Episode 162: Vanished in the Smokies - The Mysterious Disappearance of Polly Melton

Southern Mysteries Podcast

Shannon Ballard

True Crime, Society & Culture, History

4.8 • 918 Ratings

🗓️ 31 March 2025

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

A cool September afternoon on a trail in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Three friends are chatting as they hike. And then… in minutes, one of them disappears. No sound. No clue. Just… gone. Polly Melton’s disappearance has left investigators and amateur sleuths searching for answers for over four decades Want more Southern Mysteries? Hear the Southern Mysteries show archive of 60+ episodes along with Patron exclusive podcast, Audacious: Tales of American Crime and more when you become a patron of the show. You can immediately access exclusive content now at patreon.com/southernmysteries Connect Website: southernmysteries.com Facebook: Southern Mysteries PodcastInstagram: @southernmysteriesEmail: [email protected] Episode Sources National Park Service: Cold Cases, Thelma Pauline "Polly" Melton NamUs: #MP14284, Thelma Pauline Melton Asheville Citizen-Times: Dogs Are Unable to Find Lost Hiker, September 28, 1981 The Knoxville Sentinel News: Search for Hiker Eases: Rangers feel woman no longer in park, October 1, 1981 Winston Salem Journal: Search for hiker continues, October 1, 1981 The Charlotte Observer: Female Hiker, 58, still missing in Smokie, October 1, 1981 Asheville Citizen-Times: Organized Search ends for missing woman, October 6, 1981 The Charlotte Observer: Terror is when a loved one vanishes in the mountains, November 20, 1981 Asheville Times: Disappearance Still A Mystery, December 24, 1981 The Charlotte Observer: Mystery not solved but ending, July 3, 1991 Find A Grave: Pauline “Polly” McAllister Melton 10 News: Appalachian Unsolved: Polly Melton Missing in the Smokies, December 8, 2017 Investigating Agency: Tennessee Bureau of Investigation 615-744-4000 Episode Music Out of the Mines, courtesy of Ross Gentry, Asheville, North Carolina.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey y'all. I'm Shannon Ballard, the host and creator of Southern Mysteries. This show is
0:05.9	independent. It's just me, a microphone, and a love for sharing forgotten history and mysteries
0:12.4	in the South. And I couldn't do it without the amazing folks who support the show on Patreon.
0:17.7	I want to say a big heartfelt thanks to our newest patrons who are helping make
0:22.6	this episode possible. Jamie Gorman Hubble in Sumner, Michigan, Michelle Seaman in Pascagoula,
0:29.2	Mississippi, Louise Burke in Marietta, Georgia, Lori Knight from Riverview, Florida, Katie Rhodes
0:36.4	in Alvin, Texas, and Wendy Bowen from Jackson, Tennessee.
0:41.5	And a warm welcome to those who have joined from Mysterious Locations, Joe Horton and Lydia Cronk.
0:49.1	I'm so grateful for y'all, and your support helps me keep these stories alive.
0:56.0	If you'd like to join them and support Southern Mysteries, you'll get access to the first three seasons of the show, which are exclusively
1:01.5	on Patreon. You can also unlock even more stories through bonus episodes and the monthly
1:07.7	audacious podcast. It's where I dig into some of the most shocking and scandalous crimes and mysteries
1:13.9	in American history.
1:16.1	You can sign up right now at patreon.com slash southern mysteries.
1:20.9	And if you've got the Patreon app, just search for Southern Mysteries podcast.
1:26.0	Thanks so much for being here.
1:30.0	And now let's get into this story.
1:47.0	A cool September afternoon on a trail in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. Three friends are chatting as they hike, and then, in minutes, one of them disappears. No sound, no clue, just gone.
1:58.0	Polly Mountain's disappearance has left investigators and amateur sluice searching for answers
2:05.2	for over four decades.
2:08.1	Welcome to Southern Mysteries, exploring Southern history and true crime.
2:13.6	I'm your host, Shannon Ballard.
	...

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