Quoted: Quoted: We watched Deliverance tonight; had been about 15 years since seing it the first time. We were wondering if there are still places down south where mountain people live like they used to. ??? God, I don't know where you live but you sure need to get out more for the TV is rotting your brain. The social behaviour of the rednecks in the movie Deliverance was as far from reality as the day is from night.  Although not quite as stupid, the closest the TV ever came to mountian folk was the Beverly Hillbillies in moral character.  The movie Alvin York was prety close but still not on the money.  Take out the entire plot of the movie Fire Down Below and it pretty much is an example of a rural Applachian commity these days but no where near the past. Before welfare all but destroyed a way of life, there were indeed mountian folk that lived in self sustaining communities that pretty much grew, raised, or built by hand everything they used.  They were a proud folk that helped their neigbors and had Sunday church dinner on the ground.  In 50 years of living in Appalachia, I have yet to know of any city boy being raped.  Now if you want to talk about incest and gay rape in the inner-city, I could write you a book. Tj

I expect a good portion of it is to make people in cities feel better about themselves.  

Quoted: Ask my wife. She says I am.

Oh Come on!.......There's no Hillbillies in Pennsylvania!......

Quoted: Is a redneck same thing  as a hillbilly ???

NO!  

Most certainly, hillbillys still exist, even in Ohio.  Fewer now but they are still here.  Sad really, as I vastly prefer them to the city folks who have infiltrated Southern OH.

There are still places in OH where you can easily disapear, never to be found.  Agreed, there is far more meth than 'shine because it pays MUCH better.  Some areas you commute 75 miles, cut timber or deal/make dope (unless on the dole).  For inbred, travel to any area infested with Amish!  Many generations inbred and more backward than most "hillbillys", IMHO.  However, some of the same good points too.  They ask for little from the "outside", mostly tend to their own problems.  Tie up traffic and cause accidents with their damn buggies.

You want the ultimate in uneducated, lazy and worthless - total drug/welfare/third world - go to ANY large city!!  Completely dependant, little in family structure all the things people blame hillbillys for (wrongly too because family, self reliance etc are the REAL values they follow) can be found in the slums of any big city.  I'll take the hills & their folk any day!!

We still have them in Southwest Virginia.  I remember a few years ago stopping by the FD to check my mail slot.  Inside stood 2 guys about my age (26 at the time) waiting on the Chief.  He ran a camping trailer supply company and they had come looking for a part to their "house".  These guys were rough.  Both look like they had never seen a razor sporting 3-4 inch long stringy beards.  The clothes were nasty and obviously hand me downs as they did not fit.  I spoke with the Chief after they left and he said that they lived in the area all their lives.  I also have lived there all my life but never remember seeing these 2.  They appearently had never been to school and rarely left their hollow.  Picture the locals from Diliverance or any Hetfield/McCoy film and you have the idea.

My dads people are from the Independance, Fries, Ivanhoe area of Virginia.  To this day there are some areas that are without indoor plumbing and running water.   We visit the family when we can.  All of them are good people, they just see living off the land as more important to them.

Doc

Quoted: yeah come down to the coalfields here in southern wv , especially in mcdowell county and you would think it's a 3rd world country, for real. But every state has it's share of trailors. And about 10 years ago, last time I read anything about it, there was still a real mountain man in the eastern mountains of wv, the last of the "real" mountain men, he looked like bearclaw from jeremiah johnson. jesco white from boone county says hi troyharvey.com/img/jesco.jpg

You have to add Wyoming County, WV as well.  I live in southwest VA and have worked all across the south and have seen my share of hillbillies.  

They do like to travel.  There are some pix here:  Gunstock Forum  

Quoted: We still have them in Southwest Virginia.   My dads people are from the Independance, Fries, Ivanhoe area of Virginia.  To this day there are some areas that are without indoor plumbing and running water.   We visit the family when we can.  All of them are good people, they just see living off the land as more important to them. Doc

I have been working near Ivanhoe lately and would say that it is on par with most of the other rural coounties in Virginia.  Grayson County is a pretty area as well.

