I Went to the Poorest Region in Appalachia! 🇺🇸

Added: 2026-05-21

[00:00:00]Okay. Record. Look, look, look, look, look.

[00:00:04]Holy [ __ ] Tell me that's not No, man. No. I got to go closer. This is the part of the movie where the white guy does something really stupid.

[00:00:17]>> My first question is, are you a serial killer?

[00:00:20]>> Yeah. No.

[00:00:20]>> This is what I would picture out of a a horror movie.

[00:00:23]>> I just like to be prepared for anything, you know?

[00:00:25]>> Oh, it's like a doomsday prepper type thing. Are you able to walk me through what you've done? You're a very creative man. My name is Chris, by the way.

[00:00:33]>> Ethan, >> I was joking about the serial killer.

[00:00:35]>> That's okay.

[00:00:36]>> When I bought the car, it was just a get by car and then I hit a deer one day and knocked the headlight out. So, I decided to build the uh what I call brush guard bumper.

[00:00:46]>> And a short while after I built that, a guy break checked me about 30 mph and it just smashed my grill and my headlights, everything like that. So, >> I built this out of a burn barrel. These are 80 some model GM headlights out of a Chevrolet uh uh Win Wnebago kind of deal RV.

[00:01:05]>> That's just another part of the burn barrel.

[00:01:08]>> This came from a Mac truck >> that came off of a 70s model Mac DM600.

[00:01:13]>> When I was a kid, I used to steal those.

[00:01:15]I shouldn't say that on camera.

[00:01:16]>> That was a Peterbuilt Sun visor uh >> from a transport truck.

[00:01:21]>> Uh from an 18. It actually rear ended a UPS truck up on 77 next to Beckley. And if you look real close, there's still white and blue on it in the center.

[00:01:28]>> So that's from the paint.

[00:01:30]>> Yeah. I went to O'Reilly's and asked them if they had any, and they were like, "If they're not ours, just take them. We don't care."

[00:01:35]>> Right. Right. Right.

[00:01:36]>> Uh I took the back seat out. It's got a backseat delete. Me and the girlfriend use it for camping.

[00:01:41]>> Oh, and I see some uh more license plates.

[00:01:43]>> Yeah. Yeah. That's to cover up the >> Is this the first creation you've done like this or you've always been a creative guy? Yeah.

[00:01:48]>> I've always been into cars and I used to like to keep nice cars flashy, clean.

[00:01:53]>> Nah, this is better. You're all the time worried about dents and scratches and bird poop or anything getting on it.

[00:01:59]This, I don't care. A dude run into me the other day at Walmart, bumped into me, and I just shook his hand.

[00:02:04]>> Yeah. It's like some men with scars.

[00:02:06]They get an extra scar, they like it.

[00:02:07]It's a new story. You believe that we're coming to a time here where a vehicle like this could keep you safe.

[00:02:15]>> This is a step in the right direction.

[00:02:17]If I had to do it over, I would have picked an older vehicle because this still has an ECM, a PCM, a TCM computer that runs everything and EMP can knock it out, >> right?

[00:02:25]>> If I had it to do over, I would go with a uh non-electric diesel.

[00:02:29]>> Good morning. It is Christmas list and sun.

[00:02:32]>> What's up, guys?

[00:02:33]>> I'm here in Bluefield, Appalachia.

[00:02:36]Excited. It's my first time here now.

[00:02:38]I've looked online and it seems like a lot of people have upped and left this area. You excited?

[00:02:45]>> I am.

[00:02:47]I am. Well, we're starting today in Bloomfield, West Virginia, a coal town. Then we're going to make our way up to Welch, which was also recognized as a very popular hot spot for coal way back in the day.

[00:03:03]We're going to head up through war. If you guys are new to my channel, do me a favor and hit that subscribe button, please. It's Christmas List and >> Chris List.

[00:03:13]>> Christmas list. Father and son on an adventure to meet some hillbillies in West Virginia. Hopefully shoot some guns. You want to shoot some guns?

[00:03:22]>> I do.

[00:03:22]>> We definitely want to shoot some guns.

[00:03:24]We got one day in Appalachia. This side of Appalachia. Now, uh, let's get lost.

[00:03:29]Now entering McDow County, home of the Rocket Boys. McDow County is the most isolated county. He's probably too far gone for me to rescue him. Oh, he's still alive.

[00:03:45]See if he'll dry in West Virginia. And some say it's also the poorest, not only in West Virginia, but in the entire United States of America. I mean, where are we right now?

[00:03:58]>> We're on camera.

[00:04:00]>> You're in McDow County, West Virginia.

[00:04:01]>> Yeah. You're born and raised here.

[00:04:03]>> Yeah, I've been here since uh since I was born.

[00:04:05]>> I've been here since I was born.

[00:04:07]>> Yeah. What's it like?

[00:04:08]>> It's poor. It's a poor community.

[00:04:10]>> Yeah.

[00:04:10]>> There's no money here. No work here. The only work here is the stores.

[00:04:13]>> What kind of work? Only stores.

[00:04:15]>> That's it. Grocery stores.

[00:04:16]>> Grocery stores are going in.

[00:04:19]>> Grocery stores are restaurants, >> right?

[00:04:21]>> And if you ain't doing that, you're working in the co mines.

[00:04:23]>> But even restaurants like we're looking for somewhere to eat. There's there's not >> like four. We got Taco Bell out here.

[00:04:29]>> We got four.

[00:04:30]>> Wendy's out here.

[00:04:31]>> Yeah.

[00:04:32]>> And KFC.

[00:04:33]>> Wendy's. KFC. Pizza Hut.

[00:04:35]>> Pizza Hut. That's awesome.

[00:04:37]>> All the big brand stuff. What about the little the little shops? Nothing.

[00:04:39]>> They don't have none. shut down.

[00:04:41]>> Yeah, >> everything shut down.

[00:04:42]>> You think it's possible to bounce back or it's just like too far gone?

[00:04:45]>> We just had a flood that happened a year ago and Yeah. Right there. See that mud?

[00:04:49]>> Wow. Up here.

[00:04:50]>> Yeah. That's the market. That's where the water was at.

[00:04:52]>> That's where the water was at.

[00:04:53]>> See it now? Yes.

[00:04:54]>> And it happened February.

[00:04:56]>> Yeah.

[00:04:57]>> 2025.

[00:04:59]>> So, a lot of people just took uh you know, when it hit, it took a lot of uh I mean, it hit a lot of families, man. So, a lot of I mean, everybody just went into doing fentanyl, right? Uh and m >> so you think that's one of the reasons >> one of the reasons for one of the reasons is nothing is nothing built back you lo they lost everything they had you know you go from being a co- miner today to losing everything that you had your house your car your trucks I mean just four oilers and side by sides it was just so much stuff that got took to the landfill man it was just trash >> you know they lost I mean most of them lost their homes you know they had nowhere to go so they jump in these buildings and just trying to survive and >> you know just the stress from all that just drove them to high, you know.

[00:05:39]>> Is it not boredom, too, though? Like, there's nothing to do here.

[00:05:41]>> Yeah, it's boredom.

[00:05:42]>> Yeah. Well, that's why they get high.

[00:05:44]That's why you see most of the people around here on fentol because they what are you going to do?

[00:05:48]>> But are they okay? Like I'm from a big city, right? So, when we go through Toronto, you'll see the fentinol users like all strung out on the side of the road. But here it seems more secretive.

[00:05:57]>> Yeah.

[00:05:57]>> Like people what? They go in the abandoned buildings or houses and they do it.

[00:06:02]>> They climb in these old buildings. Most of these buildings have been shut down since 2001 flood, >> right?

[00:06:07]>> So most of these buildings here is just >> And if you want to go to a doctor, like a hospital, the best hospital is probably Bluefield or Princeton.

[00:06:13]>> That's quite a distance. We drove through like an hour an hour away.

[00:06:17]>> Yeah. You had a hospital down here just the doctors just don't do much. They fly you out now anytime.

[00:06:21]>> What about when you guys were younger?

[00:06:22]Did it look much different?

[00:06:24]>> Oh yeah.

[00:06:26]>> Yeah. Back back in the 80s, man.

[00:06:28]>> It look like mini Vegas. They said >> you couldn't even get find A PARKING SPOT.

[00:06:52]WHAT ABOUT WALMART? I SAW IT'S SHUT DOWN.

[00:06:54]>> YEAH, >> how long ago was it that Walmart shut >> for 10 years?

[00:06:58]>> Wow.

[00:06:58]>> Ever been a 10 year? You know, it's been >> that are stealing.

[00:07:02]was stealing from.

[00:07:03]>> Everybody was just so >> This community is so attached to the part of being poor to where they went in and just took and took and took and took and took and >> it just took more than it was worth to try to keep the store open, you know.

[00:07:17]>> Um, >> and a lot of this stuff down here too, man, is because it's isolated. A lot of these, you know, a lot of your a lot of your county commissioners, man, uh, they they they're a team, man. If you go look at their house, they live in mansions.

[00:07:33]I'm a convicted felon now, you know. So >> what what what if you don't mind me asking what you go to jail for?

