Southern Gothic
Step into the world of the unknown and unravel the dark history, and infamous legends of the American South. Join us as we journey into the heart of this rich and fascinating region, uncovering its ghostly stories, haunted places, and eeriest tales through captivating storytelling, in-depth historical research, and an immersive audio soundscape. From the Bell Witch of Tennessee to the haunted Waverly Hills Sanatorium, the ghostly tales of the Myrtles Plantation, the Curse of Lake Lanier and beyond, get ready for an unforgettable experience that brings history to life and uncovers the truth behind classic tales of the paranormal.
Episodes
May 12, 2025 • 55 mins
In the shadow of Key West’s sun-drenched charm lies one of the island’s most disturbing true stories. In 1930, a reclusive hospital technician named Carl Tanzler became convinced that a young Cuban-American woman was his fated bride—sent to him by visions from beyond the grave. But after her untimely death, his obsession took a grotesque turn. From stolen corpses to waxen recreations, what followed is a tale so surreal, so haunting...
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May 5, 2025 • 31 mins
Long before the Hatfields and McCoys became a symbol of Southern feuding, two Louisiana families waged a decades-long battle of their own. The Black River War between the Liddells and the Joneses tore through Catahoula Parish with ambushes, political rivalries, and cold-blooded murder-- culminating in a deadly shootout aboard a Mississippi steamer and vigilante justice carried out by torchlight. What sparked this violent feud? And ...
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April 28, 2025 • 38 mins
The Fitzpatrick Hotel has been standing on the courthouse square of Washington, Georgia for more than a century now, its red-brick walls and Queen Anne trim casting long shadows over the town’s oldest streets. But around here, folks say it wasn’t just the fire that cleared the way for the hotel to be built—there are darker stories too. Stories about graves left behind. About spirits that never moved on.
And one name you’ll hear mo...
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April 24, 2025 • 54 mins
This week, we’re taking a brief detour from our usual haunted history to explore the deeper symbolism behind the stories we so often tell. Brandon sits down with artist and folklorist Stacey Williams-Ng, creator of The Southern Gothic Oracle, a richly illustrated divination deck that draws upon the archetypes, landscapes, and traditions of the American South.
In this conversation, Stacey shares the inspiration behind her work, fro...
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April 21, 2025 • 27 mins
Hidden among the pines of Hilton Head Island, the skeletal remains of the Leamington Lighthouse stand as a relic of the past—and a vessel for something far more haunting. Local legend tells of Caroline Fripp, a dutiful daughter who braved a deadly storm to save her father, the lighthouse keeper, only to lose her life in the process. But did she ever exist? And why do locals still see a woman in blue when storms roll in off the Atla...
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April 17, 2025 • 34 mins
In the quiet town of Franklin, Tennessee, one woman’s loyalty to the Confederacy earned her a place in history—and perhaps something more permanent.
Sally Carter was just a young woman when the Civil War arrived at her doorstep. Defiant and devoted, she made her allegiance known by raising the first Confederate flag over Franklin’s square, a bold act that would define her wartime role as a spy. But unlike many women who took on co...
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April 14, 2025 • 51 mins
Perched high on Church Hill above the James River once stood one of Richmond’s grandest homes—a mansion of wealth, refinement, and Southern prestige. But behind its stately white columns and sweeping staircases, something far more dangerous was unfolding.
For it was here, in the heart of the Confederate capital, that Elizabeth Van Lew—an elite Southern woman raised among Virginia’s most powerful families—launched a covert campaign...
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April 7, 2025 • 56 mins
Along the western shore of Matanzas Bay stands the Castillo de San Marcos. Constructed from rough, seashell-laced coquina stone, this star-shaped fortress has loomed over St. Augustine for more than three centuries—an enduring symbol of Spanish colonial ambition in what would become the oldest city in the continental United States.
Built in the wake of a violent pirate raid, the Castillo was designed to be impenetrable—and history...
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March 31, 2025 • 34 mins
Along the northwestern edge of Tennessee sits Reelfoot Lake. The only natural lake in the state, it's a flooded cypress forest that has more in common with the bayous of the deep south than other more open and expansive lakes of the surrounding area.
