State of the Unknown | Documentary Stories of Real Unexplained Encounters

n the Mississippi Delta, they say a young man made a deal with the Devil at the crossroads — and changed music forever. Robert Johnson’s eerie legend has haunted American folklore for nearly a century, blurring the line between myth and reality. In this episode of State of the Unknown , Robert Barber traces the real story and haunted history behind the man who inspired the legend. From his mysteri...

What happens when mystery collides with science? In this episode, Robert Barber and returning guest Dr. Brian Parsons dig deeper into America’s strangest cryptid cases—like the Murfreesboro Mud Monster, black goo evidence, and unexplained footprints. From haunted forests to local law enforcement transparency, we explore why paranormal stories like Bigfoot endure—and how they fill the same mythic s...

What if the monsters we tell stories about… are still out there? In Part 1 of this special interview, Robert Barber talks with cryptozoologist Dr. Brian D. Parsons about the eastern U.S.'s most persistent legends—Bigfoot, Mothman, the Beast of Bladenboro, and the Loveland Frog. Explore how folklore, geography, and belief collide in these paranormal stories, and why the forest isn't the o...

In the next episode of State of the Unknown, host Robert Barber sits down with cryptozoologist and paranormal researcher Dr. Brian D. Parsons to discuss the strange creatures explored in his book, Eastern Cryptids . From the Beast of Bladenboro to the Snallygaster, we dive into the stories, sightings, and cultural roots of these persistent mysteries. Whether you're a fan of creepy podcasts, h...

Few names in paranormal history are as well known — or as debated — as Ed and Lorraine Warren. From the case of Annabelle to the hauntings that inspired The Conjuring films, their investigations shaped how the world sees the supernatural. In this episode of State of the Unknown , Robert Barber examines the true stories behind the Warrens’ most famous cases — from cursed objects and possessed dolls...

Explore haunted legends and paranormal stories in this haunted places podcast episode all about Ed and Lorraine Warren. From the Amityville Horror to the case of Annabelle, we uncover the real-life investigations that inspired Hollywood's most chilling films. Join host Robert Barber as he separates fact from fiction, examines the Warrens' controversial legacy, and discusses their role in...

Before the films — before Ed and Lorraine Warren — there was something already waiting inside the Conjuring House. In this episode of State of the Unknown , Robert Barber unearths the true paranormal story behind one of America’s most infamous haunted places. From the chilling encounters of the Perron family to the real history of Bathsheba Sherman, this colonial-era farmhouse in Rhode Island hold...

Host Robert Barber takes you deep into one of America’s most chilling haunted places—the Conjuring House. This haunted places podcast unpacks the urban legends, true crime connections, and real paranormal encounters that inspired The Conjuring film series. From unexplained phenomena to the Warrens’ controversial investigation, discover what really happened behind the haunting—and why this case sti...

In the woods outside Pittsburgh, the trees don’t forget. Dead Man’s Hollow is a place where American folklore, mystery, and true paranormal stories intertwine — a forest filled with ghostly legends, unexplained deaths, and echoes that refuse to fade. Join host Robert Barber as he explores this haunted stretch of Pennsylvania, uncovering stories of disappearances, strange lights, and the eerie stil...

Discover haunted legends in this eerie podcast preview, focusing on chilling urban myths from Dead Man’s Hollow—one of Pennsylvania’s most mysterious and infamous forests. Host Robert Barber sets the stage for an episode that explores murders, disappearances, and ghost stories that refuse to fade. Is the land cursed? Or simply a place where fear grows like the trees? This is a haunted places podca...

In the remote hills of Washington State lies a story too bizarre to dismiss — a mysterious pit said to have no bottom. What began as a strange call to a late-night radio show became one of the most enduring tales in American folklore. Join Robert Barber as he unearths the true paranormal story of Mel’s Hole — a chilling piece of urban folklore that blurs the line between myth, science, and governm...

