Download entire issue (in .pdf): $2.35

For years, students and faculty in Western Illinois University’s Simpkins Hall have told stories about phantom children, but many other odd occurrences are attributed to “Harold,” a former janitor or graduate assistant who lurks among the classrooms on the third floor. After classes finish for the day, the disembodied sound of keys jingling, doors opening and closing, or a typewriter clicking, rattle the nerves of even the most seasoned educator. In addition to Simpkins Hall, several of the campus dorms—Bayliss just to name one—are also rumored to be haunted.

Download this entire issue in .PDF, featuring the history & hauntings of Western Illinois University’s Simpkins Hall, the adventures of The Fallen, trivia, and much more! Also, don’t miss our exclusive interview with John Stephenson – webmaster of Bachelors-Grove.com, one of the most popular websites devoted to Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery in Midlothian.

Click on the cover above to read a section from the new issue, or click here to order the complete issue in .pdf.

From  “The Fallen Investigate”:

A door slammed in the hallway and Sam screamed. She reflexively covered her mouth as everyone’s eyes fell on her. Suddenly, the bulb in the desk lamp burnt out.

“Mike,” Aurelia said. “I think this is a bad idea. I’m getting a hostile vibe.”

“Give me a one minute,” Mike replied. “Did you die here? What do you want?”

“R-E-V-E-N-G-E,” the planchette spelled out.

Aurelia jumped to her feet. “Mike!”

“Give me one more minute.”

All of a sudden, Emmer was violently dumped from the bed and landed with a thud on the floor next to a large plush elephant. His eyes shot open and he cried out in surprise as soon as he hit the cheap linoleum.

by RAD BERKY / NewsChannel 36
E-mail Rad: RBerky@WCNC.com
WCNC.com
Posted on August 27, 2010 at 10:27 AM

STATESVILLE, N.C.– Christopher Kaiser, 29, of Charlotte was part of a group hoping to hear the sounds of a ghost train Thursday night on an isolated railroad bridge just outside of Statesville. What Kaiser and the others never heard, apparently, was a real train coming around the corner onto the same bridge. Kaiser, and a woman with him, were the last of the group to try to run off the bridge ahead of the train. They would not make it. Kaiser, in an attempt to save the woman, pushed her off the side, then he was hit by the train and knocked over the side as well…

Read the rest of the article here (and watch the video news report)

The AP reports:

Reptile experts get stray ‘gator in Chicago River

CHICAGO – The next time you feel like dipping your toes in the Chicago River — beware. A second alligator has been captured from the waterway that winds through downtown Chicago.

Children, parents and dog walkers gathered this week to catch a peek of the 3-foot-long reptile in the river on the city’s North Side. It was captured Tuesday.

Check out the entire article!

Matt Hucke is the webmaster of Graveyards.com, one of the oldest and most well-known cemetery sites on the Internet. He is also co-author (along with Ursula Bielski) of the book “Graveyards of Chicago.”

Where does your fascination with cemeteries come from? How many have you visited?

It began as a fascination with ghosts.

As far back as I can recall, I’ve been interested in ghosts. It began when I was about ten years old, when stories about hauntings would appear on TV shows like “That’s Incredible!” At first, these frightened me to the extent that I’d leave the room until the segment was over – but as time grew on, I became more curious, would peek at the TV from around the door frame. And eventually I grew to relish the feeling of fear; I’d eagerly await televised ghost stories.

I read all the ghost books I could get my hands on. First, there was the occasional ghost story in Cricket magazine; later, I moved on to non-fiction ghost books by Daniel Cohen and Richard Winer. I was about twelve or thirteen when I read “the Amityville Horror”, which terrified me, but I kept returning to it, unable to look away. I discovered H.P. Lovecraft at about the same time, and was then forever hooked on tales of supernatural terror…

Read the rest of this excellent interview by clicking this link - and, while you’re at it, download the August 2010 issue of the Legends and Lore of Illinois (only $1.35 for the entire issue!) by clicking here!

10. Frank Shaver Allen Home

Joliet, Illinois

Frank Shaver Allen (1860–1934) was a talented architect from Joliet who achieved national recognition for his work. While he did design a few residences, he is most known for designing public school buildings in the Richardsonian Romanesque style. He designed three of Joliet’s schools: Joliet Central High, Sheridan Elementary, and Broadway. During the 1970s, Frank S. Allen’s former home at the corner of Morgan Street and Dewey Avenue became the center of a local media frenzy over poltergeist activity that allegedly took place there. Several ghosts, including an elderly woman, a nanny, and a child, manifested themselves. The family living in the house also heard disembodied voices and saw fires that vanished without leaving behind any damage. The ghost of Frank Shaver Allen himself is also supposed to haunt the house. The activity seems to have died down in recent decades.

