The Great Fear of 1789
The Great Fear was a panic during the French Revolution that spread through rural areas. It all started with a conspiracy theory. Research: Davies, Alun. “The Origins of the French Peasant Revolution of 1789.” History, 1964, Vol. 49, No. 165 (1964). https://www.jstor.org/stable/24404527 Elster, Jon. “The Two Great Fears of 1789.” Prepared for the Conference on “Emotions and Civil War”, Collège de France June 10-11 2010. https://www.college-de-france.fr/media/jon-elster/UPL13205_LePillouerThe_two_great_fears_of_1789.pdf Hill, Henry Bertram. “An Aftermath of the Great Fear.” The Journal of Modern History, Vol. 22, No. 4 (Dec. 1950). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1875896 Kasal, Krystal. “Mapping out France's 'Great Fear of 1789' shows how misinformation spreads like a virus.” Phys.org. 8/28/2025. https://phys.org/news/2025-08-france-great-misinformation-virus.html Lefebvre, Georges. “The Great Fear of 1789; rural panic in revolutionary France.” Joan White, translator. Pantheon Books. 1973. Lenharo, Mariana. “An abiding mystery of the French Revolution is solved — by epidemiology.” Nature. 8/27/2025. doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-025-02739-9 Mark, Harrison W. “Great Fear.” World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/Great_Fear/ Markoff, John. “Contexts and Forms of Rural Revolt: France in 1789.” The Journal of Conflict Resolution , Jun., 1986, Vol. 30, No. 2 (Jun., 1986), pp. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/174254 Pelz, William A. “The Rise of the Third Estate: The French People Revolt.” From A People's History of Modern Europe. Pluto Press. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1c2crfj.8 Tackett, Timothy. “Conspiracy Obsession in a Time of Revolution: French Elites and the Origins of the Terror, 1789-1792.” The American Historical Review , Jun., 2000, Vol. 105, No. 3. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/2651806 Zapperi, Stefano et al. “Epidemiology models explain rumour spreading during France’s Great Fear of 1789.” Nature. 8/27/2025. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-025-09392-2 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
3 Marras 40min
SYMHC Classics: Thomas-Alexandre Dumas
This 2019 episode is about general Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, who sounds like a character out of one of his son’s books. His life was a series of dramatic and daring adventures, including his rise up through the ranks of the French military.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
1 Marras 30min
Behind the Scenes Minis: Villas and Tirades
Holly talks about the unsubstantiated stories associated with the Villa de Vecchi in northern Italy. Tracy talks about getting angry about a passage she read in Wednesday's show. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
31 Loka 23min
Hammersmith Ghost Murder
In late 1803, accounts of ghost sightings began to circulate in Hammersmith, England. This led to a tragic event, and a legal case that revealed some limitations in existing English law. Research: “The case of the murdered ghost.” BBC News. January 3, 2004. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/3364467.stm “Fears of a Ghost and the Fatal Catastrophe.” The Morning Chronicle. Jan 5, 1804. https://www.newspapers.com/image/394016127/?match=1&terms=Francis%20Smith Feikert-Ahalt, Clare. “The Case of a Ghost Haunted England for Over Two Hundred Years.” Library of Congress Blog. In Custodia Legis. Law Librarians of Congress. Oct. 30, 2015. https://blogs.loc.gov/law/2015/10/the-case-of-a-ghost-haunted-england-for-over-two-hundred-years/ Castle, Terry. “Phantasmagoria: Spectral Technology and the Metaphorics of Modern Reverie.” Critical Inquiry. Autumn, 1988, Vol. 15, No. 1.pp. 26-61. The University of Chicago Press. https://www.jstor.org/stable/1343603 “FRANCIS SMITH. Killing; murder. 11th January 1804..” Proceedings of the Old Bailey. “The Hammersmith Ghost: London’s Paranormal Murder.” Discovery UK. Jan. 7, 2025. https://www.discoveryuk.com/mysteries/the-hammersmith-ghost-londons-paranormal-murder/ “The Hammersmith Ghost.” Cambridge Chronicle and Journal. Jan. 14, 2804. https://www.newspapers.com/image/975790052/?match=1&terms=Hammersmith%20ghost Kirby, R.S. “Kirby's Wonderful and Scientific Museum: Or, Magazine of Remarkable Characters, Volume 2.” 