[00:07:38]>> Robbery?

[00:07:39]>> Yeah.

[00:07:39]>> Yeah. I went to jail for robbery. Um I was caught with a pistol and went to jail for robbery.

[00:07:44]>> Yeah. He was 17 years old when it happened.

[00:07:46]>> Yeah. I got 25 years flat and 5 and 1/2 years here.

[00:07:50]>> Still had 12 over his head.

[00:07:51]>> I had 12 and a half over my head when I came home.

[00:07:54]>> I've done 14 months on parole. Uh and I don't get I I didn't get in no trouble.

[00:08:00]whatsoever. Failed no drug testes, nothing. And um um and they discharged me. I mean, you know, I've been So, here's the deal.

[00:08:11]>> I'm in the Suboxin program now. Uh Suboxin is a it's a MAP program. They help you come off of opiates.

[00:08:18]>> Yeah.

[00:08:18]>> Um >> so, there was a point in your life where you were addicted.

[00:08:21]>> Bad.

[00:08:21]>> Yeah. What is bath? How much are you using?

[00:08:25]>> I smoke a gram a day.

[00:08:28]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:08:29]>> But you're able to quit now or you're still >> 4 years, man. 4 years. Four years.

[00:08:33]>> And And it's stressful because I want to say it's stressful because >> no work, man. There's no money here. You can't take care of your family. So, a lot of times it breaks you down to where you're just like, why care? Why care if I'm strung out? Who cares? You know, >> four years I've been battling being clean and nobody cares, you know? Um I still got uncles and stuff, man, that that gets high every day and they don't care.

[00:08:57]>> Yeah. you know, they don't care if you clean or if you're not clean. Um, and I'm not looking for that a man. You know what I'm saying? But it's hard to stay away from when it's all in the streets.

[00:09:07]What else are you going, >> man? To me, my biggest concern here is just boredom, you know?

[00:09:11]>> Boredom drives a lot of people in crazy, right? You know, and >> I figure sex, lots of sex, and lots of drugs. There's nothing else to do.

[00:09:20]>> Sex, rock and roll, and drugs.

[00:09:23]>> He says sex, drugs, and rock and roll.

[00:09:29]Oh, you can smell the fire. No.

[00:09:32]>> Yeah.

[00:09:34]>> Smells like it it's happened very recent.

[00:09:39]>> Oh, look at the rabbit.

[00:09:43]You see the rabbit?

[00:09:56]Loitering and trespassing is forbidden by law.

[00:10:04]W It's freezing inside there. And it smells like the rabbit ran in here.

[00:10:14]Here's the view of Welch from above.

[00:10:24]Some beautiful homes, no doubt.

[00:10:30]Not everyone in Welch is living in poverty. Those are some beautiful homes.

[00:10:37]See, for me in my content, I just want to show you folks the real deal. I know some YouTubers will not film the nice homes to make it look like all of this city is completely destroyed and defunct, but me, I just film everything I see and let you folks determine for yourself.

[00:10:57]Nothing stopping us or holding us from falling over. Wow, look at that house up there.

[00:11:06]You see it?

[00:11:07]>> Yeah.

[00:11:10]What do you think? It just needs a little paint.

[00:11:13]>> The house.

[00:11:14]>> Yeah, >> sure.

[00:11:18]>> No.

[00:11:19]>> Yeah.

[00:11:21]>> In a lawn mower.

[00:11:26]>> What's Oh my god, >> it's hot.

[00:11:28]>> What do you expect? We're in the mountains, man. We're Today we're hillbillies.

[00:11:32]>> It's supposed to be hot. Where's your overalls >> and your cut off? Cut off the sleeves.

[00:11:36]Look, look, look. the groundhog. You see it? He told me uh the man said that they eat. Did you see him?

[00:11:43]>> You didn't see him?

[00:11:44]>> I swear there was someone staring underneath that window.

[00:11:47]>> I was a ghost.

[00:11:48]>> Uh it's mainly a co town.

[00:11:51]>> What is it? Coal town. Is it the business that you're in? Cole?

[00:11:54]>> No.

[00:11:54]>> No. What What is it to do here? What should I explore? What should I see?

[00:11:59]>> Cptic service.

[00:12:00]>> No, but I mean for me like a tourist, is there something I should go and see?

[00:12:05]Well, a lot of people rent ADVs and ride the mountains, >> right?

[00:12:09]>> Beautiful sites.

[00:12:10]>> Yeah. Anything else exciting?

[00:12:12]>> Not as far as I can think.

[00:12:14]>> I appreciate your time. Nice to meet you.

[00:12:15]>> Nice to meet you.

[00:12:17]>> This the front yard of these houses.

[00:12:20]Boy, now I could see them getting somewhat upset if an outsider's here filming.

[00:12:26]>> Did you see what the big guy said? He said, "Don't get don't get it twisted.

[00:12:30]You can get robbed here."

[00:12:33]What does that flag mean? It's all black with one red.

[00:12:40]He's saying, you know, it can get dangerous here. He also said the reason Walmart closed is because of shoplifterss.

[00:12:49]Well, imagine, right, if they're not the most financially well off, you got a huge box store like Walmart is definitely bound to be robbed. Like shoplifting, it's just how it is.

[00:13:05]Wow.

[00:13:08]>> Okay, we got to get over there.

[00:13:11]>> Let me go see if the police >> would like to talk on camera. Give me a moment.

[00:13:22]>> I don't see anybody inside.

[00:13:25]It's a very small municipal courts and police station.

[00:13:31]Kieran Jagger.

[00:13:36]>> The tires are flat on the police car.

[00:13:44]>> We found the secret way.

[00:13:47]>> Downtown.

[00:13:48]>> Downtown Jagger.

[00:13:54]>> Welcome to Jagger, West Virginia.

[00:14:00]Just family. No friends. Eli hadn't wanted friends.

[00:14:03]>> Hi, Mom. You're the one that makes the quilts.

[00:14:05]>> Pretend to be happy, but he wasn't.

[00:14:07]July.

[00:14:08]>> I'm curious to see what it is that you do.

[00:14:11]>> I'm curious to see what the quilts look like.

[00:14:15]>> I've not got no pretty right now, but uh I've got >> This is your business. I I actually did a U-turn. I drove past and I saw quilts for sale. And I said, I got to meet the person that makes the quilts.

[00:14:31]And what is this? I see Savage. You're not a Savage.

[00:14:35]>> Yeah.

[00:14:35]>> No.

[00:14:36]>> No. No. You're too nice to be a savage.

[00:14:39]>> Thank you.

[00:14:41]>> Like she gets the quilt pieces off top of them.

[00:14:45]>> So, how long have you been making quilts?

[00:14:47]>> Ever since I was 16 years old.

[00:14:49]>> Who taught you how to do that?

[00:14:50]>> Huh?

[00:14:51]>> Who taught you how to do that? Mom, >> what is that?

[00:14:54]>> You don't want to do me on my whip.

[00:14:56]>> Oh, look. Careful.

[00:14:59]>> There you go.

[00:15:00]>> Oh, sorry.

[00:15:00]>> Oh, no. You're fine.

[00:15:01]>> Hopefully, I'm not interrupting you guys eating a nice pizza.

[00:15:05]>> It's just my birthday.

[00:15:06]>> Your birthday? Happy birthday.

[00:15:08]>> Thank you.

[00:15:08]>> How old are you?

[00:15:09]>> 14.

[00:15:10]>> 14. Happy birthday.

[00:15:11]>> Thank you.

[00:15:12]>> This is about the prettiest one I've got made. They're >> They're all good made. You don't have to worry nothing about >> And how long would it take to make something like this?

[00:15:22]about two weeks.

[00:15:23]>> Wow. How many hours a day?

[00:15:26]>> Uh, two or three, sometimes more than that. All >> right. But where are you getting the fabric to make it?

[00:15:33]>> Hayside, Virginia.

[00:15:34]>> Okay. Okay. So, how much does something like this cost?

[00:15:37]>> It's $100.

[00:15:38]>> $100.

[00:15:39]>> Mhm. See, it's got the warm stuff on the back of it.

[00:15:43]>> Yes. No, it's beautiful.

[00:15:46]>> Turn that light on, you know.

[00:15:49]>> Okay.

[00:15:49]>> I'll have over here that way. Is there anything else you sell or you just sell?

[00:15:53]Oh, >> quilts. Yeah, I like >> Oh, this is where you do it right here.

[00:15:58]>> I make bed dolls. Whatever.

[00:16:00]>> There you go.

[00:16:01]>> Oh, now we got lights. Yeah.

[00:16:04]>> So, it's three generations. This is your child.

[00:16:07]>> Yeah.

[00:16:07]>> That's celebrating her 14th.

[00:16:08]>> Yes.

[00:16:09]>> So, mom.

[00:16:10]>> Yep.

[00:16:11]>> Three generations.

[00:16:13]>> What about yourself? Do you know how to do the quilting at all?

[00:16:16]>> I ain't going to have patience for it.

[00:16:18]>> I don't have patience for it either.

[00:16:20]Yeah.

