Folklore and Legends

Gear up for a frightful jaunt into the darkest reaches of the ancient Appalachians.

Folk deep within Appalachian hollers lean close to share stories of the inexplicable with hushed awe. Monsters rumbling in the hills. Strange lights darting through the pitch-black night sky. Horrible occurrences, almost ineffable in their bizarre tragedy. "Tall tales," you might say. But tell that to the Flatwoods monster in Braxton County, West Virginia. Or the Goat Man of Louisville--look into his humanoid eyes and let him know you don't believe. And what of those apparitions in Mammoth Cave's Corpse Rock, or the Satan-spawn known as the Jersey Devil? How do you respond when those mysteries confront? From metaphysical energy that swirls near the Serpent Mound in Ohio to Point Pleasant's Mothman legacy, Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz explore the dark history lurking in the shadows of Appalachia..

What disturbing secrets surround the cold, deep waters of Lake Michigan?

Sudden violent storms and rocky shoals have claimed the lives of countless mortals foolish enough to brave the treacherous surf of Lake Michigan. But is there another, unnatural force at work? A force that spirited away a ship’s captain from a locked cabin without a trace? A force that caused a perfectly airworthy jet to fly into the waves, taking all its passengers to a watery death? Perhaps these tragedies are linked to numerous UFO sightings over the lake. Or perhaps a clue might be found in the prehistoric Stonehenge-like structures discovered deep beneath the crystalline blue surface.

Historian and storyteller Gayle Soucek will explore the mysteries behind the area known as the Lake Michigan Triangle.

Tales of Oregon's lost wealth isn't all gold mines and prospectors, it's also stories of crime, greed; and occasionally murder.

From the Lost Blue Bucket Mine to a hidden cave in the Owyhee Breaks, rumors of treasures just waiting to be found span the state. A generous miner from Yreka, California, known only as Set em Up spurred a decades long search for gold in Southern Oregon and the discovery of Crater Lake. Six sacks of gold buried and lost by Benjamin Harrison added to the fervor. There have been lucky finds, too, like Samuel L. Simpson's discovery of the Lost Cabin Vault.

Join author Arthur H. Redman as he maps out tales of buried treasure across the great state of Oregon.

Local storyteller Jonathan Kruk shares the mysterious lore of the Hudson Valley, best known among them Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow." 

This exciting volume and its author has been featured in the Travel Channel's "Mysteries at the Museum," and helped establish the galloping goblin's origin story.

The story of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman is one of America's best known fables, but what other stories does the Hudson Valley hold? Imps cause mischief on the Hudson River, a white lady haunts Raven Rock, Major Andre's ghost seeks redemption and real headless Hessians search for their severed skulls. These mysterious and spooky tales from the region's past that inspired Irving and continues to captivate the imagination to this day.

Explore the traditional tales of the hills and hollers of southwestern Virginia.

From the infamous Black Sisters of Christiansburg to the ghost of the famed Barter Theatre in Abingdon, the region is filled with stories that have haunted residents for decades. The Woodbooger, a local Bigfoot, is said to roam the mountainsides which are also home to many eccentric and inspiring legendary characters, including Molly Tynes, Reverend Robert Sheffey, Napoleon Hill and Cedar Creek Charlie.

Authors Melody West and Shane Simmons uncover tales of unique people and places that have seldom been told.

Strange things are afoot in the Buckeye State/

Across city and country, Ohio echoes with tales of creatures, ghosts, and other unexplained phenomena. A monster that appeared to be half man and half dog and wielding a 2-by-4 terrorized a small Northwest Ohio town during the summer of 1972. Over the years, visitors to a quiet Cincinnati suburb claim to have been accosted by a human-size, leathery frogman lurking near the riverbank. For generations, hikers and hunters have reported seeing Bigfoot throughout forests across Ohio, and some of the most notorious and well-documented UFO encounters on record have taken place here./

Authors M. Kristina Smith and Kevin Moore parse urban legends from history as they explore the unnatural side of Ohio’s heritage.

A great read for those interested in Wisconsin history as well as those who like a great campfire story, Wisconsin Legends & Lore explores a rich diversity of stories from around the state.

Wisconsin is a land rich with stories. It was the “mother of all circuses,” a place of buried treasure and home to eerie ghosts and monsters. Native American legends, tall tales told at lumberjack camps and taverns, ghost lore and modern urban legends all form the wonderful mythology of the Dairy State. Many know of Rhinelander’s famous Hodag, the Beast of Bray Road in Elkhorn, Milwaukee’s haunted Pfister Hotel and the Ridgeway Ghost. But few have heard obscure tales like the Christmas Tree Ghost Ship of Two Rivers, the Goatman of Richfield’s Hogsback Road and the legend of the Witch’s Tower of Whitewater.

Author Tea Krulos, an expert in all things strange and unusual, digs up Wisconsin favorites and arcane lore.

Stretching from Victorville to Carson City, Highway 395 offers a snapshot of California’s diverse landscapes – and oddities.

Tales of skinwalkers and sasquatch sightings flourish among the bones of ghost towns, and stories of the elusive Lone Pine Mountain Devil ignite the curiosity. Far from fiction, the Sierra Phantom lived among the hills for fifty years, and Mountaineer Norman Clyde used his skills to find lost hikers and climbers. Rumors of the Lost Cement Mine, with a rich vein of gold, lures people in, and the Tuttle Creek Ashram, built high above Lone Pine, offers peace.

Author Brian Clune explores the strange and fascinating side of the majestic mountains and lonely deserts along the El Camino Sierra.

