Shows
Backroad Odyssey : Travel, Van Life & Lost LocationsThe Story of West Virginia - Almost Heaven: Also MothmanWhat's the real story of West Virginia? Why is the state often ignored, stereotyped and forgotten?In what world do these questions explain the flurry of West Virginia Mothman sightings of the 1960's? We answer all this and more as we hike mountain trails and visit the small town of Point Pleasant, a location infamous for its association with the Mothman. Safe travels! Works Cited:https://www.jstor.org/stable/4242460?searchText=the+battle+of+point+pleasant&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dthe%2Bbattle%2Bof%2Bpoint%2Bple...2025-06-2635 min
Inside AppalachiaEncore: True Stories Behind Folk Heroes, Runaway Trains And Murder Ballads, Inside Appalachia
This week Inside Appalachia, we’re talking about traditional ballads – how they tell stories and connect us to the past. These old tunes can mean so much. They can tap into difficult emotions and give feelings space to be heard. Some songs may even be too uncomfortable to sing.In this special episode with guest co-host, ballad singer Saro Lynch-Thomason, we explore songs about lawbreaking folk heroes, runaway trains and murder ballads.All the stories in this episode were produced as part of our Folkways Reporting Project, a partnership with West Virginia Public Broad...2025-05-1053 min
Fatal BlendHarry PowersIn this episode, we dive into the dark and twisted story of Harry Powers, a man who preyed on vulnerable individuals searching for love. Powers used personal ads in newspapers to lure his victims, promising romance but delivering tragedy. Learn how his schemes unraveled and his horrific crimes were uncovered
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West Virginia WeekElection Education And A New Way To Surrender Firearms, This West Virginia Week
On this West Virginia Week we will hear about voter education, rural health care, and this year's fire season.
Jack Walker takes us to an event that gives gun owners a creative way to surrender their firearms.
Plus, we will learn how classrooms are incorporating the election into their curriculum.
Briana Heaney is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.
West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast from West Virginia Public Broadcasting that looks back at the major news of the week. This podcast features rotating hosts...2024-10-2600 min
The Scrying HouseSeason 2 | Ep. 1 | A New Kind of TestimonialMargot, notably hesitant to continue her grandma's research after the events of Season 1, is started back on a path that will take her to places she never could have imagined.References this Episode:https://www.unionleader.com/news/back_page/couples-see-man-sized-bird-creature-something-55th-anniversary-of-mothmans-appearance/article_29d2777a-b499-53cd-b0ad-318b1fd955df.htmlhttps://www.wboy.com/only-on-wboy-com/paranormal-w-va/the-legend-of-mothman-paranormal-w-va/https://u.osu.edu/vanzandt/2019/02/11/mothman-a-west-virginia-folklore/https://www.wvencyclopedia.org/articles/1418https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=LG0mAAAAIBAJ&pg=620,2790721&dq=point+pleasant+roger+scarberry&hl=en2024-09-3019 min
Appalachia Meets WorldAppalachia Meets World Episode 160 - A Twist on the Appalachian DumplingIn this special episode Neil and Will reveal a story published by West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Immigrants were a major part of forming what we now know as Appalachia. The guys venture into Wheeling West Virginia to bring a story to life that has been part of the culture in Wheeling for over 100 years. Take a listen as they describe the twist on the Appalachian Dumpling - "The Pierogi!" You might even hear about Neil's favorite olympic sport. Also, don't forget the #AppBiz of the week: Pierogi Plus!
Pierogi Story: West Virginia Public Broadcasting (hit "Listen" to hear...2024-07-2624 min
Oddity ShopFlatwoods Monster/Braxxie: Crytpid Phantom of Braxton CountyWelcome To The Oddity Shop, Where The Bizarre is Always on Sale. This week, your curator Zach has finally covered the tale of the Flatwoods Monster.Brace yourself as we transport you back to 1952 West Virginia, where the legend of the Flatwoods Monster was born. Experience the raw fear of locals, including kids and a dog, who encountered a floating, clawed creature with an overwhelming stench of sulfur. Their harrowing story, shared without the aid of news media, sparked a nationwide frenzy. Discover how this eerie encounter captured the imagination of many, turning the Flatwoods Monster into an e...2024-06-2738 min
Cryptic Soup PodFlatwoods MonsterWelcome to Cryptic Soup, your after-dark podcast filled with nightmares that haunt the daylight. From murders, to crimes, to cryptids, to anything in between, you can learn about what might be going bump in the night.
