Forgotten American Folklore

Are black dogs lovable pets or are they spectral visitors from evil realms? Today we'll hear some folklore about black dogs including their mention in the Salem Witch Trials. We would love to hear your questions or...

To celebrate the start of October, this is a rebroadcast of an episode from my last podcast- Moving though Georgia. It's the story of the Haunted Pillar of Augusta. For more Georgia history, check out Moving through...

Today we look at the idea of the 'Third Place'- a place you go to frequently that isn't your job or your home. Not too long ago, that third place might be the Elks Lodge, or the Moose, or something a little more...

This is an extra episode to tie in with a scarecrow I made for my town's fall festival. It's the story of Spearfinger, an old woman from Chrokee legend who you would not want to meet out in the woods. This is a little...

The idea of a changeling- a child that has been taken by a supernatural creature and replaced with a creature- is a staple of European folklore. Today we look at the idea of the changeling through a porm by American...

Today is Talk Like a Pirate Day, so here are a few songs that would have been sung while working on board. The BEST pirate song ever is called 'The Worst Pirate', and you can hear it here . A good 'Talk Like a Pirate...

Not all witch trials took place in Massachussetts; today we look at Goody Cole, a woman who's attitude and (maybe) grouchiness landed her in jail for witchcraft in 1656. She would be made famous in two poems by John...

Don't plant your potatoes when the signs are in the feet! Plant carrots when the moon is waning! These are things farmers in Appalachia have known for generations- today we look at how the signs of the zodiac and the...

The Ballad of Bonnie and Clyde Suicide Sal Two Outlaws: Billy the Kid and Clyde Barrow

Some see them as a poor, doomed couple trying to scrape by during the Great Depression, some as a pair of vicious bank robbers only out for themselves. Today we ride with Bonnie and Clyde as they tear through the...

In the Cibola episode I spoke about another island near Antilla called The Island of Satan's Hand. This is the story involving the island. It starts in Ireland and moves to Spain, but the best parts happen near America.

Cibola was one of the lost cities of silver and gold, like Aztlan or El Dorado. Coronado would set off to find the city, led by the stories of a lost explorer and a delusional monk. On the way they'll see buffalo, the...

Black God creates the constellations for the people- each one has a separate and important meaning, then along comes Coyote to throw a little chaos into everything.

Another unknown creature stalking the woods of West Virginia- this is the Flatwoods Monster from 1952. Questions? Comments? fafolklore@gmail.com

Edgar Allen Poe was one of the originators of the true crime genre, as well as the detective story. Today, two stories that launched his career in true crime; Mary Rogers and Polly Bodine. We would love to hear your...