Obscure Appalachia

Today's episode is a bit of a lighter one, focusing on Appalachian folklore. Tons of superstitions, omens, and general haint prevention filtered in to early Appalachian culture via the Scotch-Irish, German, and African settlers. Much of this folklore is still present in the area to this day and greatly influences daily life and belief.

Find me on social media at Obscure Appalachia.

To support the podcast and get bonus episodes visit patreon.com/obscureappalachia

Submit your true paranormal, true crime stories, or love letters to [email protected]

Sources:

Diamonds in My Coal bucket: Appalachian Word of the Week -- HAINTS

Southern traditions designed to repel haints and spirits

29 Southern superstitions we dare not question

Life Expectancy From Prehistory to 1800 to Today

Appalachia | Encyclopedia.com

Some Common Folklore and Superstitions Held Among Mountain Folk | Blind Pig and The Acorn

Appalachian Urban Legends: The Scary Truth? – The Heritage Herald

Interesting Weather Lore | Blind Pig and The Acorn

Haints: Ghosts and evil spirits from the old south – Keith Dotson Photography

History of the Gullah Culture - Pawleys Island

We hold our own: protecting hearth and home in the Appalachias  – Holy Stones and Iron Bones

Superstition in Southern Appalachia - Smoky Mountain Living

Folklore or Forecast?: How Appalachian Culture Predicts and Conjures the Weather – Holy Stones and Iron Bones

Some Appalachian superstitions - Appalachian History

APPALACHIAN SUPERSTITIONS - The Applewood Manor

Tailypo: Appalachian Ohio native shares spooky folktale this Halloween

Appalachian Folklore, Monsters and Superstitions

The Appalachian Culture & History of the Blue Ridge Mountains - Blue Ridge Mountains Travel Guide

Appalachian Mountain Roots: Signs,...

The Crawler is a lesser known cryptid from Appalachia and beyond that is lanky, pale, and skitters around on hands and feet. This is a story compilation of three peoples' experiences with this cryptid. Some by non-believers in the paranormal, which you know I'm all about.

TW: Animal injury (not graphic or severe), human injury by a cryptid, guns.

Find me on social media at Obscure Appalachia.

To support the podcast and get bonus episodes visit patreon.com/obscureappalachia

Submit your true paranormal, true crime stories, or love letters to [email protected]

Sources:

Phantoms and Monsters - Real Cryptid Encounter Reports - Fortean Researcher Lon Strickler

Phantoms and Monsters - Real Cryptid Encounter Reports - Fortean Researcher Lon Strickler

I have no idea what that creature was : Paranormal

We went back into the woods and found it again. : Thetruthishere

My long break explained - crawler sighting/hunt : Thetruthishere

David Grusch recently blew the whistle on secret UFO operations in US government. But how did this all begin?

TW: Brief mentions of alcoholism, bodily harm.

Find me on social media at Obscure Appalachia.

To support the podcast and get bonus episodes visit patreon.com/obscureappalachia

Submit your true paranormal, true crime stories, or love letters to [email protected]

Sources:

Whistleblower testifies U.S. salvaged 'non-human biologics' from UFO crash sites : NPR

UFO congressional hearing: Whistleblower says US concealing 'multi-decade' UFO program | AP News

Here are the 5 most memorable moments from Congress’ UFO hearing

UFO hearing key takeaways: cover-up claims and Pentagon denials | UFOs | The Guardian

US conducted ‘multi-decade’ secret UFO program, ex-intelligence official says | House of Representatives | The Guardian

UFO hearing key takeaways: What a whistleblower told Congress about UAPs - CBS News

Navy pilots recall "unsettling" 2004 UAP sighting - 60 Minutes - CBS News

The story behind the "Tic Tac" UFO sighting by Navy pilots in 2004 - CBS NewsPentagon Releases UFO Report: Here’s What’s Inside

UFO whistleblower says U.S. recovered nonhuman "biologics" from crash sites - YouTube

UFO Hearing: Whistleblower says people were harmed | NewsNation - YouTube

House hearing on UFOs: Officials and lawmakers push for more government transparency | CNN Politics

360 new UFO cases reported to U.S. intelligence agencies since March 2021

UFO report: US intelligence community releases long-awaited report | CNN Politics

Watch the Pentagon's three declassified UFO videos taken by U.S. Navy pilots - YouTube

READ: US intelligence community's unclassified report on UFOs | CNN Politics

How the Pentagon Started Taking U.F.O.s Seriously | The New Yorker

Please forgive the not so awesome audio in this announcement, we've had pouring rain all day that loved to act up while the microphone was on.

I have to take a short break while summer vacation is in its midst because parenting and podcasting don't exactly mix. But I'm aiming for a mid-August return for more spooky stories from Appalachia for y'all.

Patrons will still continue to receive bonus content throughout the hiatus.

Find me on social media at Obscure Appalachia to stay abreast of updates and the return of the pod.

To support the podcast and get bonus episodes visit patreon.com/obscureappalachia

Submit your true paranormal, true crime stories, or love letters to [email protected]

It was fun to go to western Appalachia for this Huntsville episode. Maple Hill Cemetery is so enormous and historical it sounds fun to go even if you disregard the stories of hauntings. And Dead Children's Playground sounds so intriguing.

TW: Brief mentions of death, because it is about a cemetery. Mentions of death by poisoning. Overall a pretty tame episode, trigger wise.

Find me on social media at Obscure Appalachia.

