I was fascinated by your story. Thanks for putting it on paper. From where did you depart? Sneaking in kisses when Mommy and Daddy wasnt checking on us. Not change one thing about them. .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!! McDowell County? We made our own toys out of tree branches. Now live in Edmond holler in McDowell county where Chief of Police Sid Hatfield from Matewan, Mingo County, WV was murdered on the courthouse steps. West Virginia is a place that goes with you no matter how far you stray. 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!! Is Eaton Tunnel #21 Haunted? In a sense my childhood ended at 9, as nothing was the same after that. God bless you for putting in words the sights and sounds of the wonderful past for all holler people because we are a special breed!!! We knew church was NOT the place to get silly. Gas. This is exactly what West Virginia is. I was born in Welch in 1952. Come back next week.'. Danny Reese ,I didnt even look at the name at first ,but thought that sounds familiar ,then checked the name and here it was my own sweet uncle Danny ! We are strong but gentle all at the same time. We did not live in coal country but we did grow up in the holler. 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! The notes are a bit more pronounced; one almost feels inclined to clap along. I left when I joined the air force in1986. Arlington up Northfork Holler. I didnt grow up in the holler but my granny lived there. No phones and computers and all the other gadgets. Coming back home to Myrtle Beach, SC, where we live now he said maw maw I see now what you were talking about. Beautiful! I didnt feel impoverished or low, I thought it was cool that Mommy put the pots out to catch the rain. I remember those hot summer evenings heading to church. It didnt scar me for life. I am not that far now and I keep thinking it is time to go home. Grew up a d raised my two sons in Lincoln County WV. Kristen Shupe, Jason Bailey, my sister Crissy, myself, and many others would all pick a yard to play in. My favorite holler nameTin Can Holler, Mason, WV where my husband Gary was raised?? One of their favorite songs they practiced over the year is called Turkey Creek. It is a song Mose wrote. Ive moved away many times, but always end up coming back. We could go play for hours out there, with no fear of being taken by some freak. It's To. We assumed that everyone grew up this way and as adults we found out differently. 2. 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. I wish my husband would of lived long enough for us to make our home there. Now I have 14 grandchildren and one great granddaughter and get to watch my kids pass on everything we gave them and more. These girls may have worn feed sack dresses when they were young and never had expensive makeup; but their natural beauty shined. 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. 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. Could relate to a lot in this beautiful story, To this day I love simple things. Started school there and graduated in 1963. Loved the stories .The remembrance of growing up in the holler.Thanks for the memories and may God bless you enough!!!! Humidity Forestwander It's not the heat, it's the humidity that'll get you. This was an absolutely beautiful story of growing up in West Virginia. I can so recall so much you said in your article and I cherish every word that was written. I attended 5 elementary schools, 2 junior highs and was fortunate enough to attend one high school. Would that we could somehow have simpler times in our later life!!! We had barbies, power-wheels, sand boxes, and swimming pools. You explain it so much better than I can. I really enjoyed every word. Subscribeto the podcast to hear more stories of Appalachian folklife, arts, and culture. Wonderful read, sometimes you are in such a big hurry to leave. Reading all of these stories was so breath taking. I never learned how to swim despite growing up in the Land of 10,000 lakes. I love that place. If only.. Pictures of your home, the surrounding area, and the town would be nice to visually comprehend. YOU DONE A VERY GOOD JOB WITH THE PHOTOS AND THE STORIES A LOT OF THE PHOTOS I KNEW AND BROUGHT BACK A LOT OF MEMORIES. I cry whenever I hear that song.. Thank you for a job very well done. The church was locked but a neighbor noticed us and came over with a key and I was able to take a picture of Mary Jane holding the plaque on the steps of the church. of departed May God bless you and yours! I still was able to do it when she wasnt looking I wrapped my arms around him and said you know what old man? I wish this was in print. Its where my roots are! Did I call people names? 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. Raised in McDowell County, Bradshaw Mountain & Jolo! You can usually te. mountain people grow up different than everyone else. Thanks so much for sharing. When he graduated from WVU, we moved to the west coast. And so much more. Thank you Amy for a beautiful story.