This is where my dad was from. I had the opportunity to visit briefly for the first time last December when I was in Virginia for his funeral. I walked along the train tracks that ran behind my grandma and grandpa's house with my cousins, picking up little bits of coal that had fallen off the train cars. I gave the coal to my children for Christmas to remind them of their grandpa. I can hardly wait to visit there again.

@tonywebb1403

6 ай бұрын

I grew up there

I was working in acute care in the era when opiates were being "sold" to medical professionals as "safe and effective." The story we were given (and we had to attend a number of in-service educational sessions) was that nurses "must assess and record vital signs at least every 4 hours. That means temp, pulse, respirations, BP and *the 5th vital sign* was *pain*! Yes, we had to ask the patient "are you in pain?" If the answer was "yes," we had to document what we did about it. Which -- in effect -- meant "make it go away." I remember commenting to co-workers: "This makes me nervous," because at that time you could be taken to court for malpractice if you failed to control patients' pain. You also could be sued if you "over-medicated." A classic darned if you do/darned if you don't situation. It was even worse for MDs because the buck stopped with them, so to speak. They had the power of the prescription. Those were scary times. (Fortunately I had retired by the time Covid struck.) God bless the doctor in St. Charles who recognized the problems with Big Pharma. Again -- just excellent reporting from the two of you. Along with the chance to visit some beautiful country. Just wish I could rescue every person who needs rescuing there! At least I did get a chance to send a donation to the flood victims in KY through the Methodist Church. Hope to do more soon. Bless you both.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

God bless you too. Thanks for your insight and experiences, the “5th vital sign” business was such a travesty

@kesmarn

Жыл бұрын

@@realappalachia Yes! It felt like we were unwitting/unwilling "pushers" for some of the most powerful "dealers" in the country.

@terywetherlow7970

Жыл бұрын

Yes. The Sacklers. Never forget what they did to gain their wealth.

@Tricksofatrade

Жыл бұрын

Something tells me your stories could put mine to shame ! ( :

@thehaleybird

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your story! My dad is a pharmacist and owned his own local pharmacy in the North East when opiates started to proliferate. He had the same feelings you did - he was very uncomfortable. He refused to fill any opiate prescriptions unless he knew that the person was in end of life care or something to that effect. In general he told people he didn't stock opiates. He had his store vandalized and even had acid thrown on his car by addicts that he turned away. It's such a sad cycle. Shane and Melody do a wonderful job discussing it with empathy!

I like your kindness and non-judgemental demeanor towards the people of Appalachia. Thank you.

I was prescribed OxyContin once for pain, I took one and threw the rest away. I’m thinking about moving to VA, somewhere in the mountains or one of the valleys. I like NC, but being able to get legal green medicine would be an absolute blessing.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

You made the right choice, that medicine was a poison

@judypierce7028

Жыл бұрын

NC has beautiful mountains also as I lived in the state for 10 years.

@j.sargent9172

Жыл бұрын

I've been in VA sine 98, I was 7. I love this state, lots to do. Hiking kayaking people are friendly so there's groups and stuff you can join to make friends and stuff

@trishhobbsphillips3164

Жыл бұрын

You should look at Roanoke, VA!

@ccjohncc1

Жыл бұрын

Born in Norfolk and grew up in Bon Air/Richmond area. Now I live in Exmore VA on the Eastern Shore. I love my state.

I got saved in st Charles 🙌 🥰❤

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Now THAT is awesome!

@DAUGHTEROFBABYLON

Жыл бұрын

@@realappalachia I completely agree! Thank You for your comment..... God Bless Everyone!

@shawnlee7022

Жыл бұрын

PRAISE THE LORD !! BAYVILLE NY 😉😀😎👍

@thatgardeninggirl2864

Жыл бұрын

I'm from Lee county Virginia

Great video you two. Beautiful country with a sad story. Never underestimate an Appalachian tho. Nothing but generations of tough people. Take care Shane and Melody and keep up these thoughtful and heart warming videos.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! And you are so right! We’re built tough and to overcome. - Melody

I'm lucky. I've had a couple of prescriptions for pain meds after broken bone surgery, and I tried one. My reaction to this was 'If this makes me feel this good then there is something wrong with it !' And that was the last time I tried it; the pain went away after a couple of sleepless nights and the bones healed up better than before 😀 Other people would have gone down a different track.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

You made the right decision for sue

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Sure

I appreciate how the two of you thoroughly research the background of these towns BEFORE you visit them (a rare quality on YT). Thanks!

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much for the kind words

@debbrataylor2367

Жыл бұрын

Are they really that accurate?

