Southern Gothic
The underbelly of the American South comes alive in this dark audio documentary series about the rich histories and eerie legends that lie beneath the beauty and majesty of this uniquely American culture.
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The Curse on Barnsley Gardens
08/23/2021
The Curse on Barnsley Gardens
In 1837 Godfrey Barnsley purchased 3,645 acres of land that had recently been acquired from the Cherokee people in the coercive Treaty of New Echota and opened up for settlement by force. But Barnsley was not concerned and planned to build an extravagant mansion for his wife and family on what legend claims was the sacred ground for generations of Cherokee– a tragic mistake that led to a series of unfortunate events for the Barnsley family. Be sure to check out our all new podcast today! We are finalists in the 2021 Paranormal Podcast Awards! Please take a minute to Help Southern Gothic grow by becoming a today! Website: Merch Store: Pinterest Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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Massacre at the Sultan's Palace
08/02/2021
Massacre at the Sultan's Palace
“Blood Seeped Under the Door, Down the Steps, and into the Street…” On the corner of Orleans Avenue and Dauphine Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans is a stately three and a half-story mansion that is said to be the site of a massacre so significant that blood flowed from the building and into the street. It is the tale of a mysterious Turkish gentleman, perhaps even the brother of a Sultan, who arrived in New Orleans, threw wild parties, and was then viciously murdered. But is this story true or is it like the city of New Orleans— the product of an ever changing cultural landscape that merges the past and the present; evolving and intersecting with other well known legends like that of Pere Antoine’s Date Palm, or The Tree of the Dead. We are finalists in the 2021 Paranormal Podcast Awards! Please take a minute to Help Southern Gothic grow by becoming a today! Website: Merch Store: Pinterest Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: This week’s episode inclues a promo for the podcast .
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The Spirits of Sloss Furnaces (Revisited)
07/12/2021
The Spirits of Sloss Furnaces (Revisited)
Built in 1881, Sloss Furnaces was the first of many blast furnaces in Birmingham, Alabama to manufacture pig iron. The furnaces aided in catalyzing an Industrial Revolution in the postwar south. It was in Alabama, that the iron industry took off, providing the rest of the country with the material necessary to build everything from country bridges to the first skyscrapers. But this lucrative new economy came at a high cost to the men who toiled to keep the furnace fed. A majority of furnaces workers were formerly enslaved men, willing to take any work away from the fields they were once forced to labor in. With extreme and hazardous working conditions at the best of times, it is no surprise that accidents resulting in injury or death occurred Today, many believe that echoes of the tragedy experienced by past workers still reverberate through the tunnels and catwalks of this icon of American industry. Help Southern Gothic grow by becoming a today! Website: Merch Store: Pinterest Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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The Ghost Town of Rodney, Mississippi
07/02/2021
The Ghost Town of Rodney, Mississippi
LOST TO TIME AND THE SHIFTING CURRENTS OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER… It was in 1828 that the town of Rodney, Mississippi was formally incorporated. Located near the Mississippi River, the town would grow to become an essential port for steamboats traveling up and down the river. Rodney became known as a bustling town and thriving entertainment center, even building the state’s first opera house. The city survived a devastating yellow fever epidemic and was occupied by Federal forces during the Civil War. Yet the death knell first sounded in 1869 when Rodney, Mississippi was almost entirely consumed by fire. Though the town tried to recover, it was unable to. In 1870, A large sandbar formed in the Mississippi River, causing the river’s flow to shift westwards away from Rodney. Where once Rodney was a port town, an ideal stopping point for steamer ships, just yards from the river, it was now roughly two miles away. The town had lost its port. And without its port, Rodney lost its residents. Today, all that remains of the once thriving town are the damaged shells of several buildings. Help Southern Gothic grow by becoming a today! Website: Merch Store: Pinterest Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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The Premature Burial of Octavia Hatcher
06/14/2021
The Premature Burial of Octavia Hatcher