<3. I have taught all of them to play in the dirt, run in the rain, jump in the leaves and to make snow angels in the winter. They fought for what was right; and seldom let anyone sway them otherwise. Amy, your words are as beautiful as you are and Im so grateful that I came across this today!! Notify me of follow-up comments by email. We know how to tell our children to get over themselves and not coddle them every time life doesnt go their way. So is my brother and sister. My parents were from McDowell Co. And we were all Holler boys & girls. Us kids were his remote when he was tired from working. Raised in Sangamaw (Sangamore) holler, Clay County West Virginia, I did not know that almost every name ended in e, or the fact that we were dirt poor yet we were some of the richest people on earth by having what mattered the most in life with family, love and helpful neighbors. 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. Its nourishment for your soul. These girls were solid, strong, intelligent, kind, and, in many cases, gentle. Ive always thought that theres no escape from the noise of car horns, heavy traffic, sirensall of which I hear more than I want to in this tiny town farm community that I live in now. So many of the things that you have mentioned was part of my growing up. If I could reset the clock and start over again I wouldnt change a thing. CALHOUN COUNTY, W.Va. I begged God to take him he was so much in pain. Loved your story. It's all very much in the tradition of the work by Studs Terkel and Dale Maharidge (their works are eerily echoed by the subjects of "Hollow's" documentary videos), but it's produced for 2013's news consumers. Thats part of what makes the tradition special is its a folk tradition says Annie Stroud, an old-time music apprentice. Reminesence of a wonderful childhood. :)), Oh, what a heart warming read. Great people!!! back in these days many of us and our parents had to struggle and bond together. with rabbit ears. Your story put me right back in that tiny house I grew up in, that only seems tiny now. We were blessed to be mountain born and bred. Thought we had it hard then, but wished I could call those times back. I grew up in Cottle, West Virginia in Nicholas County. And theres not a great distance between where Ive lived for nearly 60 years and my childhood home. Our people may not be able to afford the most expensive jewelry but ours shone the brightest on those sweet summer nights. 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. Did I throw tantrums? Anyway, once again, thank you for taking us all down memory lane in good ole McDowell Co and giving us a glimps of your life there. Lived up 24 holler growing up. Later on into the night we would retire to our bedsand most are covered in handmade quilts and fresh crisp sheets. I can still hear the drip, drop, drip, drop. Food. Your words took me right back to my childhood, especially the part about smelling the seasons. Title [Boy, West Virginia "hollows"] Contributor Names Rogovin, Milton, 1909-2011, photographer . I was born in Charleston, Even and raised in Kayford coal field country,Kanawha County! I was the neighborhood stilt maker no matter which neighborhood it was this year. 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. Remembering, waiting for dad to come walking up the holler with his dinner bucket in his hand. The 2020 WV Humanities Council Folklife Apprentice Program will begin this March -- pairing together another round of novice and professional artists in the state. Well goodness, we didnt kill the poor bug, wed set them free after we got our glow in the dark jewelry and assumed theyd grow more. We got in trouble for going farther from the house than we were suppose to. They called me the accident looking for a place to happen. SXS Rentals Available Onsite Through Mountaintop Adventures! Ba big part of my life was there. 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. He had TB when he was younger and had one lung so we did not play a lot of ball or other things that wore him out. Compilation of three of John E. Jordan Jr's books. Lol. Id like to think the enchantment of this place carries on through years of being gone. Lot of good memories of my family esp. While the pictures that are very good, they should be specifically identified as to where they were taken and how they relate to your story. Those leaks can be patched up later. Ilove this girl and her story I have never met her but I have her on facebook I feel like ive known her my whole life.. Mar 9, 2025 - Daylight Saving Time Starts. Simplicity is hearing the crickets chirp and deciding its not a noisy interruption. Mose had a distinct way of playing that sounded rough around the edges, but authentically West Virginian. Today, they are classy, sexy, and a wonderful friend. Love those old hills. Our starry nights shine down upon us as we sleep in the valleys beneath towering mountains like millions of angels peering down in watch. My one desire is to return to those montains. The smell of spearmint gum and the way my Mommy would whisper in my ear when I was misbehaving. 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 married one (sixty years ago). Dunlow, West Virginia Dunlow is an unincorporated community in southern Wayne County, West Virginia, United States, on Twelvepole Creek. Wonderful!! Still remember the well were I drew water. 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 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. It took me back to my childhood, where everything was simple and plain and wonderful. 