Ep. 51-The Witch of Yazoo: A Mississippi Legend Revisited

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A raging fire through the city swept. The witch's promise was surely kept.

The legend of the Yazoo Witch stands as one of Mississippi's most spine-tingling tales, woven into the fabric of local folklore for generations. When a mysterious, reclusive woman living near the Yazoo River was accused of luring and poisoning fishermen, the town's hatred for her grew to mythic proportions. After being discovered by a young boy named Joe Bob performing dark rituals over dead bodies, she fled only to become trapped in quicksand.

With her final breaths, she unleashed a chilling curse: "I shall return. Everyone has always hated me. I will break out of my grave and burn down the whole town. It will be on the morning of May 25th, 1904." Though the townsfolk buried her with thirty links of heavy chain wrapped around her grave, they would soon discover the futility of their precautions.

Twenty years later, to the exact day of her prophecy, a mysterious fire erupted in Yazoo City. Fed by unusual, powerful winds, the flames devoured nearly every business and countless homes. When the smoke cleared and residents examined the witch's grave, they discovered her chains broken – her supernatural promise fulfilled.

Celebrated Mississippi author Willie Morris immortalized this haunting tale in his book "Good Old Boy: A Delta Boyhood," and now lies buried just fifty feet from the witch's grave in Glenwood Cemetery. The broken chains remain unrepaired, a silent testament to powers beyond understanding and a warning to those who would dismiss local legends too quickly.

Visit our website at holdmysweetea.com to see photos of the infamous grave and explore more of the South's most captivating stories. While you're there, check out our new merch line with Hold My Sweet Tea coffee mugs, stickers, and t-shirts!