The Pandemonium Witches: Murders, Mystery, and Mayhem · TPW3MPodcast

S1.E105 - O is for Oklahoma: Outlaws, Omens, and Otherworldly Tales

·2 hr 24 min·5 clips

In 1905, a schoolteacher's head was found severed from her body near Deer Creek—and the prime suspect poisoned herself days later.

This episode of The Pandemonium Witches podcast features hosts Kat, Rachel, Em, and Meg exploring the history and hauntings of Oklahoma. The hosts, known for their conversational and often tangential style, blend historical facts with personal anecdotes and paranormal tales. Meg leads the research-driven dive into the state's complex past, beginning with its origins from the Choctaw phrase for "red people" and its establishment as Indian Territory. The episode details the forced removal of Native American tribes via the Trail of Tears and the subsequent land runs that opened the territory to white settlers, creating the term "Sooner." It covers the devastating 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, which destroyed 35 city blocks and resulted in an estimated 75-300 deaths. The historical overview also touches on the Dust Bowl's long-term impact, the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing by Timothy McVeigh, and the 2020 Supreme Court ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma that reaffirmed tribal reservations. A surprising insight is that the Dust Bowl's effects persisted until 1950, far longer than commonly taught. The episode highlights the Cherokee Nation's ambitious 50-year language revitalization plan aiming for 80% fluency. Paranormal locations include Beaver Dunes Park, a centuries-old "Shaman's Portal" linked to missing Spanish explorers and UFO lore, and Cain's Ballroom, haunted by apparitions like a cowboy asking for obsolete popcorn. The tone is informal, digressive, and darkly humorous, often weaving in the hosts' personal lives and reactions to heavy historical topics. Listeners who enjoy a blend of unfiltered history, supernatural stories, and chaotic friend-group banter will appreciate this episode. Those seeking a linear, strictly factual narrative might find the frequent tangents and personal asides distracting.

As heard by us

A loose haunted-theater story that turns into vivid local lore once it gets moving.

The episode starts loose and a little shaggy, with side talk and bodily jokes, then settles into a haunted theater story that has real texture.

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Why you'd press play

Play this for a haunted-theater story with local legend, paranormal research, and very off-topic banter.

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