THE MOTHMAN!!!!

THE MOTHMAN!

The MOTHMAN is one of my all time favorite creatures. Here is some information about the MOTHMAN and the history of what went on during the MOTHMAN sightings. It's VERY interesting. I love it! And I bet you'll love it too! OK, here we go...

 I NOW INTRODUCE TO YOU, THE MOTHMAN!

Quote:

"The weird events connected to the Mothman began on November 12, 1966 near Clendenin, West Virginia. Five men were in the local cemetery that day, preparing a grave for a burial, when something that looked like a “brown human being” lifted off from some nearby trees and flew over their heads. The men were baffled. It did not appear to be a bird, but more like a man with wings. A few days later, more sightings would take place, electrifying the entire region." "Late in the evening of November 15, two young married couples had a very strange encounter as they drove past an abandoned TNT plant near Point Pleasant, West Virginia. The couples spotted two large eyes that were attached to something that was "shaped like a man, but bigger, maybe six or seven feet tall. And it had big wings folded against its back". When the creature moved toward the plant door, the couples panicked and sped away. Moments later, they saw the same creature on a hillside near the road. It spread its wings and rose into the air, following with their car, which by now was traveling at over 100 miles per hour. "That bird kept right up with us," said one of the group. They told Deputy Sheriff Millard Halstead that it followed them down Highway 62 and right to the Point Pleasant city limits. And they would not be the only ones to report the creature that night. Another group of four witnesses claimed to see the “bird” three different times!"

Quote:

 "The remote and abandoned TNT plant became the lair of the Mothman in the months ahead and it could not have picked a better place to hide in. The area was made up of several hundred acres of woods and large concrete domes where high explosives were stored during World War II. A network of tunnels honeycombed the area and made it possible for the creature to move about without being seen. In addition to the manmade labyrinth, the area was also comprised of the McClintic Wildlife Station, a heavily forested animal preserve filled with woods, artificial ponds and steep ridges and hills. Much of the property was almost inaccessible and without a doubt, Mothman could have hid for weeks or months and remained totally unseen. The only people who ever wandered there were hunters and fishermen and the local teenagers, who used the rutted dirt roads of the preserve as “lover’s lanes”"

Quote:

"And stranger things still took place..... A reporter named Mary Hyre, who was the Point Pleasant correspondent for the Athens, Ohio newspaper the Messenger, also wrote extensively about the local sightings. In fact, after one very active weekend, she was deluged with over 500 phone calls from people who saw strange lights in the skies. One night in January 1967, she was working late in her office in the county courthouse and a man walked in the door. He was very short and had strange eyes that were covered with thick glasses. He also had long, black hair that was cut squarely “like a bowl haircut”. Hyre said that he spoke in a low, halting voice and he asked for directions to Welsh, West Virginia. She thought that he had some sort of speech impediment and for some reason, he terrified her. “He kept getting closer and closer to me, “ she said, “ and his funny eyes were staring at me almost hypnotically.”"

Quote:

"Whatever the creature may have been, it seems clear that Mothman was no hoax. There were simply too many credible witnesses who saw “something”. It was suggested at the time that the creature may have been a sandhill crane, which while they are not native to the area, could have migrated south from Canada. That was one explanation anyway, although it was one that was rejected by Mothman witnesses, who stated that what they saw looked nothing like a crane".

SOURCE: READ MORE:
 http://www.prairieghosts.com/moth.html

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HERE ARE SOME MORE WEB SITES ABOUT THE MOTHMAN IF YOU ARE NOW INTERESTED:  

PRAIRIEGHOSTS.COM - THE MOTHMAN: 

http://www.prairieghosts.com/moth.html

THE LEGEND OF THE MOTHMAN:

 http://www.qsl.net/w5www/mothman.html

MOTHMAN - WIKIPEDIA, THE FREE ENCYCLOPEDIA: 

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mothman

UNKNOWN EXPLORERS - MOTHMAN: 

http://www.unknownexplorers.com/mothman.php

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I would also highly recommend the documentary called: 

"EYES OF THE MOTHMAN" 

Directed by: Matthew J. Pellowski

It is an amazing documentary that will give you the chills! It is by far my favorite and the best documentary that I have ever seen. I HIGHLY recommend it! It is defiantly worth the watch! It is very interesting. It may be two to three hours long but like I said, it's worth it. Trust me. I love it. I know you will love it too. 