Quoted: We watched Deliverance tonight; had been about 15 years since seing it the first time. We were wondering if there are still places down south where mountain people live like they used to. ???

Forget down there; there are still places in my county the banjos are still twanging in the hills , the family trees run straight with few branches, and I wont go to unarmed.

This thread makes me think of the x-files episode "Home"

Quoted: We watched Deliverance tonight; had been about 15 years since seing it the first time. We were wondering if there are still places down south where mountain people live like they used to. ???

Yes. In fact, there are people living in the mountains that make the charachters from Deliverance look TAME.

There are a few genuine hillbillies in Michigan's upper peninsula - slightly different from your Southern variety, but they live off the land, they may or may not have running water, power if they have it might come from a generator, and they make it to town a few times a year.

Yep, there sure are.

My mother and her family are all from Logan County (Man, Switzer, etc.) We lived in and around Huntington on and off when I was little, and I graduated from high school there. I left 25 years ago, but go back to visit occasionally, three of my siblings and some cousins still live there.

The parents of my best friend in high school were kitchen table FFLs. We used to load up my VW Beetle with half their inventory and take it out to the range in Martha. I can't imagine the uproar now if two 17 year olds were pulled over in a car containing probably two dozen handguns, several EBRs, half a dozen bolt and lever rifles and a couple of shotguns. Oh, and about 5000 rounds of ammo.

Hell, we're just a little off the beaten path in the south and the local Wal-Mart is teeming with the most unbelievable weirdness imaginable.  I have been to plenty of places where there are real hillbillies, too.  

But I think I could locate some in every state.  Okay, I'm not sure about Hawaii or some of the small northeastern states like Rhode Island or Connecticut, but even Vermont has "hill people" and lots of 'em.

I grew up in Mullens, WV.. near Beckley.  And yes there are still some.  As a kid in highschool I worked in a gas station / NAPA.  A fair share of moonshine was sold from that gas station.  I remember one old guy that lived in a shack and made home brew.  He would heat the shack with coal he would steal from a local mine.  

You other WV guys, ever hear of Matt Justice.  If you don't, ask some of your older family if they remember.  Killed 21 men, but not for bullshit stuff like not giving respect, but over stuff you should be shot for.  Whisky, women, money, cows, pig and horses.

I worked for a gas pipeline for 13 years, so I had to venture up a few hollars.  I always loved it when you pull up to a shack and all the kids run in the house an peek out at you through the windows.  I also stumbled on a still or two and one very nice pot field.  Plants over my head with some nice buds.  The key to back out nice and slow, the way you came.

At the same time, I have drank a lot of coffee, a good share of whisky, talked a lot of trout fishing and hunting with these hillbillies.  For the most part these simple, very salt of the earth people are good people.

I have been meaning to scan some family pictures and post them.  One of my relatives was Sid Hatfield, we have some pics of him as well as some of the origional Hatfields.   If you guys want to see an interesting movie, watch Matewan about the WV mine wars if you can find it.

Rhode Island has a very few...we call them Swamp Yankees up here. Of course, a hollow 30 miles from town in RI is in another state;), but in many regards they are similar. the old family house (in need of paint since Hoover was Prez) and land, animals, etc. In the last 25 years things have changed so much here that they are almost all gone. One family I know of lived way back in the woods (well, way back for up here) and the state built on an old road right through their farm land......welcome to 1990, boys!

libertarian, Vermont sure does! I have friends up there, there are shitloads of the original old families that would be downright scary if they weren't such good folk. I get along well with them.....one of my friends has neighbors that live in a cabin the size of a small shed. In the summer they sleep in a screen tent outside, and they cook over a Coleman stove all year round. Gravity water from a spring, an ancient .30-30 and an old Stevens side by each 12 gauge. They have a cobbled together Hyundai, and seem fairly happy.

I think a lot of those in the Wal Mart or what I would call trailer trash, not hillbilly's. Many of them may think they are hillbillys, but I don't think so.

