Legends 29: Ghost Towns (ad-free)

One of our biggest obsessions as a culture is abandoned places. But once you dig into the legends about these locations, it’s clear that something still lives inside them.

Narrated and produced by Aaron Mahnke, with writing by Harry Marks and research by Cassandra de Alba and editing by Alex Robinson.

Sources:

• Bailey, Brianna. “Last traces of Edmond circus camp slowly disappearing.” The Oklahoman. December 2, 2016. https://www.oklahoman.com/story/news/local/edmond/2016/12/02/last-traces-of-edmond-circus-camp-slowly-disappearing/60634009007

• Boozer, William. “A Century Ago Purdy, Tenn., Was A Thriving Community and Center of Culture, Then The Town Fathers Decided To Fight The Railroad And Little Purdy Died.” The Commercial Appeal [Memphis, TN]. July 29, 1956. https://sites.rootsweb.com/~tnmcnair/newspapers/ghostTown.htm

• Brooks, Gayle. “Old Purdy: The Town That Disappeared.” The Jackson Sun. June 5, 1972. https://www.newspapers.com/image/284233572

• “Cahaba's "New" Cemetery.” The Historical Marker Database. June 2, 2020. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=150864

• “Cahawba’s Earliest Inhabitants.” Old Cahawba. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://cahawba.com/history-and-legacy/cahawbas-earliest-inhabitants

• “Cahawba in the 1800’s.” Old Cahawba. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://cahawba.com/history-and-legacy/cahawba-in-the-1800s

• “A Capital Set in Wilderness.” Old Cahawba. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://cahawba.com/history-and-legacy/a-capital-set-in-wilderness

• Cimbala, Paul A., and Randall M. Miller, eds. The Great Task Remaining Before Us: Reconstruction as America’s Continuing Civil War (Fordham University Press, 2010).

• Coulon, Christen. “Legendary haunted mansion opens doors to public.” Independent Appeal. October 5, 2011. https://issuu.com/independent_appeal/docs/vol107n20

• Cox, Dale. “Old Cahawba Archaeological Site - Cahaba, Alabama.” ExploreSouthernHistory.com. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/oldcahawba.html

• Critter. “There’s A Old Creepy Abandoned And Allegedly Haunted Circus Camp Near Oklahoma City.” Ultimate Unexplained. June 8, 2022. https://ultimateunexplained.com/grandini-circus-camp

• Crook, W. Clay. “Hurst!” Confederate Veteran. March-April 1992. https://www.tnyesterday.com/yesterday_henderson/hurst/hurst.html

• “The Deserted Village of Feltville / Glenside Park.” Union County. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://ucnj.org/parks-recreation/deserted-village

• Everson, Emily. “The Ghosts of Union County: 13 Bumps for 13 Witches.” Patch. October 31, 2011. https://patch.com/new-jersey/summit/theghostsofunioncounty-13bumpsfor13witches

• “Fielding Hurst and Purdy.” The Historical Marker Database. June 16, 2016. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=74875

• “Historical Markers and Other Memorials.” Major William Anderson McTeer Camp No. 39, SUVCW. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://mcteer39.wordpress.com/preserving-history/historical-markers

• “History and Legacy.” Old Cahawba. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://cahawba.com/history-and-legacy

• Hladik, L’aura. Ghosthunting New Jersey (Clerisy Press, 2008).

• Intersimone, Jenna. “Deserted Village of Feltville isn't so deserted — or haunted.” My Central Jersey. June 27, 2018. https://www.mycentraljersey.com/story/things-to-do/2018/06/26/deserted-village-feltville-berkeley-heights-watchung-reservation/715513002

• Kazek, Kelly. “7 weird things you'll learn at Alabama's most famous ghost town, Old Cahawba.” AL.com. August 22, 2016. https://www.al.com/living/2016/08/7_weird_things_youll_learn_at.html

• Kennedy, Nancy Wardlow. “The Death Song of Purdy.” McNairy County, Tennessee. September 7, 2000. https://sites.rootsweb.com/~tnmcnair/PURDYTOWN.htm

• Kristen. “This Spooky Small Town In New Jersey Could Be Right Out Of A Horror Movie.” Only In Your State. September 11, 2016. https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/new-jersey/nj-spooky-town

• Larson, Nancy. “13 Bumps.” ActiveRain. October 22, 2008. https://activerain.com/blogsview/753385/13-bumps

• “Mauled Trainer ‘Stable.’” The Daily Oklahoman. January 15, 1976. https://www.newspapers.com/image/451566995

• Moran, Mark, and Mark Sceurman. “The Deserted Village and Enchanted Forest of the Watchung Reservation.” Weird N.J. November 1, 2023. https://weirdnj.com/stories/deserted-feltville-watchung

• “Pegues’ Ghost.” Old Cahawba. Accessed February 11, 2024. https://cahawba.com/history-and-legacy/pegues-ghost

• Provine, Jeff. Haunted Oklahoma: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the Sooner State (Globe Pequot, 2021).

• “Purdy Cemetery and Hurst Mansion – Purdy, TN.” Tennessee Hauntings. April 26, 2008. https://tnhauntings.wordpress.com/2008/04/26/purdy-cemetery-and-hurst-mansion-purdy-tn

• “Quiet Purdy holds Homecoming ’86 lessons.” The Tennessean. February 23, 1986. https://www.newspapers.com/image/112421707

• Reed, Ryan. “That Demon Hurst and Purdy, Tennessee.” Listener Submission. December 11, 2023. 

• Sykas, Karen. “History of the ‘Deserted Village.’” In Weird N.J. Vol. 2: Your Travel Guide to New Jersey’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets, ed. Mark Moran & Mark Sceurman (Sterling Publishing Company, 2006).

• Terrell, Kolby. “Developer plans to turn abandoned Edmond circus camp into multi-use development.” KOCO News. June 29, 2023. https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-edmond-circus-camp-development/44376806

• “Thrilling Scenes in Purdy.” Republican Banner [Nashville, TN]. November 16, 1859. https://www.newspapers.com/image/604231615

• Walker, Jeff. “Early History of McNairy County.” McNairy County Independent. November 23, 1923. http://files.usgwarchives.net/tn/mcnairy/history/erlyhis1.txt

• Young, Jennifer. “This Spooky Small Town In Alabama Could Be Right Out Of A Horror Movie.” Only In Your State. September 10, 2016. https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/alabama/spooky-small-town-al