[00:16:20]>> So, who who normally buys quilts? Is it people from the neighborhood or tourists driving some stops or whatever?

[00:16:28]>> I found the most people I've seen all day.

[00:16:30]>> I haven't seen any people.

[00:16:35]>> Oh, hello. Big party.

[00:16:37]>> Come on in, girl.

[00:16:38]>> Where's the cake? If I would have known, I would have brought a cake.

[00:16:44]>> This is yellow on this side, too.

[00:16:48]You can view on either side.

[00:16:50]>> For the younger girls, what do you do in this neighborhood for fun? It seems like there's not much to do.

[00:16:54]>> They ain't really nothing to do. I go fishing and stuff.

[00:16:57]>> I come here.

[00:16:58]>> Somebody told me with the fishing that you no longer eat the fish. Like there's something wrong with the fish.

[00:17:03]>> No, they don't eat them.

[00:17:04]>> Right. So, you're just fishing for fun.

[00:17:06]>> But you're 14 as well.

[00:17:08]>> No, I'm 17.

[00:17:09]>> So, you're 17 and 14?

[00:17:10]>> Yeah.

[00:17:10]>> Yeah.

[00:17:11]>> There's got to be something for fun.

[00:17:13]>> Not much of nothing. You gotta drive normally.

[00:17:16]>> You gota drive an hour to get to a store, >> right?

[00:17:19]>> What about yourself? When you grew up here, what would you do?

[00:17:21]>> Uh, there was a lot more to do then than they are now.

[00:17:25]>> Yes.

[00:17:25]>> Yeah. We had a skating ring in a movie theater.

[00:17:28]>> Oh, movie theater. Okay.

[00:17:30]>> Skating ring.

[00:17:31]>> Yes. So, all that stuff has disappeared.

[00:17:33]>> Yeah. It's all gone.

[00:17:34]>> Why? Why? So, why do you think?

[00:17:36]>> Economy, I guess.

[00:17:37]>> Right.

[00:17:38]>> But what do you guys as a family you haven't thought about up and leaving?

[00:17:41]This is your home.

[00:17:43]Right. Where are you coming from?

[00:17:45]>> I'm her daughter.

[00:17:47]>> Yeah, but how where's everybody coming from? I just drove through the town. I didn't see anybody.

[00:17:52]>> It's >> And I came perfect. But it's all women.

[00:17:54]Where are the men?

[00:17:55]>> It's a normal school day. They're probably working. We have to go. I wait 35 minutes that way.

[00:18:02]>> But I mean to get a cake, you have to go 35 minutes away.

[00:18:04]>> Yes.

[00:18:05]>> Wow.

[00:18:06]>> We have a dollar store and pharmacy.

[00:18:09]>> That's about what we got here.

[00:18:11]You watch cartoons >> within the general watch cartoons.

[00:18:15]>> And this is the whole family here. Big family. Big beautiful family.

[00:18:20]>> Wow.

[00:18:21]>> These are tacked.

[00:18:24]It's what you call a tacked.

[00:18:25]>> And what about yourself? Do you do this as well?

[00:18:28]>> No.

[00:18:28]>> No.

[00:18:29]>> I help her do this tack, but she sews them on the machine.

[00:18:32]>> Okay. What about yourself? You don't eat squirrel gravy?

[00:18:35]>> We ain't got We ain't got no men to kiss the uh squirrels. Oh, so you need a man to catch it.

[00:18:43]>> No. What is that?

[00:18:44]>> It's my Facebook.

[00:18:46]>> Oh, so you just search Nicole Ro.

[00:18:48]>> Yep. Yes, sir.

[00:18:49]>> For quilts around the world.

[00:18:51]>> I'm going to have to find it and put a link uh down below. There's a small gift for for mom for her time.

[00:18:58]>> You don't have to do that.

[00:18:59]>> No, I I I would like to do that. Before I get out of your hair, cuz you guys are partying, tell me what is it like to live here in this area? We love to live here now.

[00:19:09]>> Yes.

[00:19:10]>> It's great. It's >> things cheaper here than it is away from here, >> right?

[00:19:14]>> Yeah.

[00:19:15]>> But where do you make money? Is it not more difficult to find a job? Like what about for yourself? It's difficult.

[00:19:19]>> Yeah. Now it's hard here for jobs.

[00:19:22]>> Yes.

[00:19:24]>> Whose baby is this?

[00:19:26]>> It's her grandbaby.

[00:19:28]>> So there's four generations.

[00:19:30]>> Yeah.

[00:19:30]>> Yeah.

[00:19:31]>> Wow. That's amazing. I'm so glad I stopped. And your shirt says from the bottom of my heart.

[00:19:38]>> Yes.

[00:19:38]>> Okay. You guys are different. Say what's up. Okay. Hey. Bye-bye. So beautiful.

[00:19:46]Bye-bye.

[00:19:47]>> Okay. Thank you, ladies.

[00:19:50]>> Okay. I'm I'm having a great time here.

[00:19:52]>> Do they tell you what they do for fun?

[00:19:55]>> Document stuff.

[00:19:56]>> Fish. Go fishing.

[00:19:58]>> Yeah.

[00:19:58]>> Most people hunt, but >> But what do you hunt?

[00:20:01]>> So they told me now you're a little younger. We don't. But yeah, that's what most people do. Deer and just depend.

[00:20:09]>> But what about squirrel? Do you eat the squirrel?

[00:20:11]>> Some people do.

[00:20:12]>> But you >> I haven't.

[00:20:13]>> No, >> I don't believe it. Look, she's got her Look at her tattoo. Savage. Look, >> she's the dangerous one. And look who this is on the side. Cheetah. Cheetah or something like that.

[00:20:22]>> Yeah, it's cheetah.

[00:20:24]>> All right. Amazing. We're on our way.

[00:20:26]It's the four generations.

[00:20:28]>> Crazy.

[00:20:28]>> Did she tell you it's her birthday?

[00:20:29]>> Yeah. Yeah. I just said happy birthday.

[00:20:30]>> You didn't even get her a gift. if by chance that family is watching this video. I'm honored. Thank you for opening your doors and and talking to me because I really can't even fathom what day-to-day life is like in this region.

[00:20:46]And my lesson learned is like when I see a door open and I get that sort of like Batman tingling feeling, then I'm going to do the U-turn every single time.

[00:20:57]>> Oh, this is fun. A bunch of hillbillies came together with uh some twine and some wood and they built themselves a bridge to get to the park.

[00:21:10]Wow. It sways in every direction.

[00:21:13]No.

[00:21:18]Wow. What a beautiful day. Tristan, they could see us and get quite upset because if we break their bridge, the the gunshots are gonna start.

[00:21:29]>> My bad. My bad. My bad.

[00:21:31]>> Oh, look. They're playing baseball or something.

[00:21:37]>> Oh, there's a statue to the left.

[00:21:40]Let's see what that's all about.

[00:21:58]I think it's another coal miner statue or tribute.

[00:22:03]That's my goal now is to find coal miners so we can hear their stories.

[00:22:10]This looks like another scene from a horror movie. Here, look.

[00:22:13]>> You got to get a picture of me in that >> quality snacks.

[00:22:17]>> Hold on. This is where we have to put You're laughing. I'm trying to be serious. This is where we got to put this great music.

[00:22:26]Look at this.

[00:22:33]You can imagine how long this has been here for the vines to completely take it over.

[00:22:48]I've heard conversation about the pharaoh people of West Virginia. I think this is the type of place the pharaoh people would live. Watch this.

[00:22:56]>> Yeah. Watch the fire. You don't want to watch your car >> ourselves. Yeah.

[00:23:02]>> You'd be safe >> on the tires. Just said you got to watch. Those rattlesnakes are very dangerous. And this is the type of place you think a r a rattlesnake would hide.

[00:23:29]Okay, we are entering war. Literally, it looks like war.

[00:23:38]It is the township of war, West Virginia's most southern city.

[00:23:50]>> War is >> It's electronical harassment, man.

[00:23:54]>> Right. So, what what is this? What do you think this is?

[00:23:56]>> You tell me what it is.

[00:23:57]>> I don't know.

[00:23:58]>> That's That's something, man.

[00:24:00]Electronical harassment. It's got to do, man. I see lights. I see all kind of [ __ ] It's crazy. It's that's hitting everybody. They think that it's meth and stuff and it's not.

[00:24:08]>> Right. So, this is from outer space, you believe?

[00:24:10]>> I know. I believe that it's something from a higher power. It's not. It's either the government or something like that. They talk to me, but they all lie.

[00:24:16]You know what I mean? It's always like >> But have you seen more more stuff like this?

[00:24:19]>> Yeah. Everywhere, man. It's in my body.

[00:24:21]Eats at you. You ain't heard the song that eats at you? Yeah.

[00:24:23]>> Mind and drives your young body crazy.

[00:24:25]>> Yeah.

[00:24:25]>> Eats holes in your mind. That's what it is. That's what it is. Them things, man.

[00:24:28]>> You have a name for this?

[00:24:29]>> Uh, worms. I don't know what they call them, >> man. I'm going to look into this.

