108. The Kit Bag: A Ghost Story for Christmas

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.

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.

106. Interview with 911 Paranormal Rescue Fresno

Matt discusses paranormal investigation with Kimi Lopez of 911 Paranormal Rescue Fresno. He asks her about how she became involved and how she approaches her work. He also shares his own thoughts and observations on paranormal investigation. 

105. The Cursed Car of Archduke Ferdinand

As the inciting incident of World War I, it is no surprise that the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand would be the subject of folklore. However, the car he was in when he was killed has been the focus of increasingly strange and macabre stories of death and dismemberment since the 1920s. In this episode, Matt explores the story of the infamous car in which the Archduke took his final ride and how the tales deviate from the truth.

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.

101. The Cock Lane Ghost

The Cock Lane haunting is one of the best known British ghost stories and one of the best known British hoaxes. In this episode, Matt discusses the events that took place at 20 Cock Lane in the 1760s, how they related to the religious, political, and social currents of the time, and how we might think about them today.

100. Hearing From The Listeners

In this very special 100th episode, your friendly neighborhood Ghosthropologist sits down with his Good Lady Wife for some listener submitted stories and some Q&A. Hear about the creepy bathroom, a smelly ghost, and a shadowy figure on the highway… Enjoy!

99. The (Screaming) Bettiscombe Skull

The story of the Screaming Skull of Bettiscombe Manor is one of the better-known British ghost stories and is part of a larger motif in British supernatural folklore. The Bettiscombe Manor story involves slavery, ignoring the wishes of the dead, and the price paid for these transgressions. There is less reality to the story than even a skeptic might think, but quite a lot is going on in the folklore. In this episode, Matt talks about why, if you find a human skull in your house, you might just want to leave it be.

98. Weird Fresno (Interview With Mike Banti)

In this episode, Matt chats with Mike Banti, author of the popular Weird Fresno blog. They discuss how paranormal investigators help people, the importance of folklore, and the charm of Fresno’s own Nightcrawler. Enjoy!