Mrs. Turner was always working hard to build and improve Riverside if memory serves correctly. It started life as Riverside Block and Supply - perhaps by members of her family, and then became Riverside Fashions and then just Riverside. My memory may be off but I think that’s correct.
I fell in love with Tazewell as a child. Being from McDowell County my Dad was typical in that he worked in the mines. What was not too typical for McDowell was that we had cattle. In those days the Tazewell stock market and auctions and the flea market were all together on Mondays at the old drive in theater. Many of my fondest childhood memories are Monday holidays spent there while Dad bought and sold cattle at auction and my Mom enjoyed the flea market, which was big back then. The crowds were huge and diverse as the farming community came together with the mining community. Not much fast food in those days so on the way home we would stop in River Jack for fried chicken dinners. We would find a shady place once we got into the farm areas of Horsepen and enjoy family time and our dinners as the sun went down. Thanks for the memories y'all.
Melody and Shane going to a livestock sale barn would make for an interesting episode of this show. To think that going to the sale barn used to be a regular part of life as a kid, and I haven’t been in 35 years now. I don’t imagine it would’ve changed very much but I might be surprised. I’ll just have to go with one of my cousins some time and find out
That final shot of the cornfield in the foreground and the mountains in the back... wow! Way back in the olden days that would have appeared on the front page of the "bank calendar" as an image of the best of America. Loved the whole video. And I could feel the affection, the warmth and the memories as you traveled through familiar territory. Those independent businesses: shops, hotels, restaurants and all... I really hope that the exposure to publicity that they get here helps them to survive and thrive well into the future. If we lose those places, we lose a lot of the charm and character that makes this area so wonderful.
Amen! Absolutely! I'll always spend my time, effort, n money when I go to these places! (My fact: I'm from WV, ) n I do try to even buy stupid shit that I'll never use just to keep some of these places afloat! I've been thru this stuff.........so I do what I can for ANY small towns help.....love it!!!!!!!!
I lived in North Tazewell, just a quarter mile past Riverjack. Had my first job at what was Turner's store. Attended grade school at the elementary school on your video.
My 6th generation ggrandfather received 400 acres from Lord Fairfax on the Clinch River Michael Stump with a young 16 yr old surveyor named George Washington stopping over to survey the property and hunt with my ancestor. Had two great uncles from Tazewell who served in the Civil war.
These videos are truly a pleasure. It’s important to know and learn about the different communities we have and to “visit” places we may never see in person. You guys are the best! 💝🇺🇸 🌟💝
My wife and I were in Tazewell last weekend. It seemed nice enough. However, I got the cold shoulder from the church I visited on Sunday before we left. We were talking about moving there, but now I'm not so certain. I did apply for a warehouse job, so we move out there if I am hired for that position, otherwise, not so certain. Still it is a really pretty area.
I remember visiting Tazewell County many, many times when I lived in Virginia. It is such a beautiful place in Virginia. Thank you Shane and Melody for always traveling to such great places. This video certainly brings back memories. Please take care and stay safe on the road.
I remember as a kid living in Big Rock over in Buchanan county, we would visit my grandparents who lived in Doran in Tazewell county. I always thought Tazewell county was so beautiful. I loved going there. My grandparents (Ed and Ada Cordle), lived there in the fifties. This is a good video. Thanks! p.s. if you ask for lettuce, tomato and mayo for your Hardee's steak biscuit, they will give you that. I ate Hardee's steak biscuits every morning for decades and actually worked building houses for the man who once owned Hardee's. Man, you guys have me going down memory lane with this one.
i lived in Doran almost all my life growing up. You've really came through for me with the tip about adding to the steak biscuit, it never even crossed my mind, that is awesome.
I grew up in Adria but my grandparents lived on the street by the depot. I have a lot of good memories of running around that area. My family owned the Snappy’s store and B&W Auto as well.
He didn’t mention that there was a general store on the left on the shake rag, my family from Tazewell. I know all about that place. It’s my second home. And the shake rag wasn’t that bad back in the 79s 80s. Working class black folks. And the shake rag was called the carline and the Branch
My grandparents lived at the end of Elm Street on top of the hill. Elm is directly across from the cemetery that still has the wrought iron sign that calls it Jeffersonville. My great aunt lived on the farm at The Cove where a Lassie movie was filmed in 1994. I spent many summers at my grandparents (in the 70's and 80's) and would love to live there, now. The city life of DC is not for me. I would live to get in touch with Sandra Cromwell, my cousin, if anyone knows her. Her maiden name is Phillip's and she lived near Thompson Valley. My grandfather had a lot of Cherokee in him. He was a coalminer in Gary, WV and retired back to Tazewell after a mine collapsed on he and a few others. He was the only one to survive. Edd Lambert and Helen Lambert were their names.
