Folklore and B/S

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

Today, we’re diving into the legend of the Black-Eyed Children. One of the creepiest pieces of modern American folklore. From Brian Bethel’s infamous 1996 encounter to the strange reports that followed, we’re exploring who, or what, these unsettling children might be.

Are they aliens? Demons? Vampires? Changelings? Or just one hell of a modern urban legend?

Whatever they are, there’s one rule that seems to come up again and again:

Don’t let them in.

Sources:

Cieslik, Emma. “Death as a Child: The Modern Legend of the Black-Eyed Children.” Atlas Obscura, 16 Oct. 2024, https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/black-eyed-children-urban-legend.

Cody, Karen. “The Black-Eyed Children: The Terrifying Urban Legend That Knocks at Your Door.” Urban Legends, Mystery, and Myth, 30 July 2025, https://urbanlegendsmysteryandmyth.com/2025/07/the-black-eyed-children.html.

Mukherjee, Ritoban. “Brian Bethel and the Black Eyed Kids.” Historic Mysteries, 25 Jan. 2014, https://www.historicmysteries.com/myths-legends/brian-bethel-black-eyed-kids/878/.

Northwood, Jon. “Jon Northwood Black Eyed Kids Encounter.” ParaRational, https://www.pararational.com/northwood-black-eyed-kids/. Accessed 7 Oct. 2026.

Zack. “The Eerie Mystery of the Black Eyed Children.” Mysterious Realms, 20 Dec. 2025, https://mysteriousrealms.com/the-eerie-mystery-of-the-black-eyed-children/.

“10 Bizarre But Chilling Encounters with Black-Eyed Children.” Listverse, 15 June 2016, https://listverse.com/2016/06/15/10-bizarre-but-chilling-encounters-with-black-eyed-children/.

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

In 1897, Zona Heaster Shue died under mysterious circumstances. Her death was initially ruled natural, but after her mother claimed Zona's ghost appeared to her and revealed the truth, her body was exhumed and a shocking discovery was made. Join us as we dig into one of America's strangest true crime and ghost stories: The Greenbrier Ghost.

Sources:

1. Anderson B. Greenbrier Ghost, Zona Heaster Shue. Experience Greenbrier Valley. Accessed October 1, 2026. https://greenbrierwv.com/editorials/the-greenbrier-ghost
2. Greenbrier Ghost. Wikipedia. Updated 2026. Accessed October 1, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenbrier_Ghost

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

Are some movies actually cursed, or are we just connecting the dots after something goes wrong?

In this episode of Folklore and Bullshit, we dive into some of Hollywood’s most infamous “cursed” horror movies, including The Exorcist, The Exorcism of Emily Rose, The Omen, and Poltergeist. From bizarre accidents and unexplained happenings to tragic deaths and stories that seem almost too perfectly connected to be coincidence. These productions have given audiences plenty of reasons to wonder what was really going on behind the scenes. Are these movies cursed? Haunted? Just plagued by really unfortunate circumstances? Or are we looking for supernatural explanations where ordinary ones will do? You decide.

Resources:

https://www.daimonologia.org/2020/10/vasiliki-maliaros-greek-who-played.htmlhttps://www.themoviedb.org/person/14016-jack-macgowranhttps://www.looper.com/448033/the-real-and-terrifying-injury-caused-on-the-set-of-the-exorcist/https://tvovermind.com/unexplainable-things-that-happened-while-filming-the-exorcist/https://www.ranker.com/list/the-most-infamous-cursed-movies-of-all-time/randolphhttps://darkfrights.com/stories/was-the-omen-truly-cursed-the-shocking-tragedies-that-haunted-hollywoods-darkest-film/https://www.themirror.com/entertainment/movies/omen-curse-incidents-horror-movie-1478706https://truenorthbrief.com/business/heather-orourke-misdiagnosis-death/https://www.biography.com/movies-tv/the-poltergeist-curse-its-heeerehttps://www.mentalfloss.com/entertainment/movies/poltergeist-movie-curse-originshttps://darkfrights.com/stories/the-exorcism-of-emily-rose-the-hauntings-behind-the-horror-by-kathleen-mccluskey/

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

What happens when the tracks are empty, but you still hear a train coming? From ghostly children and phantom locomotives to Lincoln’s legendary funeral train and a mysterious silver subway train in Stockholm, we’re exploring some of the creepiest railroad legends ever told

Sources

Skinner CM. Myths and Legends of Our Own Land. Vol 7: Along the Rocky Range. New York, NY: J.B. Lippincott Co; 1896. “The Phantom Train of Marshall Pass.”

Hudson River Maritime Museum. The funeral train of Abraham Lincoln: a railroad ghost story. Hudson River Maritime Museum. Published 2022.

