"The town charter may be gone, but the legends of the 115 acres live on."
In the heart of the Virginia coalfields, the town of St. Charles was more than just a spot on a map-it was a place where the grit of the mines met the magic of the silver screen. For a generation of families in the "115 acres," the heroes of the Old West weren't just characters in a story; they were the teachers of a moral code.
In The Saddle and the Screen, Jerry Buchanan takes readers on a nostalgic journey through the golden age of Westerns. From the sticky floors and popcorn scent of the Virginian Theater to the quiet Sunday nights gathered around the first black-and-white television sets, this book explores the "rituals" that shaped a community.
Inside this collection of history and memory, you'll find:
- The In-Person Legends: What happened when the stars of the screen actually rode into town.
- The Radio Rhythms: The crackling airwaves that brought the Lone Ranger's "Hi-Yo, Silver!" into mountain living rooms.
- The TV Rituals: A deep dive into the icons of the era-from the restless spirit of Johnny Yuma and the cool precision of Josh Randall to the unwavering justice of Matt Dillon and the family bond of the Ponderosa.
- A Local Legacy: Rare photos and stories from St. Charles and the surrounding coal camps that haven't been shared in decades.
Part personal memoir and part cultural history, The Saddle and the Screen is a tribute to a vanished era of storytelling and the enduring spirit of the people who called the coalfields home.
Dust off your hat, take your seat in the front row, and prepare to ride back to the 115 acres.
Buchanan, Jerry: -
Jerry Buchanan is a writer, historian, and storyteller dedicated to preserving the "whispers" of Southwest Virginia. Through his popular blog and deep-rooted curiosity, he has become a leading voice in documenting the architectural and cultural evolution of Lee County.
Jerry's work is defined by "boots-on-the-ground" research, moving beyond the archives to walk the same trails, touch the same brickwork, and photograph the same ridges that he writes about. His mission is to ensure that the legacy of the pioneers, the titans of industry, and the modern-day preservationists who shaped the "Air-Lock of the West" are never forgotten.
When he isn't exploring the backroads from Benedict to the Gap, Jerry can be found sharing his discoveries with a growing community of history enthusiasts who believe, as he does, that we are all walking on an epic story.
