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CURRENT Features

Intimacy with the Land: A Small Bouquet to Helene Victims

May we all come to reach Elizabeth Hunter's level of appreciation of where we live, whether climbing up from the rubble or lucky enough to have escaped that terrible challenge.

Family Strong on the AT

In the face of personal, family and business challenges, Nikki Bettis gathered her 13 children, convinced them to walk the Maine-to-Georgia Appalachian Trail and then went out and did it.

Curios: The Great Barter Pilfer

One weekend in May, 1953, a group of southwest Virginia thespian “thieves” raided a New York theater and came back with the goods.

Weaving a Legacy

How a Yale-educated missionary preserved a fast-fading tradition in the mountains of western North Carolina.

‘Santy Clause’ Arrives

Long ago in a big family living near the Virginia-North Carolina border, the Christmas visits were magical, unpredictable and occasionally frightening.

Current Issue

Elizabeth Hunter’s love for and dedication to the land was a hallmark of her life.

Intimacy with the Land: A Small Bouquet to Helene Victims

May we all come to reach Elizabeth Hunter's level of appreciation of where we live, whether climbing up from the rubble or lucky enough to have escaped that terrible challenge.
“Reaching the quarter-way sign in southwest Virginia was a huge milestone,” says Nikki Bettis (left). “We felt like we’d finally found our groove.”

Family Strong on the AT

In the face of personal, family and business challenges, Nikki Bettis gathered her 13 children, convinced them to walk the Maine-to-Georgia Appalachian Trail and then went out and did it.
While seats were the primary treasure from the Empire Theatre, the Barter people also brought back chandeliers, artwork and lights.

Curios: The Great Barter Pilfer

One weekend in May, 1953, a group of southwest Virginia thespian “thieves” raided a New York theater and came back with the goods.
Frances Goodrich’s pony was named Cherokee.

Weaving a Legacy

How a Yale-educated missionary preserved a fast-fading tradition in the mountains of western North Carolina.
The family of Eula Walters’ childhood was close at all times of the year. Granddaughter Lillie Ketterman’s new artwork depicts Santy on a good day.

‘Santy Clause’ Arrives

Long ago in a big family living near the Virginia-North Carolina border, the Christmas visits were magical, unpredictable and occasionally frightening.
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Departments

At Coopers Rock State Forest, new Stargazer cabins invite guests to look up through skylights and telescopes.
Country Roads

Even Closer to Almost Heaven

New Stargazer cabins at Coopers Rock State Forest offer a skyward escape in the mountains of West Virginia.

June 29, 2026
©Duncan Seaman
Country Roads

A Mountain Tradition Turns 90 

Visitors flock to Galax, Virginia, each summer for the Old Fiddlers’ Convention, a days-long celebration of Appalachian music.

June 29, 2026
Synchronous Fireflies
Creature Feature

The Light Fantastic

Fireflies are struggling with the effects of artificial light.

June 29, 2026

CALENDAR OF EVENTS