The Unsavoury Tale of the Maryland Snallygaster

The Unsavoury Tale of the Maryland Snallygaster

Author: Ben Cutmore June 2, 2026 Duration: 50:05
Dark Histories
History
In the fall of 1909, a strange fear settled over the hills and farms of Maryland. Newspapers carried reports of a monstrous winged creature said to stalk the countryside with a host of bizarre descriptions pouring out from witnesses, including glowing eyes, huge claws, and boiling brimstone dripping from its snout. The creature became known as the Snallygaster, and for a time, its legend gripped entire communities until its rapid demise. More than twenty years later, in 1932, the panic returned, proving that some stories refuse to stay buried. But was everything as it seemed? Or were there far uglier things at play than flying monsters?SOURCES Boyton, Patrick (2011) Snallygaster: The Lost Legend of Frederick County. Self Published Bridgeton Evening News (1909) The Devil Runs Rampant. Bridgeton Evening News, Fri 22 Jan, p3. NJ, USA Sheperdstown Register (1909) After The Colored People. Shepherdstown Register, Thu 4 Feb, p3. WV, USA. The Tennesseasn (1887) The Devil Of Leeds. The Tennessean, Sun 16 Oct, p12. TN, USA. Chicago Tribune (1909) Devil Which Alarms Jersey Likely To Be Captured Soon. Chicago Tribune, Fri 22 Jan 1909, p5. IL, USA. The Evening Sun (1932) Bovalopus Snallygaster Swoops Down On Village. The Evening Sun, Fri 25 Nov 1932, p50. MD, USA. The Evening Sun (1932) John Barleycorn Ends Career Of Snallygaster. The Evening Sun, Thurs 1 Dec 1932, p3. MD, USA. The News (1932) Snallygaster Captured: Huge Owl Is Shot Down. The News, Thurs 1 Dec 1932, p1. MD, USA. ------ For almost anything, head over to the podcasts hub at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠darkhistories.com ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Support the show by visiting our Patreon for bonus episodes and Early Access: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.patreon.com/darkhistories⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Dark Histories books are available to buy here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://author.to/darkhistories⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Dark Histories merch is available here: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/3GChjk9⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with us on Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://facebook.com/darkhistoriespodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Or find us on Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://twitter.com/darkhistories⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/dark_histories/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Or you can contact us directly via email at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠contact@darkhistories.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or join our Discord community: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://discord.gg/cmGcBFf⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ The Dark Histories Butterfly was drawn by Courtney, who you can find on Instagram @bewildereye Music was recorded by me © Ben Cutmore 2017 Other Outro music was Paul Whiteman & his orchestra with Mildred Bailey - All of me (1931). It's out of copyright now, but if you're interested, that was that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Every two weeks, Ben Cutmore invites you into the shadowy corners of our past, where facts blur with folklore and case files remain stubbornly open. Dark Histories is less a lecture and more an exploration, weaving meticulous research into compelling narratives that linger long after the episode ends. You’ll hear detailed accounts of events that defy easy explanation, from long-forgotten crimes and bizarre hoaxes to oddities that shaped societies. The focus is always on the human stories within these enigmatic tales, told with a careful balance of skepticism and an appreciation for the strange. This isn't just about ghosts or monsters, but the very real, often unsettling peculiarities documented throughout history. Each installment of this podcast feels like piecing together a puzzle where some pieces are forever missing, offering no easy answers but plenty to ponder. It’s for anyone who finds themselves drawn to the edges of the map, where the documented record meets the unexplained. Settle in for a journey through the archives of the bizarre and the unresolved, where every story is a reminder that the past is rarely as simple as it seems.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

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