I just watched this, we took the long way to get to tazwell. We wanted to go on the back of the dragon, started at the end, yep we did it backwards which was ok cause we saw a beautiful town. We live in Penhook VA. The back of the dragon was on our bucket list of things to do while we still can. I have always wanted to live up here, my great grandparents lived in Waynesboro. Every summer we would come up from Hampton VA to visit for a week. I always said I wanted to live up here and here we are. Our son's moved us up here may of last year, so we have been up here for a year already, feels like longer cause I guess I never left from when I was younger, it just stays with you.
It was built as Tazewell High School in the 30’s, then served as the Elementary School and then a Junior High, being replaced by the ones we now know in the decades 60s and beyond (I went to first and second grade in that building and then the current Elem School was built)
Just bought a home in North Tazewell Dry fork hollow. Fixin up an old house. I'm a Tsalagi Cherokee person and we call it the forced removal instead of settlement. Thanks for the video. I'm glad to be home where my ancestors roamed for thousands of years!
My in-laws were from Tazewell. Chaffin, Runyon and White were the family sir names. I took my father-in-law back for a visit in the late 1990s shortly before he unexpectedly died. He joined the Army at the beginning of WWII. He said war was hell but it gave him a way out of the coal mines. He made the Army his career and lived all over the world, but he always missed his home.
Thank you just found your channel. Tazewell is home always even though I’ve not been there in a few years. Thanks again much love from the Philippines 🇵🇭
Love your videos.. I use too work at that long johns silvers across from the Hardess.. 1979 etc.. Have a great day.. Take care. God bless you and family... stitch
I really enjoyed your trip through Tazewell . Very interesting to see a small Appalachia town . Both of you make such a great team together and just like a great entertaining duo you bounce off each other which makes it so laid back and entertaining. Looking forward to your next trip . Greetings from Derbyshire , England .
I was born and raised in Tazewell. This is my home. My grandfather, Beverly Smith worked as a Supervisor at the old Acme warehouse in North Tazewell. I remember the Cardinal Bowling alley in North Tazewell as well. The theater up town and Jeff Ward's Clothing store, Ben Franklin, Western Auto. Tazewell was so beautiful and peaceful then. Friday Night Lights, when them Bulldogs was the real deal. Tazewell is my home. My parents are still living and I make it home at least once a month. I love Tazewell and my Shakerag heritage....
That was a school just before Main St. I went to JR High there, my mother went to elementary there and her mother went there when it was a high school in the forties.
Love this ride along! You guys are SOOOO much fun! Just like I’m sitting in the back seat! Your banter is excellent!!!! Thank you, Shane and Melody! Beautiful country! Did I see water standing in ditches when you first got to Tazewell? It’s dry as a desert in Oklahoma!!!! 🧡😊✌️
The Sheriff's Department headquarters was indeed the former Tazewell High until the current building on Cosby Drive was built in 1953. It became the Junior High building until the current Middle school was built in the late 1970s. My sister's senior class was the inaugural 6th grade class. Mr. Jim Higginbotham was the town's first Black chief of police. His wife Mallie was the only Black cafeteria worker in Tazewell County Public Schools. Billy Wagner was a classmate of mine before he made it big in baseball. Lucian Peery was my in car Driver's Education teacher. He was one of the first Blacks to integrate Tazewell High School, where I now work as a custodian. I've known his daughters all my life. Ellen Elmes was an art teacher of mine at Southwest VA Community College. I remember when Grants supermarket was ACME and, the current Dollar General was A-Mart. The part of the former Tazewell Mall you pulled up to was where Deskins supermarket was and later Save a Lot. I remember when Magic Mart was Heck's. The former Coal Bucket Deli is now Fiesta Jalisco. ACME and A-Mart were stores from my early childhood and they were in business many many years. The former Tazewell Cinema 3, later called Climbing Tree House theater, was opened in the late 1970s, replacing the old Clinch theater on Main Street. The first film I saw there was the Muppet Movie. The Clinch today is the fellowship hall of Main Street UMC, which y'all drove past turning on Main Street. The court house is the same as it was when I was a child (I'm 51 years old) but that massive regional jail expansion is fairly new construction. It wasnt that big when I was growing up. That KFC/Pizza Hut is commonly called the CluckNHut. Blacksburg (not to be confused with Blacksburg VA) is the name of the historically Black North Tazewell community across the tracks down the hill below Farm Bureau. The old Deskins grocery warehouse back in the 60s was Cardinal Lanes, a bowling alley. Lots of history in my hometown and Shake Rag community. Especially with the presence of two of the oldest churches in town, the Midway Church of Christ and First Baptist Church Carline. My friend Cicero and his brother Calvin pastor at a fairly new ministry they planted called the Shake Rag Church of Jesus Christ. Tazewell is a big town??😂😂😂 You should get out more. Go to the Tri-Cities or Roanoke. Those are big towns.
As always I'm behind so I just watched this video. Melody I wanted to tell you the sheriff's department building.... I went to Tazewell Jr high there in 1978. And the building you talked about the haunted house used to be the Peery funeral home. Just a couple things I remembered!