[00:24:33]>> Look into it, man. For real. It's not just me. All right.

[00:24:36]>> Right.

[00:24:36]>> It's everybody around here.

[00:24:37]>> Yeah.

[00:24:38]>> I'm telling you, >> you got a new story for me.

[00:24:41]>> Vibrations, voices.

[00:24:43]>> Amazing. Thank you, sir.

[00:24:46]>> Man, I might have just opened up a new can of worms.

[00:24:59]Wow. It is now 5:00 and this is the first meal. We've been so busy filming we forgot to eat.

[00:25:11]>> Is there anything you could tell me about war? We came all the way from Toronto, Canada, and we're traveling through the area just talking to locals to find out a little bit more about the >> small coal town.

[00:25:21]>> Yes.

[00:25:22]>> Just that when the coal coal business went out uh everybody either moved out.

[00:25:26]Most of the people live here now uh probably stay around most of the time.

[00:25:30]>> Yes.

[00:25:31]>> So it is a little strange.

[00:25:32]>> It's like a depressed area more or less compared to what it used to be.

[00:25:35]>> I don't know what it is. And he told me that he calls it worm and that everybody in war knows about the extraterrestrial beings here.

[00:25:45]>> I don't know anything about that.

[00:25:46]>> Are you saying that cuz we're not from here?

[00:25:48]>> No. I'm tell I've never heard that in my life.

[00:25:50]>> Okay. I thought I would try.

[00:25:51]>> What do you look like?

[00:25:53]>> Uh tall like he got beard.

[00:25:54]>> A lot of tattoos. Sores. open sores all over his body.

[00:25:58]>> Yeah, >> you probably know it's a small town.

[00:26:00]>> Yeah. Was he talking to somebody else when you got there, but there wasn't anybody there?

[00:26:04]>> No, not that guy. It was the guy that looked looked like >> this guy down there, too.

[00:26:08]>> Right. Right.

[00:26:08]>> Flatfooting.

[00:26:09]>> Yes.

[00:26:09]>> Okay. What is that? A local type of dance?

[00:26:11]>> Yes. Appalachia dancing.

[00:26:14]>> Right. Right. Who taught you how to dance?

[00:26:15]>> Uh, well, it's in my family. Yes.

[00:26:17]>> My brothers and cousins did it.

[00:26:19]>> Yes.

[00:26:20]>> And I just stayed with it on down through the years.

[00:26:23]>> Amazing. I started when I was 17 years old and I be 75 next month.

[00:26:28]>> Wow. You're going to last forever. When you dance, you're happy.

[00:26:32]>> You're going to live to 150.

[00:26:34]>> I still do it all the time.

[00:26:36]>> Do you need music?

[00:26:37]>> Uh-uh.

[00:26:37]>> I'm not good at singing.

[00:26:39]>> Uh-uh.

[00:26:39]>> I'm curious to see.

[00:26:44]>> Justin, come give it a try. He's going to teach you how to come on. You >> can't miss out on an opportunity like that. How is it?

[00:26:53]Kick your feet forward. Toe heel. Kick your feet forward. Reverse bicep.

[00:27:00]>> I don't think I'm doing that. This is >> I just call this my chicken wing.

[00:27:03]>> Yes.

[00:27:04]>> And then sometimes I just go up.

[00:27:06]>> Okay. You got to show me the full package. So I >> Okay.

[00:27:11]>> I like it. It's called flatfoot.

[00:27:17]>> It brought a big smile to my face.

[00:27:20]If you don't mind me asking, what did what happened to your finger?

[00:27:22]>> Got run by a train.

[00:27:24]>> Oh, what were you doing with the train?

[00:27:26]>> Oh my goodness. You're lucky that that's all you lost.

[00:27:28]>> Well, it hit my leg here, too.

[00:27:30]>> Yeah. But your leg is okay.

[00:27:32]>> Yeah.

[00:27:32]>> Yeah.

[00:27:33]>> How long ago? How old were you?

[00:27:34]>> Uh 18 years old.

[00:27:36]>> Wow.

[00:27:37]>> Getting ready Getting ready to turn 19.

[00:27:39]>> Right.

[00:27:40]>> I just come back off the draft board from the service.

[00:27:44]>> Yes. So, you weren't drafted?

[00:27:46]>> No.

[00:27:47]>> No. So, you drank to celebrate? Yeah, I'm back here to go.

[00:27:50]>> Right. He has no girlfriend right now.

[00:27:52]Maybe if he knows how to do this, >> he can teach her.

[00:27:55]>> He can No, first he has to get one.

[00:27:56]>> Yeah.

[00:27:57]>> And then once he gets one, then he can teach her. Any questions about the dance? No. No.

[00:28:02]>> Do you need a lady's man?

[00:28:04]>> That's what you've been missing out on.

[00:28:05]He's been having problems with the females, finding a good female.

[00:28:08]>> Oh, no.

[00:28:09]>> Right. So, this is a good good starting point for him.

[00:28:12]>> Is this the secret I've been missing all along?

[00:28:14]>> You've been missing out. What's the name of the place here? The restaurant?

[00:28:17]>> Al. Owl. Ow. Where's Al?

[00:28:20]>> The Owl restaurant.

[00:28:21]>> Where's the owl?

[00:28:22]>> Owl school. It used to be Big Creek High School. It's called the Al.

[00:28:25]>> Okay. Okay. Okay. This is like Oh, the White Gravy, right? I wasn't thinking.

[00:28:30]>> Yeah. He was 11 in our family.

[00:28:32]>> Yeah. 11.

[00:28:33]>> Eight boys and three girls.

[00:28:34]>> Wow. I like your accent. It's some of the people I talk to. I smile and nod, but I don't know what they're saying.

[00:28:39]But you I understand what you're saying.

[00:28:41]Yeah.

[00:28:41]>> Some of their accents are very heavy.

[00:28:42]You know, uh, he hold the story about Sid Hatfield had them miners down that make one.

[00:28:52]>> Yeah. I was at Michigan one time. Ron, Michigan.

[00:28:54]>> Yes.

[00:28:55]>> And the people up here, they said they love to hear me talk.

[00:28:58]>> Yes. It's very relaxing. Are you stealing my gravy?

[00:29:01]>> I know.

[00:29:02]>> And leaving pieces of your hamburger and my gravy.

[00:29:08]>> Good. No.

[00:29:09]>> Mhm.

[00:29:10]>> I'll turn that down. You've seen him dance before?

[00:29:13]>> Yeah.

[00:29:13]>> What about yourself? You're a good dancer?

[00:29:15]>> Nah.

[00:29:15]>> No. He's the star. He was going to give us a finale. The the Michael Jackson >> moonwalk.

[00:29:23]>> Need some uh dag on music, don't you, Emanuel?

[00:29:26]>> Yeah. We had something in there.

[00:29:28]>> Well, did you?

[00:29:29]>> Yeah.

[00:29:30]>> Then you go here and order us up a pizza.

[00:29:32]>> I got these boots on. They're a little heavy.

[00:29:34]>> They're big boots.

[00:29:37]Oh, I love it.

[00:29:48]You're quick. You're swift. It's an honor. It was an honor to meet you.

[00:29:52]>> Nice to meet you. Yo, >> man. Great people down here.

[00:29:56]>> Like this.

[00:29:57]>> Yeah, Tristan's ready to dance. You'll be dancing tonight at the hotel. See, not here, >> but they the a couple people that we met there said that this house is for sale >> at 40,000 US. And I'm sure if you came in and said, "I got 30,000 US cash," they're going to take it, >> won't they?

[00:30:16]>> We could be we could be pretty pretty popular. We know everybody in this neighborhood now.

[00:30:21]>> We're the new talk of the town.

[00:30:24]>> Yeah.

[00:30:24]>> Where are we going? We're still on our way to Spire.

[00:30:26]>> Yeah.

[00:30:31]Out of nowhere, it's raining. Rain through the sun.

[00:30:36]>> Not a cloud in the sky.

[00:30:52][ __ ] >> I don't be stealing nothing that's working or nothing, but if it ain't using that [ __ ] >> then why not? I'm with you.

[00:31:05]>> Yeah, that's right. Hey, listen. I s consider it salvaging, right?

[00:31:08]>> Yes.

[00:31:08]>> I've done over 10 years in prison, man.

[00:31:10]>> Not for taking copper, though.

[00:31:11]>> No, not for taking copper. I went to a gas station with a gun. That was against the law. I get that.

[00:31:15]>> Yeah. Yeah, >> I get that. But I done that was a long time ago. I was in North Carolina.

[00:31:19]>> But life in in war is not easy.

[00:31:21]>> No, that was in history.

[00:31:23]>> Not not easy. But you found the woman of your your dreams.

[00:31:26]>> She's all right.

[00:31:27]>> She's all right.

[00:31:28]>> She's there.

[00:31:29]>> Yeah.

[00:31:30]You better watch yourself, man. She She going to get a hold of you tonight when there's no camera involved.

[00:31:35]>> That's where I was born at. Richlands.

[00:31:36]That's where she was born, too.

[00:31:38]>> Both of you guys are from here.

[00:31:39]>> Richlands.

