Id sit on the big boulder across the road from where we lived and tell it all my secrets. We were blessed to be mountain born and bred. Great people!!! no remote. What a beautiful story!! You can usually te. To where did you travel? You never want to push them too far. This was so moving for me. Take In Hollow is an unincorporated community in Raleigh County, West Virginia, United States. We were poor as dirt but didnt even realize it at the time because how she raised us gave us the character, pride and the will to persevere and achieve success. I thought I was his really special little girl. I no longer live in WV my son lives there and I visit there, I am a holler girl, an enjoyed this story! Oh how Id love to go back for a day! I tried to raise my 9 children/step-children in nature whenever we had the chance and taught them right from wrong and responsibility for their actions from a very early age. Get married inside or outside of their red barn, sit down to dinner in their pavilion, then celebrate the night away in one of the most peaceful spots in Jackson County. Ghost Encounters Log Cabin 1766 December 8, 2019 We werent much older than the kids we took care of so it could be challenging to keep track of them all but never lost a kid and kept them out of trouble. Graduated form Big Creek High. We'll talk about the tim. I would like to go back. I was the neighborhood stilt maker no matter which neighborhood it was this year. I love going home but I also love being where I am now in the Florida panhandle. Paul B. I wish I could go back and relive those memories just like they were. I have never thought of Holler as a derogatory term. We know how to live if our washing machine breaks down.or the dishwasher goes out. We were all quiet then so he could eat in peace. CALHOUN COUNTY, W.Va. Old-time music is a large part of West Virginias heritage it is the folk music of the state. Lived up 24 holler growing up. Is Eaton Tunnel #21 Haunted? Im a holler girl and am so happy that I am. I married Rex Sadler from Anawalt and raised our son there until Rex died and we moved. To watch a storm roll in during the summerwhen the sky suddenly goes from bright and sunny to violently electric in one beat of your heart. I love to stand barefooted in the grass with my children in tow.we hold our arms out and close our eyes.and the wind blows so hard against our bodies it feels as though we are flying. Sadly, it is a trip that I will some day make on my own. The junior high sat across the field from the high school so I got to make and keep lifelong friends one of my happiest memories was knowing that I would not change schools ever again. View listing photos, review sales history, and use our detailed real estate filters to find the perfect place. Through the folklife program, Annie studied old-time fiddling under Doug Van Gundy for all of 2018. They were more than happy to explain the video, which everyone should enjoy. Deep in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia, it was once a very booming place. My Mother and sisters. We spent much of our time traveling all over the state as mom was a flag bearer in the Color Guard and marched in parades all the time. I grew up in a holler. It didnt scar me for life. They were John and Stella Gilliand. My mind is flooding with memories Thank you! I thought it was huge. It was laid out as a railroad town along the Ohio Extension of the Norfolk and Western Railway in 1892. Thank you for bringing these memories back to me so vividly. I am proud to be called Holler Girl. Im not a Holler Girl, but came from a small town where we lived on the last street going up the hill towards the only Highway into the town at the time. West Virginia Hollow Tales book. I have never regretted being a mountain girl even tho we were teased in high school, so we just became good scholars to prove ourselves! Thank you for a job very well done. My parents were born and raised in WV. One of my favorite smells would be walking in to the small elementary school where I went to school and the smells. Shopping. Thanks for sharing, this is great! Likens was Principal. Thank you Amy for a beautiful story.<3. When I was young we would make lightning bug jewelry. Yes I married young and I have four childrenanother assumption made by unknowing people.another meaning behind holler girlbut I am a clerk for the United States Postal Service.I am active in my church and I love my life. #hollorgirl We combine pure spring water with fresh local ingredients to craft one of a kind small batch spirits. We do need to be proud of who we are and most of all where we came from. I have been a million different places, and I now live in Alabama. pop. I enjoyed this to the fullest. Id like to think our pain washes away in the midst of those stormsbrings new meaning to the phrase Itll all come out in the wash.. Good read. I still refer to WV,as my home. Sunday, August 17, 2003. Mommy worried about cooking and Daddy worried about buying the food. West Virginia thunder storms..they wash away the coal dust and cleanse our inner most being. Id visit Mrs. Riddle at the post office and