This article is about the modern area called Appalachia. For the Mesozoic island, see Appalachia (Mesozoic). The Mesozoic Era is one of three geologic eras of the Phanerozoic eon. In the Mesozoic Era Appalachia was a land area which is now an eastern part of the USA, separated from Laramidia by the Western Interior Seaway For the town of the same name, see Appalachia, Virginia. Appalachia is a town in Wise County, Virginia, United States.

Appalachia is a term used to describe a region in the eastern United States that stretches from southern New York state to northern Alabama, Mississippi, and Georgia. The Eastern Half of The United States, the American East, or simply the East is traditionally defined as the states east of the Mississippi River. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Alabama (formally the State of Alabama;) is a State located in the southern region of the United States of America. Mississippi ( is a state located in the Deep South of the United States The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule Although part of the Appalachian Mountains extend through New England and into Canada, this area is not included in the accepted geographical definition of Appalachia. The Appalachian Mountains ( often called the Appalachians, are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. History See also History of New England New England's earliest inhabitants were Algonquian -speaking Native Americans including the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page

Over twenty million people live in Appalachia, an area roughly the size of the United Kingdom, covering mostly mountainous, often isolated areas from the border of Mississippi and Alabama in the south to Pennsylvania and New York in the north. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Mississippi ( is a state located in the Deep South of the United States Alabama (formally the State of Alabama;) is a State located in the southern region of the United States of America. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous Appalachia also includes parts of the states of Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, Kentucky, Ohio,and the entire state of West Virginia. The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule South Carolina ( is a state in the southern region ( Deep South) of the United States of America. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States Tennessee ( is a state located in the Southern United States. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America. Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads West Virginia ( is a state in the Appalachian Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by The region contains few intermediate-sized cities, and only two large metropolitan areas are located entirely within the region—Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Knoxville, Tennessee. A metropolitan area is a large population center consisting of a large Metropolis and its adjacent zone of influence or of more than one closely adjoining neighboring central (However, the expansive region served by the Appalachian Regional Commission incorporates some additional urban areas, including Birmingham, Alabama, the northern part of the Atlanta metropolitan area, western fringes of the Charlotte area, western fringes of the Piedmont Triad area, western fringes of the Washington metropolitan area and the eastern fringes of the Nashville metropolitan area. The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC is a United States federal-state partnership that works with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining Birmingham (ˈbɝmɪŋhæm is the largest City in the US state of Alabama and is the County seat of Jefferson County. The Piedmont Triad, Triad, or North Carolina Triad is a region of the U The Washington DC Metropolitan Area, formally known as the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV MSA is a U The Nashville-Davidson – Murfreesboro – Franklin, TN Metropolitan statistical area in Middle Tennessee is the 39th largest )

Contents 1 Culture 1.1 Literature 2 Appalachian Regional Commission 3 Economy 3.1 Poverty in Appalachia 4 Etymology and pronunciation 5 Popular culture 6 Transportation 6.1 Early Roads 6.2 Water 6.3 Rail 6.4 Highways 7 Other Appalachia-related articles 8 Notes 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External links

Culture

See also: Appalachian folk music, Country music, and Appalachian English

Appalachia has historically been the domain of numerous native communities, including the Cherokee, Shawnee and others. Old-time music is a form of North American Folk music, with roots in the Folk musics of many countries including England, Scotland, Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. Appalachian English is a common name for the Southern Midland Dialect of American English.

Prior to the 20th century, some parts Appalachia were geographically isolated from the rest of the country; much of the region, though, had been connected through the coming of the pioneering roads, early iron, timber and coal speculations and ventures, and the railroads. The twentieth century of the Common Era began on As a result, many pioneers stayed in the region and preserved the culture of their ancestors (most of them Scots-Irish, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, German, and English), who settled the region in the 18th century. Scotch-Irish (the historically common term in North America) or Scots-Irish refers to inhabitants of the United States and by some of Canada The Scots people ( Scots Gaelic: Albannaich) are a Nation and an Ethnic group indigenous to Scotland. The Irish people ( Irish: Muintir na hÉireann, na hÉireannaigh, na Gaeil) are a Western European Ethnic group who originate The Welsh people ( Welsh: Cymro ("Welshman" Cymraes ("Welsh woman" Cymry ("Welshmen/women" Cymry German Americans ( German: Deutschamerikaner) are citizens of the United States of Ethnic German ancestry The English people (from the adjective in Englisc) are a Nation and Ethnic group native to England who predominantly speak English The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system The region's culture includes a strong oral tradition (including music and song), self-sufficiency, modesty, and strong religious faith. Old-time music is a form of North American Folk music, with roots in the Folk musics of many countries including England, Scotland, Coal deposits in the region were tapped in the latter half of the 19th century and drew a new wave of immigrants from Ireland, Italy, and Central Europe. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest Central Europe is the Region lying between the variously and vaguely defined areas of Eastern and With this industrialization came increased urbanization. is a process of social and economic change whereby a human group is transformed from a Pre-industrial society into an industrial one Urbanizationn (also spelled urbanisation) is the physical growth of Urban areas into rural or natural land as a result of population in-migration to an existing

Long characterized as economically underdeveloped, Appalachia, in fact, was rich in minerals and saw a tremendous amount of wealth lifted from the region by outside corporations and business interests. A larger question over how Appalachians became impoverished through brutal land speculation and labor policies continues to be examined by historians.

Though the region is often characterized as educationally deficient, the inhabitants of the region established log cabin colleges as early as the 1790s and instilled a strong sense of education, literature, music and the arts. Appalachians have also preserved much historical lore today. For example, Appalachian people have preserved a lot of historical medical knowledge. ^[1] People in the community know where to find, identify, harvest, and prepare various herbs that are medicinally used. Ancient arts, such as beelining, would be more likely to be familiar to an Appalachian person than one from other areas. Beelining (also known as bee lining bee hunting and coursing bees is an ancient art used to locate Feral bee colonies by capturing and marking foraging worker bees

A long-running series of documentary films by Appalshop takes a historical and critical view of the region, especially the effects of coal mining, poverty, and other aspects of local life. Appalshop is a media arts and education center located in Whitesburg, Kentucky, in the heart of the southern Appalachian region of the United States Coal mining is the extraction or removal of Coal from the Earth by Mining. Poverty (also called penury) is deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life including food clothing shelter and safe Drinking water, and

In 1965, the US Congress established an economic development agency called the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC is a United States federal-state partnership that works with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining In the terminology of this agency, "Appalachia" applies to the whole territory of its mandate, in recognition of similarities of lifestyle and culture throughout the region. This similarity may come from the great migration of people from the northern to the southern part of Appalachia in the 19th century.

