Histories: The Coronado is a historic, 2,400 seat theater. It was designed by architect Frederick J. Klein, cost $1.5 million to build, and opened on October 9, 1927. Some have speculated that the theater was built on an American Indian burial ground because of its proximity to Beattie Park, which contains small Indian Mounds from the Upper Mississippian period. The theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

Peck Cemetery is of the typical rural stock, formerly hidden in a wood at the end of a gravel road. Today, houses dot the pothole-filled road, the gravel path to the cemetery is now a driveway, and “Beware of dogs” and “no trespassing” signs are prominently displayed. Hidden from view prior to the 1990s, Peck Cemetery was the perfect place to hold nighttime excursions far from any prying eyes.

Hauntings: According to a local psychic named Mark Dorsett, three ghosts haunt the Coronado Theater: Willard Van Matre, its original owner (who died in 1953), Miss Kileen, its first office manager, and Louis St. Pierre, a Bridge enthusiast and the first theater manager. While the ghost of Van Matre likes to greet visitors at the theater entrance, the scent of lilac perfume is associated with Miss Kileen. Other people have reported feeling “uneasy” on the catwalks, allegedly because they are occupied by the ghosts of men who died during construction of the building.

Trespassors to Peck Cemetery have left burnt candles, graffiti, and headless statues covered in red paint. It was rumored that the leader of a Satanic cult installed a “devil’s chair” in the cemetery, on which he would sit during rituals. If anyone else sat on the chair, they would die within a year. “Inexplicable cries,” “whispers and voices,” “hooded figures,” “eerie lights,” and “the sound of a woman’s scream” are other phenomenon experienced at this cemetery.

Which of these two locations do you think is the scariest? Leave your comments below!

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Mike, Greg, Aurelia, and Emmer stood and faced what looked like a nondescript swamp, but what, in reality, was a wide moat that ringed an island that could only be seen from the air. Somewhere on that island were the ruins of an old mansion.

“It’s too bad Davin isn’t here to see this,” Emmer said, “and maybe that girl Emily too, I guess.”

“No it isn’t,” Greg shot back. “That—“

“That’s enough,” Mike said, interrupting his friend. “We have more important things to worry about right now, like how we’re going to get across this moat.”

“Isn’t there a way around?” Emmer asked.

Mike scanned the area. For as far as his eyes could see, the water hugged the trunks of the trees. In some places, downed branches seemed to offer a ford, but it was doubtful whether any would hold a person’s weight.

Casey the Coydog barked and began to trot along the shoreline away from The Fallen and toward the sounds of traffic.

“Where’s she going?” Greg wondered aloud.

What happens next? Click here to download the entire issue (.pdf) and find out!

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Legends and Lore of Illinois Vol. 2 – on Kindle!

Or, order all 12 issues of the Legends and Lore of Illinois from 2008 for only $5.00 in a special Kindle edition. Places covered in Vol. 2: Archer Cemetery, Sunset Haven, Peoria State Hospital (Bartonville Asylum), Airtight Bridge, University of Illinois, Calvary Cemetery and ‘Seaweed Charlie,’ Lakey’s Creek, Peck Cemetery, Blood’s Point Road, Old Union Cemetery, Hartford Castle, and more! Plus, read letters from our readers, book reviews, ghostly games, and put your knowledge of these locations to the test with challenging trivia questions. Don’t miss these classic issues from the archives of the Legends and Lore of Illinois.

Order it today on Amazon.com.
Note: Amazon Kindle required.

Legends and Lore of Illinois: The Fallen Chronicles

This special collection consists of the saga of The Fallen, spanning 47 issues of the Legends and Lore of Illinois, arranged in chronological order. For the first time, our readers can follow the epic journey of Mike, Aurelia, Davin, Greg, and Emmer from their first appearance at Bachelor’s Grove to their closing act at the summit of Starved Rock. Will The Fallen escape from a shadowy entity lurking in the tunnels under Manteno State Hospital, or will they be upstaged by their ghost-hunting rivals at Greenwood Cemetery? Follow all their adventures, twists, and turns in one convenient book! You will never look at Illinois the same way -

Order it today on Amazon.com!
Note: Amazon Kindle required.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Check out all our print-edition books here.

The quaint and unassuming Bethel Cemetery sits nestled among rolling hills, picturesque farms, and new housing developments. Its legend is little known even to locals, and many merely pass by on their way home or on a Sunday drive through the wooded hills completely unaware of the strange tale.

