MountainLore

In the 1820s, a man named Johnson from North Carolina fell gravely ill after stealing money from a cattle buyer. With the help of a wise granny woman, he discovered a remedy, but it came at a great cost.Discover the tale of Johnson's theft, his mysterious illness, and the supernatural wisdom of Granny Weiss, who guided his wife to the truth that would lift his affliction, but not without consequences that altered their lives forever.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

In Georgia, the Walsingham place, haunted by restless spirits and terrifying phenomena, drove a brave man to madness after a night of unspeakable horrors. Discover the chilling tale of the Walsingham family and their encounter with the supernatural, where eerie sounds and ghostly apparitions led to their hasty departure and about the man who later took a bet to stay in the haunted house.     He was never the same again. You can subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app. Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

In the hills of Tennessee, General Andrew Jackson's encounter with the supernatural connects that famous man with the famous entity that haunted the Bell family 200 years ago.Discover the eerie tale of the Bell Witch, the spirit that tormented the Bells and had a spine-tingling encounter with none other than Andrew Jackson.You can subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite podcast app.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

In the mountains of Appalachia, a grieving widow named Rhodey experiences an eerie omen before her husband's tragic hunting accident, leading her to a profound belief in the supernatural.Discover the haunting tale of Rhodey and Alamander, where a white feather becomes a symbol of impending doom and a connection to the otherworldly.You can subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on Spotify, Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, or on your favorite podcast app.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

In the mountains of North Carolina, tales are told of a haunted spring where, on a dark night, you might witness a chilling procession of seven possums, seven ghostly men, and seven coffins—each an eerie echo of a long-forgotten tragedy.  Discover the legend of the seven spirits, believed to be the restless souls of men murdered during the Civil War.You can subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on Spotify, Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, or on your favorite podcast app.  Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

In the mountains of North Carolina, nearly 200 years ago, Ephraim Tucker's quest to learn witchcraft from a mysterious witch led him to a terrifying encounter with the devil himself.  Desperate to escape his fate, Ephraim fled through the woods and swam across a raging river to safety. Though he survived, the encounter left him scarred for life.  Ephraim Tucker's story tells of the thin line between the natural and the supernatural, and the high price of seeking forbidden knowledge.  You can subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, or on your favorite podcast app.  Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

In the mountains of western North Carolina, a headless dog was said to emerge from an old schoolhouse grave to chase travelers, fueled by his and his human's tragic end at the hands of evil men.  This week, Steve and Gena tell the tale of the Headless Dog of Cove Creek, another one of the tales from Appalachia.   You can subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, Audible, or on your favorite podcast app. Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

In the mountains of North Carolina, the mysterious and feared witch Phoebe Ward once roamed from place to place, weaving spells and leaving a mysterious legacy in her wake. Phoebe's life was as wild and twisted as the mountain trails themselves, and her legend only grew after a chilling encounter with some men one cold, moonless night. Gather round while we tell you the tale of Phoebe Ward, the witch of the North Carolina Mountains.You can subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, Spotify, YouTube Music, or on your favorite podcast app. Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

One cold December day over 140 years ago, 19 shackled convicts lost their lives crossing the Tuckaseegee River in North Carolina to go work on a railroad tunnel.  Ever since that day folks swear that they can still hear the ghosts of those chained prisoners inside the walls of the Cowee Tunnel, including the three whose tale we tell today.Sweet dreams., podcast listeners...