In the 20th century, many from the area migrated to northern & midwestern cities such as Detroit, and Chicago in search of jobs, and these cities still contain enclaves of Appalachian culture. Chicago (ʃɪˈkɑːgoʊ is the largest City by population in the state of Illinois and the American Midwest of the United States.

In the 1940s through the 60s, Wheeling, West Virginia became a cultural center of the region because it had a clear channel AM radio station WWVA, which could be heard throughout the entirety of eastern USA at night. The term is also used in the context of T1 A clear channel, in its general sense is a communications channel, such as a radio WWVA is an AM Radio station that broadcasts on a frequency of 1170 KHz with studios in Wheeling West Virginia, USA Although stations such as Pittsburgh's KDKA and KQV were 50 kilowatt clear channels that dated back to the early 1920s (as well as spanning all the east coast in signal strength), WWVA prided itself on rural and farm programming that appealed to a wider audience in the rural region. KDKA (1020 AM) is a Radio station in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania and is often said to be the oldest commercial radio station in the United States KQV is a Radio station in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. The station which is owned by Calvary Inc The watt (symbol W) is the SI derived unit of power, equal to one Joule of energy per Second. The East Coast of the United States, also known as the "Eastern Seaboard" or "Atlantic Seaboard" refers to the easternmost coastal states in the central and northern Rural areas can be large and isolated (also referred to as "the country" and/or "the countryside over the course of time

As a scientific technical term, "Appalachia" may be used to describe some (particularly the central section), or all, of the Appalachian mountain range, for example as a geological formation, or an environmental habitat.

Appalachia as an academic interest was the product of a critical scholarship that emerged across the disciplines in the 1960s and 1970s. With a renewed interest in issues of power, scholars could not dismiss the social inequity, class conflict, and environmental destruction present in Appalachia. Appalachia's emergence in academia is a result of the intersection between social conditions and critical academic interests, and has resulted in the development of many Appalachian studies programs in colleges and universities across the region, as well as in the Appalachian Studies Association. Appalachian studies is the Area studies field concerned with the Appalachian region of the United States. The Appalachian Studies Association is an organization of scholars and activists interested in Appalachian studies.

Literature

Some of Appalachia's best known writers include James Still (River of Earth, From the Mountain, From the Valley: New and Collected Poems), Harriette Arnow (The Dollmaker, Hunter's Horn), Jesse Stuart (Taps for Private Tussie, The Thread That Runs So True), Denise Giardina (The Unquiet Earth, Storming Heaven), Lee Smith (Fair and Tender Ladies, On Agate Hill), Silas House (Clay's Quilt, A Parchment of Leaves), Wilma Dykeman (The Far Family, The Tall Woman), Maurice Manning (Bucolics, A Companion for Owls), Anne Shelby (Appalachian Studies, We Keep a Store), George Ella Lyon (Borrowed Children, Don't You Remember?), Pamela Duncan (Moon Women, The Big Beautiful), Chris Offutt (No Heroes, The Good Brother), Charles Frazier (Cold Mountain, Thirteen Moons), Lisa Alther (Kinflicks), Cormac McCarthy (The Orchard Keeper, Child of God), Sharyn McCrumb (The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter), Robert Morgan (Gap Creek), Jim Wayne Miller (The Brier Poems), Gurney Norman (Divine Right's Trip, Kinfolks), Breece D'J Pancake (The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake; nominated for Pulitzer Prize), Elizabeth Madox Roberts ("The Great Meadow, "The Time of Man"), Thomas Wolfe (Look Homeward Angel, You Can't Go Home Again) and Rachel Carson (The Sea Around Us, Silent Spring; Presidential Medal of Freedom). James Still ( July 16, 1906 – April 28, 2001) was an Appalachian poet novelist and folklorist who lived most of his life in a log Harriette Arnow ( July 7 1908 – March 22 1986) was a American Novelist, claimed by both Kentucky and Jesse Hilton Stuart ( August 8, 1906 – February 17, 1984) was an American writer who achieved prominence in the short story poetry and novels Denise Giardina is an award-winning novelist Her book Storming Heaven was a Discovery Selection of the Book-of-the-Month Club and received the 1987 W Lee Smith (born on November 1, 1944) is an American Fiction Author who typically incorporates much of her home roots in the Southeastern Silas House (born 1971 is an American writer best known for his Novels He is also a music journalist, environmental activist, and Columnist Wilma Dykeman Stokely (born May 20, 1920 &ndash died December 22, 2006) was an American Writer of Fiction Pamela Y Duncan (born September 24, 1961) was born in Asheville North Carolina, and raised in Black Mountain and Shelby NC Christopher John Offutt (born 24 August 1958 in Lexington Kentucky) is an American writer Charles Frazier (born November 4, 1950) is an award-winning American historical Novelist Frazier was born in Asheville, Lisa Alther (born July 23, 1944, in Kingsport Tennessee) is an American Author and Novelist. Cormac McCarthy, born Charles McCarthy (born July 20, 1933 in Providence Rhode Island) is an American Novelist and Sharyn McCrumb (born Sharyn Elaine Arwood February 26 1948 Wilmington North Carolina) is an American writer whose books celebrate the history and folklore of Gurney Norman (born July 22, 1937) is an American Novelist, documentarian, and Professor. Breece D'J Pancake ( June 29, 1952 - April 8, 1979) was an American author of Short fiction. Elizabeth Madox Roberts ( October 30, 1881 - March 13, 1941) was a Kentucky Novelist and Poet, primarily known Thomas Clayton Wolfe ( October 3, 1900 &ndash September 15, 1938) was an acclaimed American Novelist of the early 20th Rachel Louise Carson (May 27 1907 – April 14 1964 was an American marine biologist and Nature writer whose writings are credited with advancing the global The Presidential Medal of Freedom is a decoration bestowed by the President of the United States and is along with the equivalent Congressional Gold Medal bestowed

Appalachian Regional Commission

The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) was created by the U.S. Congress in 1965 to bring poor areas of the 13 U. The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC is a United States federal-state partnership that works with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses S. states of the main (southern) range of the Appalachians into the mainstream of the American economy. The commission is a partnership of federal, state, and local governments, and was created to promote economic growth and improve the quality of life in the region. The region as defined by the ARC includes roughly 408 counties, including all of West Virginia and counties in 13 other states: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The ARC is a planning, research, advocacy and funding organization; it does not have any governing powers.