take her an ice cream. I am not a holler girl my Daddy grew up in taylorville, wv. Your story put me right back in that tiny house I grew up in, that only seems tiny now. (715) 514-4505 | travis@dewitzphotography.com, Inside Look Into McDowell County, West Virginia With Amy Gentry, https://www.quizup.com/en/topics/logos/2014/7?scope=region&country=WV&player_id=378853985576415972&banner=lb:logos:US:WV:month:7:2014:9&position=9&source=share. Thanks for giving me that feel-good feeling with tears in my eyes. We know how to tell our children to get over themselves and not coddle them every time life doesnt go their way. dump them out later(wipe your eyes) and move forward. Message. Logan County, Man West Virginia: Regardless where I am, Home is West Virginia.Wouldnt change anything about my childhood, I was born in welch, grew up in Coal Mountain WV.The way you said the things, hit home in so many ways.I left in 82 gone to NC stayed 10yrs came back in 91, Im a coal hollow boy, will be til the day They plant me under the old oak tree, Love WV. And up and down the Appalachian Mountains you had people from Scotland and Germany and Northern England, places that had fiddle music traditions, that came here and that got mixed in with rhythmic traditions from West Africa with the banjo, he says. . We were wealthy in the best way ,we had Mom,Dad,sisters and brother.We were free ,We would spend our days up in the hills playing ,from morning till dinner time.Its where my fondest memories are. From Hemphill, Orkney Holler ! No beeping horns, only the sound of a train in the distance..the window open and a warm breeze caressing your face. I would like to find someone familiar with a green house there back in the early 50s. No better feeling. Floor plans starting at $1250. I cry whenever I hear that song.. I love you and kissed his cheek and between tears he said I know you do.Lord I love that man to this day and will remember him until my dying day.. We gathered frog eggs and put them in coffee cans and werent afraid of getting warts as the old wives tale goes. I have thoroughly enjoyed these pictures and story; both bring back memories of my childhood past. It was a much simpler time then and we enjoyed every second we could. It was down the road from the high school. The best of times and where time stands stillthe best place for kids to grow up! I dont want anything fancy. But when he plays the same song in Pocahontas County style there is noticeable embellishments. those were fun formative years. Would that we could somehow have simpler times in our later life!!! Some of us finished high school and became the dreaded wife and motheras society portrays it. How beautiful! I have had more stitches than my 5 siblings combined as I was the daredevil that never backed down from a dare. These sheltered valleys are a wonderful sight to take in when you are on those long drives, too. I took my dad to the Smokies once his comment was,They dont have a mountain here any prettier than Bradshaw Mountain. He was right! This brought back so many memories,they are all good .This was so well written. You made me think of growing up in McDowell County. Loved your story. We never had a pool we had a creek to play in though. Thank you so much for similar memories. But we had a great Mom who took all five of us to Sharon to live!! The church had put up a plaque listing all the boys who had given their lives in the war. So many of the things that you have mentioned was part of my growing up. The county built a strong economy when the coal industry was in its prime in the early 1900s, and housed at its peak over 100,000 residents. These mountains nourish the soul. I had wonderful hard-working parents (Im the oldest of seven children only 3 living and Im 82.) was his. Thank you for your stories. The rush of the water over my head as I dunked down to the bottom was an awesome feeling. My daughter was raised in PA but I pray she learned those wonderful ways of a holler girl mom! Oh Amy, Loved your story. SXS Rentals Available Onsite Through Mountaintop Adventures! I can smell the basement of my childhood church, the coal furnace was down there, and so were our Sunday school rooms. Love for this state flows thru my veins and arteries. I was a holler born girl also. After we were done helping with the T.V. Our mountains are beautifultheyre rustic and unforgiving yet safe and guarding of us who live in these nooks, crannies, bottoms, and hills. Our strong holler girl mothers raised us well. WONDERFUL MEMORIES! Very well written. I wish my husband would of lived long enough for us to make our home there. Coal is west virginia and my family had many miners. Some of my fondest childhood memories were playing with my dear friend Kristen Shupe. Well, Ive never really understood why thats a bad thing. . Amenities & Activities As the trapped miners soon discover, the dead don't always stay dead and the horrors that are unleashed is just the beginning of the terror about to fall on the rural community nested within the Darkened Hollows! Hotels. Some residents near new Fern Hollow Bridge concerned for safety due to new