This week we tell the strange tale of Silas McKean, a young man whose life took an extraordinary turn when he encountered a radiant ball of light between two ancient pine trees. This supernatural encounter led to, of all things, a profound relationship that transcended the mortal realm and changed Silas’ life forever.   Join us as we tell the poignant story of Silas and Alice, a love that defied the boundaries of life and death. Listen now on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, or on your favorite podcast app.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

In this episode of MountainLore, we share the eerie tale of a remote holler, where a widower's new wife harbored a dark secret, one that chilled the entire community to its bones as restless spirits returned to seek justice, haunting the community with bone-chilling cries and unearthly wails.  Join us as we tell the tragic tale of the haints in the holler. Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, or on your favorite podcast app.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

In this episode of MountainLore, we tell the tale of a once beautiful old house nestled deep in the woods.  For over a century and a half, whispers of the house's haunting have echoed through the hills, all stemming from the tragic and untimely end of its reclusive occupant, a man known simply as Johnny.  Join us as we tell of the greed and murder that cursed the once beautiful home, and how Johnny's love for solitude and rumors of hidden riches led to a deadly encounter with an envious neighbor.  We tell of the spectral knocks that plague the house each full moon and of the peace that Johnny’s ghost so desperately sought.Listen now on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast app. Sweet dreams, podcast listeners

Venture with us into the heart of Appalachia, to a place where the whispers of the past speak of betrayal and justice—a justice that may tarry but never falters. In this episode of MountainLore, we unearth the haunting tale of John Gamble, a master craftsman whose destiny was forever altered by the sinister deeds of those he trusted.   Remember to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on your favorite podcast platform, and share our haunting Appalachian tales with those who revel in the mysteries of the mountains. Until our paths cross again...   Sweet dreams, podcast listeners.  

In this episode of MountainLore, we tell the tale of Old Bill Mullins and his fiery reckoning. A man known for his sinful ways and a life lived in defiance of the divine, Bill's story is a cautionary whisper among the pines and a legend that has echoed through the hills of Appalachia for many years.  Join us as we recount how the flames of an otherworldly fire reveal Old Bill's ultimate destiny, a sight that sears itself into the memories of those who witness it.  Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on your favorite podcast app. As always, sweet dreams, podcast listeners…

Today's tale takes us deep into the mountains of Southwest Virginia, where a legend tells of two sisters whose very souls seemed woven from the darkest threads of the mountains. In this episode of MountainLore, we delve into the sinister saga of these two, whose wickedness was whispered to be the devil's own handiwork.  Even in death, the sisters' legacy of terror refused to be buried, haunting the place they were buried with eerie sightings and chilling sounds that serve as a grim reminder of the evil spirits that some say still roam these Appalachian hills.  Subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on your favorite podcast app and remember to share our haunting Appalachian tales with your friends.   Sweet dreams, podcast listeners…

Today we tell a tale about a mysterious and unsettling visit to an old, grand house nestled deep within the Appalachian hills—a place where ghosts laugh and taunt you when the sun goes down and long into the night.  It's a story of terror that blurs the lines between reality and the supernatural, leaving our visitor—and perhaps even you, dear listener—with a haunting that lingers long after dawn breaks.    Subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, or on your preferred podcast platform to ensure you never miss an episode of our tales from Appalachia.  Sweet dreams, podcast listeners…

Venture with us into the stormy hills of Southwest Virginia, where a stop on a preacher's journey brings him a ghostly plea for justice in this episode of MountainLore. As the heavens unleash a rainstorm, our man of God seeks refuge in an old farmhouse, rumored to be haunted by restless spirits. What follows is a night of eerie noises, spectral encounters, and a murder mystery that has lingered in tales from Blackwater for generations.    Make sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on your favorite podcast platform, including Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and more.    And as always…  Sweet dreams, podcast listeners.

In the dark hollows of Appalachia, a tale as twisted as the branches of an ancient oak unfolds in this episode of MountainLore. We're taking you back 150 years to a time when a grand old oak tree stood sentinel on the edge of a small town, its boughs a meeting place for a coven of witches and their moonlit rituals.  Join us as we recount the harrowing night that left a town reeling and a traveler ensnared in legend. The Curse of the Twisted Tree is a story of vengeance, nature's wrath, and the peril of underestimating the unseen forces that weave their way through Appalachian lore.  Be sure to subscribe to MountainLore to unearth more tales that have weathered the ages. Find us on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, or wherever you tune into the whispers of the past.  And remember, choose wisely the shade under which you rest...  Sweet dreams, podcast listeners.