The ARC's geographic range of coverage was defined broadly so as to cover as many economically underdeveloped areas as possible; it extends well beyond the area usually thought of as "Appalachia". For instance, parts of Alabama and Mississippi were included in the commission because of problems with unemployment and poverty similar to those in Appalachia proper, and the ARC region extends into Northeastern states, which are never considered part of Appalachia culturally. The ARC's wide scope also grew out of the "pork barrel" phenomenon, as politicians from outside the traditional Appalachia area saw a new way to bring home federal money to their areas. In United States Politics, the term " pork barrel " refers to the appropriation of government spending for projects that are intended primarily

Economy

The economy of Appalachia traditionally rested on agriculture, mining, timber, and in the cities, manufacturing. In the late twentieth century, tourism and second home developments have assumed an increasingly major role.

Coal mining, the industry most frequently associated with Appalachia in outsiders' minds, remains important; however, its economic role should not be overstated. Coal mining is the extraction or removal of Coal from the Earth by Mining. Coal is mined only in some portions of the area traditionally thought of as Appalachia [1] [2]. Coal mining employment across the country has generally dropped over the last several decades with increased mechanization, notwithstanding a spike in employment accompanying the coal industry boomlet that started in about 2004 [3]. While with annual earnings of $55,000, Appalachian miners make more than most other local workers, Appalachian coal mining employed just under 50,000 in 2004. [4], [5] Restrictions on high sulfur coal in the 1980s resulted in the closure of some mines. The high, continuing "legacy" costs associated with earlier mining activities — retiree health care, environmental reclamation, and black lung disease compensation — impact Appalachian coal economics. Coal mining is the extraction or removal of Coal from the Earth by Mining. Black lung disease, also known as coal workers' Pneumoconiosis (CWP is caused by long exposure to coal dust. The region still has very large coal reserves [6], however the least expensive, most accessible, thickest seams have largely been mined out, complicating the area's ability to compete with very low cost Colombian, Western U. Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. S. and especially Powder River Basin strip mines. The Powder River Basin is a region in southeast Montana and northeast Wyoming about east to west and north to south known for its Coal deposits About two-thirds of Appalachia's coal is produced by underground mining, the rest by surface mining. Coal mining is the extraction or removal of Coal from the Earth by Mining. Coal mining is the extraction or removal of Coal from the Earth by Mining. [7], often referred to as strip mining. Mountaintop removal, a form of surface mining, is a highly controversial mining practice in central Appalachia due to its negative impacts on the natural and human environment. Mountaintop removal mining ( MTR) often referred to in the industry as mountaintop mining/valley fills (MTM/VF is a form of Surface mining that involves an

Poverty in Appalachia

Poverty in this region has been a problem for many years but was not brought to the attention of the rest of the United States until 1964 when US President Lyndon B. Johnson delivered a speech from a sagging front porch in a poor Appalachian mining town. Poverty (also called penury) is deprivation of common necessities that determine the quality of life including food clothing shelter and safe Drinking water, and Year 1964 ( MCMLXIV) was a Leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the 1964 Gregorian calendar. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by

In Appalachia, severe poverty and desolation is paired with the necessity for careful, cultural sensitivity. Many Appalachian people fear that the birth of a new modernized Appalachia will lead to a death of their traditional values and heritage. Because of the isolation of the region, Appalachian people have been unable to catch up to the modernization that lowlanders have achieved. The idea of modernization comes from a view of societies as having a standard Evolutionary pattern as described in the Social evolutionism theories In the 1960s, many people in Appalachia had a standard of living comparable to third world countries. The 1960s decade refers to the years from the beginning of 1960 to the end of 1969 The standard of living refers to the quality and quantity of goods and services available to people and the way these goods and services are distributed within a population Third World is a name given to nations that are generally considered to be underdeveloped economically The film series "West Virginia", produced during the term of Governor Gaston Caperton makes the point that at least on some level images of poverty were contrived. Lyndon B. Johnson was the first president to bring attention to the growing problem of poverty in Appalachia. Standing on the front porch of a family suffering from a problem that had been so long ignored, he declared his "War on Poverty". The War on Poverty is the name for legislation first introduced by United States President Lyndon B The Appalachian Regional Development Act (1964), which created the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), stated that Appalachia was a shambles:

The Appalachian region of the United States, while abundant in natural resources and rich in potential, lags behind the rest of the nation. The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC is a United States federal-state partnership that works with the people of Appalachia to create opportunities for self-sustaining . . its people have not shared properly in the nation’s prosperity. Wealth derives from the old English word "weal" which means "well-being

Since the creation of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) in 1965, the region has seen dramatic progress. New roads, schools, health care facilities, water and sewer systems, and other improvements have brought a better life to many Appalachian residents.

In 1960, 219 counties in the 13-state Appalachian Region were considered economically distressed. A county is a Land area of Regional Government within a larger State. A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government Now that list has been cut in half, to 108 counties, but these are "hard-core" pockets of poverty, seemingly impervious to all efforts at improving their lot. ^[2]

Nevertheless, after 40 years poverty remains undefeated in Appalachia. Martin County, Kentucky, the site of Johnson’s 1964 speech, is currently ranked as "distressed" by the ARC. Martin County is a County located in the US state of Kentucky. (Distressed is the worst ranking. ) The per capita income in Martin County is $10,650, and 37% of its residents live below the poverty line. Per capita income means how much each individual receives in monetary terms of the yearly income generated in the country The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of Income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate Standard of living in a given country

On 5 July 1999, President Bill Clinton made a public statement concerning the situation in Tyner, Kentucky. Events 1295 - Scotland and France form an alliance the beginnings of the Auld Alliance, against England. Year 1999 ( MCMXCIX) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1999 Gregorian calendar) William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton (born William Jefferson Blythe III, August 19 1946 served as the forty-second President of the United States Tyner (Latitude 3735 N Longitude 8390 W is an unincorporated community in Jackson County, Kentucky, United States. "I'm here to make a simple point," Clinton told the enthusiastic crowd. "This is the time to bring more jobs and investment to parts of the country that have not participated in this time of prosperity. Any work that can be done by anybody in America can be done in Appalachia. " Like Johnson, Clinton also brought attention to the areas of poverty in Appalachia. ^[2]

