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Astonishing Legends — History
Astonishing Legends

The world is more mysterious than most people are comfortable imagining. We cross paths with the mystical from time to time and may not even notice it. If we do, we quickly return to our usually mundane daily existence. But what if we not only acknowledged the unknown, we investigated it and spoke with those in the know? That’s what co-hosts Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess, and co-executive producer Tess Pfeifle do at Astonishing Legends. Over 100 million downloads and hundreds of thousands of listeners have discovered the thrill of exploring the mysteries of our world, showing that the unknown can be both captivating and intriguing. Welcome to Astonishing Legends!

Copyright: © Astonishing Legends Productions, LLC

Latest Episodes:

Important Update Sep 20, 2025

Show notes

News from Scott and Forrest

S1 Ep46: The Cowboy in the Canteen Sep 16, 2025

Show notes

In tonight’s dead letter… a VFW canteen worker in Michigan has a close encounter with a mysterious cowboy, complete with vintage attire and dollar coins. The stranger asks her to champion his cause of getting “shell shock” recognized for a Purple Heart. After the encounter, the letter he provides vanishes and the general he mentions turns out to be from the Civil War.
Links:
Jim Harold’s Roadhouse Saloon Campfire STory
https://jimharold.com/the-roadhouse-saloon-from-the-files-of-jim-harolds-campfire/
The VFW
https://www.vfw.org/
Shell Shock
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shell_shock
PTSD
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-traumatic_stress_disorder
PTSD as a Criteria for a Purple Heart
https://www.dvidshub.net/news/520197/purple-heart-criteria-exclude-ptsd-defense-officials-say
https://www.mghclaycenter.org/hot-topics/denying-purple-hearts-veterans-ptsd-2/
https://www.disabledveterans.org/purple-hearts-for-ptsd/
The ‘Seated Liberty’ Dollar
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seated_Liberty_dollar
Some for sale on Ebay
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=seated+liberty+dollars+1840-1873&_sacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p4432023.m570.l1311
‘The Edge of Tomorrow’ movie which references Verdun as an Alien Battle Site
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edge_of_Tomorrow
Unsolved Mysteries: Paranormal Rangers
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22336540/

S1 Ep45: Uninvited Intruders Sep 09, 2025

Show notes

In tonight’s dead letter, a listener recounts a childhood filled with unexplained phenomena in their 1940s Michigan home. From persistent footsteps and unsettling noises like dragging chains and hammering to a menacing presence in their bedroom, the haunting escalated over the years, driving them to seek refuge upstairs. But even then, the activity followed, with something heavy repeatedly stomping on the cast iron cover of the well room just outside their window. Pers
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_lightning
Search this page for more on the Jacob Marley quote, “I wear the chain I forged in life…”
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/christmascarol/quotes/character/jacob-marley/
Witch Ride/Sleep Paralysis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_paralysis
Stephen Prozak Shippy
https://www.strangemusicinc.com/artists/prozak
https://www.youtube.com/@HauntedSaginaw/featured
Iron in Folklore
https://diabolicalconfusions.wordpress.com/2011/02/15/iron-in-folklore-superstitions-explained/
Email your stories to deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com

Mystery Solved! AMA 2025 Sep 07, 2025

Show notes

Alright Astonishing Legends listeners, buckle up! In this special AMA episode, Scott and Forrest are answering your burning questions! We're diving headfirst into everything from the implications of sentient Tesla bots inheriting fortunes (and causing chaos) to the latest updates on the search for Amelia Earhart's lost plane.
We’re also exploring listener questions and thoughts on future stories and the state of Astonishing Legends. We discuss the intricacies of researching paranormal topics, sharing insights into why some stories captivate while others fizzle. There are also several business questions answered from curious fans. And delving into some of our own paranormal experiences, we share thoughts on the cases that have profoundly shaped our perspectives. So join us as we explore the strange, the unexplained, and everything in between, all thanks to the incredible support of YOU, our listeners!
And Scott will be appearing with Rich Hatem in Washington D.C. in just a few weeks! IN the D.C. area? Get TICKETS HERE
And check the Richard Hatem's Paranormal Bookshelf feed in the coming week for a sit-down he did with him about his 'Light in the Dark' Tour.

S1 Ep44: The Beginning that Never Ended Sep 02, 2025

Show notes

In tonight’s dead letter… Listener, Isla recalls a childhood park trip in Australia where she and a friend went exploring after her mom’s car broke down in the bush. They wandered too far from the car and observed a void-like, spear-bearing figure on the bank. The bush fell silent and the wind carried songs in an ancient language as they fled back to the car without looking back. Years later Isla still feels watched whenever she strays off the path.
The Movie ‘Get out’ (referring to ‘The Sunken Place’ from the letter)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5052448/
Artlandish Aboriginal Art Website
https://www.artlandish.com/
Goddard & Wierzbicka (2015) Article on ResearchGate
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283206413
Wikipedia – "The Dreaming"
https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Dreaming&oldid=1297566697
Petrichor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petrichor
SAS Survival Handbook
https://a.co/d/6oSBMlQ
‘Songlines’ by Bruce Chatwin
https://a.co/d/6kqf1Oc
‘Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions’ by Edwin A. Abbott
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flatland
Email your stories to deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com

