Episodios

  • Alexandria's Burning Bride | Encore Episode
    Jul 3 2025
    It was a hot summer night in 1868 when Laura Schafer lit a kerosene lamp and stepped into the darkened hall of her family’s Alexandria home. The flame cracked. Her dress caught. And by the time her screams reached the street below, it was already too late. What should have been Laura’s wedding day became the date carved into her gravestone. And hours later, the man she was meant to marry—Charles Tennesson—met his own tragic fate. Today, the building at 107 North Fairfax Street is an ice cream parlor. But those who’ve worked there over the years tell a different story. A faint smell of smoke. Screams echoing down the staircase. A lamp that seems to move on its own. Some believe Laura Schafer never left the house where she died—and that she’s not alone. In this episode, we unravel one of Alexandria’s most enduring ghost stories, tracing the true events behind the legend of the Burning Bride. We’ll examine the historical record, explore how folklore reshaped Laura’s memory, and hear chilling reports from those who still feel something lingering behind the old brick walls. Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History: History Without Interruption⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SouthernGothicMedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Merch Store:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pinterest:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SoGoPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Advertise on this podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠press@southerngothicmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    27 m
  • The Reverend of Coosa County
    Jun 30 2025
    In 1977, Reverend Willie Maxwell was shot dead in front of six hundred mourners at a funeral in Alexander City, Alabama. The man who pulled the trigger—Robert Burns—did it in plain sight. He didn’t run. He didn’t deny it. And when asked why, he simply said, “I had to do it.” But that moment was only the end of a far more disturbing story. For years, Reverend Maxwell had been surrounded by tragedy. His wife. His brother. His nephew. Even a teenage girl under his care. One by one, they died under strange circumstances—each followed by a suspicious insurance claim. And each time, the preacher walked free. Rumors spread that Maxwell was untouchable—not just legally, but spiritually. Some said he practiced voodoo, protected by rituals and dark forces that kept the law at bay. He was feared. Respected. And, in some corners, believed to be cursed. The story drew national attention, even bringing Harper Lee out of seclusion. The author of To Kill a Mockingbird spent years researching the case for a true crime book she called The Reverend. But the manuscript was never finished. In this episode, we explore the strange, winding story of Willie Maxwell—his rise, the trail of bodies, the whispers of black magic, and the explosive trial that followed his very public death. It’s a story with no easy answers. One that still haunts the South to this day. Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History: History Without Interruption⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SouthernGothicMedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Merch Store:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pinterest:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SoGoPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Advertise on this podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠press@southerngothicmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    39 m
  • Investigating The Knight House | Live Event Announcement
    Jun 26 2025
    Reserve your spot on the Knight House overnight ghost hunt today! Built in 1815, the Knight House is the oldest standing structure in Christian County, Kentucky—and after more than two centuries of history, it has more than a few stories to tell. From its ties to early Kentucky power brokers and whispers of the Underground Railroad to tales of shadow figures, piano keys echoing in empty rooms, and the squawk of a phantom parrot, this grand old home in Hopkinsville has seen it all. In this special episode, we sit down with Eric Freeman-Sims, the current owner and steward of the Knight House, to talk about its storied past, strange hauntings, and the massive restoration effort underway to preserve this overlooked gem. Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History: History Without Interruption⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SouthernGothicMedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Merch Store:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pinterest:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SoGoPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Advertise on this podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠press@southerngothicmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    49 m
  • Cold Spring's Waiting Spirit
    Jun 23 2025
    Tucked deep in Mississippi’s Tunica Hills, where ancient bluffs rise from the loess soil and moss hangs heavy from the trees, stands one of the oldest plantation homes in the state—Cold Spring. Built around 1810 by a Scottish-born army surgeon named Dr. John Flavel Carmichael, this historic home near Pinckneyville has witnessed generations of Southern history—and, according to local lore, has never quite been emptied of its spirits. In this episode, we trace the story of Cold Spring from its earliest days as Spanish territory through its transformation into an American cotton plantation, and explore the life and eccentric death of Dr. Carmichael, a man said to still haunt his wine cellar. But the most enduring legend of Cold Spring belongs to a young woman named Catherine McGehee. Heartbroken and obsessed after a vanished romance, her tragic tale of love, loss, and waiting has been passed down through generations. They say her face is still etched in the upstairs window—burned there by lightning, or perhaps by longing. Join us as we uncover the history, folklore, and unanswered mysteries of one of Mississippi’s most quietly haunted places. Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History: History Without Interruption⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SouthernGothicMedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Merch Store:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pinterest:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SoGoPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Advertise on this podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠press@southerngothicmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    36 m