The sweltering heat of the Florida sun breaks as a chill runs down your spine. A dark shadow looms from a nearby tourist trap - you didn't expect to find this kind of shade in Florida.

If only there was some sort of travel guide to steer you through the spookier locales. Well, you're in luck. Check in at The Biltmore in Coral Gables to spot the ghost of slain Fatty Walsh roaming the thirteenth floor. Sit down for a meal with the spirit of Ethel Allen at Ashley’s Restaurant in Rockledge. Visit haunted graveyards, museums, parks and battlefields. Hear macabre stories of spectral pirates, gangsters, witches and madmen. From phantasmagoric packs of Madam McCoy’s girls on Pensacola streets down to the ghostly clacking of Hemingway’s typewriter in the Keys, Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz lead brave readers through the darkest locations in the Sunshine State.

Author Shane Simmons explores tales of bravery, lore and bizarre customs within the East Tennessee region.

The mountains of East Tennessee are chock full of unique folklore passed down through generations. Locals spin age-old yarns of legends like Davy Crockett, Daniel Boone and Dragging Canoe. Stories of snake-handling churches and the myths behind the death crown superstitions dot the landscape. The mysteries surrounding the Sensabaugh Tunnel still haunt residents.

Explore humanity through what haunt us in Supernatural Lore of Southern Utah!

From the fanciful and revelatory to the horrifying and sorrowful, the folklore of Southern Utah hints at a complex history. Whether spiritual or spooky, home-grown legends are a window to understanding local culture. Visit Grafton, Utah’s most haunted ghost town. Explore what haunts Southern Utah University in Cedar City, the St. George Temple and Touquerville’s “murder house.” Learn about skinwalkers and the theft of Native American beliefs. Examine the numerous urban legends surrounding Route 666, “The Devil’s Highway.” Uncover the secrets of the Mountain Meadows Massacre and the curse of Escalante Petrified Forest. Drawing on information from over two hundred interviews, Darren M. Edwards investigates the tales and myths that permeate and persist in communities throughout red rock country.

Enigmatic mediums, murders, monsters, and more are all part of Michigan’s mysterious and sometimes supernatural history.

The will of Detroit’s first millionaire, Eber B. Ward, was hotly contested because he took the financial advice of spirits. Marian Spore Bush, Bay City’s first female dentist, moved to New York City, where she became a psychic wonder—and a secret philanthropist. Old witchcraft superstitions drove a Mount Morris family insane and caused another man to murder his godmother in Trenton.

Researcher Amberrose Hammond brings to light strange and unusual tales from Michigan’s colorful and exciting past.

Colorful tales of the MS Gulf Coast from specters to sodas and from buccaneers and pioneers.

The story of the Mississippi Golden Gulf Coast can't be told without a few tall tales--pirates, buried treasure, ghosts and colorful characters pepper its diverse past. From incredible stories of the pirate Jean Lafitte to iconic legends like Barq's Root Beer, travel from Bay St. Louis to Biloxi and every nook and cranny in between to discover the legends and lore of Mississippi's Golden Gulf Coast. Local historian Edmond Boudreaux explores this exciting history, recounting the fantastic tales that launch the reader into the past and create a truly captivating history.

This fascinating collection of myths, legends and folktales celebrates the diversity of characters and cultures across the Sunshine State.

Florida boasts mysterious tales that stretch back more than twelve thousand years. In Florida Lore, storyteller Caren Schnur Neile shares a treasure trove of colorful, curious tales that capture her home state’s history, mystery, and unique personality.

Delve into the lives of the proud Wakulla Pocahontas and the Ghost of Bellamy Bridge. Meet local lawbreakers like John Ashley, as well as transplants like Ma Barker and Al Capone. Stalk stumpy gators or Hogzilla as they prowl Florida's swamps and suburbs. Discover the quintessential Cracker cowboy and the Barefoot Mailman, plus the origin of names like Boca Raton and Orlando.

Discover the true story of Moll Dyer and the witches of Southern Maryland... if you dare...

Despite the attention that Salem receives, they were far from the only town to organize a witch hunt in colonial America. Rebecca Fowler was tried as a witch in St. Mary’s in 1685, and in 1674, John Cowman became the only man ever charged with witchcraft in Maryland. In Moll Dyer’s case, locals took the law into their own hands. According to legend, Moll Dyer was chased from her burning home by a mob in St. Mary’s County in the year 1697, left to die in the dark and cold. Was she just an ordinary woman blamed for problems beyond her control? Or was she a witch whose curse lingers on? Author Lynn Buonviri uses period records and local lore to discover the truth behind the legend of Moll Dyer and her curse.

Unearth the history behind northern Ohio's best treasure tales, from sunken ships to misplaced spoils of war. Perfect for fans of historical mysteries and legends.

Encounter a cast of characters as rich as any secret hoard, such as the notorious gangster John Dillinger, who left a trail of robbed banks, dead bodies and buried loot across the northwest stretch of the state. Read about the disaster that befell the G.P. Griffith, the tragic massacre of a family for money and the Ohio counterfeiters who plagued the nation. But tread cautiously in your treasure hunt—Mad Anthony Wayne'sgold is said to be jealously guarded by a dark, ghostly figure.

Author Wendy Koile is a lifelong resident of Ohio. In 2012 she published her first book, Geneva on the Lake: A History of Ohio's First Summer Resort. When not writing or traveling, Koile teaches at Zane State College. Koile founded her own treasure hunting club, First Glass Gals.

