The site where Bobby Mackey’s Music world is located, was first developed in the 1850′s as a slaughterhouse. In it’s heyday, it was one of the largest meat packing facilities in the Cincinnati area. Business soon outgrew the facility, however, and in the 1890′s it was closed and the building was abandoned. In the basement of the building was a well. It was into this well that the blood and refuse from the slaughterhouse was drained. Evidence suggests that this was one of the features that attracted a local group of occultists to the abandoned building. The well was used to dispose of the evidence of their satanic rituals and animal sacrifices. It is believed that, among these occultists, were one Scott Jackson, a dental surgery student from Cincinnati, and his roommate, Alonzo Walling. Jackson was from a wealthy family, and he became the suitor of Pearl Bryan, the lovely and popular daughter of a well-to-do family from Greencastle, Indiana. When Pearl confided to him that she was pregnant, he convinced her that allowing him to perform an abortion, to preserve their reputations, was the wisest course of action.

On February 1, 1896, Pearl told her family that she was going to visit friends in Indianapolis. Instead, she met Jackson and Walling in Cincinnati. She was 5 months pregnant. After a botched attempt at an abortion using dental tools borrowed from school, Jackson had a hysterical and seriously wounded young woman on his hands. At this point, Jackson and Walling took Pearl into Northern Kentucky. When and why their mission became a macabre and vicious murder plan is unknown. Pearl’s body was found less than 2 miles from the slaughterhouse. Her head had been severed and was nowhere to be found. Walling would later testify that Jackson took the head because “he had plans for it”. The young men were soon arrested, and during the ensuing trial, they refused to reveal what had become of Pearl’s head. Investigators did discover Pearl’s beautiful blonde hair in a suitcase in Jackson’s rooms. Prosecutors even offered to commute the death sentence to life in prison for the location of her head, but Jackson refused. It is widely believed that Pearl’s head was used in a satanic ritual at the old slaughterhouse and then disposed of in the well. Revealing this would have exposed other occultists in the secret society.

After the trial, the slaughterhouse was again abandoned and eventually torn down. On its foundations, a roadhouse was built in the 1930′s. The tavern was frequented by gangland figures and was the scene of several shootings. It reopened again in the 1950′s as a nightclub. The owner’s daughter, Johanna, fell in love with one of the singers in the club. Her father, enraged, had the young man killed. In revenge, Johanna tried, unsuccessfully, to poison her father, and then, committed suicide…in the now infamous basement of the building. Johanna was 5 months pregnant at the time. In the 1970′s, the bar opened again, but was eventually shut down by the authorities after fatal shootings there.

Bobby Mackey, a well known country singer in Northern Kentucky, and his wife Janet, bought the building in 1978 to turn it into a country bar. It was successful from the start, attracting guests from all over the area. Bobby and Janet hired Carl Lawson as a caretaker and maintenance man, providing him with living quarters upstairs. Carl soon began to have strange experiences there. Lawson told author Doug Hensley, “I’d double check at the end of the night and make sure that everything was turned off. Then I’d come back down hours later and the bar lights would be on. The front doors would be unlocked, when I knew that I’d locked them. The jukebox would be playing the ‘Anniversary Waltz’ even though I’d unplugged it and the power was turned off.”

Lawson’s experiences went from strange to frightening, though, when he met the spirit who called herself “Johanna”. She was often accompanied by the scent of roses. She would converse with Lawson, sometimes, even when others were present. Local residents began to think Lawson was crazy, and talking to himself. Before long, other spirits began to reveal themselves to Carl: dark sinister men behind the bar, and odd noises and scents in the basement, near an old sealed up well. Lawson had heard the stories about the well, and in an effort to bring some relief from the restless spirits, decided, one night, to sprinkle it with holy water. Instead of calming them, this seemed to provoke the spirits, because soon other employees and guests began to have the same kind of strange experiences that had plagued Lawson.

Bobby Mackey, himself, did not believe in the “ghost stories”, and worried that the rumors would affect his business. He instructed Carl to keep quiet about his experiences. His wife, Janet had been silent, until this time, but finally admitted to him that she, too, had seen the ghosts, heard the noises and even smelled the scent of Johanna’s signature rose perfume. One night, Janet went to the basement to check on something. While she was there, she suddenly smelled a strong scent of roses, and felt something unseen move past her. She was suddenly grabbed by the waist and thrown down the stairs. She struggled and got away from the force holding her there, and ran up the stairs. When she had nearly reached the top, she felt a presence pushing her back down. She looked up toward the doorway and heard a voice from behind her screaming “Get out! Get out!” She escaped, and refused to set foot in the bar for nearly 3 decades. Just like Pearl, and Johanna before her, Janet was 5 months pregnant at the time of the incident.