S1 Ep43: Tracked Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

In tonight’s dead letter… Listener, Scott recounts a series of unexplained howls heard in the woods near his Alabama home. Night after night, he and his family would sit on the porch and listen, noticing patterns in the sounds. This progresses later to him being stalked by something he could not see.
Alabama Bigfoot Website (via Wayback Machine) Most audio links not working:
https://web.archive.org/web/20110518043255/http://www.alabamabigfoot.com/bigfoot/reports/Recordings.html
RadioLab’s episode ‘Wildtalk’:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/0sug8rBkpypmdnjFEQ3iA3?si=3K7sddfCRiKfLwBlj9qkkg
Predators in Alabama:
https://www.huntsvilleal.gov/environment/animal-services/pet-services/urban-wildlife/
Charle’s Fort’s Wild Talents (Book):
https://a.co/d/8r1l6gz
The Astonishing Legends Episodes on Charles Fort (if you’re curious):
P1
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5kWLAh6t5REHPfKGZloOkb?si=7c98be94c8a44a06
P2
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3QhqHXilyU0DZgFxfWKtjE?si=5bb9bf4d7a444d0a
The Movie ‘Spartan’:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spartan_(film)
The North American Wood Ape Theory:
https://www.woodape.org/
The Alaskan Killer Bigfoot Story:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaskan_Killer_Bigfoot
https://www.travelchannel.com/show/alaskan-killer-bigfoot-travel-channel-atve-us
Email your stories to deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com

S1: Dead Letter Office Special Announcement Aug 19, 2025

Show notes

This week’s Dead Letter Office is cancelled, but the show will return next week. Thank you for your patience and understanding!

S1 Ep42: A Gathering of Shadows Aug 12, 2025

Show notes

In tonight’s dead letter, listener Jerri-Kay recounts a story from her childhood when her mother witnessed multiple shadow figures entering their bedroom in broad daylight. Later that night, while seemingly half-asleep, when her mom enters her room she yells that she's not her mother and points to lights that only she can see in the room, leaving the family shaken and searching for answers. Were these events positive or negative?
Astonishing Legends' Shadow People Episode:
https://open.spotify.com/episode/7wNUanfRFXoQ0QOhy5l58L?si=62193edf57854ec0
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/astonishing-legends/id923527373?i=1000355594797
Myth Fits Podcast with Kari Byron and Tori Belleci from MythBusters:
https://www.youtube.com/@MythfitsPod
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mythfits/id1813405582
https://open.spotify.com/show/6SOvzD9Rc52Is6qHm0ivJt?si=f479aac0675644f8
David Weatherly's Work:
https://eerielights.com/
https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B01N59JC6U/allbooks
David Weeatherly on Astonishing Legends (Spotify/Apple Podcasts Links)
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2RWx4nYQNZZ9b3qd04Dj8y?si=0353dbf9a2324ae1
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5p5GxpIqVX43RQwvtmTdwz?si=35384b2e23404b63
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/astonishing-legends/id923527373?i=1000495952492
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/astonishing-legends/id923527373?i=1000497668831
Documentary - The Nightmare:
https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-nightmare
Missing 411:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/David-Paulides/author/B002ALI9AA?
https://open.spotify.com/episode/3TRVhzSYDB6NKiU69L5c9A?si=e6fe2e83dfe84069
https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Q0pc5e8JlBoZzDrgY1Evp?si=b451bd4ae98841be
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/astonishing-legends/id923527373?i=1000579063545
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/astonishing-legends/id923527373?i=1000580601049
Article on Light Emission After Death:
https://www.sciencealert.com/we-emit-a-visible-light-that-vanishes-when-we-die-says-surprising-new-study
Email your stories to deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com

The Hatem Files 2 Aug 09, 2025

Show notes

This week, Scott and Forrest welcome back Richard Hatem of Richard Hatem's Paranormal Bookshelf to Astonishing Legends! Join us as we delve into Richard's unique insights on paranormal literature, including odd details in famous experiences like Whitley Strieber's book, Communion and others. We'll explore Rich’s favorite episodes and get a sneak peek into his upcoming season. Plus, we'll hear about his pending tour across the US, including a stop at the Mothman Festival in just a few weeks!
Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.

S1 Ep41: The Fisherman's Ghost and the Homunculus Aug 05, 2025

Show notes

In tonight’s dead letter, we hear from our listener Sam, who shares two spooky stories. The first involves two hauntings at an aquarium in the UK. An old lady ghost with a penchant for floral perfume, and as one might expect…a fisherman. While the second features a mysterious, hunched-over shadow figure lurking in a South Carolina home. Sometimes these shorter letters are the most freaky. As we often remind our listeners, the real experiences don’t occur with a three-act structure or poignant message all the time. Instead they are just glimpses of something that you may never understand.
North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher:
https://www.ncaquariums.com/fort-fisher
Phantosmia (Phantom Smells):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phantosmia
Clairalience:
https://www.collegeofpsychicstudies.co.uk/enlighten/clairalience-to-clairvoyance-your-psychic-gifts/
Gorton's Fisherman:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorton's_of_Gloucester
Trilogy of Terror (1975):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trilogy_of_Terror
https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/trilogy-of-terror
Homunculus:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homunculus
https://www.britannica.com/science/homunculus-biology
Astonishing Junk Tour:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/astonishing-junk-85805858?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link
Email your stories to deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com

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