Good video , it's sad how we are losing these older towns . I'm from the west coast but half my family lives in North Carolina or Kentucky and I used to spend a few weeks every summer in Charlotte when I was a kid . I love the area and was there last year visiting relatives , listening to you talk reminds me of the women I know back there , I love the accent .

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank ya, Steve

Because of constant back pain and shot didn't work pain management wanted me to take OxyContin but I refused. Years ago I was on high does of Fentanyl and Methadone and when I lost my insurance at the time I had to go cold turkey and it took 3 months before I was okay. So I will not take OxyContin.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

I don’t blame you, Dana. I have chronic back pain too after having back surgery so I understand. It’s heartbreaking that big corporations come prey on people in such pain. - Melody

@Tricksofatrade

Жыл бұрын

Dam

Loved this video. Love all of them. Just a little sidetone. A lot of the small town scenes in Dopesick was shot in my hometown of Clifton Forge Va. The coal mine scenes were shot in a cave we just to hang out and play in as kids.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Now that’s cool, glad they filmed some of it fairly locally

I always look forward to your videos… always informative and entertaining… they are a nice break from the hustle and bustle of my everyday life… keep up your good work 👍

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thanks so much, Steven

Thanks for sharing this ❤

Wikipedia has a page that lists train wrecks and in the 1912 list this one hasn't been added so I'm going to add it if I can remember how. Thanks for your videos I love hanging out with you two on these road trips!

I was prescribed Vicodin by a dentist after some dental work when I was about 12. My parents never filled that prescription, over the counter painkillers from our medicine cabinet was all I needed.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

They made the right decision, nothing but trouble with painkillers unless there’s no other option.

@briancaine9130

Жыл бұрын

Same with me but Percodan. Took 1 after wisdom teeth removed. Made me sick, never touched bottle or that pill again.

Thank you both for showing so much of Appalachia. ❤️

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for the support, Robin

Thanks for the memories. Lived on Graveyard Hill at the first curve. There were 2 houses there. St. Charles was a great place to grow up in the 50's and 60's. Left in the 60's after graduation as a STC MIDGET. Appreciate your work. GOD BLESS.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

God bless you too, really glad you enjoyed the video

@karenpitts9721

4 ай бұрын

My grandparents and two uncles are buried in St Charles.

My dad grew up there in the 30s. I have pictures of the town in its hay day. It looked like a thriving place back then with coal and tobacco as the source of income. It's great to be able to see where he grew up and experience a bit of family history.

My aunt was on oxy and took so much by prescription when my cousin Stacie moved back to area she an RN and she got her off it

As people escape the crazy big cities, places like this will be reborn better than before. My cousins still live in Clay County KY. I saw a video on YT and the mayor said maybe 10% of the people were on drugs. I asked my cousin....he laughed and said, "No more like half"

Loved this video! I grew up in Kemmer Gem, went to St. Charles Elementary and graduated from Pennington High School. It's so sad to see that the town is nearly gone.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

I was just reading about Kemmer Gem, was it up on a hill?

@imaginationtravels5875

Жыл бұрын

@@realappalachia Nope. If you go past the railroad tracks and turn left at the intersection, that's Kemmer Gem holler. If you keep going straight, that's Monarch holler.

Thanks for showing

I worked in a hospice late 90's early 2000's. We had to sit through videos produced by Purdue Pharma for Oxy. It was supposed to be so safe. Granted since our patients were terminal addiction wasn't a big issue, but they were also pushing it hard for chronic pain.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Oh yeah! We remember those days as well. My mom worked in a restaurant at that time and remembered Purdue reps coming in and spending hundreds of dollars on food for the local doctors offices. So sad the destruction they left. - Melody

@elbertmoreno2159

Жыл бұрын

Safe on their bank accounts!

I so appreciate another video about the area. It's heartbreaking the history of the town and thinking about what could have been. Looking forward to the next place you go to. Be safe & blessed.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

So true…thank you so much for watching, may you be blessed too

You guys are awesome! Thank you for doing this work, love your presentations, the scenic views are enchanting.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

I am so glad to see a video like this. We used to live in the Portsmouth, Ohio area and its still really bad there. Now it's not oxy its heroin. It is so sad what has happened on the Appalachia areas. I liked the book but was really sad what they did with the doctor in the show. I wish more people would read the book. If you haven't read Hill People its a great read too. Not really about the drug issue but a great read about appalachia.

@sharoncrawford7192

11 ай бұрын

I live 1 hour from Portsmouth.

Love your program. Keep it up. Thanks and God bless!

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Sad that people are victims of big corp.greed , Thank you for your video

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Exactly right! Thank you!

Thank you for posting this - This is where my Mom is from. I remember coming down these roads many times to visit my Grandmother.