Once Janet came forward with her story, many others admitted to paranormal experiences at the nightclub. An exorcism in 1994 seems to have failed miserably, because the incidents continue to this day. The bar has been investigated by many “ghost hunting” groups like “Ghost Hunters”, “Ghost Adventures” and it is part of the Haunted Cincinnati tours. Bobby Mackey still says that he doesn’t believe in ghosts, but there are thousands who have visted the site and have become convinced. Want to find out for yourself? Visit Bobby Mackey’s “Wake the Dead” Halloween Party on October 31, and experience what has been called one of the most haunted places in the world.

The hanging was a public spectacle, attended by one Thomas Whaley, local businessman. He had come to San Diego in 1849 with the Gold Rush, and set up a business selling hardware, woodworking, and mining equipment. His business flourished quickly, but, it’s not quite clear, in 1855, when he decided to buy property to build a family home and new location for his business, why he chose the very spot where he watched Big Jim die. This is, in fact, what happened, and he built a single story granary and adjacent 2-story Greek Revival style, brick home. From almost the moment the family moved in, they began to hear ghostly footsteps, and feel a choking sensation in the area of an archway over the stairs to the 2nd floor. It was in this spot that Yankee Jim was hanged. Thomas became convinced that Yankee Jim Robinson haunted his residence.

In 1868, a theater troup operated out of the front upstairs bedroom, and the San Diego County Courthouse rented the former granary. Thomas ran a general store from the 1st floor of the house. In March, 1871, while Thomas was out of town, county officers raided the Whaley property and removed all court records and documents, abandoning the property and refusing to pay any rent owed. Thomas tried to sue the county for back rent. He lost, and remained bitter about it for the rest of his life.

Thomas Whaley and his wife, Anna, had six children. One of his daughters, Violet, either committed suicide or was murdered on the property in 1885. The youngest of their children, Lillian, lived in the house until her death in 1953. She was convinced that Yankee Jim haunted the house. Other guests and staff members at the Whaley house have encountered the ghosts of Thomas, himself, his wife Anna, who frequents the rose garden, their pet terrier, Dolly Varden, and a small, swarthy woman in calico who seems to live in the courthouse. Besides the ghostly footsteps, the sounds of activity in the former courtroom, guests have witnessed the apparition of a young girl, supposedly a playmate of the Whaley children, in the dining room. The frequency of these purported paranormal activities and the large number of people who have witnessed them have caused the government of the state of California to officially recognize The Whaley House as a haunted location. It is one of only 2 such locations in the state. The San Diego Paranormal Society conducts a monthly, night time “ghost hunt” at Whaley House, and offers special tours during October for Halloween season.

Every day, people come to tour Whaley House as an historic landmark. It was the first 2 story brick building in San Diego, housed the first commercial theater, served as a county courthouse and general store. How many of the visitors are there for the history isn’t clear. What is known is that of the 100,000 visitors per year, a large portion of them come to witness something extraordinary, something that will prove The Whaley House’s reputation as the most haunted house in America.

In 1870, Willard Carpenter dreamed of seeing a library built in his hometown of Evansville, Indiana. He purchased the land and financed the construction of a Victorian Gothic style building to house it. In 1883, Willard died after suffering a paralyzing stroke, before seeing the library completed. He left most of his wealth and property to the Library Board for the ongoing project. In March of 1885, The Willard Library opened its doors to the public.

In 1937, the night janitor trudged to the library at 3 AM to stoke the coal furnace. Upon entering the basement, he was startled to see what he described as an “all grey lady”, dressed all in grey, from face veil to shoes. He was so shocked that he dropped his flashlight as the apparition faded before his eyes. The night janitor resigned his position shortly thereafter.

