Ashmore Estates Sold at Auction

April 29, 2013 By 2 Comments
Ashmore Estates circa April 2013. Photo courtesy of Bauer Auction Service.

Ashmore Estates April 2013. Photo courtesy of Bauer Auction Service.

Ashmore Estates, a former almshouse and hospital for the developmentally disabled, was sold at auction over the weekend. Since 2006, the building has been operated by Scott Kelley as a haunted attraction and has been featured in national television shows and documentaries. On Friday, April 26, it sold to a four member partnership for $12,700.

Since its closure in 1987, Ashmore Estates has captured local and regional attention for its variety of legends and ghostly tales. In the past few years, it has risen to national prominence as its owners opened its doors to the public for tours, paranormal investigations, and as a full-fledged haunted attraction. Its new owners intend to keep its spirit alive and continue to offer paranormal-themed tours and events.

The purchasing partnership consists of four individuals from central Illinois, including painter, pigeon racer, and musician Robert Burton, band manager and song writer Ella Richards,  electrician and entrepreneur Jerry Fegget, and registered nurse and mother Nancy Meier. The was a small crowd at the auction, but in the end, it came down to just a handful of bidders. The auction was conducted by Bauer Auction Service from Windsor, Illinois.

“We have met so many wonderful people,” Robert told us. “There is a magnificent support group behind Ashmore Estates. The previous owners have done a wonderful job.” The new owners plan to add events and programs including a graveyard scene to the front yard, more tours, and a monthly haunted attraction every full moon.

In January of this year, Ashmore Estates was damaged by a tornado that destroyed its roof. Funds raised to repair the roof were given to the new owners, so that they could choose a suitable replacement. There will be more fundraising events in the near future to cover the full cost of the new roof.

The new owners are hosting a potluck informational/organizational meeting for all past present and future individuals who are interested in the restoration development and continuation of Ashmore Estates on Saturday, May 11th at 1pm at Ashmore Estates (22645 E CR 1050N Ashmore, IL 61912).

This page is copyright Black Oak Media, inc., 2013. You do not have permission to copy this for any reason. Please learn how to cite your work.

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Will Peoria State Hospital’s Bowen Building be Sold off Brick by Brick?

February 18, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Bowen Building at Peoria State Hospital, c.2008. Photo by trueillinoishaunts.com

Bowen Building at Peoria State Hospital, c.2008. Photo by trueillinoishaunts.com

Bartonville, Illinois (Trueillinoishaunts.com) – “No,” says owner Richard Weiss. Unless he is forced to take drastic action due to the building’s deteriorating condition, that is.

Late last week, both the Peoria Journal Star and the State Journal-Register reported that demolition and sale of the building was being discussed in order to pay back $340,000 the village of Bartonville loaned Weiss last April for asbestos removal. “Richard Weiss told Bartonville officials that the only way he can pay back the money the village loaned him to help get the business started is to tear the Bowen Building down and sell it off,  limestone block by limestone block,” the Peoria Journal Star reported.

In a Facebook response to the article, Weiss argued that the newspaper had gotten its facts wrong. “As usual the PJStar never gets all the facts right when they do a story on us nothing is set in stone but this is an option,” he said. “We have tried EVERYTHING we can to save this building we have been trying for 5 years. The building is taking major damage we are not able to stop.”

He continued, “What little bit of money that has been coming in has been going to pay back the village for the loan so we are not able to do the work needed as well as its taken so much damage over the years that its going to take $3mill at least in the next 3-5 months or its not going to be standing by the end of the year just from damage alone also if we dont pay back the village for the loan they will take the building and it will be torn down by them. We have done all we can do we will be keeping up the fight for a few more months but it might just come down to it coming down. We will continue to do tours until it is no longer safe to run them.”

On January 30, Peoria State Hospital was featured on SyFy Channel’s Ghost Hunters, and it was hoped that appearing on the show would attract more interest, and possibly investors. Evidently, the anticipated response failed to materialize. We will continue to follow this story and keep you updated.

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Ashmore Estates Devastated by Tornado

January 30, 2013 By 5 Comments
Ashmore Estates the morning of January 30, 2013. Photo by Scott Baker.

