Buried Secrets Podcast

Continuing my deep dive into nostalgia and the paranormal! Does the way we feel about paranormal investigation tools change their efficacy? How do our emotions (especially nostalgia) interact with the paranormal? Highlights include: My continuing fascination with whether the ghosts of living people can haunt us Looking at nostalgic paranormal investigation tools through the lens of Amanda D. Pauls...

A look at lore surrounding the legendary Panasonic RR-DR60. How did the late 1990s audio recorder become a device that now sells for $4,000-5,000 USD on eBay? What makes the DR60 so special? Highlights include: plenty o' nostalgia (and skepticism) a digression about hard drives (everyone's favorite) some arguments in favor of using older gear to investigate the paranormal Check out the shownotes f...

A wild ride through nostalgia about instant photography, the pitfalls of both analog and digital photography, the weirdly zeitgeisty history of the Polaroid Corporation, and the search for images we can "trust." Highlights include: My attempts to doctor Polaroid photos Spirit photography Computational photography Check out the shownotes for sources and a written version of the episode.

A deep dive into nostalgia, liminality, and the paranormal. Are we interested in the paranormal because we feel nostalgic? Could that be why so much paranormal investigation gear is inspired by 1980s and 1990s tech? Highlights include: Could a state of feeling deep nostalgia help with spirit communication? Radio Shack memories Internet aesthetics Attempts to find meaning in a chaotic world Check o...

In 1897, a series of mysterious airships were sighted all around the United States. This is a look at the flap in general, with a particular focus on some of the North Texas UFO sightings. Highlights include: The Dallas-Fort Worth area as a "window area" with heighted strange activity A glimpse into how Victorian-era people responded to UFOs Lots of bearded aliens Check out the shownotes for sourc...

A look at the Aurora, Texas, UFO crash, one of many sightings during the mystery airship flap of 1897. Highlights include: airships! urban legends and uncertain truths Jacques Vallée Check out buriedsecretspodcast.com for the shownotes .

Do you ever read a book so interesting that you gotta tell everyone about it? I recently read Consorting with Spirits: Your Guide to Working with Invisible Allies by Jason Miller and was struck by how much great information and advice it contained for paranormal investigators. Though the book is ostensibly geared toward magickal practitioners, it might actually be the most helpful ghost hunting bo...

I've been told that if I were in a horror movie, I would die first. But can I help it if I'm curious, chaotic, and solitary? Anyway, here's a look at some solo paranormal investigations I did around Halloween 2021 in two North Carolina state parks: Eno River State Park in Durham and William B. Umstead State Park in Raleigh. Highlights include: - phantom footsteps - a breath on my neck while I was...

A look at a place full of cemeteries, ruins, and ghosts of the past. Also actual ghosts. Those too. Eno River State Park, in Durham, North Carolina, is said to have its fair share of hauntings. I dive into the history of the park, especially the area around the Cabelands Cemetery, which is supposed to be one of the most haunted areas of the park. Plus, I dug up some of the paranormal experiences p...

What if, after you died, a close friend of yours made a bust commemorating you, spending years trying to make the piece of art capture your very essence? What if some of your ashes were put into said statue, which was then displayed in a prominent public area? Might you haunt that statue? Well, that's what happened to Jason Miller, Scranton native and the actor who played Father Karras in *The Exo...

Stories of a haunted museum, a former hotel, a historic home, and a pub in Scranton, PA. Plus a couple cool urban legends about a stone couch and a lady in black. Highlights include: - a nun psychopomp - a child who followed a ghost into the basement - a ghost that sneaks up on people in a storage closet - a mannequin that moves on its own

I tell the story of a weird paranormal experience I had during a recent trip to Scranton, PA.  Highlights include: - my first sleep paralysis experience - a strange roadside creek - my thoughts about Scranton

Some thoughts about mylar balloons, what they represent in the paranormal, and what else they might mean in terms of our world and our future. Highlights include: - mylar balloons' history in the paranormal and position as garbage - the idea of being haunted by trash - the power of imagination - some solarpunk reading recs

A look at what urban legends, especially the Goatman's Bridge urban legends, do in society, including urban legends as "folk news." Plus, some possible debunkings of some of the Old Alton Bridge phenomena. Content note: This episode contains discussions of white supremacist hate groups. Highlights include: • Reflections on the legends on the bridge • Debunkings and hoaxers • A haunted house that o...

An attempt to trace the current tales of the Goatman's Bridge to their source: a 2008 YouTube video that contained seemingly new information about the urban legend, including some information that linked the story to the Mothman legends. Highlights include: • Thoughts about how the internet transforms and changes urban legends • A little digital gumshoeing • Some Mothman easter eggs Check out the...

Satanic Rituals at the Bridge: A look at the urban legends claiming that cultish activity has occurred at Texas' famously haunted Old Alton Bridge, or Goatman's Bridge. Content note: This episode contains discussions of white supremacist hate groups and urban legends about animal abuse. Highlights include: • Some possible debunkings • A creepy abandoned house • Rumors of rituals in the woods • A l...

A deep dive into strangeness associated with the Goatman's Bridge, featuring weird stories that I found on forums and comment sections, including a devil sighting, a ghost driver, lights turning red, terrifying laughter, Bigfoot-type phenomena, and more. Highlights include: A ghostly driver redirecting a car to a cemetery Disembodied voices Will-o'-the-wisps Glowing eyes Check out the shownotes fo...

North Texas has four different Goatman legends, including the Old Alton Bridge Goatman. Here's a look at those stories, as well as other urban legends about goatmen around the world. As I continue my series on the Old Alton Bridge, or Goatman's Bridge, I take a little detour to look at different goatmen throughout history. What similarities are there between the Old Alton Bridge and others? Why ar...

A look at one legend behind the Goatman's Bridge, the period of history that inspired it, and a suspicious recent death at the bridge. Highlights include: The Texas Troubles Attempts to bury history Mass hysteria and bloodthirsty vigilantes Some creepypasta-style urban legends Check out the shownotes for sources and more.

Update: Looks like there was a technical glitch when I initially published this episode. It should be fixed now, but let me know if not! One of the most famous urban legends about the Goatman's Bridge (aka the Old Alton Bridge) has roots in a hidden, unpleasant part of the county's history. This episode looks at the legend of the Goatman and the history underpinning the story. CONTENT NOTE: This e...