9. The Sweetin Home

Walkerville Township, Greene County

Otherwise known as “the old stone house,” the remnants of this manor were, at one time, part of a mansion built in 1848 by a stockman named Azariah Sweetin. Though nothing but a shell today, a grand ballroom once occupied the third floor, a ballroom that was the scene of murder. During a farewell gala for newly enlisted Union soldiers, two farmhands, Henson and Isham, got into an argument that ended with one thrusting a knife into the back of the other. The wounded man fell down by the fireplace and bled to death. According to legend, his blood seeped into the stone floor and formed an outline of his body. The stain could never be removed.

As the war raged, Azariah Sweetin didn’t want to take any chances, so he stuffed all his gold coins into jars and buried them around his property. Unfortunately, an equestrian accident in 1871 rendered him without any memory of where he had buried his money. After his death, his ranch was purchased by Cyrus Hartwell, who also lived there until he died. Treasure seekers soon tore the mansion apart, but no one has ever found Azariah’s gold. Storytellers say Azariah’s ghost—alongside snakes—now guards his lost loot.

8. Emma Jones Home

Rockford, Illinois

Emma Pauline Jones was a Norwegian immigrant who lived at this home (built in 1856) from the 1920s into the 1950s. Her husband Frank was often away on business, and she spent much of her time with her two beloved Dalmatians. After her husband died in 1941, Emma—who was 66 years old—continued to live with her faithful dogs, but after they passed on, she began to descend into loneliness and dementia. She spent her twilight years sitting in a rocking chair, waiting for loved ones who would never return.

Emma finally sold her home and moved in with a relative, where she died in 1964. According to local legend, she returned to her house on North First Street in her afterlife. Owners of the home have reported strange noises, moving furniture, and even seeing the ghost of an elderly woman in the attic windows. One newlywed couple reported that an old woman appeared in their living room and asked what they were doing in her home, then vanished.

7. Tycer Home

Charleston, Illinois

Dennis F. Hanks, a cousin of Abraham Lincoln, once owned this 157 year old home and during the 1960s and ‘70s, it was widely reputed to be haunted by his ghost. In 1965, Marie and Forster [Forrester] Tycer purchased the house, renovated it, and turned it into a museum. Mr. Tycer told the Eastern News that he was doing some electrical work in the basement when he lost his balance and almost fell into the wiring. He claimed that unseen hands pushed him away and saved his life.

Mrs. Tycer saw the reflection of the ghost in a mirror or window as she was painting the porch. She turned around, but found that she was alone. She also heard footsteps and claimed the ghost unlocked doors. In 1970, Mrs. Tycer committed suicide with a gunshot to the head in an upstairs bedroom. According to legend, the bloodstains continued to reappear no matter how many times they were scrubbed away. The next family to live in the home occupied it for quite some time and never experienced anything out of the ordinary.

6. J. Eldred Home

Eldred, Illinois

The James J. Eldred home is a grand, Greek-Revival ranch house that has stood abandoned since the 1930s. During the 1860s and ‘70s, James and his wife Emeline had a reputation for hosting grand parties at their “Bluff Dale Farm.” But life was harsh living along the Illinois River. The three Eldred daughters, Alma, Alice, and Eva, all died of illness at home in their beds. Both Alice and Eva were 17. Alma was only four years old. In 1999, the home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and in recent years the Illinois Valley Cultural Heritage Association has made great strides in restoring it to its former glory. While there are no specific ghost stories about the property, its current owners list “phantom footsteps,” “phantom knocking at the front door,” “giggles of a young lady,” and “small shadows moving in the nursery” as phenomenon experienced there.

5. Nellie Dunton Home

Belvidere, Illinois

A broken-hearted woman is said to haunt this home overlooking the Kishwaukee River. Nellie grew up in Belvidere prior to the Civil War and fell in love with an older man, who promised to marry her after the war. When he failed to return, Nellie refused to fall in love again. She spent the rest of her life in this house. Eventually, she wandered into the river and drowned, some say while wearing her old wedding dress. Her ghost has been seen by residents of this home, as well as by its neighbors.

4. Guiteau Home

Freeport, Illinois

Locally known as the “Saltbox Place,” this unassuming stone house is rumored to have been the boyhood home of President James Garfield’s assassin, Charles Guiteau. After President Garfield denied his application for an ambassadorship to France, Guiteau decided that God had told him to assassinate the president. On July 2, 1881, he shot Garfield twice in the back. For 11 weeks, the president lay in agony, until he finally died of an infection in September. Guiteau was hanged on June 30, 1882.