From the Pine Barrens to the Shore, the natural beauty of southern New Jersey is shrouded in local legends and lore passed down through the generations by way of oral tradition.

Deep in the woods of Colliers Mills, the mysteries of a place called Jack Davis keeps travelers at bay in the Bermuda Triangle of the pines. The state’s most famous legendary creature, the Jersey Devil, is often described as making its home among the pines. It is said that there is a hermit of Oswego Lake who guards the pines as a great mystical white stag. In the swamps of South Jersey, local legend tells of Hessian Island, a historic secret outlaw hideout of Pine Robbers, established by renegade soldiers from the Revolutionary War. Local author William J. Lewis colorfully presents tales, legends, lore and reflections from South Jersey and the Pine Barrens.

The Eerie and Ominous in Kentucky 

Kentucky is no stranger to strange occurrences. From weird encounters with the Grim Reaper to local graveyard dogs, the Bluegrass State has its share of odd stories. Learn about local ghosts who’ve haunted areas for years. Encounter body snatchers and some very odd modes of death. Go on the hunt for Daniel Boone’s bones and witness the marvelous twisting tombstone. Witness the people who uncannily predicted their own death. Author Keven McQueen details these creepy stories and more. 

Beyond the beaten path of local landmarks, residents and tourists can find curious secrets, lost mysteries and fascinating legends.

The famed Hope Diamond once found itself, and its mysterious curse, buried in an Asheville girl's sandbox. Elvis once handed a cherished guitar to a local man at an Asheville concert, and he held on to it for forty years. At a flea market, an Asheville attorney paid a few bucks for an old tintype likely of Billy the Kid, and it may be worth millions. Native author Marla Hardee Milling recounts odd, but true, stories hiding behind Asheville's picturesque beauty.

The stories, folklore, and history surrounding Maryland’s most haunted places. A must-read for fans of the supernatural and Maryland history.

The demon car of Seven Hills Road, the ominousHell Houseabove the Patapsco River, the mythical Snallygasterof western Maryland--these are the extraordinary tales and bizarre creatures that color Maryland's folklore.

The Blue Dog of Port Tobaccofaithfully guards his master's gold even in death, and in Cambridge, the headless ghost of Big Lizwatches over the treasure of Greenbriar Swamp. The woods of Prince George's County are home to stories of the menacing Goatman, while on stormy nights at the nearby University of Maryland, the strains of a ghostly piano float from Marie Mount Hall.

From the storied heroics of the First Maryland Regimentin the Revolutionary Warto the mystery of the Poe Toaster, folklorists Trevor J. Blank and David J. Puglia unravel the legends of Maryland.

Legends, Lore and True Tales of Utah explores an eclectic past

Ordinary history books often fail to address the obscure or the unexplained, leaving questions buried in annals of yesteryear. Where were Utah’s mythical monsters, including Bigfoot, spotted? How did ‘Schoolmarm’s Bloomers’ become a state symbol? What created the Lagoon Amusement Park’s ‘dark side’? Why did ‘Frankenstein’ prowl through the Cache town of Clarkston? Does Sardine Canyon hide the state’s fishiest story? Exactly what was the ‘Lakemobile’ that rolled through the Great Salt Lake? When and why did BYU temporarily ban football? How is it that the first college basketball team to ever play in the state was all women, and they beat the men?

Retired journalist Lynn Arave presents this unique collection, including over a hundred photographs, of the Beehive State’s offbeat history.

The stories, legends, and lore surrounding New England’s most haunted places. A must-read for fans of the supernatural and New England history.

New England's history is marked with witch executions, curses and an untold number of cemeteries hiding mysteries beneath their stones. In this sometimes harsh landscape, the truth is often stranger than fiction. Examine the footprints burned into the ledge of Devil's Foot Rock in Rhode Island. Spend a night at the Kennebunk Inn in Maine, where the mischievous specter of Silas Perkins still resides. Traverse an old dirt road near Sterling, Connecticut, where the Darn Man's frozen body was uncovered in 1863.

Authors Thomas D'Agostino and Arlene Nicholson uncover the history behind the region's best-kept secrets and lore. As you flip through these pages of New England's legends, tread lightly--you just might find a story that will follow you home.

With its sweeping vistas and rugged beauty, the Pacific Northwest is a natural setting for the extraordinary.



Strange tales of paranormal phenomena and other wild stories thrive among the trees and waterways, including sightings of Bigfoot, werewolves, and other mysterious cryptids. Is there a curse tied to the worst streetcar disaster in Tacoma—and America—that resulted in 44 deaths? Rumor has it that a model carved from the wooden remains of the crash claimed at least three more lives. A tree stump in Crater Lake is said to have power over the weather, and Terrible Tilly, a lighthouse on Tillamook Head, claimed several victims both before and after it was built.

Author and historian Ira Wesley Kitmacher explores the mysterious side of the Pacific Northwest. 

In the shadows of the quiet mountain towns of Western Maryland, strange creatures are said to lurk in the woods while phantoms wander the foothills.

The Hagerstown clock tower is reportedly haunted by the ghost of a young artist killed during the Civil War, while the low summit of South Mountain was once host to a mysterious spell-caster, the Wizard Zittle. Farther west, tales of legendary hunter Meshach Browning echo among the Allegany Mountains while visitors to Deep Creek Lake may feel the chilling presence of monks who never left their former monastery. From the 1909 hoax of the monstrous Snallygaster that terrorized the Middletown Valley to the doglike Dwayyo that was spotted near Frederick in 1965, local historian Susan Fair rounds up the bizarre beasts, odd characters and unsolved mysteries that color the legends and lore of Western Maryland.