Excellent once again. My philosophy is the same, "Be grateful for whatcha got and don't complain 'bout whatcha don't."

Thank you both for another fine video, interesting, caring and informative. You both do a fine job of informing us about an important area of our country,

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much, Conrad, we appreciate it

Really enjoyed this video. New here and you two are amazing and fun to listen to. A view of America I am not familiar with ! Thank you both.

That holler looked very peaceful up in the hills. Love it and all the scenery. We live outside Seattle Washington and my town has went to heck from drugs/crime/graffitti and trash everywhere. Sad when a place you love dies....I have family members addicted to opiates , its a struggle for them indeed.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

You nailed it

That guy in the patchwork roof house was a roofer and just used the left overs for his own roof. No shame in that

I loved this, as with all other videos. Thanks for taking us along. I wonder why no one would serve on the town council?

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

I think most of the population still there are elderly or disinterested in serving

Very, very interesting video! Thanks for sharing!

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

My part-time work took me to the now-defunct St Charles Fire Department back in 2010. I have been to hundreds, if not thousands, of firehouses in the past 30 years, and STFD stands out. Not only for the state of the station, which was so small several rigs had to sit outside, but as you mentioned, the members focused on what they had, not what they were missing. The now-closed firehouse sits directly beside the ball field, and they had several broken-down firetrucks in the old abandoned two-building with the bright red doors that is clearly shown while you're on foot in this video. I vaguely recall that the local might have said it was a theatre at one time. Keep up the great work!

Another Well Done and informative Video, Thank U. :-)

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much

Thank You, always interesting

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank you

Talking about thirdary roads in WV. My goodness this road looks like a cowpath. I wouldn't want to meet anyone coming in the opposite direction. Yes, St. Charles is in Lee County. It is quite a unique place. Last year a doctor prescribed prednisone for a sinus infection. I took one pill and threw the rest away. The pill made my so dizzy that I nearly passed out. Don't need Amy junk like that in my body.!! Thank you for another great video Shane and Melody.

Another great video. I will start donating again soon. I'm sorry I had to cut back on some things. But I never quit supporting the Health Wagon in Wise VA. Ever since I saw a profile on them many years ago.

Always interesting!

Love what you do Keep up the good work!!😀

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

The graveyard on that graveyard road was on one of those two little dirt roads you see before you go back down to the main road. It was the dirt road on the left. Not very far off the road. There was a house or building back there that burned down and there are maybe 5 or 6 graves behind what’s left of the foundation. Very cool and you all should check it out on the next trip. Love your videos.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!! We will definitely check that out next time! - Melody

You would be able to do a hundred videos like this in Appalachia. Many of these towns are relics of a bygone era. Pretty sad.

I've never been to this part of the country. Thanks for these informative and entertaining videos. Listening to you both is so calming.🥰

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Thx for this video. I was amazed to see an old car sitting on the side of the road in this video that I bought new in High Point NC back in 2003.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

That’s awesome, what luck is that

I don't claim to understand anything this woman says, I just like listening to her.

Thanks I would love to see more of Virginia!! My son lives in that state !

Its absolutely surreal to see your channel since we do like exactly the same thing. 🧐

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

That's cool, I'll check out your channel

My mom was born in St Charles. My dad was born in Norton and we lived in Pennington gap. I graduated from Pennington high school. Those were the best years of my life..

Great video keep posting. Come on down to McDowell county WV. My home county. Left for many years came back couldn't believe how the pills destroy this area. Lots of great places to explore though.

Hu guys, always great seeing you. Love the tours you give of places I will probably never see. So was this the St. Charles Place on the monopoly game?

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thanks as always for watching, I don’t think this town has any affiliation with the Monopoly game but that made me want to play - been way too long lol

@navydogsadventures3500

Жыл бұрын

@@realappalachia haha!

Great story! My wife’s grandfather, and his brothers worked the mines in St. Charles. Some more history of this area, Clinchport Va. Ft Blackmore Va. Rye Cove Va.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Did a video on Clinchport a couple of years ago but need to hit up the other two. Thanks for the heads up.

Was really hoping you would drive up through Bonny Blue again…something tells me you did and you’re saving that footage for another day 😁😁

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Well well well…you’re on top of it lol

What a shock to see this. My parents are from there and grandparents lived there until the mid 80’s. That Kennedy drive you saw used to be called Turners siding. There were many shotgun houses on that road, my grandparents being one of them. Most are torn down and somebody named Kennedy invested in the cheap land and renamed the road. I am 63 and the last time I was there was probably the early 70’s. St Charles was in the process of dying but it was still fairly bustling. The town proper started before the turn off to Bonny Blue and was full of buildings till you got to the houses on the other side. Where you turned around, if you noticed, that brick structure overgrown with vegetation, was a small store, like a 7-11 before “convenience store” was a word. Thank you for giving St Charles some exposure!