1804. https://books.google.com/books?id=ggMhkDz-33EC&source=gbs_navlinks_s Medland, W.M. and Charles Weobly. “A Collection of Remarkable and Interesting Criminal Trials, Actions at Law, &c: To which is Prefixed, an Essay on Reprieve and Pardon, and Biographical Sketches of John Lord Eldon, and Mr. Mingay, Volume 2.” Badcock. January 1804. Accessed online: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=c5YuAAAAYAAJ&rdid=book-c5YuAAAAYAAJ&rdot=1 Mitchell, Edwin Valentine, ed. “The Newgate calendar :comprising interesting memoirs of the most notorious characters who have been convicted of outrages on the laws of England.” Garden City Pub. Co. 1926. https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/006759756 “Murder – Hammersmith Ghost.” The Bury and Norwich Post. Jan. 18, 1804. https://www.newspapers.com/image/394552157/?match=1&terms=Hammersmith%20ghost “The Reath Hammersmith Ghost.: The Bath Journal. Jan. 16, 1804. https://www.newspapers.com/image/975620428/?match=1&terms=Hammersmith%20ghost “Regine v. Gladstone Williams.” Transcript of the Shorthand Notes of Marten Walsh Cherer Ltd., 36-38 Whitefriers Street,Fleet Street, London, EC4Y 8BH. Telephone Number: 01-583 7635, Shorthand Writers to the Court. https://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Crim/1983/4.html See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
29 Loka 33min
Villa de Vecchi
Today’s topic is an abandoned mansion, but it was once a gorgeous and luxurious home designed for a prominent citizen of northern Italy. It’s often described as haunted and as having a dark history, but there are some interesting contradictions regarding that story. Research: “Caravan Journal, the rediscovered manuscript. The Orient through the eyes of a forgotten Milanese patriot: Felice De Vecchi.” Arte.IT: The Map of Art in Italy. https://www.arte.it/calendario-arte/milano/mostra-giornale-di-carovana-il-manoscritto-ritrovato-l-oriente-attraverso-gli-occhi-di-un-patriota-milanese-dimenticato-felice-de-vecchi-4835 “Cesare Maria De Vecchi in Rhodes.” Palace of the Grand Master. https://grandmasterpalacerhodes.gr/cesare-maria-de-vecchi/ Claus, Patricia. “Mussolini's Old Villa on Rhodes Still on Real Estate Market.” Greek Reporter. July 17, 2020. https://greekreporter.com/2020/07/17/mussolinis-old-villa-on-rhodes-still-on-real-estate-market/ Britannica Editors. "Aleister Crowley". Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Oct. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/biography/Aleister-Crowley Frigo, Marco. “Villa De Vecchi: the haunted mansion inhabited by ghosts not far from Milan with a mysterious, dramatic and fascinating past.” Milano Segreta. Oct. 6, 2025. https://milanosegreta.co/en/villa-de-vecchi-ghost-mansion/ Linstrom, Emily. “Villa de Vecchi.” Atlas Obscura. Lecco, Alberto, Foot, John. "Milan". Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Oct. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/place/Milan-Italy Linstrom, Emily. “Villa de Vecchi.” Atlas Obscura. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/villa-de-vecchi “History of Milan.” Civitatis Milan. https://www.introducingmilan.com/history Imam, Maham. “ATHENAEUM: Adaptive reuse of Villa De Vecchi into a public Library.” University of Management and Technology, Lahore. 2023. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1j3dhAHK8v4i-vV_IkAB8WXWMXpCEP_BQ/view?pli=1 Philip, Lizzie. “The Real Story Behind Northern Italy’s Abandoned ‘Ghost Mansion.’” Atlas Obscura. Oct. 17, 2018. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/ghost-mansion-in-northern-italy#:~:text=Place-,Villa%20de%20Vecchi,explore%20more%20Atlas%20Obscura%20videos. Pitzalis, Bruno. “Step Inside an Abandoned ‘Ghost Mansion’ of Northern Italy. Atlas Obscura. Oct. 9, 2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTP2erZ7CBc&t=38s Santarelli, Enzo. “DE VECCHI, Cesare Maria.” Biographical Dictionary of Italians. https://www.treccani.it/enciclopedia/de-vecchi-cesare-maria_(Dizionario-Biografico)/ “Sidoli, Alessandro (1812-1855), Architekt, Maler und Graphiker.” Österreichisches Biographisches Lexikon. Austrian Center for Digital Humanities and Cultural Heritage. (Translated.) https://www.biographien.ac.at/oebl/oebl_S/Sidoli_Alessandro_1812_1855.xml Smee, Taryn. “The Red House – Italy’s Most Haunted Villa Which Lies Abandoned and Off Limits.” The Vintage News. Nov. 20, 2018. https://www.thevintagenews.com/2018/11/20/villa-de-vecchi/ “Villa De Vecchi, Italy: A Timeless Masterpiece of Architectural Splendor.” Rethinking the Future. https://www.re-thinkingthefuture.com/articles/villa-de-vecchi-italy See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