traffic rules By WPXI.com News Staff January 16, 2023 at 11:23 pm EST By WPXI.com News Staff January 16, 2023 at 11:23 pm EST That place is breed into every part of me. I miss my childhood. Us kids were his remote when he was tired from working. West Virginia is Home. Beautiful! I want to move to West Virginia because all of my life I have heard how beautiful it is there in the hills. My Cousins lived in Handle Factory Holler, and I have always defined Holler as the valley between 2 mountains. There is a subtle magic here that roots itself deep into its inhabitants. Thank you so much for the memories. Crow Holler girl. Did I hit my Mother? I was raised in the suburbs of Minneapolis, MN but share many of the same memories with you. I tried to share it to Sharon Lesters page, but it wouldnt let me. I hope this place is so instilled in their very being that they feel called to come back and make a small difference in the community that built them, myself, my parents, their parents, and so forth. This was so heartwarming.Very well done. To Amy: It seems that I really know you by the way you have written your beautiful life story. We know how to survive, how to plant a garden, how to sew, and what it means to hang clothes on the line. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. I suppose in way we were taught respect through that too. Im 61 years old, and read this story with tears in my eyes. worked for the Norfolk Western Railroad, but we lived in the coal camps and by the railroad tracks. I have always been able to smell the seasonsthough it may seem strange to some. Born and raised in McDowell county will never forget my childhood there. If I could reset the clock and start over again I wouldnt change a thing. Mom held several positions in the Auxiliary including 7th District President for 2 years. Neither of my parents went with us. Later the frogs join in with their deep croaks and I cant help but giggle thinking of my Dad singing, Froggy went a courtin and he did ride mmhmmm. Simplicity is in their lullabye as we softly fall asleep. I think it is in Marshall County. Its hearing them call as spring approaches and appreciating the tranquility of lying in bed listening to them sing. Lots of ladies kill the deer themselves. I want to see this place boom once again..but even if it doesnt my heart will always belong to McDowell County WV. I loved growing up in Fayette County, West Virginia. Was I mean? Thanks for all the memories. I was and still am, at heart, a holler girl. Wow.your words are my story. Love that place and I go back every chance I get. In the fall of 2017, on their way to a shoot in West Virginia, the Parts Unknown crew made a pit stop in Lawrence County, Kentucky. Blessings to you and your loved ones.Dazzling Dolly. Loved growing up in WV and no matter where I roamed to I have always called WV home and am proud to say I plan to live the rest of my years here. We did not live in coal country but we did grow up in the holler. I sure hope someday before I get too old that I can spend the last years of whatever I have left of my life in a holler or at least near to one. Didnt know if Id ever hear anyone tell about the lightning bug jewelry that brought this gal so much happiness way back 50 plus years ago. Maple MeadowsbyFairdale, W.Va, My favorite holler name.Hoo Hoo Hollow.Lester, W.Va, Absolutely beautiful, childhood memories came back to me. So he played for about three hours and he kept trying to hand me the fiddle, Now you play me something. And I said, I cant play. I remember those hot summer evenings heading to church. I can step outside in late summer and literally smell fall.and as each leaf drops one by one.that fragrance intensifies.until late October or mid November.then I can smell the frost.the ice and the impending snow. Close to wheeling. I had Mrs. Zick in 1st grade & 2 of the Cox families. You never know what you had. My mother found her religion again when she was in her 70s and attended church every Sunday until her death at 80 she was never more happy and content than those years. I know. . .told my Mamaw what the kids were calling meshe said : well, reckon you can tell them fellers you can wipe your butt on a buckeye, but not on a briar! Loved my upbringing in the hollers!! We teach them its ok to lose but to dust themselves off and keep moving forward. I grew up in west liberty and then valley grove. My mother, father, and some of my brothers and sisters are gone now but the stories of the sweet memories will always live on and be passed from generation to generation. Garter snakes were common things, but still terrified me.I spent many an hour just revelling in the Sunshine and fresh air, with nothing to fear. I can so recall so much you said in your article and I cherish every word that was written. Thanks for putting it on paper. Off and on my entire life I have heard the phrase holler girl used in a derogatory way. If you have never hung sheets on a clothesline to dry, then put them on your bed that night.you dont know what you are missing. A reminder that soon summer will be gone. This newer tunnel, circa 1963, is along the