My family in North Carolina was along line of hillbilly's (or swamp billys?)-two of my great uncles died in a firey crash while running shine, my great grandfather was killed in a  poker game over a nickel (in about 1925), and my grandmother lived in a house in a swamp with no indoor plumbing or electricity unitl 1986. However, all four of my grandmothers kids left the swamp, and all have been successful in life-all the males Honorably Discharged veterans, etc etc......

What does a Hillbilly girl say during sex?

"Git off me Daddy!.......yur crushing my smokes!"

Quoted: What does a Hillbilly girl say during sex? "Git off me Daddy!.......yur crushing my smokes!"

Actually the joke is  "What does a South Carolina Girl say after sex?"

" Get off me daddy, yer crushin' my marlboros"  

As originally from WV,
I consider myself a mountaineer and NOT  a hillbilly.

I still live deep in the mountains.

CRC

There ARE places in the mountains you SHOULDN'T go.

Not unless you are a local.

Outsiders stay out of our mountains!

CRC

I am in southern ohio and there are a few places near by that may qualify.  I don't know since I don't really have any need to go down there and I suspect those folks are happy that I am not bothering them.

I just wanted to comment on the walmart shopping times, in my experience the trailer trash will shop walmart late at night.  I have never seen anyone that I would consider to be a true hillbilly in walmart.  I have seen what I would consider hillbillies in a local general store.  The general store has what they need, is closer to them, and is far simpler than messing with walmart.

As mentioned by someone else there are folks who only buy the basic food staples, and for that there is no need to travel another 10 miles to go to walmart when the general store charges just a bit more but is quicker and easier.

I have helped a friend who is a logger and gone in a few places with him that I would never have bothered going by myself.  

Oh, and as mentioned the pot and meth is common for this area.  I think my county had the highest production of meth a few years back, and it still might.

Those Michigan boys are called "Jackpine Savages", and they ain't the same as hillbillies, although it is hard to tell at first glance (assets on blocks in the front yard, various hound dogs, carcasses of critters that might not be identifiable, and so on).

Quoted: Quoted: Ask my wife. She says I am. Oh Come on!.......There's no Hillbillies in Pennsylvania!......

Go to the nether regions of Perry and Huntington  counties (I've also heard of some clans in Fayette County too).  You'll see hillbillies and rednecks.  There is a difference!

A country boy can survive, you can't starve us out and you can't make us run, a good ol' boy and his ol' shot gun, we say grace and we say ma'am if you ain't into that we don't give a damn...

Yes.  It's safer to refer to them as mountain people.

Thats Jesco White the Dancing Outlaw, he knows 52 more dance steps than any other man. He is my idol and role model. He huffs paint and gas, drinks a bit of the shine, and dances like a scolded dawg.

Take a drive through Nicholas County sometime.  Especially between Fenwick and Nettie and between Summersville and Craigsville.

My friend used to drive a truck into War and the rest of southwestern WV.  He could tell you a story or three.

Here in far SW VA, there are quite a few folks who keep to themselves and live in secluded areas.  I wouldn't really call them hillbillies though.

Hell, if I could live out in the boonies, I would.

Quoted: Quoted: As the great grandson of a "hillbillie" I can tell you that those folks have forgot more about living off the land than the refined city dwellers will ever know. You can make fun of their appearance, mannerisms and way of life but they are the most honest unpretentious people you will ever meet. I don't understand how someone living in a big ol' shithole, like New York or Detroit, could poke fun of anybody. It's just like anywhere else; you get yer good and you get yer bad. Human nature dictates that you remember the bad more than the good. I've passed up a lot of opportunities to stay in West Virginia. It's home. My greatest nightmare is that West Virginia will be "discovered" by the urban elites. I understand that it's that way in Oregon. The resulting political dynamic would be interesting, though. West Virginia is a heavily Democratic state, but our Democrats would be Republican anywhere else. The local Ds are mostly anti-abortion and pro-gun, but they like their government handouts. That's what keeps 'em in the party. I'd love to see what happened if you got a big influx of urban liberals who tried to hijack the party.

Where from?

