Carl Pruitt's Cursed Headstone

Southern Gothic

Southern Gothic Media LLC

Society & Culture, History, Documentary, True Crime

4.7 • 980 Ratings

🗓️ 12 July 2026

⏱️ 43 minutes

🔗️ Recording | Apple Podcasts | RSS

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Summary

In the summer of 1938, a Kentucky man named Carl Pruitt purportedly murdered his wife in a jealous rage before taking his own life. According to legend, he was buried in a lonely cemetery far from the woman he killed, but not long after, visitors soon began noticing something deeply unsettling about his grave leading to whispers of a lethal curse. Over the decades, the legend of Carl Pruitt's cursed grave has become incredibly popular online, inspiring countless podcasts, and YouTube videos. But where did the story actually come from? Was there ever a murderous man named Carl Pruitt, or has one of the internet's most enduring ghost stories fooled us all? This episode is made possible through the support of our sponsors: If you’re starting a business, or running one that deserves better tools, Square helps you sell, manage, and grow without slowing down. Right now, you can get up to $200 off Square hardware at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://square.com/go/gothic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Elevate your summer bedding with Quince. Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠quince.com/sogo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Now available in Canada, too. Want to Listen to Southern Gothic Ad-Free? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Patreon: Ad-Free Episodes, Premium Releases, Bonus Content & More⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Southern Gothic Premium on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Into History: History Without Interruption⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with Southern Gothic Media: Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ SouthernGothicMedia.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Merch Store:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ https://www.southerngothicmedia.com/merch⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Pinterest:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SouthernGothicMedia⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ X:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ @SoGoPodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Advertise on this podcast: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠press@southerngothicmedia.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey there, I'm Susie, and I'm the host of Beyond the Ferns podcast. Each week, I take you beyond the
0:06.6	headlines into the stories that linger long after the news fades, from chilling true crime and
0:12.6	unsolved cold cases to paranormal encounters, cults, and extraordinary survival stories. It's a little bit
0:19.2	of everything for everyone. Whether you're drawn to
0:22.3	mysteries, fascinated by the strange and unexplained, or simply love a good story, I focus on the
0:28.4	truth, the details, and above all, justice for the victims and survivors. So buckle up,
0:34.7	things are about to get a little scary. Follow Beyond the Ferns wherever you get your podcast. Thanks, y'all.
0:45.4	Y'all. Y'all, I got a bunch of random pieces of Southern Gothic merch that are just piling up here in my office.
0:56.9	And so I figured maybe it's time to bring back our monthly giveaway to one of our newsletter subscribers, which, look, it's completely free to sign up for over on our website.
1:08.3	So if you're interested in throwing your name into the hat for a random
1:13.3	Southern Gothic t-shirt or a coffee mug, water bottle, stickers, whatever it is we've got this
1:19.1	month, head over to Southern Gothicmedia.com slash newsletter right now and sign up. Of course, no purchases necessary.
1:29.7	And look, y'all, I will be honest.
1:32.5	I really don't send out that many emails.
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1:38.2	That's southern gothicmedia.com slash newsletter.
2:10.5	Okay. dot com slash newsletter. Southern Gothic is a podcast that explores the history behind some of the American South's darkest days, greatest mysteries, and most chilling ghost stories. The story Pulaski County stretches across the wooded hills of south central Kentucky, where the landscape begins to transition from rolling bluegrass
2:53.6	to the rugged country of eastern Kentucky. It's a place of dense hardwood forests, narrow
3:02.2	creeks, and quiet country roads winding between small farming communities.
3:09.5	Though it's not considered part of Appalachia itself,
3:13.6	the region has long shared many of the traditions that define mountain life.
	...

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