The Twilight Traveler

The New York City Draft Riots

In this episode, we travel to New York City to explore the violent legacy of the New York City Draft Riots. What began as outrage over the Enrollment Act erupted into days of chaos, destruction, and racial violence that shook the city during the American Civil War. Today, the very object tied to that moment - the draft wheel - rests inside the New York Historical Society. Join us as we stand before this unassuming artifact and uncover the dark history it helped set in motion.

The Lamey Island Massacre

In this episode, we visit Xiaoliuqiu off the coast of Taiwan, once known as Lamey Island, to confront a forgotten atrocity. In 1636, soldiers of the Dutch East India Company trapped Indigenous Islanders inside a cave and set it ablaze, killing hundreds. Today, visitors walk through Black Devil Cave often unaware it was once a refuge turned tomb.

The Tsavo Man-Eaters

In this episode, we travel back to 1898, when two lions halted construction of the Uganda Railway, terrorizing workers in colonial East Africa. Today, their preserved bodies stand at the Field Museum in Chicago, transformed from feared predators into museum artifacts. Join me as we explore the bloody legend, the colonial history behind the railway, and what it means to come face-to-face with these lions more than a century later.

Thomas Bay

In this episode, we journey to remote Thomas Bay, Alaska, where fog-shrouded waters hide the legends of the Thomas Bay Devils. From eerie sightings to mysterious disappearances, discover the chilling stories that make this wilderness a dark tourist destination unlike any other.

Old Green Eyes

In this episode, we visit Chickamauga, GA where thousands of Civil War soldiers were killed or left to die in the woods. From that devastation emerged the legend of Old Green Eyes, a silent figure with glowing eyes said to roam the forest after dark. We explore the history behind the battle, the origins of the haunting, and why some believe something still lingers among the trees.

Trinity Downwinders

On July 16, 1945, a blinding flash tore through the desert of southern New Mexico when the world's first atomic bomb was detonated. While the Trinity Test is often remembered as a scientific milestone, this episode focuses on those who paid its hidden cost: the Trinity Downwinders.

The Snallygaster

In this episode, we sink our teeth into the Snallygaster - Maryland's favorite nightmare with wings - and the surprisingly problematic history lurking beneath the folklore. Then we visit the Snallygaster Museum, where myth, tourism, and dark history collide.

Cascades Female Factory

The Cascades Female Factory operated between 1828 and 1856, serving as one of Australia's most notorious penal institutions for women. In this episode, we visit the remains of the factory to uncover the harsh realities of convict life. While the site now stands in quiet ruin, its history speaks loudly of the cost of empire and the women who endured it. 

Krampusnacht

In this episode, we dive into the chilling Alpine legend of Krampus - the horned, cloven-hoofed enforcer of Saint Nicholas who doesn't just reward good behavior, but punishes the naughty. From medieval folklore to modern mayhem, we trace how this demonic figure survived through the centuries to become a beloved terror of the holiday season. Then we take you straight into the heart of Salzburg's Christkindlmarkt, where the annual Krampuslauf turns the festive streets into a riot of rattling chains, roaring masks, and firelit chaos.

The Empty Library

In this episode of The Twilight Traveler, we head to Berlin to revisit the 1933 Nazi book burnings—a night when thousands of banned works were thrown into the flames in the name of ideological purity. Our journey continues to the Empty Library memorial at Bebelplatz, where a glass window reveals rows of vacant shelves below the square, a quiet but powerful reminder of the voices erased.