PODCAST · society
Appalachian Spooky Hour
by Sam Arthurs
Hey there, Spookies, and welcome to the Appalachian Spooky Hour! From whispered folklore to chilling true accounts, we're here to explore the strange, the haunted, and the unexplained woven into the region’s history. Step closer… and listen carefully. Things are about to get spooky.
Episodes
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True Halloween Tragedies
In this episode, we explore true tragedies that took place on or around Halloween. From an infamous serial killer lurking in New York City, to the truth behind why we always check our candy after trick-or-treating, these tales are haunting because they're very, very real.
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Scary Halloween Tales From Around The Internet
Join us as we read spooky Halloween tales submitted by users across the internet! From Reddit to Buzzfeed, we share with you some real life scary stories, that all center around the spookiest time of year. We collected some of these stories from the following posts on Reddit: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
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Johnny Frank Garrett, Halloween Murderer
On October 31st, 1981, a 76 year old nun was raped and murdered inside her convent in Amarillo, Texas. The crime was pinned on 17 year old Johnny Frank Garrett, who lived across the street from the St. Francis Convent. Did the teenager really commit this horrific crime? Or was he simply an easy...
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The Murder of Mary Hankins
In 1951, in the small town of Fountain City, Tennessee, 27 year old Mary Hankins was murdered inside her own home. Was it a robbery gone wrong? Or simply a needless murder committed by a stranger? Join us as we dive into this unsolved case, and discuss the possible scenarios that led to this...
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Spooky Hour Q&A
Join Sam, Shell, and Mandi in a special Q&A episode, where we answer questions that listeners submitted! Trust us, it's a spooky good time!
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The Disappearance of Teresa "Trenny" Gibson
Trenny Gibson went missing from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on October 8th, 1976. She has never been found. Did she take off of her own accord to start a new life somewhere (at just sixteen years old)? Did she become the victim of foul play? Or did she simply get lost in the woods?…
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The Ghost of Fannie Heldmann
On New Years Day, 1889, Fannie Heldmann drowned herself in the Reedy River. Was it because of an arranged marriage she did not want to be part of? Or did she suffer from an undocumented mental illness? And does her spirit still haunt the local cemetery in Greenville, South Carolina? Let's dive in...
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Serial Killer Anjette Lyles
In the 1950s, Georgia restaurant owner Anjette Lyles became notorious. Not for her food, but for becoming a cold blooded killer. Join us as we dive into the crimes she committed, and how she managed to avoid becoming the first white woman in Georgia history to be put to death. Was she influenced…
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Special Bonus Episode: Dark Hollow
Join us in this special episode, where we sit down to chat with horror director Daniel Byers and actress June Schreiner about their upcoming horror film, Dark Hollow! We discuss everything from the film, which takes place in Appalachia, to whether or not they believe in ghosts. Don't forget to...
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Wanderlights
Just what ARE those strange lights that sometimes appear in bogs, swamps, and along old railroad tracks? Often seen by travelers or those who are lost, are they a helpful being trying to help you find your way? Or are they something much more malevolent? Join Sam and Shell as they explore the...
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The Mammoth Cave TB Hut
This week we venture back to a familiar location in Kentucky: Mammoth Cave. We're there to explore the famous TB hut, and to determine whether or not the spirits of long deceased patients still linger. Did some folks go beneath the ground for a cure, only to remain there over a hundred years…
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Skinwalkers
In this episode, Sam and Shell debate whether or not there are Skinwalkers in Appalachia. Just how DID this legendary creature from southwestern Native American lore end up all the way in the Appalachian mountains? Or is it even here at all? Let's discuss it, as well as share a few Skinwalker…
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Octagon Hall
Tonight we veer Appalachian adjacent, to talk about Octagon Hall in Kentucky. While this historic house sits outside of the Appalachian region? It is still very, very haunted. Just who, or what, is lingering in the halls of this antebellum home? Let's find out together!
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The Jersey Devil
Sam and Shell dive into the lore of the Jersey Devil, and it's possible historical origins. Was this an actual child born to some poor woman who lived in the Pine Barrens? Or a rumor started by one of America's most enduring historical figures? Let's figure it out together, Spookies!
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The Conrad-Caldwell House
In the midst of Old Louisville (Appalachia adjacent), sits the Conrad-Caldwell House (also know as Caldwell's Castle). Built in 1893, the beautiful home is now a museum, and is said to host a number of haunts. Do the previous owners still linger in their once beloved home? What about residents of...
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The Legend of the Bunny Man
In 1970, a hatchet wielding man in a bunny suit terrorized three people in Fairfax County, Virginia. What became an enduring urban legend, was rooted in very real fact. Who was the bunny man? Was he an escaped asylum patient? Or just a landowner at odds with the local community? Join us as we...
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The Sedamsville Rectory
Join us tonight in Cincinnati, Ohio, to explore the Sedamsville Rectory! Does a ghostly priest who committed suicide still walk the halls? Is something demonic lingering in the basement? Let's find out together! Come see us at the 2026 Carter County Bigfoot Festival! Head over to our Instagram to...