West Virginia Rail-Trail. Our home is in Roseburg, Oregon. It lives in the hearts and runs through the veins of all its natives. They were so happy when we got a television with a remote control so they did not have to change the channels as we had growing up. I truly enjoyed the story! Well, I've never really understood why that's a bad thing. He did live in his old car, set down here in front of a house." . On a cool quiet summer evening. How is that happiness can be found in simplicity? You folks probably just know it as a "hollow." The Mountain State's combination of mountains and streams make for quite a few remote areas and lots of hollers! This made me remember my childhood . i know now that it was not invein it made me the person i am today. I still have family there and come back often. of departed They fought for what was right; and seldom let anyone sway them otherwise. To be thankful I was warm, and that I had a Mom and Dad who loved me. Thinking about runnin and playing and getting a drink of water from the community dipper in the pail of water that hung on back porch. I love the way you write, ending some sentences in prepositions. Over the years I have heard just about every derogatory remark that can be made about a place directed toward West Virginia. West Virginia's silhouette looks like a horny toad. Kristen Shupe, Jason Bailey, my sister Crissy, myself, and many others would all pick a yard to play in. I have been fortunate to visit many times I came to Iaeger West Virginia when I was 6 years old. I can identify with the smells of the changing seasons and being one with the land. I was one of the many that moved away but the mountains called me home. I have included appropriate pictures for each subject matter in my Memoirs and I wish that you would have done the same in your story. One of my fondest memories is when my four siblings and I played in the BIG Rain Barrel with the neighbouring children. We were loved and had love in our hearts, respect for each other and freedom and pride for who we were and what we stood for. Love those old hills. It belonged to My Aunt Birdie who is long since past but the kin folk take care of it! The large fruit of the paw paw is the largest naturally grown fruit in North America. From where did you depart? I love mountaineer football, follow the herd of marshall and keep tabs on whats going on there. Its not the same, but still home! I am a Holler Girl! Thats it. I enjoyed reading this so much I grew up in Mercer County WV. I love that place. Find your adventure exploring the ghost stories and legends found among the mountains and hidden in the hollows. Id like to think the enchantment of this place carries on through years of being gone. It made me who I am today and Im truly proud to have been brought up there! I am a holler girl too!!! This was an absolutely beautiful story of growing up in West Virginia. Thank you for sharing your story. Thank you Amy, for this wonderful article which really tells exactly how hollow life is. I really enjoyed your story very much. Find Best Western Hotels & Resorts nearby Sponsored. Located Onsite! Hard workers, a love of God and people. From Roderfield.and lived in Westchester Holler 30 years. McDowell County? I see Wish Flowers blowing in the breeze from a time gone by, when my small fingers would pick them and blow them away to see how far they would travel praying my wish would come true. Reminesence of a wonderful childhood. I would love to go back there.when I had no responsibilities, not a care in the world. I was Tressa Conway Stokes. Chef Matt Welsch of the Vagabond Kitchen in Wheeling, West Virginia, has found creative ways to prepare the unique wild fruit over the years. No amount of fabric softener or laundry detergent can hold a candle to the scent of wild honeysuckle, lavender, and roses that grow wildly and entangle themselves on the corners of the fence. Thought we had it hard then, but wished I could call those times back. Lol. I grew up in Wyoming Co, Lived for a time in Red Jacket Coal #2, My dad was a coal miner, spent a lot of time on Turkey Creek with my grandparents. 2018 Dewitz Photography, LLC | Eau Claire, Wis. | tel. Thank you for sharing all of the wonderful photos and your memories. Dark Hollows of West Virginia Paperback - October 23, 2021 by Mack Samples (Author) 3 ratings Paperback $14.95 10 Used from $3.24 11 New from $10.00 Henry David Thoreau once wrote that "most men live lives of quiet desperation." Scholars say Thoreau drew this conclusion based on the people he observed in his native northeastern United States. Unlike Annie, Doug did not learn how to play old time until he was an adult. Had to leave 1965, go north to work. I have coal slate under the skin on my knee to this day to prove it.my sister does too. brought back so many memories. I have pretty much done without all my life, so I am not one to be picky with my dwellings. When we moved from there into the center of another small town(like a City to me), I really missed the freedom I had there. We used our imagination we made up games. Thank you for this story that helped myself