Charles Guiteau’s remains were never found, and some locals believe that his bones were secreted back to Freeport, where they were buried in the basement of the “Saltbox Place.” In fact, neither Charles nor his parents ever owned this house. According to the Journal-Standard, that distinction belonged to Guiteau’s aunt and uncle. Never-the-less, tenants living in the home after Guiteau’s execution reported an oppressive, dark presence and the smell of sulfur. The house is currently being renovated after sitting abandoned for a number of years.

3. Willow Creek Farm

Shannon, Illinois

Willow Creek Farm dates back to 1838. William Boardman and his wife Mary came from England in 1835 and made their way to Rockford when the future city was merely a trading post. After a few years, William staked out a claim in Cherry Grove Township, Carroll County and erected a log cabin there. According to public records, the current farmhouse dates back to 1878, although there is evidence to suggest it was built more than a decade earlier.

In 2006, Albert Kelchner, the farm’s current owner, bought the property and immediately sensed that he was sharing his house with some invisible guests. He began to record his encounters and has invited mediums and paranormal investigators to his farm in the hopes of corroborating his experiences. Home to as many as seven identified ghosts and as many as a dozen others, Willow Creek Farm has been called one of the most active haunted sites in Illinois.

2. Hickory Hill Plantation

Equality, Illinois

Also known as the Crenshaw House or the Old Slave House, this mansion was built in 1838 by John Crenshaw and his brother Abraham. Crenshaw owned vast salt mines in Southern Illinois and was one of the wealthiest men in the entire state. He also owned over 740 slaves. Illinois entered the Union in 1818 with strict “black codes” on the books. The Illinois constitution prohibited the slave trade, but permitted those residents already holding slaves to keep their property. Visitors to Crenshaw’s plantation included Abraham Lincoln. Slaves were kept in cramped cells in the attic of the mansion.

As early as 1851, there were reports that the mansion was haunted. The German family who operated the estate between 1850 and 1864 reported hearing strange sounds coming from the attic. After the Civil War and the abolition of slavery, tourists began to come and visit Illinois’ only plantation. They heard phantom footsteps, voices, and singing. A legend spread that no one could spend the night in the attic. Many tried, but every last one was scared off before dawn. In the late 1920s, one “ghost hunter” is believed to have died after spending the night there. Today, the mansion is owned by the State of Illinois and closed to visitors.

1. McPike Mansion

Alton, Illinois

Built in 1869 by Henry Guest McPike and designed in the Italianate-Victorian style, this mansion has long captured the imaginations of Alton residents. Although it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, it has sat abandoned for decades—attracting vandals and the curious alike. Ghost stories were told about the mansion even when it was occupied. In the 1940s, boarders often heard children running up and down the stairs, but could find no one when they investigated the noise. After the mansion became derelict, passersby reported seeing faces in the windows. There are two known entities here. The mansion’s new owners named one of them Sarah. She is thought to have been a hired hand in life, and teases visitors with a spectral touch or hug. The other ghost belongs to a former owner, Paul Laichinger. He has been spotted wandering the grounds.

Many people have heard the stories of the ghost at the curve in Timber Ridge Road, but most people are unaware of the details about what happened there. Like a generational game of phone tag, each retelling of the tale altered the details until the fact that a woman murdered her children became the only kernel of truth. But let me assure you, this horrible story was all too real.

On the morning of Saturday September 30, 1905, while her husband labored in a neighboring field, Julia Markham, to quote the Cambridge Chronicle, “committed one of the most dastardly deeds that has ever occurred in Henry County.” At around 11 o’clock, Julia sent her two eldest children to a nearby spring to retrieve water. While they were gone, she took an ax and swung it at the heads of her five youngest, killing them instantly. When her eldest returned, she dealt with them the same way. One can only imagine the horror of the scene inside that house. Julia had carefully planned the massacre and intended to commit suicide afterward, but the knife that she used to cut her throat was too dull. Reeling from the wound, she laid her children out on a bed, side by side, and doused them with coal oil.

What happened next? Download the latest issue to find out!

What speakers or presenters will be featured at the 2010 Afterlife Paranormal Conference?

Several! Jack Lockwood, Vince Wilson, George Hawrylenko, Dean Thompson, Black Cahoon, Dale Kacmarek, Ursula Bielski and myself of course. Topics range from The History & Hauntings of the Stratford Inn, to a day in the life of a Psychic/Medium as well as Team Building and Tech Info!

What are you looking forward to the most about the Conference?