  • The Curse on Barnsley Gardens | Encore Episode
    Jun 19 2025
    Nestled in the rolling hills of north Georgia, the ruins of a once-grand estate lie hidden among towering boxwoods and overgrown brick paths—what remains of Barnsley Gardens. But this crumbling mansion isn't just a relic of the antebellum South… it’s the site of a legend. A place some say was cursed from the moment the first tree was felled. In this episode, we uncover the tragic story of Godfrey Barnsley, a wealthy cotton merchant who sought to build a dream home for his beloved wife Julia. But from the moment he set foot on the land—land taken from the Cherokee following their forced removal—misfortune took root. From ghostly visions in the gardens to generations of untimely deaths, the tale of Barnsley Gardens is one of devotion, loss, and the weight of a legacy that refused to let go. Was it truly cursed? Or was it simply haunted by grief? Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History: History Without Interruption⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SouthernGothicMedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Merch Store:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pinterest:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SoGoPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Advertise on this podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠press@southerngothicmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    27 m
  • Jacques St. Germain: Vampire of the Vieux Carré | Encore Episode
    Jun 16 2025
    In the shadows of the French Quarter, where history and legend often blur, one of New Orleans' most enduring mysteries still lingers behind bright red doors on Royal Street. It begins in 1728, with the arrival of pale, fragile young women sent by the French crown to populate the colony—women who came with heavy wooden trunks and left behind whispers of vampirism. Known in local lore as the Casket Girls, their legacy set the stage for the city’s enduring obsession with the undead. But nearly two centuries later, a new figure stepped into the city’s night: Jacque St. Germain, a wealthy, elegant man with a love for lavish parties and a peculiar habit—he never touched the food. When a woman leapt from his balcony in terror, claiming he tried to drink her blood, the legend took root. In this episode, we explore the haunting tale of Jacque St. Germain, the mysterious aristocrat believed by some to be a vampire—and by others to be the immortal Comte St. Germain, a real-life 18th-century alchemist rumored to have conquered death itself. From the lore of the Ursuline Convent to the bricked-up windows of 1041 Royal Street, join us as we unravel the chilling origins of New Orleans’ vampire mythology—and ask: what truth might lie behind the legends? Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History: History Without Interruption⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SouthernGothicMedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Merch Store:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pinterest:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SoGoPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Advertise on this podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠press@southerngothicmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    31 m
  • The Tragic End of the Steamboat Sultana | Encore Episode
    Jun 12 2025
    On April 27, 1865, just weeks after the Civil War ended and the country reeled from the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, a deadly explosion on the Mississippi River became the worst maritime disaster in U.S. history—and most Americans have never heard of it. The Sultana, a Civil War-era steamboat built to carry a few hundred passengers, was pushed far beyond its limits with more than 2,100 souls crammed aboard—mostly Union soldiers who had survived Confederate prison camps like Andersonville and Cahaba. But just north of Memphis, Tennessee, the Sultana’s patched boiler exploded in the dead of night, setting off a catastrophic chain of events that would leave over a thousand men dead, their bodies scattered across the dark Mississippi waters. In this episode, we tell the chilling, little-known story of greed, corruption, and human tragedy that led to this horrific event. You’ll hear firsthand survivor accounts, the murky decisions that caused the explosion, and how the legacy of the Sultana has been buried—both by history and by the river itself. Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History: History Without Interruption⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SouthernGothicMedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Merch Store:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pinterest:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SoGoPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Advertise on this podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠press@southerngothicmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    34 m
  • USS Alabama and the Spirits of Mobile Bay
    Jun 9 2025
    Moored in the quiet waters of Mobile Bay, the USS Alabama stands as a monument to American strength, sacrifice, and—some say—something far more ghostly. Known as "The Lucky A," this legendary battleship earned nine battle stars and never lost a single crewman to enemy fire. But not all wounds come from the enemy. In this episode, we trace the history of the Alabama, from Arctic convoy duty in the deadly North Atlantic to brutal island campaigns in the Pacific theater, including the devastating friendly fire tragedy that still haunts her steel hull. Then, we descend into the shadows of the ship itself, exploring the ghostly encounters reported in her narrow passageways—phantom footsteps, vanishing voices, and an eerie presence that lingers near Mount 5. Is it just the echo of history? Or does something still stand watch aboard the Lucky A? Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History: History Without Interruption⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SouthernGothicMedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Merch Store:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pinterest:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SoGoPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Advertise on this podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠press@southerngothicmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    45 m