Josh Birnbaum : Photojournalist

Down in the Holler

In between the forested hills and mountains of Appalachia are geographical features called “hollows,” literally gently sloped valleys between elevated areas. These hollows, or “hollers” as they are popularly known, were a natural place for settlers to make roads and build homes: they provided protection, they were near the mountains, and perhaps most importantly, they were tucked away from view.

Today, these hollers still provide a home to many people in the Appalachian region; families and individuals maintain their lives in these little enclaves. Typically, hollers have been very closed off to outsiders. Many people who live there want to get away from society and its constraints. They don’t want to be bothered by anyone for any reason.

Overall, the people in hollers are genuine, good people. They work hard, they value family and friends, and they cherish a simple existence. Working on cars, hunting animals, shooting guns, riding four wheelers, smoking, and drinking beer and Mountain Dew are all pastimes of holler residents. Despite the withdrawn nature of these areas, holler dwellers form a community of their own—away from the mainstream communities of modern society.

See the photo essay in Gallery 1, Gallery 2, and Gallery 3