History Goes Bump: Ghost Tours For The Mind

The USS Salem was the flagship of the 6th Fleet and is nicknamed "The Sea Witch." She was first launched in 1947 as a Naval cruiser and was fortunate to never see any battle. But that didn't keep her from being linked to death with reports of onboard deaths ranging from 75 to 100. And that has left ghosts on this now floating museum in Quincy, Massachusetts that we had the opportunity to explore w...

The Florida Everglades is a network of impenetrable swamps, snaking waterways and thick cypress forests. This would be a great place to make a body disappear and there is a dark history here of disappearances, death and hauntings. Conservative numbers claim that there have been 175 unsolved murders here since 1965. People claim that the Everglades is haunted and there are stories going back to the...

There's no other way to describe the Hotel del Coronado in San Diego other than magnificent. The structure is unique and easily recognizable with its Queen Anne Victorian architecture and white clapboard exterior topped with red turrets. Much has been added to it through the years to modernize it, but the original 1888 hotel still dominates the scene. A beautiful stranger came to stay in 1892 and...

In this redux episode, Kelly and Diane explore the origins of the Bloody Mary legends and rituals. Through that exploration, they examine the superstitions around mirrors and the practice of scrying. Then they share some of the creepiest stories connected to people who tried calling out to Bloody Mary and got more than they bargained for! Listen with the lights on and stay out of the bathroom! Che...

Vast areas of the oceans have never been explored, but there are also places on the earth that have been left untouched. Particularly the mountains. Some are so high, men can only dream of scaling them. Others are so thick with vegetation, it is impossible to penetrate deeply. Fathomless mysteries are hidden within them. Several of these mountains have legends connected to them, making them mystic...

New Orleans, Louisiana is well known for its legends and its ghosts. Like every other large city, it has played host to some heinous crimes and the 700 block of Ursulines Avenue seems to be a murder block. Is there something evil here? A legend grew up around a sensational crime that took place here in 1927 starring a spectre nicknamed "The Sausage Ghost." Seventy-five years later, another very si...

Denver was considered the Queen City of the Plains during the Victorian era and by 1867, it was designated the territorial capital. Colorado would gain statehood in 1876 and a capitol would be built on Capitol Hill starting in 1886. Capitol Hill would become a thriving neighborhood, particularly for the wealthy, and it would be here that Denver's Millionaire's Row would be established. The Peabody...

Estes Park is a gorgeous mountain city and one of Diane's favorite places in Colorado. F.O. Stanley would build the Stanley Hotel in this town, a hotel made famous by Stephen King in his book The Shining. King reputedly had unexplained experiences when he was a guest. The Shining was a story of a haunted man, a psychic boy and a haunted hotel. And the Stanley Hotel really does have a reputation fo...

Memphis' Adams Avenue is where the rich built their homes during the Victorian era. Today, it is referred to as the Victorian Village, but in its heyday, this was Millionaire's Row. These gorgeous homes not only represent the opulent lifestyle of the rich Victorian times, they hold history and ghosts. Memphis has an amazingly rich history and culture that is both positive and dark and that is the...

Bonnie and Clyde are an infamous crime duo who left behind a legacy that has been romanticized in books and movies. But the truth was that this young couple were dangerous and deadly. They left many dead bodies in their wake and their intent of living by the gun lead to them dying by the gun. And now their spirits seem to be at unrest. Intro and Outro music: Bad Players - Licensed under a non-excl...

There are two things that bring people to St Bathans in New Zealand: gold and fossils. The St Bathans fauna bears dozens of different kinds of fossils. The small town itself was once a center of the Otago Gold Rush and one of the leftover locations from that time is the Vulcan Hotel. A painted lady might have lost her life at the hotel and today, people claim her spirit haunts one of the rooms the...

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a well known piece of fiction written by Washington Irving in 1819. Many of us first heard the story in our youth and the tale fueled our imagination with images of a headless horseman chasing a man through the forest, carrying a fiery pumpkin that represented his head. It was a terrifying tale. But is this just simply a piece of fiction? Is there some truth to the s...