Etymology and pronunciation

The words "Appalachia" and "Appalachian" most likely derive from Apalachee, a Muskogean-speaking tribe historically located in northern Florida, first encountered by the Narvaez expedition in 1528, as reported by Cabeza de Vaca. Muskogean (also Muskhogean, Muskogee) is an indigenous language family of the Southeastern United States. Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca ( Jerez de la Frontera, Cádiz, ca After the de Soto expedition in 1540, Spanish cartographers began to apply the name of the tribe to the mountains themselves. The first appearance of Apalchen is on Diego Gutierrez' map of 1562; the first use for the mountain range is the map of Jacques le Moyne de Morgues in 1565. Diego Gutierrez is a Spanish name and may refer to Diego Gutierrez (scientist, Spanish computer graphics scientist (Universidad de Zaragoza Jacques le Moyne de Morgues (c 1533 &ndash 1588 was a French artist and member of Jean Ribault 's expedition to the New World. ^[3]

The name was not commonly used for the whole mountain range until the late 19th century. A competing and often more popular name was the "Allegheny Mountains", "Alleghenies", and even "Alleghania". In the early 19th century, Washington Irving proposed renaming the United States either Appalachia or Alleghania. Washington Irving (April 3 1783 – November 28 1859 was an American Author, essayist, biographer and historian of the early 19th ^[4]

In northern U. S. dialects, the mountains are pronounced the [æ. pəˈleɪ. tʃənz], or [æ. pəˈleɪ. ʃənz]. The cultural region of Appalachia is pronounced [æ. pəˈleɪ. ʃ(i)ə], also [æ. pəˈleɪ. tʃ(i)e]. The third syllable is like "lay".

In southern U. S. dialects, the mountains are pronounced the [æ. pəˈlæ. tʃənz], and the cultural region of Appalachia is pronounced [æ. pəˈlæ. tʃ(i)ə]. The third syllable is like the "la" in "latch".

Popular culture

• The motion pictures Coal Miner's Daughter (based on the life of noted country singer Loretta Lynn), Where the Lilies Bloom and Songcatcher attempt an accurate portrayal of life in Appalachia. For the 1969 country music song see Coal Miner's Daughter (song Coal Miner's Daughter is a 1980 American biographical Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. Loretta Lynn (born Loretta Webb on April 14, 1934) is an American Country music Singer-songwriter; she was one of the leading This film is an adaptation of the novel by the same name written by Bill Cleaver. Songcatcher is a 2000 Drama film directed by Maggie Greenwald.
• The Waltons, a long-running family TV serial, based on Earl Hamner's youth, was set in the mountains of Virginia. The Waltons is an American Television series created by Earl Hamner Jr Earl Henry Hamner Jr (born on July 10, 1923 in Schuyler Virginia) is an American Television Writer and producer
• The Appalachian town of Big Stone Gap, Virginia has been the setting of several best-selling novels, including The Trail of the Lonesome Pine by John Fox, Jr. and the Big Stone Gap series by Adriana Trigiani. Big Stone Gap is a town in Wise County, Virginia, United States. John Fox Jr ( December 16, 1862 - July 8, 1919) was an American journalist novelist and short story writer Adriana Trigiani is an American novelist Trigiani grew up in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, and in 2001 wrote a novel about the town titled Big Stone
• Stranger with a Camera[8] is a documentary film about the representation of Appalachian communities by outsiders in film and video.
• Country Boys is a documentary film by David Sutherland showing three years in the lives of two teenagers growing up in eastern Kentucky. Country Boys is a 6-hour Documentary film centered on Cody Perkins and Chris Johnson, two teenage boys from David, Floyd County
• Homer Hickam's book Rocket Boys and its movie adaptation October Sky are slightly fictionalized versions of his childhood and teenage years in Coalwood, a coal camp in Southern West Virginia. Homer Hadley Hickam Jr (born February 19, 1943) is an American Author, Vietnam veteran, and a former NASA engineer Rocket Boys (also known as October Sky) is the first Memoir in a series of three by Homer Hickam Jr October Sky is a 1999 film produced by Charles Gordon, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper and Laura Dern. Coalwood is an unincorporated Coal mining town in McDowell County, West Virginia, USA. Southern West Virginia is a culturally and geographically distinct region in the U
• The 1972 film Deliverance takes place in southern Appalachia. Deliverance is a 1972 Warner Bros motion picture drama directed by John Boorman. The film is often held responsible for perpetuating negative stereotypes of the region.
• The 1987 film Matewan fictionalizes a real-life clash between West Virginia coal miners, supported by union organizers, and coal companies in the 1920s. Matewan ( 1987) is an American drama by John Sayles, illustrating the events of a Coal mine -workers' strike The Battle of Matewan (also called the Matewan Massacre) was a Shootout in the coal company town of Matewan, West Virginia on May 19 Scenes depicting the town were actually shot in Thurmond, West Virginia. Thurmond is a town in Fayette County, West Virginia, United States, on the New River.
• The 1632 series, an alternate history book series created by Eric Flint, features the fictional town of Grantville, West Virginia (based upon the real-life town of Mannington, West Virginia) transported to Germany in the time of the Thirty Years' War. Alternate history or alternative history is a subgenre of Speculative fiction (or Science fiction) and Historical fiction A book series is a sequence of Books with certain characteristics in common that are formally identified together as a group Eric Flint (born 1947 is an American Alternate history and Fantasy author, editor, and e-publisher. See also 1632 series, The Grantville Gazettes Grantville is a fictional town modeled after the real town of Mannington, West Virginia Mannington is a city in Marion County West Virginia, United States. Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. For the Mauritanian Thirty Years' War see Char Bouba war. For the band see The 30 Years War.
• Large-format photographer Shelby Lee Adams, himself a native from Appalachia, has portrayed the Appalachian family life sympathetically in several books. Large format describes large Photographic films large cameras View cameras (including Pinhole cameras and processes that use a film or digital sensor A photographer is a person who takes a Photograph using a Camera. Shelby Lee Adams (born 1950 is an American Environmental portrait Photographer and artist best known for his images of Appalachian family life
• Composer Aaron Copland composed music for a ballet called Appalachian Spring. Aaron Copland (November 14 1900 &ndash December 2 1990 was an American Composer of concert and film music as well as an accomplished Pianist. Ballet is a formalized form of Dance with its origins in the French court further developed in France and Russia as a Concert dance Appalachian Spring is a Ballet score by Aaron Copland that premiered on 1944 and achieved widespread popularity as an Orchestral Suite
• Composer Frederick Delius wrote a tone poem entitled Appalachia. Frederick Albert Theodore Delius CH (29 January 1862 &ndash 10 June 1934 was an English Composer born in Bradford in the West Riding of Yorkshire A symphonic poem or tone poem is a piece of Orchestral Music in one movement in which some extramusical program provides a narrative or illustrative element
• Kopple, Barbara (Director). Barbara Kopple (born July 30, 1946) is an American Film director primarily known for her work in Documentary film. Harlan County, USA [documentary film]. Harlan County USA is a 1976 Academy Award winning Documentary film covering the efforts of 180 Coal miners on strike against Harlan County, Kentucky: Cabin Creek Productions. Harlan County is a County located in the US state of Kentucky.
• Author Catherine Marshall wrote Christy, loosely based on her mother's years as a teacher in the Appalachian region. Catherine Marshall, born Catherine Wood, ( September 27, 1914 — March 18, 1983) was an Author of nonfiction inspirational This became the basis of a short-lived television series of the same name in 1994. Christy is a brief Family television series Drama which aired on CBS from 1994 to 1995, for twenty-one episodes
• In the popular arcade racing game Cruis'n USA, Appalachia appears as one of the courses. Cruis'n USA is an arcade racing game released in 1994 It was developed by Midway Games and published and distributed by Nintendo.
• Since the 2004 season, Saturday Night Live has shown an occasional sketch called "Appalachian Emergency Room" about the hijinks at an anonymous rural hospital. Saturday Night Live ( SNL) is a weekly late-night 90-minute American Sketch comedy / Variety show based in New York City [9]
• "Songcatcher" (2000) - written and directed by Maggie Greenwald, starring Aiden Quinn and Emmy Rossum. Takes place in rural Appalachia in 1907 and features the "lost" ballads of the Scot-Irish brought over in the 1800s and a musicolgists quest to preserve them.
• In the 2005 film adaptation of The Dukes Of Hazzard, the Dukes stop at a red light in Atlanta in which they are approached by a group of African Americans who call them rednecks Luke Duke (Johnny Knoxville) responds under his breath "Appalachian Americans".
• The book Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver explores the ecology of the region and how the removal of the predators, wolves and coyotes, has affected the environment. Barbara Kingsolver (born April 8, 1955) is an American Writer.
• The book "Rough Lumber: Stories from Spurlock Creek," by Justine Felix Rutherford, describes growing up in rural West Virginia during the Great Depression.