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Two EXCELLENT books about the MOTHMAN that I would highly recommend are:

The fist one is: 

"MOTHMAN: THE FACTS BEHIND THE LEGEND"

BY DONNIE SERGENT, JR AND JEFF WAMSLEY

The second one is:

"MOTHMAN: BEHIND THE RED EYES" 

BY JEFF WAMSLEY 

You can get "Eyes Of The Mothman" on Amazon.com. Or you can search it on Netflix. You can also get the two books I spoke of above at Amazon.com.

Well that's all I got for you. The MOTHMAN, Fact or Legend? It's up to YOU to decide.

- Rachel Livingston 

What Are Shadow People??? - UPDATED!!!

~SHADOW PEOPLE!!!~

Have you ever heard of "Shadow People"? Most likely you have. If you haven't heard of them, well, you have now! I have had many different experiences with "Shadow People". I find them very mysterious and interesting...Here is some interesting information about SHADOW PEOPLE. Now, pay attention! The information below is from different perspectives and beliefs about the Shadow People. I'm just letting you know so you don't get too confused..Just open your mind and read away...

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WHAT ARE SHADOW PEOPLE? OR SHOULD I SAY, WHAT ARE THE SHADOW PEOPLE THEORIES? 

Quote:

""WHAT WAS THAT?" You were sitting comfortably on your sofareading the latest issue of FATE in the dim light when movement across the room caught your attention. It seemed dark and shadowy, but there was nothing there. You returned to your reading - and a moment later there it was again. You looked up quickly this time and saw the fleeting but distinctly human shape of the shadow pass quickly over the far wall... and disappear." 

"What are shadow people and where do they come from? Several theories have been offered." 

"THE IMAGINATION - The explanation we get from skeptics and mainstream science - and who are usually people who have never experienced the shadow people phenomenon - is that it is nothing more than the active human imagination. It's our minds playing tricks on us... our eyes seeing things in a fraction of a second that aren't really there - illusions... real shadows caused by passing auto headlights, or some similar explanation. And without a doubt, these explanations probably can account for some if not many experiences. The human eye and mind are easily fooled. But can they account for all cases?" 

"GHOSTS - To call these entities ghosts demands first a definition of what we mean by ghosts. But by almost any definition, shadow people are somewhat different than ghost phenomena. Whereas ghost apparitions are almost always a misty white, vaporish or have a decidedly human form and appearance (very often with discernable "clothing"), shadow beings are much darker and more shadow-like. In general, although the shadow people often do have a human outline or shape, because they are dark, the details of their appearance is lacking. This is in contrast to many ghost sightings in which the witness can describe the ghost's facial features, style of clothing and other details. The one detail most often noted in some shadow being sightings are their glowing red eyes." 

"DEMONS OR OTHER SPIRIT ENTITIES - The dark countenance and malevolent feelings that are often reported in association with these creatures has led some researchers to speculate that they may be demonic in nature. If they are demons, we have to wonder what their purpose or intent is in letting themselves be seen in this manner. Is it merely to frighten?"

 SOURCE: READ MORE:
http://paranormal.about.com/od/trueghoststories/a/shadow-people.htm

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Quote:

"Shadow People may be demonic entities, ghosts, inter-dimensional travelers, or other denizens of the dark realm we call the Unknown. Regardless of their label, Shadow People could very well be more than just one type of being. Brad Steiger, author of “Shadow World,” has studied the paranormal for more than 50 years and agrees – there are many possible explanations for Shadow People. “I would say that experiencers are seeing all of the above and giving them/it the name of Shadow People.”"

