Episodes

In this episode, Citegeist host Joshua Spellman investigates the Salem murder of Captain John White and the surrounding lore that the Gardner Pingree House inspired the board game Clue. He sifts through sensational tours, archival records, and a web of motives, suspects, and legal twists to

In this episode of Zeitgeist, host Joshua Spellman steps away from skeptic branding to share his own haunting experiences and the context behind them. He recounts encounters with a Red Lady in a haunted 1950s house, near-deathly staircases, and uncanny premonitions that blur the line between

If you’ve been wondering where I went, this update explains the pause and what comes next for the podcast. It’s a candid check-in on grief, burnout, and the reality of trying to make a highly researched audio show sustainable. The plan is to try again with a few new episodes for spooky season, but w...

In this episode of Citegeist, host Joshua Spellman investigates the legend of Emily’s Bridge in Stowe, Vermont, while also uncovering the nearby tap-dancing spirit Boots Berry and the wider tapestry of New England ghost lore. The episode climaxes with a careful look at the origins of Emily’s tale

This Citegeist episode investigates the haunted Winderbourne Mansion in Boyd’s, Maryland, tracing a jagged history from the Totten family to Edith Totten and the later decay of the estate, while showing how official records can harbor myths. By comparing a government historic survey

This episode dives into the saga of Katie King, a powerful spirit who allegedly materialized through mediums like Florence Cook and the Holmeses, captivating scientists and laypeople alike during the golden age of spiritualism. It traces the dramatic history of spirit cabinets, public

This episode ventures into Montpelier, Vermont to untangle the true history behind Anna, the so-called ghost of College Hall, separating archival fact from the many lore-filled variants that have circulated for decades. Through a careful deep dive, it traces Anna’s likely real origins to a jealous

All about a gilded Victorian mansion in Santa Cruz, this episode unpacks the rise and fall of Major Frank McLaughlin, a California frontiersman who parlayed a sensational fortune into Golden Gate Villa while courting scandal and controversy. From his high-stakes Feather River scheme and ties to

Host Joshua Spellman guides a spectral tour of Pluckley in Kent, unpacking its many alleged ghosts from the Red Lady and White Lady to the Screaming Woods, the old schoolmaster, and the haunted Black Horse Inn, while questioning how many tales hold up to scrutiny. He argues that Pluckley’s stories