Frog Level Service Station was owned and ran by my grandfather T.E. Bowling Jr. and his father before him. Thanks for showing that, I miss sitting on those bar stools and listening to all the old men talk, especially my grandfather.
Fantastic video! I have ancestral roots in Tazewell, and it is interesting to be able to "explore" in this way. Hopefully, someday, I will be able to get there and take in its history.
Ms. Taylor was the owner of Riverside Fashion. Melody you are correct, that was the Tazewell Middle School off of MaIn Street. This was a nice tour you took me on. By the way, Betony Vernon is one of my 3 sisters ~ all 4 of us grew up in Tazewell before moving on~
Your video about Matoaka caught my eye because my mom lived there until she was a teen and they moved to Spanishburg. Then I just watched a bunch of your others (I've lived in NC and TN so I know a lot of the places you've been to) until I saw this one. I live down Gratton and it was a bit surreal to see my town on video. Loved it!!!!
@@realappalachia I really enjoy seeing these small towns that built America. But for the life of me don't understand why no more people don't fly their state flag. Think I've only seen one of the Virginia state flags in all the videos posted.
As a adult I delivered Coca Cola in Tazewell in the early 80s and linen for National Linen and Alsco in Tazewell, which was part of my route from 1992 to 2020. I had many wonderful customers there who became friends as well!
Really enjoyed this Video and the earlier one on Saltville. I am taking a solo 5 day motorcycle tour through the western part of Virginia in a couple of weeks and these are towns I am going to visit. Also visiting Haysi,Elk Horn City, Damascus and a bunch others. Thanks for the content!
Hello!! The videos you make are very interesting. I'm from Brazil and I really like the videos produced from other countries, especially the places that are unfortunately abandoned and left to rot. It is very sad to see historic buildings being left behind. I would like you to make a video about the city of Jackson, in kentucky. Even though I've never been there, I like the city and admire it. A movie was made in this city in 1997 with Stevem Seagal ``Fire Down Below`` Some scenes were made in downtown Jackson, and you can see some buildings that no longer exist. Do you remember this movie? Hug from Renato, here in Brazil!
Renato, thanks for the comment. I was just working on a travel plan for us and Jackson is on it but it’s about as far away from us as we travel so it might be awhile. Very much remember the Fire Down Below movie and I’m pretty sure a tiny bit of it was filmed in Jenkins, KY too and I did a video from there
@@realappalachia Okay, very good, thanks for the feedback! I'll be following your videos, I really like these videos, because we can learn a little more about cities we don't know. very grateful friend
Another cool video... we got family over tbere on my dads side and they are Brewster i wounder if im kin to them id love to knkw more about that side of the family.
Another wonderful history lesson from you two about these Appalachian towns. The history is just as signifiying as the the beauty here in this part of Virginia. Thanks so much for your time and effort to do your videos.
The two story house on main street that you mentioned that was used as a haunted house actually was a funeral home back in the day.I believe it had been Peery and St.Clair.
@@teresadalton4945 it probably was Perry now to think of it. I think Greever was out on Fincastle in the big red house not far from Judge Wade Coats house....man that was years ago.
Loved this gorgeous town.we are looking to retire and i watch all your videos just to see what would be a nice peaceful place. Think i may have found it.You two are so great together and so informative.
I really enjoy watching your videos best thing you could have done was include melody in them with you you guys make a great couple love rural places and learning the history behind them.. Kathryn Harold is a exceptional looking lady and was a great actress!
@@realappalachia🤯 Wow! I've never come across anyone else born in Richlands, I think the hospital I was born in has been long gone! Correct me if I'm wrong "Mattie Williams Hospital" . Well it's nice to come across someone else that was born there! Thanks for the reply and thanks for bringing recognition to these lil hollers!! Stay happy healthy and safe! Linda CT✌️
@@eurasianhillbilly5513 yes, the Mattie Williams was torn down and replaced with a new town office buildings. Glad to hear from you and hope you’re well too.
I really enjoyed this video in between smiles and tear’s, I could feel myself riding along and having so many memories my first date was at the movie theater also and dinner was at Long John Silver’s sadly gone now and my prom dress came from riverside drive. I could have kept on watching this video since it has been 10 years since I’ve been home. So many memories ❤️Miss the Snappys hotdog’s and Buds chicken ❤️thanks for this video ❤️
Me and my wife like to get out and go places like that to see all the different places thanks for sharing your adventures. I lol we yall was talking about Mc Donald's ice cream maker not working I live in stokes County nc went to Mr Donald's a few weeks ago to get ice cream there's was broke pulled over to burger King they had ice cream no cones lol I told my wive we could get a cone from Mc Donald's and take it back to buger King. Happy trails
You stopped by the theater, and discussed it briefly. I also remember seeing movies there, and it's a shame that it is no longer in operation. There was a drive-in theater in Tazewell, on, or approximately on the site of the Food Lion grocery store you passed. I think its name was the Sunset Drive-in, but it was already closed when I remember seeing it. If you do go back to Tazewell, please stop at Beyond Video, which is between Pizza Hut and the Lincolnshire Park. It is a movie rental store that is still in operation as far as I am aware. So it has managed to survive longer than nearly every single video rental chain in the United States.