John and Laura Leita delve in to the oddities that make Long Island unique and it may be more odd than you thought possible!

Long Island's history is well known, but often overlooked are the island's unique and bizarre stories and treasures--the most interesting locations and darkest legends. From hidden haunts and legends like the Indian Princess of Lake Ronkonkoma to well-known events like the Amityville Horror House murders, this collection chronicles the tales of restless spirits, unrequited loves and otherworldly visits that riddle the island. There is much to be seen along the roadside, too, including the beloved Big Duck, the Riverhead Indian and even the grave site of Nixon's dog, Checkers. Through history, pictures and the personal experiences of a ten-year endeavor, authors John and Laura Leita brings to life Long Island's abandoned structures, including psychiatric hospitals and other ruins waiting to be rediscovered. Join the Leitas as they go in search of the delightfully quirky side of Long Island.

Witness the Darker Side of the Hawkeye State

The farmlands and rural areas of Iowa are no stranger to the weird, dark and mysterious. Learn about a terrestrial sighting from 1903, a creepy cryptid that terrorized the town of Van Meter. Find out about Bigfoot sightings in Calhoun County. Peer under the waters of Lake Okoboji to find a huge lake monster. Read the history of a frightening sculpture based on a story by Franz Kafka and hear a premonition that predicted a devastating fire. Five-time Bram Stoker Finalist author Michael McCarty and Professor Emeritus Bruce Walters forge a twisted path through shadowy, Gothic Iowa. Do you dare follow?

Milwaukee is full of weird borders, streets that do not line up right, creepy cemeteries and other curious things.

Many locals have heard about the crooked bridges downtown, the sewer Socialists and the attempt on Teddy Roosevelt’s life. Not as many know about the time Josette Juneau saved Milwaukee, the city’s link to The Exorcist or its ghost towns like Oakwood, Saint Martin’s and Root Creek. And yes, a lion really lived inside the library. Employees used bowling balls to play fetch with it.

Milwaukee-based historian James Nelsen shares joyous and amazing stories of the Cream City’s strange history.

Arizona has stories as peculiar as its stunning landscapes, full of colorful characters, peculiar places and eccentric events.

The Lost Dutchman's rumored cache of gold sparked a legendary feud. Kidnapping victim Larcena Pennington Page survived two weeks alone in the wilderness, and her first request upon rescue was for a chaw of tobacco. Discover how the town of Why got its name, how the government built a lake that needed mowing and how wild camels ended up in North America. Author Marshall Trimble unearths these and other amusing anomalies, outstanding obscurities and compelling curiosities in the state's history.

 “…more romance, tragedy and vigorous life than many a city a hundred times its size and ten times its age.” - Historian Hiram M. Chittenden  

Deep in the heart of Blackfoot country on the Upper Missouri River, trade relations opened cautiously in 1831. A series of trading posts and clashes followed. By 1846, Fort Benton had become the center of commerce with Indigenous tribes, including the Blackfoot who dubbed it “many houses to the South.” Drawing settlers from eastern states, the head of steamboat navigation became known as “the world’s innermost port.” As a result, the fort became a multicultural melting pot and home to the “Bloodiest Block in the West.” Award-winning historian Ken Robison brings to life dramatic sagas of a rapidly developing frontier, from vigilante X. Beidler to the Marias and Ophir Massacres.

A plunge into Georgia history offers no shortage of bewilderment. UFOs, haunted bridges, ghost lights and monsters are just a smattering of the unexplained.

At the Jekyll Island Club, a bellhop from the Roaring Twenties does his best to stay busy. A bright golden light hovers above the tracks of Macon and Brunswick Railroad, floating toward spectators before it just…turns off.  From the obligatory mountain road squatch sighting to Jimmy Carter’s eerie encounter in a stand of Leary pines, Sherman Carmichael leads adventurous readers on a quest through baffling Georgia legends. Dig into this miscellany of Peach State enigma.

Thomas White spins a beguiling yarn with tales that reach from the misty hollows of the Alleghenies to the lost islands of Pittsburgh.

Oppaymolleah's Curse. General Braddock's buried gold. The original man of steel, Joe Magarac. Such legends have found a home among the rich folklore of Western Pennsylvania. White invites readers to learn the truth behind the urban legend of the Green Man, speculate on the conspiracy surrounding the lost B-25 bomber of Monongahela and shiver over the ghostly lore of Western Pennsylvania.

Explore the lore of the Old Dominion.

From colonial-era witches to modern sightings of Bigfoot, the history of the Old Dominion is filled with creepy tales. Cemeteries, battlefields and inns host haunts from Virginia’s earliest days. Some appear as corporeal figures, and some as lights or ghostly noises. Delve into the sad and scary stories of patients who still linger in Victorian-era sanatoriums. Unexplained sightings of mysterious creatures, from Bigfoot to werewolves, are widespread in the western part of the state, and Chessie rears her head in the Bay—for the lucky few! Even prominent buildings like the Executive Mansion in Richmond have their own uncanny legends.

Join master storyteller Sherman Carmichael as he tells spooky tales of the Old Dominion.

Mysterious creatures, strange happenings and ghost stories. Alabama has them all and more - despite its glorious depictions.

Alabama claims an abundance of fascinating mysteries and legends despite being known for its antebellum mansions and sunny beaches, . The White Thang is a Sasquatch-like creature that has terrorized Alabamians for generations. For a brief period in the 1980s, Needham gained national attention because of its “crying pecan tree.” In 1854, a farmer named Orion Williamson simply vanished in a field in Selma. From the aquatic beast known as the Coosa River Monster to the story of the Leprechaun of Mobile, these stories have evolved over generations. Author and ghost-story guru Alan Brown presents some of the strangest stories from this collective tradition.