Ashmore Estates the morning of January 30, 2013. Photo by Scott Baker.

Breaking news from Ashmore, Illinois. Ashmore Estates, a former almshouse and hospital for the developmentally disabled, was heavily damaged by a tornado last night. Since 2006, the building has been operated by Scott Kelley as a haunted attraction and has been featured in television shows and documentaries.

Last night, a storm came through and devastated the property. The storm tore the new roof, which the Kelley’s had installed several years ago, clean off and destroyed several structures on the property. Thankfully, Scott and his family were unharmed, but the losses are staggering. Without power, they relied on friends to communicate their call for help on Facebook.

Here is what they requested: 1. repost that we are selling all the props, costumes, and other haunt paraphernalia asap. 2. Come over any time today, and bring your gloves, mud boots and muscles. We need to move a lot of things very quickly. 3. Bring us cardboard cartons and boxes. “Our grief and shock over these losses is eased by how you, our community of friends and loves ones, are reaching out to us,” they said.

If you are reading this and are able to help or are interested in purchasing props and other items, please reach out to the owners at 217-512-9499 or spookmeister@ashmoreestates.net

This page is copyright Black Oak Media, inc., 2013. You do not have permission to copy this for any reason. Please learn how to cite your work.

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Tony Hubert Retires from Paranormal Investigation

January 4, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Tony Hubert, a Kankakee native and head of the Illinois Paranormal Society, has announced his resignation from paranormal investigation and will hand over future cases to IPS members Tonya and Emery.

Tony Hubert“I have been investigating the Paranormal and Unexplained since 1997,” he said in a post on his website. “I was investigating before any ghost hunting was popular and on TV. It has been a long 16 years. That is more than half of my life. I have experienced many things in those years, most of which I still cannot explain. Over the last handful of years, my interest and desire to investigate have declined.”

He said his desire to investigate has declined, “Mainly due to these fly by night groups that are popping up all over. Also, these other so called “groups” who investigate the same locations over and over again, tell the public that these places are haunted when in fact they aren’t, treat this field as a competition instead of what its really meant for – educating and helping the public, and lastly, lost family time. I have spent many an evening away from my family and it hasn’t been fair to them.”

Tony has created an event management and promotion company called Neuhub Entertainment, and plans to attend Parkland College for a degree in respiratory therapy.

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What’s in Store for 2013 part 2

December 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

2013 is fast approaching, and that means exciting things for the Legends and Lore of Illinois! Here are the three main projects I am working on right now:

  • Legends and Lore CD ROMAs of January 1, 2013, old issues of the Legends and Lore of Illinois newsletter will no longer be available to download from this website. Don’t worry, you will still be able to get them, because I will be offering a CD-ROM with all 49 issues. That way, if you read a couple but haven’t gotten around to them all, you can just order the CD and have them at your fingertips forever. No need to download each individual issue!
  • For those of you who remember Volume 1 of Legends and Lore of Illinois: Case Files, which I published back in 2009, I will be releasing a similar book, but with all 49 investigation files from the Legends and Lore of Illinois, plus a few surprises. This complete collection will be beautifully designed and a wonderful addition to your collection of books about Illinois ghostlore.
  • I am also working on a paranormal investigation card game, to be released sometime in the spring of 2013. The cards will be illustrated by the same talented artist who did the Fallen characters and the illustrations for our “Top 10 Hottest Ghosts” list. I won’t have more information on that project until several months from now.

I am looking to fill up a page of fan support in our new book Legends and Lore of Illinois: The Definitive Collection, complete with pictures and quotes. If you’ve enjoyed the Legends and Lore of Illinois over the past several years, send us a photo and a statement of support or a quote about the ways in which it has touched your life. Please include your age and your hometown. The submission deadline has been pushed back to Saturday, January 5, 2013.

Please email us your text and photos at trueillinoishaunts@blackoakmedia.org

By submitting photos and text, you are agreeing to allow both to be printed in the forthcoming work, Legends and Lore of Illinois: The Definitive Collection. For the sake of print quality, please only submit large or high resolution photos. Depending on volume, not all submissions may be accepted for publication.

Have a great New Years!

- Mike

Filed Under: Breaking News
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