The “State of Franklin” (occasionally referred to as “Frankland” in period documents) was a brief, extra-legal republic created by frontier leaders in what is now East Tennessee. Their aim: to establish the 14th state of the United States. Between 1784 and 1788, Franklin operated a rival government. It held elections, enacted laws, organized courts, negotiated…
Category: Folklore & History
LEWIS REDMOND: THE PRINCE OF DARK CORNER — THE OUTLAW WHO MADE THE SOUTH HIS LEGEND
In the years after the Civil War, as the Carolinas nursed wounds still raw from defeat and Reconstruction, federal law felt like a distant threat in the mountain country along the state line. The steep ridges and tight hollers held families who clung fiercely to their land, to their own labor, and—often—the hidden lifeblood of…
The 13 Most Haunted Places in the South — Where History Still Walks at Night
From bayou mansions and lighthouse towers to decaying jails and Civil War homes, these places hum with the echoes of what came before. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, there’s something undeniable about standing in a space where tragedy once unfolded, where whispers linger long after the living have gone. These are thirteen places…
Vanishing Point: The Legend and Legacy of Amelia Earhart
She wasn’t born with wings, but she found a way to fly anyway—blazing a path across the heavens and into the annals of legend. Amelia Earhart was more than a pilot; she was a symbol, a riddle, a rebel wind stitched into the clouds. She was a torchbearer for women, for dreamers, for anyone who’d…
Why Join The Hidden Pine Lodge…
If you’ve ever enjoyed an episode of the podcast, found a bourbon you loved because of a Swift Sips review, or lost yourself in one of our deep-dive articles, this is how you say, “Keep going.” For $4 a month, you’re not just supporting the work — you’re stepping into a community built for people…
Juneteenth: What It Is And Why It Matters
“The people of Texas are informed that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free.” — General Order No. 3, June 19, 1865 On June 19, 1865, Union Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas with a message that should have echoed across the nation years…
Smokey and the Bandit Part 3: When the Wheels Came Off
In 1977, Smokey and the Bandit lit up Southern highways and movie screens like a lit Marlboro at a truck stop. It was fast, funny, full of grit and charm, and unapologetically Southern. By 1980, Smokey and the Bandit II was trying its best to keep the CB radio crackling. But by 1983—well, the engine…
The Lost Colony: Unraveling the True Story of Roanoke
I. Introduction The Lost Colony of Roanoke remains one of American history’s most baffling, deeply unsettling, and magnetically compelling mysteries. This was not a legend or myth that grew over centuries. It was an actual colony—real people, real records, and real disappearances. What happened to over 100 English settlers who vanished without a trace in…
Smokey and the Bandit II: The Sequel That Tried to Outrun the Original
In the summer of 1980, two things were hotter than an asphalt road in July: the Smokey and the Bandit sequel and the pressure to match the original’s magic. Smokey and the Bandit II rolled into theaters with bigger stunts, wilder chases, and an elephant-sized twist—literally. Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason, and Jerry Reed…
In the Murk of the Bayou: The Definitive History of Swamp Thing in Comics, Film, and TV
The Ultimate Guide to Swamp Thing in Comics, Film, and Television Some monsters exist for pure terror, some for cheap thrills. Swamp Thing is something else. Rooted in the murky depths of Southern Gothic horror, Swamp Thing is a tragic figure—a scientist murdered, resurrected, and forever bound to the Swamp. He has been a hero,…