Oral history interviews and digitized images of family archival treasures from Towns County, Georgia. The “Swappin’ Stories” Project was launched in 2024 by Dr. Leah Panther, Associate Professor of Literacy Education at Mercer University. Collaborating with partners at the Towns County Historical Society and the Kennesaw State University Archives & Special Collections, the project strives to preserve the language, history, and culture of this underrepresented Appalachian community. In June of 2024, the community was invited to participate in a multi-day community archiving event by having their stories recorded and their documents, photographs, and artifacts digitized. Over 500 artifacts relating to the county's history, including photographs, documents, oral histories, community stories, and folklore, were digitally captured and cataloged.

Distinctive items held by community members include a bond from the Mountain View Turnpike Company that ran across the modern-day Unicoi Mountain, family bibles, pictures dating back to the late 1800s, and even a check from the White House that paid for the dinner of President Jimmy Carter and staff when they visited the Deer Lodge.

This event was made possible by Lindsey Walker, Dr. Leah Panther, Presley Dyer, Kerri Abernathy, Tyler Osborn, Kim Eccles, Caitlin Hochuli, Dr. Tamara Livingston, and volunteers from the Linguistic Justice Collaborative and the Towns County Historical Society.