Fear of the Dead-The New England Vampire Panic w/ The Family Plot

In 19th-century New England, fear of tuberculosis collided with an older, darker belief: that the dead could return from the grave to prey upon the living. In this episode, I join Family Plot Podcast to explore the New England Vampire Panic — a chilling period when families, desperate to explain devastating outbreaks of illness, began to suspect that their deceased loved ones were actually vampires. Across New England, graves were opened, bodies examined, and desperate measures were taken in the belief that the dead were somehow responsible for the suffering of those still alive. What we now understand as tuberculosis was once interpreted through a supernatural lens, creating one of the strangest chapters in American history. From exhumations and suspected vampires to the real-life fear and tragedy behind the legends, we're digging into the history of the New England Vampire Panic and asking how a community's desperation can transform disease, death, and grief into something truly terrifying. I'm so excited to have been a guest on Family Plot Podcast for this fascinating journey into one of America's most obscure historical panics. 🩸 Rare history. Dark folklore. Real fear. Check out The Family Plot Podcast here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices