Southern Gothic

According to prolific folklorist Nancy Roberts, the now-closed copper mine in Ducktown, Tennesse is home to a century-old piece of lore. This episode is sponsored by Incogni: Use promo code "southerngothic" to get an exclusive 60% off an annual plan at incogni.com/southerngothic. Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More  Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts Into History: History Without Interruption Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website: SouthernGothicMedia.com Merch Store: https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch Pinterest: @SouthernGothicMedia Facebook: @SouthernGothicMedia Instagram: @SouthernGothicMedia X: @SoGoPodcast Advertise on this podcast: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Just outside the town of Gadsden, Alabama, is a lonely gravel road believed to be haunted by the spirit of a vengeful witch who was purportedly murdered there over a century ago.  This episode is sponsored by Incogni: Use promo code "southerngothic" to get an exclusive 60% off an annual plan at incogni.com/southerngothic. Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More  Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts Into History: History Without Interruption Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website: SouthernGothicMedia.com Merch Store: https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch Pinterest: @SouthernGothicMedia Facebook: @SouthernGothicMedia Instagram: @SouthernGothicMedia X: @SoGoPodcast Advertise on this podcast: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Folks up in Northern Louisiana claim that there's an old shack somewhere out in the country that is known as the Devil's Toy Box, a place where visitors who go inside go mad! This episode is sponsored by Incogni: Use promo code "southerngothic" to get an exclusive 60% off an annual plan at incogni.com/southerngothic. Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More  Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts Into History: History Without Interruption Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website: SouthernGothicMedia.com Merch Store: https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch Pinterest: @SouthernGothicMedia Facebook: @SouthernGothicMedia Instagram: @SouthernGothicMedia X: @SoGoPodcast Advertise on this podcast: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The old railroad tracks near Harper's Ferry, West Virginia are believed to be the place where a truly horrifying and heartbreaking spirit roams. This episode is sponsored by Incogni: Use promo code "southerngothic" to get an exclusive 60% off an annual plan at incogni.com/southerngothic. Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More  Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts Into History: History Without Interruption Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website: SouthernGothicMedia.com Merch Store: https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch Pinterest: @SouthernGothicMedia Facebook: @SouthernGothicMedia Instagram: @SouthernGothicMedia X: @SoGoPodcast Advertise on this podcast: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Folks from Columbus, Mississippi claim that there's something awful strange going on down at Nash Road, and anyone willing to follow a few simple steps might just find themselves coming face to face with the infamous three-legged lady. This episode is sponsored by Incogni: Use promo code "southerngothic" to get an exclusive 60% off an annual plan at incogni.com/southerngothic. Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More  Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts Into History: History Without Interruption Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website: SouthernGothicMedia.com Merch Store: https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch Pinterest: @SouthernGothicMedia Facebook: @SouthernGothicMedia Instagram: @SouthernGothicMedia X: @SoGoPodcast Advertise on this podcast: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Our third annual campfire tales series kicks off with a story of lost love down at the historic Duke Mansion in Charlotte, North Carolina. Legend says the spirit of Jon Avery still roams the halls of this elegant estate over a century after his death. This episode is sponsored by Incogni: Use promo code "southerngothic" to get an exclusive 60% off an annual plan at incogni.com/southerngothic. Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More  Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts Into History: History Without Interruption Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website: SouthernGothicMedia.com Merch Store: https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch Pinterest: @SouthernGothicMedia Facebook: @SouthernGothicMedia Instagram: @SouthernGothicMedia X: @SoGoPodcast Advertise on this podcast: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Join Brandon in Nashville for a LIVE storytelling event on October 17, 2024: Tickets are available now! Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More  Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts Into History: History Without Interruption Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website: SouthernGothicMedia.com Merch Store: https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch Pinterest: @SouthernGothicMedia Facebook: @SouthernGothicMedia Instagram: @SouthernGothicMedia X: @SoGoPodcast Advertise on this podcast: [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you're a fan of Southern Gothic, then check out our brand new audio fiction series Fear Daily! Fear Daily takes you into the shadows of the past, unearthing the 1990's most terrifying tales of monsters, madness, and life after death. Join us as we explore the ghost stories and supernatural encounters left on an old online bulletin board that continues to operate somewhere in an unknown part of the Pennsylvania Rust Belt - a time capsule of society's greatest fears. Written by Brennan Storr, creator of The Ghost Story Guys, and hosted by Brandon Schexnayder, creator of Southern Gothic... Fear Daily is guaranteed to be the stuff of nightmares. Ad-Free Episodes of Fear Daily are available now on all of your favorite podcasting apps! Fear Daily is an independent podcast hosted by Brandon Schexnayder and written by Brennan Storr, with Joanna Smith serving as the consulting editor, audio production by Rachel Boyd and sound design by Southern Gothic Media. If you enjoyed this show be sure to check out The Ghost Story Guys & Southern Gothic today! This podcast is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to real events or locations, is entirely coincidental. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you enjoyed our last full-length episode Legacy of the Battletown Witch and want to hear more about this year's Battletown Witch Festival, join Brandon as he sits down for a brief conversation with the festival's co-founder and chair Annie Hamilton Emond of Meade County Tourism. Make Plans to attend the Battletown Witch Festival today! When: Saturday, October 26, 2024 Where: YMCA Camp Piomingo in Otter Creek Park of Brandenburg, Kentucky Cost: Free! VIP tickets are available at BattletownWitch.com Connect with the festival on social media for updates and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Saturday, October 26th, Meade County, Kentucky, hosts its third annual Battletown Witch Festival, a family-friendly celebration inspired by one of the region’s most infamous local legends. This tale, passed down through generations of Battletown families, claims that a young woman buried in the old Elizabeth Daily Cemetery continues to haunt the hills and hollers after being unjustly killed for being a witch. Her name was Leah Smock, and while the lore may not be well-known outside of the state, this likely innocent woman has the dubious legacy of being the only witch to have been burned alive in the United States. Yet, the mystery of what truly happened to Leah Smock lingers to this day, as legend asserts that her spirit still roams the woods near her grave. As the folks from the Battletown Witch Festival say, “Even though she has a scary name, the true horror is what happened to her.” Make Plans to attend the Battletown Witch Festival today! When: Saturday, October 26, 2024 Where: YMCA Camp Piomingo in Otter Creek Park of Brandenburg, Kentucky Cost: Free! VIP tickets are available at BattletownWitch.com Connect with the festival on social media for updates and more! Topics Explored in this episode of Southern Gothic: History of Battletown, Kentucky: Battletown is a small rural community nestled in the rolling hills of Meade County on the Ohio River, located just 35 miles away as the crow flies. Historically it is an agricultural hub enriched by limestone deposits crucial for farming, Battletown evolved from an 18th-century hunting ground to a community known for its coopers– craftsmen who built barrels for the lime industry. Elizabeth Daily Cemetery: The place where Leah Smock is buried is currently on private property and off limits to legend trippers; however, for years this site has been believed to be haunted by the spirit of Leah Smock. Generations of Battletown residents have taken their kids to the cemetery to tell them stories of the Battletown Witch Life of Leah Smock: Born in 1818 to John Smock and Margaret Ann Scott, Leah was raised in a devout Christian household. Described as intelligent, beautiful, and deeply connected to nature, Leah spent her time in the woods, gathering herbs and showing an unusual bond with animals, which led to rumors. Her friendship with a Native American man, known as "Indian Joe," fueled further speculation, as some believed he shared mystical knowledge with her. By age twelve, Leah’s purported ability to predict the future and forecast events sparked fear in her community, eventually leading to accusations of witchcraft. Accusations of Witchcraft: Leah was blamed for a series of misfortunes in her community—from the deaths of babies and horses to crop failures—leading to widespread fear and accusations of witchcraft. Stories of her unsettling demeanor and mysterious powers grew, culminating in a tragic climax when the locals, driven by fear and suspicion, decided to burn her alive, believing she had cursed their livelihoods and brought evil upon their community. History of Witchcraft Hysteria: Historically, witchcraft has been met with severe punishment, often influenced by Heinrich Kramer's "Malleus Maleficarum," which ignited widespread witch hunts and executions across Europe. Leah Smock's fate, burned alive in 1840 without a trial, is an anomaly in the U.S., where such accusations more commonly led to hangings, as seen in the Salem witch trials. Leah’s Brutal Murder: On August 21, 1840 Leah Smock was killed at her home in Battletown, Kentucky. She was locked in a smokehouse and burned alive. The Paranormal Legacy: Almost immediately following Leah’s death, some began to claim that her apparition had appeared to them, and others that her spirit was making an impact on the community in a number of different ways, leaving a long legacy of ghost stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices