Buried Secrets Podcast
Talkin' about the paranormal, the occult, and weird and forgotten history. Deep dive into stories about ghosts, ouija boards, cemeteries, obscure and bizarre stories from New York City, urban legends, paranormal investigations, and more!
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The Pigman of Bonnie Brae Bridge (Haunted Denton, Texas)
07/14/2023
The Pigman of Bonnie Brae Bridge (Haunted Denton, Texas)
This episode is about the legendary pigman of Denton, Texas. Kinda. The thing is, I'd never heard of the pigman, so it's really an episode about how urban legends and folklore are spread, what makes one urban legend take off while another lingers in obscurity, and what our urban legends say about us. Though I do also tell the story of the pigman somewhere in there. Highlights include: the "Cowboy Mafia" the WPA Folklore Project Content note: this episode contains a brief mention of sexual assault, stories about violent attacks that lead to disfigurement, quoted language that suggests that facial disfigurement is tied to someone’s moral character, mentions of the war on drugs and corruption in the U.S. legal system. Check out the .
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Outlaw ghosts and a haunted bookstore (Haunted Denton Square)
06/30/2023
Outlaw ghosts and a haunted bookstore (Haunted Denton Square)
Not far from the famed Goatman's Bridge in Denton County, Texas, a courthouse square has its share of spirits. I return once more to North Texas—a place of strange UFO and cryptid encounters, and also where I grew up. This time, I'm looking at Denton Square, a historic spot where urban legends, history, and hauntings intersect. Content note: This episode contains mentions of violence against Black and indigenous people and suicide. Highlights include: an opera house that became a used bookstore a digression about how urban legends spread and develop a ghost horse!! Check out the . Support the ! Please spread the word and—if you’re able to—back the project to help bring two new queer paranormal shows into the world! Check out for more info.
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Feelin' nostalgic: emotions and analog paranormal investigation tools
06/16/2023
Feelin' nostalgic: emotions and analog paranormal investigation tools
Continuing my deep dive into nostalgia and the paranormal! Does the way we feel about paranormal investigation tools change their efficacy? How do our emotions (especially nostalgia) interact with the paranormal? Highlights include: My continuing fascination with whether the ghosts of living people can haunt us Looking at nostalgic paranormal investigation tools through the lens of Amanda D. Paulson’s Paranormal Emotive Touchpoint theory Support the ! Please spread the word and—if you’re able to—back the project to help bring two new queer paranormal shows into the world! Check out for more info. Shownotes and written version of this episode at .
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The hype around the Panasonic RR-DR60
06/02/2023
The hype around the Panasonic RR-DR60
A look at lore surrounding the legendary Panasonic RR-DR60. How did the late 1990s audio recorder become a device that now sells for $4,000-5,000 USD on eBay? What makes the DR60 so special? Highlights include: plenty o' nostalgia (and skepticism) a digression about hard drives (everyone's favorite) some arguments in favor of using older gear to investigate the paranormal
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Instant photography, nostalgia, and the paranormal
05/19/2023
Instant photography, nostalgia, and the paranormal
A wild ride through nostalgia about instant photography, the pitfalls of both analog and digital photography, the weirdly zeitgeisty history of the Polaroid Corporation, and the search for images we can "trust." Highlights include: My attempts to doctor Polaroid photos Spirit photography Computational photography
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Spirit boxes and paranormal nostalgia
05/05/2023
Spirit boxes and paranormal nostalgia
A deep dive into nostalgia, liminality, and the paranormal. Are we interested in the paranormal because we feel nostalgic? Could that be why so much paranormal investigation gear is inspired by 1980s and 1990s tech? Highlights include: Could a state of feeling deep nostalgia help with spirit communication? Radio Shack memories Internet aesthetics Attempts to find meaning in a chaotic world
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The 1897 UFO Flap in North Texas
04/14/2023
The 1897 UFO Flap in North Texas
In 1897, a series of mysterious airships were sighted all around the United States. This is a look at the flap in general, with a particular focus on some of the North Texas UFO sightings. Highlights include: The Dallas-Fort Worth area as a "window area" with heighted strange activity A glimpse into how Victorian-era people responded to UFOs Lots of bearded aliens .
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The UFO crash in Aurora, Texas
03/31/2023
The UFO crash in Aurora, Texas
A look at the Aurora, Texas, UFO crash, one of many sightings during the mystery airship flap of 1897. Highlights include: airships! urban legends and uncertain truths Jacques Vallée .