I think you said the population of Tazewell is 4486. That's about the same is this township I live in, here in NJ. Hey, Fincastle! I was there on our big trip in 2012. We stopped at a cemetery to look at a big tree, and I got pictures of other stuff while we were there. Hey, you talked about gardening. That's what I do for a living, or I did, till my position was eliminated. 😡I was in charge of the grounds of a resort hotel. I had a crew of 3 to 4 that did the work. I always love the murals. Every time I see one I get pictures of it. I loved that Pisgah church. I think Pisgah was a mountain mentioned in the Bible, but I don't remember the story now.
I truly need my traveling history teachers, Miss Melody made me laugh out loud when she said she rather a toddler paint a room , than Shane. thank ya'll for taking me were I have never been. love ya'll
I don't know the name of it either; but I moved to Tazewell during my 5th grade year and saw it going home on the school bus daily. I always thought it looked like a volcano. 😁
I actually helped with that mural on Main Street I was in the 5th grade and I drew a frieght train but they did not use it but I did draw some of the other things on there
Mrs. Turner was always working hard to build and improve Riverside if memory serves correctly. It started life as Riverside Block and Supply - perhaps by members of her family, and then became Riverside Fashions and then just Riverside. My memory may be off but I think that’s correct.
That’s great, I remember she was proud of her business
The sherriffs dept was the high school until 1955, jr high school until maybe 1981 or so. I went to jr high there, Pappy Yates was principal.
I fell in love with Tazewell as a child. Being from McDowell County my Dad was typical in that he worked in the mines. What was not too typical for McDowell was that we had cattle. In those days the Tazewell stock market and auctions and the flea market were all together on Mondays at the old drive in theater. Many of my fondest childhood memories are Monday holidays spent there while Dad bought and sold cattle at auction and my Mom enjoyed the flea market, which was big back then. The crowds were huge and diverse as the farming community came together with the mining community. Not much fast food in those days so on the way home we would stop in River Jack for fried chicken dinners. We would find a shady place once we got into the farm areas of Horsepen and enjoy family time and our dinners as the sun went down. Thanks for the memories y'all.
Melody and Shane going to a livestock sale barn would make for an interesting episode of this show. To think that going to the sale barn used to be a regular part of life as a kid, and I haven’t been in 35 years now. I don’t imagine it would’ve changed very much but I might be surprised. I’ll just have to go with one of my cousins some time and find out
That’s a great idea, actually
So glad it spoke to you, Brad. I remember when the Tazewell Market was a huge deal
That final shot of the cornfield in the foreground and the mountains in the back... wow! Way back in the olden days that would have appeared on the front page of the "bank calendar" as an image of the best of America. Loved the whole video. And I could feel the affection, the warmth and the memories as you traveled through familiar territory. Those independent businesses: shops, hotels, restaurants and all... I really hope that the exposure to publicity that they get here helps them to survive and thrive well into the future. If we lose those places, we lose a lot of the charm and character that makes this area so wonderful.
Amen! Absolutely! I'll always spend my time, effort, n money when I go to these places! (My fact: I'm from WV, ) n I do try to even buy stupid shit that I'll never use just to keep some of these places afloat! I've been thru this stuff.........so I do what I can for ANY small towns help.....love it!!!!!!!!
@@carolyn9andthecats653 Good for you! We need more Carolyns! (And more cats! 🙂 )
Oh how I miss the good ol bank calendars
@@realappalachia They were the best! ❤
I lived in North Tazewell, just a quarter mile past Riverjack. Had my first job at what was Turner's store. Attended grade school at the elementary school on your video.
My 6th generation ggrandfather received 400 acres from Lord Fairfax on the Clinch River Michael Stump with a young 16 yr old surveyor named George Washington stopping over to survey the property and hunt with my ancestor. Had two great uncles from Tazewell who served in the Civil war.
These videos are truly a pleasure. It’s important to know and learn about the different communities we have and to “visit” places we may never see in person.
You guys are the best! 💝🇺🇸 🌟💝
We just love reading when you comment, it really lifts our spirits
I've hiked the peak too.❤️
24:38, the Sheriffs Office, I went to High School there in 1954.
Haven’t been to Tazewell since the 1960’s! Thank you, sweetie pies ❤️❤️
I went to school with Jim Brewster. He attendef a Bbq at my house one summer.
Joe's Drive Inn. TDI. John's Restaurant.
Shamrock Grill.
Jackson's Drug- Fountain and Grill.
My wife and I were in Tazewell last weekend. It seemed nice enough. However, I got the cold shoulder from the church I visited on Sunday before we left. We were talking about moving there, but now I'm not so certain. I did apply for a warehouse job, so we move out there if I am hired for that position, otherwise, not so certain. Still it is a really pretty area.