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

It is amazing the changes that can take place somewhere. Thank you for sharing your memories and knowledge of there! We always love to hear that. We’re glad you enjoyed seeing it. Thank you! - Melody

Very cool, thanks for sharing the local culture.

as always, very interesting

My grandmother Betty Blevins lived in Amonate across from the Methodist Church. Enjoyed your video

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank you so much, Brenda

Wow, you hooked up with the Honaker Virginia lady. Melody I think. Kool! We drove through St Charles once and parked outside of the UMW building. Really desolate place.

Could being addicted to what we want to hear be the bigger problem?

Great video

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank you, Fran

Theres a trail just north of wetumpka Alabama thats kinda like that.

Ur standing right next to my grandmother old restaurant. My great grandfather started the mining union in st.charles and also was one of the first sheriff's of the town. I also starting my mining career up in Bonnie blue for Powell mountain coal company and event went to mining coal up in Appalachia. I'm retired now at 36 years old but would love meet up next time ur in the area and give you the proper tour of st.charles and history that you missed.

Always look forward to your videos. Both sides of my family were mining families (grandparents and great grandparents.) They were in the UP of Michigan though, but still lots of similarities. They worked in coal mines, copper mines and even a dynamite factory. Love seeing all the mining towns and beautiful countryside! 👍

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Amazing how that life can overlap in such different parts of the country

@KR-sh6rm

Жыл бұрын

@@realappalachia It sure is! Also, although he didn't go down in the mines, as a young man my father worked on the coal docks loading the coal ships that would cross Lake Superior. The mining culture runs deep across the USA.

You two are so awesome!! God bless you! 🥰

This is a very sad story.Thank you both for showing it. I really wish someone with the resources would step up and start some type of rejuvenation movement.[Tourists,Remodeling buildings,etc.]

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

That would be the dream

I divorced my ex because he became an oxycontin zombie. It was horrible to watch.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

I’m so sorry to hear you had to deal with that in your life

I love watching you guys.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank you. Karen, we appreciate you

Keep getting better every day.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank you!!

What a beautiful little town!!!!! Hope it survives!!!!

I once had a burn across the back of my hand from a car accident and I had to go in for burn treatment every day the first few days. It didn’t hurt at all. The writ me a prescription for one of those addictive pills (I forgot which one) anyway I never filled it cause I didn’t have any pain. I just threw the prescription away. This story about this town is sad 😞

How sad and tragic in a region that didn't need any more sadness and tragedy.

Love your videos. Remember the Catherine Marshall novel, "Christy". You should visit the real "Christy Mission" in Del Rio Tennessee outside of Newport Tennessee. "Christy" was a miniseries on CBS back in the 1990's based on the novel of the same name. The show was filmed near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge TN. I understand that the set still exists but I've never been able to find it. Maybe you guys can. But I have been to the real Christy Mission in Del Rio Tennessee outside of Newport Tennessee. Be careful a dirt road leads up to the real Christy Mission. Kinda like the "Red Bird Mission" in Kentucky, at least one time it was.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Great info, we’ll see if we can find out anything

Where are you all from i am in Stephens city VA great video

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

We are from SWVA

I love your videos 👍

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Thank you 😊

I'm new to the channel and I'm also from West Virginia. I was wondering if you have done a story about the matewan wv flood in 1977?

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

No we haven’t yet but that would make for a very interesting story because that was as bad as it gets

So jealous of you guys. Id give anything to be able to visit your beautiful land.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Hope you have the opportunity to visit someday, thank you

I love the historical photos. Never heard of the Virginia and South Western Railroad. With the first road you drove on that loped around, at the road I noticed the railroad on the other side of, I think, a river? The railroad is still very present in this area of the country.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Yes there’s a river that runs alongside the town

@mabelyourmama9029

Жыл бұрын

My mother was born in a house there in the 40's. We visited St. Charles about 10 years ago. Beautiful as always.

Great video can’t wait to see the Jeep how would I give towards that!!! Incase you haven’t figured it out I’ma Jeep nut! Lol Y’all are great

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

We love Jeeps too…believe me, the video description is loaded down with ways to donate towards a Jeep - we got PayPal, CashApp, you name it and we’ll find a way to get it up lol

This is a very important video. Author Sam Quinones has written "The Least of Us," an excellent book about the history of the opioid epidemic. He also has stories of how some communities have dealt with it with some success. Some very sad stories, but also stories of hope and success. Look in your local library, bookstore, or available from Amazon. (my last resort) Thank you Melody and Shane for your good work.

