Appalachians.
Hank Williams played around many of these parts and got his inspiration from them, and he eventually died in West Virginia. The Carter Family, parents, children, and grandchildren, rose to prominence in Bristol, on the border of Virginia and Tennessee. Many, many, more artists came down from the mountains to entertain all of America, from the 1930s onward. Some others include: Wayne Newton, Kate Smith, the Statler Brothers, Patsy Kline, Earl Scruggs, Doc Watson, Ashley Monroe, Carl Butler, Chet Atkins, and Dolly Parton.
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