SOURCE: READ MORE:
 http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2012/03/the-lurking-shadow-people/

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Quote:

"The "Shadow People" are not evil or demonic, but simply represent a different configuration pattern than the previously documented orbs, vortices and ectoplasmic swirls and vapor that are the shapes of the spirits of the dead. The spirits of the dead may manifest in many configuration patters according to what they choose. It does take more energy to be displayed as a full body apparition than being a ball of light or an vapor of energy."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
 http://www.ghostweb.com/shadow_people.html

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Quote:

"Shadow people (also known as Shadow men, Shadow folk or Shadow beings) are said to be shadow-like creatures of supernatural origin which appear as dark forms in the peripheries of people's vision and disintegrate, or move between walls, when noticed."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
 http://creepypasta.wikia.com/wiki/Shadow_People

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Quote:

"Several scientific theories have been proposed to explain Shadow People here are the main ones."

"......The Imagination, Pareidolia, Hypnagogia, Substances, Psychiatric disorders, Sleep Deprivation, Electromagnetic fields...."

--->(I ONLY TYPED THE NAMES OF THE THEORIES, FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT EACH ONE OF THESE THEORIES GO TO THE SOURCE BELOW...)

SOURCE: READ MORE:
 https://sites.google.com/site/theunknownandbeyond/shadow-people


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WHAT ARE THE SHADOW PEOPLE'S CHARACTERISTICS AND WHAT ARE THE ENCOUNTERS WITH THEM LIKE?

Quote:

"Tales of walking Shadows come from across the world. Some of these Shadow People wander through the periphery of our lives; others stay for years. People can rarely make out features of these darker-than-night, human shaped entities other than an occasional set of blazing red eyes. Shadow People often appear dressed as a Medieval monk, wearing a fedora, or bald and sexless. These entities may simply trek through our bedroom at night never to be seen again, while others may lurk in doorways, just watching, day after day. Still others attack with energy-draining fear."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
 http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2012/03/the-lurking-shadow-people/

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Quote:

"In the typical experience, a person wakes up from sleep and sees a Shadow Person in the bedroom. It stands right at the bedside, in a corner or in the doorway. It may emerge from a closet or slide out from under the bed. Some of them come through the walls."

"The experiencer is usually terrified and screams. A reaction often makes the Shadow Person disappear, either by vanishing into thin air, zipping down a hallway, or melting through a wall or ceiling (or back under the bed!). People may feel paralyzed to do anything but shut their eyes, hoping that the figure will be gone when they open them. Sometimes it is – and sometimes it isn’t."

"Some people feel threatened by the Shadow Person. It sits on the bed, or presses on them, making them feel as though they will suffocate or choke. The experience ends before actual physical harm occurs, however."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
 http://www.darknessembraced.com/paranormal/ghosts-and-hauntings/item/212-shadow-people-they-may-not-be-what-you-think

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Quote:

"Reports of shadow people are similar to ghost sightings, but differ in that shadow people are not reported as having human features, wearing modern/period clothing, or attempting to communicate. Witnesses also do not report the same feelings of being in the presence of something that 'was once human'. Some individuals have described being menaced, chased, or (more rarely) attacked by shadow people. There have also been reports of shadow people appearing in front of witnesses or lingering for several seconds before disappearing. Witnesses report that encounters are typically accompanied by a feeling of dread."

SOURCE: READ MORE: 
http://creepypasta.wikia.com/wiki/Shadow_People


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THERE ARE A LOT OF DIFFERENT THEORIES ABOUT SHADOW PEOPLE....IT'S UP TO YOU TO DECIDE WHICH THEORY BEST FITS YOU AND YOUR BELIEFS. THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT TYPES OF SHADOW PEOPLE AND THEY COME IN MANY DIFFERENT FORMS. MANY PEOPLE FROM AROUND THE WORLD HAVE HAD ENCOUNTERS WITH THESE CREEPY BEINGS. I BET YOU HAVE SEEN ONE TOO!!!.....FEEL FREE TO SEND IN YOUR SHADOW PEOPLE ENCOUNTERS! THANKS.