[00:31:39]>> Where's that?

[00:31:40]>> Richlands, Virginia.

[00:31:41]>> Okay. Virginia.

[00:31:42]>> You know what Richland's stands for, don't you?

[00:31:44]>> No, I don't know.

[00:31:44]>> Naz, man. No, I didn't know. Which way I go?

[00:31:47]>> Go straight.

[00:31:48]>> Straight.

[00:31:48]>> How long did it take you to get this copper?

[00:31:50]>> I just Man, it's here and there. It ain't even It ain't even a lot. It's just about 20 30 bucks, man.

[00:31:55]>> Right.

[00:31:56]>> My old lady, she died in jail, >> man. She's in jail, man. They took her to jail for having a foil on her and she died in there and uh from seizuring out and stuff.

[00:32:07]>> What? For from the abstence from drugs, >> I guess. I don't know. But that was [ __ ] up.

[00:32:13]They ain't got no medical staff or nothing over there, >> right?

[00:32:16]>> Is there there's a jail here in the area?

[00:32:18]>> Yeah, go to Welch every time.

[00:32:20]>> Okay.

[00:32:20]>> Then they send us to Logan.

[00:32:22]>> What when you're in jail in Welch, what are the majority of people in there for?

[00:32:25]>> Uh [ __ ] >> Pretty much >> drug related. Okay.

[00:32:29]>> Anything that they can put you in jail for, >> right? Let me show you something. Oh, I got your rock here. I already told my son I got my good luck rock.

[00:32:39]>> Hey, look. What is it on?

[00:32:40]>> And I put it right. I got to find no more.

[00:32:41]>> It says it's like a worm. Look, man.

[00:32:43]When I'm walking, I can hear him snapping on the stuff that's metal.

[00:32:45]>> But you don't think that's the drugs talking to you?

[00:32:47]>> There's something inside of me. I can feel it, man.

[00:32:49]>> Yeah.

[00:32:50]>> It's something like there's some kind of there's something living in him. It vibrates. It talks to me all the time.

[00:32:54]Non-stop for the last eight years. It talks non-stop.

[00:32:57]>> But I'm saying you don't think it has to do with the drugs?

[00:32:59]>> I don't think so. Cuz I was in that jail cleaning. It never did stop.

[00:33:02]>> Right. What about your girlfriend? Do you hear anything yourself? M >> and she Most people deny it and lie, but I ain't lying about [ __ ] >> Right. Right. Right. I guess you have no reason to lie.

[00:33:12]>> But she hears it.

[00:33:13]>> Yeah.

[00:33:14]>> You can't not hear it.

[00:33:15]>> I mean, it's like a damn vibration that comes through the radio and the speakers.

[00:33:18]>> So tell me, what is it? Is it say words or it's just a sound?

[00:33:21]>> It talks to you, man. Like a damn person. It's everybody.

[00:33:23]>> Yeah.

[00:33:42]Perfect timing. Superman and Batman came to save the day.

[00:33:46]>> Hold on. Spider-Man.

[00:33:47]>> Spider-Man.

[00:33:49]Okay. I'm pretty excited to share the story of the Rocket Boys. There were five boys in high school way back 1950s.

[00:33:59]I believe the lead of the group of five was Homer Hickham and he lived right here. Very interesting story. Now, a man told me this slightly down the street.

[00:34:10]He had the whole look, cut off sleeves, tattoos, um, but he would not go on camera, but he had no problem sharing the story with me. So, I'm excited to see and learn more. So when they were releasing the movie, they were going to call it Rocket Boys, but what they said is that women are not likely to go watch a movie called Rocket Boys.

[00:34:31]>> So they called it October Sky.

[00:34:32]>> So they called it October Sky. So if you like recramble the letters, >> Yeah.

[00:34:37]>> you could spell October Sky out of the letters in Rocket Boys.

[00:34:42]>> Do you get what I'm saying?

[00:34:43]>> Wait, hold on. Sit for a >> No, I'm telling you. I did the math.

[00:34:50]>> Oh my god. Wait, you can't.

[00:34:51]>> You can.

[00:34:52]>> Don't think I didn't do my research.

[00:34:54]>> I just wanted to see my eyes do it.

[00:34:56]>> And this is the home of the main the lead character. It was him and his brother that lived here. And he's still alive. There's a book about his life.

[00:35:05]And once again, the movie. I believe he lives in Alabama now.

[00:35:11]So Nassau erected a statue to celebrate.

[00:35:18]Pretty neat, huh?

[00:35:20]It's like when you leave idle mines with nothing to do, they're going to find something to do.

[00:35:25]>> I bet you they had bikes.

[00:35:26]>> Yeah, no doubt. Bikes, skateboards, jump on the back of of a pickup truck, and they've renamed this street. So, this is Rocket Boys Road.

[00:35:40]So, this building right here on the left, I watched a trailer to the movie.

[00:35:45]See with all the glasses that shattered?

[00:35:47]>> I I saw like little clips of the movie as well.

[00:35:50]>> Well, that's where they made the rockets.

[00:35:53]This is Coalwood. Used to be a coal mining town, but in the the mid50s the mine up and left like they stopped mining the coal.

[00:36:06]Let's go to the actual place where it's it's pretty neat that it's still here. It's kind of sad that it's in ruins.

[00:36:15]But this is the actual location where the rockets were made.

[00:36:20]>> Got to take a picture and call it a rocket boy.

[00:36:22]>> I am a rocket boy. Rocket man.

[00:36:27]>> Tristan, you can't come this far and not go that far.

[00:36:31]Oh, it looks very different. They've cleaned it out since like the video I saw.

[00:36:38]Everything was still there. Now it looks like they're cleaning it out. Look here.

[00:36:42]They have some old tools.

[00:36:46]So, as we head down the street on the left, there's a statue that was erected by Nassau. They said it's currently here on loan, even though it's been 27 years and they could take it back at any time.

[00:36:58]And they said just past, which most people don't realize, they have the launch pad, the concrete. Basically, it's a little surface that the rockets would launch off. What I'm going to do is attempt to, let's say, not steal, but borrow a clip from the movie October Sky.

[00:37:18]And finally, I'd like to dedicate this rocket to my mom.

[00:37:23]>> 5 4 3 2 1.

[00:37:34]And they said at the highest point uh these high school kids was were able to get their rocket 1,000 ft in the air.

[00:37:41]Never broke through the atmosphere, but 1,000 ft for high school kids using some surplus items that they they found is is pretty neat.

[00:37:51]Yeah, it looks like this statue has had its better day.

[00:37:57]Needs a a little love.

[00:38:01]Oh, a piece fell off.

[00:38:10]So, for those that decide to come down here, you have to pass the statue to find the launch site. It's a little bit further down off the beaten path.

[00:38:19]Remember when they were making these rockets, they were doing it out of like surplus items that they found.

[00:38:26]said they they were able to make the sugar ignite and act as if it were um like gunpowder.

[00:38:37]It's saying that the launch pad is right here somewhere.

[00:39:07]Look at it go, Homer. This one's going to go for miles.

[00:39:13]>> I was born and raised here in CO. Been here all my life, minus two years. Um, my house is right there with the red roof.

[00:39:23]>> Right.

[00:39:23]>> Actually, when the coal company owned the town, you had to work in the mines to live in these houses.

[00:39:34]>> Okay.

[00:39:35]>> One of the rocket boys actually lived in my house.

[00:39:38]>> Wow.

[00:39:39]>> When uh he was growing up. And that's before they sold the houses off.

[00:39:43]>> Right. Uh the big house down there on the corner, you can you can see.

[00:39:47]>> Yes, I saw that. Right.

[00:39:48]>> That was where Homer Hickim lived, >> right?

[00:39:51]>> And um the mines closed in 1986 and from then on it was just downhill.

[00:39:59]>> But the uh the uh Rocket Boys happened before my time.

[00:40:05]>> Right. But um my grandmother actually used to babysit Homer Hickham when he was growing up, >> right?

[00:40:13]>> Uh now I don't know what else you want to know about.

[00:40:15]>> Yeah. Just any any stories would be uh amazing. I to be honest with you until uh a couple hours ago I never never knew that this story existed. So I'm I'm I'm quite intrigued by it.

[00:40:27]>> Did you go down toward Frog Level?

[00:40:28]>> We went right to the launch uh site.

[00:40:31]>> So you went Did you stop and look at all the little reading things?

[00:40:35]>> No. He said that he works for the fire department and in 10 minutes he'll come down and show us all the old photos of what this area looked like and I'm I don't know why I'm getting emotional. I like I'm I'm so into it. I love doing what we're doing. It's like get to learn. You know what I'm saying?

[00:40:53]>> Yeah.

[00:40:53]>> Look, I feel like I'm going to cry just his kindness >> for him to go out of his way. He said, "Meet me at the fire station. He'll show us all he can show us in all the old photos." This is four of the five rocket boys.

[00:41:07]So that rocket, the smaller rocket that we saw, I guess that's to copy this.

[00:41:15]Look, I've seen the future and it works.