Yet this lake dates back only two centuries and owes its creation to the massive New Madrid earthquakes that rocked the area in 1811-1812 and caused the Mississippi River to temporaril...
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March 24, 2025 • 30 mins
This episode of Southern Gothic originally aired in April 2023.
According to Gullah folklore, the swamps of the Lowcountry are home to a mythical creature who is said to sneak into the homes of its victims while they sleep and then suck the life force from their breath. The creature, known as the Boo Hag, is described as a large, hideous creature with no skin and glowing red eyes. It is said to be able to change its shape, making ...
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March 17, 2025 • 43 mins
On the night of September 8, 1935, Senator Huey P. Long was gunned down inside the Louisiana State Capitol. Officially, the shooter was Dr. Carl Weiss, the son-in-law of a judge Long had politically targeted. But from the moment the Kingfish fell, questions have lingered about what really happened in that marble corridor. In Part Two, we examine the chaotic shooting, the immediate aftermath, and the decades of speculation that foll...
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March 13, 2025 • 69 mins
Hometown Ghost Stories dives into the history of haunted locations and investigates why and how these places earned their terrifying reputation. Rob, Dave and Jesse go live every Tuesday night, after a 15-20 minute uninterrupted, documentary-style breakdown on the case. You can even join the show - as many do, during the live broadcasts on YouTube, Tuesday nights at 9pm EST, as we talk ghosts, demons, poltergeists, and the horrifyi...
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March 10, 2025 • 45 mins
Huey P. Long was one of the most powerful and polarizing figures in Louisiana’s history—a fiery populist whose ambition and influence reshaped the state. In this first installment of our very first two-parter here on Southern Gothic, we trace Long’s meteoric rise from a small-town lawyer to Louisiana’s governor and U.S. senator, exploring how his bold policies and ruthless political tactics earned him both devoted followers and dan...
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March 3, 2025 • 36 mins
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 particularly gruesome storm was brought on by the curse of a local Voodoo priestess named Julia Brown.
This episode of Southern Gothic revisits a topic prev...
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February 27, 2025 • 15 mins
On November 11, 1831, Nat Turner was hanged for his role in leading the bloodiest slave rebellion in United States history; however, his story did not end there. In the aftermath of his execution, Turner’s body was taken by local doctors, dissected, and his remains scattered, fueling centuries of speculation about their whereabouts-- particularly, the fate of his skull.
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February 24, 2025 • 64 mins
In August 1831, Nat Turner, an enslaved preacher from Southampton County, Virginia, led one of the most infamous rebellions in American history. Guided by what he claimed were divine visions, Turner and his followers unleashed a violent uprising that sent shockwaves through the South, challenging the very foundation of slavery. But while the revolt lasted only two days, its consequences would echo for decades, fueling deep-seated f...
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February 17, 2025 • 27 mins
This episode of Southern Gothic originally aired on October 18, 2021.
When construction began on the Williamsburg Gaol it was never intended to house those who were deemed as significantly dangerous, like murderers or pirates. Instead, it was meant for largely non-violent offenders, such as debtors, thieves, the mentally ill and enslaved people who were caught after fleeing their captors... but good intentions pale in comparison to...
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February 13, 2025 • 56 mins
Introducing I Talk to Ghosts, a podcast that combines the spooky and the spiritual; featuring ghost stories, in-studio medium readings, and personal accounts of Jennifer's path to mediumship and the unknown!
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February 10, 2025 • 12 mins
Mired in the mud bottom of a small tributary of the Ohio River is the abandoned and decaying hulk of a ship named the SS Sachem, a century-old vessel with deep roots in United States maritime history.
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February 3, 2025 • 38 mins
Buried beneath a solemn marble statue in Pikeville Cemetery lies Octavia Hatcher, a young mother who endured an unimaginable heartbreak before meeting a fate more horrifying than most can comprehend. Over a century later, her tragic story still haunts the town—both figuratively and, some say, literally. But what really happened to Octavia, and why does her name continue to echo through the shadows of history?
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