In 1891 Octavia Hatcher was twenty years-old. She was married to the most successful businessmen in the state of Kentucky and was awaiting the birth of her first child. There should have been nothing but excitement and hope in a bright future for the family, but that was not to be. After the devastating loss of her child, Octavia became despondent, eventually becoming bedridden. She was pronounced dead on May 2, 1891. Yet just days later, an odd sleeping sickness struck the town, during which the afflicted seemed dead for a time before reviving. Octavia’s husband, James Hatcher, fear she too may have afflicted with the illness. When the coffin was disinterred she discovered the horrifying truth— Octavia Hatcher had been buried alive. Most legends are a mixture of fact and fiction, but in the the story of Octavia Hatcher the line behind history and legend is much more difficult to spot. For many in Pikeville, Kentucky, the story of Octavia Hatcher’s tragic death is complete fact, but as skeptics of the story point out, there is no known documentation to support such an event occurring. Help Southern Gothic grow by becoming a today! Website: Merch Store: Pinterest Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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The Surrency Family Poltergeist
04/23/2021
The Surrency Family Poltergeist
Enter our April T-shirt Giveaway by signing up for our newsletter at In October 1872, a small Georgia community was bursting with visitors and curiosity seekers in an attempt to discover the truth behind mysterious happenings at the family home of Allen Powell Surrency. In what many consider to be one of the most documented ghost story in American history, the Surrency family home seemingly became the epicenter of a destructive entity. From the benign—doors slammed open and closed and objects floated above the ground, to the life threatening—a child thrown from bed and another beaten by unseen hands. Today, proponents of the paranormal say that the events in 1872 have the marks of poltergeist activity. The cause of such activity at the Surrency House remains a mystery. Help Southern Gothic grow by becoming a today! Website: Merch Store: Pinterest Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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Hilton Head Island's Haunted Lighthouse
04/02/2021
Hilton Head Island's Haunted Lighthouse
Enter our April T-shirt Giveaway by signing up for our newsletter at Hilton Head Island’s Leamington Lighthouse was erected in 1880 to help guide ships away from the island and safely into Port Royal Sound; but according to local lore, the now decommissioned structure is home to the apparition of a young women in a blue dress. Legends say that the woman is the daughter of a lighthouse keeper who tragically met his fate during a massive hurricane. As a result, she purportedly returns to warn of pending storms. Help Southern Gothic grow by becoming a today! Website: Merch Store: Pinterest Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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John Henry: Steel Driving Man
03/05/2021
John Henry: Steel Driving Man
Help Southern Gothic grow by becoming a today! When the Civil War drew to a close, the United States’ railway networks, particularly those in the Southern states, were in shambles. During the Reconstruction era, the rehabilitation of the southern rails and expansion of transcontinental railroads became a major undertaking, and as the importance of the railroad rose. In the three decades after the Civil War over 170,000 miles of track were added to America’s railway system; it opened the western states for further settlement and reestablished the accessibility of the southern states. The accomplishment required a considerable workforce, and railway companies became a significant employers of thousands of men finally freed from enslavement. The work was dangerous, physically intensive, and time consuming. It’s unknown exactly how many men lost their lives to injury or illness while expanding the nation’s railroad system during Reconstruction, but the legacy of these men lives on in one of the most enduring folk heroes in American history…the ballad of John Henry, the steel-driving man. Want more southern Gothic? Website: Merch Store: Pinterest Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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Refuge in the Great Dismal Swamp
02/19/2021
Refuge in the Great Dismal Swamp
Help Southern Gothic grow by becoming a today! Along the coastal plain region of Southeastern Virginia and Northeastern North Carolina lies the ominously named Great Dismal Swamp. While this unique habitat has served as home to a wide array of biological diversity for over ten thousand years, modern archaeologists are uncovering more and more evidence of a unique community of runaways slaves and their families who thrived there for over two centuries– the Great Dismal Swamp Maroons. Want more southern Gothic? Website: Merch Store: Pinterest Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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The Mysterious Death of Meriwether Lewis
01/30/2021
The Mysterious Death of Meriwether Lewis
