
Hosted by Steve Gilly, Rod Mullins · EN

Nannie Kelly Wright ran an iron furnace at a time when most women weren’t even allowed near one. Born in Kentucky, raised on the Ohio River, and later married into the iron industry, Nannie became one of the few women in American history to manage a furnace operation herself — traveling weekly, overseeing workers, and building a fortune.Once rumored to be the richest woman in the world after Queen Victoria, she was also presented at the Court of St. James, backed Teddy Roosevelt’s trust-busting policies, and made headlines with a divorce scandal where her husband asked for alimony.Join us as we tell the story of Nannie Kelly Wright, Appalachia’s Iron Lady.

Alexander Arthur was born in Scotland and settled in America, where he saw the potential of timber, iron ore, and coal, all in abundant supply in Appalachia. And he was determined to build his empire in these mountains with the founding of Middlesboro, Kentucky, and Harrogate, Tennessee, to house those who ran his iron ore […]

Hello folks! This week on the podcast, Rod and Steve tell the story of how a Corbin, Kentucky, gas station operator ended up cornering the market for gasoline in Corbin in a gun battle with his competitor, also launching his in-station restaurant, which became one of the most successful fast food franchises on the planet. […]