I remember visiting Tazewell County many, many times when I lived in Virginia. It is such a beautiful place in Virginia. Thank you Shane and Melody for always traveling to such great places. This video certainly brings back memories. Please take care and stay safe on the road.
Thank you so much, Judy
The small "barber shop" was called "Speedy's" he had one style and that was short like a military cut.
Awwww man, how did I ever forget Speedy’s. Man, my memory ain’t what it used to be. Thanks a ton.
I remember as a kid living in Big Rock over in Buchanan county, we would visit my grandparents who lived in Doran in Tazewell county. I always thought Tazewell county was so beautiful. I loved going there. My grandparents (Ed and Ada Cordle), lived there in the fifties. This is a good video. Thanks! p.s. if you ask for lettuce, tomato and mayo for your Hardee's steak biscuit, they will give you that. I ate Hardee's steak biscuits every morning for decades and actually worked building houses for the man who once owned Hardee's. Man, you guys have me going down memory lane with this one.
i lived in Doran almost all my life growing up. You've really came through for me with the tip about adding to the steak biscuit, it never even crossed my mind, that is awesome.
Thanks for showing tazewell yous to know some one from tazewell thanks for history go bulldogs
Time to move as far away from DC as possible. I'd love to live in Burks Park
Do you mean Burke's Garden?
Lou Perry was in first integrated class at THS. First black football player on the team c. 1963-64.
Fall of 1965
I grew up in Adria but my grandparents lived on the street by the depot. I have a lot of good memories of running around that area. My family owned the Snappy’s store and B&W Auto as well.
We just arrived in Tazewell a few days ago. We now live in North Tazewell and it is just beautiful here.
How is it there? I’m thinking on buying a house there soon kinda moving away from city life
You're an awesome guy Shane! My dad thought the world of you as well as your dad. You are a good friend! Thanks
Thank you so much, my Dad and I both have talked about what a great man Jim was. Y’all are like family to us, great people.
He didn’t mention that there was a general store on the left on the shake rag, my family from Tazewell. I know all about that place. It’s my second home. And the shake rag wasn’t that bad back in the 79s 80s. Working class black folks. And the shake rag was called the carline and the Branch
My grandparents lived at the end of Elm Street on top of the hill. Elm is directly across from the cemetery that still has the wrought iron sign that calls it Jeffersonville.
My great aunt lived on the farm at The Cove where a Lassie movie was filmed in 1994. I spent many summers at my grandparents (in the 70's and 80's) and would love to live there, now. The city life of DC is not for me. I would live to get in touch with Sandra Cromwell, my cousin, if anyone knows her. Her maiden name is Phillip's and she lived near Thompson Valley. My grandfather had a lot of Cherokee in him. He was a coalminer in Gary, WV and retired back to Tazewell after a mine collapsed on he and a few others. He was the only one to survive. Edd Lambert and Helen Lambert were their names.
I just watched this, we took the long way to get to tazwell. We wanted to go on the back of the dragon, started at the end, yep we did it backwards which was ok cause we saw a beautiful town. We live in Penhook VA. The back of the dragon was on our bucket list of things to do while we still can. I have always wanted to live up here, my great grandparents lived in Waynesboro. Every summer we would come up from Hampton VA to visit for a week. I always said I wanted to live up here and here we are. Our son's moved us up here may of last year, so we have been up here for a year already, feels like longer cause I guess I never left from when I was younger, it just stays with you.
That’s fantastic, glad you got to move to where you want to live.
Beautiful 😍 many thanks
Thanks you guys beautiful place see you soon
My request is that if you have time, show us the Flea Markets! I loved the video of when you guys went in one of them!!!!
The building on the hill going into Main Street was indeed a school at one time. I went to Jr high there.
It was built as Tazewell High School in the 30’s, then served as the Elementary School and then a Junior High, being replaced by the ones we now know in the decades 60s and beyond (I went to first and second grade in that building and then the current Elem School was built)
It was an elementary school to start with
My home town❤️ grew up in Baptist valley
Amazing that's my cousin supa chicken...#7.. I lived in tazewell but we moved 30 plus years ago but planning on coming back to visit my family
Just bought a home in North Tazewell Dry fork hollow. Fixin up an old house. I'm a Tsalagi Cherokee person and we call it the forced removal instead of settlement. Thanks for the video. I'm glad to be home where my ancestors roamed for thousands of years!
Welcome back to Tazewell County
Love that small town and going to see family by Tazewell high
Love and miss Ole T- town. Best people ever !
My in-laws were from Tazewell. Chaffin, Runyon and White were the family sir names. I took my father-in-law back for a visit in the late 1990s shortly before he unexpectedly died. He joined the Army at the beginning of WWII. He said war was hell but it gave him a way out of the coal mines. He made the Army his career and lived all over the world, but he always missed his home.
This brings back so many memories! My hometown!
