Piedmont Phantoms

Daniel W. Barefoot has taken on the task of writing a three-volume set of ghost stories collected from all parts of North Carolina. Volume 1 deals with the coastal area while volume three takes on the mountains of Western North Carolina. This entry, volume 2, provides a glimpse at the ghostly lore of the Piedmont region. The series as a whole is referred to as the "Haunted Hundred" because the author has taken one ghost story from each of the state's one hundred counties. There are a few flaws that I found in this book but the obvious respect that the author holds for his subject matter more than make up for any shortcomings. There are very few recent accounts by witnesses to be found in this book and those accounts always add greatly to this type of work. There are some stories with eyewitness accounts, like the chapter that deals with the old capitol building but unfortunately this is the exception rather than the rule. There are also a few stories that have nothing at all to do with ghosts and they really have no business being in a book like this. For example, the chapter concerning the Moravian Stars is nothing more than the story of a huge meteor shower that could be witnessed over much of the United States, and the story about the so called Doppelganger was just a waste of paper. I guess that some counties don't really have any good ghost stories and that sometimes the author has to reach just a little bit. On the other side of the ledger, the ghost stories that are to be found in this book are generally stories that have not been told in numerous other Carolina ghost books. It is always refreshing to find a book that doesn't spend most of it's time rehashing well worn accounts that one has read time and again. In several chapters the author would mention one of these well worn haunts and then add that there is a very similar but less well-known haunt to be found in County X. This is clearly a man who knows his ghosts. There is also the author's obvious affection for his subject which come through in his writing. This is clearly a subject that is near and dear to the author's heart and his interest in and enjoyment of ghost stories adds a great deal to the feel of this book. If I were not already a great fan of this type of book Barefoot's contagious enthusiasm would probably hook me. In the strictest sense, this is not the best ghost book that I have ever read. It is however, one of the more enjoyable entries in this genre that I have come across. Barefoot's writing style and his love for his topic more than make up for the flaws and I spent a very happy evening with this book. Maybe the next time that I visit the Old North State I will take a drive up Booger Hill or go looking for Dr. Kron's treasure. Or maybe I'll just settle down with another good book by Daniel Barefoot.