In this episode, Matt partakes in the old, but rarely practiced, tradition of telling a ghost story for the Christmas episode. The Kit Bag by Algernon Blackwood was originally published in 1908. Listen as the secretary to one of London’s best criminal defense attorneys has a difficult time packing for a Christmas vacation.
Tag Archives: california
107. Haunted Sanger Cemeteries
In this episode, Matt takes a trip to Sanger, California, and its surrounding area to talk about ghost stories associated with a few small town cemeteries. Along the way, he ponders the monuments we leave behind for the dead, explains why glowing tombstones are often reported in “haunted” cemeteries, and then drives on an allegedly (but not really) horribly twisty road said to be haunted by the ghost of a woman in white.
103. Sidetracked – Ong’s Hat, Incunabula, and Online Legend Trips
This episode deviates slightly from the stories of ghosts and demons featured in most episodes to discuss one of the internet’s earliest conspiracy theories. This story contains travel to alternate Earths, encounters with paranormal phenomena, mysticism and chaos magic, shadowy government agents bent on stripping humanity of freedom, and lots of drugs and sex. It can also teach us a lot about how paranormal folklore develops and spreads online. Also, it explains how a pulp science fiction writer popular with the hippies is connected to Reaganomics and Q-Anon. So, listen and learn about Ong’s Hat and the Incunabula.
102. The National Hotel (Jackson, CA)
In this episode, Matt describes a visit that he made to a haunted hotel. He didn’t have time to prep, so this episode’s field audio is not as smooth as a normal episode, but you will hopefully enjoy hearing Matt talk about a haunted hotel while actively staying in the same hotel.
94. Pinedale, California
The Pinedale neighborhood of Fresno, California was once the location of a facility used to stage Japanese-Americans on their way to the WWII-era internment camps. In this episode, Matt talks about how history can be stored but also warped in ghost stories and how some aspects of our past hold lessons for the present. Also, there’s an old Spanish lady who throws sand in people’s eyes.
89. Ghosts of the Playa Vista Project
The Playa Vista or Bellona Wetlands area is said to be haunted. Despite the location containing a well-known and widely reported Native American cemetery, the ghosts are actually somewhat unexpected and weirdly delightful. In this episode, Matt talks about ghosts, real estate development, archaeology, and Howard Hughes.
88. Three Haunted California Theaters
It seems that every theater that hosts live performances is home to at least one ghost story. But what about movie theaters? What about old movie theaters that became live performance venues? What can the ghosts that haunt these places tell us about how we connect our present with the past? In this episode, Matt talks about three theaters in his home state that are said to be haunted by a variety of ghosts.
84. The Big Yellow House (Summerland, CA)
The Big Yellow House in Summerland is reputed to be one of the most haunted houses in California, but Matt thinks this claim is a bit overblown. In this episode, he discusses how the fading of cultural memory can lend credence to stories that are otherwise unremarkable.
79. The White Lady of Santa Cruz
The White Lady is a common ghost story motif, and the city of Santa Cruz, California, is home to a classic example. She wanders in a place that is at the edge between urban and rural in a small canyon that gets dark before the sun has even set. If you aren’t careful, you might just find an axe flying towards your head…or not. In this episode, Matt talks about the White Lady of Santa Cruz.
77 Interview With A Haunted Tour Guide
In this episode, Matt talks with Rob Hawthorn, who creates and leads ghost tours in Mendocino County, California. They discuss the process of gathering stories, putting them together, and leading a ghost tour as well as how ghost stories represent the community from which they come.
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