Hauntings in mid-America from New Orleans to Illinois

Editor’s note: Laura continues her ghostly look at America for Halloween. Yesterday, she looked at the East Coast. Today, she picks out spooky places in the middle section of the country and next it is the West Coast.

If the end of October seems like a good time to escape the madness and mendacity of school, work, and the thought of Christmas shopping, why not go somewhere truly frightful? Here’s a list of some of the best, most ghoulish places to spend All Hallow’s Eve, American style. (Entries followed by the designation (NPS) are run by the National Park Service).

New Orleans, Lousiana – Maybe a little scarier since Katrina, the area has always delighted scare-mongers with tales of voodoo and acres of lavish graveyards. Often called America’s Most Haunted City, it suffers from ‘an embarrassment of riches’ in the paranormal department. At Lalaurie Mansion, brutal slave owners supposedly practiced Megele-like experiments on slaves and today screams and cries are still heard (a private home, so look but don’t try to enter). Over at the “Sultan’s Palace,” the Turkish tenant and would-be emir and members of his household were brutally massacred – today passersby report hearing strange music and screams, smelling phantom incense and seeing ghostly images. Any of the ‘Cities of the Dead’ provide ample opportunity to commune with the dearly but only nearly departed, but St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, the eternal home of Queen of Voodoo Marie Laveau, is said to be one of the better places to check out, er, see. Even more modern tragedies have added to the spiritual tally – some now report sightings of Katrina victims’ ghosts.

Bell Witch Cave (Adams, TN) – The inspiration for two films and several books, this haunting story begins in 1817 when John Bell shoots a strange rabbit-headed dog-like animal, which is later thought to be a spirit manifestation, and strange noises bedevil their home. Strange things keep happening, as invisible forces are claimed to inhabit the Bell farm home and their daughter Betsy is supposedly assaulted by a poltergeist. John and Betsy seem to be especially singled out for torment. Several theories are offered for why the Bell family is subject to such menacing by the presence which became known as “Bell’s Witch” or “Kate,” including that John cheated the foresaid Kate, a neighbor, out of some property and she was getting him back by trying to scare him to death. According to some reports, “Kate’ was a very accommodating sprit and would perform for crowds. The Cave, also reputedly an Indian gravesite, is thought to be the place where the witch retired after John Bell died and her mission supposedly accomplished. Tours (fee-charged) are offered, with special events for Octoberfest and Halloween. (Closed for the season after Halloween). According to online reviews, some find the cave creepy, others,-not so much. (Nearest lodging appears to be in Clarksville, TN –Adams is a very small town).

Old Slave House (Junction, IL) – It appears this site may be closed, but is scheduled to re-open as a historic site (locals weigh in!) Usually on any list of the most haunted places in America, John Hart Crenshaw, a truly evil man, used this mansion home called Hickory Hill to imprison freed slaves whom he kidnapped and would then sell back into slavery in what has been called a ‘reverse Underground Railroad.’ While confined in the home’s attic, slaves were tortured and ‘bred’ – thus present day visitors have reported chills, cries, whispers and moans, an anthem of the misery mankind is capable of. Previously open as a museum depicting slave history, listed on the registry of historic places, and most recently closed pending a re-opening – check before you go.

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