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In the winter of 1846, a group of pioneers became trapped in a prison of ice, forced to perform unspeakable acts to survive. Now, the Donner Party is memorialized in Truckee, California. But the park’s pristine trails hold much more than nature’s abundance… 

Since its establishment in 1855, the Smithsonian Institution Building in Washington, D.C. has been a place of science and wonder. Its hallowed halls have seen generations of brilliant minds dedicated to their work — and it seems some of them carried their commitments beyond the grave. 

The clock’s winding down on the final moments of the year and people around the world are putting their charms and traditions to work, shoring up good fortune for the future. But it’s not always our own personal luck that’s on the line… In this story, a night of superstitions weaves together the fates of merrymakers eager for fresh starts. This episode is presented by Superstitions, a Spotify Original from Parcast. Follow Superstitions free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

He’s faced his ghosts, and reckoned with his past. But after decades of relentless self-enrichment, how can Ebenezer Scrooge truly redeem himself?“A Christmas Carol” is presented by Tales, a Spotify Original from Parcast. For more stories that aren’t afraid to get dark, follow Tales free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Nearly two centuries ago, Charles Dickens wrote a tale of greed and redemption. It starts with a miserly old man, his long-dead business partner, and the sound of rattling chains… When Ebenezer Scrooge is forced to reckon with his past, he’s in for a frightful night of ghostly visitations — and a long overdue moral awakening.“A Christmas Carol” is presented by Tales, a Spotify Original from Parcast. For more stories that aren’t afraid to get dark, follow Tales free on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts. 

Deep in the Alaskan wilderness is a harrowing dog-sled course. But it's not just the snow or terrain that makes this race dangerous — it’s the ghosts.

Nicknamed the Grande Dame of New Orleans, this opulent hotel is known for its Carousel Bar and its location one block away from Bourbon Street. But it's also known for its spirits, and this doesn't just mean beverages. Here, “favorite haunt" takes on a different meaning.

This cave system in England was once the site of a secret club for London's elite. But if you visit today, you'll find more than just stories of old rituals and debaucherous evenings. You might catch a glimpse of a woman in a wedding dress, telling you to leave.

Today we’re bringing you a special episode from another Spotify Original from Parcast. If you enjoy it, check out Mythology on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts! She’s the spirit of a woman, crying unceasingly for her lost children… whom she herself killed. But La Llorona isn’t simply a tragic figure who lost her mind with jealousy. She’s the ghost of Mexico’s bloody past.

A historic residence in Salem, Massachusetts has a particularly witchy history: it sits atop the foundation of the home of George Corwin — the sheriff responsible for arrests and executions during the Salem Witch Trials.

An 11-mile stretch of highway between two suburbs in Denver, Colorado is desolate and lonely during the day. But at night, it comes alive with ghosts and demons. 

Afraid his mother, Catherine the Great, would have him assassinated, Russian Emperor Paul I built a fortress to protect himself. But after a shocking betrayal, death entered the castle… and with it, spectral soldiers, swirling fog, and a blue-eyed man with a grimace.

The 1928 murder of a Dutch faith healer led to not only one of Pennsylvania’s last witch trials, but one of the state’s most haunted homes. 

A psychic appears on a local talk show and predicts a serial killer's Halloween massacre on a college campus. That campus is your campus — and as the Halloween “fun” begins, you can only hope you're strong enough to change the grisly fate the psychic foretold.

The place that inspired Japanese horror film, "The Ring," and its American remake, the Himeji Castle is Japan's largest surviving castle. It's home to not just six hundred years of history, but the ghost of a serving girl still seeking revenge on her master.

Trauma takes many forms, like tears, nightmares, and PTSD. But sometimes, you encounter something so terrible that the trauma manifests physically. You may develop a case of white hair overnight… and who knows what you’ll do to feel like yourself again?

Established in 1849, San Diego’s El Campo Santo Cemetery is home to city notables, devious criminals, and unjustly killed Native freedom fighters alike. The spiritual unrest only increased when San Diego paved a streetcar line through El Campo Santo, disturbing its residents’ graves.

In the 1970s and ‘80s, teens in Staten Island were terrified by the legend of Cropsey: an escaped mental patient who roamed the woods and had a penchant for kidnapping and murdering innocent children. Some say Cropsey was merely a campfire tale… but he may actually be based on a terrifyingly real criminal.

High on a hill in Clophill, England lies Old St. Mary’s, a 14th century church now in ruins. Though it was once the center of Clophill’s religious activity, it’s now a place of ghostly apparitions and mysterious occult rituals… lending it the nickname, “Black Magic Church.”

You pour the vial of sesame seeds into the running water, ready to relax as you try a new skincare remedy. But as you soak in the hot bath, is it possible that the combination of open pores and tiny seeds adds up to your demise?