Southern Gothic

Southern Gothic Media
  • 4.7 (798)
  • HISTORY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY
Southern Gothic
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Step into the world of the unknown and unravel the dark history, and infamous legends of the American South. Join us as we journey into the heart of this rich and fascinating region, uncovering its ghostly stories, haunted places, and eeriest tales through captivating storytelling, in-depth historical research, and an immersive audio soundscape. From the Bell Witch of Tennessee to the haunted Waverly Hills Sanatorium, the ghostly tales of the Myrtles Plantation, the Curse of Lake Lanier and beyond, get ready for an unforgettable experience that brings history to life and uncovers the truth behind classic tales of the paranormal.

  1. 3 HR. AGO

    The Surrency Family Poltergeist

    In October 1872, a small Georgia community was bursting with visitors and curiosity seekers in an attempt to discover the truth behind mysterious happenings at the family home of Allen Powell Surrency. In what many consider to be one of the most documented ghost story in American history, the Surrency family home seemingly became the epicenter of a destructive entity. From the benign—doors slammed open and closed and objects floated above the ground, to the life threatening—a child thrown from bed and another beaten by unseen hands. Today, proponents of the paranormal say that the events in 1872 have the marks of poltergeist activity. The cause of such activity at the Surrency House remains a mystery. Join Brandon in Nashville for a LIVE storytelling event on October 17, 2024: Tickets are available now! 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

    30 min
  2. Fear Daily: An All New Southern Gothic Media Production

    OCT 7

    Fear Daily: An All New Southern Gothic Media Production

    If you're a fan of Southern Gothic, then check out our brand new audio fiction series Fear Daily! Fear Daily takes you into the shadows of the past, unearthing the 1990's most terrifying tales of monsters, madness, and life after death. Join us as we explore the ghost stories and supernatural encounters left on an old online bulletin board that continues to operate somewhere in an unknown part of the Pennsylvania Rust Belt - a time capsule of society's greatest fears. Written by Brennan Storr, creator of The Ghost Story Guys, and hosted by Brandon Schexnayder, creator of Southern Gothic... Fear Daily is guaranteed to be the stuff of nightmares. Ad-Free Episodes of Fear Daily are available now on all of your favorite podcasting apps! Fear Daily is an independent podcast hosted by Brandon Schexnayder and written by Brennan Storr, with Joanna Smith serving as the consulting editor, audio production by Rachel Boyd and sound design by Southern Gothic Media. If you enjoyed this show be sure to check out The Ghost Story Guys & Southern Gothic today! This podcast is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to real events or locations, is entirely coincidental. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    27 min

  3. OCT 3

    The Battletown Witch Festival w/ Annie Hamilton Emond

    If you enjoyed our last full-length episode Legacy of the Battletown Witch and want to hear more about this year's Battletown Witch Festival, join Brandon as he sits down for a brief conversation with the festival's co-founder and chair Annie Hamilton Emond of Meade County Tourism. Make Plans to attend the Battletown Witch Festival today! When: Saturday, October 26, 2024 Where: YMCA Camp Piomingo in Otter Creek Park of Brandenburg, Kentucky Cost: Free! VIP tickets are available at BattletownWitch.com Connect with the festival on social media for updates and more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    13 min
  4. Legacy of the Battletown Witch

    SEP 30

    Legacy of the Battletown Witch

    On Saturday, October 26th, Meade County, Kentucky, hosts its third annual Battletown Witch Festival, a family-friendly celebration inspired by one of the region’s most infamous local legends. This tale, passed down through generations of Battletown families, claims that a young woman buried in the old Elizabeth Daily Cemetery continues to haunt the hills and hollers after being unjustly killed for being a witch. Her name was Leah Smock, and while the lore may not be well-known outside of the state, this likely innocent woman has the dubious legacy of being the only witch to have been burned alive in the United States. Yet, the mystery of what truly happened to Leah Smock lingers to this day, as legend asserts that her spirit still roams the woods near her grave. As the folks from the Battletown Witch Festival say, “Even though she has a scary name, the true horror is what happened to her.” Make Plans to attend the Battletown Witch Festival today! When: Saturday, October 26, 2024 Where: YMCA Camp Piomingo in Otter Creek Park of Brandenburg, Kentucky Cost: Free! VIP tickets are available at BattletownWitch.com Connect with the festival on social media for updates and more! Topics Explored in this episode of Southern Gothic: History of Battletown, Kentucky: Battletown is a small rural community nestled in the rolling hills of Meade County on the Ohio River, located just 35 miles away as the crow flies. Historically it is an agricultural hub enriched by limestone deposits crucial for farming, Battletown evolved from an 18th-century hunting ground to a community known for its coopers– craftsmen who built barrels for the lime industry. Elizabeth Daily Cemetery: The place where Leah Smock is buried is currently on private property and off limits to legend trippers; however, for years this site has been believed to be haunted by the spirit of Leah Smock. Generations of Battletown residents have taken their kids to the cemetery to tell them stories of the Battletown Witch Life of Leah Smock: Born in 1818 to John Smock and Margaret Ann Scott, Leah was raised in a devout Christian household. Described as intelligent, beautiful, and deeply connected to nature, Leah spent her time in the woods, gathering herbs and showing an unusual bond with animals, which led to rumors. Her friendship with a Native American man, known as "Indian Joe," fueled further speculation, as some believed he shared mystical knowledge with her. By age twelve, Leah’s purported ability to predict the future and forecast events sparked fear in her community, eventually leading to accusations of witchcraft. Accusations of Witchcraft: Leah was blamed for a series of misfortunes in her community—from the deaths of babies and horses to crop failures—leading to widespread fear and accusations of witchcraft. Stories of her unsettling demeanor and mysterious powers grew, culminating in a tragic climax when the locals, driven by fear and suspicion, decided to burn her alive, believing she had cursed their livelihoods and brought evil upon their community. History of Witchcraft Hysteria: Historically, witchcraft has been met with severe punishment, often influenced by Heinrich Kramer's "Malleus Maleficarum," which ignited widespread witch hunts and executions across Europe. Leah Smock's fate, burned alive in 1840 without a trial, is an anomaly in the U.S., where such accusations more commonly led to hangings, as seen in the Salem witch trials. Leah’s Brutal Murder: On August 21, 1840 Leah Smock was killed at her home in Battletown, Kentucky. She was locked in a smokehouse and burned alive. The Paranormal Legacy: Almost immediately following Leah’s death, some began to claim that her apparition had appeared to them, and others that her spirit was making an impact on the community in a number of different ways, leaving a long legacy of ghost stories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    52 min

