They Claimed They Spoke For God: Appalachia’s 19th Century New Eden

This week we tell the strange and little-known story of the Mountain Cove Community, a spiritualist commune founded in the mountains of what’s now West Virginia in the early 1850s. Led by Reverends Thomas Lake Harris and James L. Scott, the group believed they could communicate with spirits, build a new Eden in Appalachia, and create a perfect society apart from the corruption of the outside world. But as power, prophecy, and control grew inside the community, Mountain Cove began to unravel. If you enjoy Appalachian history and folklore, be sure to subscribe to the Stories podcast. Thanks for listening!

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This episode was published on May 16, 2026.

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