University of Southern California Digital Folklore Archives. Ghost children of San Antonio: school bus/train-track legend. University of Southern California.

Grundhauser E. The Silver Arrow, the real ghost train haunting the Stockholm Metro. Atlas Obscura. Published October 7, 2015.

af Klintberg B. Råttan i pizzan: folksägner i vår tid. Stockholm, Sweden: Norstedts; 1992.

Tales From Tennessee. Headless Train Conductor. Tales From Tennessee: Legends & Folklore.

Legends of America. The Phantom Train of Marshall Pass, Colorado. Legends of America. Updated March 2025.

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

In 1882, wealthy Florida citrus grower Samuel McMillan disappeared from his home near Sanford. Seventeen days later, his body was discovered at the bottom of Crystal Lake.

A young Englishman named Archie Newton was accused of the murder, convicted, and then ultimately acquitted after his conviction was overturned. So who really killed Samuel McMillan?

And how did a very real, very gruesome murder become the legend of the Headless Miser, a ghost said to wander the area searching for his missing head?

Come along with us as we explore the case of Samuel McMillan and how he became the Headless Miser of Sanford.

Resources:

Fink, Andrew. Murder on the Florida Frontier: The True Story behind Sanford’s Headless Miser Legend. The History Press, 2012.

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

Owls have been symbols of wisdom, death, prophecy, witches, and bad omens for thousands of years. But why? In this episode of Folklore & Bullshit, we dive into the strange folklore surrounding one of the world’s creepiest birds, from ancient Greece to death omens in the American South and everything in between. Are owls actually supernatural messengers, or are humans just really good at making spooky shit out of things that go hoo in the night?

Sources:

1. National Audubon Society. 13 Fun Facts About Owls. Audubon Magazine. Published October 15, 2015. Accessed August 23, 2026.
2. Zellner X. How Do Barn Owls Fly So Silently? Audubon. Published May 13, 2016. Accessed August 23, 2026.
3. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The Wonderful World of Owls. Bird Academy. Accessed August 23, 2026.
4. National Audubon Society. Audubon Adventures: Owl Prowl Background Essay. Accessed August 23, 2026.
5. Swenson H. Owls in the early modern imagination: Ominous omens and pitiable sages. Folger Shakespeare Library. Published May 26, 2020. Accessed August 23, 2026.
6. Voultsiadou E, Tatolas A, et al. Owl symbolism in Greek civilization over the last 5000 years: social perceptions and implications for conservation. Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine. 2023. Accessed August 23, 2026.
7. Pasierowska RL. “Screech Owls Allus Holler ’round the House before Death”: Birds and the Souls of Black Folk in the 1930s American South. Journal of Social History. 2017;51(1):27-46. doi:10.1093/jsh/shw089.
8. Michelson T. The owl sacred pack of the Fox Indians. Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin. 1921;72:1-83. Smithsonian Institution. Accessed August 23, 2026.
9. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Long-eared Owl. All About Birds. Accessed August 23, 2026.
10. National Audubon Society. 10 Fun Facts About the American Barn Owl. Audubon Magazine. Published October 24, 2025. Accessed August 23, 2026.
11. Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Northern Saw-whet Owl. All About Birds. Accessed August 23, 2026.
12. Field Museum of Natural History. Field Museum of Natural History Bulletin: Owls. Chicago, IL. Accessed August 23, 2026.

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

The Casablanca Inn: The Lantern Lady Perched along the waterfront in historic St. Augustine, the Casablanca Inn has a history filled with unanswered questions, questionable characters, and plenty of ghosts. A tantalizing tale filled with illegal activity, ghostly encounters, and a heartbreaking love story. Join us as we dig into the history of the Inn, explore the ghosts surrounding the property, and bullshit about one of St. Augustine's most haunted locations.

Resources:

“Casablanca Inn on the Bay.” Historic Coast Culture, St. Johns Cultural Council, https://historiccoastculture.com/organization/casablanca-inn-on-the-bay/. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.“Casablanca Inn on the Bay.” Haunted Houses, https://hauntedhouses.com/florida/casablanca-inn/. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.“Casablanca Inn on the Bay.” Casablanca Inn on the Bay, https://www.casablancainn.com/. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.“The Haunted Casablanca Inn.” St. Augustine Ghost Tours, https://staugustineghosttours.com/the-demons-of-the-casablanca-inn/. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.“Haunted Guide to Casablanca Inn.” Ghosts & Gravestones, Historic Tours of America, https://www.ghostsandgravestones.com/st-augustine/casablanca-inn. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

In this episode of Folklore & Bullshit, Keegan and Amber head into Arizona’s Superstition Mountains to dig into the legend of the Lost Dutchman’s Mine. From hidden gold and mysterious maps to unexplained deaths and some seriously questionable evidence, we explore one of America’s most famous lost treasure legends and ask the big question: was the Lost Dutchman real, or just one hell of a story?