Check out our special bonus video content for this episode by becoming a today! On May 14, 1804 Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out on what would become a two year expedition across the western half of the United States. Yet for all the successes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, there lies a shadow over the legacy of the famed Meriwether Lewis– for as this daring explorer was able to survive the treacherous journey into the vast wilderness of North America, his life came to an end not long after his return– a tragedy with mysterious circumstances that over two centuries later remains unsolved. This episode also includes a special guest voiceover by Jeremy Collins of Want more southern Gothic? Website: Merch Store: Pinterest Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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Madame Félicité Chretien
01/15/2021
Madame Félicité Chretien
Just north of Lafayette, Louisiana– in the small town of Sunset– is Chretien Point, a beautiful Creole style two-story mansion that once served as the centerpiece to a vast cotton plantation known as Chretien Point. Today, the enduring legacy of Chretien Point is not in its bricks or furnishings, but in the story of its mistress, Félicité Neda Chretien. Commonly referred to as a ‘real-life’ Scarlett O’Hara – Madame Félicité Chretien was confident, strong-willed, intelligent, and beautiful. Félicité learned how to successfully run a plantation from her father, and it was she who saw Chretien Point Plantation through its most prosperous days, and it was Madame Chretien who saved it from its darkest. Still want more Southern Gothic? Consider becoming a to receive access to our episode archives, the limited series Southern Gothic: The Monsters, and more! Website: Merch Store: Pinterest Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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Legend of Peter Dromgoole
12/09/2020
Legend of Peter Dromgoole
For almost two centuries the legend of the disappearance of Peter Dromgoole has been told by the students of the University of North Carolina. In 1833 Peter Dromgoole arrived to study at the University, and although he initially failed the entrance exam Peter remained to prepare to retake the test. Yet before he could do so, Peter Dromgoole vanished without a trace. The oft-told legend of Peter Dromgoole is one of a love story that ends in a tragedy. There is another version of the tale, one that looks at Dromgoole family letters, in an attempt to discover Peter’s path from North Carolina. Today, centuries later, the mystery remains unsolved. What actually happened to Peter Dromgoole? Still want more Southern Gothic? Consider becoming a to receive access to our episode archives, the limited series Southern Gothic: The Monsters, and more! Website: Merch Store: Pinterest Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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The Waverly Hills Sanatorium
11/26/2020
The Waverly Hills Sanatorium
On July 26, 1910 the Waverly Hills Sanatorium opened outside Louisville, Kentucky; the hospital on the hill was dedicated solely to the treatment of those infected with the highly contagious and often fatal disease, tuberculosis. During its forty years in operation, thousands would pass through the hospital doors, though most would survive, hundreds would not. Although modern medicine has largely made tuberculosis an illness of the past, the stigma of it lingered. In the decades since the sanatorium closed and the site deteriorated, it gained a new reputation, as one of the most haunted buildings on Earth. Still want more Southern Gothic? Consider becoming a to receive access to our episode archives, the limited series Southern Gothic: The Monsters, and more! Website: Merch Store: Pinterest Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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The Eliza Battle's Final Voyage
10/31/2020
The Eliza Battle's Final Voyage
The Eliza Battle was once one of the most luxurious steamboats on Alabama’s waters, but her untimely demise by fire has left many to believe that she can still be seen on the Tombigbee River’s water– an omen of death. Still want more Southern Gothic? Consider becoming a to receive access to our episode archives, the limited series Southern Gothic: The Monsters, and more! Website: Merch Store: Pinterest Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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The Curse of Julia Brown (Revisited)
09/29/2020
The Curse of Julia Brown (Revisited)
On September 30, 1915 a vicious hurricane made its way through Southeastern Louisiana leaving almost 375 people dead and entire communities destroyed. One such town was the small farming community of Frenier, where a legend has since entered local lore with the claim that this particular’y gruesome storm was brought on by the curse of a local Voodoo priestes named Julia Brown. This episode of Southern Gothic revisits a topic previously released on the podcast. To hear the original episode "The Lost City of Frenier" join us on for access to our archives! Additional resources from this episode: by Wayne Norwood Still want more Southern Gothic? Consider becoming a to receive access to our episode archives, the limited series Southern Gothic: The Monsters, and more! Website: Merch Store: Pinterest Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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Hotel Brunswick's Phantom Harpist
09/17/2020
Hotel Brunswick's Phantom Harpist
