For years, visitors at Lewis Memorial Park on Beaverdam Road in Asheville have allegedly seen a ghostly figure on horseback around dusk, accompanied by a large, quiet phantom dog in the older parts of the graveyard. No one knows who the silent figure is, but legend has it that it could be the park’s founder,…
Was Asheville Planning to Build a Subway System in the Early 1900s
One rumor that has gained attention over the years concerns the secret tunnels and passageways under Asheville, North Carolina. Some believe that Asheville was planning to build a subway sometime during the 1910s or early 1920s. It seems like a far-fetched idea even in 2025, given the mountain city’s population and terrain, but that hasn’t…
The Great Flood of 1940 in Western, North Carolina
One flood that receives minimal mention compared to Hurricane Helene in 2024 and the Great Flood of 1916 is the devastating 1940 flood. Just 24 years after the flood of 1916, western North Carolina was hit again by a slow-moving system, a Category 2 hurricane that made landfall along the South Carolina coastline. The storm…
The Ghosts of Chimney Rock
Chimney Rock is a magical place, and according to some reports dating back to the early 1800s, it can also be a ghostly area, where many strange things have occurred over the years with no explanation. Reports of paranormal activity date back to 1806, if not earlier, when people observed a crowd of angelic beings…
What’s Beneath Lake Lure
One lake I receive many questions about is Lake Lure. After all, Dirty Dancing was filmed there, and not to mention, the place became an overnight success in the late 1920s. The area is even known for its haunted locations. But have you ever considered what lies forgotten at the bottom? Many items have been…
A Winter’s Night Tragedy
The tragic story of Lue Cree Overcash Westmoreland is woven into the fabric of the Amity Hill Community as much as any cornfield, church hymn, or long-abandoned cotton gin. If you grew up in this community in the last half-century around these parts, you had heard about Lue Cree. On Nov. 28, 1936, Lue Cree…
Beneath the Waters of Lake Murray
Lake Murray was built in the 1920s to provide hydroelectric power to the state of South Carolina. Just beneath the cold, dark, murky waters, much history is forever trapped at the bottom, including lost towns, cemeteries, churches, homes, and even the Wyse’s (Wyse) Ferry Bridge, with the names of the construction workers who built it…
The Infamous 1933 Charlotte Heist
Decades before the $17 million Loomis Fargo Heist in 1997, Charlotte was the scene of another infamous heist, when a group of gangsters invaded the Queen City to “raise” money for legal fees. On November 15, 1933, four men in a brand-new vehicle cut off and robbed a mail truck on 3rd Street. One of…
Beneath the Waters of Lake Jocassee
Beneath the Waters of Lake Jocassee Under the waters of Lake Jocassee are the remains of the Attakulla Lodge. It remained intact when the area was flooded to make way for the lake. We have covered the history of Lake Jocassee before, but we have never covered the actual lodge, which can only be reached…
Blackbeard’s Blockade of Charleston
In May of 1718, Blackbeard, with Stede Bonnet, and a flotilla of four ships arrived outside of Charleston and blockaded the port. Many were frightened of what the pirates might do to the city, but the men on board those ships weren’t looking for rum. The pirates needed something more valuable to keep them alive….