  5. SEP 23

    The Thing in the White House

    On July 26, 1911, Major Archibald Butt, the military aide to President William Howard Taft, wrote to his sister-in-law about something rather odd that had been happening inside the walls of the White House for months: “My dear Clara, It seems that the White House is haunted." The Major then continues on to describe some of the interesting and eerie claims made members of the White House staff, folks who claim to have come into contact with an entity that has since become known simply as "The Thing." This episode was done in collaboration with Howard Dorre of the chart-topping history podcast Plodding Through the Presidents. Join Brandon in Nashville for a LIVE storytelling event on October 17, 2024: Tickets are available now! 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

    36 min

  6. SEP 16

    The Ghost of Alice Riley

    According to local legend, visitors to Savannah’s Historic Wright Square have been known to encounter a young woman dressed in 18th-century style clothing. Some are said to have been approached and begged for their assistance in finding the woman’s lost son. Yet when folks begin to search the area, the girl disappears. Many believe this is the ghost of Alice Riley, the first woman executed in the colony of Georgia. Alice Riley arrived in the American Colonies in January of 1734 as an indentured servant who would work for about five to seven years to pay back her debt and earn her freedom. To pay back the cost of the voyage she would be sent to work for William Wise, a man of questionable character. It would be a tragic assignment that led to Wise dead and Alice Riley convicted of a murder that some believe she may not have actually committed.  This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/GOTHIC and get on your way to being your best self! Purchase a copy of Vanessa's book Hanging Alice (Lore & Legend Book 3): https://a.co/d/dxleML8 Join Brandon in Nashville for a LIVE storytelling event on October 17, 2024: Tickets are available now! 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

    49 min

  7. SEP 12

    Join Us Live in Nashville: October 17, 2024

    Y'all we're going live with a little good old-fashioned storytelling on Thursday, October 17th in Nashville, Tennessee! Prepare for an unforgettable night as Brandon Schexnayder, the voice behind the popular podcast Southern Gothic, takes the stage to weave eerie ghost stories from the haunted South. This is not just a show—it's an intimate, spine-tingling journey into the darkest corners of Southern history. With limited seating to create a truly personal and immersive experience, Brandon will be joined on stage by the mesmerizing guitar work of Alexandra Mann, providing a hauntingly beautiful soundtrack. Sit back, relax, have a cocktail and get spooked! Book your tickets now before they vanish! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    31 min

  8. SEP 9

    Ghost Ship of the Outer Banks

    On the morning of January 31, 1921, Surfman C.P. Brady of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Cape Hatteras Station No. 183 stood watch over the treacherous waters of the "Graveyard of the Atlantic." His early morning shift, had been uneventful until the mist began to lift around 6:30. What appeared before him was chilling: a massive, five-masted schooner, sails still raised, had run aground on the Outer Diamond Shoals. Its name was the Carroll A. Deering. But if this sight wasn't strange enough, when the Coast Guard finally made their way out to the shipwrecked vessel, it was discovered that the crew was nowhere to be found-- a maritime mystery that remains unsolved to this day. Join Brandon in Nashville for a LIVE storytelling event on October 17, 2024: Tickets are available now! This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/GOTHIC and get on your way to being your best self! 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

    39 min
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About

Step into the world of the unknown and unravel the dark history, and infamous legends of the American South. Join us as we journey into the heart of this rich and fascinating region, uncovering its ghostly stories, haunted places, and eeriest tales through captivating storytelling, in-depth historical research, and an immersive audio soundscape. From the Bell Witch of Tennessee to the haunted Waverly Hills Sanatorium, the ghostly tales of the Myrtles Plantation, the Curse of Lake Lanier and beyond, get ready for an unforgettable experience that brings history to life and uncovers the truth behind classic tales of the paranormal.

Information

  • Channel
    Southern Gothic Media
  • Creator
    Southern Gothic Media
  • Years Active
    2018 - 2024
  • Episodes
    217
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    ©2018-2023, Southern Gothic Media LLC
  • Show Website
    Southern Gothic
  • Provider
    Southern Gothic Media

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