28 Appalachians have a rich folklore, part of the American folk tradition
Of the many American folk heroes and tales, many of the most famous have their roots in the Appalachian traditions. Davy Crockett is both a very real and significant figure in American history and a subject of folklore and tradition in the Appalachian hills of eastern Tennessee. The mythical railroad worker John Henry, whether a composite of several different characters or a complete fabrication shared by railroad workers over their campfires, is another. Appalachian culture today includes story-telling festivals, a long-standing tradition, in which Jack tales – tales which feature a character going by the name of Jack – are presented with Jack’s heroic exploits described, to be amplified upon by the next storyteller.
