Unearthing the forgotten, the mysterious, and the legendary—one Southern story at a time. Hosted by Shannon Ballard, Southern Mysteries explores the rich and often untold history of the American South through a captivating mix of folklore, legends, unexplained mysteries, and true crime. Each episode uncovers a compelling tale from a Southern state, blending history with intrigue to reveal the fascinating stories that time left behind. While some episodes delve into chilling crimes, others spotlight legendary figures, ghostly lore, or baffling events.Sometimes the mystery is: why haven’t you heard the story?
Southern Mysteries Podcast
Claim This Podcastby Shannon Ballard
4.8(1,302 reviews)
134 episodes
Updated Weekly
Accepts GuestsHas SponsorsLocation 🇺🇸
59
Podcast Authority
BetaFairBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality32
Social91
YouTube74
Engagement94
Podcast Overview
Unearthing the forgotten, the mysterious, and the legendary—one Southern story at a time. Hosted by Shannon Ballard, Southern Mysteries explores the rich and often untold history of the American South through a captivating mix of folklore, legends, unexplained mysteries, and true crime. Each episode uncovers a compelling tale from a Southern state, blending history with intrigue to reveal the fascinating stories that time left behind. While some episodes delve into chilling crimes, others spotlight legendary figures, ghostly lore, or baffling events.Sometimes the mystery is: why haven’t you heard the story?
Language
🇺🇲
Publishing Since
9/7/2020
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59
Podcast Authority
BetaFairBased on show quality, social media presence, reviews, charts, and more
Quality32
Social91
YouTube74
Engagement94
8
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1
Good Performance
10
Growth Opportunities
excellent
Episode Length
26 minutes
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good
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3.0/5
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Every 16 days
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Recent Episodes
June 1, 2026
Episode 191 The Rowan County War
Southern Mysteries Podcast host Mike Browne explores the violent Rowan County War, detailing its origins in political disputes and personal vendettas, and its bloody conclusion.
May 11, 2026
Episode 190 The Murder of Ella Barham
In 1912, 18-year-old Ella Barham left her family’s farm near Pleasant Ridge, Arkansas, on an ordinary errand and never came home. Her brutal murder shocked Boone County and led authorities to a neighbor accused of killing her after years of rejected romantic interest. More than a century later, Ella Barham’s murder remains one of Arkansas’ darkest and most troubling true crime stories. Join the Community on Patreon: Want more Southern Mysteries? You can hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries 🎧 Explore More Southern Mysteries Visit SouthernMysteries.com for more episodes and source lists. 📱 Follow on Social Media: Facebook: Southern Mysteries Podcast Instagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: southernmysteriespodcast@gmail.com Episode Sources Gould, Nita. Remembering Ella: A 1912 Murder and Mystery in the Arkansas Ozarks. Butler Center Books / University of Arkansas Press, 2018. (rememberingella.com) Barham, Ella (Murder of) - Encyclopedia of Arkansas Gould, Nita, ed. The 1913 Trial of Odus Davidson: The Official Witness Testimony. Companion volume to Remembering Ella. Encyclopedia of Arkansas — 'Barham, Ella (Murder of)' (encyclopediaofarkansas.net) Encyclopedia of Arkansas — 'Davidson, Odus' (encyclopediaofarkansas.net) Find a Grave — Ella Lillian Ethel Barham (memorial #40832262) Find a Grave — Odus Davidson (memorial #31134642) Arkansas Democrat-Gazette — 'The verdict: Guilty of murder' (review of Remembering Ella by Tom Dillard, December 9, 2018) AY Magazine — 'Murder Mystery: In Memoriam: Ella Barham' (aymag.com) Case file: State v. Davidson, No. 183 (Ark. Cir. Ct. 1913). Boone County Circuit Clerk's Office, Boone County Courthouse, Harrison, Arkansas. Case file: Davidson v. State, 108 Ark. 158, S.W. 1103 (1913). University of Arkansas at Little Rock William H. Bowen School of Law / Pulaski County Law Library, Little Rock, Arkansas. Boone County Court Record Book L, County Clerk's Office, Boone County Courthouse, Harrison, Arkansas. Lead Hill, Arkansas newspaper, November 22, 1912 — first published account of the murder (via Chronicling America, Library of Congress, loc.gov) Batesville Daily Guard — editorial on circumstantial evidence and the Davidson verdict Shiloh Museum of Ozark History — 'Scenes of Boone County' (shilohmuseum.org) Episode Music Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.
