Forgotten American Folklore

An extra episode listing some superstitions from the Ozark mountains.

This episode was supposed to be a quick story of the Fountain of Youth, but detoured into the murky waters of the Bimini Road and the Bermuda Triangle.   Contact us at Fafolkore@gmail.com

The longest and bloodiest feud in Texas history- including John Wesley Hardin.

A gunfighter who grew from the anger and violence of Reconstruction.  A hero to some, a killer to others.   FAFolklore@gmail.com for questions, comments or show suggestions!

The legend of the mermaid is as old as they come- but as the New World was being explored those stories were still around and mermaids were still being spotted.  Today it's mermaids in Maine and museums.     Contact us at fafolklore@gmail.com

The legend of Niagra Falls

All about the tradition of predicting the weather through the behavior of large rodents!   Questions of comments?  Contact us at fafolklore@gmail.com

All about the tradition of predicting the weather through the behavior of large rodents!   Questions of comments?  Contact us at fafolklore@gmail.com

Today two folktales from the Mormon community.  Canes made from Joseph Smith's coffin that can communicate with God and heal the sick and a mine in Utah awaiting the end of the world.   Contact us at Fafolklore@gmail.com

In the early 1800's the Mississippi River was filled with keelboats bringing goods and passengers up and down- and the king of all the keelboaters was a larger than life figure named Mike Fink.   Contact us at fafolklore@gmail.com

On May 19, 1780, dawn never really came to the skies above New England.  Some would call it the end of days- until the next day. 

A mysterious hypnotic video game, spiders in bubble gum, and exploding children!  What a time the eighties were!   Contact us at fafolklore@gmail.com

The goat-sucker romes the land the the UFO's fill the skies- in the eighties and nineties they were both blamed for a series of strange animal mutilations in Puerto Rico and the United States.   Contact us: Fafolklore@gmail.com

In many of these stories, the town of Deadwood is as much a character as the people who live in it.  Today, the town of Deadwood and two notable women who you didn't see in the HBO series.   Ideas, questions, comments- we'd love to hear from you!

You can't talk about Wild Bill Hickock, or Deadwood for that matter, without talking about Calamity Jane.  Out of all the women who lived in the West in the 1800's, why was her name remembered?  She'll tell you one story, the facts will tell another.   Contact us here

From his days on the Pony Express to his death (spoiler) in Deadwood, South Dakota- Hickock was a legend in his own time.  The trouble was figuring out what parts of the legend were true.   Contact us at Fafolklore@gmail.com

As we get ready for Christmas, a special episode for those who have stayed subscribed- Belsnickel from the Pennsylvania Dutch!  Regular episodes will continue the first week of January, and we'll be looking at the Wild West, witches, more murder ballads- all the stuff we love!

The story behind a favorite Christmas Carol

A famous Thanksgiving story about a love triangle among the Pilgrims- now mostly told in cartoons.   Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Halloween!  The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is about as New England as you can get, but this is the story re-written to take place in my home state of Georgia.  Hope you like it!

For Halloween we actually break with tradtion and travel to Europe to hear some stories of headless guys on horses.  Then we travel back to the United States to hear two stories of headless men terrorizing the countryside.  This is a long one, but will certainly get you in the Spooky Season mood!   fafolklore@gmail.com for questions, comments, show ideas, whatever ya got.

A story from Tennessee- just right for Halloween!

Perfect for Halloween- an old man and his dogs meet a scary creature of the woods....   See the video here See a less scary version here    

Today, we travel to Kansas for the tale of the Bloody Benders- a family that lured people into their inn to kill them.  This is a great Spooky Season topic, and has a surprise twist.   FAFolklore@gmail.com if you'd like to get in touch

You may remember the 1981 movie The Fog- a classic by John Carpenter.  Today we talk a little about the movie, then about some legendary shipwrecks that became the inspiration.   We'd love to hear from you for questions, comments or show ideas!