The Willard Library’s Grey Lady roams the building in silence. Some say she is the ghost of Louise Carpenter, Willard’s daughter, who was snubbed by her father in his will. Others say not, because there is nothing malevolent about this apparition, as they assume Louise would be. The current library employees consider the Grey Lady as a member of the staff, and know that, every so often, they will see her. And they do see her…often! Hundreds, perhaps thousands of incidences of ghostly activity have been reported. She has been seen among the bookshelves, perusing titles. She moves books and lights, rearranges furniture, turns on water faucets, leaves strange objects. Her presence is sometimes announced by the strong scent of an old-fashioned, musky perfume. Who is she? No one knows for sure, but she may not be the only spirit connected with the library.

So, are you ready to see for yourself? The Willard library provides live “ghost cams” positioned in rooms of the building where the apparitions are frequently spotted. They are available online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you do spot something you think is unusual, just click the screen to save it and submit it to the library for their gallery. They are always looking for new ghost watchers, so pay them a visit at www.WillardGhost.com or www.LibraryGhost.com and check out the cams and image galleries. In October, the library hosts “ghost hunts” on the property, so if you are in the area, visit them. Then, let us know if you are one of the 48% of Americans who believe!

Ghostly tales have been told about Mammoth cave almost since the first guides began leading visitors through the underground rooms and passages by lantern light. Early man used the site as a burial ground, probably because they considered it the entrance to the underworld. Native American tribes used the area as a hunting ground, and shelter. European explorers and frontiersmen wandered through the subterranean tunnels, sometimes losing their way, and their life. Because of the minerals found in the cave, and because of the constant temperature underground, Mammoth Cave preserved some of these unfortunate visitors as mummies, which have been discovered over the years.

Many sightings of apparitions of men in period dress from the 1800′s have been reported. Some of the descriptions indicate that these spirits might have been former guides, or visitors. A woman’s voice, calling to a lost companion has been heard along the Echo River, a waterway that flows through the cave. This voice has been heard by both guides and visitors alike. One of the most famous ghosts, said to be heard and felt in the passages where he died, is that of Floyd Collins, a former owner of the area known as the Crystal Cave. While exploring the underground tunnels leading to and from the Crystal Cave, Collins became trapped by falling rock. After weeks of various unsuccessful attempts to rescue him, he died of exposure and exhaustion. The next owner of the cave displayed Floyd’s body there in a glass-covered bronze coffin for some time before he was eventually buried in the local churchyard. Some claim that his voice can still be heard calling for help along the path where he was trapped.

Is Mammoth Cave haunted? If two centuries worth of sightings and reports from guides and visitors are not evidence enough, perhaps the grudging testimony of scientists and skeptics, who have had strange and unexplainable experiences, might be. Even if there was no evidence of supernatural activity, the mystery, history and legends of Mammoth Cave are more than enough to make it a perfect Halloween Haunt!

Robert E. Lee, commanding the Confederate forces, was heartened by recent victories and convinced President Jefferson Davis that it was time to take the pressure off the south, and take the war to the north. Moving in secret, and using the mountains as a shield, he marched his troops into the Shenandoah Valley. Skirmishes happened along the way, but the Confederate army was undaunted. In the meantime, the Union army, which had been concentrated in Virginia, under the leadership of General George Meade, became aware that Confederate troops were on the move, and they turned their attention back to the north. On June 28th, the Confederates crossed into Union territory, and although still widely scattered, were moving to converge on the Pennsylvania capital at Harrisburg. Although General Lee was informed that the Federal army was wise to his plan, neither army had any idea of the location of the other.

On June 30, the Federal cavalry under the command of General John Buford, rode into Gettysburg and set up a picket line to guard approaches from the west. On that same day, a unit of the Confederate infantry, commanded by General John Pettigrew, was sent to scout the same area. With two large armies in such close proximity, they were bound to bump into each other somewhere. Gettysburg was the somewhere. The battle raged for three days, in the fields, on the hills, through the woods, and even into the streets of the town. By the end of the third day, the battle was over. It was the bloodiest battle of the war, claiming fully one third of the men who fought in it. The dead lined the streets and littered the fields. The wounded filled the homes to overflowing. The Confederacy alone had lost 28,000 men. Lee retreated. General Meade, against the urgings from Washington, did not pursue. There had been enough death in Gettysburg.

If you should visit Gettysburg today, and go into any local business and ask where the battlefield is located, don’t be surprised if you are told that you are standing in it. No part of the town or it’s surroundings were untouched by death during those three days. Many believe that spirits of the dead still walk the hills and fields. The streets of Gettysburg are still, often said to smell of peppermint or vanilla. Ladies of the area complained, in the days after the battle, that with the thousands of dead lying in the streets, decaying, the only way to relieve the stench was to hold a scented hanky to one’s nose and mouth.