April 27, 2026
Episode 189 The Burning of Darien
One of the Civil War’s most controversial events unfolded on June 11, 1863, when Union forces entered Darien, Georgia, an undefended town of little strategic importance, and left it in flames. Homes, churches, businesses and one of the oldest Black congregations in the South were destroyed. The troops ordered to take part included the famed 54th Massachusetts, one of the first official Black regiments of the Civil War. But the story of who set the destruction in motion is more complicated than many people came to believe. Join the Community on Patreon: Want more Southern Mysteries? You can hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries 🎧 Explore More Southern Mysteries Visit SouthernMysteries.com for more episodes and source lists. 📱 Follow on Social Media: Facebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: southernmysteriespodcast@gmail.com Episode Sources Burchard, Peter. “One Gallant Rush: Robert Gould Shaw and His Brave Black Regiment.” St. Martin’s Press, 1965. Burchard, Peter. “We’ll Stand by the Union: Robert Gould Shaw and the Black 54th Massachusetts Regiment.” Facts on File, 1993. Coulter, E.M. Writings on the burning of Darien, including his characterization of the destruction as a “barbaric act” and “wanton vandalism.” Duncan, Russell, editor. “Blue-Eyed Child of Fortune: The Civil War Letters of Colonel Robert Gould Shaw.” University of Georgia Press, 1992. Duncan, Russell. “Where Death and Glory Meet: Colonel Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th Massachusetts Infantry.” University of Georgia Press, 1999. Emilio, Luis F. “A Brave Black Regiment: History of the Fifty-Fourth Regiment of Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry, 1863-1865.” Boston Book Co., 1894. Francis Lieber, “Instructions for the Government of Armies of the United States in the Field,” General Orders No. 100, April 24, 1863. Georgia Historical Society historical marker, “The Burning of Darien,” erected in 2001. Historical Marker Database, “The Burning of Darien,” marker transcription and location information. King, Spencer Bidwell Jr. “Darien: The Death and Rebirth of a Southern Town.” Mercer University Press, 1981. Levin, Kevin M. “James Montgomery, the Burning of Darien, and the Innocence of Robert Gould Shaw.” “Civil War Memory,” Oct. 23, 2023. Levin, Kevin M. “Vindicating Col. Robert Gould Shaw and the 54th.” “Civil War Memory,” May 19, 2013. Massachusetts Historical Society, “The Destruction of Darien, Georgia,” “The Beehive,” Oct. 25, 2017. National Museum of African American History and Culture, “The Combahee Ferry Raid.” National Museum of the United States Army, “Robert Gould Shaw.” National Park Service, “54th Massachusetts Regiment.” National Park Service, “Combahee River Ferry & Harriet Tubman Bridge.” National Park Service, “We Called Ourselves Combee: Freeing the Enslaved People of the Combahee River.” Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies, Series I, Volume XIV. Shaw-Minturn family papers, Massachusetts Historical Society, including Robert Gould Shaw’s June 1863 letters describing the burning of Darien. St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church, Darien, Georgia, church history materials. “Written in Glory: The 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment,” entries related to June 1863, July 1863 and the burning of Darien. Episode Music Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.
134 total episodes available with 30 transcripts
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- What is Southern Mysteries Podcast?
- How often does this podcast release new episodes?
This podcast updates weekly.
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This podcast is available on 9 platforms including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more. You can also use the RSS feed directly.
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No, this podcast does not typically feature guests.
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