-Rachel Livingston

More Interesting Haunted Places

                    HERE ARE SOME MORE INTERESTING HAUNTED PLACES.

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The Myrtles Plantation

Quote:

"Built in 1796 by General David Bradford, this stately old home on Myrtles Plantation is said to be haunted be several restless ghosts. Some researchers say as many as ten murders have been committed there, but others, such as Troy Taylor and David Wisehart, have only been able to confirm one murder at Myrtles." 

Quote: 

"Cleo – a former slave who was allegedly hung on the premises for killing two little girls. (Those murders and even the existence of Cleo are in question.)"

"The ghosts of the two murdered children have been seen playing on the veranda."

"William Drew Winter – an attorney who lived at Myrtles from 1860 to 1871. He was shot on the side porch of the house by a stranger. With his life's blood pouring from his body, Winter staggered into the house and began to climb the stairs to the second floor... but didn't make it. He collapsed and died on the 17th step. It is his last dying footsteps that can still be heard on the staircase to this day. (Winter's murder is the only one that has been verified.)"

"The ghosts of other slaves allegedly occasionally show up to ask if they can do any chores.The grand piano has often been heard to play by itself, repeating one haunting chord."

SOURCE:READ MORE:
 http://paranormal.about.com/od/hauntedplaces/ig/World-s-Most-Haunted-Place/The-Myrtles-Plantation.htm

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Alcatraz National Park

Quote:

"Alcatraz was used as a prison from 1850 - 1963. Actually, it was sort of used as a prison even before the military started using it in 1850...Native American tribes used it as a prison (or isolation place) to punish tribe members who violated the tribal laws. Alcatraz has a very haunted history. Some say that the Native Americans avoided the island because it contained "evil spirits". I'm sure that bad, law breaking tribe members who were sent there started this legend." 

Quote: 

"Today many visitors and park reangers experience cell doors opening and closing, loud footsteps, clanking metal, loud crashing sounds, terrible screams, horrible smells, mysterious smoke/fog, sobbing, and intense feelings of being watched. Also, several apparitions have been seen. The most haunted locations on Alcatraz are the Warden’s house, the hospital, the laundry room, and the cell block ‘C’ utility door where convicts Coy, Cretzer and Hubbard died during their bloody escape attempt in 1946. However, the most haunted area of Alcatraz is the ‘D’ cell block, where prisoners were punished by solitary confinement. This area is also referred to as "The Hole"."

SOURCE:READ MORE:
 http://www.graveaddiction.com/alcatraz.html


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The Bell Witch

Quote:

"The haunting began in 1817 when the Bell family began experiencing strange phenomena in their home. First, the house was plagued with knocking and rapping noises and scratching sounds. Blankets were pulled from beds, family members were kicked and scratched and their hair pulled. Particularly tormented was young Elizabeth Bell, who was slapped, pinched, bruised and stuck with pins. At first, John Bell was determined to keep the events secret, but soon confided in a friend, who then formed an investigative committee. John Bell's friends soon learned that the strange force in the house had an eerie intelligence. It soon found a voice and from that day on was seldom silent".

SOURCE:READ MORE:
 http://www.prairieghosts.com/b-cave.html


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The Lincoln Theater

Quote:

"Stories have circulated about hauntings at the Lincoln Theater since at least the 1930's. Reports by witnesses from those early days of film in the theater have suggested that as least one ghost haunts the building. However, in more recent times, the numerous encounters here have led many to believe that a multitude of spirits may linger in the Lincoln."

Quote: 

"Over the years, dozens of witnesses have reported strange sounds and footsteps in the otherwise empty theater and these are sounds that cannot be explained away as simply the theater's acoustics. They have also reported whispers, strange voices and even a shadowy apparition in the theater's balcony. However, this strange figure is not described as looking like Red, but rather as a woman in a long, old-fashioned dress! This is only one of the many reports that cause some to believe there are a number of ghosts in the building. Several other witnesses have reported their own brushes with hazy forms and figures seen out of the corner of the eye ---- and none of these descriptions match! Could there be a legion of phantoms left behind in the theater?"