Thank you just found your channel. Tazewell is home always even though I’ve not been there in a few years. Thanks again much love from the Philippines 🇵🇭
Wow, you’re a long ways away. Hope things are good for you in the Philippines
Love your videos.. I use too work at that long johns silvers across from the Hardess.. 1979 etc.. Have a great day.. Take care. God bless you and family... stitch
I really enjoyed your trip through Tazewell . Very interesting to see a small Appalachia town . Both of you make such a great team together and just like a great entertaining duo
you bounce off each other which makes it so laid back and entertaining.
Looking forward to your next trip .
Greetings from Derbyshire , England .
Blessing to you in the UK, John, thanks for the awesome comment
I was born and raised in Tazewell. This is my home. My grandfather, Beverly Smith worked as a Supervisor at the old Acme warehouse in North Tazewell. I remember the Cardinal Bowling alley in North Tazewell as well. The theater up town and Jeff Ward's Clothing store, Ben Franklin, Western Auto. Tazewell was so beautiful and peaceful then. Friday Night Lights, when them Bulldogs was the real deal. Tazewell is my home. My parents are still living and I make it home at least once a month. I love Tazewell and my Shakerag heritage....
That’s awesome
My family knew Bev. He was friends with and worked with my grandfather, Bill Osborne.
@@aprilweaver227 yes, I remember Mr. Osborne. Small world. I miss Tazewell at times....miss my grandfather as well.
Driving along with you guys makes me homesick for places I've never even been. I love a small town.
That was a school just before Main St. I went to JR High there, my mother went to elementary there and her mother went there when it was a high school in the forties.
Love this ride along! You guys are SOOOO much fun! Just like I’m sitting in the back seat! Your banter is excellent!!!! Thank you, Shane and Melody! Beautiful country! Did I see water standing in ditches when you first got to Tazewell? It’s dry as a desert in Oklahoma!!!! 🧡😊✌️
Thanks for riding along, we’ve had an unseasonably wet summer so far
The Sheriff's Department headquarters was indeed the former Tazewell High until the current building on Cosby Drive was built in 1953. It became the Junior High building until the current Middle school was built in the late 1970s. My sister's senior class was the inaugural 6th grade class. Mr. Jim Higginbotham was the town's first Black chief of police. His wife Mallie was the only Black cafeteria worker in Tazewell County Public Schools. Billy Wagner was a classmate of mine before he made it big in baseball. Lucian Peery was my in car Driver's Education teacher. He was one of the first Blacks to integrate Tazewell High School, where I now work as a custodian. I've known his daughters all my life.
Ellen Elmes was an art teacher of mine at Southwest VA Community College.
I remember when Grants supermarket was ACME and, the current Dollar General was A-Mart. The part of the former Tazewell Mall you pulled up to was where Deskins supermarket was and later Save a Lot. I remember when Magic Mart was Heck's. The former Coal Bucket Deli is now Fiesta Jalisco. ACME and A-Mart were stores from my early childhood and they were in business many many years.
The former Tazewell Cinema 3, later called Climbing Tree House theater, was opened in the late 1970s, replacing the old Clinch theater on Main Street. The first film I saw there was the Muppet Movie. The Clinch today is the fellowship hall of Main Street UMC, which y'all drove past turning on Main Street. The court house is the same as it was when I was a child (I'm 51 years old) but that massive regional jail expansion is fairly new construction. It wasnt that big when I was growing up.
That KFC/Pizza Hut is commonly called the CluckNHut. Blacksburg (not to be confused with Blacksburg VA) is the name of the historically Black North Tazewell community across the tracks down the hill below Farm Bureau. The old Deskins grocery warehouse back in the 60s was Cardinal Lanes, a bowling alley. Lots of history in my hometown and Shake Rag community. Especially with the presence of two of the oldest churches in town, the Midway Church of Christ and First Baptist Church Carline. My friend Cicero and his brother Calvin pastor at a fairly new ministry they planted called the Shake Rag Church of Jesus Christ.
Tazewell is a big town??😂😂😂
You should get out more.
Go to the Tri-Cities or Roanoke. Those are big towns.
My Dad grew up in Tazewell. Family names are Kirby, Repass and Bowling. He had said that he had known Jimmy Dudley.
Mrs turner owned riverside fashion
Don't forget my home home Speedwell Tennessee. Love this
Many fun times in Tazewell
Wonderful as always guys. I live in neighboring mercer county wv and have been to Tazewell many times. Love what you guys do
Enjoyed this! Tazewell county is very beautiful! The view from the baseball fields was awesome! Thanks guys! Stay safe and God bless...🙏❤
Thank you! It is very beautiful! - Melody
Memories, sweetened through the ages just like wine! You two are awesome!
Bless you
As always I'm behind so I just watched this video. Melody I wanted to tell you the sheriff's department building.... I went to Tazewell Jr high there in 1978. And the building you talked about the haunted house used to be the Peery funeral home. Just a couple things I remembered!
Very cool! Thanks for sharing! - Melody
One of my favorite places on the planet ☮️
Frog Level Service Station was owned and ran by my grandfather T.E. Bowling Jr. and his father before him. Thanks for showing that, I miss sitting on those bar stools and listening to all the old men talk, especially my grandfather.