Transportation

Appalachia's geography presents special challenges to transportation. In Europe, while mountain ranges presented challenges to transport, they could mostly be avoided. In North America, however, the Appalachian Mountains presented a barrier that could not be easily out-flanked. The Appalachian Mountains ( often called the Appalachians, are a vast system of mountains in eastern North America. Initially, European settlers found gaps in the mountains; among them the Cumberland Gap and the Wilderness Road. "Cumberland Gap" is also the informal name for a section of the A74 in England; the name of a song by Skiffle artist Lonnie Donegan The Wilderness Road was the principal route used by settlers to reach Kentucky for more than fifty years

Early Roads

Native American trails were what first penetrated Appalachia. Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States One of the earliest used by Europeans was Nemacolin's path, Native American trail between the Potomac and the Monongahela river, going from the site of Cumberland, Maryland, to the mouth of Redstone Creek, where Brownsville, Pennsylvania is situated. The European peoples are the various Nations and Ethnic groups of Europe. Nemacolin's Path was a Native American trail situated between the Potomac River and the Monongahela River, USA The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid- Atlantic coast of the United States. The Monongahela River (məˌnɒŋɡəˈheɪlə also known locally as the Mon /ˈmɒn/ is a River on the Allegheny Plateau in North-Central The City of Cumberland is the county seat of Allegany County Maryland, United States, and a regional business and commercial center for Western Maryland Brownsville is a borough in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, USA 35 miles (56 km south of Pittsburgh along the Monongahela River.

The French and Indian War created a need for roads through Appalachia. The French and Indian War (1754&ndash1763 was the North American chapter of the Seven Years' War. In 1755, General Edward Braddock of the Coldstream Guards was sent to rout the French from Fort Duquesne along the Nemacolin's path. General Edward Braddock (January 1695 &ndash July 13, 1755) was a British soldier and commander-in-chief for North America during the actions at the start of the Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards (COLDM GDS is a Regiment of the British Army, part of Fort Duquesne (originally called Fort Du Quesne) was a Fort established by the French in 1754, at the junction of the Allegheny Nemacolin's Path was a Native American trail situated between the Potomac River and the Monongahela River, USA From Fort Cumberland, Braddock's army cut a military trail through the wilderness. This would become known as Braddock's Road. In 1755 General Edward Braddock of the Coldstream Guards was sent to rout the French from Fort Duquesne (Pittsburgh Another was a British military trail built in 1758 by General John Forbes of England from Chambersburg to Pittsburgh during the French and Indian War, later known as the Pittsburgh Road and the Conestoga Road. Chambersburg is a borough in Pennsylvania, United States It is miles north of Maryland and the Mason-Dixon line and southwest of Harrisburg The French and Indian War (1754&ndash1763 was the North American chapter of the Seven Years' War.

The first modern road to be built through Appalachia was the National Road starting at Cumberland, an early hub of Appalachia, generally following Braddock's Road heading west first to Wheeling, VA. US 40svg|right|100px|thumb|The National Road is now included as part of U Cumberland is one of the 39 Historic counties of England. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974 (excluding Carlisle from 1915 and now forms part of In 1755 General Edward Braddock of the Coldstream Guards was sent to rout the French from Fort Duquesne (Pittsburgh Wheeling is a city in West Virginia, in the United States. Most of the city is in Ohio County, with a small Other roads soon followed such as the Northwestern Turnpike and James River and Kanawha Turnpike. The Northwestern Turnpike is a historic road in Virginia (now West Virginia) important for being historically one of the major roads crossing the Appalachians The James River and Kanawha Turnpike was built to facilitate portage of shipments of passengers and freight by water between the western reaches of the James River via the

The creation in 1936 of the Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine, also helped open the area to hikers and outdoor enthusiasts from all over the world. The Appalachian National Scenic Trail, generally known as the Appalachian Trail or simply The A The State of Georgia ( is a state in the United States and was one of the original Thirteen Colonies that revolted against British rule