Networking with other investigators from across the country and close to home. These events offer lots of opportunity to learn from others that have invested much time and research into our trade. Even if you yourself are not an investigator, and just simply like ghost stories or have one to share yourself.. This event is for you!

Can you tell us a little about the Stratford Inn? Is it true this is an actual haunted hotel?

I have a hard time saying that a place is haunted. It is something that I reserve more so then not. I can say that the Historic Stratford Inn in Sycamore IL has many stories to tell! Dean Thompson will give a presentation dedicated to just the Stratford alone that might aide in every individual asking that same question themselves… Is it haunted?

What events does the entire Conference weekend include and how can our readers order tickets?

The event features several speakers, multi-media presentations, book signings with paranormal authors, vendors, education and fun! In addition to the conference, we have a couple after hours events as well! A haunted tour / investigation of the Stratford Inn on both Friday & Saturday night, and on Saturday night a haunted tour and investigation at the Historic Egyptian Theatre in nearby Dekalb IL! The most up to date information and tickets can be found at www.AfterlifeParanormal.com

You won’t want to miss the after hours events as well, such as the Haunted Tour & Investigation of The Egyptian Theatre, Haunted Tour & Investigation of The Stratford Inn, Seance in the Fireside Room at The Stratford Inn, Sunday morning brunch With some of the presenters and special guests!

Our first illustration is of the intrepid leader of the the group, simply known as “Mike.” View his profile here.

Download entire issue (in .pdf): $2.35

On the morning of Saturday September 30, 1905, while her husband labored in a neighboring field, a woman named Julia Markham murdered her seven children with an ax in the house near this curve in Timber Ridge Road. Julia had carefully planned the massacre and tried to commit suicide afterward, but the knife that she used to cut her throat was too dull. Wounded, she doused her house with coal oil and lit it on fire. When rescuers arrived and discovered the gruesome scene, Julia lived only long enough to confess to the crime.

Decades passed, and the ruin of the Markham’s home was plowed over. Their aging, red barn remained, however, and became a focal point for local teens who grew up hearing stories about the murders. Facts blurred and people began to report seeing the ghost of Julia Markham along the roadside. They blamed accidents at the curve in Timber Ridge Rd. on her ghost.

Download this entire issue, featuring the history & hauntings of the Cambridge “Death Curve,” the adventures of The Fallen, trivia, fan support, and much more! Also, don’t miss our exclusive interview with Matt Hucke, webmaster of Graveyards.com and co-author of Graveyards of Chicago.

Click on the cover above to read a section from the new issue, or click here to order the complete issue in .pdf.

From “The Fallen Investigate”:

The Fallen’s arrival did not go unnoticed. The four members of P.C.P.R.S., along with Fess Parker (the Paranormal Review and Gazette reporter), stopped talking and stared at the dark blue Toyota as it approached. Their eyes betrayed an equal measure of envy and hatred. Although the Pan-Continental Paranormal Research Society had chalked up countless interviews and television appearances, The Fallen had an uncanny access to paranormal phenomenon. Everywhere they went, potential clients spoke of The Fallen in hushed tones somewhere between fear and curiosity.

Mike Says: “Yeah, we probably should have avoided a direct confrontation with the P.C.P.R.S., but they’ve had it coming to them. They have been on our backs since we first came to Illinois in 2007. How? Let’s just say they never laid out the welcome mat. Oh, and then there was the time they kept telling our enemies where we were and calling the cops on us whenever we went somewhere. Yes, the payback was sweet.“

“I grew up in Monmouth, living there most of my life, and of course had heard all of the stories about crybaby bridge. A few years ago, I met someone who had just moved to town and we got to talking about the bridge and all of the ‘happenings’ out there. Both being quite skeptical because it sounds a lot like an urban legend, we decided to check it out one day. We got in the car and headed out to the small, hidden road off of US 67-N where the bridge is located. The actual bridge is at the bottom of a relatively steep hill that you would come to after going around a sharp curve to the left. It’s also a very narrow road that only one car will fit down.

At the bottom of the hill, we stopped to investigate a bit. The area of the road where the actual bridge sits over the shallows of cedar creek is completely flat with no slope whatsoever. Putting the car into neutral, it started to slowly inch forward until the end of the bridge, then it just stopped…”

Find out what happened next! Download this entire issue, featuring the history & hauntings of Monmouth’s Crybaby Bridge, the adventures of The Fallen, trivia, and much more! Also, don’t miss our exclusive interview with Angie Johnson, who has photographed over 550 cemeteries in Illinois! The entire issue (in .pdf) is only $2.35 $1.35!

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