In this week's episode, join Thena and Kylee to discuss the Flatwoods Monster. This cryptid creature was sighted back in 1952 near Braxton County, West Virginia, United States. Was this creature a cryptid, just some folklore, or an alien? There was a bright light in the night sky and now people chalk the event up to a potential meteor.
Our...2024-03-211h 01Appalachia Meets WorldAppalachia Meets World Episode 140 - For Young People, By Young People in (Generation) West Virginia with Alex WeldIn this episode Neil and Will sit down with Alex Weld, the Executive Director of Generation West Virginia - a statewide organization for and by young people who understand that while finding a path isn't easy, it's easier if they navigate the hurdles together. Having several initiatives as a focus, the main goal is to retain and attract young people to the Mountain State. Hear Alex describe those initiatives and how the organization is working to build young capacity and provide opportunities where there once may not have been. You'll hear her passion for the "Country Roads", what kept her...2024-02-1639 min
Oddity ShopMothman Pt. 1: 13 Reign over Point Pleasant and the Silver BridgeWelcome to The Oddity Shop, Where the Bizarre is Always on Sale! This week in the shop, Zach is starting a deep dive on everyone's Favorite Appalachian Cryptid...The Mothman.Put on your detective hats as we navigate the eerie terrain of Appalachia, unearthing the fascinating tales of the Mothman and its impact on the locals. Be it the monster’s goofy gait, its chilling red eyes, or even the tragic collapse of the Silver Bridge, we’re leaving no stone unturned. You’ll meet the stalwart locals: Mary Hyre, the newspaper writer who brought the Mothman to the...2023-12-2148 min
Hard Times and True Crimes40. A Christmas Mystery - What Happened to the Five Sodder Children?A fire broke out around midnight on Christmas Eve in 1945 at the Sodder house in Fayetteville, West Virginia. Five of the Sodder family's ten children didn't make it outside with the rest of their family. George Sodder, their father tried desperately to save them but it was to no avail. At first everyone believed the children died in the fire. However, no skeletal remains were ever found. After several new pieces of evidence came to light and some extremely odd circumstances surrounding the night of the fire, the family and many people all over the world came to believe the chi...2023-12-1353 min
The Legislature TodaySpooky Tales And Sci-Fi, Inside Appalachia
Submitted for your approval, we have a selection of spooky tales for Halloween and beyond.
We have scary stories read by acclaimed sci-fi and horror authors, tales of the supernatural, and we might know someone who says they’ve seen a ghost.
All this and more this week, Inside Appalachia.
In This Episode:
Mike Allen And “The Button Bin”
Molly Born And The Spooky Old Tunnel
A Ghost Story
Another Ghost Story
The Return Of The Headless Man And The Murdered Girl
Mike Allen And The Button Bin
Mike Allen i...2023-10-3000 min
MorbidRainbow Family MurdersIn the summer of 1980, nineteen-year-old Nancy Santomero, and two friends, twenty-six-year-old Vicki Durian and nineteen-year-old Liz Johndrow, left Durian’s parents’ home in Iowa to hitchhike to West Virginia to attend a gathering of the Rainbow Family. Five days later, Santomero and Durian’s bodies were discovered in the woods in West Virginia, shot to death just hours before being found, and Johndrow was nowhere to be seen.More than a decade after their bodies were discovered, police in West Virginia had identified several suspects and eventually charged thirty-four-year-old farmer Jacob Beard, who was convicted in 1993 and senten...2023-08-281h 09
Spill the MilkEpisode 53: MothmanIf you don't like dogs.......... Don't listen to our podcast. Otherwise, hear the interesting history of Mothman here!