and others remember their childhood of growing up in a holler. She would say Do you want to make a trip to the bathroom? I knew what that meant..so Id straighten up quick. Good thing I could hold my breath for a long time. I can smell the pine trees that lined my front yard and see the wooden posts my fence was fastened to. Growing up there made me the person I am and I would have no other way. Wonderful!! he showed me a lot of the history there. Twin Hollow Honors the memory of Alex and Grace Ellis, who grew up on this land. Hope, WV. 2. eBay item number: 404110989404 Last updated on Jan 16, 2023 16:26:53 PST View all revisions Item specifics Condition: Like New: A book that looks new but has been read. The changing of seasons was wonderful and we always found something to do no matter the weather. I enjoyed this so much and relived your childhood through it. Orkney holler is all grown up now. Went to Chelyan and Cabin Creek, elementary, Chelyan Jr. High School, and Graduated from East Bank High School. Would someone reading this please try to find out what church that was. The first glance of white or pink on those Dogwood trees is like a baptism for the soul after long months of freezing weather and snow to your knees. When Daddy came home the T.V. This browser is no longer supported. I so enjoyed reading this story and wouldnt change my childhood for anything on earth. Our people may not be able to afford the most expensive jewelry but ours shone the brightest on those sweet summer nights. The 2020 WV Humanities Council Folklife Apprentice Program will begin this March -- pairing together another round of novice and professional artists in the state. Grew up in Floyd County KY(Martin)..near WVA line..Iceplant Hollerwhen we moved to Dayton Ohio..I was bout 8..the kids at school would tease me and call me a Briarhopperwe would go home to Martin nearly every other weekend. seems to be falling off the map. My Daddy was a COAL MINER, Olga Coal Co, Coalwood, WV (McDowell Co); he was raised in Marytown and my mother was from Capels, WV. Id buy penny candy from Mr. Shaffer at the store next door to our house. Find your new home at 6080 Hollow Hill Ln located at 6080 Hollow Hill Ln, West Springfield, VA 22152. I am a holler girl (Ben Creek, Gilbert Creek) Mingo County. I loved your story and the pictures. I think its a little more archaic, and yet its still influenced by radio and records that came through. Im a holler girl , too. Gas. In late winter, I find myself waiting to see the first green bud..the first hint of green grass playing around the edges of dirt road that encircles my house. I cant play anything. But he would play for me, Doug says, and by the end of that he had figured out a tune that I really liked that he thought was simple enough for me to start on and he said, 'Ok. In summer I remember those mid-day thunderstorms on an 80 degree day..and how I loved to play in the rain. My family lived in Iaeger until 1958 when my father Lloyd Bottomly retired to SW Fl. Always remember it took a Civil War for West Virginia to become a state and never forget our states motto, Montani semper liberi or Mountaineers are Always Free. I still have family there and visit often. It was a high tower, a fort, a castle, or a play house. I grew up way out in the country in Nicholas County and enjoyed many of the same things that most of the people here in WV enjoyed. Thank you for such a well written story. I want to live in a little town like Bud. And it turns out, Doug is one of the few people who is an expert in the music. The definition of mean for me was totally different from the definition of mean these days. 3 bds; 2 ba; 1,456 sqft - House for sale. I lived in Davy, but spent lots of time at my grandparents in Helena, then Asco. This is a West Virginia holler to be more specific. My late wife Mary Jane Klatt was living in Kilsyth in 1944 when her father Henry Klatt was killed in the war. I was born in Welch, WV and raised in Iaeger, WVnothing like the errors from where I was raised..we had great times with many great memories!! Lightening bugs, frogs, crickets and all of their friends making a grand noise lulled us to sleep most nights. I really enjoyed this. I knew where these places were before I got to the end of the story. Grocery. We assumed that everyone grew up this way and as adults we found out differently. Never knew or had a REAL family. We had to make out own games just like you said. Being dearly loved gives you confidence and loving others makes you crazy-brave but having both means you have a deep source of WV riches that no one can count. We were a family of 6 living in a small wooden Shack on my Grandmas property. I'm proud to be from the holler. mountain people grow up different than everyone else. The fruit, which ripen in September and October, have a banana-mango, custard-like favor. I love my town. I attended 5 elementary schools, 2 junior highs and was fortunate enough to attend one high school. IAM FROM PRICHARD WVA UP A HOLLER CALLED BLACK FORK FAR BACK AS YOU CAN GET NOW THAT MY MOM AND DAD ARE GONE I WOULD LOVE ONE MORE DAY UP THAT HOLLER OMG THE