Skip to Main Content

Hillsville Remembered: Public Memory, Historical Silence, and Appalachia's Most Notorious Shoot-Out

Online ISBN:
9780813197364
Print ISBN:
9780813197227
Publisher:
University Press of Kentucky
Book

Hillsville Remembered: Public Memory, Historical Silence, and Appalachia's Most Notorious Shoot-Out

Travis A. Rountree
Travis A. Rountree
Western Carolina University
Find on
Published online:
21 September 2023
Published in print:
11 April 2023
Online ISBN:
9780813197364
Print ISBN:
9780813197227
Publisher:
University Press of Kentucky

Abstract

On March 14, 1912, Hillsville, Virginia, native Floyd Allen (1856–1913) was convicted of three criminal charges: assault, maiming, and the rescue of prisoners in custody. What had begun as a scuffle between Allen's nephews over a young woman ended with him being charged as the guilty party after he allegedly hit a deputy in the head with a pistol. When the jury returned with the verdict, Allen stood up and announced, "Gentleman, I ain't a-goin." A gunfight ensued in the crowded courtroom that killed five people and wounded seven others. The state of Virginia put Floyd and Claude Allen to death by electrocution the following spring. More than a century later, the event continues to impact the citizens and communities of the area as local newspapers recirculate the sordid story and give credence to annual public reenactments that continue to negatively impact the national perception of the region. In this first book-length scholarly review of the Hillsville shoot-out, author Travis A. Rountree examines various media written about and inspired by the event and explains how the incident reinforced the nation's conception of Appalachia through depictions of this sensational moment in history. In all, this book provides an extensive analysis of this historic conflict and reveals a new understanding of the shaping of memories and stories from the event.

Contents
Close
This Feature Is Available To Subscribers Only

Sign In or Create an Account

Close

This PDF is available to Subscribers Only

View Article Abstract & Purchase Options

For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or purchase an annual subscription.

Close