[00:41:18]Two weeks ago, this reporter watched as the boys of the Big Creek Missile Agency, that was the name they gave themselves, uh, launched their magnificent creation at the Cape Cowwood Range.

[00:41:31]Look at that. See, they won s they they won gold and silver medal at the science fair in 1960.

[00:41:44]How many volunteers are there here?

[00:41:46]Four.

[00:41:47]>> No, we got one, two. This was our captain. He passed away.

[00:41:51]>> Okay. Rest.

[00:41:52]>> One, two, three, four, five, six, seven.

[00:41:55]>> Seven. Okay.

[00:41:58]which the town's only got like 200 people in it, >> right?

[00:42:05]>> Oh, it looks like you're fully equipped.

[00:42:07]>> Yeah, we're we got what we need.

[00:42:21]Here's 1922.

[00:42:28]To be honest, it doesn't look much different than it does today. The houses look pretty similar.

[00:42:33]>> Yeah. They were all company built houses, >> right? So now the employees of the the coal mine, were they housed for free or they still had to pay a fee?

[00:42:41]>> No, they were housed for free as long as they worked at the mines, >> right?

[00:42:45]>> And then like say you worked in the mines and your family lived in one of the houses and you got killed in the coal mines. Your family had two weeks to get out.

[00:42:54]>> Wow. and then they move somebody else.

[00:42:56]>> Pretty sad.

[00:42:57]>> Or your sons could go in mines work.

[00:43:00]That's the reason there was a lot of boys that quit work. I mean quit school to go to work in the mines so their family could stay in the house.

[00:43:08]>> House. Right. Right. Now, a lot of people died in the coal mines.

[00:43:11]>> Uh I can't say a lot, but it happened.

[00:43:14]Yeah.

[00:43:17]I was telling my son, that's what I love about doing this, like getting to meet people like yourself and share the history.

[00:43:25]Yeah. I'm telling you, if minus the fact it's black and white.

[00:43:28]>> Yeah.

[00:43:29]>> If this was a color photo, it looked like it we took it today. I was in the seventh grade before I met a kid outside of Coldwood.

[00:43:38]>> Wow. No reason to leave.

[00:43:40]>> Nope.

[00:43:40]>> Right.

[00:43:41]>> We had everything we needed here. Uh that big area you see right there with the fence around it. Yes. Used to be a swimming pool.

[00:43:48]>> Okay. Yeah. It's still a pool. No, but I >> No, it's been closed for years.

[00:43:51]>> Okay. Okay.

[00:43:52]>> But back in the day there it was a community center and they tore a community center down and used the basement as a swimming pool.

[00:43:59]>> Where was the coal mine itself? Like was there an entrance nearby?

[00:44:03]>> Uh if you go back like you're going out of Colewood.

[00:44:06]>> Yes.

[00:44:06]>> Where'd y'all come from? Welch or >> Welch? Yeah.

[00:44:09]>> Okay.

[00:44:10]If you go back to the stop sign, instead of instead of turning left toward Welch, you stay straight toward War.

[00:44:19]>> Yes.

[00:44:19]>> And about halfway up that straight stretch, you'll see a water company. And that's where the coal mine sat.

[00:44:24]>> Let me see.

[00:44:42]That's a nice looking church.

[00:44:55]Wow, this area looks beaten up. You know that fire?

[00:45:01]I'm going to have to turn around, but I think somebody died in that fire.

[00:45:08]Does it seem like there is a little memorial?

[00:45:19]Doesn't this look rough?

[00:45:33]Somebody behind me. What's the name of this area?

[00:45:37]>> This is called Bishop Bishop, Virginia.

[00:45:39]>> Okay.

[00:45:40]>> We're right on a line. You step on it creek in West Virginia and this is Virginia.

[00:45:45]>> Okay. I didn't even realize that. We're that close.

[00:45:47]>> Yeah. That close.

[00:45:49]>> Yeah. Forgive me. Forgive me for saying this, but this area looks a little rough.

[00:45:52]>> Well, this is this is a coal mine town, right?

[00:45:55]>> You know, a coal used to be a coal mine.

[00:45:59]All worked out now.

[00:46:00]>> What about you? You you used to work in the coal mine?

[00:46:02]>> Oh, yeah.

[00:46:03]>> Yeah. They say it was a rough job to have.

[00:46:06]>> No, like any other job, you get used to it, you know.

[00:46:10]>> Right. What about now? Is coal still part of the community? Yeah.

[00:46:13]>> Not too not like it used to, but now they take the top of mountains off, you know.

[00:46:18]>> Okay. Okay. Yeah. I'm seeing a lot of these uh houses are >> Yeah.

[00:46:23]>> How long ago was this a normal house?

[00:46:27]>> 10 years ago.

[00:46:28]>> 10 years ago. Did things look very different 10 years ago? Oh, just entirely different town when I was young.

[00:46:34]>> Yeah. So, you lived here your whole life?

[00:46:36]>> Oh, yeah.

[00:46:37]>> Take me back when you were young.

[00:46:38]>> Well, I was in the army, you know, and I I lived in DC, you know, about four years and come back, went to coal mine.

[00:46:45]>> Right. So, you lived here 30 years ago, 40 years ago.

[00:46:48]>> Uh, yeah.

[00:46:49]>> Yeah. So, what did it look like? Take me back for a moment.

[00:46:52]>> When I first when I was a little kid, all these houses was green and white.

[00:46:57]Every one of them.

[00:46:58]>> You mean the paint on the outside?

[00:46:59]>> Yeah. The company built them, right?

[00:47:01]>> You know, for the coal mine and uh half a house.

[00:47:05]>> Yes.

[00:47:06]>> We spent family in each half, you know.

[00:47:08]>> Yes.

[00:47:08]>> And uh >> so when you work for the coal mine, did they pay for you to live there?

[00:47:12]>> No. No. No. No.

[00:47:13]>> You know, you pay a little rent. Not too much, you know.

[00:47:16]>> Tristan, turn the car off for a sec.

[00:47:18]Yeah.

[00:47:20]>> Yes. So, but it was bustling. A lot of people lived here.

[00:47:23]>> Yeah. All the houses was green and white. Yes, they had uh couple of big uh maple trees in every yard. Had a coal box in every yard. Had a two toilets in every yard. Out house >> outouses. Right. Right.

[00:47:38]>> Yeah. You had to walk out and entirely different, you know.

[00:47:42]>> Right.

[00:47:42]>> You know, in my lifetime, I've seen it by boo. But >> yeah. Do you think it can ever get back to that point or No.

[00:47:49]>> No.

[00:47:49]>> A lot of people up and left.

[00:47:51]>> Yeah.

[00:47:51]>> Yes.

[00:47:52]>> You know, most old co is gone. You know >> what else could you do if you were looking for a job here with the coal mining gone? Is there any other work?

[00:48:00]>> Well, you know, everything related to the coal mines. You know, roof boulders and factories making plates and rock dust and all related to the mines. You know, a lot left, you know.

[00:48:14]>> I can't imagine.

[00:48:15]>> As I drive down, a lot of these homes look quite beat up. Like your house is beautiful.

[00:48:19]>> Oh, yes.

[00:48:20]>> But a lot of them are like this. Yeah, >> like this.

[00:48:24]>> It's a shame, you know.

[00:48:25]>> Now, this this came burnt down by accident or because it's abandoned by >> accident.

[00:48:29]>> Accident. Yeah.

[00:48:30]>> I mean, they were built solid as a rock, but you get them wet, you know, they rot, but one time still.

[00:48:41]>> Yeah.

[00:48:42]>> Pretty community, you know.

[00:48:44]>> What about uh you you grew up in Am I saying it correct? Appalachia.

[00:48:48]Appalachia.

[00:48:49]>> Appalachia. Appalachia Mountain.

[00:48:51]>> Appalachia. Yeah. So, what what does it take for you to survive up here? It's not easy. You must be a hardworking man.

[00:48:57]>> Nah, >> no.

[00:48:59]>> You know, it's just a job, you know.

[00:49:01]Your machines do your work, you know.

[00:49:04]>> Yeah.

[00:49:05]>> Well, excuse me. You know, >> just regular job, you know.

[00:49:09]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:49:11]>> I don't know.

[00:49:11]>> But growing up, did you grow up in this neighborhood when you were small? Yeah.

[00:49:16]Is it most people were going to grow up to get into the coal mine? Was there was there much option? I guess the army a lot of people left you know right >> uh they called uh this >> they went to Michigan went work in uh car matter of fact you know for >> they called it some kind of highway from >> uh you know when it was hard time they rode from here to Michigan everybody went to Michigan >> right >> a lot of my friends went to Michigan you know >> but you decided to stay >> oh yeah you know >> I'm 75 years old I'm I've lived and guy who >> I love these mountains, you know. I'm an old hillbiller.

[00:49:56]>> What is it? You're old hillbilly. What is it about the mountains that you love?

[00:49:59]I love it. You know, I'm from a big city, so we've been driving all day through the mountains. Beautiful. And my son is in the car.

[00:50:05]>> He doesn't He likes the city. For me, I like to get away and get into the mountains.

