Author Archives: History Goes Bump

Haunted Lawrenceville, Georgia, Ep. 313

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Lawrenceville is a quaint town about forty minutes outside of Atlanta and is actually the second oldest town in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The historic downtown is full of storefront restaurants and shops. One would not think that this city has a paranormal essence to it, but as we found while taking a ghost tour, there are many stories of the unexplained here. Not something a city that is the headquarters of the Presbyterian Church of America would really want to champion, but their city website does have a link for ghost tours. Join me as I share the history, lore and hauntings of Lawrenceville, Georgia. The Moment in Oddity was suggested by Breanne Sanford and features Old Bill as a tourist attraction and This Month in History features the Ocoee Massacre.

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HGB Halloween Special 2019

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Kelly joins me on this Halloween Special for 2019 and we share an overview of the history of paranormal television in the United States. My love for Halloween and creepy stuff comes from the stuff I watched on television when I was a kid. I cut my teeth on reruns of the Twilight Zone and watching the classic Universal Monster Movies. But what got me checking out the weird books from the library were the paranormal based television shows and I continue to binge on them as an adult. This won’t be exhaustive, but will touch on our favorites. Then we are joined by author Kevin Killen to discuss his book Ghosts and Me and then we share listener stories of the unexplained! Happy Halloween!

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Haunted Cemeteries 15, Ep. 312

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Cemeteries are all unique and there are many varieties from classic Victorian garden cemeteries to forgotten and overgrown burial grounds for criminals. And many of them have tales of ghosts and other legends. Join me as I share about Bass Cemetery in Birmingham, Salem Cemetery in Winston-Salem, Woodpecker Hill in Canon City and Oakland Cemetery in Atlanta. The Moment in Oddity features Python Hysteria in Ohio and This Month in History features the completion of the Death Railway.

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The Winecoff Hotel, Ep. 311

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The Ellis Hotel sits along Peachtree Street NW in downtown Atlanta. The hotel hasn’t always been the Ellis and it has been refurbished many times. The original hotel here was the Winecoff Hotel and it was a grand place that dwarfed the other buildings. A devastating fire would change all of that in 1946. Over a hundred people would lose their lives in what has been dubbed the worst hotel fire in American history. Contractors can rebuild walls and slap on new paint, but they can’t cover over the energy and residue left behind by such tragic circumstances. That residue seems to have fed paranormal activity and there are many experiences that people have shared throughout the years that just can’t be explained. Join me as I share the history and hauntings of the Winecoff Hotel. The Moment in Oddity was suggested by listener Jannae McCabe and features her grandfather being buried with bent legs and This Month in History features the trial of Marie Antoinette. Our location was suggested by Michael Streibel.

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Investigation of the Villisca Ax Murder House, Ep. 310

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In a quiet neighborhood, just a few blocks away from Villisca’s downtown, stands a very ordinary looking white frame house. The crime that took place here was anything, but ordinary. Six children and two adults would go to sleep on the evening of June 9th in 1912 and never wake up. A neighbor and family member would find the six members of the J.B. Moore family dead, along with Lena and Ina Stillinger. The crime scene was horrific and bloody since all the victims were killed with an axe. The murders were never solved and justice never came. We featured the house back when the podcast first launched in October of 2014 on episode 7. I never imagined that I would eventually visit and tour the house, much less spend an evening sleeping inside. Join myself, Kelly and three listeners on this investigation of the Villisca Axe Murder House. The Moment in Oddity was suggested by Nicole Capps Dixon and features the Boojum of North Carolina and This Month in History features the Veil of Our Lady appearing.

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The McInteer Villa, Ep. 309

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The McInteer Villa began as a grand home for the McInteer family and over the last century it has been a place of comfort for many people. For several decades it was a boarding house and then eventually it became a private home once again. Through that time, it has not only been a place for the living, but also for, reputedly, the dead. Join me and the owners of the McInteer Villa, Stephanie and Jeff Neal, as we discuss the history and hauntings of this historic home! The Moment in Oddity features the Human Fly dying at the Rutherford County Courthouse and This Month in History features the Reuben James torpedoed. Our location was suggested by Laura Weikel.

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HGB Anniversary Special 2019

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History Goes Bump turns 5 today! That is five years of Moments in Oddity, This Month in Histories and haunted history. We’ve produced 350 episodes with over 4 million downloads and entertained while educating. But HGB isn’t just about the production. It’s about the community of listeners that have gathered around this little indie podcast and built it into a success. So, as we’ve done for the last three anniversary shows, this anniversary special features a Flash Fiction contest with stories by our listeners. We have our three winners and two runner-ups to share. Thanks for the listens!

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Investigation of the Squirrel Cage Jail, Ep. 308

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Ep. 308 is up and we take you inside the Squirrel Cage Jail for an investigation! The Squirrel Cage Jail is very unassuming. This is a regular looking historic brick building in the middle of Council Bluffs, Iowa. No one would really know there was a jail inside, save for a few windows with bars in them. A black wrought-iron gate closes off the back of the jail and a colorful statue of a horse decorated with lights stands behind it. We had featured the Squirrel Cage Jail in Ep. 284, but this would be the first time we would actually get to go inside and tour the building. But we did more than just tour this location. This was the inaugural ghost hunt hosted by History Goes Bump and seven listeners joined myself and Kelly as we searched for communication with something from beyond the veil. And we believe we received that. Join me as I share the investigation of the Squirrel Cage Jail in Council Bluffs! The Moment in Oddity was suggested by Chelsea Flowers and features Jacob Miller, a war survivor and This Month in History features the premiere of The Magic Flute.

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History of Witch Hunts, Ep. 307

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Why is it that we persecute those who believe differently than we do? Why do neighbors turn on each other? On this episode, I present a brief overview of the history of witch hunts starting with the early Biblical accounts of witches to the hysteria of the European and American witch hunts of the 15th, 16th and 17th centuries and beyond. People were left dead in their wake. This has left spiritual residue leading to hauntings. The Moment in Oddity was suggested by listener Laura Ann Williams and features a death mask becoming model for Annie the CPR Doll and This Month in History features the Jetsons airing for the first time. Special thanks to Deana Marie of the TwistedPhilly Podcast and Jessica Walters of the Shoes, Boos and Tattoos Podcast for their contributions!

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Haunted Cemeteries 14, Ep. 306

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When we look at haunted graveyards, we have many questions. Why are there ghosts or at least, unexplained things happening in cemeteries? Can we find answers in the history? In the stories? We’re up to episode 14 of these haunted cemeteries and I don’t know that I’m any closer to answers. One thing that is very clear though, is that cemeteries are very important! Join me as we explore Elkhart Cemetery in Illinois, Dawson Cemetery in New Mexico, Lone Fir Cemetery in Oregon, Spider Gate Cemetery in Massachusetts and Oakwood Cemetery in Texas! Moment in Oddity features the Mysterious Stone Monuments of Markawasi, Peru and This Month in History features King William II dies by accident or assassination.

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