Appalachia’s Storyteller: How Stupidville Tennessee Got Its Name  

All I wanted to do as a child was leave East TN because people believe we're all backwards here. As a 35 year old man, there is no other place I'd rather be. I love our history here. Cherish it before it's washed away.

I’m so pleased to find this video! Plenty of people have thought me to be a liar when I told them that my dad took us to Stupidville many years ago. I couldn’t remember where it was and my dad has passed away. Now I’m planning a return trip soon!! Great video!!

lol Stupidville is alive and well all across this great country.

❤ Gotta admit, I wasn't born and raised in Appalachia, but I love these old mountains of ours! Thank you for these wonderful stories!

This is a great story. I really enjoyed it. You have to enjoy the names of towns that can make you laugh. There's a town in Missouri called Uranus. And they're known for their fudge.

I’ve always been proud of my hillbilly heritage. I may have a new favorite channel.

That's crazy I've lived in Wartburg My entire life and never heard of this. I just wish I would have loved local history when I was young as much as I do now. Great video!

My current residence, in downtown Ballard's Branch, Va. is not on current maps. In fact, I was not even aware of it's name when I moved here, 19 years ago. I was enamoured by the water branch that runs behind where I live. Researched 3 years before I found records. Then, BLAM!!, it hit me!! Me, and wife were friends with g-g-grand-daughter of original settlers in 1970's. Her gggparents had settled @ the mouth of Ballard's Branch( a natural spring). Of course, their name was Ballard. They settled circa 1751-53, and named it Ballard's Branch. It was over-looked by county records after 1940's and became an over-the-hill-and-out-of-sight-pass-right-by location outside an ambitious local city. Now, we just smile, and wave to passers-by, who are oblivious to history.

The picture of the couple hoeing their large garden brings to my mind my grandparents. They lived in Cedar Vale, Kansas. They lived in a small house, much as shown here, with a large garden across from it. I will always treasure them and my solo summer extended rimes there. No siblings, but lots of cousins coming by to play with. Most treasured times spent almost ne with Grandma and Poppy. As you can guess, you really brought memories galore flooding back. Thank you

That's so funny 🤣 One time when I was real little, I'd heard of so many weird named towns that it became kinda normal to me. Daddy was taking the whole family on a long trip to grandma's house in Tennessee. I was about 4 or 5 yrs old. I overheard daddy telling mommy he had to go to "leak"..obviously I thought it was another town. I cried out.."Daddy I don't want to go to "Leak", I wanna go to grandma's house! Daddy looked at mommy and said, "Listen to that silly child!" Both of them laughing their heads off. What was a child supposed to think? Lol 🤣

I’ve lived in Morgan County almost my entire life and never heard of Stupidville or Nosey Valley! Thanks for the information.

I love Tennessee! Long live southern hospitality!

The History Museum in Wartburg sells Stupidville signs! The museum is open on the weekends from 11 am - 3 pm. It’s located across from the courthouse.

I remember seeing the sign on a family trip in the 60's...good story! 👍👍

Great story,makes makes me want to go for a drive and find these places

Always love hearing these story

There is always a great story behind an "unusual" name. Thanks for the smile.

Just found the channel Definitely binging. AWESOME narrator!!! AWESOME stories!!! Id love for them to be longer. Looking forward to more 😊

Ironically, Stupidville was the alternate name for Washington DC. 😆 The bit at the end reminds me of Paul Harvey ending his radio segments with, "And that's the rest of the story." 🙂

Born raised east tennessee great place

Hahaha! Oh what an awesome story!! It may be called “Stupidville”, but there’s nothing stupid about the folks that live there!! Thanks JD for sharing this with us! It sure made my day!! Blessings always my friend! ❤️✝️😊

The world LOVES APPALACHIA. It’s Beauty is incomparably. But it truly is backwards in so many ways. Time does seem to stand still there. For many areas

I like the name Stinking Creek, as well!

I liked it. Very informative. Also hilarious. He showed them.

I Love Ducktown. Its right down from Turtletown. I used to deliver feed and fertilizer there. The whole area is nice.

My hometowns name is "Gruetli-Laager" here in Grundy county TN, and I love this mountain. Wouldn't live anywhere else.

What fun. It's important to keep these stories alive.