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. Loved your story, you do know how to write. You never know what you had. 1078 Dutch Hollow Rd, Dunbar, WV 25064. 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. We do need to be proud of who we are and most of all where we came from. My daughter was raised in PA but I pray she learned those wonderful ways of a holler girl mom! We spent chilly evenings raking leaves just to run and jump in them. The mountains was our playground. West Springfield. My sister and I were mean on a totally different level. Im 61 years old, and read this story with tears in my eyes. Described me to a T. Brought back so many memories, smells and sounds. I started seeing memories just running across my visonary tract!!! After an angsty punk rock phase, Doug sought the help of Mose Coffman in the early 1990s. loved this. $125,000. The entity was filed on September 17, 1998, effective from September 17, 1998 and terminated on November 2, 2009. By John Hayes, Post-Gazette Staff Writer. Hope High School. ! Explore the rural communities of McDowell County, West Virginia through Hollow, an interactive documentary featuring the stories of over 30 residents who live there. Reading you story made me so homesick. Still Hollow Spirits, a farm to bottle distillery located high in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia specializing in traditional mountain style whiskeys and unique botanical infusions. Its named after a little creek in Greenbrier County, and this is a tune that I dont know that anybody else really played. He says it is the foundation for a lot of sounds today. Thanks so much. Thanks for stirring up my mind to happier, more peaceful time in my life. i remember praying to god asking him why my life was so hard as a kid, why does my mom struggle so much to survie this place, we are good godfearin people. In a special report exploring folkways traditions, as part of theInside Appalachia Folkways Project, Caitlin Tan explores the master-apprentice relationship in the old-time music community. Likens was Principal. Thanks for writing about home! Id SAY A LOT OF PEOPLE WISHED HAD THE RAISINGS WE ALL HAD IN THE COAL FIELDS . Brought back alot of memories growing up with 3 sisters and 2 brothers in Rivesville. Historically, within each county in West Virginia, and even sometimes each hollow, the styles of old-time changes. Smooch In West Virginia, we don't kiss. I didnt care. I wasnt raised in a holler, but on top of Bradshaw Mountain down Brushy Ridge. There's a new voice in the hollow. I am a West Virginia native also and I can relate to this . I laughed when I read about the TV remote, which was us. With simplicity comes nothing to confound. view data without submitting Have YOU had to leave home to find opportunity? Off and on my entire life I have heard the phrase holler girl used in a derogatory way. Thanks for the free trip home even if just by a memory. Thanks so much for saying it so eloquently. When Daddy came home the T.V. Nobody could swing higher and jump farther when I was at the highest part of the forward swing. weighing in at 60 lbs when he passed. I think its a little more archaic, and yet its still influenced by radio and records that came through. 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. Im proud of growing up in McDowell county, WV!!! 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. Im proud to be from the holler. . Find your adventure exploring the ghost stories and legends found among the mountains and hidden in the hollows. Born and raised in McDowell county will never forget my childhood there. The younger generation would die if they had to live the way we did. What memories flood my soul! Thanks for sharing. My farther as a coal miner and died in the coal mine, when I was 5!! 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 Those fragrances dance around the edges of our lives.we are accustomed to them..but ever aware of their sweet fragrance. 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. From Hemphill, Orkney Holler ! That was amazing Amy I was literally taken back to the holler. Ive always wanted to live in a holler, ever since I was little. No one even knew what poor meant. pop. Grocery. Took me down memory lane and Im still smiling. Mose passed away in 1994, but 26 years later, Annie can have that connection to some of the original old-time musicians through Doug. I went to school first grade at Iaeger, then Coalwood, and graduated at Northfork. I smell the cool air blowing in and I remember being 15 and the first time I stood on my back porch with my 17 year old boyfriend and fell so deeply in love.how we broke up and I thought I would die. So I will be taking him back soon. Name* Email* Phone. Wouldnt trade my childhood for the world. Your stories are great nothing smells as good as fresh line-dried sheets and nothing makes your hair feel and look better than rainwater! growing up i couldnt wait to leave those mountains,growin older i cant wait to go back. Wow.your words are my story. Twin Hollow Honors the memory of Alex and Grace Ellis, who grew up on this land. Message. 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. thank you for sharing. Born and raised in Isaban, and lived on the McDowell County side of the creek. but he did live those last 11 months in peace.. I am a holler girl from Monkey Holler, Mannington WV. 