In this episode of Haunted Real Estate, Ashley and Lanie takes you to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, into the fiery domain of Pele — goddess of volcanoes, creator and destroyer of the Big Island. We trace the land’s deep Indigenous history, from ahupuaʻa stewardship and sacred offerings at Halemaʻumaʻu to the Great Māhele and the arrival of western concepts of “ownership.” Along the way, you’ll hear the legend of Pele, the lovers ʻŌhiʻa and Lehua, battlefield footprints frozen in ash, and modern stories of hitchhiking goddesses, a mysterious white dog, and tourists desperate to mail lava rocks back to the island. We’ll walk through what happens when homes are built in lava zones like Royal Gardens, Kalapana, and Leilani Estates — and what it really means to claim a deed on land that many believe still belongs to Pele.

Sources

Pele legends, genealogy, and Halemaʻumaʻu as her home: cultural overviews and retellings of Pele’s moʻolelo and ʻŌhiʻa–Lehua stories.[wikipedia +3]

Indigenous history, ahupuaʻa system, and mālama ʻāina: Native Hawaiian–authored descriptions of traditional land management and the Great Māhele’s impact on land tenure.[rvshare +4]

Kīlauea history, 1790 footprints, and early visitors: USGS and NPS materials on Ellis’s 1823 account, Kapiʻolani’s 1824 visit, and the Keonehelelei footprints.[usgs +6]

Park creation and major eruptions: NPS and USGS histories of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park, Hawaiian Volcano Observatory, Royal Gardens, Kalapana, and the 2018 lower Puna eruption.[wikipedia +11]

Pele’s Curse and returned lava: discussions of the modern curse legend, origin stories, and apology letters from tourists returning rocks.[wikipedia +3]

Pele sightings, hitchhiker stories, and white dog: Hawaiʻi folklore collections, Mysteries of Hawaiʻi narratives, and local urban‑legend summaries.[mysteries-of-hawaii +3]

Lava zones, real estate risk, and geothermal conflict: analyses of Big Island lava‑zone mapping, property and insurance issues, and Pele Defense Fund materials.[hpahomes +4]

Welcome to Cleveland, Ohio! Who would have known “the most haunted place in America” rest here? Haha, there’s a ton of “most haunted” places or else we wouldn’t have much of a podcast! Today we are talking about the haunted Franklin Mansion.

Sources:

Franklin Castle, The Haunted Ohio House With A Grim Past

Franklin Castle - The Little House of Horrors

In Part Two of our Bridgewater Triangle series, we leave the history books behind and step into the dark. From cult rumors and true crime in the Freetown–Fall River State Forest, to the watching figure on Profile Rock, phantom lights over Hockomock Swamp, Pukwudgies, cryptids, and UFOs, we tour some of the strangest stories tied to this 200‑square‑mile patch of Massachusetts. Is it cursed land, a paranormal “window,” or just a place with way too many legends for one map to hold?

Sources & Further Reading (Part 2)

• “Bridgewater Triangle.” Wikipedia – overview of the region and reported phenomena.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgewater_Triangle[wikipedia]

• “Bridgewater Triangle.” Boston Ghosts – hauntings, cryptids, and UFO activity.

https://bostonghosts.com/bridgewater-triangle/[bostonghosts]

• “The Bridgewater Triangle.” Salem Ghosts – history, curse lore, and major hotspots.

https://salemghosts.com/the-bridgewater-triangle/[salemghosts]

• “Bridgewater Triangle.” US Ghost Adventures – Freetown–Fall River, Profile Rock, Anawan Rock, and forest crime/ritual stories.

https://usghostadventures.com/haunted-places/bridgewater-triangle/[usghostadventures]

• “Mysteries of the Hockomock Swamp.” Lizzie‑Borden.com – Hockomock history and ghost‑light reports.

https://lizzie-borden.com/blog/mysteries-of-the-hockomock-swamp/[lizzie-borden]

• “Creatures of The Bridgewater Triangle – Part 1.” The Yankee Express – Bigfoot‑type beings, Thunderbirds, and big cat sightings.

https://www.theyankeexpress.com/2022/05/10/399962/creatures-of-the-bridgewater-triangle-part-1[theyankeexpress]

• “What Is the Bridgewater Triangle and Why Are People Afraid of It?” Vocal Media – summary of UFOs, orbs, and high strangeness.

https://vocal.media/futurism/what-is-the-bridgewater-triangle-and-why-are-people-afraid-of-it[vocal]

• “The Pukwudgie People of Hockomock Swamp.” Hecate’s Pantry – Pukwudgie and spirit lore around the swamp.

https://hecatespantry.com/2025/11/17/the-pukwudgie-people-of-hockomock-swamp-guardians-of-shadow-and-spirit/[hecatespantry]