Dorson described Appalachia as "folklore's natural habitat.

"  What did he mean by this?

Provide examples from the folk culture of the region.
Appalachia: Folklore’s Natural Habitat
Dorson described Appalachia as the natural habitat for folklore, as many see the region
as secluded, separated from the rest of the United States, allowing to preserve the traditional
way of living. Many consider Appalachia untouched by outside influence, meaning that the
local culture could remain and flourish even during modern times.
Folkishness survived modernity in the closely tied communities of the Appalachians:
for example, biblical methods in agriculture were still in practice in the 20 th century. The
region is viewed as more rustic as the rest of the United States; folkish beliefs like omens or
superstitions had a better chance of resisting changes and development there.
An interesting example of the region’s unique folklore is the Bell witch, haunting the
family of John Bell in Tennessee. According to the story, the witch identified herself as a late
local woman called Kate, who started tormenting the children in the house with the goal of
eventually killing John Bell. The Bell house became a sort of a pilgrimage site after Bell
reluctantly shared his story within his community, causing locals to visit; it is said that even
Andrew Jackson visited or at least tried to go and see the supernatural phenomena himself.
The witch is claimed to finally poison John Bell after 20 years of haunting. Her legend is an
interesting element of folklore in the light of growing modernity in the United States; the
story mirrors the regions resilience against the newer eras.
Another well-known example would be the Judaculla Rock, which was originally an
element of Cherokee folklore, however, it got incorporated in the dominant (European)
culture in the region. As a result, the story started being associated with the devil and became
a way of vilifying the Native Americans. The Judaculla Rock is a large, carved piece of rock,
which was marked by a giant living in the region, leaving a handprint of seven fingers.
According to Cherokee belief, the giant named Judaculla guarded the hunting territories, and
human activity started interfering with his work. However, European settlers believed that
Judaculla’s Cave was the devil’s courtroom, thus making the Cherokee legend associated with
evil and malice.
Appalachia is a region where folklore and folkish lifestyle could thrive even in modern
and faster developing times. There is a pattern of European settlers vilifying Native cultures
while incorporating the elements of their folklore. Appalachia remained resilient in the face of
modernity, maintaining a rich rustic culture of biblical practices, omens, signs, and
superstitions.