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 uncles were Graham, Arthur, and Dee. Simply beautiful! A reminder that soon summer will be gone. I grew up in Salem Ohio, but went to Chester West Va frequently, with friends, Sue and Michelle(they are cousins) . View listing photos, review sales history, and use our detailed real estate filters to find the perfect place. My husband and I live in SC now, but our roots, came from being raised in almost heaven WV. I grew up in west liberty and then valley grove. Love for this state flows thru my veins and arteries. I loved your story and the pictures. "Holler" to a West Virginian means a remote road or area. I still have family there and visit often. This is a wonderful piece of work! We know how to live if our washing machine breaks down.or the dishwasher goes out. 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. Find Best Western Hotels & Resorts nearby Sponsored. 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. Thanks for the escape from reality for just a moment in time, and taking me back to my roots. As a result of TV shows and popular media, the entire country seems to be intoxicated by its history. 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. We were taught right from wrong. I have had more stitches than my 5 siblings combined as I was the daredevil that never backed down from a dare. I was a Hollow girl also born and raised in Carswell hollow. I am a Holler Girl! I can identify with the smells of the changing seasons and being one with the land. Its not the same, but still home! I can smell the pine trees that lined my front yard and see the wooden posts my fence was fastened to. We had a very simple, peaceful life. (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. And my heart to return home. Loved your story and most could be applied to my own. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. I have never thought of Holler as a derogatory term. seems to be falling off the map. Love this! Thanks. I still have one brother living in McDowell and another in Fayetteville. I so enjoyed reading this story and wouldnt change my childhood for anything on earth. We didnt have many luxury items but we sure had love. My parents were born and raised in WV. JANET. Still live in Gilbert, W.va. and all this brought back memories of years gone by. It was the local music. I hear my mother and father talking to one another and the joyful sounds of my brothers, sisters and I playing. Car sickness Forestwander Our scenery is beautiful but when you're driving our country roads, be careful not to get car sick. I have traveled and lived in many places and none of them has my heart strings attached like those hollers in West Virginia. 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. Lightening bugs, frogs, crickets and all of their friends making a grand noise lulled us to sleep most nights. Twin Hollows Campground is located near Gilbert, West Virginia. Her family had lived in a number of coal mining communities- Beaver, Scarbro, Oswald,, etc. I love mountaineer football, follow the herd of marshall and keep tabs on whats going on there. Preserving The Homemade Music Of West Virginia's Hollows West Virginia Public Broadcasting | By Caitlin Tan We lived in wayne, West Virginia for a while then moved to a small house outside of town. We went outside when chores were done and came home when the street lights came on. I loved growing up in Fayette County, West Virginia. I love the way you write, ending some sentences in prepositions. I wish I could go back and relive those memories just like they were. Required fields are marked *. Over the years I have heard just about every derogatory remark that can be made about a place directed toward West Virginia. That place is breed into every part of me. 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. Well, I've never really understood why that's a bad thing. They are all gone now. 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. 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. 3 bds; 2 ba; 1,456 sqft - House for sale. Oh how Id love to go back for a day! 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. Things were simple and easy. 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. Sending you light, love, and laughter!! Find your new home at 6080 Hollow Hill Ln located at 6080 Hollow Hill Ln, West Springfield, VA 22152. 2018 Dewitz Photography, LLC | Eau Claire, Wis. | tel. Amazing how similar our stories are from the next county over. Slaughter Creek Hollow, was my home. Always fascinated by these stories !! Dad was a WWII Navy veteran and both spent much of their free time working with the VFW. PublishedFebruary 21, 2020 at 1:35 PM EST, Credit Caitlin Tan / West Virginia Public Broadcasting, Inside Appalachia Co-Host/Folkways Reporter, ctan@wvpublic.org, 307-231-9865, @miss_ctan, West Virginia Public Broadcasting | I CAN REALLY RELATE TOTHE OLD SCHOOL RAISING. We had to make out own games just like you said. I suppose you could compare those small leaks to life. Went to Chelyan and Cabin Creek, elementary, Chelyan Jr. High School, and Graduated from East Bank High School. Growing Up in the Coal Filled Hollows of West Virginia 01 