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Local spirits, ghosts of the living, and haunted churches
02/24/2023
Local spirits, ghosts of the living, and haunted churches
I really get into it in this one! The stated goal of this episode is to talk about some fascinating takeaways from Consorting with Spirits: Your Guide to Working with Invisible Allies by Jason Miller. However, get ready for many digressions about my own paranormal experiences, several of which I haven't talked about yet on the podcast. Highlights include: a possible doppelganger encounter poltergeist-type activity caused by a living person a terrifying experience in a church in Portugal local spirits and Randonautica churches as especially haunted and magical locations Note: Sorry about the radiator noise in this one! I did my best to eliminate as much as it as possible, but these NYC radiators love to make a racket.
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Doubt and the paranormal
02/10/2023
Doubt and the paranormal
Do you ever read a book so interesting that you gotta tell everyone about it? I recently read Consorting with Spirits: Your Guide to Working with Invisible Allies by Jason Miller and was struck by how much great information and advice it contained for paranormal investigators. Though the book is ostensibly geared toward magickal practitioners, it might actually be the most helpful ghost hunting book that I've read so far. So here are the insights and nuggets of wisdom that I found most illuminating from a paranormal investigation perspective. This episode will be focused on advice about how to stop doubting paranormal experiences, ways to think critically about encounters with spirits, how to be braver and take risks, and other cool insights. Highlights include: the perception/projection ratio a digression about neurodivergence how to be less afraid of the paranormal an exercise to look past the veil
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Phantom footsteps in the woods (Paranormal Investigation of Eno River State Park and William B. Umstead State Park)
01/27/2023
Phantom footsteps in the woods (Paranormal Investigation of Eno River State Park and William B. Umstead State Park)
I’ve been told that if I were in a horror movie, I would die first. But can I help it if I'm curious, chaotic, and solitary? Anyway, here's a look at some solo paranormal investigations I did around Halloween 2021 in two North Carolina state parks: Eno River State Park in Durham and William B. Umstead State Park in Raleigh. Highlights include: - phantom footsteps - a breath on my neck while I was alone - an abandoned house in the woods - a solo Estes session in an environment where I was being told fairly clearly that I wasn’t wanted
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Ghosts among the ruins
01/13/2023
Ghosts among the ruins
A look at a place full of cemeteries, ruins, and ghosts of the past. Also actual ghosts. Those too. Eno River State Park, in Durham, North Carolina, is said to have its fair share of hauntings. I dive into the history of the park, especially the area around the Cabelands Cemetery, which is supposed to be one of the most haunted areas of the park. Plus, I dug up some of the paranormal experiences people have reported in the area. Highlights include: - Some grim parts of the area's history - A demonstration of my superb math skills - Hidden cemeteries Content note: this episode contains a lot of discussion of colonialism and chattel slavery.
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The Hidden History of a State Park
12/16/2022
The Hidden History of a State Park
When we go to "spend time in nature," we like to think that the parks that we visit are separate from the bustling cities that we live in. But in reality, parks are as human-made and full of history as any landmarked building. You just have to look a little more closely to uncover that history. This episode explores the forgotten history of William B. Umstead State Park in Raleigh, North Carolina, which is full of hidden cemeteries, ghostly gardens, and unexpected stories. Highlights include: the connection that Umstead State Park has to the evacuation of Dunkirk during WWII the gardens that remain hidden in the woods even after houses have been torn down cemeteries in the woods P.S. I forgot to mention that there's a book about the park's history called Stories In Stone: Memories From A Bygone Farming Community In North Carolina by Tom Weber (2011) that I can't find for the life of me. If you have a lead on getting a copy of it, please let me know!