On August 23, 1882 Italian harpist Antonio “Tony” Caseletta drowned in a sailing accident on the Cape Fear river, leaving behind a wife and child. His body was then buried in the Old Smithville Cemetery; however, many claim that his spirit continues to play his beloved instrument in the beautiful seaside mansion that once served as the Hotel Brunswick in historic Southport, North Carolina. Additional resources from this episode: by Brooks Newton Preik, by Terrance Zepke. This episode of Southern Gothic features music written and performed by the Americana duo . Be sure to check out their new single, Still want more Southern Gothic? Consider becoming a to receive access to our episode archives, the limited series Southern Gothic: The Monsters, and more! Website: Merch Store: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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The Sad Statue of Corinne Lawton
09/03/2020
The Sad Statue of Corinne Lawton
After Corinne Elliott Lawton died in 1877, her parents commissioned a famous Italian sculptor to design the statue at her grave. The result still stands today in the historic Bonaventure Cemetery of Savannah, Georgia where the melancholy depiction of this beloved daughter has inspired a local legend about her death. Still want more Southern Gothic? Consider becoming a to receive access to the limited series Southern Gothic: The Monsters! Website: Merch Store: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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The Singing River
08/07/2020
The Singing River
It is said that on warm summer and autumn nights, those standing on the banks of the Pascagoula river may hear the sound of a melodic humming emanating from beneath the river’s dark waters. The origin of the sound is unknown, but numerous legends have been told to explain the mystery of this Mississippi waterway. Still want more Southern Gothic? Consider becoming a to receive access to the limited series Southern Gothic: The Monsters! Website: Merch Store: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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Ghosts of the Myrtles Plantation (Revisited)
07/10/2020
Ghosts of the Myrtles Plantation (Revisited)
On this episode we revisit and update our very first– “The Ghosts of the Myrtles Plantation.” Built in 1796 by General David Bradford, over two centuries of tragedies and heartbreak have occurred under the roof of this beautiful Creole Cottage that has become so infamous for its purported hauntings that some consider it “America’s Most Haunted Home.” Guest voiceovers for this episode include: Simone Taylor, creator of … Zach Auld, host of . Additional Reading and Resources: by Frances Kermeen by Barbara Sillery by Tiya Miles Take a trip to the Still want more Southern Gothic? Consider becoming a to receive access to the limited series Southern Gothic: The Monsters! Website: Merch Store: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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Legend of the Female Stranger
06/25/2020
Legend of the Female Stranger
In 1816 a mysterious couple arrived in Alexandria, Virginia and isolated themselves in a room at Gadsby’s Tavern. Unfortunately, the young woman was deathly ill and in spite of receiving assistance from a local doctor, she passed away. After burying his supposed wife, the man then disappeared. Speculation on their identities continues to this day, fueled by the eerie incsription in her tombstone: “To the memory of the Female Stranger…” Guest voiceovers for this episode include: Mary Payne Gilbert, host of (be sure to check out her ) … Dwayne Farver, creator of the audio drama … Brady Hendricks, voiceover artist on the dystopian audio drama Additional Reading and Resources: by Michael Lee Pope by L.B. Taylor Jr. Images of the infamous tombstone are available at Still want more Southern Gothic? Consider becoming a to receive access to the limited series Southern Gothic: The Monsters! Website: Merch Store: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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Ghost Hound of Goshen
06/10/2020
Ghost Hound of Goshen
Legend says that on Old Bumcombe Road in South Carolina, a man was hanged in the mid 19th century for a crime he did not commit. As a result, the spirit of his loyal canine companion is believed to continue to seek vengeance for his death– a spirit now known as the Ghost Hound of Goshen. The podcast featured at the end of this episode is by Tantallon Media. This week’s episode is made possible through the support of the . Use the code: GOTHIC to receive 10% off a “sud-scription” today and get all-natural, handmade soap delivered to your door every month. Still want more Southern Gothic? Consider becoming a to receive access to the limited series Southern Gothic: The Monsters! Website: Merch Store: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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#PodcastBlackout
06/02/2020
#PodcastBlackout
This week we have chosen to take part in the Podcast Blackout Movement. It is our hope that you will take the time that you would normally have spent with us to instead explore one of the many incredible podcasts made by people of color: by RadioPublic by Podcasts In Color by NPR by MurderMurder.News