The Amish are one of the oldest communities in America, predating the formation of the United States. Lancaster County in Pennsylvania is considered Amish Country as this is where they first settled and continue to live. The county seat of Lancaster is one of the oldest inland cities in the United States and it was the capital of the state for thirteen years. There are several locations here that...

During Detroit's bootleg wars, a ruthless gang of Jewish immigrants rose up. They killed nearly 500 people during their reign of running the city of Detroit. The Purple Gang accomplished more in their five years of dominance than anything Al Capone and his gang achieved. In their wake, they left behind spirits in various locations that have been connected to their crime spree. Intro and Outro musi...

School is scary enough without having ghosts running around the halls. There's all that social pressure and expectation of good grades. A haunted school means that you don't just have to skirt the visible bullies, but the shadow figures lurking in the corners. Join us as we explore these reputedly haunted schools from around the world! The Moment in Oddity features the Tunguska Event and This Mont...

Kelly and Diane revisit Ep. 116! Moundsville State Penitentiary is formally known as the West Virginia Penitentiary and is located in the city of Moundsville. When it was open, it was one of the most violent prisons in the United States. The Gothic architecture looms large and is a reminder that this place was built to keep the bad inside. And that is what it still may be doing  today as there are...

Beauvoir House is located in Biloxi, Mississippi. This was once the home to former president of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis. The estate is nearly 175 years old and provided a place of refuge not only for Davis, but for Confederate veterans. There was a hospital, chapel and a cemetery for them. Today, the house is open for tours and there are stories of ghostly Confederates a...

Chopticon High school was established in 1965 to serve the St. Mary's County Public Schools in Maryland and is located in the city of Morganza. It was at this school that the murdered body of Beverley Jo Heater, whom everyone called "Peachie" was found. She was a well-liked teacher and her murder would affect the students of Chopticon High School for years and her spirit still haunts the school. I...

A haunted house in the city of St. Augustine is not unique. It seems every location near the historic downtown is haunted. But this house was fairly new, being built in the 1980s. We conducted an investigation here that lends credence to the theory that any place can have unexplained activity, regardless of age. Perhaps it is because of the land. Maybe things that happened in the house left spirit...

Salem just has a haunting air about it that oozes through every brick, tombstone and t-shirt shop. Salem and witches have become intertwined through the years and a study in human psychology surrounding the events of the Salem Witch Trials reveals a very heinous side to humanity. On this redux, Diane and Kelly revisit the Salem Witch Trials and discuss their recent trip to this amazing city. Join...

There really is no place quite as peaceful as a graveyard. The dead generally don't talk. Introverts don't have to pretend to read a book to remain undisturbed. Extraverts can take comfort in the fact that they are surrounded by a captive audience. Everyone can take solace in the idea that when they are gone, they will have a spot to keep their memory alive. Perhaps this is why so many of these ce...

Familicide is impossible to understand. How does a family member kill their entire family? The Lawson Family Murders took place on Christmas Day in 1929. Left in the wake of Charlie Lawson's murderous rampage were the bodies of his wife and six of his children. Also left behind is some spiritual residue in several locations connected to the murders. Intro and Outro music: Bad Players - Licensed un...

The Glen Tavern Inn is located in Santa Paula, California and was a hotel that prospered during the California oil boom. When Prohibition was enacted, the hotel adapted as a speakeasy and brothel. People have died in the hotel and some of their spirits may still be here. A tragic flood in the city left behind spiritual residue as well. Join us as we share the history and hauntings connected to and...

Many claim that St. Augustine, Florida is one of the most haunted cities in all of America. We are willing to believe that based on our experiences there and considering that the city has been settled for over 450 years, its a defendable claim. One of the oldest structures here and most unique in architectural styling is Ripley's Odditorium. This was once the Castle Warden and stories of hauntings...

The entire estate that is part of the Palace of Versailles covers 1,978 acres. The grounds are immaculate and amazing and the palace itself defies words. What started as a simple hunting lodge, became the seat of power in France and is today a museum featuring the most exquisite artwork and craftsmanship of any palace in the world. The palace has also been the setting for a strange time travel sto...