Born in Grafton

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: As the great grandson of a "hillbillie" I can tell you that those folks have forgot more about living off the land than the refined city dwellers will ever know. You can make fun of their appearance, mannerisms and way of life but they are the most honest unpretentious people you will ever meet. I don't understand how someone living in a big ol' shithole, like New York or Detroit, could poke fun of anybody. It's just like anywhere else; you get yer good and you get yer bad. Human nature dictates that you remember the bad more than the good. I've passed up a lot of opportunities to stay in West Virginia. It's home. My greatest nightmare is that West Virginia will be "discovered" by the urban elites. I understand that it's that way in Oregon. The resulting political dynamic would be interesting, though. West Virginia is a heavily Democratic state, but our Democrats would be Republican anywhere else. The local Ds are mostly anti-abortion and pro-gun, but they like their government handouts. That's what keeps 'em in the party. I'd love to see what happened if you got a big influx of urban liberals who tried to hijack the party. Where from? Born in Grafton

Hey, I am from Buckhannon, Live in Fairmont now and my Army Reserve unit is in Grafton (363 MP Co.)

But on a more serious note.

I think TJ best summed up folks in East Tennessee. I was born and raised in SE VA, but my parents were from East TN and my entire family is here.

There are still some folks without indoor plumbing, and some folks live in shacks. But a lot of those shacks were built by hand and without any assitance from the gooberment. A lot of the younger kids don't care much about there "hillbilly" heritage.

My brother and I went looking for morrel mushrroms this past spring and for ginsing in the later part of the spring. Didn't find much of either. We also go out looking for blackberrys, digging for sasafrass and other wild goodies. We do a bit of hunting too. But my 15 year old nephew doesn't care about it at all. All he wants to do is play video games. It's sad, the appalachian culture dieing off.

I ask my mother and aunts about cooking, canning and preserving. They tell me as much as they can recall.

My grandpa on my moms side built his own house from scratch. He fell the lumber, helped build a saw mill in trade for cutting the wood, cured the wood, and built his house. He was a coal miner tht got injured, he raised his own chickens and hogs. He hunted and foraged.Grew his own food. And grew tobacco and dug ginsing for cash. He raised 8 kids that way. He was very intelligent and good with his hands. He passed away in 1998 at the age of 92. I was 17. I talked to him as much as I could. He was a walking time capsule, a true moutian man.


My granddaddy on my dads side ran moon shine during the depression, he was born in 1896. He voulnteered for the US Army in WWI, people like him are why we are called the Voulnteer State. He too was a miner, and raised his family the same way as my other grandpa.

There are some around still, and there are folks who try to keep the hillbilly tradition alive.


edited to add:

Another thing you have in Eastern VA is sorta like a hillbilly. The old salts that fish the bay and live out in the country there. They are good people too and there are fewer of them than us hillbillies. I worked with a guy who was from a family of fishermen from the eastern shore, he was a great guy. He told me of a series of books that are similar to the Foxfire series called "Salt" if I remeber correctly. They were about the old ways of fishing and living on the coast when it was still "country"

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: As the great grandson of a "hillbillie" I can tell you that those folks have forgot more about living off the land than the refined city dwellers will ever know. You can make fun of their appearance, mannerisms and way of life but they are the most honest unpretentious people you will ever meet. I don't understand how someone living in a big ol' shithole, like New York or Detroit, could poke fun of anybody. It's just like anywhere else; you get yer good and you get yer bad. Human nature dictates that you remember the bad more than the good. I've passed up a lot of opportunities to stay in West Virginia. It's home. My greatest nightmare is that West Virginia will be "discovered" by the urban elites. I understand that it's that way in Oregon. The resulting political dynamic would be interesting, though. West Virginia is a heavily Democratic state, but our Democrats would be Republican anywhere else. The local Ds are mostly anti-abortion and pro-gun, but they like their government handouts. That's what keeps 'em in the party. I'd love to see what happened if you got a big influx of urban liberals who tried to hijack the party. Where from? Born in Grafton Hey, I am from Buckhannon, Live in Fairmont now and my Army Reserve unit is in Grafton (363 MP Co.)

Small world

Enlisted in the 363rd MP company and ended up in the Marines, dated the game wardens daughter from Buckhannon.

