Marshall, NC. The town that Hurricane Helene almost washed away - FOA Ep. 30

Marshall, a small mountain town in Madison County, North Carolina, sits on a small strip of land between a steep mountain and the French Broad River. Over the past six months we have been visiting and filming there for an episode we had planned about the town. Over the past few years, the town had gone through somewhat of a Renaissance with new businesses and craft studios opening there. In one day, that was all washed away. On Friday, September 27, 2024, Hurricane Helene hit western North Carolina dumping over two feet of rain on some parts of the mountains. Debris-filled water hit the south end of Marshall, knocking down almost every building. Storefront businesses in town were ruined with over six feet of water on their main floors. In this episode we talk with my longtime friend, Josh Copus, who runs the Old Marshall Jail Hotel and Zadie’s Restaurant, about his first-hand experience being there during the storm. He was in town that Friday morning preparing for the flooding. By 9:30 the water was over the railroad tracks next to his business and by noon there was a river flowing down Main Street. The water continued to rise before cresting at 27 feet, surpassing the levels of the historic 1916 flood, which has always been the benchmark to compare flooding in our area. By Saturday afternoon the water had gone down enough for folks to get into town to survey the damage, and on Sunday the cleanup effort began, even before the waters had fully receded from the streets. We also take a look at what Marshall looked like before the storm, for those who have not had a chance to visit this unique mountain town. If you're passionate about Appalachian history, farm life, small-town nursing, and the deep-rooted values of community and service, this episode is a must-watch! If you’d like to help us produce more episodes about Appalachian life, you can support our efforts through our GoFundMe page. With your contribution, we can continue preserving this fading way of life. Every donation makes a difference. Please visit our GoFundMe and help us keep Appalachian history alive for generations to come (https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-FOA). You can also contribute directly to our channel through YouTube using Super Thanks. 📌GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-FOA 👍 Like, Comment & Subscribe for more stories from the heart of Western North Carolina and beyond! See our Hurricane Helene Playlist for more videos. 🔔 Turn on notifications to never miss an episode! 📌Be sure to check out Tim Barnwell's books on our websites: ✅The Face of Appalachia: Portraits from the Mountain Farm ✅On Earth's Furrowed Brow: The Appalachia Farm in Photographs ✅Hands in Harmony: Traditional Crafts and Music in Appalachia ✅Blue Ridge Parkway Vistas (guidebook) ✅Great Smoky Mountains Vistas (guidebook) ✅Tide Runners: Shrimping and Fishing on the Carolinas and Georgia Coast ✅Faces & Places of Cashiers Valley ✅Jewels of the Southern Coast: Architectural Gems of Charleston, Savannah and Beyond 📌 Follow us for more: 🌐 Websites: https://www.barnwellphoto.com and https://thefaceofappalachia.com 📷 Instagram:   / timbarnwellphotography   👍 Facebook:   / tim-barnwell-photography-100063064160549   LINKS: Barnwell Photography/books: https://www.barnwellphoto.com/ https://thefaceofappalachia.com/ How to help Marshall: https://www.helpmarshall.org/ Old Marshall Jail Hotel/Josh Copus: https://oldmarshalljail.com/ LCD aerial photography: www.facebook.com/LCDdronephotos #oldmarshalljail #helpmarshall.org #madisoncountync #joshcopus #timbarnwellphotography #thefaceofappalachia