[00:50:09]>> Yeah. You know, it's time. I've lived in the city.

[00:50:12]>> Yes.

[00:50:13]>> City's too fast for me. You know, I'm an old laidback country boy.

[00:50:19]>> I'm a hillbilly now.

[00:50:20]>> Yeah. What about the term hillbilly?

[00:50:21]Some people might not like that. You don't mind to be called a >> hillbilly. Hillbillies can grow potatoes on in a rock pile.

[00:50:28]>> I like that. You know, >> that's the official definition from this day forth. Hillbilly can grow a potato on a rock pile.

[00:50:36]>> Yeah, >> I like that.

[00:50:38]>> What about What about uh like what do you guys do for fun when you're out here? I I know a lot of like ATVs. I see them. But when you were young, what do you do for fun?

[00:50:47]>> You know, we roll rocks off the mountains. We got climbing big rocks, >> right?

[00:50:52]>> Getting them out the road tree to tree, you know.

[00:50:55]>> Yeah.

[00:50:57]>> Rode them down and play a lot of horseshoes and >> Yeah.

[00:51:01]>> play marbles. We did everything.

[00:51:03]>> Yeah. Nowadays, everyone's on their their tablet, their telephone.

[00:51:06]>> Yeah. You know, it's a totally different world. You know, I've seen it in my lifetime. I told my brothers back my young day. I says, "One day you going to be able to look at somebody on the telephone and you're going to talk to them and you'll see them."

[00:51:20]>> Yeah.

[00:51:22]>> Now, and now it happened, you know.

[00:51:24]>> Yeah.

[00:51:25]>> And uh I told him, I said, "One day we'll be living out there. There'll be people living out there in space, you know. We I won't see it, but >> it will happen.

[00:51:34]>> It'll happen one day."

[00:51:35]>> I don't think I'll see it either, but maybe my my children always say, "Uh, we'll be flying like the Jetsons, too."

[00:51:41]Yeah.

[00:51:42]Now it's happening. It's about to happen.

[00:51:44]>> Hey, >> technology man took over.

[00:51:48]>> Yeah, >> we get too smart for ourselves in my opinion.

[00:51:51]>> Maybe we got to slow it down a little bit.

[00:51:54]>> You know, I could I'm a type of world man. I can live right there in that mountain. You know, I survive. You know, >> I'm a hillbilly man. Squirrel hunt. I can eat squirrels, groundhog, snakes.

[00:52:07]>> What does a squirrel taste like? Have you eaten this squirrel?

[00:52:10]>> Oh, you love squirrel. Yeah. You love squirrel. I've eaten everything.

[00:52:13]>> Squirrel >> now. I'm a world traveler. Oh.

[00:52:16]>> Well, you guys eat that around. How do I get Where do I buy a squirrel?

[00:52:18]>> Why?

[00:52:19]>> You have to catch it.

[00:52:20]>> You have to kill them, you know.

[00:52:21]>> Right. Right. Right. Right.

[00:52:22]>> And snakes, too.

[00:52:24]>> They good, man.

[00:52:25]>> I've eaten snakes, but not not here.

[00:52:27]>> I like snake r snakes, you know.

[00:52:30]>> Yeah.

[00:52:30]>> I don't like And I don't like frog legs, you know.

[00:52:33]>> Right. Right.

[00:52:34]>> Horny head. You know what a horny head is?

[00:52:36]>> No. Teach me.

[00:52:37]>> Best fish you ever seen like running schools, you know? Yeah.

[00:52:40]>> And we used to horny head fish all the time. And they got horns on them. Little big horns. You got to skin them.

[00:52:48]>> Best >> from around here in the rivers. The creeks.

[00:52:50]>> Yeah. Yeah. But you know, polluted. They done polluted this place.

[00:52:54]>> Right. I saw a couple weeks ago, not too far away, there was a chemical leak >> into the creek.

[00:53:01]>> Do you drink the water?

[00:53:02]>> Used to be fish in this creek. Not no more.

[00:53:04]>> Do you drink the tap water?

[00:53:06]>> No. We got water come, you know, they come in behind, you know, >> you know, I'm a tap water drinker, but I always Google search first. And last night in my hotel, it said West Virginia is amongst the worst tap water to drink and they said boil the water before you drink it.

[00:53:23]>> No, not you know, at one time we had the cleanest water you could drink, you know, >> right? But humans destroy that.

[00:53:29]>> But nothing. I I mean, as a little boy, my mom said, "Go get me some water." And I went to a little stream coming out of a mountain. I had a pipe there.

[00:53:40]>> Got two buckets of water.

[00:53:43]Bathed in a bathtub, you know.

[00:53:45]>> Yeah.

[00:53:46]>> People would People didn't realize that.

[00:53:48]>> Yeah.

[00:53:48]>> Mom used to give us a soap when it rained, you know. Go out there, take you a shower or a bath, you know. We'd go out there.

[00:53:56]>> Yeah. Yeah. Right in the water. Mother Nature >> will help you.

[00:54:01]>> Sad to see this.

[00:54:03]>> Yeah. You know, it's a sore eye to me, but the owner wants to $5,000 for that.

[00:54:09]Yeah.

[00:54:10]>> And come on, man. A lot, >> right?

[00:54:13]>> I mean, you can buy this house about $25,000 >> just as is right now.

[00:54:19]>> Yeah. And you take this house to the city, it cost you probably get half a million dollar.

[00:54:25]>> You take this to Toronto, $2 million minimum.

[00:54:29]>> Yeah.

[00:54:30]>> And with a lot like this, >> is that where you're from? Toronto.

[00:54:32]Yeah. I'm from Toronto.

[00:54:33]>> Yeah. You like down to these points?

[00:54:36]>> Yeah.

[00:54:36]>> Yeah.

[00:54:37]>> You know what? We We Googled the most remote area in the mountains >> and I said, "My son's in the car. We're just driving talking to strangers."

[00:54:45]>> Probably one of them, ain't it?

[00:54:46]>> This is it. This is it. The most isolated.

[00:54:49]>> Did you come across that mountain at town? Do you come across that mountain town?

[00:54:52]>> No, we came from this direction.

[00:54:54]>> All right. You come from war down.

[00:54:56]>> Yes. From war. Yes. Yes. Yes. Well, you know, you cross that mountain there.

[00:54:59]It's Virginia and you get on top of that mountain, you see different range of mountains. You can see top of mountain, you know, >> it's like coal mines. You run, we run into solid granite up there. Ain't no coal up there, you know. Okay. Boom boom boom. And man, I can't believe now you got me excited.

[00:55:18]>> It's the best taste.

[00:55:21]Squirrel. Put some make some gravy out of it the next morning, man.

[00:55:24]>> Is there a name for the squirrel dish? A special name or no? Just squirrel.

[00:55:27]>> Just as squirrel and >> you know, hey, make you make you some squirrel gravy. You know gravy, you know, put it make you gravy and put it on some biscuits, man.

[00:55:39]>> Ain't nothing no better.

[00:55:40]>> You got me excited. I like to try the foods in the region that I'm in. So, I will I will eat a squirrel.

[00:55:47]>> Uh rich people ain't never tasted squirrel. People eat that squirrel gravy >> and make a killer. So every time you see a squirrel run by, you lick your lips.

[00:55:59]>> You're lucky. You're lucky.

[00:56:00]>> I don't I don't kill them no more. No, >> I quit killing you.

[00:56:04]>> Okay. Okay.

[00:56:04]>> I used deer and rabbit.

[00:56:07]>> What about raccoon when I was growing up?

[00:56:08]>> Raccoon.

[00:56:09]>> Raccoon.

[00:56:10]>> I've ate raccoon.

[00:56:11]>> You've eaten it? Yeah, for sure.

[00:56:13]>> When I was little, you know.

[00:56:14]>> Yeah, >> we ate anything. Squirrels, rabbit, groundhog, >> whatever you can get your hands on.

[00:56:19]>> A hog.

[00:56:20]>> Yeah, >> we always raised a hog, you know.

[00:56:22]>> What about this? I've heard about pharaoh people. You believe this in the mountains, Pharaoh people?

[00:56:27]>> Yeah.

[00:56:28]>> Yeah. You've never seen anything, HAVE YOU?

[00:56:30]>> NO.

[00:56:31]>> I THINK HE'S SEEN SOMETHING. He's think he's like, "I'm an outsider. He doesn't want to tell me."

[00:56:35]>> You've seen something. You've seen Pharaoh people.

[00:56:37]>> Yes, I have.

[00:56:38]>> Yeah. So, you believe it then? For sure.

[00:56:40]>> I've seen something, man. Unreal. But >> unreal.

[00:56:44]>> You know, I don't tell people because they don't they think I'm stupid. I don't think you're stupid.

[00:56:48]>> You see, but I was with my brother. He seen it, too. Yeah.

[00:56:53]>> How could you describe what you saw?

[00:56:57]>> I don't know.

[00:57:00]Intelligent that walked up, right? You >> right. How tall?

[00:57:02]>> 10 foot tall.

[00:57:03]>> 10 ft tall. So, are we talking something >> go through my door? Let's put it like that.

