State of the Unknown
Paranormal folklore, dark history, and haunted places across the U.S.
Hosted by Robert Barber, State of the Unknown explores American folklore, haunted places, and unsolved mysteries—one state at a time.
From vampire graves in Rhode Island to creature sightings in the Midwest, each immersive episode dives deep into the legends, cryptids, ghost stories, and eerie history that continue to haunt the American landscape.
New episodes every other week.
Follow the show on Instagram and Facebook @stateoftheunknownpodcast for updates and extra lore.
State of the Unknown
The Hartford Witch Panic: America’s Forgotten Trials
Decades before Salem, another town hanged its accused witches.
In 1662, Hartford, Connecticut was gripped by fear, illness, and suspicion—and it led to one of America’s first recorded witch trials.
In this episode, host Robert Barber unearths the dark story of the Hartford Witch Panic: the mysterious deaths, the accused women, the confessions, and the community that turned on itself.
📍 Featuring immersive sound design, historical detail, and a look at how these early trials vanished from public memory.
Listen now—and if this story stuck with you, share it or leave a review. It helps others find the show.
🎧 Background Music Attribution (Creative Commons):
- Dark Cave Background 2.wav by SolarPhasing – https://freesound.org/s/490585/ – License: Attribution 4.0
- Digging 1.wav by Alexbuk – https://freesound.org/s/541904/ – License: Attribution 4.0
State of the Unknown is a documentary-style podcast mapping the haunted highways, hidden legends, and supernatural stories tucked into the corners of America’s 50 states.
🎙️ New episodes released every other Wednesday.
🕯️ If you enjoy the show, follow wherever you listen and leave a review—it helps others find these forgotten stories.