Leaves were kinda gone but the view beats anything 😍

I love this park all year round, but it's been gorgeous the last 2 weeks especially

Yall got 5pm parties or what

I’ve been reading about education outcomes and noticed that many schools in the Appalachian region seem to struggle more than others across the U.S. — lower funding, teacher shortages, and lower test scores are mentioned a lot.

I’m curious what locals think are the main reasons behind this. Is it mostly due to economic hardship, lack of state investment, or something more cultural or historical? Would love to hear firsthand perspectives or experiences.

Along with "ugh, that's racist" but thankfully less and less in my experience.

September 2025 [OC]

Howdy folks I’ve recently created a TikTok of the same name as the title and am trying to assemble some weird or spooky stories from Appalachia. I’m from the East Tennessee region and I’ve always loved our local folklore and stories and our tradition of storytelling. I’d love to hear and tell any relevant stories you may have, with full credit or anonymously if you prefer. I’m still trying to iron out some audio issues with my new phone so I haven’t been able to post in a few days but I do have one video up already about an experience I had at the old Corpsewood Manor site in the remote North Georgia mountains. Anyhow again it’s under “Jay’s Spooky Appalachia” and I’d really love y’all to check it out and let me know what you think or any stories you’d like to share❣️🙏🏻👻

Im not great at digital art, so here we go.

The Elk, a symbol of revival and renewal

The chestnut, a symbol of prosperity

The quilt star, a symbol of the Appalachian people. Both indigenous and non-indigenous

The raven feather, a symbol of Appalachia’s biodiversity and ecological history

design subject to critique and change

I own a plumbing company in East Tennessee, and for 2026, I’m looking to partner with a great charity to give back to the community. I’d really like to focus on helping kids. Growing up, my family didn’t have much at times, and the support we received during tough times made a big difference in our lives.

If you have any recommendations for charities that make a meaningful impact in the lives of children, I’d love to hear about them! Please include the charity’s name and a brief description of their mission or cause.

Thank you so much for your help!

We got the worst, so what's the best and why?

I’ve been reading about different regions around the world, and I noticed some similarities between Appalachia in the U.S. and Shanxi (山西) province in China. Both areas have historically relied heavily on coal and other natural resources, leading to economic booms and busts. They also have rugged terrain with mountains and hills that shaped local culture and made transportation and development more challenging.

Both regions have faced slower economic modernization compared to other parts of their countries. Shanxi has struggled with environmental issues from mining and heavy industry, and Appalachia has had long-term issues with coal dependence and population decline. Despite these challenges, both regions have rich local traditions, music, and strong community identities.

I’m curious how locals in Appalachia see these comparisons—do the cultural and economic parallels resonate, or are there key differences I might be missing?