Even if they were aware of the legend, they might not recognize this particular cemetery as being home to such a gruesome story. At first glance, much of the cemetery has the same carefully trimmed lawn and rows of granite headstones as hundreds of other modern rural cemeteries. But a careful examination of the grounds reveals some interesting features. Off to the right of the main gate, just outside the tree line, lies the old section of the cemetery. Two large oak trees stand guard over the faded or fallen headstones. Many of the remaining stones, as well as an assortment of items that have been left there over the years, lay inside of the woods among overgrown weeds. A large collection of the stones, having been knocked down over the years, is propped up haphazardly against one of the large oaks.

Just what the story is behind the folk-name of this place (Ragdoll Cemetery) varies from person to person. Depending on who you ask, the story will either be simply strange or downright macabre. According to the typical version, there was once a little girl of about 8 or 9 years of age (the year in which the story takes place changes) who loved  her rag doll. The girl died, some say of an illness, others say murder. In the case of the illness, she asked to be buried with her doll. In the case of murder, her dying wish went unknown or was ignored.

The crux of all versions of the story is that the girl, who was never separated from her favorite toy in life, was eternally separated from it in death. In some adaptations of the tale, the doll forever searches for the girl’s grave. In others, the girl’s ghost forever searches for the doll, which was lost in the cemetery. In a third version, the doll appears every night to look for the girl’s killer. The doll is also said to hang from the oak tree near her grave, where it waits to drop down on unsuspecting trespassers.

Cemeteries with large oak trees seem to attract unusual stories. Outside of Effingham, Illinois, Ramsey Cemetery is said to be the home of both a werewolf and the grave of a warlock. The werewolf and the warlock may in fact be one in the same creature, but the focus of the legend is a thick oak tree, which has been tagged with graffiti over the years. As prominent and often interesting landmarks, it is not coincidental that trees provide fodder for folk stories and legends. Elements of the “Rag-Doll Cemetery” story do reflect some harsh realities of life. Many people died at a young age during the 1800s, and local cemeteries are scattered with the graves of those who passed on well before their time. Sallie T. Hill, once suggested in the Coles County Leader as a possible candidate for the girl in the story, died in 1873 when she was only 8 years and 3 months old. Prior to the 1950s, many children perished of diseases like Cholera and TB, an element in one version of the legend.

Unsolved murder was another sad reality of life in east-central Illinois. Between 1966 and 1980, there were more than six unsolved murders in and around Coles County.  In the most gruesome version of the rag doll story, the girl was murdered and her killer was never found. Perhaps the people of Coles, seeking justice in the face of a spate of unsolved crimes, put their faith in a young girl’s loyal rag doll.

Recently, Joe Lucarelli, an independent filmmaker and former Mattoon resident, chose Bethel Cemetery as the setting for his thriller “Rag Doll.” The movie was filmed at various locations around Mattoon and incorporates elements of the “rag doll” legend.

As an accomplished author with several book credits under your belt, what appeals to you about the paranormal and why? What was the first story you wrote with that theme?

I have always been a complete sucker for a good ghost story. I mean ALWAYS, back to when I was a little kid. I’ll devour anything with the word “ghost” or “haunted” in the title. Why? I think it’s a combination of things. There’s the history aspect. I’m fascinated by the stories of people that lived in this world before we did. It’s basically the same place, but some things have changed so much. And of course, there’s the whole afterlife thing. What happens to US, to our souls, after this body ceases to function? Do we hang around, just to see what happens next? Do we hang out just to scare the living, just for funsies?

I think what appeals to me most about ghost stories is the incredible range of the darn things. There are stories of revenge from beyond the grave, stories of ghosts seeking help with unfinished business, spirits watching over loved ones, even ghostly animals. I never, ever, ever get tired of hearing ghost stories!

The first story I personally wrote with ghosts in it would have been either “Al’s Night Out”, about Al Capone coming back for a night on the town, or “The Song Remains”, about a dead rock star who haunts his band mate. I disremember which of those I wrote first. Both stories can be found in my collection of horror short stories, The Dark at the Heart of the Diamond, which will be released by Dark Continents Publishing on August 15th, 2012.

What was your favorite tale from your book Ghosts of the Illinois River? What has been your reader’s favorite?