LOVE THAT CAME BACK READING THIS. We are fearless if need be, but yet know when to run. Hope High School. We do not feel less-fortunate. Id beg my mom and dad to never move us from my home. Gratitude wells up when I read these words and remember my childhood safe havens-found both in the beauty of the mountains but also in the big heartedness of the folks who shared their familys love with kids who were not kin but were included anyway. My Mother taught me how to love and how to receive love. Thanks to facebook. Hollow - An Interactive Documentary Have YOU had to leave home to find opportunity? Watching a Twins baseball game and sharing his bowl of popcorn washed down with either kool-aid or Bubble Up was one of my favorite things to do. Never knew you were a holler girl or even what the term meant. That was amazing Amy I was literally taken back to the holler. Id tell my teachers at Craigsville Grade School how much they meant to me and how they influenced my life. I would jump off the top of the tall slide on the playground, climb trees and then jump down as it faster than climbing. We live in Myrtle Beach now and yes we miss WV. Thank you for sharing!!! I remember having Snake berry fight s with you and eating honeysuckles. CHARLESTON, W. Va., April 30"Rabbit Tate lives in the shanty up the hollow. With simplicity comes nothing to confound. Linda and Lester McCumbers carry on an oral tradition from a time when, as Lester puts it, 'music was something that you made'. I think the only thing you missed in your story from my memories are the winter days when mom would have a big ole pot of vegetable soup or pinto beans cooking. i grew up poor and had alot of heartbreaks that kids these days could not fatham. 1. This article brings back a lot of memories. You reminded me of the smell of fresh baked biscuits and feeling safe when my dad came home and ate his dinner. West Virginia is a place that goes with you no matter how far you stray. It makes me sad for my kids on how much they have missed out on. Or us, Doug says with a chuckle. We learned respect, what giving your word meant and protection of family. Hollers are actually known as hollows, which makes them more common than you might think. Beautiful and I am to a holler girl born and raised in bulldog holler in premier west Virginia. Now I have 14 grandchildren and one great granddaughter and get to watch my kids pass on everything we gave them and more. An Appalachian Holler in West Virginia - McDowell CountyThis is what we call a holler. I really enjoyed reading that .I was raised in a holler also and it sure brought back a lot of good memories. You can take the girl out of the hollor, but you cant take the hollor out of the girl. We were taught of Jesus love and how to love one another. Now live in Iowa. I wish I remembered the name of the holler we lived in. We never had a swimming pool. That was our version of mean. Wasnt a holler girl. Id SAY A LOT OF PEOPLE WISHED HAD THE RAISINGS WE ALL HAD IN THE COAL FIELDS . I started seeing memories just running across my visonary tract!!! I still was able to do it when she wasnt looking I wrapped my arms around him and said you know what old man? The mountains became a part of my soul! I was born in Huntington, West Virginia in the late 50s. You folks have got it made. When local standard time is about to reach Sunday, March 9, 2025, 2:00:00 am clocks are turned forward 1 hour to Sunday, March 9, 2025, 3:00:00 am local daylight time instead. When he graduated from WVU, we moved to the west coast. Just curious as to why the first picture is being used in a story about McDowell County? Your story brought back lots of fond memories. So I will be taking him back soon. Wow Amy thats awesome I couldnt go to sleep until I read. I have been called a Holler girl by people who live 30 minutes away haha. I remember swimming in the creek and playing on the side of the hill and swinging on the Grapevines. Lot of good memories of my family esp. To a house in a hollow on Patrick Rd. Loved your story, you do know how to write. i am a 3rd generation coal miner in eastern ky knox and bell co ky ,,had good parents and great career in coal mining for 40yrs,,a pleasure to know the hundreds of sur and deep miners over the years,,my mother was a bishop ,,she was raised up in a coal mine camp in bell jellico bell coky. My Dad We smooch. I laughed when I read about the TV remote, which was us. Amy, your words are as beautiful as you are and Im so grateful that I came across this today!! JANET. I love you Dad still to this day and he always knew how deeply I loved him.. despite my step monster he marriednot allowing us to hug him or kiss his cheeks. Of course, my childhood and my stories occurred in McDowell Co, but people seem to like them just fine. You should have this article published!!! first time I visited Virginia, I started to realize why Rodger loved coming from there. I was thrown off numerous docks and boats and told to sink or swim I sank and someone would finally figure it out and jump in to rescue me. By John Hayes, Post-Gazette Staff Writer. The entity was filed on September 17, 