Witches, Ghosts, Nazis, and Cults.
Episode Review: May 2025
Here we are at the end of May, making me think that the heat of summer is almost here. I can’t wait to soak in the sun again. That is exactly what I did a couple of years ago on a beautiful sunny day while I visited the famous town of Salem. But Salem was not what I imagined it would be. I have no idea why I created that vision, but it wasn’t even close to what the real Salem is like.
It was a beautiful place with brightly painted homes and businesses. It was clean, and everyone was so nice. That is not what I pictured for the place where innocent people were put to death due to someone thought that the people around them were a witch.
In the first episode of Season 17, we talked about just some of the ghosts that are said to haunt Salem. There were a lot more than we spoke about, but talking about them all would result in a two-hour episode. This episode is our 300th episode, and that is why I planned the episodes the way I did. I wanted to end Season 16 and start Season 17 with an event in history that I always wanted to take a deep dive into. I originally planned our series on Salem to be only two episodes. I quickly realized during the research stage that I had to do three. I felt it was important to discuss what led up to the Salem Witch Trials and how it impacted future events. It was also very important to me to tell you all how some of the most famed “witches” ended up accused. And lastly, I wanted to tell you about the accusers and how they ended up. All this in combination truly shows how bad the situation was, and how the accusers walked away with no repercussions.
But I also wanted to talk about the consequences of the Witch Trials. And that brought us to the first episode of May - Haunted Salem. It makes complete sense to me that due to what happened there, ghosts would be popping out of every nook and cranny. I was lucky enough to be able to see all of the locations that I spoke about in the episode…the House of the Seven Gables, The Witch House, Lyceum Hall, The George Corwin/Joshua Ward House, the Old Salem Jail, the Howard Street Cemetery, and the Old Burying Point Cemetery. Check out some of my holiday pictures below.
It was at the Old Burying Point Cemetery, which is beside the Witch Trials Memorial, that touched my soul the most. The memorial is very sobering, and to know that right beside it lay trial judge John Hathorne and judge Bartholomew Gedney - it gave me chills. These men lie not just by the memorial that stands concerning the people they sent to the gallows. In this cemetery also lay some of those who were accused. I hope that the spirits of the accused rise now and then to kick some dirt on the graves of the judges. I know that it is wishful thinking, but I believe this could be the reason why so much paranormal activity happens there. The injustice of the Witch Trials seems to have resulted in many not being able to fully rest over 300 years later.
Our next episode was one that I have been looking forward to digging into for quite some time. We all (for the most part) believe that what the Nazi regime did in attempts to take over the world was horrible, but many do not realize how far they would go for a win. As we said in the show, war brings out the best and the worst in people. Also, many would do anything to win, but harnessing occult objects and rituals could open up a massive can of worms. I can’t help but think…what if the alleged power of the objects found could not be controlled? What if the rituals that they did unleashed something that they never intended? What if the Nazis’ released something evil on purpose?
In January of this year, I was asked to go on the podcast called the Family Plot podcast. The premise is great: a dad (who is a former comedian), mom, and their daughter explore the strange and peculiar. They are all big fans of Horrifying History, so I couldn’t say no when they asked. The episode we recorded was about the life of Ernest Hemingway, and we had a great discussion concerning him. But we had a discussion while off-air that resulted in our second episode in May. We were talking about cults, and this is where the Family Plot podcast told me about a cult that I had never heard of.
I have been to the province of Quebec many times. Mr. Spooky, aka my hubby, is from an area close to where the cult called The Ant Hill Kids was created. Yet neither of us had ever heard about this cult and its leader, Roch Thériault. This cult started just like many others did: a charismatic individual used religion to have people follow him. He isolated these people away from their family and friends, so they had no one but him. Everything started nonthreatening but resulted in death and injury. But Roch Thériault was different from most. He decided that he was a doctor who would not only diagnose those around him. He would do his version of surgery on his followers. That takes his crazy level to a new high, and it’s hard to believe that this happened only a short distance away from where I live.
Our last episode was about a place that is famous not just in Canada but also for treasure seekers and those who watch the History Channel. Oak Island has a very interesting history, depending on who you are speaking to. Some believe that on the island, a treasure lies hidden. This treasure is said to be everything from Marie Antoinette’s missing jewels, the Holy Grail, to a pirate’s booty. It is said to have been hidden by everyone from the Templars to the pirate Blackbeard. But the question should be: is there a treasure at all?
I do not think a treasure is hidden on Oak Island. My reason is that this island has been torn apart and searched since 1759, and nothing has been found. On top of this, it doesn’t make any sense to me that those who hid it would bury it below the depths that searchers are digging. Archeologists usually find artifacts about one foot underground, but up to twenty feet below. The holes that are being dug on Oak Island are, at their deepest, 235 feet below the surface. I just can’t see how whoever hid this alleged treasure would dig a hole this deep. After all, they didn’t have the same equipment we have today. As much as these excavations draw in curious tourists, they are destroying the local ecosystem. After digging for years and people losing their lives doing this, I think the digging should stop, but apparently, ratings for the History Channel are more important than the environment.
On top of these episodes, our fan club got to hear five additional spooky episodes. The first was about the ghost sailors of the Charles Haskell in the Canadian province of Newfoundland. The second was the legend of the Screaming Tunnel located in Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada. In the third, we told the story of a haunting that is not as well known as the other spirits said to haunt the city of New Orleans. That brought us to our next episode, which was about the life of Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau and the legends that are told about her today. But our trip to New Orleans would not be complete without talking about the ghosts and secrets behind New Orleans's Cemeteries. After all, New Orleans is said to be where the veil between the living and dead is very thin, and you can’t talk about hauntings and Marie Laveau without talking about the famous cemeteries nearby. Check out my vacation photos below.
If you missed any of our regular spooky episodes, be sure to check them out by following Horrifying History on your favourite podcast provider. Another way to listen is by going to our webpage:
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…and until next time…