20 Creepy Appalachian Superstitions That Will Keep You Up at Night

A Shooting Star and a Wish

The other night, my daughter and I were driving home, and we both saw a shooting star blaze across the sky. I said, "make a wish!"

It is one of those superstitions we have all heard our entire lives. For the longest time, I thought Jiminy Cricket taught it to me, but apparently, it has been around much longer than Jiminy.

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The Superstitions We Grew Up With

There are so many. My mom always said, do not put your shoes on the table or you will be married before you are able. Friends would say, step on a crack and you'll break your mother's back.

Here we are. I have stepped on plenty of cracks and no broken backs yet.

Where These Beliefs Come From

A lot of these superstitions and omens can be traced back to Appalachia or at least passed through the region before becoming popular.

According to an article from appalachianmemories.org, early settlers like the Scots, Africans, and Native Americans brought the folk tales of their homelands with them. They retold those stories, and over time, as generations passed down their folk wisdom, the cultures blended into a rich mix of superstitions and omens. Without modern science or technology to explain the unexplainable, legends and superstitions grew.

And, because the region is so isolated and heavily wooded, the landscape itself adds to the mystery. Forests with their eerie sounds, smells, and shadows, especially at night, create the perfect backdrop for legends and folklore. The people who lived there had a deep connection to the land and to the stories from their home countries, so the veil between the natural and the supernatural felt thinner there than almost anywhere else.

The Fascinating Side of Appalachian Superstitions

I recently saw a video that highlighted some of Appalachia's most well-known superstitions and omens. Some are funny and lighthearted, and some dive straight into the supernatural. They are fascinating to look at, especially when you realize how many of them influenced what we grew up hearing.

Here are some of my favorite spooky superstitions. Enjoy!