On this ghostly journey through the heart of Appalachia, we recount the spine-tingling tale of two brothers, Jacob and Ritchie Vail, and their fateful encounter with a haunted tavern along the Ohio River. As the brothers seek lodging one night, they stumble upon a mysterious establishment with a dark past and an even darker presence lurking within its walls.Don't forget to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast to ensure you never miss an episode of our tales. We're available on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Goodpods, Player FM, and wherever podcasts are found.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners.

In this chilling episode of MountainLore, we delve deep into the eerie tales of western Pennsylvania as we recount a story that's lingered in the whispers of the hills for over a century. We venture to a forsaken square frame house nestled in the mountains—a house that now stands forlorn, its glory days long past.  In 1886, this house was abuzz with the life of woodsmen, but among them was an enigmatic old German man named Richter, whose past was as shadowy as the nights that terrorized him. His nightly wails and frantic cries for light painted a haunting picture that the woodsmen learned to endure as part of their stay.   Gather 'round as we unravel the tale of old Richter and his haunted. A tale that ensures the old farmhouse remains not just a structure, but a sentinel of the spectral legends of Appalachia.Remember to subscribe to MountainLore for more tales that will send shivers down your spine. Find us on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Goodpods, Player FM, or your preferred podcast platform.Until our next encounter...  Sweet dreams, podcast listeners.

Today we tell a tale from southwest Virginia about a man, his young son, and the family's cows, which the son tended during the day up in the mountains.  That man tried to teach his boy a lesson in being home on time.  That's NOT how things turned out, however.Don't forget to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast.  We're on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Goodpods or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.Thanks for listening and....Sweet dreams, podcast listeners.

One summer, many years ago, a small community in the mountains of Kentucky suffered through the worst drought any of them had ever experienced. Searching for a cause for their misery, they found one: an older woman who lived at the head of their holler, Hollow Branch, who many had whispered had unearthly and evil powers based on her reputation as a healer, or granny woman.Before long this granny woman was on trial for being a witch and for bringing the drought down on Hollow Branch.Thanks for listening and for sharing our tales with your friends. Sweet dreams, podcast listeners.

Bill and Elie had a long life together, made even longer by their utter dislike for each other. One day Elie disappeared and Bill became a man set free.All was grand, until that cursed lilac bush came along.Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast. We're on Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, Spotify, Audible or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.Til next we meet, sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

We have reached a milestone: 200 episodes!To celebrate, we bring you a folktale from the mountains of western North Carolina...A hunter resting one evening at a historic mountain pass in North Carolina happens to see a ghostly sight: three indistinct soldiers at the edge of a clearing, staring in his direction, not at him, but at something only they can see. This is the beginning of what will be a ghostly encounter.Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast. We're on Spotify, Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Goodpods, PlayerFM or wherever you get your podcasts. Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

On May 2, 1891, Octavia Hatcher of Pikeville, Kentucky, died from a strange, new illness. Well, no she didn't, but nobody knew that at the time.You see, that illness caused her to go into a coma so deep that doctors at the time assumed she was dead and pronounced her so. Then she was buried in a cemetery on a hill above Pikeville.That is when the tragedy of this story begins.Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Goodpods or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

Bobby and Clara, together since high school, lived in a small Appalachian town, leading normal lives...until Bobby broke off their relationship to marry another woman.There followed a chain of events that led to Bobby being tormented by a spirit from the afterworld.That, dear listeners, is our tale this week! Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on your favorite podcast app or on our YouTube channel (@MountainLoreTales) and the YouTube Music app.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