Luv it , reminds me of back in arkansas thnx JD I’m still catching up up on those vids absolutely enjoy them

That was quite interesting 🤔 👍👍 I love reading about the real history in our country. Thank you JD !

Thanks for answering that question. It has been nagging many of us folks for decades.

Help support the preservation of Appalachian history by Subscribing to this channel. Support this channel by clicking the "Thanks" Heart above or by visiting www.theappalachianstoryteller.com Follow me on Facebook facebook.com/theappalachianstoryteller

Been wanting to stop by and check out the channel for a little while now, and probably subscribe. Well, today was the day.

Another fantastic and interesting story sir. It really don't git no better than learning the obscure history of the state where I was born and raised. Thanky once again for sharing!

What a beautiful story thank you so much for sharing...have a great day ..

I enjoyed the history story of stupidville and nosey valley,simple and interesting definitely put on the map!!!!!!!!!

Awesome! Enjoyed the story! I’m new to your channel, and I love history and anything to do with Tennessee, I hope to live there someday as we live in South Carolina now!! GOD Bless Ya!!

I enjoyed this one to Storyteller I’ve been subbed to your channel for quite awhile now to. Great stories thanks for sharing them with us GOD BLESS see y’all on the next one Amen 🙏

Have enjoyed these story tellings. I also love my hobby. Often in my travels I visit many unincorporated villages to take pictures. One place I came across while visiting my daughter was a town called “ Gas Kansas “. I just laughed. What a name! 😮😊

Don't forget Frog Jump, Blue Goose, and Right! ( Right on!)

I grew up near there. Back in the day we use to say we lived between stupidville and nosey valley.

I lived in Sunbright Tn. some years ago and went to Wartburg to do my shopping. This is the first time I've ever heard this story. Wish I had known back then.

Love this! I love how you tell a story and am now a new subscriber! I look forward to watching more videos!

Hey, J. D.💞☘️. Ohmygoodness I remember these two towns 🤣😂. Saw the signs many times! Never knew the stories, so thank you so much for sharing this! My mama and most of her siblings were born at Annadel.

A good and interesting video. Thank ya much!

I left crazy California 16 years ago and moved to Tennessee. My Mom was born and raised here. I love Tennessee. The only thing I would change is some people treat their pets like garbage.

I’ve never seen the Emory River that flooded. That’s incredible

I never heard this before, well told story, I would love to find that sign that says Stupidville.

This has to be my favorite story of all time. Thank you.

Great story. Love the music in this video especially at the end. Wondering where I can get that kind of music. Reminds me when we visited Gatlinberg we sat outside of some stores and there was a folk music band playing on a small stage in the walkway.

I've never been to any of those places, but I have visited Bucksnort Tennessee on occasion.

Love it! We all just watched this on the big screen

OMG I love this so so much!❤😂😂

I recognized the drone clip from Nemo immediately. Nice video.

So happy I found your channel! I’m loving all your videos! 🥰🥰

Interesting indeed I've never heard of stupidville tn.. Now I am fixing to go Google it since I'm from East Tennessee

Do one on "Prices Switched"! This inquiring minds wants to know! 😁

These are brilliant self-effacing names. If anyone makes an incorrect assumption about these towns or their inhabitants, most likely it is an underestimation of their greatness. Good stuff this

I from; & live in, Anderson County TN, and have been to Wartburg, & every where else in Morgan County, a gazillion times and I don’t recall ever hearing about Stupidville. I’m going to have to go to the Wartburg Museum I’m sure they have something about it there.

That's incredible.

I'm from Oliver springs. Just down the road a piece from Wartburg (Stupidville) and I've never heard this story! My family have called this area (Wartburg, Coalfield,Petros) home for generations and never knew this 🤷😆👏

In middle Tennessee we have these communities. Goose Pond, fudge around, Natt hill, the barns. Hanging limb, shaboggie lot as other. 😂😂

Love this channel and really enjoy the history that's told.

Love history ❤❤

Well fixing to share this video with friends and family

Man I love this channel. It'll go far you just watch.