To support the podcast and get bonus episodes visit patreon.com/obscureappalachia

Submit your true paranormal, true crime stories, or love letters to [email protected]

Sources:

Most Haunted: Maple Hill Cemetery - Our Valley Events

Dead Children's Playground at Maple Hill Cemetery | Huntsville Alabama | Real Haunted Place

Huntsville Ghost Walk offers haunting stories and plenty of history | WHNT.com

(1) Haunted Huntsville - The Dead Children's Playground - YouTube

Hunted Huntsville - EVENT Magazine

Ghosts of the Quarries | Pat Camalliere – The Cora Tozzi Historical Mystery Series

Are ghosts really attracted to limestone? | Tarot Forum

Maple Hill Cemetery (Huntsville, Alabama) - Wikipedia

New cremation burial site coming to Maple Hill Cemetery | rocketcitynow.com

The Moonlight Ride At Maple Hill: A Huntsville Ghost Story | We Are Huntsville

5 Huntsville Ghost Stories - We Are Huntsville

The “Black Widow” of Hazel Green | Historic Maury County

Anthony Robinson, deemed The Shopping Cart Killer, has been linked to at least five murders and a suspected sixth, but he could have countless victims throughout Appalachia and the upper east coast. This case is ongoing, but it's an important one, as more potential victims are still out there.

Anyone with information about this case, or any information about Robinson, including those he met through dating apps, should call Fairfax County PD’s Major Crimes Division at 703-246-7800. Those with anonymous tips can call 1-866-411-TIPS.

TW: Murder, sadism, sexual violence.

Find me on social media at Obscure Appalachia.

To support the podcast and get bonus content, visit patreon.com/obscureappalachia.

Submit your true paranormal, true crime stories, or love letters to [email protected]

Sources:

ROBINSON Anthony Eugene | Serial Killer Database Wiki | Fandom

'Shopping cart killer' Anthony Robinson linked to 6th death

Anthony Robinson: ‘Shopping cart killer’ linked to death of sixth woman

Missing California woman ID'd as possible victim of 'shopping cart killer,' police say

Insanity defense considered for 'shopping cart killer' suspect | wusa9.com

Alleged ‘Shopping Cart Killer’ appears in court

Sanity evaluation granted for alleged Shopping Cart Killer

Alleged 'Shopping Cart Killer' to be given sanity evaluation

Judge Grants Sanity Evaluation In 'Shopping Cart Killer' Case | Crime | dnronline.com

Anthony Robinson Identified by Virginia Cops as Alleged ‘Shopping Cart Killer’ Serial Killer

More women slain by "shopping cart killer" identified as police look for more victims, authorities say - CBS News

Reviewing What We Know So Far About the Alleged "Shopping Cart Killer"

I'd recommend y'all check out the Ghost Hunters episode at Waverly Hills. I know, I know, I suspect TV shows often feel the need to have an experience happen for footage. But at least they're skeptical enough that I feel like it's a good start?

TW: Mentions of suicide, mass casualties from illness.

Find me on social media at Obscure Appalachia.

Submit your true paranormal or true crime stories to [email protected]

Y'all, the stories in the last episode were so intriguing I couldn't help but do a part two. Understanding a bit about the theories behind these glitches doesn't help me very much with understanding just how these things can happen. The stories themselves are just so abstract!

TW: Descriptions of accidents and mentions of death.

Find me on social media at Obscure Appalachia.

Submit your true paranormal or true crime stories to [email protected]

Sources:

Story sources for compilations remain private. However, the following sources were used to learn the theories supporting "glitches":

Simulated reality - Wikipedia

Bilocation - Wikipedia

Quantum immortality - Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This episode was pre-recorded, so if you hear some opinions of mine at the end that you swear you've heard before, you have. Glitch in the Matrix events are some of my favorite unexplained events. Not sure you can call them paranormal, but maybe!

TW: Description of vehicle accidents and accidental death. This one is light on triggers, honestly.

You can find me on social media at Obscure Appalachia.

To support the show and get bonus content visit Patreon.com/obscureappalachia

Submit your true paranormal or true crime stories to [email protected]

Sources:

Sources for story compilations are kept private to protect those involved. They are occasionally slightly edited only for language or clarity, but never for content.

This is where history buffs find out that I am not one. But that doesn't mean I don't get sucked into the stories of the aftermath. Please forgive the sick voice yet again.

TW: War, mass casualties, brief and vague mention of child abuse (I elected not to go into that one).

Find me on social media at Obscure Appalachia.

Submit your true paranormal or true crime stories to [email protected]

Support the podcast and get bonus episodes at Patreon.com/obscureappalachia

Sources:

Battle of Gettysburg - Wikipedia

A Civil War historian walks with the ghosts of Gettysburg – Baltimore Sun

Gettysburg Battle Facts and Summary | American Battlefield Trust

The Haunted History of Gettysburg | Gettysburg Hotel, Gettysburg, PA

Ghosts of Gettysburg | Travel Channel

Ghosts of Gettysburg: The 10 most ghost-heavy, haunted spots - pennlive.com

A 'perfect storm' for the paranormal: touring America's most haunted town | Halloween | The Guardian

GHOSTS OF GETTYSBURG — American Hauntings

Ghosts of the American Civil War - Wikipedia

Reported Encounters With Gettysburg Ghosts

10 Facts: What Everyone Should Know About the Civil War | American Battlefield Trust

National Homestead: The Children’s Orphanage - US Ghost Adventures

Haunted Bridge In Gettysburg Is A Must-See in 2023 - Past Lane Travels

Video of "Tennessee" | Facebook