Experiencing Interruptions?

The All-American Ruins Podcast: Mrs. Dalby and the Gravekeeper of Hatteras Island

abandoned: The All-American Ruins Podcast guides listeners through immersive audio fantasies, recreating host Blake Pfeil’s experiences exploring abandoned spaces across the United States. Along the way, abandoned asks critical questions about American history and culture, community, economics, the environment, and mental health while encouraging folks to activate their imaginations as a tool for healing.

This is season 2, episode 8: "Mrs. Dalby & the Gravekeeper of Hatteras Island"

Episode synopsis: Sometimes, an abandoned space can summon a ghost - or maybe it’s just a figment of the imagination. Join Blake as he accompanies you to the ruins of a seaside shanty, standing at the edge of a graveyard overlooking the mighty Atlantic Ocean in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, where he ruminates on the politics of public healthcare, the Andromeda Galaxy, FDR. (And don’t be surprised if you both run into a ghost named Mrs. Dalby.)

Transcript for Season 2, Episode 8: https://docs.google.com/document/d/19hUAl-kUbIV0QwB-1e2xEAxLZsXoMoHUV5TK3hoqw9w/edit?usp=sharing

  • Blake Pfeil
    Author
  • Blake Pfeil
    Creator/Host
  • Elisabeth Henry
    Starring
  • Nik Magill
    Starring
  • Blake Pfeil
    Sound Design/Mixing
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Web / New Media, Other
  • Genres:
    Storytelling, History, Personal Journals, Society & Culture
  • Runtime:
    18 minutes 17 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 4, 2024
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Podcast
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Top of the Rockies
    Denver, CO
    May 6, 2023
    Winner: Best of Podcasts
  • On Air Fest
    Los Angeles, CA
    November 4, 2023
    Official Select
  • UK International Radio Drama Festival
    Canterbury, England
    United Kingdom
    April 23, 2024
    European Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Ambies
    Los Angeles, CA
    March 26, 2024
    Nominee: Best Indie Podcast
  • PopCon Podcast Awards
    Indianapolis, IN
    United States
    May 26, 2024
    Winner: Best History Podcast
  • Prix Marulic International Audio Documentary Festival
    Hvar
    Croatia
    May 19, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Swedish International Film Festival
    Stockholm
    Sweden
    July 1, 2024
    Winner: Best Podcast
  • MN WebFest
    Duluth, MN
    United States
    October 4, 2024
    Minnesota Premiere
    Nominee: Best Drama Podcast
  • Catalyst Content Festival
    Duluth, MN
    United States
    October 6, 2024
    Official Selection
  • Press Gazette Future of Media Awards
    London
    United Kingdom
    September 12, 2024
    Nominee: Podcast of the Year - Regional
  • Zepstone Arts Festival
    Salt Lake City, UT
    United States
    September 16, 2024
    Utah Premiere
    Winner: Best Fictional Podcast Script
  • Melbourne WebFest
    Melbourne
    Australia
    October 18, 2024
    Official Selection
  • NJ WebFest
    Montclair, NJ
    United States
    September 27, 2024
    Nominee: Outstanding Anthology, Outstanding Fantasy, Best Family Friendly, Best Sound Design (Environmental), Best Writing
  • Sydney Web Fest
    Sydney
    Australia
    October 12, 2024
    Australian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Parapod Podcast Awards
    Santa Clara, CA
    United States
    October 4, 2024
    Nominee: Best History Podcast
  • NZ Web Fest
    Auckland
    New Zealand
    November 1, 2024
    New Zealand Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Disctopia TruePlay Innovative Podcaster Award
    Charlotte, NC
    United States
    Semi-Finalist
Director Biography

Blake Pfeil is an award-winning multidisciplinary artist. In his “day job,” Blake steps into the role of Operations & Programs Manager at the nonprofit storytelling organization TMI Project, where he also serves as a producer for The TMI Project Story Hour, winner of an International Women's Podcast Award. He hosts "The Pfeil File" on Radio Kingston/WKNY (107.9 FM/1490 AM in the Hudson Valley, NY). In all his non-existent spare time, Blake is an associate producer for season 5 of History Colorado's Lost Highways, a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities. His current passion project is All-American Ruins. The podcast arm of the project, abandoned: The All-American Ruins Podcast, was an Official Select at On Air Fest 2023, winner of the Top of the Rockies – Best of Podcasts (2023), and nominated for the Ambies as Best Indie Podcast. All-American Ruins was also recently shortlisted for the Elevate Creatives Fund. MA, Purchase College; BFA, Emerson College; Alumni, SUNY Stony Brook's Audio Podcast Fellowship.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement


As a multidisciplinary artist, I am wholly focused on telling vulnerable stories of wanderlust that blur the lines between fact and fiction. I aim to explore the themes of woven into the underbelly of American culture as well as celebrate the healing power of the human imagination.

I chose to link the audio for season 2, episode, "Mrs. Dalby and the Gravekeeper of Hatteras Island." You can listen to the complete series at blakepfeil.com/aar-podcast.