Howdy!

Dang right there are still hillbillies and their progeny spread out across the country becoming, as my daughter sez am I, "hipbillies".  Too redneck to be hippies and too hippiefied to be rednecks.

If you want to read a couple of interesting tomes on the subject, hillbillies, Celts, Rednecks, modern culture I suggest these two:

"Redneck Heaven: Portrait of a Vanishing Culture" by Bethany Bultman
and
"The Redneck Manisfesto" by Jim Goad

informative and highly amusing.  

Yeehaw!!

Quoted: Take a drive through Nicholas County sometime.  Especially between Fenwick and Nettie and between Summersville and Craigsville. My friend used to drive a truck into War and the rest of southwestern WV.  He could tell you a story or three. Here in far SW VA, there are quite a few folks who keep to themselves and live in secluded areas.  I wouldn't really call them hillbillies though. Hell, if I could live out in the boonies, I would.

Man I love you guys talking bout my home town WAR in MaCDowell County what a name miss it so much cant wait to go back to those mountains Just reading these boards makes me homesick by the way everytime I go Home I always bring back some shine for these city folks

Quoted: So in other words, they're the modernized Jeff Foxworthy type hillbillies and not the kind that brew their own whiskey in a still?

hey I distill moonshine in my apartment, shit, errm, I mean

wait a sec, someones at the door.

Quoted: Those Michigan boys are called "Jackpine Savages", and they ain't the same as hillbillies, although it is hard to tell at first glance (assets on blocks in the front yard, various hound dogs, carcasses of critters that might not be identifiable, and so on).

Methought the jackpine savages term was applied to the people with at least some indigenous blood.  Indians that is.

I didn't even think about them until now.

Quoted: Quoted: So in other words, they're the modernized Jeff Foxworthy type hillbillies and not the kind that brew their own whiskey in a still? Most of 'em are cooking meth now.

Or abusing Oxycontin.

Quoted: I love Panther State Forest.  It is a diamond in the rough. I want a T-Shirt that says: "I went to WAR and came back" Sounds better than saying I came to Bradshaw or Iaeger and came back.

The fire Chief in War owns a place called T's and Tan that selles Tshirt's that have that saying and if you watch the movie October sky which the High School is in (Big Creek) is in that town. IM me if you want his contact info he's a good friend of mine and also a good source of ammo if your in town

YES. There are tapes called the heartland series that can be ordered at WBIR.com of current and past said hillbillies . They are educational and informative and very charming . We watch them here for free locally I believe someone said they are trying to make'em available on DVD . Around here we refer to 'em as back woods people  or country , country people . Most of the ones I know are very good people and if they promise you something you can write it down 'cause it will occur . My wifes people are very much like this. They think I am funny 'cause I won't try Hog lungs they mak'em like chicken and dumplins. I have never ate a meal at their homes that wasn't delicious . Most people do not realize that most of the recipes they make can be traced back hundreds of years.                    ...Don't know any huffers ;You don't do that sorta thing around them !

Quoted: Take a drive through Nicholas County sometime. Especially between Fenwick and Nettie and between Summersville and Craigsville. If you think Nicholas county is hard-corps, go to Mingo county.  Or go to Jolo and clog-dance with some Rattlesnakes!

I've heard things about that area.  Reminds me a lot of the Hurley, VA area.  Damn near WV anyway.

The country between Prince and Meadow Bridge always seemed a little backward as well.

When I was younger, my grandmother would take me all over the place in Nicholas Co. on blackberry hunting expeditions.  Saw many strange folk.

No offense to the West Virginians whom have posted in this thread, but I've always seen WV'ers as a little out there anyway.  Or at least that was the impression I got spending a lot of time in Prince and Richwood over the years.