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The Exorcist Statue and Other Scranton Hauntings (Haunted Scranton)
12/02/2022
The Exorcist Statue and Other Scranton Hauntings (Haunted Scranton)
What if, after you died, a close friend of yours made a bust commemorating you, spending years trying to make the piece of art capture your very essence? What if some of your ashes were put into said statue, which was then displayed in a prominent public area? Might you haunt that statue? Well, that's what happened to Jason Miller, Scranton native and the actor who played Father Karras in *The Exorcist*. And Scranton residents have claimed that things have gotten weird. That's just one of the many strange stories I explore in this episode about some of the most interesting haunted sites in Scranton, PA. Highlights include: - A grand masonic temple with many ghost stories - A haunted trolley car (!!) - A gruesome murder P.S. This episode has nothing to do with Scranton's lost Luna Park, but I covered the park earlier in the series and I wanted to draw its old gate so here you go anyway. Sign up for my newsletter pls:
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Ghosts in the Museum (Haunted Scranton)
11/18/2022
Ghosts in the Museum (Haunted Scranton)
Stories of a haunted museum, a former hotel, a historic home, and a pub in Scranton, PA. Plus a couple cool urban legends about a stone couch and a lady in black. Highlights include: - a nun psychopomp - a child who followed a ghost into the basement - a ghost that sneaks up on people in a storage closet - a mannequin that moves on its own
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Ghosts of Nay Aug Park and the Lackawanna Station Hotel (Haunted Scranton)
11/04/2022
Ghosts of Nay Aug Park and the Lackawanna Station Hotel (Haunted Scranton)
A dive into some of Scranton's haunted locations, including the Lackawanna Station Hotel and Nay Aug Park. Plus, a haunted real estate listing. Highlights include: two defunct amusement parks ghosts that love to haunt minor league baseball players a weird treehouse a mine that was never used one of the worst zoos in the US
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Sleep Paralysis in Scranton (Haunted Scranton)
10/21/2022
Sleep Paralysis in Scranton (Haunted Scranton)
I tell the story of a weird paranormal experience I had during a recent trip to Scranton, PA. Highlights include: - my first sleep paralysis experience - a strange roadside creek - my thoughts about Scranton
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On Mylar Balloons and Forgotten Futures
10/07/2022
On Mylar Balloons and Forgotten Futures
Some thoughts about mylar balloons, what they represent in the paranormal, and what else they might mean in terms of our world and our future. Highlights include: - mylar balloons' history in the paranormal and position as garbage - the idea of being haunted by trash - the power of imagination - some solarpunk reading recs
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Folk News and the Haunted Old Alton Bridge (Goatman's Bridge Series)
08/26/2022
Folk News and the Haunted Old Alton Bridge (Goatman's Bridge Series)
A look at what urban legends, especially the Goatman's Bridge urban legends, do in society, including urban legends as "folk news." Plus, some possible debunkings of some of the Old Alton Bridge phenomena. Content note: This episode contains discussions of white supremacist hate groups. Highlights include: • Reflections on the legends on the bridge • Debunkings and hoaxers • A haunted house that operates near the bridge
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Rewriting Urban Legends (Goatman's Bridge Series)
08/12/2022
Rewriting Urban Legends (Goatman's Bridge Series)
An attempt to trace the current tales of the Goatman's Bridge to their source: a 2008 YouTube video that contained seemingly new information about the urban legend, including some information that linked the story to the Mothman legends. Highlights include: • Thoughts about how the internet transforms and changes urban legends • A little digital gumshoeing • Some Mothman easter eggs
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Satanic Rituals at the Bridge (Goatman’s Bridge Series)
07/29/2022
Satanic Rituals at the Bridge (Goatman’s Bridge Series)
Satanic Rituals at the Bridge: A look at the urban legends claiming that cultish activity has occurred at Texas’ famously haunted Old Alton Bridge, or Goatman’s Bridge. Content note: This episode contains discussions of white supremacist hate groups and urban legends about animal abuse. Highlights include: • Some possible debunkings • A creepy abandoned house • Rumors of rituals in the woods • A look at one of the Buzzfeed Unsolved claims
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“I Seen the Devil” (Goatman’s Bridge Series)
07/15/2022
“I Seen the Devil” (Goatman’s Bridge Series)
A deep dive into strangeness associated with the Goatman’s Bridge, featuring weird stories that I found on forums and comment sections, including a devil sighting, a ghost driver, lights turning red, terrifying laughter, Bigfoot-type phenomena, and more. Highlights include: A ghostly driver redirecting a car to a cemetery Disembodied voices Will-o'-the-wisps Glowing eyes
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Who are the Goatmen? (Goatman’s Bridge Series)
07/01/2022
Who are the Goatmen? (Goatman’s Bridge Series)
North Texas has four different Goatman legends, including the Old Alton Bridge Goatman. Here’s a look at those stories, as well as other urban legends about goatmen around the world. As I continue my series on the Old Alton Bridge, or Goatman’s Bridge, I take a little detour to look at different goatmen throughout history. What similarities are there between the Old Alton Bridge and others? Why are there so many Goatman stories? Highlights include: • Satyrs • Pan • The Pope Lick Monster • Vanishing hitchhikers
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Death at the Goatman’s Bridge (Goatman’s Bridge Series)
06/17/2022
Death at the Goatman’s Bridge (Goatman’s Bridge Series)
A look at one legend behind the Goatman’s Bridge, the period of history that inspired it, and a suspicious recent death at the bridge. Highlights include: The Texas Troubles Attempts to bury history Mass hysteria and bloodthirsty vigilantes Some creepypasta-style urban legends
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This Way to the Goatman (Goatman’s Bridge Series)
06/13/2022
This Way to the Goatman (Goatman’s Bridge Series)
Update: Looks like there was a technical glitch when I initially published this episode. It should be fixed now, but let me know if not! One of the most famous urban legends about the Goatman’s Bridge (aka the Old Alton Bridge) has roots in a hidden, unpleasant part of the county’s history. This episode looks at the legend of the Goatman and the history underpinning the story. CONTENT NOTE: This episode contains discussions of racially motivated murders and white supremacist hate groups.
