"It'll Tickle Your Innards!" A (Hillbilly) History of Mountain DewExplore this wonderfully unique history all semester long through the East Tennessee Historical Society's traveling exhibit "A (Hillbilly) History of Mountain Dew" which traces the beverage from its beginnings in Knoxville to its peak of popularity.
Did you know that the first version of the soft drink Mountain Dew originated right here in Knoxville as a mixer for bourbon and was bottled at a plant on Magnolia Avenue? And that the current neon green elixir was formulated in the Appalachian hills of Marion, Virginia? A lot of people in this area may not know the story behind Mountain Dew's earliest mascot, Willy the Hillbilly, or even that mountain dew used be a name for moonshine. The history of the drink is a storied one and touches on many aspects of local, Appalachian, and US history including the rise and popularity of Appalachian stereotypes, moonshining, prohibition, and the explosive growth of advertising in the mid twentieth century.
Watch as Adam H. Alfrey, the Assistant Director for Historical Services at Knox County Public Library and the East Tennessee Historical Society, walks us through the exhibit.