Fantastic video! I have ancestral roots in Tazewell, and it is interesting to be able to "explore" in this way. Hopefully, someday, I will be able to get there and take in its history.
Love it, thanks for the share!
Yes, the Sheriff's department used to be the old junior high but it first was the high school if I am not mistaken.
It was an elementary school also because I went goin the third
Another good historical ride. Love the road trips you do!
Thanks so much, we appreciate you
@@realappalachia well thanks and I appreciate you both!
Ms. Taylor was the owner of Riverside Fashion. Melody you are correct, that was the Tazewell Middle School off of MaIn Street.
This was a nice tour you took me on. By the way, Betony Vernon is one of my 3 sisters ~ all 4 of us grew up in Tazewell before moving on~
Your video about Matoaka caught my eye because my mom lived there until she was a teen and they moved to Spanishburg. Then I just watched a bunch of your others (I've lived in NC and TN so I know a lot of the places you've been to) until I saw this one. I live down Gratton and it was a bit surreal to see my town on video. Loved it!!!!
That’s really awesome, glad you like the videos.
l love all these videos!! l am from Richlands, Virginia and my best memories were made there. Thanks
Thanks so much, I’m from Richlands too so hoping to get that video done soon
@@realappalachia I really enjoy seeing these small towns that built America. But for the life of me don't understand why no more people don't fly their state flag. Think I've only seen one of the Virginia state flags in all the videos posted.
As a adult I delivered Coca Cola in Tazewell in the early 80s and linen for National Linen and Alsco in Tazewell, which was part of my route from 1992 to 2020. I had many wonderful customers there who became friends as well!
Thanks Captain Riverjack and 1st mate, well done and fun video as always.
Thank you our friend! - Melody
Really enjoyed this Video and the earlier one on Saltville. I am taking a solo 5 day motorcycle tour through the western part of Virginia in a couple of weeks and these are towns I am going to visit. Also visiting Haysi,Elk Horn City, Damascus and a bunch others. Thanks for the content!
Hello!!
The videos you make are very interesting. I'm from Brazil and I really like the videos produced from other countries, especially the places that are unfortunately abandoned and left to rot. It is very sad to see historic buildings being left behind. I would like you to make a video about the city of Jackson, in kentucky. Even though I've never been there, I like the city and admire it. A movie was made in this city in 1997 with Stevem Seagal ``Fire Down Below`` Some scenes were made in downtown Jackson, and you can see some buildings that no longer exist. Do you remember this movie? Hug from Renato, here in Brazil!
Renato, thanks for the comment. I was just working on a travel plan for us and Jackson is on it but it’s about as far away from us as we travel so it might be awhile. Very much remember the Fire Down Below movie and I’m pretty sure a tiny bit of it was filmed in Jenkins, KY too and I did a video from there
@@realappalachia Okay, very good, thanks for the feedback! I'll be following your videos, I really like these videos, because we can learn a little more about cities we don't know. very grateful friend
@@renatoschneider7145 thanks and welcome to the family
Another cool video... we got family over tbere on my dads side and they are Brewster i wounder if im kin to them id love to knkw more about that side of the family.
Another wonderful history lesson from you two about these Appalachian towns. The history is just as signifiying as the the beauty here in this part of Virginia. Thanks so much for your time and effort to do your videos.
Thank you! We appreciate that so much! - Melody
The two story house on main street that you mentioned that was used as a haunted house actually was a funeral home back in the day.I believe it had been Peery and St.Clair.
I thought it was Greever's funeral home....lol.
Nope it was Peery ,I attended a funeral there.
I guess it could have been Greever before that?I was a young girl when I was there.
@@teresadalton4945 it probably was Perry now to think of it. I think Greever was out on Fincastle in the big red house not far from Judge Wade Coats house....man that was years ago.
Yea Greever was big brick with white porch columns.I dont know if they had always been at that location though.
Loved this gorgeous town.we are looking to retire and i watch all your videos just to see what would be a nice peaceful place. Think i may have found it.You two are so great together and so informative.
Thank you, Polly!! Best wishes to you in your retirement! - Melody
Thanks!
thank you so much, Fawnetta, we really appreciate the donation
We have a Shake Rag in the flatwoods of Tennessee known for bluegrass jams.
Very interesting place, Thank you for sharing
That’s my hometown! 💕
I really enjoy watching your videos best thing you could have done was include melody in them with you you guys make a great couple love rural places and learning the history behind them.. Kathryn Harold is a exceptional looking lady and was a great actress!
Thank you, Tyrelle
Thanks again for the video, I was born in Richland's VA "Tazewell Co "VA. Stay safe happy and healthy! ✌🏼
I was born in Richlands too, good to hear from you
@@realappalachia🤯 Wow! I've never come across anyone else born in Richlands, I think the hospital I was born in has been long gone! Correct me if I'm wrong "Mattie Williams Hospital" . Well it's nice to come across someone else that was born there! Thanks for the reply and thanks for bringing recognition to these lil hollers!! Stay happy healthy and safe! Linda CT✌️
@@eurasianhillbilly5513 yes, the Mattie Williams was torn down and replaced with a new town office buildings. Glad to hear from you and hope you’re well too.