Listen to the whispered legends of spirits, heroes and traitors hidden in one of New York's most captivating regions.

Like the region's first inhabitants, the ""Cat People,"" who made clothing from the mountain lions and panthers that they hunted, Western New Yorkers still savor the tradition of storytelling. Tales such as the ""Mail-Riding Mamma"" of Chautauqua County, who carried both the post and her infant child above her head as she journeyed across perilously-flooded creeks, and the Ossian Giant, who at age 19 stood 7 feet, 6 inches tall and weighed 385 pounds, are vividly narrated by Buffalo storyteller Lorna MacDonald Czarnota.

The mysteries and lore of Delmarva in Maryland are revealed here.

Between the waters of the Atlantic and the Chesapeake is Delmarva, a storied land that was once the hunting ground of Blackbeard, where ancient sea monsters lurk and wild ponies gallop along the beaches. Local author David Healey explores the lore of Delmarva, from the legends of St. Michaels--the town that escaped British cannons with a clever trick--to stories of Assateague's cannibalistic colonists and the all but forgotten history of Anna Carroll, President Lincoln's Dear Lady, who is rumored to have brilliantly advised him on strategy during the Civil War. Join Healey as he reveals the secret history and remarkable legends of Delmarva.

Settle in for a juicy bushel of Peach State bafflement.

Turn a metaphorical shovel of red Georgia clay to find a world teeming with inexplicable, head-scratching mystery. The legends here predate the state’s founding by hundreds of years, when Native people settled in and began grappling with the land. Now treasure hunters ply Civil War sites for the Confederacy’s lost treasure, with spectral soldiers galloping nearby. Hairy beasts lope through dark woods, while the night sky above bustles with disconcerting activity, like the UFO once spotted by Jimmy Carter. In this Georgia, psychics help convict murderers. The super-strict and thoroughly deceased former owner of Savannah’s Telfair Museum punishes rule breakers, and a ten-foot ’squatch emits a pungent stench at Minnehaha Falls. Join folklorist Alan Brown on a jaunt through the most confounding elements of Georgia’s long history.

Hudson Valley is steeped in mysteries, from Celtic chambers resting in the deep woods of Putnam to Millbrook's abandoned Bennett College.

The beautiful, tree-spotted landscape of the Hudson Valley hides the strange and sometimes frightening stories of the region. In the Highlands, Iroquois chief Daniel Nimham gave his life for the cause of American independence. The great passenger steamship Swallow sank near the shores of Athens. And there is even one strange night in the Catskills where a legendary playwright miraculously survived a midnight plunge off the suspended Schoharie Bridge. Author Allison Guertin Marchese reveals a treasure-trove of curious tales recounting the most uncommon history of bad guys, bold girls, creepy colleges, missing mastodons and more in this wondrous region of New York.

Northern Ohio’s past is rich and deep, but it also has a darker and odder side.

A police chase for a UFO began in Portage County and stretched eighty-five miles from Ohio into Pennsylvania. Gangster Pretty Boy Floyd met his end in East Liverpool, and infamous serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer began his murderous career in Medina County. The region is also home to peculiar beings such as Orange Eyes, the Melonheads and the armless Charles Mill Lake Monster.

Join author James A. Willis as he forges a trail across Northern Ohio in search of all things eerie, inexplicable and just plain weird.

Scary, mysterious & just plain weird stories from Southern Ohio

The southern portion of the Buckeye State has long attracted its fair share of colorful characters and odd occurrences. Infamous bootlegger George Remus rose to power shortly after moving to Cincinnati. Roy Rogers, King of the Cowboys, was born and raised in southern Ohio. Some even say creatures not of this planet are drawn to the area, which has had numerous UFO sightings. In the same region, an unassuming university professor got away with murder, an eccentric built his version of a European castle using nearby river rocks, and a headless motorcycle ghost roams a rural roadway.

Ride along with author James A. Willis as he ventures into Southern Ohio in search of all things strange and spooky.

Join author Wil Elrick as he explores the history behind some of the Cotton State's weird and legendary tales.

Mysterious 1989 UFO sightings brought more than 4,000 visitors to the tiny town of Fyffe, population 1,300. Legends of the Alabama White Thang - an elusive, hairy creature with a shrill shriek - persisted in the state for a century. Just outside Huntsville's historic Maple Hill Cemetery lies an eerie playground where the ghosts of departed children are rumored to play in the dead of night. After hundreds of unexplained sightings, the town of Evergreen declared itself the Bigfoot Capital of Alabama. Alabama is a weird and wonderful place with a colorful history steeped in folk tales passed from generation to generation.

Cape Cod has a rich tradition of local lore, stretching back to a time before the Pilgrims arrived.

Ancient Wampanoag legends like Granny Squannit and Princess Scargo are as familiar as tales of pirates and explorers, including Black Sam Bellamy and Donald Baxter Macmillan. Felines often blocked Cat's Alley in pursuit of food from fishermen's boats. The remnants of Billingsgate Island can be seen at low tide, and visits from Jenny Lind and Helen Keller contrast with the mysterious stories of the Lady of the Dunes and New England's Dark Day. Author Robin Smith-Johnson shares historic tales of shipwrecks, murders, hauntings and more from the Cape.

Passed down over generations, Keystone State legends and lore provide both thrilling stories and dire warnings.

