Tag Archives: devil

History, Urban Legend

The Gates of Hell – Stull, Kansas

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To wrap up the month of September we have a special guest episode where we interview Stephanie Craig on one of her favorite legends, The Gates of Hell in Stull, Kansas. Stephanie is a fellow podcaster, traveler and history fanatic so be sure to check out her website www.historyfangirl.com.

Stull is the very definition of a small town with just a few inhabitants and a small number of buildings within the city limits. However the lore that is interwoven into the history of Stull reaches far and wide, as it is said to contain one of the Gates of Hell. Its believed that on Halloween and the Spring Solstice the Devil comes to Earth through this gate to summon the spirits of those who died in violent ways. While some of the legends might be thought to be far-fetched, there are numerous rumors of strange encounters that have occurred on the cemetery property in Stull, including the demolishing of the church in a most mysterious manner.

Cryptozoology, History, Urban Legend

American Monsters

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In this episode of Strange Matters a number of infamous and legendary monsters and vile creatures of America are discussed.  Each of these monsters have become well known urban legends in their own specific regions across the country. Whether it is the dark woods of New Jersey, the creeks of Kentucky, or even the snowy lands of Michigan, rumors and stories have spread of terrifying beast lurking in the dark.

Jersey_Devil_Philadelphia_Post_1909The Jersey Devil is one of America’s most well known and oldest monster story.  This hybrid creature’s origin supposedly dates back before the formation of the United States even.  Combining the body parts of numerous different animals, this horrifying creature was rumored to be the spawn of the Devil itself.  This monster allegedly lurks in the deep woods of New Jersey,  scaring unsuspecting hikers with its blood curdling scream.

The Dogman of Michigan is a mysterious creature that lives in the deep snowy woods of the northern state.  Combining the torso of a man with the legs and head of a canine, the Dogman has been spotted and encountered for over a century.  Whether the Dogman is actually some type of freak hybrid creature, or just the over-imagination of the locals, has been an ongoing debate for years.

The Pope Lick Monster is a terrifying abomination, a creature combing the body parts of man, goat, and sheep together.  This violent monster is rumored to lure innocent victims onto the train tracks on its home bridge.  There, they are helpless to either face the oncoming train, or jump to their own demise below.  Though the Pope Lick Monster is well known to be merely a myth, the popularity and danger of its tale has lead to many unfortunate accidents.

Finally there is the Beast of Bladenboro, a creature responsible for a string of attacks on people’s pets and livestock in the winter of 1954.  When its legend grew, over a thousand people swarmed to the town to try and hunt this vampire like beast.  Just as quickly as the Beast arrived, the attacks soon ceased, leaving the people of Bladenboro to wonder to this day exactly what kind of creature was behind the violent animal murders.

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History, Podcast, Unsolved Mystery, Urban Legend

Ancient Mysteries II

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In this sequel to the original Ancient Mysteries, Eric discusses several mysterious cases from olden times. First is the legend of the screaming mummy. Gaston Maspero, the head of the Egyptian Antiquities Service was inspecting various different mummies found at Deir El Bahri near the Valley of the Kings. Amongst the newly-discovered, legendary leaders of Egypt was an unmarked sarcophagus belonging to an unknown mummy. However this was no ordinary mummy. Upon opening the case he discovered this mummy’s face was locked in an eternal scream. This body had been bound by his hands and feet, so tightly that there were marks on his bones. But despite this apparent torture the remains were carefully mummified and preserved. The body had also been wrapped in sheep or goat skin which is considered by the ancient Egyptians to be ritualistically unclean. While many believe this individual to be the traitor son of Ramses III who was punished for his alleged betrayal of his father, others suspect him to be a prince from the nearby rival civilization of the Hittites. Modern advancements in technology have shed some light on the details regarding this unexplained anomaly however this mystery has yet to be confirmed.

Next up is the “Devil’s Footprints” which were a line of footprints left in the snow, discovered one morning in 1855 in Devon, England. These footprints were said to have stretched over 100 miles which is more distance than any earthly creature would be able to cover in a single night. Devils footprintsThese cloven hoof prints were said to have either scaled 14 foot walls or passed directly through them and continued on the other side, unimpeded. One report states that the trail passed a two-mile stretch of the River Exe and then continued on the other side. While clergymen were eager to jump on this opportunity and claim these prints belonged to Satan himself and that he was here to collect souls of sinners, others took a more reasonable approach and attempted to rationalize the anomaly as belonging to animals. One thing is for sure: these footprints caused a significant amount of unrest in Devon in the 1850s.

Our final investigation is the mysterious disappearance of James Burne Worson. This story of a shoemaker and established citizen in his community in Warwickshire, England tells of this boastful individual’s habit of getting involved in impossible wagers. His latest bet involved him running to a nearby town and back again — a total round trip of nearly 40 miles. After setting out on this venture, with two fellows following him in a carriage to vouch for his completion of the task, Worson began running without difficulty for several miles. Then suddenly with their eyes fully upon him, he stumbled and began to fall, let out a shrill gut-wrenching scream and immediately vanished without hitting the ground. There have been very few reasonable explanations for what could have happened here, however the truth of the story is in question. Is it possible for individuals to not only go missing but to disappear entirely?