Pretty clouds
The owner of Riverside Fashions was Ms. Turner.
Yes!! Thank you!!
Louella Turner
I really enjoyed this video in between smiles and tear’s, I could feel myself riding along and having so many memories my first date was at the movie theater also and dinner was at Long John Silver’s sadly gone now and my prom dress came from riverside drive. I could have kept on watching this video since it has been 10 years since I’ve been home. So many memories ❤️Miss the Snappys hotdog’s and Buds chicken ❤️thanks for this video ❤️
That’s awesome, Tammy
new zealand fan here.great stuff.
Thanks so much, Ken
Me and my wife like to get out and go places like that to see all the different places thanks for sharing your adventures. I lol we yall was talking about Mc Donald's ice cream maker not working I live in stokes County nc went to Mr Donald's a few weeks ago to get ice cream there's was broke pulled over to burger King they had ice cream no cones lol I told my wive we could get a cone from Mc Donald's and take it back to buger King. Happy trails
That’s a really great idea on the 2 ice cream stops! Haha! Thank you! - Melody
I LOVED THE TAZEWELL VA VIDEO KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK
Nice looking and interesting town.
Saw Rambo II First Blood at that theater
Lincolnshire lake?…pond 🤔Used to have the highest density of bluegill in Virginia 😝
Neat community.enjoyed.👍✅💗❤️
You stopped by the theater, and discussed it briefly. I also remember seeing movies there, and it's a shame that it is no longer in operation. There was a drive-in theater in Tazewell, on, or approximately on the site of the Food Lion grocery store you passed. I think its name was the Sunset Drive-in, but it was already closed when I remember seeing it.
If you do go back to Tazewell, please stop at Beyond Video, which is between Pizza Hut and the Lincolnshire Park. It is a movie rental store that is still in operation as far as I am aware. So it has managed to survive longer than nearly every single video rental chain in the United States.
That’s awesome, was not aware of that
We need more life down here. It's so gorgeous.
My 4th gr grandmother was from Tazewell. Her last name was Wadkins.
I think you said the population of Tazewell is 4486. That's about the same is this township I live in, here in NJ. Hey, Fincastle! I was there on our big trip in 2012. We stopped at a cemetery to look at a big tree, and I got pictures of other stuff while we were there. Hey, you talked about gardening. That's what I do for a living, or I did, till my position was eliminated. 😡I was in charge of the grounds of a resort hotel. I had a crew of 3 to 4 that did the work. I always love the murals. Every time I see one I get pictures of it. I loved that Pisgah church. I think Pisgah was a mountain mentioned in the Bible, but I don't remember the story now.
I love the murals too! Hey if you weren’t in NJ I’d have to hire you for my landscaping haha! - Melody
Wonderful video! You all do such a wonderful job! Thank you!
Thank you so much
I truly need my traveling history teachers, Miss Melody made me laugh out loud when she said she rather a toddler paint a room , than Shane. thank ya'll for taking me were I have never been. love ya'll
Thanks, Mike!! ❤️
Shane, going down the Main Street in Tazewell, what is the name of the huge pyramid like mountain in the middle of the background? Love your videos!
I don't know the name of it either; but I moved to Tazewell during my 5th grade year and saw it going home on the school bus daily. I always thought it looked like a volcano. 😁
Ugh, for the life of me it escapes me and I know it as well as I know my own name usually
That is called "Deskin's Mountain" I'm not aware of how it got the name I just know the name.
@@nunyun1346 yes, that’s it.
My grandfather and great grandfather use to drive the street car
My ancestors are from Tazewell Va. I will have to visit someday, any Turner/Sparks still around?
I knew several people with both those last names so, yes, quite a few
@@realappalachia thanks
My dad’s hometown.
Y’all need to dry dry fork it is in north tazewell right at the train station you were at it is a hauler and it os beautiful I have a family cemetery
It’s been a long time since I’ve been through dry fork, would love to see it again
Great job guys!
Thanks so much, Andrew
Mrs. Turner was Riverside Fashion owner.
Yes yes yes…thank you 🙏
It would be neat if you would check out West Jefferson in Ashe County in NC.
That would be great! That’s the area my family come from so we will definitely check it out sometime! Thanks! - Melody
I actually helped with that mural on Main Street I was in the 5th grade and I drew a frieght train but they did not use it but I did draw some of the other things on there
@@verreal yeah
Awesome! That would always be something to be proud of! It’s a great mural! - Melody
Worked at RC's one summer
It isn’t much but you should do a video about Council ,VA we are proud about our park.
It’s on the list! I’m from Honaker so I wouldn’t forget about Council! - Melody
Had my hair cut at Snappy's barber shop. It cost "2 rusty ones"