

Astonishing Legends
Astonishing Legends Productions
The world is more mysterious than most people are comfortable imagining. We cross paths with the mystical from time to time and may not even notice it. If we do, we quickly return to our usually mundane daily existence. But what if we not only acknowledged the unknown, we investigated it and spoke with those in the know? That's what co-hosts Scott Philbrook & Forrest Burgess, and co-executive producer Tess Pfeifle do at Astonishing Legends. Over 100 million downloads and hundreds of thousands of listeners have discovered the thrill of exploring the mysteries of our world, showing that the unknown can be both captivating and intriguing. Welcome to Astonishing Legends!
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jul 22, 2025 • 36min
39: The Hat Man Takes a Seat
In tonight’s dead letter… Josh shares a chilling encounter with a being we’ve discussed on the show numerous times. The Hat Man. For Josh he appears as a shadowy figure sitting in his bedroom in the middle of the night. What would you do in this situation? It’s easy to answer that until you’re confronted with it yourself. Josh gave into paranormal apathy, something we’ve identified at Astonishing Legends as a common reaction to the unexplainable. Is the Hat Man a harbinger of doom or change or just something that happens in our mind?
Jim Harold’s Campfire
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/jim-harolds-campfire/id310656913
Our Strange Skies (Rob Kristoffersen)
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/our-strange-skies-ufos-throughout-history/id1546735571
Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0816692/
Hypnopompic State
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnopompia
Hypnogogic State
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypnagogia
Send your story into deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com

Jul 15, 2025 • 33min
38: A Gray Walks in LA
In tonight’s dead letter, listener Renee shares a strange encounter in Los Angeles. Late one night, while walking her dog, she saw what appeared to be a gray alien. After a moment of shock, she looked again and saw a middle-aged African-American woman. Renee was left wondering if she had seen a psychic mask slip or if it was just a trick of the light.
Send your story to deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com

Jul 13, 2025 • 2h 22min
The Green Monster of Flatwoods
On September 12th, 1952, in Flatwoods, West Virginia, five boys witnessed a fiery object slowly descend from the sky and land nearby, seemingly under intelligent control. What followed became one of the strangest UFO encounters in American history. Joined by a 32-year-old mother and a National Guard member, the group were allegedly pursued by a towering, mist-shrouded, humanoid figure that emitted strange lights and sounds. And with seven direct witnesses and reports from several states, this was no isolated event. With some eyewitness still speaking up as recently as 2018.
Misunderstood and mythologized for decades, the Flatwoods Monster deserves a closer, more accurate look — and that’s exactly what we’re here to do.
Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.

Jul 8, 2025 • 39min
37: Jacob City Miners
In tonight’s dead letter, Cody shares a chilling experience from a trip to Jacob City, a ghost town in Utah. While camping with friends and their dogs, they captured eerie EVPs, including one that called out Cody’s name. As the night grew darker, the dogs became unusually frightened, and a sudden, strong wind forced them to pack up and leave before their campfire got out of control. This is history, mystery, and a reminder to trust your instincts.
Send your story to deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com
Show note links!
Jacob City - Utah Ghost Town
https://www.ghosttowns.com/states/ut/jacobcity.html
Jacob City - Utah Outdoor Activities
https://www.utahoutdooractivities.com/jacobcity.html
Snapshots of Mentioned Newspaper Articles
https://postimg.cc/gallery/SCkxPjw
Bannack, Montana - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bannack,_Montana
Southwest Montana History: Bannack
https://southwestmt.com/specialfeatures/history/bannack/
The Sheriff and Outlaw Henry Plummer Series at Astonishing Legends (Available on all podcast platforms as well and YouTube)
Astonishing Legends - Sheriff and Outlaw Henry Plummer Part 1
https://astonishinglegends.com/al-podcasts/2017/4/21/ep-68-the-sheriff-and-outlaw-henry-plummer-part-1?rq=henry%20plummer
Astonishing Legends - Sheriff and Outlaw Henry Plummer Part 2
https://astonishinglegends.com/al-podcasts/2017/4/28/ep-69-the-sheriff-and-outlaw-henry-plummer-part-2?rq=henry%20plummer
Astonishing Legends - Sheriff and Outlaw Henry Plummer Part 3
https://astonishinglegends.com/al-podcasts/2017/5/10/ep-70-the-sheriff-and-outlaw-henry-plummer-part-3?rq=henry%20plummer
Jacobs Smelter - Superfund Site
https://www.toxicsites.us/site.php?epa_id=UT0002391472

Jul 1, 2025 • 41min
36: Chips, Salsa and UFOs
In tonight’s dead letter, Jordan recalls a strange encounter in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where she spotted nearly a dozen silver crafts hovering over the Sandia Mountains. These objects appeared to be linked and moved in unison, with one larger craft seemingly in charge. A large black helicopter sped off in the direction of the crafts after they disappeared, leaving Jordan with a sense of wonder and the feeling that they were harmless tourists from another world, but were they? We’ll dive into it!
Send your story to deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com
Kirtland Air Force Base - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirtland_Air_Force_Base
Kirtland AFB
https://www.kirtland.af.mil/
Sandia National Laboratories
https://www.sandia.gov/
Sandia National Laboratories - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandia_National_Laboratories
Mirage Men - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mirage_Men
Mirage Men streaming: where to watch movie online?
https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/mirage-men
Author Nick Redfern - Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Nick-Redfern/author/B001IXQG7E?sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=0a14c23d-5da9-4c8a-a53b-114e7602e74b
Watch The Secret of Skinwalker Ranch Full Episodes, Video & More | HISTORY Channel
https://www.history.com/shows/the-secret-of-skinwalker-ranch
Paul Bennewitz - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Bennewitz
Richard L. Doty - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_L._Doty

Jun 28, 2025 • 1h 52min
Junk Drawer 26 - Main Feed Edition!
This week, we revisit a favorite Patreon Junk Drawer episode featuring Max Kelso's unsettling experiences at a Boy Scout camp in the heart of Ohio.
We explore Max's first encounter as a young scout when he saw a shadowy figure watching him through the window of his cabin late one night. Years later, during a game at the same camp, Max experiences something even stranger.
The Junk Drawer is a more casual, conversational show than our regular program and is usually only available to our patrons at patreon.com/astonishinglegends. It’s a great time to check out our Patreon because this Sunday, June 29th, 2025, we’re doing our first-ever live AMA on video there!

