History of The Night Watchman | Ep. 96

In this episode of The Halloween Podcast, I take a look at the history of the night watchman, the lone figure once trusted to stay awake while entire towns slept. Long before modern police and security systems, night watchmen walked dark streets with lanterns, staffs, and bells, watching for fire, theft, and anything else that might go wrong before morning. Over time, their role became tied not just to safety, but to superstition, folklore, and eerie stories from the night. From the streets of old Europe to colonial America, and from haunted railroad crossings to unsettling reports from modern security guards, I explore how the night watchman stood at the edge of order and fear, where practical duty often brushed up against the unexplained. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.