Strange creatures and tales of the supernatural thrive in Pennsylvania, from ghostly children who linger by their graves to werewolves that ambush nighttime travelers. Phantom trains chug down the now removed rails of the P&LE Railroad line on the Great Allegheny Passage. A wild ape boy is said to roam the Chester swamps, while the weeping Squonk wanders the hemlock-shrouded hills of central Pennsylvania, lamenting his hideousness. On dark nights, the ghosts of Betty Knox and her Union soldier beau still search for each other at Dunbar Creek. Join Thomas White and company as they go in search of the truth behind the legends of supernatural Pennsylvania.

Fascinating tales from the territories of Arizona, Nevada and New Mexico.

From its earliest days to the dawn of the twentieth century, the Southwest was known as a place for dreamers, heroes, and lonesome drifters. People were drawn to places like Tombstone, where notorious events left a lingering legacy, and Taos Pueblo, with centuries of history contained within its adobe walls. Across the territories, the blending of cultures and conflicts that arose turned common people into legends. Names like Geronimo, Billy the Kid, Doña Tules, and Olive Oatman survive in story, along with other, wilder tales, like those of the Lost Dutchman mine and the Mogollon Monster.

Join author and illustrator Jessica Laughlin as she takes you on a journey through the wild frontier of the Southwest.

Uncanny stories, local legends and ghostly encounters from the First State.

Delaware may be small, but every corner of it is filled with strange and unusual history. Horrifying tales of ghosts haunt places both old and new. The Castle contains many stories of mysterious specters, but the mystery of the house’s first owners is the truly creepy tale. The legend of the Devil’s Road, called a myth by some, will chill your bones and make your spine tingle. In a state so close to the sea, stories of murder and mayhem include tales of piracy and maybe even cannibalism.

Delaware native and paranormal historian Josh Hitchens invites you to join him on a journey through the spooky side of the First State.

Mysterious lights, mystical vortexes and the Mogollon Monster.

Go beyond the beautiful vistas and desert landscapes and discover a new, stranger side of Arizona. From the legendary cryptid that stalks the Grand Canyon to a purported alien abduction that inspired a feature film, strange happenings and weird occurrences have been recorded in every corner of the state. Join author Patrick Whitehurst as he explores tales of the odd and unexplained. 

Supernatural Lore of Ohio offers a blood-curdling exploration of the witches, werewolves, wraiths and other dastardly beings of the Buckeye State.

A rich vein of bizarre and uncanny tales snakes through Ohio’s cornfields and cityscapes. In the earliest days of statehood, dark reports spoke of witches causing feathers to form a deadly ring in one’s bed, magically strangling its sleeping victims. For years, the ghost of Abraham Lincoln’s funeral train rolled through Urbana, a small town in the center of the state, and caused clocks and watches to stop in its wake. A vampiric entity was said to haunt a strange cabin in the Black Swamp, and a werewolf reportedly roamed a Defiance train yard. Join Cincinnati historian Steven J. Rolfes on a tour of Ohio’s strangest supernatural lore, from wailing banshees to the devil himself.

Find stories of magic and witches, sailors, pirates and shipwrecks and more in this book filled with folks with great stories and interesting lives.

Author and Marblehead Museum & Historical Society director Pam Peterson recounts the oral and written accounts that Marbleheaders have handed down over the past 400 years. Compiled with meticulous care, Marblehead Myths, Legends and Lore offers a diverse sampling of tales from one of New England's maritime treasures.

An account of the decades-long friendship between the iconic author and the famed actor.

In the autumn of 1940, two icons of American culture met in Sun Valley, Idaho—writer Ernest Hemingway and actor Gary Cooper. Although Hem was known as brash, larger-than-life and hard-drinking and Coop as courteous, non-confrontational and taciturn, the two became good friends.

And though they would see each other over the years in Hollywood, Cuba, New York and Paris, it was to Idaho they always returned. Here they hunted together, waded through marshes and hiked sagebrush-covered hills, sometimes talking and sometimes not but continually forging a close comradeship. That bond sustained them through the highs and lows of stardom, through personal trials and triumphs and from their first conversation to their deaths seven weeks apart in 1961.

Author Larry Morris celebrates the story of that unforgettable friendship.

The Spooky Side of the Volunteer State

Tennessee history is steeped in local folklore passed from one generation to the next. Learn about the bloody exploits of America’s first serial killers, the Harpe brothers. Meet the ghost of a little girl who haunts the Orpheum Theatre. Find out if the ghost of Elvis Presley stills lingers around Graceland and follow one of the nation’s signature ghost stories in the legend of the Bell Witch. Discover other mysteries like the White Screamer, Shiloh’s spectral soldiers and hauntings at Loretta Lynn’s home. Author Alan Brown details these and many more of the state’s oldest mysteries.

Discover the weird sites and peculiar stories that lurk in the shadows of the Sunshine State in this guide for fans of all things freaky.

Millions of people flock to Florida for its beaches and tourist attractions. Most never learn about the strange locations just off the beaten path. In Freaky Florida, Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz share tales of Florida's myths, monsters, massacres and legends—and the hidden history behind them.

In the beautiful Florida Caverns, a second Rip Van Winkle was woken from one hundred years of sleep. The Green Swamp is home to murders, monsters and mysteries galore. A shining castle made of recycled material, built by an artist like no other, gleams within a Florida swamp. A spectral horse heralds tragedy and caused a notorious scandal in a central Florida city. Discover these and other stranger-than-fiction tales in Freaky Florida.

Venture back to 1715, when a fifteen-year-old Cape Cod girl named Maria Hallett was seduced by a twenty-six-year-old Englishman named Samuel Bellamy.

Bellamy soon left her to become one of the most infamous pirates of his day—Black Sam Bellamy. Maria remained on the Cape but was forced to live in solitude after giving birth to Bellamy's child. Two years later, Bellamy returned to his love, and Maria watched from the dunes as his flagship, the Whydah, sank in the worst nor'easter in the history of the Cape. The legend of Maria Hallett has been passed down for over two hundred years, and Cape Cod writer Kathleen Brunelle brings a fresh breath of sea air to this epic tale in her search for Bellamy's bride.

The Hudson Highlands launched revolutions of independence, industry and creativity, and have long enchanted artists and hikers with countless mysteries that still thrive in the area.

Leni-Lenape legend told of an ancient giant slumbering between Storm King and Breakneck Ridge. During the Revolution, George Washington saved the new nation from a military coup by donning glasses. The ghost of the twice-hanged pirate William Kidd returns to secluded caves and hamlets in the Highlands to guard his treasure. Professional storyteller Jonathan Kruk unveils a treasure of stories of the historic, mysterious and colorful Hudson Highlands.

Local author Susan Peterson Gateley tracks down the real Maid of the Mist and investigates the meaning behind the names Soup Harbor, Sheba Island and the Devil's Nose.

Named by the Hurons, Ontario means Lake of Shining Waters. Beneath this gleaming surface, though, the easternmost of the Great Lakes hides enigmas from thousands of years of history. Ghosts linger on the surface, and monsters swim below, frightening sailors on the water. Smugglers used Lake Ontario during the War of 1812 and Prohibition and continue to do so today--Ontario's darkness providing the cover needed to elude law enforcement. Join Gateley as she delves deep below the waves to uncover these and other legends, lore and secrets from Lake Ontario.

Facts, Fiction & Tales of the Town Too Tough to Die

The desert oasis of Tombstone has reinvented itself many times over the course of the last century. From the boomtown heyday in the 1880s to its decline and reinvention as an icon of the Wild West, its reputation was built on colorful characters and even more colorful stories.

At its height, Tombstone was a town full of swinging saloons, bawdy brothels, and miners hanging their futures on extracting silver from the unforgiving landscape. Following close behind them were cold-blooded outlaws like the Cowboy gang and the legendary lawman Wyatt Earp, whose exploits live on in both myth and memory.

Doc Holliday’s outsized reputation was forged in part by Tombstone and the iconic gunfight in which he took part, and beneath Big Nose Kate’s Saloon, the ghost of the Swamper, who secretly dug into the mine shafts to steal the silver for himself, still roams.

Even the naming of Tombstone is linked to the larger-than-life story of prospector Ed Schieffelin. A soldier once mocked him with the words "all you'll find out there is your tombstone,” but in 1877, when Ed struck it lucky in the Arizona desert, a legend was born.

Join author Richard Estep as he untangles the truth from fiction in Tombstone.

Meet the unusual creatures of the Pacific Northweird.

The Pacific Northwest is a land of secrets, legends, and some might even say monsters. Stories of cryptids—hidden animals—are whispered throughout the region’s history, told in everything from bashful confidences to bold headlines.

Unusual creatures like the Cadborosaurus have been sighted in the Salish Sea, and the Pend Oreille Paddler is rumored to live inland, lurking deep in still waters. It’s said that one can sometimes catch a glimpse of a hulking bat-humanoid winging its way across gray skies, and the rugged Pacific Coast could be hiding more scaled, tailed, finned and furred sea cryptids in remote harbors. The foggy forests, thick with evergreens, are said to hide everything from an arboreal octopus to the king of cryptids, Sasquatch.

Peppered with historic and contemporary newspaper articles, expert interviews by cryptozoologists and cryptid enthusiasts, and retellings of local legends, author and professional weirdo Devon Kelley uncovers the hidden creatures of Cascadia.   

The legendary monsters that roam the Land of Enchantment.

New Mexico is full of the strange and unusual, from mysterious cryptids to visitors from outer space. Hairy shapeshifters dart across the back roads of Grants and Gallup, while Sasquatch roam the Sandias and Sitting Bull Falls. Visitors from outer space drop in to terrorize Roswell in the form of escaped extraterrestrials, Spring-Heeled Jack floats over Silver City, and a faceless monster stalks the South Valley. Prehistoric survivors like the Thunderbird perch on the mountaintops, giant sloths leave massive footprints in the White Sands, and spectral dinosaurs glide across the scrublands of Ghost Ranch. Not even the waters are safe, as giant catfish roam the bottom of Elephant Butte Lake and Lizard Men swim through the acequias of the San Luis Valley.

Author John LeMay separates fact from folklore, and artist Chris Casey captures the likenesses of New Mexico’s legendary monsters. 

100 years of cruising from Chicago to Santa Monica.

Opened in 1926, Route 66 was one of America's original highways. In modern times, the Mother Road is an icon of nostalgia and kitsch, but behind each pit stop is a uniquely human story. From Alberta Ellis, who created safe havens for African American travelers in the first half of the twentieth century to Bob Waldmire and Angel Delgadillo, who worked to preserve the history of the route after the interstates came through, the people behind these places are what truly make them special. 

Just off the well-traveled path are places like the Santa Fe Internment Camp, where many Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated during World War II, and the Apache Death Cave near Two Guns, Arizona, said to be the site where many Native Americans lost their lives. Visit the Amboy Crater, a dormant volcano in the Mojave Desert of California that hints at the distant geological past, and the town of Baxter Springs, which was once a major part of America's Main Street. 