27 Loka 34min
SYMHC Classics: Aleister Crowley
This 2021 episode covers Aleister Crowley, a truly prolific and deliberately transgressive occultist whose practices included sex and drug use. He influenced modern Satanism, as well as other new religious movements.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
25 Loka 40min
Behind the Scenes Minis: Ghosts and Their Towns
Holly and Tracy talk about ghost experiences in their lives. Tracy thanks all the listeners who suggested ghost towns for this week's episode.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
24 Loka 22min
Six Impossible Episodes: U.S. Ghost Towns
We've had a lot of listener requests related to ghost towns, so this Halloween season, we've got six places in the U.S. that could be labeled as such. But not not all are empty today. Research: Knutson, Julie. “The End of Centralia’s Abandoned, Colorful, Anarchic ‘Graffiti Highway.’” Atlas Obscura. 9/14/2020. https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/centralia-graffiti-highway-buried California State Parks. “Bodie State Historic Park.” https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=509 California State Parks. “Bodie State Historic Park.” https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/509/files/BodieSHPFinalWebLayout2016.pdf Severn, Carly. “This Ghost Town’s 'Curse' Isn't What You Think.” KQED. 7/12/2018. https://www.kqed.org/news/11640709/how-this-ghost-towns-curse-backfired-on-park-rangers Alabama Indigenous Mound Trail. “The Mound at Old Cahawba Archaeological Park.” https://alabamamoundtrail.org/mound-site/old-cahawba/ Alabama Historical Commission. “History of Old Cahawba.” https://ahc.alabama.gov/CahawbaHistoryFacts.aspx Jones, James. “Cahawba Listed as One of World’s 10 Spookiest Ghost Towns.” Selma Times Journal. 10/19/2023. https://www.selmatimesjournal.com/2023/10/19/cahawba-listed-as-one-of-worlds-10-spookiest-ghost-towns/ Pykles, Benjamin C. “Iosepa, Utah’s Pacific Islander Pioneers.” Utah Historical Society. https://history.utah.gov/iosepa-utahs-pacific-islander-pioneers/ Chapman, Hannah. “Iosepa: Utah’s Little Hawai'i.” Intermountain Histories. https://www.intermountainhistories.org/items/show/388 Fitisemanu, Nafanua. “Iosepa: Utah Ghost Town.” https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/a9e6a54ef1124c4e80d8eecfac09263d Schirer, David L. “Iospa.” Utah History Encyclopedia. https://www.uen.org/utah_history_encyclopedia/i/IOSEPA.shtml Utah American Indian Digital Archive. “History: The Goshutes.” https://utahindians.org/archives/goshute/history.html Atkin, Dennis H. “A History of Iosepa, the Utah Polynesian Colony.” https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4489/ Heinrich, Kieth. “Pithole City.” Pennsylvania Heritage. Fall 2015. https://paheritage.wpengine.com/article/pithole-city/ Comet, Jorge Navarro. “Pithole: The Rapid Rise and Sudden Fall of an Oil Boomtown.” AAPG. 7/1/2022. https://www.aapg.org/news-and-media/details/explorer/articleid/63602/pithole-the-rapid-rise-and-sudden-fall-of-an-oil-boomtown Town of Jerome. “Jerome: Then and Now.” https://jerome.az.gov/jerome-then-and-now Penn State. “Anthracite Coal Mining Region of Northeastern Pennsylvania.” https://guides.libraries.psu.edu/anthracite Turino, Mitchell. “Centralia Mine Fire.” Environment and Society. https://www.environmentandsociety.org/tools/keywords/centralia-mine-fire Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. “The Centralia Mine Fire” https://files.dep.state.pa.us/mining/Abandoned%20Mine%20Reclamation/AbandonedMinePortalFiles/Centralia/CentraliaFrequentlyAskedQuestions.pdf Blakemore, Erin. “This Mine Fire Has Been Burning For Over 50 Years.” History. 5/27/2025. https://www.history.com/articles/mine-fire-burning-more-50-years-ghost-town Currie, Tyler. “Zip Code 00000.” Washington Post. 4/2/2003. https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2003/04/02/AR2005033108150.html Lewis, Herbert J. “Cahaba.” Encyclopedia of Alabama. 5/20/2008. https://encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/cahaba/ Shahin, Alexandra Kennon. “Alabama's Ghost Capital.” 9/21/2018. https://countryroadsmagazine.com/travel/getaways/alabama-s-ghost-capital/ Alabama Tourism. “Tour of Old Cahawba.” 10/25/2018. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_L18GAP-vQY Splain, Shelby Weaver. “Pithole or Bust!” 7/24/2024. https://pahistoricpreservation.com/pithole-bust/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
22 Loka 47min
