Category: Podcast

Nestled near downtown Waco, Texas, there is over 400 acres of trees and trails where people can escape from the hustle and bustle of the city and get acquainted with nature by hiking, biking, and fishing, but also has a lot of haunted history and folklore etched into it. From ghost cowboys haunting a road, to a steep set of stone steps where you may feel someone tug on your clothes, to a ledge where you may see two spirits leaping off the edge, and to a witch that haunts a section of the park, Cameron Park has a lot to offer to the paranormal enthusiasts.

Join us on episode 107 to hear more about the different hauntings of Cameron Park!

Sources: Waco Tribune, Baylor Lariat, backpackerverse.com, KWTX.com, hauntedplaces.org, Waco Mammoth National Monument (nps.gov)

On this bonus episode, we speak with James Wosochlo, the author of “Appalachian: Schaumboch’s Tavern”. His book details the life and misdeeds of Matthias Schaumboch, America’s unofficial first serial killer. Schaumboch owned and operated a tavern on Hawk Mountain where weary travelers would stop for the night, and because he only chose those that either travelled alone or no one would miss, he was able to get away with the murders most of his life. There were even rumors that he fed his victims to unknowing guests at his tavern.

James Wosochlo grew up in Schuylkill County, Pennsylvania, where his love for history aided him to come across this mystery. James is the former president of the State Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology, and a founding member of Hawk Mountain Archaeology Society.

Joins us to hear more about James’ book all about Matthias Schaumboch!

Get the Book:

https://www.amazon.com/Appalachian-Schaumbochs-James-Jr-Wosochlo/dp/1480898767

On January 25, 1959, a group of experienced hikers and athlete students set out on a journey into the Ural Mountains of Russia. When they missed their rendezvous date, a search party was organized to look for them. Their frozen bodies, along with unaccountable injuries, were discovered in locations that compounded the puzzle of how they died. The Dyatlov Pass mystery has spawned dozens of conspiracy theories which have endured for over 60 years.

Many of the students had minor cuts and bruises, but a few of them had significant injuries to their bodies, including fractured skulls, a crushed chest, missing eyes and a missing tongue. Because of these strange injuries, many rejected the official cause of death of hypothermia. Many of the theories of the cause of their death included government conspiracy, UFO and alien intrigue, and even a murderous Yeti attacking the group, but in the end no one knows what happened to them.

Join us on episode 106 as we explore the many theories of the Dyatlov Pass Incident!

Sources: BBC News, The Atlantic, MuseumCenter.org, Atlas Obscura, https://dyatlovpass.ruptly.tv, https://allthatsinteresting.com/dyatlov-pass-incident

Music featured on this episode: https://talesofthetomb.bandcamp.com/music

Bobby Mackey’s Music World is a former slaughterhouse and meat-packing facility that served northwest Kentucky as well as parts of Ohio back in the 1850’s. It eventually was demolished and the new building became a casino, nightclub, speakeasy, and now a music club. It is considered to be the most haunted night club in America as well as considered to be a gateway to hell. People have heard phantom footsteps, seen full body apparitions, smelled perfume, felt cold spots and had the sensation of being touched.

Not only did a lot of death and murder happen in or near this location, but many believe that the area could be haunted due to the building being built on Native American burial ground. There are also rumors of Satanic rituals being performed in the basement allowing evil and sinister things to permeate the premises.

What haunts Bobby Mackey’s Music World? Join us on episode 105 to hear more!

Sources: Gate Keeper Paranormal, Bobbymackeys.com, Travel Channel, BitterSoutherner.com, LiveAbout.com, dreadcentral.com

Come join us on our holiday episode as we talk about a few of the holiday cryptids from around the world! From the Yule Cat who eats you if you don’t receive clothing as a present for Christmas, to Mari Lwyd, a zombie horse skeleton head, that challenges you to a rhyming battle of wits, to Belsnickel who travels around in disheveled furs delivering treats to those who were good or switches with which to beat those who were naughty, to finally Perchta, a German witch who disembowels misbehaving children. Join us on episode 104 to hear more about these creepy Icelandic, German & Welsh holiday cryptids!