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The Pitty-Pat
Join us as we head into the mountains of Tennessee, where a strange little cryptid lurks. Just what is the Pitty-Pat? And is just one of many entities that could be haunting the are of Shipley Hollow? Let's talk about it! If you would like to submit YOUR spooky story to the podcast, head on over…
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The Grand Midway Hotel
Join Sam and Shell as they travel to Pennsylvania, where we'll explore the reported haunts of the Grand Midway Hotel! Did a girl really die on the hotel balcony in a tragic 4th of July accident? What is up with that giant Ouija board painted on the roof? Let's talk about it together! NOTE: This...
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The Monroe Demon House
Join us tonight as we venture Appalachia adjacent to Indiana, to explore the haunted Monroe Demon House! Is this house truly haunted by both human and inhuman spirits? Was it cursed, or was the Berger family just exceptionally unlucky? Who do the human remains found in the basement belong to?…
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The Perryville Battlefield
Tonight we go a little bit Appalachia adjacent to visit Perryville, Kentucky, site of a brutal Civil War battle. The fighting saw over 7,000 casualties, of which around 1,500 were men killed in action. Some say those men still linger in the place where they died, walking the battlefield to this…
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The Whispers Estate
Join us tonight as we venture a bit Appalachia adjacent to Mitchell, Indiana, where we'll be exploring the haunted Whispers Estate. Do members of the Gibbons family still linger in their former home? Are there parts of Doctor Gibbons patients buried in the backyard? Is the man in the closet a...
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Lake Shawnee Amusement Park
Join us as we head to West Virginia, to explore the abandoned Lake Shawnee Amusement Park. Is the park haunted by the spirits of children who reportedly died on the property while visiting with their family's? Or was the land simply cursed from the beginning, built on ancient Native American…
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The Snarly Yow
Join us on a trip to Maryland, where we dive into the story of the Snarly Yow! Just what is this elusive cryptid? And why does it seem hell bent on scaring off travelers on a lonely Appalachian road? Let's find out together!
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The Ghosts of Abingdon, Virginia
Join us as we explore the town of Abingdon, Virginia and it's many reported haunts. Are there still Union and Confederate soldiers lingering at was once a women's college during the Civil War (now the MarWashington tha Inn)? Does a women of the night pinch patrons at a local tavern, angered over...
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Octavia Hatcher
Was Octavia Hatcher truly buried alive after a bout of sleeping sickness? Or was it all just a rumor spread to spook locals? Join us as we venture to Pikeville, Kentucky in an effort to discover the truth behind the untimely death of Octavia, and just what happened AFTER her burial!
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The Fox Sisters
The Fox sisters began their time as famous mediums by hearing simple knocking sounds in their childhood bedroom.; supposed signs of an intelligent haunting by an entity they could communicate with. From there, they grew to become unintentional leaders of the Spiritualism movement. Then, years...
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The Snallygaster
In this episode we travel to Maryland, where we explore infamous Snallygaster. Was this cryptid the result of folklore brought to America by German immigrants? Or are it's origins as we know it much more sinister in nature? Let's find out together! A bit of a trigger warning: we do talk about...
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Centralia, Pennsylvania
Join Sam and co-host Shell as they venture to Centralia, Pennsylvania. What exactly happened in this doomed town, that would go on to be an inspiration for Silent Hill films? Why was it left abandoned, and what happened to the people there? Let's find out together, as explore the human side of...
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Helltown, Ohio
Join us as we venture to the abandoned town known as Helltown, Ohio. Is this once prosperous village on the river really overrun with satanists and mutant reptiles? Or was it simply a victim of circumstance? Let's find out together, Spookies!
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The Pope Lick Monster
Join us in Louisville, Kentucky, where we are exploring the Pope Lick Trestle and the legendary Pope Lick Monster. Is there really a half-man and half-goat cryptid living beneath the bridge, preying on people and luring them to their deaths? Or is it just an old bit of lore that got out of hand?...
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Bobby Mackey's Music World
Join us as we venture to Wilder, Kentucky to visit the haunts of Bobby Mackey's Music World! Just who was Bobby Mackey, and how did his honkytonk come to be haunted? Is there really a portal to hell in the basement? There's a lot to unpack here, from murdered women to a demonic possession. Bobby...
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Mercy Brown
In the fist episode of season six, we discuss the story of Mercy Brown. Was she simply a young girl who died of consumption? Or was she a vampire, sucking the life force from her living family members after death? Let's talk about what happened to Mercy, and the vampire panic that swept New...
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The Disappearance of Polly Melton
In September of 1981, Polly Melton went on a hike with friends in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and simply disappeared. Did she get lost in the wilderness? Or did she simply seize the chance to leave her old life and walk away into a new one? Let's talk about i! Note: the first 4…
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Haunting Halloween Events
Halloween is a time for celebration, but throughout history it has also been a time of unusual events unfolding. From the death of the most famous magician in the world, to unspeakable acts of filicide, join us in this special Halloween season episode where we discuss the strangely dark side of...
