Weather in the Carolinas can change on a dime, but I have never heard of a forecast that called for a 100 percent chance of blood rain. According to legend, on February 25, 1884, a Chatham County woman, Mrs. Kit Lassiter, faced this nightmare when she heard rain but quickly realized the liquid wasn’t clear….
The 1906 Asheville, NC Massacre- Will Harris
Asheville is a historic city with numerous apparitions and tunnels beneath its streets. The area would be the first impacted by prohibition in the early 1900s, due to strict laws, compared to other parts of the country that would see the Roaring Twenties usher in dryness. The mountain city would also become known for a…
The 1948 Asheville Mental Hospital Fire
On March 10 or March 11, 1948, a fire broke out in the women’s building of the Highland Mental Hospital in Asheville. The fire quickly swept through the building, engulfing all of the stories. According to author Sherman Carmichael in his Mysterious Tales of Western North Carolina, this was the third fire in the hospital…
The 1882 Dillsboro, North Carolina, Tunnel Accident
Dillsboro, North Carolina, is full of history and haunts for such a small community. In 1882, the Western North Carolina Railroad planned the Cowee Tunnel, just west of Dillsboro. Every day, convicts were forced to perform manual labor to straighten a bend in the Tuckasegee River. On the morning of December 30, 1882, tragedy struck…
Two Hydrogen Bombs Fall on North Carolina in 1961
Just three days after President John F. Kennedy’s inauguration in January 1961, bright orange flames lit the horizon of North Carolina in the town of Faro in Wayne County. With the rising tension and fear of a Cold War, a B-52 Stratofortress took to the skies on a long, extended patrol. Sometime around the 12-hour…
The Tweetsie Railroad Cemetery
Tweetsie Railroad is a popular theme park between Boone and Blowing Rock, North Carolina. The centerpiece of the theme park is a three-mile ride on a train pulled by one of Tweetsie Railroad’s two historic narrow-gauge locomotives, but the park also has another piece of history that greets visitors as they walk through the gates….
The Great Flood of 1916: Asheville, North Carolina
The Great Flood, as many call it, and is often nicknamed “The Flood by Which All Other Floods Are Measured,” occurred when two tropical storms converged and packed a powerful punch over Asheville, North Carolina, during the summer of 1916. The National Weather Bureau stated that never before had so much rain fallen anywhere in…
Did The Pirate Jean Lafitte Live Out The Rest of His Life in This N.C. City
Legend and lore are essential parts of our cultural heritage in the Carolinas. Just ask our friends along the coast, such as those in the Outer Banks, Murrells Inlet area, Charleston, and people living in the Appalachian Mountains. Ironically, this legend is one that you may not be familiar with, and it ties one North…
The Lost Town of Proctor, North Carolina (Death of a Mountain Community)
Western North Carolina is a magical place with a rich history of folklore, mysteries, and legends, such as the lost town of Proctor in Swain County. Fontana Lake is beautiful, with scenic views of mountains, and situated on the Little Tennessee River. The 480-foot-tall Fontana Dam is the highest dam east of the Rockies, equivalent…
Legend of The Fort Fisher Hermit
One of the more interesting figures from North Carolina history is Robert E. Harrill, who is known to many as the Fort Fisher Hermit. Harrill was born on February 2, 1893, in Shelby, North Carolina. His early life was turbulent after being raised in an abusive family, and dealing with many struggles into adulthood. His…