Long before Halloween decorations and scary movies, a foggy little village in New York became the home of America’s most famous ghost story.

In this History-Sode, Auntie Jo Jo takes you to Sleepy Hollow, where Dutch folklore, Revolutionary War history, and one curious writer named Washington Irving created the legend of the Headless Horseman.

Learn how a real town, a few spooky local stories, and one brave schoolteacher named Ichabod Crane became part of American history.

Sources:

Irving, Washington. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. 1819.

Historic Hudson Valley, Sleepy Hollow Archives and Tours

Library of Congress: American Folklife Center – Legends of the Hudson Valley

“The Old Dutch Church and Burying Ground,” Sleepy Hollow Historical Society