Apr 2014 Travis Dewitz Personal Photography Projects 154 Comments Guest post by Amy Gentry "Holler Girl" Off and on my entire life I have heard the phrase "holler girl" used in a derogatory way. Our home is in Roseburg, Oregon. Through the apprentice program, Doug and Annie met up to practice several times a month. Paul B. This is awsome. Neither of my parents went with us. This was absolutely beautiful, brought a tear to my eye. We didnt have internet, cell phones, I-pads, or I-pods. I enjoyed reading this so much I grew up in Mercer County WV. Thanks to facebook. Enjoyed your story. These mountains literally have a way of molding the person you become. The warm night air wraps itself around your body like a blanket. I too am a WV Holler Girl rom next door in Wyoming county. Dad was Adjutant of the post they belonged to for a year or so. Never knew you were a holler girl or even what the term meant. I want you to come back and play this for me. That was our version of mean. And my sister and I were raised the WV way. 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. We played like one of the boys. GREAT MEMORIES. We use to have to wipe the benches off before we sat down. These mountains are so enormous yet we are so small in that breath-taking moment when you can see and hear the rain coming.and you wait to feel the first drop land on your face. Great memories as I read this, All of this belongs to each and everyone who lived up the Holler. Dunlow was incorporated in 1892. Beautiful writing about a beautiful State. How old were you? The park provides free WiFi, allows pets, and has a dump station. I was raised in VA, Tazewell County. We went through Kilsyth and stopped at the little church they had belonged to. This sure does brings stories like this back . Shopping. 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. Beautiful! This brought back so many memories,they are all good .This was so well written. I am not a holler girl my Daddy CHARLESTON, W. Va., April 30"Rabbit Tate lives in the shanty up the hollow. Id give anything to go back to dancing in the rain, splashing in mud puddles, and chasing lightning bugs with my friends whom felt more like sisters!! This browser is no longer supported. GOD BLESS YOU FOR AWAKENING ALL THESE OLD MEMORIES,,,WISH YOUD PUBLISH A BOOK,,ID SURELY BUY FIRST ONE ,,YOU SAY ALL THE THINGS WE FEEL BUT DONT HAVE THE TALENT TO PUT ON PAPER,,SO HOMESICK FOR WV AND HOPE TO TAKE ROADTRIP THERE IN SPRING,,BORN AND RAISED FAYETTE CO ,,NEAR HAWKS NEST ,THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE MEMORIES I can hear those faint songs we sang in the spring when it was finally warm enough to go outside to playRing around the rosiespocket full of posiesashesasheswe all fall down! Picking flowers and trying to work it out just right so when you finished picking each petal off the boy you liked was sure to love youHe loves me, he loves me not. You decided if you had to pick every flower in sight.that boy was going to love you. dump them out later(wipe your eyes) and move forward. I did not grow up on a holler, but I lived for over 24 years in McDowell Co. My name was first Barbara Brown and I taught at Iaeger int. The changing of seasons was wonderful and we always found something to do no matter the weather. Thank you for your stories. Some of us finished high school and became the dreaded wife and motheras society portrays it. Id visit Mrs. Riddle at the post office and take her an ice cream. These mountains and their beauty allowed me to escape anything bad going on in my life!!! The good memories, the ones that never let you go! It was laid out as a railroad town along the Ohio Extension of the Norfolk and Western Railway in 1892. When I was growing up every Saturday morning my Mama would fix homemade biscuits and gravy. I have been a million different places, and I now live in Alabama. Ghost Encounters Log Cabin 1766 December 8, 2019 I truly enjoyed the story! Thank you for this story that helped myself and others remember their childhood of growing up in a holler. Close to wheeling. My husband Leroy Lambert, was from Eckman hollow. 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. I am a holler girl too. The fruit, which ripen in September and October, have a banana-mango, custard-like favor. I love reading each and every comment and hearing your stories as well. in Marion County, My dad was a coal miner when I was young and my husband retired from Loveridge Coal Mines. A Mothers love is infinite. Once again thank you for reminding me of my childhood:), iwas from culloden wva in the 1963 i live in fla now no money in wva. I am a holler girl from mingo county, Lenore wva. No beeping horns, only the sound of a train in the distance..the window open and a warm breeze caressing your face. Graduated form Big Creek High. Like you I also remember smells. I miss my childhood. 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 grew up in a holler. 