Welcome back to Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street! We're relaunching this series during an introspective time of year, with Halloween just around the corner. Come join us around the campfire for some spooky, eerie, enchanting stories from rural America. Our storyteller today is Joe Perry, a member of the Choctaw Nation in Poteau, Oklahoma. Joe was born in 1956 and remembers a childhood running in the woods and fields of his rural home. Joe takes us into a world of adventure and mystery where we encounter a number of unexplained incidents that will leave you wondering what really happened. Storytellers pull from their own experiences and traditions, and local folklore and legends to weave drama and thrilling moments into their stories. Joe Perry is a master of the art of the story. You'll be on the edge of your seat!

Your host and producer for Smithsonian's Stories from Main Street is Katie Marquette. The podcast is a production of the Smithsonian's Museum on Main Street program, in association with The Peale Museum. To explore stories from rural America, visit us at https://www.museumonmainstreet.org/stories. Want to join the fun and tell us about your experiences in small towns? Visit our friends at the Peale and use the Be Here Stories web app at https://beherestories.thepeale.org/.

Download a transcript of this episode at: https://museumonmainstreet.org/sites/default/files/shapeshiftersepisodetranscript_stories_from_main_street.pdf