Lol there are some funny names here in the Appalachians. I am proud to be a hillbilly. I learned to play the fiddle at 13 and the kids in highschool in the 80s thought that Country and especially bluegrass was as corny and as nerdy as you could get. They didn't want to have any connection to that stereotype of being like the characters on Hee Haw. My granny was bed ridden most of the time she was in my life. She was from over in Rhea County Tennessee and was a young girl in the early 1900s. Granny was a beautiful woman in her day. She had a high voice and sang some of the most haunting melodies. She told me about two families back when she was a little girl that was feuding like the Hatfield's and McCoys. I ask her about when she was a young woman did she have a lot of suiters. She told me that when she came to town she'd ride her horse there side saddled for all the boys to see her. She said she'd walk through the streets of downtown and stop to check her reflection in the store windows. Shed turn her head to one side .then to the other To check out which side was the prettiest. I remember one time my grandpas dog kept running through grannies kitchen while she cooked. She got tired of it and told my grandpa that she was going to kill that dog if it didn't quit running through the house and snatching her biscuits. Grandpa replied. "Well..Tippy Toe..Tippy Tat..You kill my dog and I'll kill your cat ..One of the funny names up on the mountain is a "Thumping Dick Holler." I cant imagine how that one got its name

Tge river in the beginning Nemo i was here 2 days ago swimming with my wife and kids its just a couple miles from our house as well as many other great places we go to regularly. Gotta love having a nice cold place to swim and relax on these mid to high 90° days

There is a town called, "Hell", up in Michigan. One spin on how it got its name is that town folks asked a stranger passing through for a name suggestion. "You can call in Hell for all I care.", and they did. Now your story is good clean history. Hell, Michigan folks think it's funny to make light of a town named from a cuss word and all the things said to go with Hell. Sad that a place of eternal torment is a joke to many.

Such an enjoyable story. Saddened to hear that it took a divorce for the event to take place, but still an interesting story none the less. I especially liked the fact that Mr. Biggs's son took over as mayor. Thank you for sharing!

Ha ha. Love this one!

That's just hilarious 😆 it blows my mind with some of the names they come up.with for places. I'm my little town in western NC, Robbinsville, we have one road named "Don't know" and another one named "No name"!! 🤣🤣 I still.crack up every time I see those rd signs 🤣🤣 maybe it's a hillbilly thing 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️

Interesting history, give me more

Wherever you live, locate an old plat map or topography map from a hundred years ago. You will find many small unincorporated little bergs listed.

There's a village called Dum Dum in NSW Australia.

funny😆...i am a Bingham.. our family comes from Stinking creek and Barbourville Kentucky...nice to see the stuff about the Appalachians

Awesome.

My great grandparents had a store in Wartburge as well. Good video!

My dad had me and my brother pose in front of a sign so Mom could get a picture, laughing the whole time. Only after running back to the car did I notice what the sign said! The picture has long been lost and no one quite believed me. For years I searched for proof only to discover. I thought it was in Kentucky! Thanks for the fun video.

5:20. Mr. and Mr. Briggs got a divorce. Excellent video despite a tiny misspoken sentence. Thank you for posting

What a great story 🥰❤️

WOW! Just wow...

Don't surprise me one bit. Been all over Ducktown, Turtletown and Copper Hill and Farner. Good folks there. Thanks!

Great story

AWESOME

That’s is a great story thank you for sharing it ❤

Now I want to live in Stupidville.

Thanks for the great story!!

Nice drone work.

I'm imagining cop cars saying stupidville police. 😂😂🤣🤣

Simply outstanding 😊

I really enjoyed this. Great

Pretty cool story. One could even say that the separation between Mr Briggs and his wife could have been planned. Although I'm not exactly sure. But the results worked in Mr Briggs favor. And it would appear his legacy lived on and stupidville as his son later became the mayor of that Village. What a wonderful story.

Incredible

Oh noooo Stupidville!!!! Unbelievable But I love 💘 it !!!

I just love this!

Excellent, try looking up some names in Newfoundland, very weird. ❤🍁👏✨️🙏

His wife put a sign in his yard And he turned it into a fortune. Legend

Wasted away again in west stupidville. Searching for my lost shaker antiques Some people claim there’s a politician to blame But I know, it’s my own damn fault 🎶 🎼

This is amazing! I’ve lived in East Tennessee for 30 years, but I’ve never heard of Stupidville. Great video! I’ll have to check out your others. 😄 (P.S. Subscribed!)

Very well crafted story.