The Stabbin Stylist

In nineteenth century Chattanooga, the booming railroad industry brought more than growth to the city. Saloons, gambling halls, brothels, political corruption, and violence flourished around Chattanooga’s early red-light district—and one woman became infamous enough that her name survived long after the streets she walked disappeared.Alice Cooper, a successful Chattanooga madam later remembered as the “wickedest woman in Chattanooga,” built her reputation inside the city’s notorious vice district during the late 1800s. But with few official records surviving, the line between the real Alice Cooper and the woman who became a Chattanooga legend has become increasingly difficult to separate. In this episode of The Stabbin Stylist, we explore what is known about Alice, Chattanooga’s forgotten red-light district, her mysterious death, and how the woman eventually buried as the “Lady of the Night” became part of Chattanooga history, Southern folklore, and local ghost stories.

As spooky season creeps into East Tennessee, we’re heading up White Oak Mountain for one of the darkest stories in Bradley County history. On March 14, 1922, Bradley County Sheriff Israel L. Smith joined an early-morning Prohibition-era moonshine raid near Owl Hollow outside Cleveland, Tennessee. Before the sun came up, Smith was shot and killed in the mountains, becoming the only Bradley County sheriff ever killed in the line of duty. What followed was a massive manhunt through the rugged mountains of Bradley and Polk counties for brothers Luther and Jasper Borin.This week on The Stabbin Stylist, we’re digging into Cleveland, Tennessee in the 1920s, Appalachian moonshine culture, White Oak Mountain, Owl Hollow, Prohibition, and the murder that shocked Bradley County. It’s a story of hidden stills, mountain families, dangerous raids, a storm that helped erase the killers’ tracks, and a piece of local history that happened right here in our own backyard. Follow The Stabbin Stylist for more Cleveland and Bradley County history, East Tennessee true crime, Appalachian stories, local legends, and spooky thangs from around the South.

Step inside two of the most haunted homes in Tennessee as we explore the chilling history of the Lotz House and the Carter House in Franklin, Tennessee. Standing at the heart of the Battle of Franklin, these historic homes witnessed one of the bloodiest battles of the American Civil War, leaving behind heartbreaking stories of death, tragedy, and unexplained paranormal activity. From ghost sightings, disembodied voices, and mysterious footsteps to the lingering spirits said to roam the halls, the Lotz House and Carter House have become legendary destinations for paranormal investigators and history lovers alike. Join us as we separate documented history from local legend while uncovering the eerie hauntings, Civil War history, and enduring mysteries that continue to make these Franklin, Tennessee landmarks some of the most haunted houses in the South.

In this episode of The Stabbin Stylist, we travel back to Cleveland, Tennessee, in 1879 to uncover the forgotten murder of Warren Henderson in Anthony Town, one of Bradley County's earliest freedmen's communities. As we explore this true crime case, we also dive into the history of Reconstruction-era East Tennessee, the Trail of Tears, Fort Cass, the growth of the railroad, and the social tensions that shaped early Cleveland. Through newspaper accounts and historical records, we piece together the deadly confrontation, the hunt for fugitive Ben Tibbs, and a case that has largely faded from local memory. If you love Tennessee true crime, Appalachian history, Bradley County history, and forgotten Southern mysteries, this is an episode you won't want to miss.

Journey with us into the Blue Ridge Mountains as we uncover the tragic history of the Swannanoa Gap Tunnel near Old Fort, North Carolina. Built through solid rock using the forced labor of incarcerated workers, the tunnel became one of the deadliest railroad projects in Southern history. We explore the lives lost during its construction, the haunting folk song it inspired, and the ghost stories that continue to surround the mountain today. Is the Swannanoa Tunnel simply a piece of Appalachian history—or is something still lingering in the darkness? Don’t whistle in the woods at night.