Sources: SmithsonianMag.com, ZME Science, pennlive.com, mcall.com, denofgeek.com, rootedcook.com, paheritage.wpengine.com

In 1762, an unusual and bizarre scandal captivated London. The story of Scratching Fanny of Cock Lane had something for everyone: forbidden love, money, death and the supernatural were all elements in this sad ghost tale.

After the death of Fanny Lynes from smallpox, her lover William Kent fell under public suspicion of murder after séances were held to determine who or what was behind the scratching noises coming from the home on Cock Lane. The one person that these noises seemed to be attached to was the young daughter, Elizabeth Parsons, of the landlord who owned the Cock Lane home, and it was determined from these sessions that Fanny had not died from smallpox, but rather arsenic poisoning that Kent had administered to her! 

After reading the accusations in the press, William Kent vowed to clear his name. He enlisted two of the physicians that had attended Fanny in her last days, as well as a reverend to help hold their own séances, but it wasn’t until a maid revealed that she had seen the young daughter sneak out of the séance to get a small stick that the whole thing was exposed as a fraud. Elizabeth Parsons confessed that her father had made her make the scratching noises for him in retaliation of a loan disagreement between the two men. 

Join us on episode 103 to hear more about the sordid tale of Scratching Fanny of Cock Lane! 

In the deepest parts of the jungles of Java, you can find a giant flying creature, the Ahool, that is known to eat fish, but has also been known to attack humans. It has a face that resembles both a chimpanzee and a bat, has fangs, red skinned wings and is covered in grey fur. It is said to have a body the size of a small child with a wingspan of up to 12 feet, and its name comes from the sound it makes – AHOOooooOL!

It has been a legend among the locals on Java for years, but in 1925, Dr. Ernest Bartels was exploring a waterfall in the Salek Mountains on Java when a giant bat-like creature flew over his head. Two years later, in 1927, he heard the Ahool’s distinct cry at night while lying in his bungalow. A mystery bat of equally dramatic dimensions has also been encountered in Cameroon, North and South America, and West Africa. 

What is the Ahool? Is it a giant bat or a flying monkey with wings? Join us on episode 102 to hear more!

Sources: cryptid wiki, CryptoWiki, Dr Karl Shuker’s blog, biology online 

In 1876, the West Virginia State Penitentiary, also known as the Moundsville Penitentiary, opened in Moundsville, WV. This gothic-style prison was in part built by the prisoners that would be incarcerated in it, and also contained prisoner-ran shops that helped it become a self-sufficient facility. As time went on, the prison went through many changes and problems, especially with security, plumbing and overcrowding, that allowed for disease and chaos to run rampant. Over the years there were murders, riots, prisoner escapes and almost 100 executions. The prison shut down operations in 1995 and moved its remaining prisoners to other facilities.

Many believe that the building was built on Native American burial grounds, which allowed for hundreds of spirits to still roam. Visitors have heard voices and whispering, heard the cell doors clanging shut, have felt cold spots and been touched by unseen hands, smelled unpleasant odors, and seen apparitions. There is one particular entity that is called the “Shadow Man” because he lurks in dark places and has no visible features.

What haunts the West Virginia State Penitentiary? Join us on episode 101 to hear about one of the most haunted prisons in the United States!

Sources: wvpentours.com, Legends of America, Haunted Rooms, liveabout.com, Haunted Houses

John Olsen is back to tell us more ghost stories from his new book, Stranger U.S. This book is full of true, first-hand stories from around the United States. Bigfoot, UFOs, Ghosts, Cryptids, and more. Join us and hear a few scary stories from his new book.

John Olsen’s Books:
https://www.strangerbridgerland.com/

On our 100th episode we play Pudding Skin for the Win! It’s our little spin on Jeopardy. There’s paranormal questions, hot sauce and victory for one of the Punchers. Plus we picked Patreon supporters out of the hat, so one lucky patron will win a Paranormal Punchers El Yucateco gift box. Then we reminisce a little and read listener feedback.

Join us as we celebrate our 100th episode!