Sources:

1 Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine. Wikipedia.

Updated July 24, 2026. Accessed August 1,

2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.

Lost_Dutchman%27s_Gold_Mine

2 Peralta Stones. Wikipedia. Updated May 12,

2026. Accessed August 1, 2026. https://

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peralta_Stones

3 The Lost Dutchman Mine, Arizona. Legends

of America. Accessed August 1, 2026.

https://www.legendsofamerica.com/az-

lostdutchman/

4 K . T h e Lost Dutchman Mine: T h e Greatest

Gold Horde That's Never Been Found. All

That's Interesting. Published April 11, 2018.

Accessed August 1, 2026. https://

allthatsinteresting.com/lost-dutchman-

mine

5 Treasure o r Folklore? The Legend o f t h e

Lost Dutchman's Gold Mine. T h e Collector.

Published December 12, 2023. Accessed

August 1, 2026. https://

wp2.thecollector.com/legend-lost-

dutchmans-gold/

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

  In 1963, a devastating fire tore through Jacksonville’s historic Hotel Roosevelt, trapping hundreds of guests inside and claiming 22 lives. How did the fire go unnoticed for so long, why were so many people trapped on the upper floors, and what happened inside the hotel that morning? Today, the building still stands as The Carling Apartments and some say the Roosevelt’s ghosts may still be there.

Sources: “Story Behind One of Downtown’s Historic Buildings: The Carling.” Jacksonville Daily Record, 8 Dec. 2009, https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2009/dec/08/story-behind-one-downtowns-historic-buildings-carling/.“1963, Dec. 29: Fire, Hotel Roosevelt, Jacksonville, FL, 22.” U.S. Deadly Events, https://www.usdeadlyevents.com/1963-dec-29-fire-hotel-roosevelt-jacksonville-fl-22/. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.“A Look Back: The Roosevelt.” The Florida Times-Union, 12 Dec. 2018, https://www.jacksonville.com/picture-gallery/news/2018/12/12/a-look-back-the-roosevelt/68780969007/.“Roosevelt Hotel / The Carling—Downtown.” Jax Psycho Geo, https://jaxpsychogeo.com/the-center-of-the-city/roosevelt-hotel-the-carling-downtown/. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.“Miles Bowers Calls It a Career.” Jacksonville Daily Record, 31 Dec. 2003, https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/news/2003/dec/31/miles-bowers-calls-it-career/.*The Carling Apartments*. The Carling, https://www.thecarlingapartments.com/. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

Hey! I'd love to hear your thoughts, send me a voice note.

Beneath the streets of Paris lies a world that's equal parts history, engineering, and nightmare fuel. In this episode of Folklore & Bullshit, Keegan and Amber descend into the Paris Catacombs to uncover why millions of human remains were moved beneath the city, how ancient limestone quarries became one of the world's most infamous ossuaries, and the eerie legends that refuse to die.

From the haunting story of Philibert Aspairt, the man who entered the tunnels and was never seen alive again, to tales of hidden chambers, underground explorers known as cataphiles, mysterious discoveries, and the strange story of an abandoned underground cinema, we separate documented history from urban legend and ask one question:

How much of what you've heard about the Paris Catacombs is actually true?

Grab a flashlight... and try not to get lost.

Sources

Paris Catacombs Official Website Les Catacombes de Paris. (n.d.). Official visitor information and history. Retrieved August 5, 2026, from https://www.catacombes.paris.fr/

Definition of an Ossuary Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Ossuary. Retrieved August 5, 2026, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/ossuary

History of the Paris Catacombs Encyclopaedia Britannica. (n.d.). Catacombs of Paris. Retrieved August 5, 2026, from https://www.britannica.com/place/Catacombs-of-Paris

The Story of Philibert Aspairt Atlas Obscura. (n.d.). The Memorial of Philibert Aspairt. Retrieved August 5, 2026, from https://www.atlasobscura.com/

The Paris Catacombs and Their History Smithsonian Magazine. (n.d.). Articles relating to the history of the Paris Catacombs and the city's underground quarries.

Underground Cinema Discovery Atlas Obscura. (n.d.). Articles discussing the hidden underground cinema discovered in the Paris Catacombs.

The Man in the Tunnel Various news reports and documentaries discussing the unidentified "Man in the Tunnel" footage filmed inside the Paris Catacombs.

Additional Reading

Héricart de Thury, L. É. F. (1815). Description des Catacombes de Paris.

Official historical information from the City of Paris and the Paris Museums network.