In two past episodes, I mentioned a dangerous animal terrorizing Penbrook and Edgemont in 1916.

A reptile from the Florida mud, crawling through Pennsylvania leaves.

An alligator, loose in Spooky Hollow in the fall of 1916, turning a quiet working town into something closer to a frontier settlement overnight.

Boys formed hunting parties. Families kept children inside. Rumors spread faster than facts.

And then, in April of 1917, it ended the way small-town legends often do — not with a sheriff or a soldier, but with a boy from Herr Street and a lucky blow beside a narrow run of water.

But the question that lingered was never really about the alligator.

Who brought it here?

Where did it come from?

And where, exactly, did it escape?

This is the story of the Spooky Hollow alligator of 1916.

#penbrookpa #harrisburgpahistory #dauphincountypahistory

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The Killing of my friend Lamar Johnson.

Altoona Pennsylvania 1992.

#altoonapa #truecrime #runningintohistory

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Follow-up to my conversation with John Verilla III, about his family's mafia history in Altoona.

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Today I am talking to John Verilla the 3rd. He is the grandson of John Jack Verilla.

If you have been following my Altoona mafia series you know that John Jack Verilla was an associate for the LaRocca mafia family in Pittsburgh. John was given control of Altoona by underboss Kelly Mannarino in the 1950's.

John Verilla the 3rd was a child growing up during this period of the 70s, and eventually watched as his family was torn apart by arrests, trials and convictions. Today John manages real estate in the Altoona area and is active in community service.

#altoonapa #altoonamafia #pittsburghmafia #mobstories #mafia #truecrime #blaircountyhistory #blaircountypa #verillacrew #verilla

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Gangs of Altoona, The Verilla Mafia Crew, Unsolved murder of Big Bill Taylor, WWII Veterans memorial, what happened to my old neighborhood?

#altoonapa #history #blaircountyhistory #altoonahistory #forgottenhistory #wwII #ww2 #charlesbronson #southforkpa #mobstories #mafia #blackhand #truecrime

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Three doctors. One of America's deadliest disasters (Johnstown Flood).

Mafia bombings. A mine disaster that shaped one of Hollywood’s toughest legends (Charles Bronson).

A secret floor that waited half a century to be found.

See the full video and Dr. Hawkins hidden office hidden above the South Fork bank:

https://youtu.be/kmTY7mU8m4A?si=VGWQ0f5oKE04T7aH

#southforkpa #southforkdam #cambriacountypa #Johnstownflood #ehrenfeldmine #charlesbronson #hiddenhistory #timecapsule

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History of the Harrisburg Greenbelt/Parkway.

Paxtang Parkway, Wentzel's Swamp (Wildwood Lake), Cameron Parkway, Riverfront Park, Paxtang Park, Reservoir Park.

See my Youtube channel for video versions of this podcast:

https://www.youtube.com/@runningintohistory

#harrisburgpa #harrisburgpahistory #miralloyddock #greenbelt #JHoraceMcFarland #Warrenmanning #citybeautiful #dauphincountyhistory

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The Goatman of Bowie Maryland - 2000

Did we find the Goatman?

See me Youtube channel for the video version:

https://www.youtube.com/@runningintohistory

#goatman #bowiemaryland #weirdmaryland #unexplainedmaryland #marylandmonsters #Smalltownmonsters #scarystories #campinghorror #campingnightmare #weirddarkness #addiction #alcoholism

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Camping at the location of the alleged 2012 Weiser State Forest Bigfoot RV attack. The Lykens Werewolf and other campfire tales.

#bigfoot #sasquatch #cryptid #bigfootattack #wesierstateforest #werewolves #scaryhistory #lycanthropy #werewolfoflykens #campfiretales #halloween

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In this episode, we discuss listeners confirming that I am from Altoona, why Altoona is still my hometown, Elda Furry/aka Hedda Hopper's West Altoona neighborhood, the Gangs of Altoona, the 1976 Daugherty/Heath murder spree and the current status of the stolen guitar.

#altoonapa #altoonacontroversy #altoonamafia #jeffreydaugherty #eldafurry #heddahopper #horseshoecurve #blaircountyhistory #runningintohistory

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