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Appalachian Halloween Traditions
In this short episode to kick off Spooky Season, we touch on Halloween traditions here in Appalachia! It's a fun introduction to October, and our bevvy of upcoming Samhain related content! Sam has a cold, so please forgive her (for both the short length of this episode and her scratchy voice)!
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Our Paranormal Origins
Join Sam and Mandi as they have a casually informative conversation about how they ended up as part of the paranormal community. An introduction to two of our three hosts, for our new listeners, with some fun information for our regulars!
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Athens Asylum
Join us, Spookies, as we venture to the former Athens Asylum, now known as the Ridges. From lunatic asylum to college dorms and administration buildings, this once sprawling hospital campus may have left more than just architecture behind. Just who haunts this place? And are they still lingering...
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The Murder at Hex Hollow
Did Nelson Rehmeyer really put a hex on John Blymire? Or was the lonely powwow practitioner wrongfully accused and murdered for it? Join us as we discuss what happened in Hex Hollow, the practice of powwow, and how these three men committed an atrocious crime with no real reasoning. I get very...
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Smith Haven Manor
In this episode we venture to Tennessee, to explore the supposedly haunted Smith Haven Manor. Just who, or what, haunts this antebellum home? Lets find out! Join our Patreon for exclusive content! Visit us at the Carter County Bigfoot Festival on September 13th, 2025!
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The Holler Fae
In this episode, featuring guest Mandi, we discuss the lore of fae in the Appalachian region! Are they guardians of the forests? Or something a bit more sinister? Sam also shares a childhood tale of a would-be fae encounter she had as a child. It's a weird one, folks! You don't want to miss it!...
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The Boo Hag
Tonight we take a trip to the Appalachian region of South Carolina and Georgia (well, slightly Appalachia adjacent, but close!) to talk about a cryptid known as the Boo Hag. What is she, and where did she originate? How can you escape her, once she has you in her grasp? Join us as we answer these...
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The Legend of Nance Dude
What would compel a grandmother to kill her own grandchild? Did Nance Dude kill her granddaughter, Roberta Putnam, out of malice? Or out of survival? Join us as we dig into the legend of Nance, her life, and why she may have committed murder.
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Virginia Devil Monkey
We're back from summer hiatus, and kicking things off with a listener submitted story! From there, we explore the wilds of Virginia, and the elusive Virginia Devil Monkey. Just what IS this strange, volatile cryptid? Is it real, or just a hoax? Let's find out! Spotify has added about 4 minutes of...
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Brattleboro Retreat (and other asylums of Vermont)
Join us in this episode as we discuss a lesser visited area of Appalachia: Vermont! We journey to the tower of the Brattleboro Retreat, and then discuss other haunted asylums and hospitals. Who knew that Vermont was so haunted?!?
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Don't Whistle At Night
In this episode we explore online videos discussing the spooky goings on in Appalachia. Should you whistle at night? Should you be wary of looking into the trees? Are any of these tales rooted in truth, or were they simply created for views? Deep dive with us into the "rules" of Appalachia! You…
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The Dunlora Witch
Tonight we venture into the woods of Virginia, to hear the tale of a witch who is supposed to have, ah, dispatched six Boy Scouts in the early 1920s. Is it just a scary story? Or was there something paranormal truly going on at the Dunlora mansion?
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Andre Rand (Cropsey)
Tonight we're going a little Appalachia adjacent (okay, a lot) to talk about the legend of Cropsey. Whey? To show that sometimes, there really is truth behind urban legends and folklore tales. In the case of Andre Rand, the truth was likely a little too real.
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The Snarly Yow
Just what is a Snarly Yow? And where did this story originate? We cover that, and more, about this unusual cryptid in this short, but fun, episode! Join our Patreon!
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The Murder of Ronald Sanchez Jr
In 2019, Ronald Sanchez Jr set out to conquer the Appalachian Trail. He was on his way to doing so, when he had an unfortunate meeting with James Jordan. What happened to Ronnie? How was James Jordan walking free at the time he committed his heinous crime? Let's talk about it!
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Hey there, Spookies, and welcome to the Appalachian Spooky Hour! From whispered folklore to chilling true accounts, we're here to explore the strange, the haunted, and the unexplained woven into the region’s history. Step closer… and listen carefully. Things are about to get spooky.
HOSTED BY
Sam Arthurs
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Appalachian Spooky Hour have?
Appalachian Spooky Hour currently has 127 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Appalachian Spooky Hour about?
Hey there, Spookies, and welcome to the Appalachian Spooky Hour! From whispered folklore to chilling true accounts, we're here to explore the strange, the haunted, and the unexplained woven into the region’s history. Step closer… and listen carefully. Things are about to get spooky.
How often does Appalachian Spooky Hour release new episodes?
Appalachian Spooky Hour publishes regularly with 127 episodes available. Check the episode list for the typical release schedule.
Where can I listen to Appalachian Spooky Hour?
You can listen to Appalachian Spooky Hour on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Appalachian Spooky Hour?
Appalachian Spooky Hour is created and hosted by Sam Arthurs.
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