I’m very fond of “A Close Call”, which is about Abraham Lincoln meeting up with a wendigo (a Native American spirit monster) on his trip down the Illinois River, heading for New Orleans. My favorite story when it was happening to me is “Ghosts Are People Too”, that tells of the time I’ve spent with Norman, the resident ghost at the Peoria Players Theater. But my favorite story to read is “A Dog Named Tige”. I always get choked up when I read that one out loud. Never fails. The audience seems to like it too.

The story a lot of people comment on, from Ghosts of the Illinois River, is later on in the book, a historical story about the phantom of Diamond Island. I learned a very interesting technique from Stephen King. It’s an incredibly subtle technique, and I’m not sure anyone other than a fellow writer really picked up on it. In his book Under the Dome, there are a few chapters where he writes in present tense instead of past tense. There’s a mob scene, people gather, accusations are thrown, and the scene erupts into violence. The use of the present tense makes things very immediate and very suspenseful. I read Under the Dome while I was writing Ghosts of the Illinois River, and I chose to tell that story using this technique. It’s such a weird, creepy story all on its own, and using the present tense just ramps up the creep factor. I’ve had people come up to me and say, “That story really weirded me out, and I don’t know why!” I tell them, “Here’s why. There is actually a reason for it.” I’m not sure that makes it people’s favorite, but it certainly makes it memorable. Which is just fine!

Tell us about your new book The Taming of the Werewolf. What inspired you to recreate this Shakespearean tale?

I do have to give credit for the idea for The Taming of the Werewolf to my husband, Rob. He was taking a Shakespeare class at about the same time I was getting the urge to write a mashup. I toyed with the idea of doing a zombie story, maybe The Swiss Family Robinson with zombies, where they get marooned in a mall or something, but the idea just wasn’t gelling for me. Then Rob suggested The Taming of the Shrew, but making Katharina into a werewolf instead of simply a misunderstood woman. That idea jumped out at me, grabbed me by the throat, started shaking, and wouldn’t let me go! That entire book, from “aha” moment to final draft, took me six weeks to write. And it was BUNCHES of fun!

You are currently working on a new book about a famous haunted place along the Illinois River: Peoria State Hospital. How did you become interested in the old asylum and why?

Again, it was Rob who introduced me to the Peoria State Hospital. He grew up around this area, while I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. I had cut my teeth on stories about Resurrection Mary and the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, but I had never heard of the Peoria State Hospital. One night, when we had been dating for about two years, we were out driving around in my car, and he said, “How’s your car running? Pretty well?” I said, yeah, it did all right. Then he explained that where he was thinking of driving, the buildings tended to mess with cars that weren’t in tip-top mechanical condition. I wasn’t sure whether to believe him or not, but I most certainly was intrigued. (Much later, when I started to do the research for the book, other people mentioned that the hospital seemed to cause car failure. So it wasn’t just Rob making up stories to fool with his gullible girlfriend.)

Fast forward a few years, to October 2008, when the Bowen Building was still open for tours. Some friends and I went to the building and sprung for one of the evening tours. That was my first experience ghost-hunting, and it’s described in Ghosts of the Illinois River. Even then, I didn’t really realize what an incredible resource I had, just across the river and a ten-minute drive from my own house. It wasn’t until a bookstore manager suggested that I write a book collecting people’s weird experiences at the asylum, that I really began to research the place. The stories, yes, the stories are amazing. But that place — that place is amazing too. It has a hold on people, a fascination that just won’t let go. And now I’m under its spell too, I’ll admit it. I hope to share that wonder and terror with readers when Fractured Spirits: Hauntings at the Peoria State Hospital comes out.

I have to ask, what is the strangest food you have ever eaten, and why don’t you like the color orange?

You’ve been poking around my website! (grins) When I was a kid, my mom would fix all KINDS of weird food. Most of it was edible, although I adamantly refused to eat stuff like Hubbard squash and moussaka, which is made with eggplant and which my sister and I uncharitably referred to as “moose-caca”. But my mom’s cooking did allow me to brag at school the next day that I had eaten shark for supper the night before. (I still love shark.)

Nowadays, I’m a grownup and can eat whatever the hell I want. One of my hobbies is hunting, and another is wild-food foraging, so these days I dine (by choice!) on things like pickled venison heart and raccoon slow-cooked in red wine. I’m also extremely fond of stinging nettles. Whiz them in a food processor, mix them up with some breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese and a couple of eggs to bind it all together, make little sausages out of the mixture and fry them up in butter … heaven. Also, you haven’t lived until you’ve had homemade elderberry wine. Just sayin’.