Water

By 1772, George Washington had identified the Potomac and James rivers as the most promising locations for canals to be built to join with the western rivers. George Washington (February 22 1732 December 14 1799 served as the first President of the United States of America (1789&ndash1797 and led the Washington proposed a canal to connect the Potomac River and the Ohio River and founded the Potowmack Company. The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid- Atlantic coast of the United States. The Ohio River is the largest Tributary by volume of the Mississippi River. The Potomac Company (spelled variously as Patowmack, Potowmack, Potowmac, and Compony) was created in 1785 to make improvements to the In 1824, the holdings of the Potowmac Company were ceded to the Chesapeake and Ohio Company. Year 1824 ( MDCCCXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year The Chesapeake and Ohio Canal, abbreviated as the C&O Canal, and occasionally referred to as the " Grand Old Ditch," operated from 1836 until 1924 parallel Construction began with a groundbreaking ceremony on July 4, 1828 by President John Quincy Adams. Events 836 - Pactum Sicardi, peace between the Principality of Benevento and the Duchy of Naples The year 1828 ( MDCCCXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by John Quincy Adams (July 11 1767 &ndash February 23 1848 was an American diplomat and politician who served as the sixth President of the United States It followed the course of the Potomac River to Cumberland, MD. Had it been completed it would have continued west from Cumberland along the Potomac River and then followed the Savage River crossing the eastern continental divide near present day Deep Creek Lake, and eventually following the Youghiogheny River to navigable waters. The Savage River is a River located in Garrett County, Maryland and is the first major Tributary of the North Branch Potomac River Deep Creek Lake State Park is a popular vacation area in Garrett County, Maryland, USA. The Youghiogheny River, or the Yough River for short is a Tributary of the Monongahela River, approximately 122 mi (195 km A former pioneer fort at

The James River and Kanawha Canal was a project first proposed by Washington when he was a young man surveying the mountains of western Virginia. The James River and Kanawha Canal was a Canal in Virginia, which was built to facilitate shipments of passengers and freight by water between the western counties In 1785, the James River Company was formed, with George Washington as honorary president, to build locks around the falls at Richmond. Year 1785 ( MDCCLXXXV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common By then, Washington was quite busy with the affairs of the new nation which would elect him as its first president in 1789. Year 1789 ( MDCCLXXXIX) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common The goal was to reach the Kanawha River at its head of navigation about 30 miles east of today's Charleston, West Virginia. The Kanawha River (pronounced ka-NAW-ah or kuh-NAW and earlier kuh-NOIE) is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately 97 mi (156 km Charleston is the Capital of the US state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and The canal eventually extended 196. 5 miles west of Richmond, Virginia, to Buchanan, Virginia. This article is about the city of Richmond the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia. Buchanan is a town in Botetourt County, Virginia, United States. By 1851 westward progress had stopped due to increasing competition from the railroads.

Even today river systems provide transport through barge traffic on the Ohio River system. The Ohio River is the largest Tributary by volume of the Mississippi River. The Monongahela River is navigable its entire length, deep into the interior of West Virginia, with a series of lock/dams ensuring a 9' depth. The Monongahela River (məˌnɒŋɡəˈheɪlə also known locally as the Mon /ˈmɒn/ is a River on the Allegheny Plateau in North-Central West Virginia ( is a state in the Appalachian Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by

Rail

The next major transportation leap for Appalachia was the railroad. The Baltimore and Ohio was the first to cross. The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad ( B&O) was one of the Oldest railroads in the United States and the first Common carrier railroad It was finished to Piedmont, Virginia on July 21, 1851, Fairmont, Virginia on June 22, 1852, and its terminus at Wheeling, Virginia on January 1, 1853. Piedmont is a town in Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. Events 356 BC - Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World 1851 ( MDCCCLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Fairmont is a city in Marion County, West Virginia, United States. Events 217 BC - Battle of Raphia: Ptolemy IV of Egypt defeats Antiochus III the Great of the Seleucid kingdom. Year 1852 ( MDCCCLII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Wheeling is a city in West Virginia, in the United States. Most of the city is in Ohio County, with a small New Year See also New Year The Ancient Romans began their consular year on January 1st since 153 BC Year 1853 ( MDCCCLIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common

In 1855 the Norfolk and Western Railway, under the direction of Frederick J. Kimball, began to push across Appalachia. Year 1855 ( MDCCCLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year The Norfolk and Western Railway ( N&W), a US Class I railroad, was formed by more than 200 railroad mergers between 1838 and 1982 Frederick James Kimball ( March 6 1844 &ndash July 27 1903) was a Civil engineer. Starting from Big Lick the lines extended to the Pocahontas coalfields in western Virginia and West Virginia and on north to Columbus, Ohio and Cincinnati, Ohio. For the metropolitan area see Roanoke Metropolitan Area. Roanoke is an Independent city located in the Roanoke Metropolitan Area in The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state West Virginia ( is a state in the Appalachian Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Columbus is the Capital and the largest city of the US state of Ohio.

Southern Railway linked Charleston, South Carolina and Memphis, Tennessee, crossing Appalachia in 1857 in the Asheville, North Carolina area, although rail expansion halted with the start of the Civil War. The Southern Railway is a former United States Railroad. It was the product of nearly 150 predecessor lines that were combined reorganized and recombined beginning Charleston is a city in Charleston county in the US state of South Carolina. Memphis is a City in the southwest corner of Tennessee, and the County seat of Shelby County. Asheville is a City in and the County seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United

By 1867 the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway had reached the eastern edge of the mountains and was also reaching for the Ohio valley via the New River and Kanawha Valleys of West Virginia. Year 1867 ( MDCCCLXVII) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway (C&O was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from many smaller railroads begun in the 19th century The New River, a tributary of the Kanawha River, is approximately 320 mi (515 km long flowing through the states of North Carolina, Virginia, and The West Virginia stretch of the C & O was the site of the legendary competition between John Henry and a steam-powered machine; the competition is said to have taken place in a tunnel south of Talcott, West Virginia near the Greenbrier River. West Virginia ( is a state in the Appalachian Upland South, and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Talcott (also Rolinsburgh or Rollinsburg) is an unincorporated community in Summers County, West Virginia, United States The Greenbrier River is a Tributary of the New River, long in southeastern West Virginia, USA In 1888, the C&O built the Cincinnati Division, from Huntington, West Virginia down the south bank of the Ohio River in Kentucky and across the river at Cincinnati, connecting with the "Big Four" and other Midwestern Railroads. Year 1888 ( MDCCCLXXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (click on link for calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Huntington is a city located in the State of West Virginia along the Ohio River. The Commonwealth of Kentucky ( is a state located in the East Central United States of America.