Jun 24, 2025 • 32min
35: Black Eyed Driver
In tonight’s dead letter, Scott and Forrest share Arthur’s story. He recounts a frightening encounter in the Bronx in 1998 when while stopped at a red light he saw something, or someone that didn’t seem right. The person in the car next to him had pale skin, completely black eyes, and an impossible smile. But that’s really just the beginning of this bizarre tale.
Books by David Weatherly on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/stores/David-Weatherly/author/B01N59JC6U?sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=00b7e0f6-0241-4cae-bea5-2aefcdb8e455#
Astonishing Legends Private Facebook Group
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1Ayj1M1iKU/
Astonishing Legends
https://astonishinglegends.com/
Episode links to Astonishing Legends Website, but all shows can be found on any podcast app.
Ep 188: Strange Intruders with David Weatherly Part 1 — Astonishing Legends
https://astonishinglegends.com/al-podcasts/2020/10/24/ep-192-strange-intruders-with-david-weatherly-part-1?rq=black%20eyed%20kids
Ep 189: Strange Intruders with David Weatherly Part 2 — Astonishing Legends
https://astonishinglegends.com/al-podcasts/2020/11/8/ep-193-strange-intruders-with-david-weatherly-part-2?rq=black%20eyed%20kids
Ep 87: Black Eyed Kids Part 1 — Astonishing Legends
https://astonishinglegends.com/al-podcasts/2017/10/22/ep-87-black-eyed-kids-part-1?rq=black%20eyed%20kids
Ep 88: Black Eyed Kids Part 2 — Astonishing Legends
https://astonishinglegends.com/al-podcasts/2017/10/28/ep-88-black-eyed-kids-part-2?rq=black%20eyed%20kids
Ep 89: Black Eyed Kids Part 3 — Astonishing Legends
https://astonishinglegends.com/al-podcasts/2017/11/11/ep-89-black-eyed-kids-part-3?rq=black%20eyed%20kids
Send your story to deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com

Jun 17, 2025 • 30min
34: The Black Cloud Hanging Over Me
In tonight’s dead letter, Scott and Forrest read a dead letter from a woman with ties to the Otoe-Missouria tribe in Oklahoma. She recounts a terrifying experience driving on Highway 60 at night when a dark fog hit the truck she was in, causing a flat tire. The story delves into local legends, the importance of oral traditions, and the listener’s theory that the area is haunted due to indigenous people buried there by settlers. They discuss the plausibility of a curse, the story's symbolism, and the mysteries surrounding the nature and effects of whatever it was they collided with.
LINKS and NOTES
Osage Nation Heritage Trail | Green Country Oklahoma | Official Site
https://www.greencountryok.com/listing/osage-nation-heritage-trail/1475/
Ep 49: Monsters Among Us — Astonishing Legends
https://astonishinglegends.com/al-podcasts/2017/2/7/ep-049-monsters-among-us?rq=monsters%20among%20us
Ep 49: Monsters Among Us — Astonishing Legends (Spotify)
https://open.spotify.com/episode/2il0qVGYdmvyV7MBLWtQ28?si=248005b7c51f4813
Ep 49: Monsters Among Us — Astonishing Legends (Apple Podcasts)
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/astonishing-legends/id923527373?i=1000376271976
Indian meridian - Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_meridian
Submit YOUR story to deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com

Jun 14, 2025 • 1h 44min
The Stratford Poltergeist
In 1850, the quiet town of Stratford, Connecticut was shaken by a bizarre and terrifying haunting that gripped the world’s attention. Reverend Eliakim Phelps and his family were tormented by objects falling from nowhere, cryptic messages, and strange effigies crafted from household items. As the phenomena escalated—turning violent and targeting the children—skeptics, spiritualists, and investigators descended on the mansion in search of answers. Was it a hoax, psychic energy, or something truly supernatural? This episode dives into the enduring mystery of the Stratford Poltergeist.
Visit our website for a lot more information on this episode.

Jun 10, 2025 • 29min
33: Scare Bear
In tonight’s Dead Letter, Kaleb recounts a few paranormal experiences, starting with a childhood memory of a stuffed bear that seemed to turn its head on its own, but for some bizarre reason didn't frighten him. Years later, he experienced a potent wave of fear in a dark basement, reminding Scott of his experience at the Sallie House. Forrest and Scott then delve into the nature of fear, the existence of multiple entities in haunted locations, and the protective nature of some spirits.
The Sallie House Series by Astonishing Legends Part 1 (On Spotify)
https://open.spotify.com/episode/20PwwC2p9Kq97H7yX370kO?si=806dbb79aa174215
Poltergeist (1982 film) - Wikipedia
The Twilight Zone - Living Doll Episode
Living Doll (The Twilight Zone) - Wikipedia
Uniroyal Nauga Monster
Rarify | The Nauga Monster! The Nauga was a fictional creature or animal created by an advertising company back in the 1960s to promote the... | Instagram
Send your stories to deadletteroffice@astonishinglegends.com