315 Return to Thunder Road, The Story Behind the Legend
History | Available (Membership Required)
Hear the real-life story of moonshining as a way of life in the southern Appalachians. This is the story of backwoods survival the way it was taught for generations, handed down from father to son. In this class you will ride with the moonshiners as they tell their stories from corn mash to carloads of “mountain dew.” You will hear about the U.S. Treasury Agents who were sent to stop them. This class will reveal how making whiskey grew from “nuthin’ to do but hoe corn and make moonshine” to a massive effort to shut down the multi-million-dollar trade with a manhunt that put most moonshiners out of business, and many behind bars.
Alex Gabbard
Alex Gabbard went off to college to study mechanical engineering and was drafted into the Vietnam conflict. After returning to college, he studied atomic physics and had a career doing research in civilian applications of energy at ORNL. He is now retired and enjoys restoring old cars and writing. He has written many books about his interests and has published 37 books.