Sources
https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/mothman-point-pleasant-west-virginia
https://wvpublic.org/mothman-legacy-has-ties-to-ancient-folklore/
https://youtu.be/GUpeDwiD64M
https://www.mothmanfestival.com/
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/hannah-lemke/support2023-05-071h 17
The Appalachian Folklore PodcastRamp Harvesting, Festival Traditions, and SustainabilityLINKSSouthern Appalachian Wild PodcastRampshttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ramps/id1522043526?i=1000558200321Sustainably Harvesting Ramps Also Supports Clay County CommunityLaura Harbert Allenhttps://www.wvpublic.org/section/arts-culture/2021-07-08/sustainably-harvesting-ramps-also-supports-clay-county-communityRamps, Dig ResponsiblyJessica Lillyhttps://www.wvpublic.org/energy-environment/2021-03-25/ramps-dig-responsiblyRamp Harvesting to End in Southern West Virginia National ParksJessica Lillyhttps://www.wvpublic.org/health-science/2021-12-10/ramp-harvesting-to-end-in-southern-west-virginia-national-parks...2023-04-0117 min
Cold Case CrewThe Double Murder of Vicki Durian and Nancy Santomero (The Rainbow Murders) Pt. 1On June 25, 1980, the bodies of two (2) women were discovered in a remotely located field near Droop Mountain Battlefield State Park. The victims, who would later be identified as Vicki Durian and Nancy Santomero, had each been shot multiple times in the head, neck and chest. The women had been traveling from Tucson, AZ to an annual peace gathering known as The Rainbow Gathering that was set to be held in the Monongahalia National Forest. But WHAT happened to the pair? Join the Cold Case Crew as they explore The Rainbow Murders, a cold case local to Pocahontas County, West...2023-01-1832 min
Weekly Dose of Wicked: A Humorous True Crime PodcastSeven Medical Malpractices: Reta MaysOn the Seventh day of Podcast-mas my FAVORITE podcasters gave to me Seven Medical Malpractices.If you can really call it malpractice... that's questionable. Nonetheless Reta Mays killed seven people within the walls of a VA hospital so its malpracticey to say the least. This case really got Ashley worked up.News Articles and other Media Used for this episode are as follows:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reta_Mayshttps://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2021/05/11/serial-killer-reta-mays-sentenced-va-hospital-murders-west-virginia/5023366001/https://wvmetronews.com/2021/10/17/reta-mays-interviews-draft/2022-12-1932 min
Did That Really Happen?Dark WatersThis week we're going back to 1990s West Virginia with Dark Waters! Join us as we learn about forever chemicals, the EPA, DuPont's court settlements, and more! Sources: Sharon Lerner, "The Teflon Toxin: DuPont and the Chemistry of Deception," The Intercept, 11 August 2015 Mariah Blake, "Welcome to Beautiful Parkersburg, West Virginia," HuffPost https://highline.huffingtonpost.com/articles/en/welcome-to-beautiful-parkersburg/ https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/reference-news-release-epa-settles-pfoa-case-against-dupont-largest-environmental Sharon Lerner, "The Teflon Toxin," https://theintercept.com/2015/08/20/teflon-toxin-dupont-slipped-past-epa/ Nathaniel Rich, "The Lawyer Who Became DuPont's Worst Nightmare," https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/10/magazine/the-lawyer-who-became-duponts-worst-nightmare.html "Weinberg Memo," http...2022-12-0559 min
Mountain Mysteries: Tales from AppalachiaThe Pot Plane Crash of West VirginiaJoin us this week for a crazy story out of one of our favorite places... West Virginia! This story isn't a murder or really even a mystery but its a fascinating story that we just had to share with you! Sources: https://wchstv.com/news/local/former-smuggler-who-survived-the-1979-pot-plane-crash-in-charleston-tells-his-storyhttps://www.wvpublic.org/news/2020-08-07/pot-plane-crash-became-stuff-of-legendhttps://www.jeromelillfinalapproach.com/Follow us on all the things!Facebook: Mountain Mysteries: Tales from AppalachiaInstagram: Mountainmysteries.appalachiaGmail: mountainmysteries.appalachian@gmail.comPatreon: Patreon.com/mountainmysteries...2022-09-0139 min
Inside AppalachiaRighting A Wrong, Greyhounds, And Talking To A Hero, Inside Appalachia
This week, on Inside Appalachia, we visit a cemetery in Bluefield, Virginia, and learn how racial segregation followed some people to the grave. Also, we continue our series on greyhound racing. Most states have closed down their race tracks. So, what’s the future of the sport in West Virginia?
And we’ll revisit a conversation with America’s last World War II Medal of Honor recipient — Hershel “Woody” Williams, who died recently at the age of 98.
A Conversation With An American Hero
Last year, for Veterans Day, Us & Them host Trey Kay talked with...2022-07-1553 minInside AppalachiaRevisiting Matriarchal Moonshiners and Legendary Lawbreakers
This week on Inside Appalachia, we listen to stories from 2021 that tackle everything from the challenges that came with virtual schooling to using poetry to change public perception.
Matriarchal Moonshiners
Legend has it Mahalia Mullins once beat 30 men in a wrestling match and sold them all whiskey afterwards. Mullins was born in 1824 into a poor family and died a folk hero. The cabin where she lived has even become a tourist destination in East Tennessee. But who’s the woman behind the myth? We’ll travel to the Mahalia Mullins cabin to learn her story.
2022-07-0853 minInside AppalachiaFrom Pittsburgh To Georgia To Shenandoah, We Asked ‘What Is Appalachia?’ Here’s What You Said
What is Appalachia? This week, we’re re-airing a December 2021 episode that seeks to answer this question, with stories from Mississippi to Pittsburgh.