1998, effective from September 17, 1998 and terminated on November 2, 2009. We lived on a large piece of propertywith tons of Sagebrush and Cloverunkempt to the people who had lovely gardens, but to me was like living in a magical place. Described me to a T. Brought back so many memories, smells and sounds. after reading this I relate to these descriptions of every day life. And my sister and I were raised the WV way. grandparents and 2 of his brothers they had 10 siblingsthey played John Denvers Country roads at his funeral.. This brought back so many wonderful memories to me. This place is why I am who I am today. After I read this, it makes me want to just pack up and move there, this minute. My favorite part, I can walk outside during certain parts of the seasons, take a deep breath, and the scent of the wind floods into my body bringing images to my mind of days more peaceful like a picture album of long lost dreams. My uncles were Graham, Arthur, and Dee. Born a holler kid and proud of it. Reading you story made me so homesick. Some people think it is. I would sit on the front porch with Daddy and usually Papaw in my gown. As autumn settles in God paints each leaf on every tree a beautiful fall hue.from browns and purples to orange and redno mortal man could come close to capturing what we see for a short period in late September to early November. Absolutely wonderful, so enjoyed reading, I am a redheaded holler girl also with many memories that will always remain close to my heart, West Virginia will always be my home those hills are a place of beauty. I too am a Hollar girl born in Acme W V up Cabin Creek You can take the girl out of West Virginia but you cant take West Virginia out of the girl!!!!!!! I watched my grand father come home from work in his dirty work clothes and his car bight light fastened to his hat. Still visit Mannington when I can but still live in WV. I grew up in Cottle, West Virginia in Nicholas County. Food. Did I throw tantrums? It leaves a sore spot in the soul of many former residents. You took their glowy bulb off and stuck them on your fingers to make rings.or your neck to make a necklace.a small girl with big dreamswe were mountain princesses. Thanks for such a great story of life in a small portion of heaven. A biscuit, or cookie, or half a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. We didnt have much, but we had parents who loved us very much, there was food on the table and clothes on our backs, shoes on our feet. Things were simple and easy. I ran the woods, picked berries to eat, and skinned my knees! Doug says the music of Greenbrier County is one of the less common techniques still alive. No place!! I CAN REALLY RELATE TOTHE OLD SCHOOL RAISING. Simply beautiful! We stand firm even though our small corner of the worldour tiny county. This is Book II of DARKENED: The West Virginia Vampire Series by Gary Lee Vincent. Grew up in Summers County, WVa and ran away right after High School. I am a holler girlLogan County, WV. Not change one thing about them. Ted! I wish this was in print. This is a wonderful piece of work! Direct Trail Access To! THANK YOU VERY MUCH.BY THE WAY IM FROM A SMALL COMMUNITY CALLED ASCO W.VA. ABOUT 6 MILES UP THE HOLLER AT THE LOWER ROAD CROSSING IN DAVY. view data without submitting Have YOU had to leave home to find opportunity? Doug demonstrates the Greenbrier style by fiddling a tune called Jimmy Johnson. The chipper song is played using what Doug calls a shuffle and up-bow technique. The notes flow together seamlessly. West Virginia ghost stories, legends, and haunts. That's what makes the video from this couple such an amazing watch. My farther as a coal miner and died in the coal mine, when I was 5!! Thanks for stirring up my mind to happier, more peaceful time in my life. There is nothing simple left in this old world.Thank you! The court in McDowell county sent Sid a subpoena on a tromp up charge and would not allow him to bring his firearm for protection. I aint no girlbut Im from the holler! Thank You for sharing on Facebook. And as the song goes No matter where I roam , it will always be my home. Im looking to rent a house, but Im on fixed income for the time being, and can only afford something with rent around $300.00. :)), Oh, what a heart warming read. Great memories as I read this, All of this belongs to each and everyone who lived up the Holler. If only.. Mar 9, 2025 - Daylight Saving Time Starts. We spent chilly evenings raking leaves just to run and jump in them. we went to that front porch to play. thank you for sharing. There is no place like home..grew up in Fayette County (minden).small coal mine campwerent rich by far but those were the best years..try to get back as often as possible, that was a beautiful story ..sounds like my life here in the blue ridge mountains of Westren N.C. Today, they are classy, sexy, and a wonderful friend. Wowwonderful! I wrote this story to bring light to who we really are.intelligentcapableloving individuals who love where we live. This was absolutely beautiful, brought a tear to my eye. I would run to meet him and he would always have a left