Henry G. Davis started the West Virginia Central and Pittsburgh Railway in 1880 in the ensuing years it opened a huge swathe of timber and coal territory in northern West Virginia to use. Henry Gassaway Davis ( November 16, 1823 &ndash March 11, 1916) was a self-made Millionaire and U It started in Piedmont, West Virginia and pushed west creating such towns as Elkins, Davis and Thomas. Piedmont is a town in Mineral County, West Virginia, United States. Elkins is a city in Randolph County, West Virginia, United States. Davis is a town in Tucker County, West Virginia, along the Blackwater River. Thomas is a city in Tucker County, West Virginia, United States. It pushed east to Cumberland, Maryland where it connected with traffic from the C&0 Canal and National Road. The City of Cumberland is the county seat of Allegany County Maryland, United States, and a regional business and commercial center for Western Maryland West from Elkins, West Virginia Davis created the Coal & Coke Railway to Charleston completing another crossing. Elkins is a city in Randolph County, West Virginia, United States. These eventually formed the core of the Western Maryland Railway. The Western Maryland Railway was an American Class I railroad which operated in Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The Western Maryland's Connellsville Extension was built west from Cumberland, Maryland, to Connellsville, Pennsylvania, beginning around 1906 and was completed in 1912. The City of Cumberland is the county seat of Allegany County Maryland, United States, and a regional business and commercial center for Western Maryland Connellsville is a city in Fayette County, Pennsylvania, USA, 57 miles (92 km southeast of Pittsburgh on the Youghiogheny River Year 1906 ( MCMVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year starting Year 1912 ( MCMXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year starting

Today the crossing of the Eastern Continental Divide by the West Virginia Central and Pittsburg Railway is now abandoned and is used as a Rails to Trails area. The Eastern Divide or Eastern Continental Divide (ECD is a Continental divide in the United States that separates the Gulf of Mexico and Rail trail is a term for a Trail that makes use of a railroad right-of-way (ROW. The other crossings are either part of CSX or Norfolk Southern Railway and remain the only rail crossings of Appalachia. This article is about the present railroad formed in 1990 For the former regional railroad in Virginia and North Carolina a small part of the new one see Norfolk Southern Cumberland, Maryland still serves as a major rail hub for Appalachia where two main lines head west. The City of Cumberland is the county seat of Allegany County Maryland, United States, and a regional business and commercial center for Western Maryland

Highways

In 1880 the Good Roads Movement was formed. Old style Highway markings Lincoln Highway Dixie Highway The Good Roads Movement occurred in the United States between 1880 and 1916 They knew outside of cities, roads were dirt or gravel, mud in the winter and dust in the summer. A road is an identifiable route, way or path between two or more places. Gravel is rock that is of a specific Particle size range In Geology, gravel is any loose rock that is larger than two millimeters (2mm In computer gaming, a MUD ( Multi-User Dungeon, Domain or Dimension) is a multi-player computer game that combines elements of In its early years, the main goal of the movement was education for road building in rural areas between cities, such as Appalachia, to help rural populations gain the social and economic benefits enjoyed by cities where citizens benefitted from railroads, trolleys and paved streets. A tram, tramcar, trolley, trolley car, or streetcar is a railborne vehicle, of lighter weight and construction than a Train This eventually led to the National auto trail system of highways. Old style Highway markings Lincoln Highway Dixie Highway The first crossing Appalachia was the Lincoln Highway which would later become US 30. The Lincoln Highway was the first automobile road across America. US Route 30 is an east-west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country This was closely followed by the Dixie Highway first planned in 1914, to connect the US Midwest with the Southern United States crossing Appalachia following what is now US 25. The Dixie Highway was a United States Automobile Highway first planned in 1914 to connect the US Midwest with the Southern United Year 1914 ( MCMXIV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The Southern United States &mdashcommonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South &mdashconstitutes a large distinctive US Route 25 is a north-south US highway in the eastern United States of America that now connects Cincinnati Ohio, at the Ohio River to Brunswick Other National auto trail's crossing Appalachia include Jefferson Davis Highway, Lakes-to-Sea Highway, Lee Highway, and National Old Trails Highway,

The next great leap in transportation was the passing of Federal Aid Highway Act of 1925 which created the modern numbered highway system, replacing the National auto trail system. Old style Highway markings Lincoln Highway Dixie Highway The Jefferson Davis Memorial Highway was a transcontinental highway in the United States from Washington D The Lakes-to-Sea Highway was an Auto trail in the Northeast U The Lee Highway was a National Auto Trail in the United States connecting New York City and San Francisco California via the South National Old Trails Road, also known as the Ocean-to-Ocean Highway, was established in 1912 and became part of the National Auto Trail system in the United States The longest primary US highway contained in Appalachia is US 11 traversing the eastern side. US Route 11 is a north-south United States highway extending 1645 mile US 21 was another primary US highway, but much of its route has been decommissioned and replaced with Interstate 77, these make/made up the North-South routes. US Route 21 in the pre-Interstate era was a north-south highway connecting the area around Lake Erie and the coastal South Interstate 77 (abbreviated I-77) is an Interstate highway in the eastern United States. East-West Routes include US 30, US 33, US 40, US 50, US 60, and US 70. US Route 30 is an east-west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country United States Highway 33 is a United States highway that runs northwest-southeast for 709 miles (1141 km from northern Indiana to Richmond Virginia US Route 50 is a major east-west route of the US Highway system, stretching just over 3000 miles (4800 km from Ocean City Maryland on the Atlantic Ocean For the US Route 60 in the 1925 plan see US Route 66. US Route 60 is an east-west United States highway, running 2670 Miles US Route 70 is an east-west United States highway that runs for 2385 miles (3838 km from eastern North Carolina to east-central Arizona. Many spur routes such as US 220 and US 119 service various parts of Appalachia. US Route 220 is a long US Route in the eastern United States. US Route 119, commonly abbreviated as US 119, is a spur of US 19.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike was the first long-distance rural controlled access highway in the United States and also the first one to cross Appalachia. The Pennsylvania Turnpike is a toll highway system operated by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission in the state of Pennsylvania, United States. It was known as the "tunnel highway" because of the seven mountain tunnels along its Appalachian route. A tunnel is an underground passageway The definition of what constitutes a tunnel is not universally agreed upon In October 1, 1940 the first section of Turnpike opened, running from US 11 near Carlisle (southwest of Harrisburg) west to US 30 at Irwin (east of Pittsburgh). Events 331 BC - Alexander the Great defeats Darius III of Persia in the Battle of Gaugamela. Year 1940 ( MCMXL) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. US Route 11 is a north-south United States highway extending 1645 mile Carlisle is a borough in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, 18 miles (29 km west by southwest of Harrisburg, the State capital US Route 30 is an east-west main route of the system of United States Numbered Highways, with the highway traveling across the northern tier of the country Irwin is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, 22 miles (35 km southeast of Pittsburgh. Crossing was completed with the Western Extension, from Irwin to US 22 east of Pittsburgh, opened August 7, 1951. US Route 22 ( US 22) is a west-east route and is one of the original United States highways of 1926 Events 322 BC - Battle of Crannon between Athens and Macedon following the death of Alexander the Great. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January The remainder opened to traffic on December 26, 1951, taking the highway west almost to the Ohio state line. Events 1481 - Battle of Westbrook - Holland defeats troops of Utrecht. Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January