Appalachia connects mountainous parts of the South, the Midwest, the Rust Belt, even the Northeast. Politically, it encompasses 423 counties across 13 states — West Virginia is the only state entirely inside Appalachia.
That leaves so much room for geographic and cultural variation. This week, we ask people from five Appalachian states if they feel like they’re in Appalachia.
Mississippi
Bob Owens, locally known as 'Pop Owens', standing in front of his wate...2022-04-0753 min
Sinister SunriseEpisode 97: Mothman - Less Man, More MothIt’s episode 97 and the Sinister Sisters are having a Waffle House disagreement. One sister’s goal is to be Waffle House Customer of the Year while the other two wouldn’t choose it for their last breakfast on Earth. In today’s episode, the demon that inhabits Morgan covers the infamous cryptid - Mothman! This creature that’s more bird than man allegedly wreaked havoc in Point Pleasant, West Virginia in the mid 1960s and is distinguished by glowing red eyes, an ashy complexion, and a 10 foot wingspan that was surely hard to miss. Morgan shares locals’ first-hand accounts of...2022-03-1846 minInside AppalachiaTeaching Uncomfortable History And Overlooked Stories Of Black Americans Inside Appalachia
Lawmakers across Appalachia are debating how issues of race are taught in public schools, but the U.S. isn’t the only country with an unsettling history to deal with.
In Germany, teachers are mandated to include lessons about one of their nation’s darkest chapters — the Holocaust.
This week on Inside Appalachia, we look at those discussions, and hear from people in Germany, about how they teach their difficult history. And we learn about some of the often overlooked stories of Black Americans during and after the Civil War.
Seizing Freedom With Kidada...2022-03-1754 min
Mystery Still UnsolvedThe Mystery of MothmanLinda and her boyfriend had travelled beyond the city limits to do a bit of "amateur stargazing" *wink wink* when they came upon a large humanoid creature with wings and glowing red eyes. Linda is now in her late 60s and she is convinced that what she saw that night was... MOTHMAN!
SOURCES:
https://www.wboy.com/only-on-wboy-com/paranormal-w-va/the-legend-of-mothman-paranormal-w-va/
https://folklife.si.edu/magazine/mothman-point-pleasant-west-virginia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mothman
https://wchstv.com/news/local/man-photographs-creature-that-resembles-legendary-mothman-of-point-pleasant
https://uwm.e...2022-01-1328 minInside AppalachiaSinging Goats, A Pickle In A Tree, And An Easter Egg Hunt At Christmas
In this week’s episode of Inside Appalachia, we explore stories about the power of memory and tradition. Listeners across Appalachia share some of their favorite traditions, and our reporters and hosts share some of our family traditions, too. We’ve got recipes for things like cranberry salad and sorghum gingerbread. Reporter Zack Harold tells us how his family began a unique tradition of hunting for Easter eggs on Christmas Eve. We travel to a farm in Bluefield, Virginia, where goats sing along to Christmas carols, played on an organ.
Co-host Caitlin Tan shares her grandmother’s recipe f...2021-12-2252 min
Conversations with Musicians, with Leah RosemanTheo Marks LuthierTheo Marks is a luthier and cellist, and in this episode you'll hear about his unique upbringing in a family of musicians, and his personal journey to become a violin-family maker. This was recorded when luthier Theo Marks was still living outside of Amsterdam. He now lives in Wakefield Quebec and if you're interested in purchasing one of his violins, violas or cellos you can contact him through his website: http://www.theomarks.com/ The beautiful documentary about his brother Paolo Marks, a fellow luthier in West Virginia, is found here: ( In it he demonstrates all the steps of bui...2021-10-1730 min
Engineering MisjudgmentBhopalThe Bhopal Tragedy and Plume Gas.*correction: UUC should be UCC (Union Carbide Corp.) Make sure to follow the podcast on instagram and twitter @eng_misjudgment for pictures for each episodeSources:AIChE. (2021, November 7). CCPS Process Safety Glossary. CCPS. https://www.aiche.org/ccps/resources/glossary?title=gas#views-exposed-form-glossary-pageAnderson, C. (2014, November 2). Warren M. Anderson, who was chief of Union Carbide during the Bhopal disaster in 1984, dies at 92. Washington Post. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/warren-m-anderson-who-led-union-carbide-during-1984-bhopal-disaster-dies-at-92/2014/11/02/31aa9c9e-61d8-11e4-8b9e-2ccdac31a031_story.htmlBroughton, E. The Bhopal...2021-09-2133 min
Render: The Harm Reduction PodcastPortrait of Two FathersRecorded in West Virginia coalfield country on #Cherokeeland, this podcast explores contemporary community and culture at ground zero of the opioid epidemic. Join host Andrea Brunais as she continues a lifelong career and passion of lifting up and amplifying marginalized voices and experiences. Diving into topics such as the Sacklers and contemporary urban harm reduction-going-rural, to regional colloquialisms like Pillbilly, this podcast prioritizes the lives and work of those on the front lines of this deadly epidemic. Brunais is a longtime writer, journalist and editor who discovered the astounding talent for poetry by the drug-dealing young author behind the...2021-08-0128 min
The Cabinet of Dr MysteryEpisode 18: Mothman Pt. I: Indrid Cold: Frozen in FearPiercing red eyes, seemingly floating in the darkness. As if out of thin air, a tall bipedal figure emerges from the shadows. In a flash, a massive pair of wings unfurl, filling the night sky. In today’s episode we discuss Point Pleasant, West Virginia’s Mothman.