Those steep narrow roads make your nervous? I’ve been on a few like this myself and they are pretty nerve racking!

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Seems like we keep finding ourselves in these predicaments lol

Dr. Feelgood has destroyed too many small town to count

unfortunately I'm all to familiar with addictions. there's much blame to go around for the opioid problems starting with Purdue our FDA and Congress and the two most important players the local doctors and pharmacy's. the person addicted also bear much responsibility and is the only person who can clean up there act. sorry so serious. thanks for the many hours of enjoyment I've had watching your videos

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

You’re right on the money…thank you for watching and for the comment, Lou

Great mule or horse riding road. If I lived there, that's what I would have. The mountain road from Woodstock to Fort Valley, VA is way worst than that, Woodstock Tower Road, but it is not as long and it is closed during the winter. I love it. 😊

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Sounds like fun

A graveyard is on church property.Often when the church closes, the graveyard is forgotten.

The car I'm talking about below is the Red Toyota Echo. You can see it at 14:32 and again at 17:02 in this video. I drove this car as far as roads go to all four corners of the North American Continent. Prudo Bay Alaska, Key West Florida, Happy Valley / Goose Bay Labrador, and Imperial Beach California. Also drove the car to the highest and lowest roads in America, Death Valley California and Mt. Everts Colorado. I was born in Lee County and gave the car to my Brother up there and my nephew ended up wrecking the car in St. Charles. But I was blown away to see the car in this video as the car has always been sentimental to me due to all the places I drove it.

Thanks for sharing this! Very beautiful road and area , but sad what has happened in that area ...I had to go back and watch cigarette holler again , to laugh.....we know why it's called cigarette holler, need a cigarette to calm the nerves....haha....thanks guys....God bless y'all....🙏❤

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Oh, laugh away - that wasn’t our finest hour lol

People of St Charles tormented the railroad. Some of the people put axle grease on the tracks crippling the trains during the union disputes. Also stone face is cool there.

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

I did not know that about the greasing train tracks but doesn’t surprise me since that was strong union country

If u get time while in castlewood Va. Must drive reeds Valley. Off 58 and memorial. By high-school. (Castlewood) follow up to trout pound to river rd. Make a right by small farm. It's a little slice of hevan. It takes you out to 19..towards Lebnon va. Before Abingdon

St. Charles,shout out to my hometownGA. Was born in Pennington gap,lived in st. Charles until I moved to Ga. Lived up.the holler on Kimder Jim rd.

Very cool old town...sad so many of those in our area was taken over and the people's lives wrecked by that poison. Thanks for another great vid and ride along. Ps...no relation to Purdue pharma please note. Lol

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Noted lol

My grandma's people are from St. Charles. Her name was Ruby Alsup.

Born and raised in southwestern VA. That epidemic was awful! And now were battling another one.

My family lives there

My Mother was born in Mingo Holler, her Birth Cert reads Claiborne county TN and Lee Co, VA. Can anyone tell me where Mingo Holler is, in relation to St Charles, Harland County KY, Pennington Gap... I listened to her tell stories of this area in the 40s. My Grandmother was Juanita Love, and she married Ambers Willis "Hoot" Engle. I knew my Grandmother, but never knew Hoot Engle as my true Grandfather. Ty for these videos! I have needed to see/hear about these places. The images confirm every story she ever shared with me. If anyone can tell me more about Hoot Engle or his Father, Wm Henry Engle (born in 1882, Knox co, KY)

@werelok1

Жыл бұрын

That's closer to the " lower end" towards Cumberland Gap.

Sad about all these little places all throughout the country

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Very true

@corilia9529

Жыл бұрын

@@realappalachia if you like the west ,there's plenty of ghost towns to explore

I started dating a girl in St. Charles right after the clinic started throwin OCs at everyone who walked in... and she gave me a bag of 20s for no reason on our first date. I didn't ask, and she wasn't a junkie, it was just a "here, everyone has a ton of these, take them for pain." A year later, those pills weren't flowing freely for no cost anymore, and she ended up in prison... along with practically half of the local population below 40 years of age. Beautiful girl... life destroyed... and it's not an exception: it's the rule. Purdue razed Lee County to the ground. And its brethren have continued the job with a few other drugs that are doing just as much damage as OC did.

How just a sad story.

KY ranked at the top or closely w number of overdose's by opiates . The wave of oxycodone abuse was aimed at Appalachian areas and killed alot of people my age .

@realappalachia

Жыл бұрын

Very terrible to hear