Oh, and I have no particular reason to be prejudiced against the color orange. It’s just fine when it’s on a pumpkin. Anywhere else, it’s just … I dunno … meh. I much prefer purple.

Do you have any upcoming events? Where can our readers go to find out more information about you and your books?

I’ll be at a couple of book signings in the Peoria area in the next few months. I’ll be at the main branch of the Peoria Public Library on Saturday May 19th, from 1 pm to 4 pm. I’ll also be at Duryea Days in Peoria Heights, on Saturday June 23rd. Then the next weekend, the last weekend in June, I’ll be headed down to FandomFest in Louisville KY. Road trip!

My website is www.sylviashults.com, or you can visit www.darkcontinents.com for more spooky goodness. I can also be found at several places on Facebook: the Ghosts of the Illinois River fanpage, Darkheart (for my horror fiction), or Sparkleheart (for my romance fiction). If you decide to visit, please stop by and say hi!

Sorry guys, this page is copyright Black Oak Media, 2012. You do not have permission to copy this for any reason. Please learn how to cite your work.

• Higdon, Hal. Leopold and Loeb: The Crime of the Century. University of Illinois Press, 1999.
• Lindberg, Richard. Return to the Scene of the Crime: A Guide to Infamous Places in Chicago. Cumberland House Publishing, 1999.
• Linedecker, Clifford. The Man Who Killed Boys: The John Wayne Gacy, Jr. Story. St. Martin’s Paperbacks, 1993.
• Possley, Maurice. The Brown’s Chicken Massacre. Berkley, 2003.
• Schechter, Harold. Depraved: The Definitive True Story of H.H. Holmes. Pocket Books, 2008.
• Taylor, Troy. True Crime: Illinois. Stackpole Books, 2009.

Since many ghost stories begin with murder or suicide, it only makes sense that those interested in the paranormal are also interested in true crime stories. Troy Taylor is one example of an author who started out writing about ghost stories, but who has since transitioned into the true crime genre. Often, famous murder cases generate rumors of supernatural activity. For example, after John Wayne Gacy’s home was torn down, many visitors noted that nothing seemed to grow on the empty lot. It was thought that the souls of the dead had consecrated the ground, or that the memory of what had happened there was so horrible that it scarred the land. Likewise, locals whispered stories of strange noises and cries in the dry cleaners that opened up at the site of the Brown’s Chicken Massacre. Anyone interested in the dark side of Illinois history would do well to read the books listed above.

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Interested in the ghostly legends and lore of Illinois? Check out Michael Kleen’s book Paranormal Illinois. Paranormal Illinois presents in-depth and original research on some of Illinois’ most unusual tales, including the phantom lady of Kennedy Hill Road, the headless horseman of Lakey’s Creek, and the ghost of Ange Milner. Chapters on Archer Avenue, Manteno State Hospital, Ashmore Estates, Airtight Bridge, Devil’s Gate, and other infamous places present information and interviews never before seen in print. Fun, informative, and greatly entertaining, this painstakingly researched book leaves no ghost unturned.

Order it at Amazon.com today!

PEKIN, Ill. — Members of the Illinois Ghost Seekers Society prowled the Pekin Daily Times’ historic downtown building on April 14th to try and find evidence of just that. The group visited the Times’ old mail room back in 2011, but found no conclusive evidence of anything paranormal.

“Doing research from the old mailroom, we found out that there had been a doctor that owned both the mailroom and an office on the second floor of the main building, so we wanted to explore the entire building before it was torn down,” said Rob Depew, who co-founded the group with his wife, Krystal.

The Times building has been purchased by the county, which is planning to demolish the building to build a parking lot. “We may not catch anything and it could still be haunted. We are optimistic for tonight, though. Reporters say they have heard footsteps and other noises.”

The IGSS travels mostly around the state of Illinois in hopes of helping individuals find peace in their own homes. They offer their free services at the convenience of the property owner. In January and February 2012, the society found itself investigating several houses a week or more as the community became more aware of their availability. The IGSS is slated to investigate four more properties in the immediate future and continues to have people contact them frequently. The group has investigated more than 50 places in the past two years.

Read the entire article here!

Tragic Disasters

• 100 – Nearly 900 passengers died when this ship capsized on the Chicago River in the summer of 1915.
• 200 – This mobile home park is located adjacent to the crash site of Flight 191.
• 300 – A train wreck in 1887 killed 85 and injured between 169 and 372 passengers near this small town in central Illinois.