We’ll discuss earlier Mothman sightings, we’ll look at an entity known as Indrid Cold, and finally we’ll finish the episode with the collapse of the Silver Bridge.
Please rate, review, subscribe, and follow us on Instagram, and Twitter to stay updated on new episodes, true crime facts, and ridiculous serial killer mem...2021-06-1252 min
Pineapple Pizza PodcastMothman's 6 inches #unimpressedNorth America may not be famous for its original cuisine, but it still has tons of flavor. Enjoy a nibble on these regional tastes! Everyone knows that Bigfoot has quite a few cousins, but did you know one of his Canadian family members is known as Old Yellow Top? Want to know where he acquired that nickname? Guess you’ll have to listen. While you’re at it, stick around for the infamous story of the Mothman, his unimpressive head and his buns of steel (literally). Here’s the link to the original article about the first officially recogn...2021-02-141h 01Inside AppalachiaFirst Date Failures, Animal Love And A Love Story From Long Ago; Also, What’s To Love About Exploring W.Va. On Skis
Valentine’s Day gets a lot of flack for being sappy, cliche or just a marketing ploy by card and chocolate companies. But we tend to think there is more to it than that.
So, for this episode of Inside Appalachia, we asked our listeners for their best Appalachian love stories.
We received more stories than we could include in a single show, but we included some of our favorites, including one couple who met on the Yahoo personals page, a grandmother’s surprising first love, a couple separated by international borders during a pandemic and th...2021-02-1252 minMountain Mysteries: Tales from AppalachiaThe Rainbow MurdersThis week we travel back in time and take a trip to West Virginia. This ones another technically unsolved case but many people believe the true killer got away with murder and $2 million dollars. Follow us on all the things!Facebook: Mountain Mysteries: Tales from AppalachiaInstagram: Mountainmysteries.appalachiaGmail: mountainmysteries.appalachian@gmail.comSources:https://apnews.com/article/a1f53e5a54fa0523669e6d546dc2f90bhttps://www.aetv.com/real-crime/rainbow-murders-unsolved-vicki-durian-nancy-santomerohttps://www.wvpublic.org/radio/2020-06-25/june-25-1980-two-women-murdered-traveling-to-rainbow-gatheringhttps://www.nytimes.co...2020-11-1930 min
Burke Allen's Big Time Talker Podcast — by SpeakerMatchWV Music Hall Of Fame 2020 Induction With Executive Director Michael LiptonThe West Virginia Music Hall of Fame induction telecast happens Saturday, November 14th at 7pm ET on West Virginia Public Television and online at www.wvpublic.org. Hall of Fame Executive Director Michael Lipton gives us the lowdown on this year's inductees, his favorite part of being associated with the Hall Of Fame, playing in the Mountain Stage house band and lots more. If you're a music fan, you won't want to miss this podcast. The Big Time Talker Podcast is powered by our friends at Speakermatch.com-thanks to Bryan and the gang at Speakmatch for making the show possible. Su...2020-11-1233 min
The Front PorchThe Future of The Front PorchFront Porch host and producer Scott Finn is moving to Vermont. What does this mean for the podcast? We discuss the role of civil debate and WVPB's commitment to it on this Front Porch podcast. Welcome to “The Front Porch,” where we tackle the tough issues facing Appalachia the same way you talk with your friends on the porch. Hosts include WVPB Executive Director and recovering reporter Scott Finn; economist Jessi Troyan of the free-market Cardinal Institute; and liberal columnist and avid goat herder Rick Wilson, who works for the American Friends Service Committee. An edited version of “The Front Porch”...2018-04-1210 min