Southern Gothic - Southern Gothic Media

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The Lingering Echoes of Polly Barclay's Chains Apr 28, 2025

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The Fitzpatrick Hotel has been standing on the courthouse square of Washington, Georgia for more than a century now, its red-brick walls and Queen Anne trim casting long shadows over the town’s oldest streets. But around here, folks say it wasn’t just the fire that cleared the way for the hotel to be built—there are darker stories too. Stories about graves left behind. About spirits that never moved on.

And one name you’ll hear more than any other is Polly Barclay.

Back in 1806, Polly found herself at the center of one of Georgia’s earliest true crime stories—accused of plotting her husband’s murder and sentenced to die. She was beautiful, sharp, and by all accounts sure she’d never see the gallows. But fate had other plans, and her execution would go on to spark one of the region’s most enduring legends. Some say Polly never left. Some say she's still there, beneath the Fitzpatrick, rattling her chains on stormy nights when the wind kicks up just right.

This week, we’re digging into the real story behind the legend—who Polly Barclay really was, what really happened that night outside Washington, and why her ghost might still be walking among us today.

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The Southern Gothic Oracle w/ Stacey Williams-Ng | Interview Apr 24, 2025

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This week, we’re taking a brief detour from our usual haunted history to explore the deeper symbolism behind the stories we so often tell. Brandon sits down with artist and folklorist Stacey Williams-Ng, creator of The Southern Gothic Oracle, a richly illustrated divination deck that draws upon the archetypes, landscapes, and traditions of the American South.

In this conversation, Stacey shares the inspiration behind her work, from the hurricane lamp to the sassafras root, and discusses how these everyday objects become powerful symbols of Southern identity, memory, and myth. We also delve into her latest project, HAUNTS, an upcoming oracle deck featuring ghosts, cryptids, cursed places, and poisonous plants—all drawn from regional folklore.

Launching soon via Kickstarter, HAUNTS builds on the success of Stacey’s previous decks, The Southern Gothic Oracle and The Southern Botanic Oracle, and continues her mission of preserving Southern folklore through art and storytelling.

Stay tuned until the end of the episode for a special reading from Stacey using her original deck.

Links to check out:

The Kickstarter for the Southern Gothic Trilogy starts April 29, 2025 - don't forget to pledge on the first day for a special bonus!
Purchase more of Stacey's work, including her Rhythm & Blue Tarot deck, at La Panthère Studio.
Follow Stacey on Instagram: @Southern_Gothic_Oracle

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Hilton Head Island's Haunted Lighthouse | Encore Episode Apr 21, 2025

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Hidden among the pines of Hilton Head Island, the skeletal remains of the Leamington Lighthouse stand as a relic of the past—and a vessel for something far more haunting. Local legend tells of Caroline Fripp, a dutiful daughter who braved a deadly storm to save her father, the lighthouse keeper, only to lose her life in the process. But did she ever exist? And why do locals still see a woman in blue when storms roll in off the Atlantic? This is the tale of Hilton Head’s haunted lighthouse and the enduring ghost said to guard it.

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The Spy Who Still Haunts Franklin w/ Alicia King Marshall | Interview Apr 17, 2025

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In the quiet town of Franklin, Tennessee, one woman’s loyalty to the Confederacy earned her a place in history—and perhaps something more permanent.

Sally Carter was just a young woman when the Civil War arrived at her doorstep. Defiant and devoted, she made her allegiance known by raising the first Confederate flag over Franklin’s square, a bold act that would define her wartime role as a spy. But unlike many women who took on covert duties during the conflict, Sally was celebrated by her community—beloved enough to help erect the town’s Confederate monument and remembered as a heroine long after the war ended.

Yet her story doesn’t end with peace.

Today, the house where Sally once lived is said to echo with footsteps no one can explain. Guests report strange sounds, cold spots, and a presence that lingers long after the tour ends. Could it be that Sally Carter—so fiercely tied to Franklin in life—refused to leave in death?

In this bonus interview, we speak with Alicia King Marshall of Franklin Walking Tours to explore the life, legend, and lingering spirit of one of Tennessee’s most enduring figures.

Book a Tour with Franklin Walking Tours Today!

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The Most Hated Woman in Virginia Apr 14, 2025

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Perched high on Church Hill above the James River once stood one of Richmond’s grandest homes—a mansion of wealth, refinement, and Southern prestige. But behind its stately white columns and sweeping staircases, something far more dangerous was unfolding.

