Best Appalachian
Mabry Mill is a historic Appalachian watermill located in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley. Constructed around 1910 by Ed Mabry, it demonstrates traditional grist milling techniques using a gravity-fed system powered by the nearby river. The mill and surrounding buildings represent a significant example...
The Yonahlossee Salamander (Plethodon yonahlossee) is a large lungless salamander belonging to the family Plethodontidae. It is native to the Appalachian Mountains, specifically the Blue Ridge region of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. Adults are distinguished by a rust-red or chestnut-color...
Lee Smith’s *Fair and Tender Ladies* presents a poignant story through a collection of letters. The novel explores the experiences of a woman in rural Appalachia during the early 20th century, revealing the challenges and resilience of life in that region. It is notable for its innovative epistolary...
Built in the 1870s by John P. Cable, this historic gristmill in Tennessee's Great Smoky Mountains National Park is notable for its original turbine-driven waterwheel.
The Backyard Brawl is a historic college football rivalry between the University of Pittsburgh and West Virginia University, originating in the 1895 college season.
This traditional American folk ballad of Appalachian origin was first recorded commercially in the 1920s and features a memorable melody commonly sung in a traditional 3/4 waltz tempo.
Rhododendron calendulaceum, commonly known as Flame Azalea, is a deciduous shrub native to the Appalachian region. It’s recognized for its vibrant orange and red flowers, a striking contrast within the azalea family. This species holds significance in horticultural history as a primary ancestor util...
The Wild Bleeding Heart, *Dicentra eximia*, is a woodland wildflower native to the Appalachian region. Its distinctive heart-shaped pink blooms emerge in spring and persist throughout the growing season. This perennial is notable for its unique foliage and provides interest in shaded gardens and nat...
The Red-legged Salamander (Plethodon shermani) is a lungless amphibian belonging to the family Plethodontidae. It is endemic to the Appalachian region, specifically restricted to the Unicoi Mountains along the border of North Carolina and Tennessee. The species is readily identified by the distinct...
The wild azalea (Rhododendron canescens) is a pink-flowered wildflower common throughout the Appalachian region. It’s notable for blooming spectacularly in early spring, often preceding leaf development. This deciduous shrub thrives in woodland environments and is favored by hikers, botanists, and a...
Amicalola Falls State Park features Georgia’s tallest planned waterfall, dropping 130 feet in a dramatic cascade. Located within the Appalachian Mountains of North America, it's a popular destination for hikers and nature enthusiasts seeking stunning views and challenging trails. The falls are parti...
Rhododendron catawbiense, or Catawba rhododendron, is a large evergreen shrub native to the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern United States. Part of the Ericaceae family, it is distinguished by its thick, leathery leaves and spherical clusters of showy purple to lavender flowers that typically bl...
A highway tunnel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, opened in 1960 carrying Interstate 376 beneath Mount Washington as a primary gateway to the city's downtown.
As America's most visited national park, the Smokies offer free admission and vast accessibility along the Tennessee-North Carolina border. It preserves the world's best examples of deciduous temperate forest and a rich Southern Appalachian mountain culture. Highlights include the historic structure...
"Victuals: An Appalachian Journey, with Recipes" is a 2016 cookbook by Ronni Lundy that examines the culinary history of the Appalachian region in the eastern United States. The book received a James Beard Award for American Cooking, reflecting its thorough documentation of mountain foodways. Lundy...
A twin-bore highway tunnel opened in 1996 through Cumberland Gap on the Tennessee-Virginia border, replacing the historic mountain pass used as a wilderness gateway since colonial times.
Pieris floribunda, commonly known as Mountain Pieris, is an evergreen shrub native to the eastern United States, particularly the Appalachian region. It is distinguished by its cascading clusters of small, urn-shaped white flowers that bloom in early spring. The plant also features dark green, leath...
The Southern Appalachian salamander (Plethodon teyahalee) is a large, terrestrial, lungless salamander belonging to the family Plethodontidae. Endemic to the Appalachian Mountains across North Carolina, Georgia, and Tennessee, it thrives in moist forest habitats characterized by abundant ground cove...
A plethodontid salamander (Plethodon montanus) from the northern Blue Ridge and Allegheny highlands, distinguished from the southern gray-cheeked salamander primarily by geographic range and subtle morphology.
The southern gray-cheeked salamander (Plethodon metcalfi) is a terrestrial lungless salamander in the family Plethodontidae. This species is endemic to the southern Appalachian highlands, primarily inhabiting the cool, moist forests of North Carolina at elevations generally above 900 meters. Like ot...
A twin-bore highway tunnel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, opened in 1924 beneath Mount Washington and among the longest road tunnels in the United States at the time of its completion.
Soup beans is a traditional dish of Appalachian American cuisine, particularly associated with Kentucky, West Virginia, and Tennessee. The dish consists of pinto beans slow-simmered with salt pork, fatback, or other cured pork, resulting in a hearty, savory broth known as pot liquor. Soup beans are...
Clethra acuminata, known as Mountain Pepperbush, is a deciduous shrub native to the woods and stream banks of the Appalachian Mountains in the southeastern United States. Belonging to the Clethraceae family, it is notable for its distinct, cinnamon-colored exfoliating bark that provides winter inter...
Seneca Rocks is a prominent and jagged geological formation located in the Monongahela National Forest in eastern West Virginia, USA. The structure consists of vertical Tuscarora quartzite fins that rise sharply above the surrounding Appalachian landscape. Because the rock formation lacks extensive...
A highway tunnel in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, opened in 1953 and carrying Interstate 376 through the Squirrel Hill neighborhood beneath a densely developed residential ridge.
A highway tunnel on the Pennsylvania Turnpike passing through Allegheny Mountain, opened in 1940 as one of the original tunnels on the first long-distance toll superhighway in the United States.
Jordan's salamander, Plethodon jordani, is a terrestrial lungless salamander native to the southern Appalachian Mountains of the United States. Like other members of the family Plethodontidae, it lacks lungs and exchanges gases through its skin and the lining of its mouth, making moist habitat impor...
The White-spotted Slimy Salamander (Plethodon cylindraceus) is a lungless amphibian belonging to the Plethodontidae family, native to the central Appalachian Mountains and surrounding piedmont regions. It features a base coloration of black or dark gray, heavily overlaid with small white or silvery...
The Valley and Ridge salamander (Plethodon hoffmani) is a lungless amphibian belonging to the family Plethodontidae. This species is endemic to the Appalachian region, specifically inhabiting the Valley and Ridge physiographic province across sections of Virginia, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. It...
A highway tunnel on the Pennsylvania Turnpike through Tuscarora Mountain in south-central Pennsylvania, one of the original mountain tunnels constructed when the turnpike opened in 1940.