Many years ago, it's said, a moonshiner running his still had a supernatural encounter that changed his life, another bit of MountainLore for you!Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast so you don't miss any of our stories. We're on Spotify, Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Audible, or on your favorite podcast app.Thanks for listening and for sharing our tales with your friends.Til next time, sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

There are those in these mountains who have an ability to find good underground water with nothing more than two sticks or wires to guide them. Years ago a good dowser was worth his weight in gold.Some of these folks had other abilities, which you'll find out about in today's tale...Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on your favorite podcast app so you don't miss a single one of our stories.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

Today we tell a tale about a superstition, once widely believed, that it was bad luck for a couple to get married while on horseback. One young couple did that many years ago, resulting in one bad thing after another happening to them, each one worse than the last. You can subscribe to the MountainLore podcast at Spotify, Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, YouTube Music, Audible or on your favorite podcast app.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

Bunnies are cute and fluffy. The Bunny Man is not; in fact the Bunny Man can and will kill you.This week we tell a tale about a man in a rabbit suit with killer instincts. And in this case some of the story is definitely true.You can subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Spotify or on your own favorite podcast app.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

A tragic accident in the mines brings profound grief and anguish to a coal miner until one day, while working his shift, he finds the peace he had been missing for so long.Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast so you don't miss any of our tales from Appalachia; we're on your favorite podcast app!Til next time, sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

Christmas is upon us, so we thought we'd share not a tale this week, but a story about how Christmas was celebrated in Appalachia over the years, along with some holiday folklore.We hope you enjoy!Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, Goodpods, Audible, Spotify or wherever you get your pods.Merry Christmas, one and all!

Many years ago, it's said, a man who lived up between Norton and Pound, Virginia, was surprised by a strange dog standing in his kitchen when he returned home one night. That encounter led to not only a broken toe but to a neverending search which consumed this man for the rest of his life.Don't forget to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast; that way, you won't miss any of our tales! We're on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Spreaker or on your favorite podcast app.Thanks for listening to our tales from Appalachia!Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

Did you know that Christmas has a dark side? It does, at least in some parts of not just Appalachia but around the world, in the form of a shaggy, horned man-goat named Krampus!If you want to catch all our tale from Appalachia, be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast. We're on your favorite podcast app!Merry Christmas…and, uh, sweet Christmas dreams, y’all!

In Franklin County, Virginia, a man is buried along with all his money, apparently with the intent of paving his path to the afterlife with gold.Only problem was that the money soon went missing, and therein lies our bit of MountainLore today!Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Goodpods or wherever you get your podcasts.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

One of life's lessons is "respect your elders." A lot of folks ignore that advice, earning them not much more than a scolding or a shake of the head from folks. If the elder in question, though, has the power of witchcraft at their disposal, you'd best remember that life lesson...unless you want to reap some REAL consequences.That's the lesson of today's tale.Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast, found on your favorite podcast app, whatever that may be.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

A tragic tale of two young women, best friends, who were divided by their desire for the attentions of a young man. Jealousy turned to murder which itself turned into the ghost story we have for you today.Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast at Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or on your favorite podcast app. Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

We are back after a couple of weeks of being under the weather, but that time was put to good use in gathering up the story we have for you this week!A home renovation project a hundred years ago went well, not disturbing the neighbors.It did, however, disturb someone, or should we say, something else.What that was and how it turned out is our story. Give us a listen...Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast at Spotify, Spreaker, Apple Podcasts, Audible, or wherever you get your podcasts.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners.