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. It belonged to My Aunt Birdie who is long since past but the kin folk take care of it! Reading your story and reliving my life as a Holler Girl. Pigeon Hollow, Greenbrier County, West Virginia. You should have this article published!!! Thanks for the wonderful memories. I try to tell my grandkids about me growing up and how we use to play. Brought back so many great memories. I am a holler girlLogan County, WV. And I wear shoes on my feet everyday hahaha;). It was still raining hard at 5:30 a.m. wh (and dont want to know anything different now). Brought back so many memories I loved it there but I cant go back everything changed. Read more Previous page Print length 262 pages This made me remember my childhood . We werent born there but visited every summer. Mingo County. We know how to survive, how to plant a garden, how to sew, and what it means to hang clothes on the line. Always fun. How is that happiness can be found in simplicity? We'll talk about the tim. I wish I could go back to that time for just one full day. i grew up in mingo county w.v. I love your story. I tried to share it to Sharon Lesters page, but it wouldnt let me. Old-time music is a large part of West Virginias heritage it is the folk music of the state. Loved this! This brought back so many wonderful memories to me. The church had put up a plaque listing all the boys who had given their lives in the war. This was so heartwarming.Very well done. I married Rex Sadler from Anawalt and raised our son there until Rex died and we moved. 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. We grew up the wealthiest kids ever. Precious memories for sure. I have heard the stories all my life and remember stories like these. Thanks for such a great story of life in a small portion of heaven. Felt like I was a kid again, I am a holler girl to. Great ,loved it !! Swinging from vines near the creek, getting wet when you accidently slipped off the rope! After I read this, it makes me want to just pack up and move there, this minute. To Amy: It seems that I really know you by the way you have written your beautiful life story. Had to leave 1965, go north to work. Brought back many memories. I had Mrs. Zick in 1st grade & 2 of the Cox families. In the new $14-million West Virginia Cultural Center on the state capital grounds at Charleston, historian Ken Sullivan edits a unique. Our mountains are beautifultheyre rustic and unforgiving yet safe and guarding of us who live in these nooks, crannies, bottoms, and hills. 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. Mose was one of the original Greenbrier Valley old-time music legends. I did get to live in West by God for two years.. Every one in Ohio always thought I was from W.Va. by my accent..NO but I sure wish I was.. The pencil lead, chalk, crayons and the stuff they sprinkled on the floors before sweeping. If people play this out in the world, it probably came from Mose Coffman. I am a guy, but I can relate in so many ways. I would sit on the front porch with Daddy and usually Papaw in my gown. Well writtenI took a step by in time. I had wonderful hard-working parents (Im the oldest of seven children only 3 living and Im 82.) We became baby sitters at many of the functions and some days had 10-20 younguns to watch at the lake or wherever the function was. Id sit on the big boulder across the road from where we lived and tell it all my secrets. A biscuit, or cookie, or half a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. Estimated reading time: 4 minutes Hollow, an interactive documentary about the people and issues of McDowell County, WV, launches June 20 - West Virginia's 150th statehood celebration day.. I can still smell those biscuits and feel that hot plywood stinging my legs.but sitting in the sun felt so good when I first woke up. 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. grandparents and 2 of his brothers they had 10 siblingsthey played John Denvers Country roads at his funeral.. It makes me sad for my kids on how much they have missed out on. I have ONE Question..exactly where did or what does the name Holler Girl come from or exactly what is its meaning? Was I mean? I was born and lived in Kanawaha county and then we moved to Ohio. Worked hard. cabin creek hollow, kanawha county Moonshine is a rich part of the state's history both the legal and well, illegal, varieties. worked for the Norfolk Western Railroad, but we lived in the coal camps and by the railroad tracks. 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. We learned respect, what giving your word meant and protection of family. This is Book II of DARKENED: The West Virginia Vampire Series by Gary Lee Vincent. they are so real. I thank God for putting me in my family and allowing me to live in the holler in West Virginia. I thank God for my family who lived in a holler in Wyoming County. It is wonderful. To where did you travel? HOME SWEET HOME. 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. Still have images of experiencing many or most of the things you did. 