There are hundreds of reports by reliable witnesses to supernatural events occurring in the town and across the battlefield. Marching soldiers, agitated sentries trying to signal for help, footsteps, the wails and groans of the wounded and dying are all common stories told by people who live in or visit the area. The battlefield at Gettysburg is now under the protection and direction of the National Park system, and tours are offered daily. Additional tours through the town are available as well, including a late night flashlight tour in certain locations.

Is Gettysburg the most haunted place in America? Judging simply by the massive number of claims of paranormal activity witnessed there, one might believe this to be true. As a place of profound American history, it is a remarkable destination. As a hub of supernatural occurences, it is, reportedly, the most actively haunted location in the United States.

Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, PA, was opened in 1829 under the “Pennsylvania System”. It was the most expensive building to have ever been built in the United States at the time it opened, and it became the prototype for over 300 other prisons across the country. Designed by the Quakers to force inmates to look inside themselves and then to seek God, the Pennsylvania System placed prisoners in complete solitude for the duration of their incarceration, and drove many a sane man quite mad. Cells contained a bunk, toilet, table and a bible. The only light was from a slit in the roof, where sunlight, called the “Eye of God”, would filter in. If a prisoner had to leave his cell for any reason, he was hooded, so that he could not see the other inmates. Communication of any kind between prisoners was forbidden. Sometimes, in desperate need of interaction, prisoners would tap on pipes, or whisper through vents to each other. If caught, they were brutally punished.

It is said that the Quakers had nothing to do with the punishments that were meted out at the prison. It was the hired staff that designed and enforced the torture that the inmates endured. Punishments like:
The Water Bath. Especially popular during the winter months, the offender was dunked in a bath of ice cold water, and then hung on a wall for the night. Often a thin coat of ice would cover the prisoner’s body by morning.

Then there was the Mad Chair. Inmates were strapped into the chair with leather bindings, so tightly that no possible movement could be achieved. They might be left in this chair for days, with no food, until their circulation almost stopped from lack of motion and the tight straps. It was not uncommon for a man to go insane before this punishment was over.

Most gruesome of all was the Iron Gag. This was considered by the prison staff to be apt punishment for an inmate who broke the “no communication” rule. An iron collar was clamped around the prisoner’s tongue, with chains that attached to the wrists, which were then tied behind the back. This ensured that any movement would tear the tongue and cause severe bleeding. It was not uncommon for a prisoner to die from blood loss before this punishment ended.

In the 1840’s, author Charles Dickens (A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities) visited the prison, and was horrified at the conditions, causing him to write of the psychological torment of the prisoners. He wrote that incarceration at Eastern State Penitentiary was tantamount to being buried alive. The prison was intended to house 250 prisoners, but before it’s reform in 1913, over 1700 inmates were housed there. The state finally took over the prison in 1913 and the Pennsylvania system was abolished. The property continued to be operated as a state prison until it was finally closed in 1971. The history of the prison doesn’t end there, though.

During it’s restoration, a locksmith working in the cellblock was attempting to remove a 140 year old lock. As he removed the key, a powerful force struck him and held him paralyzed, while he witnessed tormented faces appear on the walls of the cell, and hundreds of figures swirled out of the cell and around the cellblock, as if he had released them from whatever had held them trapped for so long. The locksmith’s experience was so vivid that he trembled in fear whenever he told the story, even many years later. Since that time, employees and visitors alike have had countless paranormal experiences, including hearing giggling, whispers and weeping coming from within the walls. According to the Assistant Director, there are about two dozen paranormal investigations done per year at Eastern State. They almost always find evidence of activity. Eastern State Penitentiary has been named on many lists as one of the most haunted places in America. MTV’s “FEAR”, FOX’s “Scariest Places on Earth” and Sci Fi’s Ghost Hunters, all filmed here.

What better place to host a Halloween Haunted House? And they do! “Terror Behind the Walls” is a haunted attraction within the walls of the prison. There are actually five separate haunted places to be visited. Their FAQ’s explain that they will do their best to terrify you. For us, we think that the possibility of mingling with actual tormented spirits is terrifying enough! All proceeds from ticket sales to Terror Behind the Walls goes to the preservation of this 175 year old historic prison.