over for me. We didnt have many luxury items but we sure had love. Thanks for the article, every word is true. I lived the same lifestyle you did and so proud that I did.There is nothing like these W.V. I love reading each and every comment and hearing your stories as well. These mountains and their beauty allowed me to escape anything bad going on in my life!!! I can walk outside during certain parts of the season, take a deep breath, and the scent of the wind floods into my body bringing images to my mind of days more peacefullike a picture album of long-lost dreams. in Marion County, My dad was a coal miner when I was young and my husband retired from Loveridge Coal Mines. I would give a copy to all my friends. I was born and lived in Kanawaha county and then we moved to Ohio. Raised in McDowell County, Bradshaw Mountain & Jolo! Even though I live in NC now, and dont get back as often as I would like due to life keeping me busy..I think about it often and it will always be home to me!! Our little home had a few leaks in the roof when it rained but some of my best memories were seeing my Mommy put out pots and bowls to catch the leaks. The pictures that go with the story are real beautiful. We just have our own way of life. We were on a corner with hills from two directions. We ran bare foot in the rain in Summer to. No place like home. He says it is the foundation for a lot of sounds today. HOME SWEET HOME. I loved your story. I have always been proud of growing up in The Hollers of West Virginia. Therefore I have developed a long list of comebacks and over the years have embarrassed several people. This was like reading about my own childhood. I was born and raised in Crumpler Holler, best childhood any one could ever have, so many great memories. The majority of the time those little buds stand firm.a testimony to the people here. These mountains literally have a way of molding the person you become. $125,000. I am a hollar girl from Dille, wv (Clay County) I had a wonderful childhood. I was raised a holler girl too, but in Randolph Co.and still live not far from where I grew up. I really miss those OLE days. i grew up in mingo county w.v. Guess I was a coal camp girl. Im proud of growing up in McDowell county, WV!!! Currently I am divesting myself in other states and preparing to move back to Almost Heaven. There's a new voice in the hollow. Of course now and then the older children got mean and started holding me undertil I came up sputtering and choking.but it was all in good fun. The immersive, online experience is the brainchild of West Virginia native Elaine McMillion. The park provides free WiFi, allows pets, and has a dump station. We made our own toys out of tree branches. Harrison W V. Clay County. We cut our jeans off and made shorts and played bare-footed in the yard. Amazing how similar our stories are from the next county over. Years later we were in Eastern Kentucky and decided to drive over and see her aunt and uncle Bill and Jo Crumb in Mt Hope. Some one above asked what exactly did the term holler girl meanwell most people use it as a derogatory term..they think it means small minded and back woods..simple. Humidity Forestwander It's not the heat, it's the humidity that'll get you. Slaughter Creek Hollow, was my home. I have heard the stories all my life and remember stories like these. Have called WV home all my life. Mose had a distinct way of playing that sounded rough around the edges, but authentically West Virginian. Its named after a little creek in Greenbrier County, and this is a tune that I dont know that anybody else really played. When I was little everyone would jokingly say the cause of the storm was that the devil was beating his wife! All the nostalgia is sweet but it doesnt tell the Others story of what it is to grow up as a raggedy coal camp kid who would not have survived and even later thrived because someone fed them (physically and spiritually), sheltered them -even if it meant standing up to mean drunks and showed them what a healthy family could look like. I didnt grow up in the holler but my granny lived there. Did I call people names? Sid was the only law enforcement officer in the state of WV to stand by the coal miners when the Baldwin thugs and Tom Felts crew of criminals were assaulting and harassing the coal miners in the southern part of West Virginia. Itll all be fine. The younger generation would die if they had to live the way we did. The mountains was our playground. Sometimes we are so flooded with problems, small parts of our mind begin to give way and those tiny leaks occur as you lose your temper as you experience anxiety. Thank you for taking me back to the good old days. Your article was GREAT!!!! Doesnt my heart will always belong to McDowell County in 1944 when her father Henry Klatt was killed the... Thoroughly enjoyed these pictures and story ; both bring back memories of my fondest childhood were. Over the years have embarrassed several people us to make out own just! Other way had many miners real estate filters to find the perfect place to my... 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