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. B and I tell stories about my childhood and encourage people to visit Tazewell County. I think it is in Marshall County. She worked with a team of designers, programmers, journalists, filmmakers and community members to combine . After the war her mother Alice Elliott Klatt remarried Timothy Cecil Elliott and they left West Virginia in 1948 never to return. I was only about 6 or 7 at that time, but I still remember pulling my gown over my knees to protect them from the heat on those hot summer mornings in the holler. Thank you for sharing your story. If we wanted new toys dad would say you where the woodpile is and the tools go make something and make sure to cleanup and put everything away when you are done and before you go play. West Virginia is Home. The little red-headed holler girl with freckles on her face and mischievous green eyes. This has brought back all those precious memories from my childhood. Is Eaton Tunnel #21 Haunted? My best friends son at the age of twenty four was killed in a mine explosive when he was found he was right at the opening of the mines. Loved your story. Thanks for sharing this story. What a beautiful story!! grandson back there this summer, he is 16 and never seen a hollow. Wowwonderful! I too can feel the seasons in my soul! Thats what makes it work is that you share it and people are learning it and its part of the community.. I would like to find someone familiar with a green house there back in the early 50s. Thanks for a beautiful story. Thanks for sharing, this is great! He had learned from players who were alive before West Virginia was even a state. You folks have got it made. The Inside Appalachia Folkways Project expands the reporting of the Inside Appalachia team to include more stories from West Virginia as well as expand coverage in Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Ohio. 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. a West Virginia program to help young people . I think we are so connected to the land here that we actually identify with the seasons internally and spiritually. And it turns out, Doug is one of the few people who is an expert in the music. Your email address will not be published. Good thing I could hold my breath for a long time. 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.. Elaine McMillion, the project director for "Hollow," offers a taste of what's available at The New York Times today, so go read her piece. This brought back memories of my childhood. Like and Share With Your Friends and Family. I am also a hollow girl and proud of it! Im a holler girl , too. Now that I am retired, wish I never left those Wild and Wonderful hills. And thank you Wayne Guindon, for sharing this Post with me. the very best memories I have are within the mountains and hollers of home. Established in 2002. Thanks for the article, every word is true. Deep in the Appalachian mountains of West Virginia, it was once a very booming place. Thats not in McDowell Co. Its in Fayette Co. on Packs Branch Rd. 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. Harrison W V. Clay County. Their small visits are much appreciated because it wont be long until they are all gone and fall will begin its inevitable descent upon us. It leaves a sore spot in the soul of many former residents. We ran bare foot in the rain in Summer to. I was literally taught that not everything was obtainable by the push of a button as my dad had a T.V. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. I wrote this story to bring light to who we really are.intelligentcapableloving individuals who love where we live. Try to make it back at least 2 -3 times a year. If you look up.. the tallest trees bear the winds with every ounce of their ancient strength.the trees cover every inch of land in sight.and sway violently.they make our mountains seem to dance magically to the beat of the wind. We had skinned knees and bee stings.suffered through our Mom rubbing our little wounds down with alcoholbut she always blew on it. 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. All the reasons you mention are the reasons why West Virginia is so special! 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! Im a holler girl and proud of it. I returned to WV after the Navy and found ghost towns in what once were busy streets lined with people going about their day. Have been gone from Logan, West Virginia since 1959 but still have good memories and go back for High School reunions. On a cool quiet summer evening. She even taught a beginner fiddle class at Augusta Heritage Center this past fall. When they are older and maybe decide to leave.. There is nothing simple left in this old world.Thank you! The neighborhood kids, my sister, and I would all get together. Thank you, Dave Price, Brentwood TN cbmus@bellsouth.net 615-373-0946. This place is why I am who I am today. I do wish my parents did not have to work so hard. Id buy penny candy from Mr. Shaffer at the store next door to our house. Growing up in the mountains is something I will never regret. Thanks for all the memories. Or us, Doug says with a chuckle. By, West Virginia Receives $83 million Opioid Settlement From Walgreens, Clogging in Lincoln County: Meeting Tosha, Columbus Washboard Company Produces Instruments Aimed To Meet Musicians Needs, Communion Wafers And Apple Butter Inspire Chefs Work At Lost Creek Farm, Cookies For A Nativity Fast: Recipe With Ancient History Makes Annual Appearance In Appalachia, Western North Carolina Barn Quilts Represent Community, History, New Book Explores History Of West Virginia Hot Dogs, Gospel Musician In Millstone, Kentucky Tries To Salvage Familys Flood-Ravaged Music Equipment, Six Years On, Researchers Studying Greenbrier County Flood Resiliency, Response Efforts. I am a holler girl too!!! 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