Once upon a time an Appalachian preacher had a son who loved to swing back and forth on the front door of his farmhouse. We'll tell you the rest in today's tale.Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on your favorite podcast app so you don't miss any of our stories.We're on TikTok @storiesofappalachia and on Instagram @storyappalachia. Catch our video stories there as well.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

There's nothing like a rustic log cabin nestled in a picturesque Appalachian valley. Folks dream of having such a place in which to live.What they don't realize is that in some cases those dreams can become nightmares.Today we tell that tale.Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast at Spotify, Spreaker, Apple Podcasts or on your own favorite podcast app.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

Today's story comes from a listener, who remembered the bare bones of this tale but not the entire story. We've taken that "ghost" of a story (about a ghost) and put together the tale you'll hear in this episode. It's the story of the mysterious ghost rider of southwest Virginia, another tale from Appalachia.You can subscribe to the MountainLore podcast at Spreaker, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible or on your favorite podcast app, whatever that might be.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

During the Great Depression, times were hard. Many men were forced to take to the road to find any kind of work or handout they could get, just to survive. These men, or "hobos," as they were called, road the rails across the country and were a common sight in Appalachia.Today, in a repeat of a story we told in 2020, we again bring you the tale of a "hobo" ghost, still looking for a handout after crossing over to the great beyond.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

There's an old story from the mountains of southwest Virginia about a witch named Bill Boggs. It was said that Boggs got his powers from a chestnut tree on top of a ridge, and around this tree was a zone of death in which no plant nor animal could live. One old farmer decided to rid that ridge of the cursed tree.Things did not go well, at least not at first.That, friends, is our story for today.Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast at Spreaker.com so you don't miss out on any of our tales.We're on TikTok @storiesofappalachia and on Instagram @storyappalachia with more video tales of Appalachia. Be sure to follow us!Til next we meet, sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

The Civil War came to East Tennessee in the form of Confederate raids against the mostly Union sympathizers who lived there. Today's tale recounts a story told about one such raid which cost the life of a resident of Carter's Valley.His spirit demanded justice and got it...through his hand, brutally severed from his body by the Rebel raiders.Today we tell that tale.Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, or on your favorite podcast app.Til next time, sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

The final battle of the Civil War in West Virginia was fought at Droop Mountain. Apparently, the spirits of many of the fallen soldiers, North and South, remain on that beautiful mountain to this day, as we'll tell you in today's podcast episode.Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast at Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Spreaker, Audible or wherever you get your podcasts.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

Once upon a time a man, Brother Johnny as he was known, decided to throw a party, with moonshine being part of the festivities. Brother Johnny invited several friends to this get together, including a young man and his wife from over the mountain. This couple took off for Brother Johnny's place and rode for hours, until they stopped at a farm along the way.That stopover led to the wife having more excitement than she'd had in all the rest of her life.Today we tell that tale.Don't forget to subscribe to the MountainLore poddast on your favorite podcast app so you don't miss any of our stories.By the way, we're also on TikTok @storiesofappalachia and on Instagram @storyappalachia with short video tales for you enjoyment. Come on over and follow us there!Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

What, dear listeners, has wooly fur, goat horns and a naked possum tail? A critter/cryptid known as the White Thing, or, as we'd prefer to call it, the Sheepsquatch.Join us as we tell the tale of this mysterious being!Don't miss any of our tales...subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on your favorite podcast app.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

Somewhere in Scott County, Virginia, is an old house, abandoned since the death of a mother at childbirth. Listen closely, though, and you might hear the sound of a ghostly hammer coming from the kitchen.Today we tell the story of the ghostly whispers from the haunted Lovell house.Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast wherever you get your podcasts!Sweet dreams, podcast listeners...

About a hundred years ago, according to newspaper accounts of the time, a young boy outside Bluefield, West Virginia, had a strange encounter with what apparently was a witch but was saved by his father's quick thinking. Today we tell that tale.Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast so you don't miss any of our stories. You'll find us on your favorite podcast app.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners.

We have a two for one podcast special for you! Not one, but two ghost stories, one from West Virginia told to explain strange lights on Cole Mountain, and another from east Tennessee, about a ghostly dog said to haunt parts of the area around Surgoinsville. Thanks for listening!Be sure to subscribe to the MountainLore podcast on your favorite podcast app. If you like what you hear, please give us a kind word and a review where you get your podcasts.Sweet dreams, podcast listeners.