The stories behind Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow"

Fittingly, the 200th anniversary of the publication of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow comes during a pandemic year.

Why fittingly? Historian Elizabeth Bradley explained, in a recent NPR conversation, that author Washington Irving fled Manhattan during a yellow fever epidemic.

His place of refuge, Tarrytown, was where Irving heard many of the tales and legends that inspired the character of the Headless Horseman.

To hear some of those stories, check out Bradley’s interview with Scott Simon — you can listen below or read a transcript on NPR’s website.

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