A is for Appalachia! The Alphabet Book of Appalachian Heritage

Letter from the Author

Dear Visitor,

         Thank you for visiting this website and sharing with me an interest in the place known as Appalachia.  The Appalachia that I know and love is in the Southern Appalachian Mountains.  I grew up there, in the small town of Hamlin, West Virginia.  Childhood memories of barefoot mornings, blackberry picking, and the annual church Christmas programs will forever fuel my affection for the people and the place.

        The Appalachia about which I write is of a distant time and place.  It is populated with strong people whose ancestors primarily came from Scotland, Ireland, England, and Germany.  When our country was young and under English rule, it was our Appalachian ancestors who resisted being governed or taxed by England.  Being fiercely independent, they moved west into the mountains where they joined the proud people of the Cherokee Nation.  They lived in log homes; they grew their own food; they made their own clothes; and they crafted their own tools.  They told haint tales by the evening fire and Jack tales while at work during the day.  They sang sad ballads on front porches and danced to lively jigs played on homemade fiddles and banjos.  They worked hard, rested little, and took pride in a job well done.  They cared about each other, they cared about their mountains, and they gave thanks to their God.  It is this rich heritage that I joyfully share with you in the pages of A is for Appalachia! The Alphabet Book of Appalachian Heritage.

With heart-felt appreciation,

Linda Hager Pack