"In addition to visual sightings, there have been a number of other encounters as well, including the aforementioned footsteps and sounds. Many have experienced inexplicable cold chills in certain spots in the building and others claim to have been touched by unseen hands. Several others have mentioned seeing theater seats in the auditorium actually raise and lower by themselves, as if an unseen audience was watching the proceedings on the stage."

SOURCE:READ MORE:
 http://www.haunteddecatur.com/lincoln.html


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Bobby Mackey's Music World

Quote:

"Apparently, a small satanic group made up of local residents gathered at the empty building, managing to practice their rituals in secret. However, they were exposed in 1896 during one of the most spectacular murder trials ever held in northeast Kentucky. It was so large that tickets were sold to the hearing and more than 5,000 people stood outside the Newport, Kentucky courthouse for information about what was taking place inside. The trial, and the murder that spawned it, has become an integral part of Bobby Mackey’s haunted history. Finally, the building was turned into the popular bar and dance club that it is today."

Quote: 

"Pearl’s body was found about two hundred feet off the Alexandria Turnpike and less than two miles from the abandoned slaughterhouse. As her head was nowhere to be found, Pearl was identified by her shoes. They bore the imprint of Louis and Hays, a Greencastle shoe company that was able to confirm that they had been sold to Pearl Bryan. During the trial that followed, Walling testified that it had been Jackson’s idea to cut Pearl up and distribute her body in the Cincinnati sewers. Only the head was taken, for which Jackson apparently had other uses. Pearl’s luxurious blond hair was later found in a valise in Jackson’s room."

"Pearl’s head was never found and legend has it that it was used during a satanic ritual at the slaughterhouse. It was then dumped into the well of blood and was lost. Jackson and Walling were brought to trial in 1897 and were quickly found guilty and sentenced to death. William Wood was later arrested and charged as an accomplice. Charges against him were dropped when he agreed to testify against the other two men. According to reports, Jackson and Walling were both offered life sentences instead of execution if they would reveal the location of Pearl’s head. Both men refused. They went to the gallows behind the courthouse in Newport on March 21, 1897. It was the last public hanging in Campbell County."

Quote:

" Finally, the building was turned into the popular bar and dance club that it is today. Bobby and Janet Mackey purchased the building in the spring of 1978 with the intention of turning it into a country bar. Mackey was a well-known as a singer in northern Kentucky and had recorded several albums. He actually scrapped his plans to record in Nashville in order to renovate the old tavern. Once the bar was opened up, it immediately began to attract a crowd." 

Quote: 

"Soon, other employees and patrons of the place began to have their own weird experiences. They began to tell of objects that moved around on their own, lights that turned on an off, disembodied voices and laughter and more. Bobby Mackey was not happy about the ghostly rumors that were starting to spread around town. "Carl starting telling stories and I told him to keep quiet about it. I didn’t want it getting around, because I had everything I own stuck in this place. I had to make a success of it," he said. He was not one to believe in ghosts or the supernatural and he didn’t want his customers believing in it either. But when Janet Mackey revealed that she too had encountered the resident spirits, Mackey was no longer sure what to think!"

Quote:

"He continued to collect stories and sightings, intrigued by the various spirits who had been seen, including a headless ghost who was dressed in turn-of-the-century clothing. Strangely, independent witnesses provided matching descriptions of the phantom, never knowing that she had been seen by others. That was when Hensley turned to historic records to shed some light on the building’s past. He was stunned to discover that events of the past were closely connected to the hauntings of the present. In old newspaper accounts, he found the story of Pearl Bryan and photos of Buck Brady that matched the description of an often seen ghost. None of the witnesses to the present-day paranormal activity were even vaguely aware of who these people had been or what connections they had to the building!"