[00:57:08]>> Are we talking about a Bigfoot or something along that lines?

[00:57:12]>> Yes.

[00:57:13]>> Let me tell you something. My son and I yesterday we went looking for Bigfoot.

[00:57:16]So, I'm not opposed to you. I don't think you're you're silly at all.

[00:57:20]He disappeared quick on me. I looked, I seen him and he stopped dead. He knew I seen him. I seen the outlaw sky was turkey hunting and I seen something move up on you know I down here in the outlaw sky. I seen walk I seen something walking and I said, "What the hell is that?" And he wasn't brown. It wasn't black. He had wine.

[00:57:46]It was wine.

[00:57:47]Ryan >> hurry wine got >> what's Ryan like like a a burgundy burgundy or >> Yeah. Yeah. Wine, you know. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:57:57]It was that color. The hair was >> And your brother saw that as well.

[00:58:00]>> And it was no better cuz he was walking upright. Right.

[00:58:03]>> Like a man.

[00:58:04]>> Right. Right. Right.

[00:58:05]>> And I started shooting because he scared me. Look at me. I said, "Man, what suit you got on it? You looking good. stay away >> and he didn't move a muscle, >> right?

[00:58:20]>> And I looked back, my brother, I looked, he was coming around the ridge. I looked at him, I looked back, he was gone, man, over the mountain, right?

[00:58:28]>> That quick.

[00:58:29]>> Your brother, you and your brother talk about it afterwards.

[00:58:31]>> Yeah, he he seemed to go over the mountain, >> right?

[00:58:36]>> I didn't, you know, I looked at him and he seen it.

[00:58:38]>> Yeah.

[00:58:39]>> What was that, D? I don't know, man.

[00:58:42]>> Yeah.

[00:58:42]>> I I don't go hunting on that mountain.

[00:58:44]been on that mountain since.

[00:58:46]>> Right. Right. Right.

[00:58:47]>> Amazing.

[00:58:48]>> Ever what I seen, I don't know what it was.

[00:58:51]>> Yes.

[00:58:51]>> It could have been a man in a suit, but but it looked like it looked like, >> you know what I'm saying?

[00:58:58]>> A real The real deal.

[00:58:59]>> Yeah. The real deal, man.

[00:59:00]>> Yeah.

[00:59:01]>> And hey, how's it going?

[00:59:04]>> The stories he's telling me. Uh, nice to meet you. I'm glad to meet you, man.

[00:59:08]>> You're going to have to watch the stories later, but I'm glad that I stopped. The first time I eat a squirrel, your face is gonna be embedded. You >> promise me you eat one.

[00:59:17]>> I promise you.

[00:59:18]>> All right, man.

[00:59:18]>> Nice to meet you. Thank you very much.

[00:59:20]Have a good one.

[00:59:20]>> All right. Thank you so much.

[00:59:22]>> Enjoy yourself.

[00:59:23]>> Yes. Yes, sir.

[00:59:24]>> Amazing. Can you believe this house right now? If you want to buy this, Tristan, uh, it's 5,000 as is. He's saying the value of his house 25,000 as is.

[00:59:36]I'm so glad that I I stopped to talk. He had stories for days. I could have stood there for days and days and days, but I see darkness is upon us. And I can't lie, this street here itself is somewhat intimidating. Like this, he he's lived here his whole life. He went to war in the army and then came back and he's been in the coal mining business. He said he doesn't want anything else. He said, "I'm a old hillbilly."

[01:00:03]I asked him for the definition. He said, "They can grow potatoes on rocks." the old hillbilly, they they can survive in any instance. This house that was on fire, it looks like somebody has passed away.

[01:00:19]It says, let me just take >> Yeah, it looks like it wasn't just a house fire. It looks like people were hurt and possibly even killed.

[01:00:33]So, pay our respects.

[01:00:38]Yeah.

[01:00:40]Look, the fireplace still stands, the front concrete, the porch. Whereabouts are we right now?

[01:00:46]>> We're in uh New Hall.

[01:00:47]>> Okay. Have you born and grow up in this neighborhood?

[01:00:50]>> I wasn't uh born here, but I was basically I've been here for 5 years now. Uh it's nice.

[01:00:55]>> How do you like it?

[01:00:56]>> It's wonderful. It's peaceful.

[01:00:57]>> It's very peaceful. No, very quiet.

[01:00:59]>> No one messes with you. Everyone sticks to theirel, but they watch out for you, too.

[01:01:03]>> Yeah.

[01:01:03]>> It's like a neighborhood watch thing.

[01:01:04]Everyone does it out of respect for everyone. I heard that quite often. What do you guys do here for fun?

[01:01:09]>> Uh, we don't do nothing for fun.

[01:01:11]Everyone, >> you can't tell me nothing. You don't like to have fun. You got to have fun.

[01:01:14]>> Nothing happens here. That's the thing.

[01:01:16]Nothing happens. Everyone just sticks to themselves, >> right? Is that good or bad then?

[01:01:20]>> It's good. It's good. You know, you ain't got to worry about nothing.

[01:01:24]Everything stays the same.

[01:01:25]>> So, you're saying there's no crime in the community? Nothing to worry about?

[01:01:29]>> Every once in a while there is. Every once in a while.

[01:01:32]>> But you personally have nothing to worry about.

[01:01:34]>> No, I ain't got nothing to worry about.

[01:01:35]Nothing.

[01:01:37]>> There there's a saying that we hear. I'm from Toronto. I'm from a big city in Canada. This whole hillbilly talk.

[01:01:43]>> What are your thoughts on the word hillbilly? Is that something that's >> uh demeaning? If I if I were to call you a hillbilly, >> how do you feel about that?

[01:01:51]>> I'm going to get mad cuz Yeah, it's it's a word, you know. But me personally, I don't believe I'm one. Most people around here are I will say that, you know, but uh I'm not personally.

[01:02:01]>> What makes a hillbuilder? Tell you what the last man said. What?

[01:02:04]>> He said, "I'm a old hillbilly cuz I can grow potatoes on rock."

[01:02:08]>> So you tell me what your definition know. Um >> what your definition is.

[01:02:13]>> Being able to survive no matter what makes you a hillbilly, >> right?

[01:02:16]>> No matter what.

[01:02:16]>> So like like off the land you mean?

[01:02:18]>> Yeah. Yeah. Any any Yeah. If you can uh grow a garden, then you're living.

[01:02:23]That's all. If you can know how to grow a garden, then you're you're set. You know how to live. You're you're good.

[01:02:28]>> What about you and your family? Do you grow? You eat off the land or you go to the grocery store and depend on >> uh both actually. We grow our own garden and we also go to the store.

[01:02:36]>> Amazing. It's commendable.

[01:02:38]>> Just in case.

[01:02:38]>> Nice to meet you, Chris. What was your name?

[01:02:40]>> Uh my name's Aiden.

[01:02:41]>> Aiden, nice to meet you. Have a wonderful day. Thank you. Thank you for your time.

[01:02:48]>> Another very friendly uh man, mountaineer. He looks a little bit like the main character in Children of the Corn.

[01:03:00]You know what they do for fun?

[01:03:02]>> Nothing.

[01:03:04]>> Like what do you Yeah. I'm like, "But what do you mean nothing?" He's like, "Nothing."

[01:03:09]Okay, ladies and gentlemen, it is 9:24 p.m.

[01:03:14]Just put some gas in the car and putting a little bit of gas in our bellies because we have a 4 hour and 43 minute drive. 246 miles.

[01:03:25]>> This is >> through the mountains to Cherokee.

[01:03:29]>> Close your window.

[01:03:31]>> The mouth is open.

[01:03:33]>> Yeah.

[01:03:35]>> Is that a bear? It's got to be, right? I can't see the face with my zoom.

[01:03:38]>> I know. I can't see the face either.

[01:03:43]>> That's crazy.

[01:03:44]>> It's got to be.

[01:03:46]>> Okay, you're lying.

[01:03:51]>> Pretty neat. I knew we would see something.

[01:04:06]What is that?

[01:04:24]>> Time is now 2:54 a.m. We pulled over to a gas station to try and get some rest.

[01:04:32]It's not easy to find a hotel here. And >> I think we still got like 3 hours left to Cherokee, >> which is in North Korea.

[01:04:41]>> North Korea.

[01:04:43]>> North Carolina. You can see it's a lack of sleep. Um, yeah. You can see what I'm thinking about. And u I don't know.

[01:04:53]>> Okay.

[01:04:55]I probably got a half an hour sleep. Was I snoring at all?

[01:04:58]>> Yeah, you farted a couple times. Don't say that on my camera. You see, you're always trying to embarrass me.

[01:05:04]>> I'm telling them the other things.

[01:05:06]>> Catch me with my mistakes and farting and stuff.

[01:05:09]>> I don't tell him that you drool or that you talk or >> No, you would never say that.

[01:05:13]>> No, I would never say that.

[01:05:17]>> So, I can't tell you how badly he wants to charge his phone. So, now the payback is no charging the phone.

[01:05:26]Um, >> life on the road, huh?

[01:05:36]>> Okay, let's keep it keep it moving.