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I went to Goatman’s Bridge (Goatman’s Bridge Series)
05/27/2022
I went to Goatman’s Bridge (Goatman’s Bridge Series)
In December 2021, I visited the Old Alton Bridge, or Goatman’s Bridge. Here’s what it’s like to visit the famously haunted bridge, as well as the history of the bridge itself. CONTENT NOTE: I talk about gun use in this episode (not about people getting shot, but about people shooting guns near the bridge because they’re bored.) If you don’t want to hear about that, then skip this episode. You should be fine to pick back up on the series in the next episode. (Also, worth nothing that I recorded this before some of this week's gun violence.) Highlights include: • Lots of mud • Some bridge trivia • Some . . . interesting . . . reviews of the bridge that I found
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The Trickster and the Goatman (Goatman’s Bridge Series)
05/20/2022
The Trickster and the Goatman (Goatman’s Bridge Series)
The Old Alton Bridge, or Goatman’s Bridge, is a famously haunted site in north Texas. It has been featured in Buzzfeed Unsolved and Ghost Adventures, and the urban legends about the bridge are well-known in the paranormal world. But in my research, I’ve discovered that everything may not be as it seems at the Old Alton Bridge . . . Highlights include: • a Reddit troll who makes some wild claims about the bridge • what it was like growing up in north Texas • a look at trickster elements of the paranormal Subscribe on Patreon to support the show and get access to the Secret Library, map of Haunted NYC, Solo Estes Session Kit, and more:
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I found the owls (Randonautica Series)
05/13/2022
I found the owls (Randonautica Series)
I talk about some of the strangeness and patterns that have emerged during my own randonauting trips. Plus, I tell the story of some freaky fire-related synchronicities that have happened since last week. Highlights include: • Ominous warnings from Randonautica • Lots of owl lawn decorations! • Three fires I’ve encountered since recording the last episode Subscribe on Patreon to support the show and get cool stuff:
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The Despair Meme and the Hell Gate (Randonautica Series)
05/06/2022
The Despair Meme and the Hell Gate (Randonautica Series)
I finally talk about some of the weird stuff that has happened to me at the Hell Gate since releasing my episodes about the Hell Gate in 2020. Also, nominally, this episode is part of my series on randonauting, so I of course talk about the ways that Randonautica has led me back to the Hell Gate, as well as the concepts of memetics and the despair meme. Don't know what the despair meme is? It's a randonauting thing, and I explain it. But in general, we're not talking about internet memes here; instead, I'm looking at memes as anything that spreads information, behavior, styles, symbols, practices, and ideas. (The example that makes sense to me is: If someone is humming a tune, and another person gets that stuck in their head, the tune is a meme that was spread from one person to another.) So at one point in the episode, I do have to ask the question: is it possible that a supernatural force or entity is transmitting a meme to me when I visit a certain part of the Hell Gate? Does that have anything to do with the widely reported despair meme that has come up among randonauts? I have no answers, but do have fun exploring the questions. Highlights include: • An attempt at explaining memetics • A possible initiation experience • Ghost-transmitted memes? Subscribe on Patreon to support the show and get cool stuff:
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Strange Synchronicities (Randonautica Series)
04/29/2022
Strange Synchronicities (Randonautica Series)
A look at the connection between strange synchronicities and Randonautica. Plus, I explore some unusual synchronicities that happened to me while just talking and thinking about randonauting. Can Randonautica cause synchronicities when you aren’t even actively using the app? I’m not sure, but I’m ready to speculate wildly. Highlights include: • Stumbling across a piece of art called “Synchronicity” • Conspiracy thinking • A higher-than-average number of references to 80s music Subscribe on Patreon to support the show and get cool stuff:
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