Quote:

"Bobby Mackey’s Music World remains perhaps one of the strangest haunted sites in the Midwest and one that has proven to be a major attraction for ghost hunters and enthusiasts alike. Few go away disappointed from a tavern where "spirits served" has another meaning altogether!"

SOURCE:READ MORE:
 http://www.prairieghosts.com/bobby.html

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The Lemp Mansion

                                                                                                                                                                     

Quote:

"After the death of Charles Lemp, the mansion was sold and turned into a boarding house. Shortly after that, it fell on hard times and began to deteriorate, along with the nearby neighborhood. In later years, stories began to emerge that residents of the boarding house often complained of ghostly knocks and phantom footsteps in the house. As these tales spread, it became increasingly hard to find tenants to occupy the rooms and because of this, the old Lemp Mansion was rarely filled."

"The decline of the house continued until 1975, when Dick Pointer and his family purchased it. The Pointer's began remodeling and renovating the place, working for many years to turn it into a restaurant and an inn. But the Pointer's were soon to find out that they were not alone in the house..".

"The bulk of the remodeling was done in the 1970s and during this time, workers reported strange things happening in the house, leading many to believe the place was haunted. Reports often varied between feelings of being watched, vanishing tools and strange sounds. Many of the workers actually left the job site and never came back."

"Since the restaurant has opened, staff members also have had their own odd experiences. Glasses have been seen to lift off the bar and fly through the air; sounds are often heard that do not have explanation and some have even glimpsed actual apparitions who appear and vanish at will. In addition, many customers and visitors to the house report some pretty weird incidents. It is said that doors lock and unlock on their own; the piano in the bar plays by itself; voices and sounds come from nowhere; and even the spirit of the "Lavender Lady" has been spotted on occasion."

"The house has also attracted ghost hunters from around the country, who have come partly due to a November 1980 LIFE magazine article, which named the Lemp Mansion as "one of the most haunted houses in America". It remains a popular place for dinner and spirits today."

"The current owner of the house, Paul Pointer, maintains the place as a wonderful eating and lodging establishment and takes the ghosts as just another part of the strange mansion. "People come here expecting to experience weird things," he said, " and fortunately for us, they are rarely disappointed.""

SOURCE:READ MORE:
 http://www.prairieghosts.com/lemp.html

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-Rachel Livingston

HAUNTED ALTON, ILLINOIS, USA

HAUNTED ALTON, ILLINOIS, USA


I absolutely LOVE Alton, Illinois! I live about five minutes away from the spooky town. I've explored there a lot. I've even done my own paranormal investigations and visited some of the Haunted places in Alton. It is one of my favorite places to go. This is why I must share this Alton, Illinois blog entry with you.

Alton has a rich history of Hauntings. And a rich History in general. Alton is located 25 miles north of St. Louis, Missouri. It was founded in 1837.  Alton is also considered one of the most haunted small towns in the USA!  Alton even has a lot of Civil War history as well.

Here is a link to a web site that talks a little about Alton's History: http://www.villageprofile.com/illinois/alton/alton2.html#history
(But that site does not talk much about the Haunted History in Alton, Illinois.)

If you want to learn some of Alton's Haunted History go to this link: http://www.prairieghosts.com/alton.html

I'm sure if you search Alton, Illinois on the web you will find a lot more interesting information.


Anyway, Here are a few Haunted Places in Alton, Illinois, USA:

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Mineral Springs Hotel

Quote:

"The legends of the place claim there are several different ghosts that haunt the corridors and rooms of the Mineral Springs. The first is said to be that of an itinerant artist who was unable to pay his hotel bill back in 1932. His ghost apparently haunts the former hotel bar. This section of the building has served as a shop in recent years but the saloon that once existed here was decorated with fine woods and marble, ornate trim and gargoyle-like figures on the crossbeams. All traces of the bar have since vanished and all that remains behind is the supposedly unfinished mural of the city of Alton that has been painted on one wall. The stories say that the artist who lived here was allowed to paint the mural in exchange for his bill. He died before he was able to finish it and his ghost has remained here ever since."