Author Brain Clune brings to life the tales that left a legacy along Route 66. 

“I picked a microcosm on the edge of the circle—a place where many manifestations were occurring simultaneously—and I hit the jackpot immediately.” –John Keel

The Hatchet Lady of Red Rocks, the ghostly Stanley Hotel and the terrifying Slide-Rock Bolter are just some of astonishing legends, eerie locations and strange monsters that compose Colorado’s supernatural folklore. Stories of Bigfoot, UFOs and lake monsters vex the state’s history. Haunted houses lurk throughout the state, as do cursed roads and bridges. Folklorist and award-winning author Jack Daly guides us on an odyssey through the uncanny, with a quest of unraveling the mysteries of the preternatural in Colorado.

Born from the chilly waters of Lake Ontario and the Genesee River, Rochester, New York, has been the cradle of the modern spiritualist an anti-Masonic movements and religious sects and communes.

This unusual history has given rise to strange legends and shrouded the city in mystery. Was the corner of Main and Elm Streets - McCurdy's Department Store - cursed? Who was Captain William Morgan, and why did he suddenly disappear? What stories lie behind Rochester's first murder and the execution of William Lyman's killer? What is hoodoo, and who is the Hoodoo Doctor? Native American tales, the history of the infamous Fox sisters and the secrets of the Freemasons are woven into these and other legends of Rochester

Meet the unusual creatures of the Pacific Northweird.

The Pacific Northwest is a land of secrets, legends, and some might even say monsters. Stories of cryptids—hidden animals—are whispered throughout the region’s history, told in everything from bashful confidences to bold headlines.

Unusual creatures like the Cadborosaurus have been sighted in the Salish Sea, and the Pend Oreille Paddler is rumored to live inland, lurking deep in still waters. It’s said that one can sometimes catch a glimpse of a hulking bat-humanoid winging its way across gray skies, and the rugged Pacific coast could be hiding more scaled, tailed, finned, and furred sea cryptids in remote harbors. The foggy forests, thick with evergreens, are said to hide everything from an arboreal octopus to the king of cryptids, Sasquatch.

Through historic and contemporary newspaper articles, expert interviews by cryptozoologists and cryptid enthusiasts, and retellings of local legends, author and professional weirdo Devon Kelley uncovers the hidden creatures of Cascadia.   

Step back in time to experience mountain Maryland in all its strange and vibrant glory.

From its fascinating caves, dangerous mines, and mysterious mountains to the hex magic practitioners and spooky tales that haunt its towns, folklore infuses every hill and hollow of Western Maryland. Prepare to meet the colorful characters who kept life exciting in Maryland’s westernmost counties, like the locals who never met a poisonous snake they didn’t love and a well-read twentieth-century cave dweller. Travel historic highways and byways straight into frontier Maryland’s darkest history, where an axe murderer cleaved the peaceful mountain night in 1830 and a little-known monster lurks in a place ominously called Spook Hollow.

Join local historian Susan Fair on a tour through obscure and spooky places in the beautiful mountain regions of the Old Line State. 

100 years of cruising from Chicago to Santa Monica.

Opened in 1926, Route 66 was one of America's original highways. In modern times, the Mother Road is an icon of nostalgia and kitsch, but behind each pitstop is a uniquely human story. From Alberta Ellis, who created safe havens for African-American travelers in the first half of the 20th century to Bob Waldmire and Angel Delgadillo, who worked to preserve the history of the route after the interstates came through, the people behind these places are what truly makes them special. 

Just off the well-traveled path are places like the Santa Fe Internment Camp, where many Japanese Americans were forcibly relocated during WWII, and the Apache Death Cave near Two Guns, Arizona, that is said to be the site where many Native Americans lost their lives. Visit the Amboy Crater, a dormant volcano in the Mojave Desert of California that hints at the distant geological past, and the town of Baxter Springs, which was once a major part of America's Main Street. 

Author Brain Clune brings to life the tales that left a legacy along Route 66. 

Northern Ohio’s past is rich and deep, but it also has a darker and odder side.

A police chase for a UFO began in Portage County and stretched eighty-five miles from Ohio into Pennsylvania. Gangster Pretty Boy Floyd met his end in East Liverpool, and infamous serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer began his murderous career in Medina County. The region is also home to peculiar beings such as Orange Eyes, the Melonheads and the armless Charles Mill Lake Monster.

Join author James A. Willis as he forges a trail across Northern Ohio in search of all things eerie, inexplicable and just plain weird.

The author of Freaky Florida shares a unique guide to the state’s strangest attractions—from Florida Bigfoot to lost cemeteries, UFO sightings and more.

Most people know Florida as the land of endless sunny beaches, Disney World, and NASA shuttle launches. But the state is also home to many hidden mysteries, eerie legends, and tales of bizarre creatures. In Eerie Florida, author Mark Muncy and photographer Kari Schultz provide a unique guide to these truly unique sites across the Sunshine State.

The Everglades is home to the elusive Skunk Ape—also known as Florida Bigfoot—a strange bipedal creature recognized by its odor. An uncanny doll reputed to have a life of its own greets visitors in a Florida Keys museum. An ancient monster is reported to roam the rivers in the northeast corners of the state, and in South Florida, a man built Coral Castle—also known as America's Stonehenge—via mysterious means. Join Mark Muncy and Kari Schultz as they uncover the history behind the state's creepiest stories and unusual locations.