I am not from here. About a quarter of my life was spent in northwest Missouri having grown up in St. Joseph. After that we moved to a bedroom town near Kansas City, Missouri (and I can’t help but remain a Chiefs’ fan). Lastly, we wound up in Illinois. First in central Illinois and then in northeastern Illinois.
That was our home for over thirty years, most of the time in Winthrop Harbor, Illinois. The name of the place sounds far grander than its reality, though we had a good life there, midway between Chicago and Milwaukee. We were very near Lake Michigan and just a block and a half south of the Wisconsin stateline.
The portion of our family that lived near us for several years migrated to rural Harrogate, Tennessee. Rather than be alone as senior citizens in a region known for its high taxes and flukey climate, we decided to join them here.
I only have five months of experience with the people of Appalachia. When we moved here, I never even thought of this area as part of Appalachia. I tend to think of Kentucky and West Virginia as part of the region, but not Tennessee.
Like most of the uninitiated, I think of Tennessee as a desirable location. You say, “Tennessee” to most folks, and they reply with “Nashville”, and Nashville is booming. Maybe they will think of Memphis, Chattanooga, Knoxville, or Pigeon Forge and Dollywood. But here in eastern Tennessee the term Appalachia is owned and embraced.
I am trying to understand all that is packaged in that word because Appalachia is my home now and likely will be until I die.
Maybe AI is good for something. Here is the AI view from 100,000 feet up.
Appalachia is a cultural and geographical region in the eastern United States that stretches from southern New York to northern Mississippi, encompassing parts of 13 states. The region is defined by the Appalachian Mountains and is home to a diverse population with a rich history. While the area has a strong cultural identity, it also faces modern challenges such as poverty and a need for better infrastructure.
Without a doubt it is different here than anywhere we have ever lived. The most outstanding thing my wife and I have noticed is the kindness, politeness, and congeniality of the people. I am not just trying to get on your good side. This distinctive was striking to us and we love it.
I have been referred to as “brother” by people I just met and our new names are, “Mr. Glenn” and “Miss Patty”. Also, a shopping cart became a buggy. Everything is closed on the weekends and stories are a part of any significant transaction. It slows things down a bit much for most northerners but shows a real interest in each other as people.
To us, things here seem old-timey and quaint. A lot of things that used to be a common part of interpersonal relations and have long since faded away elsewhere remain here.
The mountains in our backyard are a special treasure. I think we are beginning to get used to everything being strung out in the hollers.
We have a found a surprising number of local businesses in our new “twin cities” of Tazewell and New Tazewell, Tennessee. Also, we found a surprising amount of traffic on route 33. I don’t know where everybody comes from.
Taxes here are unbelievably lower than in Illinois. Property taxes are close to one-tenth. Government regulation also is far more lax. Where we used to live, you had to pull a permit and have several inspections to build a simple porch.
To be sure, there are more blighted residences and empty commercial buildings (at least around here), punctuated by an occasional grandiose home on a hill. It would seem to indicate the continued prevalence of poverty and a lack of good-paying jobs.
Isolation formed Appalachia. Back in the day when transportation was a struggle, things in our country where decentralized. You did business with a local merchant in your own little town. There was accountability. These days you can’t even get decent customer service no matter how many buttons you push on your cell phone or how long you wait while listening to terrible music.
Here, the topography lent to the isolation and independence of the people as they embraced their own unique cultural history.
For generations all of this was denigrated, and the perception of Appalachia was that of an impoverished, uneducated people.
It has become a different story as the uniqueness of the region has become embraced and celebrated.
Appalachia has massive beauty abounding with opportunities for outdoor recreation. It has its own special culture that has birthed countless musicians and artisans. Factories and businesses have located here due to favorable economic conditions.
I think, (and most everything I have written is just me thinking out loud) this vast region has vast opportunities ahead.
I would love to hear your thoughts.
Please contact me at glennhager1@gmail.com or find me at glennhager.com or on Facebook.
The photo of the barn was taken at the end of the my street.