SOURCE: READ MORE: 
 http://www.altonhauntings.com/mineral.html

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The Cracker Factory

Quote:

"The strange happenings in the building would soon turn out not to be false alarms. As Julie prepared to open the shop for her first day of business, she carefully double-checked to make sure that the doors were locked before she left the night before. She had brand new “open” signs that had been placed in the windows and as she checked to make sure that the doors were locked, she also made sure that the signs read that she was “closed”. She was looking forward to turning them around the next morning. However, someone beat her to it! When she came in the next morning, both of the signs, on both the front and side doors, had been turned so that they read “open”. No one else had been in the building since Julie had left. The only explanation seemed to be that “someone” in the place was happy that she had opened a new antique store in the basement." 

SOURCE: READ MORE:
 http://www.altonhauntings.com/cracker.html

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The Mc.Pike Mansion

Quote:

"The house was built in 1869. The house has not been occupied since the 1950's.  It is not uncommon to find in photos of the mansion, orbs, balls of light, even figures appearing in the windows that were not seen by the human eye when the photo was taken. This Grand Ole House is thought to still house many of the spirits that once lived here.  Many Psychics and Mediums have felt the presence of what they believe to be McPike family, servants, as well as some of those who resided in and owned the house since 1936. The Cellar has been a focal point of many energies felt in the mansion."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
 http://www.mcpikemansion.com/

MORE INFO: 
 http://www.altonhauntings.com/mcpike.html

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The Legends of Alton's Milton School

Quote:

"As the years have passed, these questions have continued to be asked, although no answers are forthcoming. Rumors, stories and whispered legends floated about the school for years and while many students would never learn that the building had a dark and tainted past, others would not be so lucky. During the years when the school was still open, many students spoke of strange encounters in the building, odd events, unexplained sounds, and strange shadows that didn’t belong. Many of these stories would be dismissed as nothing more than a creepy old building settling on its foundations, or the overactive imaginations of elementary school students but others would not. Many former students can tell stories of strange experiences in the old school and also tales of their friend’s encounters with “Mary”"

SOURCE: READ MORE:
http://www.altonhauntings.com/milton.html


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Hop Hollow Road

Quote:

"The spirits of the Civil War in Alton do not confine themselves to this chapter of the book, any more than they confine themselves to the site of the old Alton Penitentiary. As noted already, there are tales of Confederate ghosts who still wander the area that was once Smallpox Island and later on, the reader will also be introduced to an officer who refuses to leave his final resting place. In addition to these haunts, there are also the Civil War spirits whose legend has taken the form of perhaps America’s most popular form of specter – hitchhiking ghosts."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
 http://www.altonhauntings.com/hollow.html


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The Haunting of Alton's First Unitarian Church

Quote:

"The body of Rev. Phillip Mercer, 48, a suicide, was found at 5:15 Tuesday afternoon in the First Unitarian Church of which he had been minister for the last six years and in which his study was located. The church is located at 110 East Third Street."

"A piece of sash cord about the neck, his body was found suspended from the transom of a door leading from the Sunday School room at the rear of the church edifice into a hallway from which there is a door leading into the yard of the church."

"It is the belief of Deputy Coroner Klunk that the minister had been dead at least 24 hours when his body was found. His neck had apparently been broken, and a chair, standing near the body, indicated that he had stepped from the chair after the sash cord had been affixed."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
 http://www.altonhauntings.com/unitarian.html


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The Franklin House

Quote:

"The legend goes on to say that the room where the family of the little girl stayed while in Alton is located on the top floor of the building. During the years when the hotel was still in operation, many guests refused to stay in this room, claiming that it was too cold or that strange sounds kept them up at night. During the period after the hotel was closed down, and while the building was empty for a time, merchant policemen who patrolled the downtown area would sometimes claim to see a light burning in this room, even though the building was locked and empty. After the building was renovated and opened again, employees would report hearing footsteps roaming around in this upstairs room but would always find it empty when they investigated the sounds. They also claimed that when they would go up to check the room, they would find the door mysteriously locked. After retrieving a key and returning to the upper floor, the door would always be found standing open – as if whoever had been inside had decided to leave. The room was never occupied during those brief minutes and no one could figure out why the door behaved in the way that it did."