Haunted Places

• 100 – This area along the Ohio River in southern Illinois is famous for its buried treasure, ghosts, and as a former hideout for pirates.
• 200 – Home to several “gray ghosts,” this central Illinois college was also the scene of some medically-motivated body snatching.
• 300 – A police dog mysterious leapt off the roof of this building at an abandoned air force base known for its phantom airmen.

Infamous Crimes

• 100 – This famous mafia slaying was named after the holiday on which it took place.
• 200 – This popular Chicago-area restaurant chain was the scene of a brutal multiple-murder in Palatine in 1993.
• 300 – “The Demon Butcher of Palos Park” was the name given to this turn-of-the-century murderer who sold his victims at the market.

Answers to last month’s categories:

Haunted Roads: What is Archer Avenue, What is Lebanon Road, What is Shoe Factory Road
Paranormal People: Who is John B. Kachuba, Who is Harry Middleton Hyatt, Who is Mary Czerwinski
Creepy Quotes: Who is Emily Dickinson, Who is Plato, Who is Arthur C. Clarke

Click here to download the entire issue in .pdf

The hospital began in 1885 as Bartonville State Hospital. No patients were ever housed or treated in that building, however, and it was torn down in 1897. The institution was rebuilt and reopened in 1902 with a new name and a new superintendent. Now called Peoria State Hospital, a progressive physician named Dr. George A. Zeller took over the facility and instituted new, more humane treatments for mental illness. During his tenure there, he recorded many stories of daily life, including some that were almost beyond belief. The main story associated with the hospital concerns the unusual circumstances surrounding the death of one of the patients, A. Bookbinder. Dr. Zeller assigned Bookbinder to the hospital’s burial corps, and he performed his job admirably. Old Book, as he was sometimes called, mourned the passing of each and every person he helped inter in the cemetery. When Bookbinder died, Dr. Zeller wrote that four hundred staff and patients observed his ghost mourning at his own funeral just as he had for countless others while he was alive. They even opened the coffin to confirm that Old Book was really dead. His corpse was securely inside. There have been other reports of paranormal experiences at Peoria State Hospital, but none of them are very specific. Recently, the Bowen Building—the main hospital building—has been opened to tours as the owners tried to raise money to restore it to its former glory.

For an in-depth look at this location, check out Volume 2 Issue 3 of the Legends and Lore of Illinois, featuring the history & hauntings of Peoria State Hospital, the adventures of The Fallen, trivia, and much more!

Click here to download the entire issue (in .pdf)

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Legends and Lore of Illinois Vol. 2 – on Kindle!

Or, order all 12 issues of the Legends and Lore of Illinois from 2008 for only $5.00 in a special Kindle edition. Places covered in Vol. 2: Archer Cemetery, Sunset Haven, Peoria State Hospital (Bartonville Asylum), Airtight Bridge, University of Illinois, Calvary Cemetery and ‘Seaweed Charlie,’ Lakey’s Creek, Peck Cemetery, Blood’s Point Road, Old Union Cemetery, Hartford Castle, and more! Plus, read letters from our readers, book reviews, ghostly games, and put your knowledge of these locations to the test with challenging trivia questions. Don’t miss these classic issues from the archives of the Legends and Lore of Illinois.

Order it today on Amazon.com.
Note: Amazon Kindle required.

Legends and Lore of Illinois: Investigation Reports

This collection consists of 47 haunted locations from the archives of the Legends and Lore of Illinois, arranged alphabetically and by category, with over 60 accompanying photos. Many of these photos have never been seen before. Inside, you will find the history, ghost stories, and folklore of popular locations such as Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery, Resurrection Cemetery and Archer Avenue, Manteno State Hospital, Lakey’s Creek, and the Peoria State Hospital, plus local haunts such as Ashmore Estates, Chanute Air Force Base, Vishnu Springs, and Peck Cemetery. Learn the real stories behind the legends: misconceptions and misinformation about these places and more are tackled head on.

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Note: Amazon Kindle required.

Don’t have a Kindle reader? Check out all our print-edition books here.

“When settlers began to come in great numbers they came by way of the ever-available rivers and found southern Illinois a convenient region for settlement. The advent of the steamboat and the development of trails and roadways soon led immigrants to bypass the southern part of the state. It thus was left a somewhat isolated region, a kind of historical eddy. In this region a culture, reasonably advanced at the time of its coming, tended to become static. The customs, practices, and beliefs of the pioneer survived here long after they had passed in less isolated regions.”

- John W. Allen, Legends & Lore of Southern Illinois