Quoted: But on a more serious note. I think TJ best summed up folks in East Tennessee. I was born and raised in SE VA, but my parents were from East TN and my entire family is here. There are still some folks without indoor plumbing, and some folks live in shacks. But a lot of those shacks were built by hand and without any assitance from the gooberment. A lot of the younger kids don't care much about there "hillbilly" heritage. My brother and I went looking for morrel mushrroms this past spring and for ginsing in the later part of the spring. Didn't find much of either. We also go out looking for blackberrys, digging for sasafrass and other wild goodies. We do a bit of hunting too. But my 15 year old nephew doesn't care about it at all. All he wants to do is play video games. It's sad, the appalachian culture dieing off. I ask my mother and aunts about cooking, canning and preserving. They tell me as much as they can recall. My grandpa on my moms side built his own house from scratch. He fell the lumber, helped build a saw mill in trade for cutting the wood, cured the wood, and built his house. He was a coal miner tht got injured, he raised his own chickens and hogs. He hunted and foraged.Grew his own food. And grew tobacco and dug ginsing for cash. He raised 8 kids that way. He was very intelligent and good with his hands. He passed away in 1998 at the age of 92. I was 17. I talked to him as much as I could. He was a walking time capsule, a true moutian man. My granddaddy on my dads side ran moon shine during the depression, he was born in 1896. He voulnteered for the US Army in WWI, people like him are why we are called the Voulnteer State. He too was a miner, and raised his family the same way as my other grandpa. There are some around still, and there are folks who try to keep the hillbilly tradition alive. edited to add: Another thing you have in Eastern VA is sorta like a hillbilly. The old salts that fish the bay and live out in the country there. They are good people too and there are fewer of them than us hillbillies. I worked with a guy who was from a family of fishermen from the eastern shore, he was a great guy. He told me of a series of books that are similar to the Foxfire series called "Salt" if I remeber correctly. They were about the old ways of fishing and living on the coast when it was still "country"

East TN is full of some rather strange folk as well.  Especially Carter and Unicoi Counties.  Carter is one of the most fucked up places I've ever visited.

"Man I love you guys talking bout my home town WAR in MaCDowell County"

my mom is from iaeger.

as for eastern tn, not really eastern, but go northwest of knoxville to morgan county, a small town known as wartburg.

Quoted: Quoted: But on a more serious note. I think TJ best summed up folks in East Tennessee. I was born and raised in SE VA, but my parents were from East TN and my entire family is here. There are still some folks without indoor plumbing, and some folks live in shacks. But a lot of those shacks were built by hand and without any assitance from the gooberment. A lot of the younger kids don't care much about there "hillbilly" heritage. My brother and I went looking for morrel mushrroms this past spring and for ginsing in the later part of the spring. Didn't find much of either. We also go out looking for blackberrys, digging for sasafrass and other wild goodies. We do a bit of hunting too. But my 15 year old nephew doesn't care about it at all. All he wants to do is play video games. It's sad, the appalachian culture dieing off. I ask my mother and aunts about cooking, canning and preserving. They tell me as much as they can recall. My grandpa on my moms side built his own house from scratch. He fell the lumber, helped build a saw mill in trade for cutting the wood, cured the wood, and built his house. He was a coal miner tht got injured, he raised his own chickens and hogs. He hunted and foraged.Grew his own food. And grew tobacco and dug ginsing for cash. He raised 8 kids that way. He was very intelligent and good with his hands. He passed away in 1998 at the age of 92. I was 17. I talked to him as much as I could. He was a walking time capsule, a true moutian man. My granddaddy on my dads side ran moon shine during the depression, he was born in 1896. He voulnteered for the US Army in WWI, people like him are why we are called the Voulnteer State. He too was a miner, and raised his family the same way as my other grandpa. There are some around still, and there are folks who try to keep the hillbilly tradition alive. edited to add: Another thing you have in Eastern VA is sorta like a hillbilly. The old salts that fish the bay and live out in the country there. They are good people too and there are fewer of them than us hillbillies. I worked with a guy who was from a family of fishermen from the eastern shore, he was a great guy. He told me of a series of books that are similar to the Foxfire series called "Salt" if I remeber correctly. They were about the old ways of fishing and living on the coast when it was still "country" East TN is full of some rather strange folk as well.  Especially Carter and Unicoi Counties.  Carter is one of the most fucked up places I've ever visited.

Hey! I grew up in washington county, right beside unicoi and carter county. What was so fucked up?