"Years passed after the hotel closed down and the location was eventually remodeled and renovated, then turned into several stores and a restaurant and tea room. After all of this time though, the haunting continued and employees once again began to tell stories of spirited pranks and glimpses of a little girl in a white dress. In the tea room, silverware would often move around on its own, glasses would inexplicably spill and kitchen items would sometimes mysteriously disappear. A number of guests who came to the place and went upstairs to view the Lincoln bedroom would often ask about the little girl who was playing on the nearby staircase. No one wanted to tell them that there was no little girl present in the building at the time!"

SOURCE: READ MORE: 
http://www.altonhauntings.com/franklin.html


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The Enos Sanatorium

Quote:

"Legend also has it that the ornate cupola on the roof of the mansion was used as a signal post for escaped slaves coming from across the river. One light that was placed in the window was said to have been a signal that all was clear and two lights meant that there was danger afoot. The cupola, which towers over the downtown area, could be easily seen from the Missouri side of the river. The house saw quite a lot of activity during the busiest years of the Underground Railroad movement but there are no records to say just how many runaways may have passed through the house’s clever hiding place."

"Some believe that the former slaves who passed through the house may contribute to the haunting that has been reported here for many years.  There were a number of tragedies that took place during the years when the Underground Railroad was in its heyday, when slaves were killed, sometimes just before reaching freedom. The Underground Railroad was filled with peril and death and many slaves never reached the north. Because of the danger of capture, sickness and hunger, a number of places associated with the Railroad have been considered haunted over the years".

"The lingering spirits of escaped slaves may explain some of the odd things that occur in this building but it cannot explain them all. The old mansion seems to have two very distinct types of hauntings, one located both in the basement and another among the upper floors of the house. The weird activity beneath the earth very well may be connected to the Underground Railroad but the ghosts upstairs are likely a part of a later era in the house – a time period when scores of people actually perished within the walls of this stately mansion."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
 http://www.altonhauntings.com/enos.html

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The Mansion House

Quote:

"The building was later used as a Catholic boarding school by nuns of the Ursuline Order and the Daughters of Charity. In 1864, during the height of the smallpox epidemic at the Alton Prison, the house was turned into a hospital and in fact, was the very first hospital in the city. Three Daughters of Charity nuns from St. Louis responded to a plea from President Lincoln to come to Alton and try to get the smallpox epidemic under control.  They began treating the sick townspeople at the hospital and at the isolation camp on Smallpox Island. Gradually, under their watchful care, the epidemic began to subside. The legends say that many people who had come down with the dreaded disease died in the Mansion House and claim their ghosts still walk here, restless and frightened of the illness that suddenly ended their lives. And if these ghosts walk here – they may not walk alone."

"According to stories, anecdotes and even historical records, this house was haunted long before the Civil War. In fact, the Mansion House has the rather dubious honor of being one of the first documented haunted houses in the city of Alton."

"The most famous otherworldly resident of the place is the ghost of a man named Tom Boothby. He was a grizzled, old Indian fighter who came to live in the hotel in 1836. Boothby had seen more than his share of adventure during the Indian battles of the War of 1812. As a result, he had retired to Alton with only one arm and one eye, an arrow having put out the other one. Boothby took a downstairs room in the back, left corner of the house and quickly became known as an eccentric recluse. It is believed that he did not leave his room until his death in 1838 and the stories say that he had a boy who would deliver his meals to him each morning. The following day, Boothby would leave a payment, and the empty tray, for the young man to exchange for a full one."

SOURCE: READ MORE:
 http://www.altonhauntings.com/mansion.html

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- Rachel Livingston