Researching North American Mythology and Folklore

[Evie]

So, being something of a mythology geek (actually mostly a fantasy geek, but...), I've started paying a great deal of attention to the home-grown mythology and folklore of the North American Colonies. Just went through a great deal of researching the Quebec set of mythology, and I'm now looking at the American (and assorted regional) mythologies and folklore.

However, unlike Quebec mythology, legends and folklore, where I had a good idea where to start, I really have no ideas where to start with the US (beyond the barebone outline that's otherwise known as popular history; popular history (applied to one's own nation) being of course a shorthand name for "National Myth"). Plus Paul Bunyan, whom even we Canadians have heard about.

(Not that Bunyan is a very good American heroes, evidence is clear you borrowed him from us to begin with )

So I'm turning toward CFC in case anyone here attempt to have a similar interest, and to know of some good sources, important legends, and piece of folk tales and legends you guys happen to know that you think I should pay attention to (eg, not "There's a haunted house right next to my place." Unless it's a noteworthy ghost)

Also any suggestion on books, websites, etc that I could look at would be great, if you happen to know any.

NOTE: This is about the colonies. I'm generally leaving the native myths alone, except where they've bled into the colonial myths -it's a fascinating topic too, but wholly different, and not at all what I'm going for here.

 

[Cutlass]

There were many groups though. And each had its own mythology. Which may or may not be similar to others.

I don't know know a great deal about it. But I had heard one thing that I find cool, and that is that it seemed like every group had a legend of the Thunderbird. Not all the same, but from east to west, and that on a continent that had no direct contact with the eastern and western groups. They had no horses before the Spanish arrived, and all their long distance travel had to be on foot, or by canoes or other boats on the rivers and lakes, or in some places it seems there was coastal boat carried trade.

 

[Evie]

Ah, thaT's "North" and not "Native" in the thread title

I'm specifically looking into the myths, legends and folklore of the United States (and the colonies before), and not the Natives/First Nations/etc, precisely because they're two very different animals, and trying to get into both would be very complicated.

(Of course there's crossover between the two, and I'm not going to turn my nose at something that became a North American/Colonial tall tale or legend because it's of Native origin, but...)

 

[PeteAtoms]

So you're looking for things like:

Johnny Appleseed
John Henry
Pocahontas
Billy the Kid, Wild Bill, Calamity Jane, Davey Crocket etc. (The Wild West)
Mormonism lol: maybe?)
Sasquatch
The Chupacabra
Area 51 (Roswell)
Mothman
Jersey Devil

 

[Evie]

Area 51 not so much because you're getting into conspiracy theory realm there - probably it's too recent to make good legends

But otherwise, yeah, that's the general sort of things I'm looking at. Also more local folklore about cursed places/the origin of peculiar geographic features/etc, stuff like the Bennington Triangle, etc.

 

[PeteAtoms]

The Winchester Mystery House
Ghost Trains
Bessie


EDIT:
Roanoke Colony

List of some mythical creatures


Hatfield-McCoy feud
Hillbillies
American Mafia

 

[PeteAtoms]

Another one I just remembered, the story of George Washington cutting down a cherry tree.

 

[Lillefix]

You should play Day of the Tentacle. Much nice Founding Father mythology there.

 

[bombshoo]

These are some Midwestern (especially Ohioan) favorites. I hope they are not too late into history.

Bessie

Edmund Fitzgerald

The Toledo War (The birth of the Ohio-Michigan Rivalry)

Hoosiers

Athens/Ohio University ghost stories (This is just a blurb, but if you are curious there are tons of stories and photos concerning the Athens area)

The Curse of Tippecanoe

Loveland Frog

Helltown, Ohio

Also, not just for the Midwest but for the country as a whole, make sure you read some Washington Irving. He is probably the single most important author regarding the development of European-American folklore other than for maybe Mark Twain.

 

[Bugfatty300]

The Bell Witch.

Blackbeard.

Delphine LaLaurie.

Oh yeah:

Davy Crockett.

The Alamo.