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The Boomtown of Thurmond
05/21/2020
The Boomtown of Thurmond
The town of Thurmond, West Virginia was strategically built on the C&O Railroad line to serve the numerous coal mines surrounding the New River Gorge. What began as a small community quickly grew into a prosperous boomtown; however, as the coal industry gradually gave way to oil, the town of Thurmond faded away and its historic buildings and business district left abandoned. This week’s episode is made possible through the support of the . Use the code: GOTHIC to receive 10% off a “sud-scription” today and get all-natural, handmade soap delivered to your door every month. Still want more Southern Gothic? Consider becoming a to receive access to the limited series Southern Gothic: The Monsters! Website: Merch Store: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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The Mischievous Feu Follet
05/06/2020
The Mischievous Feu Follet
Cajun folklore claims that in the swamps and bayous of Louisiana are supernatural entities that appear to travelers in the form of glowing balls. Much like the well known will-o’-the-wisp, those unlucky enough to be lured into the trap of these fiery spirits are often doomed to an early death. They are known simply as le Feu follet. If you enjoy this episode consider becoming a today! Website: Merch Store: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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The Kennesaw House
04/22/2020
The Kennesaw House
The Kennesaw House of Marietta, Georgia was built beside the Western & Atlantic Railroad line in the 1840’s; but over the course of this beautiful brick building’s long life, it has seen numerous tragedies that has left many to believe that the building is haunted by spirits from the past. If you enjoy this episode consider becoming a today! Website: Merch Store: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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The Witch of Yazoo City
03/31/2020
The Witch of Yazoo City
On May 25, 1904, a fire broke out in the business district of Yazoo City, Mississippi. By day’s end, the fire had consumed much of the community, leaving nothing but ashes. Historians believe the fire started accidentally at the home of Herman Wise, but according to legend the cause was much more sinister– revenge from the infamous Witch of Yazoo. If you enjoy this episode consider becoming a today! Website: Merch Store: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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Murder of the Lawson Family
03/16/2020
Murder of the Lawson Family
On Christmas Day in 1929, North Carolina farmer Charlie Lawson murdered his entire family before turning his gun onto himself. Almost a century has passed since this gruesome crime, but the question of motive has remained unanswered to this day. If you enjoy this episode consider becoming a today! Website: Merch Store: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter: Southern Gothic will be attending the True Crime Podcast Festival from July 11–12, 2020 in Kansas City, MO. For information on how to attend, visit . Be sure to use the Code: GOTHIC at checkout to receive 10% off your ticket price!
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Gaineswood's Ghostly Piano
02/28/2020
Gaineswood's Ghostly Piano
In 1843 Nathan Bryan Whitfield began construction on a grand mansion in Demopolis, Alabama. The beautiful home, which he named Gaineswood, still stands as part of Whitfield’s legacy; but some claim that echoes of a tragedy that occurred here remain as well. Echoes that purportedly come in the form of a mysterious, disembodied piano. If you enjoy this episode consider becoming a today! Website: Merch Store: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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Tragedy in Sand Cave
02/13/2020
Tragedy in Sand Cave
In 1925, cave explorer Floyd Collins discovered Sand Cave, not far from what would one day become Mammoth Cave National Park. Floyd, like many others in Kentucky cave country, had hoped to discover a cave of his own that he could profit from as a tourist attraction. Unfortunately, while attempting to uncover the secrets of his new found cave, Floyd Collins became trapped. The resulting rescue attempts fueled a media frenzy that stretched across the nation. If you enjoy this episode consider becoming a today! Website: Merch Store: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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The Beale Ciphers
01/27/2020
The Beale Ciphers
In 1885, publisher James B. Ward released a small pamphlet that contained three encrypted messages that purportedly told the whereabouts of an immense treasure. Unfortunately, after a century of attempts to decipher these mysterious codes known as the Beale Ciphers, no trace of this hidden stash of gold, silver, and jewels has been found. If you enjoy this episode consider becoming a today! Website: Merch Store: Facebook: Instagram: Twitter:
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