Nothing gets me more in the mood for spooky season than some deep dives on creepy topics and mysterious situations. Here’s a small taste of some topics with a few resources to get you started
Sections
6
The Sodder Children Disappearance
The Donner Party
The Denver Airport Conspiracies
The Old Abandoned LA Zoo
Amy Archer-Gilligan
The Jersey Devil
The Sodder Children Disappearance
Christmas Eve of 1945 brought an unexpected fire to the home of the Sodders. Mr. and Mrs. Sodder as well as 4 of their 9 children in the house made it out safe and sound. But what happened to the bodies of the other 5 children?
It’s NPR, you know exactly the caliber of excellence to expect
Mystery of Missing Children Haunts W.Va. Town
Super interesting to take a look at the original story that ran in NYT in 1945
11 CHILDREN DIE IN 4 HOME FIRES; WEATHER MAN'S CHRISTMAS GREETINGS TO TWO CITIES (Published 1945)
The Smithsonian always comes through for the most interesting angles to complete a story
What Happened to the Sodder Children, the Siblings Who Went Up in Smoke in a West Virginia House Fire?
The Donner Party
It’s a tale as old as time: the arrogance of pioneers and underestimations of a harsh winter leads to cannibalism.
This is an entire book and it’s entirely free and entirely downloadable
History of the Donner Party: A Tragedy of the Sierra by Charles Fayette McGlashan - Books on Google Play
This one really makes you think
Donner and Reed Wagon Train Incident - California National Historic Trail (U.S. National Park Service)
Super accessible and easy to digest article
The Case for Cannibalism, or: How to Survive the Donner Party
The Denver Airport Conspiracies
There’s a lot and they are wild
An excellent free resource
A Local's Guide to DIA Conspiracy Theories | Denver Public Library Special Collections and Archives
Great if you like your info in video form
Proof S01:E04 - Denver Airport Conspiracy
The Old Abandoned LA Zoo
I love an abandoned place
PBS is always one of the best resources
A Whimpering Roar: The Old Griffith Park Zoo, Then and Now
A comprehensive guide if you intend to go there and just super interesting if you’re not
Old LA Zoo in Griffith Park: An Abandoned Zoo - California Through My Lens
Amy Archer-Gilligan
The US’s “first” woman serial killer
An older website but worth the read!
Amy Gilligan
I love when a state embraces its flaws!
Windsor’s “Murder Factory” - Connecticut History | a CTHumanities Project
Great read if you’re a cinephile!
'Arsenic and Old Lace': The Real Murders Behind the Halloween Classic Film | HISTORY
The Jersey Devil
I had to include the creature that lives in the pine barrens that are a required drive in order to get to the beaches of southern NJ
We love a local resource
Jersey Devil - Fact or Fiction?
An easy read but I could say that for just about any article that deals with the Jersey Devil
Haddonfield talk explores Jersey Devil's 'real' roots
I remain a skeptical believer
The Jersey Devil: The Real Story | Skeptical Inquirer