For it was here, in the heart of the Confederate capital, that Elizabeth Van Lew—an elite Southern woman raised among Virginia’s most powerful families—launched a covert campaign to undermine the rebellion from within. Though she moved through society’s upper circles, Van Lew secretly loathed the Confederacy and used her privilege to orchestrate one of the most daring spy operations of the Civil War.

Her network included formerly enslaved individuals, Union sympathizers, and even a woman who posed as a servant inside the Confederate White House. And while her intelligence helped shape the Union’s military strategy and even aided in the escape of more than 100 Union officers from Libby Prison, her actions made her a pariah in the city she once called home.

By war’s end, Elizabeth Van Lew wasn’t hailed as a hero—she was vilified as a traitor. Branded “Crazy Bet,” her legacy was twisted, her sacrifices forgotten, and her name all but erased from Southern memory. Yet beneath the folklore lies the true story of a woman who risked everything for the Union—and helped change the course of history.

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Spirits in the Stone of the Castillo de San Marcos Apr 07, 2025

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Along the western shore of Matanzas Bay stands the Castillo de San Marcos. Constructed from rough, seashell-laced coquina stone, this star-shaped fortress has loomed over St. Augustine for more than three centuries—an enduring symbol of Spanish colonial ambition in what would become the oldest city in the continental United States.

Built in the wake of a violent pirate raid, the Castillo was designed to be impenetrable—and history has proven it to be just that. It has never fallen to an enemy force. Yet the fort’s legacy is not merely one of military strength. Over the years, it has served as a prison, a staging ground for colonial conflict, and later, a site of Indigenous captivity and forced assimilation.

And according to legend, those centuries of violence, betrayal, and loss have left behind something more than just scars. Some say the Castillo de San Marcos is haunted—its walls echoing with the scent of a vanished woman, the footfalls of forgotten soldiers, and even the drifting head of a once-proud Seminole warrior.

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The Legends of Reelfoot Lake Mar 31, 2025

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Along the northwestern edge of Tennessee sits Reelfoot Lake. The only natural lake in the state, it's a flooded cypress forest that has more in common with the bayous of the deep south than other more open and expansive lakes of the surrounding area.

Yet this lake dates back only two centuries and owes its creation to the massive New Madrid earthquakes that rocked the area in 1811-1812 and caused the Mississippi River to temporarily flow backward. Yet according to local legend the cause of those earthly upheavals was more than simply nature. Legend says that the origins of Reelfoot Lake can be traced back to the actions of a Chief of the Chickasaw people who once inhabited the now submerged land.

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The Boo Hag of Gullah Culture Mar 24, 2025

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This episode of Southern Gothic originally aired in April 2023.

According to Gullah folklore, the swamps of the Lowcountry are home to a mythical creature who is said to sneak into the homes of its victims while they sleep and then suck the life force from their breath. The creature, known as the Boo Hag, is described as a large, hideous creature with no skin and glowing red eyes. It is said to be able to change its shape, making it difficult to track or identify. The Boo Hag is also said to be very strong and can easily overpower its victims. Join us as we explore this infamous creature, the culture that spawned it, and, of course, the ways you can protect yourself from it!

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The Political Rise & Controversial Murder of the Kingfish, Part Two Mar 17, 2025

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On the night of September 8, 1935, Senator Huey P. Long was gunned down inside the Louisiana State Capitol. Officially, the shooter was Dr. Carl Weiss, the son-in-law of a judge Long had politically targeted. But from the moment the Kingfish fell, questions have lingered about what really happened in that marble corridor. In Part Two, we examine the chaotic shooting, the immediate aftermath, and the decades of speculation that followed. Was Weiss truly an assassin, or an innocent man caught in the crossfire? And could Long’s death have been the result of a tragic mistake covered up by those closest to him? This episode looks at the evidence, the missing records, and the theories that continue to cast a shadow over one of Louisiana’s most defining moments.

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Introducing: Hometown Ghost Stories Mar 13, 2025

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Hometown Ghost Stories dives into the history of haunted locations and investigates why and how these places earned their terrifying reputation. Rob, Dave and Jesse go live every Tuesday night, after a 15-20 minute uninterrupted, documentary-style breakdown on the case. You can even join the show - as many do, during the live broadcasts on YouTube, Tuesday nights at 9pm EST, as we talk ghosts, demons, poltergeists, and the horrifying true tales that led to these hauntings.

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