The Turnpike remained the only superhighway crossing Appalachia until the interstate system that was authorized by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. The Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956, popularly known as the National Interstate and Defense Highways Act (Public Law 84-627 was enacted on June 29 1956 when Dwight D Today 7 Interstates cross Appalachia east to west starting with Interstate 86, Interstate 80, Interstate 70, Interstate 64, Interstate 26, and Interstate 40. Interstate 86 was once assigned to what is now Interstate 84 east of East Hartford, Connecticut. Interstate 80 (I-80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States (after I-90) Interstate 70 (I-70 is an Interstate highway in the United States that runs from Interstate 15 near Cove Fort Utah, to a Park and Ride Interstate 64 (abbreviated I-64) is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. Interstate 26 (I-26 is a nominally east-west (but physically more north-south main route of the Interstate Highway System in the Southeastern United States. Interstate 40 (I-40 is a major west-east Interstate highway in the United States There are 3 interstates crossing North to South. These include Interstate 75, Interstate 77 and Interstate 81. Interstate 75 (I-75 is a major north-south Interstate Highway in the midwest and southeastern United States. Interstate 77 (abbreviated I-77) is an Interstate highway in the eastern United States. Interstate 81 (abbreviated I-81) is an Interstate highway in the eastern part of the United States.

However, despite the fact that the region is crisscrossed by many U.S. and Interstate highways, those routes primarily serve cross-country traffic rather than the locals themselves. The Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS is part of the Appalachian Regional Commission in the United States. The system of United States Numbered Highways (often called U Towns closer to the major highways and nearer to the many larger cities fringing the region (Pittsburgh, Wheeling, Columbus, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Washington, D.C., etc. Wheeling is a city in West Virginia, in the United States. Most of the city is in Ohio County, with a small Columbus is the Capital and the largest city of the US state of Ohio. Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D ) are disproportionately better-off than rural regions in the mountainous interior. Instead of being tied to the land, jobs in the towns tend to emphasize industry and services—important signs of a more diversified economy. For other uses of this term see Industry (disambiguation An industry (from Latin industrius, "diligent industrious" Nonetheless, aside from the major urban centers along its perimeter, the entire Appalachian region still suffers from population decline and the loss of younger residents to the cities.

To reverse decline and spur economic growth, Appalachian governors have prioritized the creation of a modern highway system accessible to local residents as the key to economic development. As a result, in 1965, the Appalachian Regional Commission created the Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS) which was the first highway system designed specifically to service Appalachia. The Appalachian Development Highway System (ADHS is part of the Appalachian Regional Commission in the United States. The ADHS was designed to generate economic development in previously isolated areas, supplement the interstate system, connect Appalachia to the interstate system, and provide access to areas within the Region as well as to markets in the rest of the nation. The ADHS is currently authorized at 3,090 miles, including 65 miles added in January 2004.

These routes are known as corridors. They are build to a higher standard than US Highways, but less than Interstate standard, although some such as Corridor E were built to be interstates. Interstate 68 (I-68 is an Interstate Highway in the United States.

Other Appalachia-related articles

The six physiographic provinces of Appalachia:

• Appalachian Plateau
• Allegheny Mountains
• Valley and Ridge
  • The Great Valley
• Blue Ridge Mountains
• Piedmont

See also:

• Ozark culture
• Appalachian Trail by state
• Upland South
• Settlement schools
• Social and Economic Stratification in Appalachia
• Appalachian State University

Notes

References

• Abramson, Rudy and Haskell, Jean, editors (2006). Encyclopedia of Appalachia, University of Tennessee Press. The Encyclopedia of Appalachia is the first Encyclopedia dedicated to the region people culture history and geography of Appalachia. ISBN 1-57233-456-8
• Kephart, Horace (1922). Our Southern Highlanders, New and revised edition, Macmillan. ISBN 0-87049-203-9.  
• Biggers, Jeff (2006). The United States of Appalachia: How Southern Mountaineers Brought Independence, Culture and Enlightenment to America, New, Shoemaker and Hoard. ISBN 1593760310.  
• Caudill, Harry M. (1962). Harry M Caudill (b Whitesburg, Kentucky, May 3, 1922; died November 29, 1990) was an American author historian Night Comes to the Cumberlands. Little, Brown and Company. ISBN 0-316-13212-8.  
• Sarnoff, Susan (2003). "Central Appalachia – Still the Other America". Journal of Poverty Volume 7 (1 & 2): 123 - 139. The Haworth Press.  
• Walls, David (1977). David Walls (born October 21 1941 is an Activist and Academic who has made significant contributions to Appalachian studies and to the popular understanding "On the Naming of Appalachia" An Appalachian Symposium. Edited by J. W. Williamson. Boone, NC: Appalachian State University Press.

Further reading

• Olson, Ted (1998). Blue Ridge Folklife, University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 1-57806-023-0.
• Williams, John Alexander (2002), Appalachia: A History. University of North Carolina Press, ISBN 978-0-8078-5368-9.

External links

• Appalachia at the Open Directory Project
• "Appalachia: Hollow Promises", a comprehensive 1999 series of articles on the region and the ARC published in the Columbus Dispatch
• Appalachian Center for Economy and the Environment
• Digital Library of Appalachia
• Morehead State University Center for Virtual Appalachia

The Open Directory Project ( ODP) also known as dmoz (from directory The Columbus Dispatch is a daily Newspaper, based in Columbus Ohio, that serves the central portion of the state

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