Poisoned Appalachia: the Dark Side of Appalachia

About Poisoned Appalachia: the Dark Side of Appalachia

Discover the dark side of Appalachia through this podcast. Explore the region's rich folklore, mythology, and delve into the unsettling tales of murders, criminals, and disasters that have shaped its history. Join me as I uncover the spooky and captivating aspects of this enigmtic corner of the world.

Publisher

Heather Blazer

Category

history

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

18 Aug 2024

Latest episode

12 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

100 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   12 Oct 2026

   Episode 83 Bobby Joe Long

   He was born in a small West Virginia town. Decades later, he became one of Florida's most feared serial killers. But one 17-year-old girl would help bring his killing spree to an end. This is the story of Bobby Joe Long and the incredible survival of Lisa McVey. 🎙️

2. 

   21 Sept 2026

   Episode 82 Fred Zain

   For years, Fred Zain was one of West Virginia’s most trusted forensic experts. Prosecutors relied on his findings, juries believed his testimony, and men were sent to prison based in part on the science he presented in court. Then DNA testing began telling a very different story. In this episode of Poisoned Appalachia, we uncover the Fred Zain scandal—questionable lab results, ignored warnings, wrongful convictions, and an investigation that cast doubt on scores of criminal cases in West Virginia and beyond. We also look at the innocent men who lost years of their lives before the evidence against them finally began to unravel. How many lives can one trusted expert destroy before someone finally checks his work?

3. 

   14 Sept 2026

   Episode 81: Fairies of Appalachia

   Fairies in Appalachia? Absolutely—but forget the tiny wings, glitter, and happily-ever-afters. Long before the modern fairy tale, the Fair Folk of European folklore were mysterious, unpredictable, and sometimes dangerous beings that demanded respect. And when Scots-Irish, German, and other European settlers crossed the Atlantic, they brought those old beliefs with them into the Appalachian Mountains. In this episode of Poisoned Appalachia, we trace those stories from the forests and mountains of the Old World into the hollers of Appalachia. We’ll explore the Fae of Scottish and Irish tradition, supernatural beings found in German folklore, and how generations of immigration helped transform these ancient beliefs into something distinctly Appalachian. Because our ancestors didn’t cross the ocean empty-handed. Their stories came with them. And some of those stories found a very comfortable home in the mountains.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

3.5 / 5

18 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 42 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

72

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

31

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