Step into haunted folklore with host Robert Barber as he unravels the bizarre legend of Mel’s Hole—one of Washington State’s most chilling urban myths. In this episode, we introduce the story of a bottomless pit that has defied explanation for decades. First made famous on late-night radio, Mel’s Hole is said to swallow objects without a sound, attract government surveillance, and shimmer with oth...

High in the Ozark Mountains sits the Crescent Hotel — known to many as America’s most haunted hotel. Behind its grand stone walls lies a chilling past of restless spirits, ghostly encounters, and a dark chapter in American medical history. Once a luxury spa, the Crescent became a fraudulent cancer hospital in the 1930s, leaving behind a legacy of suffering that still echoes through its halls. Toda...

Step inside one of America’s most haunted places. Hosted by Robert Barber, this preview of State of the Unknown sets the stage for a chilling descent into the Crescent Hotel—where paranormal stories, ghost sightings, and urban legends have lingered for over a century. As part of our haunted places podcast, this episode teases the eerie history, strange deaths, and spectral rumors that surround the...

Before Salem, fear gripped Hartford, Connecticut. In 1662, unexplained deaths and rising superstition ignited America’s first witch panic. Neighbors turned against each other. Accusations spread. And the Hartford Witch Trials became a dark chapter in America’s haunted history—one nearly erased from memory. In this episode of State of the Unknown , Robert Barber unearths the creepy history of Hartf...

Step into the haunted history of Hartford, Connecticut—site of America’s first witch trials and a chilling legacy that predates Salem. This creepy preview of State of the Unknown explores one of the darkest, most overlooked chapters in colonial history. If you love paranormal stories, forgotten tragedies, and unsettling truths, this haunted places podcast delivers something deeper. Full episode dr...

In the heart of Massachusetts lies a region steeped in American folklore — a place of curses, cryptids, and encounters that defy explanation. Known as The Bridgewater Triangle , this stretch of land has become one of America’s most infamous paranormal hotspots. From ghost sightings and cult legends to UFOs, Bigfoot reports, and unexplained disappearances, the Triangle’s stories blur the line betwe...

In rural Wisconsin, something strange stalks the roads. Witnesses have reported a towering, fur-covered creature with glowing eyes and canine features—a beast some believe to be a werewolf. In this episode, host Robert Barber dives into the 1990s Bray Road sightings, local lore, and the possibility that something primal still hunts the countryside. 🐺 Listen now—and follow the show for more Americ...

In 1892, a family in Rhode Island was dying one by one. Locals believed something—or someone—was feeding from the grave. When the coffin of 19-year-old Mercy Brown was opened, what they found sparked one of the most chilling vampire legends in U.S. history. Host Robert Barber uncovers the real story behind New England’s vampire panic, tuberculosis, and the ritual that made Mercy a legend. 🧛‍♀️ Lo...

In 1903, something strange descended on Van Meter, Iowa—a winged creature , part bat, part machine, with a blinding light on its head. It terrorized the town for five nights… and then disappeared. In this episode, Robert Barber unravels one of America’s most chilling and little-known paranormal stories —a case where folklore, fear, and eyewitness accounts collide. 🎧 Was it a cryptid, mass panic,...

One farmhouse. Eleven people. And a night that still haunts Kentucky. In 1955, the Sutton family claimed to be under attack by metallic-skinned creatures with glowing eyes—what would become known as the Hopkinsville Goblins. Host Robert Barber traces the incident’s timeline, military involvement, and the lasting legacy of one of America’s strangest paranormal stories. 👽 Alien visitors? Mass hyste...

What if America’s strangest stories weren’t just legends… but coordinates? State of the Unknown is a documentary-style podcast mapping the supernatural, the unexplained, and the forgotten mysteries tucked into the quiet corners of all 50 states. Each episode dives deep into a single location-based legend—cryptids, hauntings, cursed places, and events that can’t be explained. Blending investigative...