BUILDING BRIDGES
THE EPIC STORY OF
THE ASHFORDS OF BOONE COUNTY
THE ASHFORDS OF BOONE COUNTY
COMING SUMMER 2027
A multi-generational historical novel about
family, sacrifice, coal country, and the people who built Appalachia.
WHY THIS STORY MATTERS
A letter from Ryan
66 I grew up in West Virginia.
The people in these hills shaped who I became. Building Bridges is my attempt to preserve a way of life, a culture, and a generation that deserves to be remembered.
It’s more than a story. It’s my way of saying thank you to the mountains that raised me and the people who built a life from hard work, hope, and heart.
- Ryan Hale
THE ASHFORD FAMILY TIMELINE
1880
The Ashford family settles near Big Coal River.
1910
Coal boom brings opportunity, hard work, and new challenges.
2027
Building Bridges The next chapter begins.
1970
Industry declines. Communities change.
1945
The war generation returns home, forever changed.
THE RESEARCH BEHIND THE STORY
Railroads opened the mountains.
Coal camps were cities of their own
Bridges connected more than towns.
Company towns built communities.
Historical maps tell their story.
Families like the Ashfords built it all.
PROJECT PROGRESS
- DRAFTING
100%
- RESEARCH
Ongoing
- BETA READERS
Future
- PUBLICATION GOAL
Summer 2027
EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW
Read the First Chapter
Get a glimpse into the world of the Ashfords and the mountains they call home
- PDF DOWNLOAD
66 Some stories entertain.
Some stories remember.
Building Bridges hopes to do both.99
- Ryan Hale
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Building Bridges
COMING SUMMER 2027
THE ASHFORDS OF BOONE COUNTY