The McCune Mansion sits perched atop a hill on Main Street in Salt Lake City, Utah. This splendid Victorian is unique both outside and inside. The interior features exotic materials from around the world. The home has not only been privately owned, but served as a dance studio, art gallery, office space and now wedding venue. And what would a Victorian mansion be without some ghosts stories? Join us as we share the history and hauntings of the McCune Mansion. The Moment in Oddity features the discovery of the Endurance and This Month in History the first Kentucky Derby. Our location was suggested by Derrick Hughes.
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Author Archives: History Goes Bump
The Houghton Mansion in North Adams, Massachusetts was named for the family that commissioned its construction. Their biography is ripe for ghost stories with a tragic car accident leading to further deaths from broken hearts and suicides. The house then spent nearly a century hosting a chapter of the Masonic Order. The Masons have always carried an air of mystery around their organization with rumors of bizarre rituals, sacrifices and hidden knowledge. Many former Masonic temples and centers pop up on haunted lists and we have featured a few. Join us for the history and hauntings of the Houghton Mansion. The Moment in Oddity features Indiana Bell Building rotation and This Month in History features the Astor Place Riot.
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One can’t miss the S.K. Pierce Mansion in Gardner, Massachusetts. This magnificent mansion is a huge Victorian that takes up the whole corner of West Broadway and Union Street. The grand exterior makes it very inviting, but the ghost stories connected to this place might just make you think twice before entering. There are those that claim this home is the second most haunted house in Massachusetts. Some owners have been chased out by spirits. There could be more than a dozen spirits here and one of them may be the furniture magnate for whom the house was built and named: S.K. Pierce. Join us for the history and hauntings of the S.K. Pierce Mansion. The Moment in Oddity features the Bone Collector Caterpillar and This Month in History features Brahms born.
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We had the chance to visit San Juan Capistrano and the mission there, as well as the Los Rios Historic District in April 2025. The historic district still hosts three original adobe homes, along with quaint shops and distinctive eateries. Much of the mission is in ruins today, but the colorful gardens, swallows and beautiful interior of the Serra Chapel make this a mission not to be missed. And the main downtown of San Juan Capistrano has its bits of history alongside modern businesses. All of these areas have their ghosts. Join us for the history and hauntings of San Juan Capistrano! The Moment in Oddity features Cataphiles and This Month in History features the birth of Mary Mother Jones.
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James Dean’s star burned bright, but fast. He starred in three amazing films, earning two posthumous Academy Award nominations, before his untimely death in 1955 at the age of 24. One can only wonder what heights his performances would’ve reached with that kind of trajectory. Dean loved speed and that would bring his ultimate demise. Perhaps because he had much still to do, his spirit still seems to be here. Join us for the life and afterlife of James Dean. The Moment in Oddity features the Rooftop Ninja and This Month in History features the first deaf school opening its doors.
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Edith Wharton was a woman ahead of her time when she was born into her upper-class New York family. In 1921, she became the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for Literature and is considered one of America’s greatest writers. She inspired countless other authors and gave the world a glimpse into the rich of the Gilded Age. Wharton also wrote ghost stories. She believed in ghosts. The home that she built, that is known as The Mount, is said to be haunted. Join us as we explore this interesting woman’s life and the history and hauntings of The Mount. The Moment in Oddity features Emma Gatewood and This Month in History features Susanna M. Salter elected as the first female mayor in the U.S. Our location was suggested by listener Mary Larkin.
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Akron is an industrial city with roots as a canal town that grew out of a swamp. It is the fifth largest city in Ohio and has a rich history connected to some of the most well known manufacturers in the world. There is a dark side with a history of violent riots and crimes committed by the Black Hand Gang. Like all historic cities, Akron has its legends and haunted locations. Join us for the history and hauntings of Akron, Ohio! The Moment in Oddity features the African Jacana and This Month in History features The Gray Ghost capturing Union General E.H. Stoughton.
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The Thackray Museum of Medicine in Leeds is the largest medical museum in the UK and takes guests on a journey through the history of medicine. There are exhibits about medical innovations and instruments, surgery in the 19th century, diseases and cures and the uniforms worn by medical personnel. Monthly lectures are hosted on topics ranging from “Questionable Quackery” to “Bloody Barbers and Splattered Surgeons.” This had been a former workhouse and is considered Leeds’ most haunted building. Join us for the history and hauntings of the Thackray Medical Museum! The Moment in Oddity features Mark Twain and Nicola Tesla and Constipation and This Month in History features the birth of boxer Jack Johnson.
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Do you like having screens on your windows? How about the ability to sift flour or to strain things? You have the Wickwire family to thank for that. The Wickwire family had a big impact on Cortland, New York and the world. Their wire weaving factory would employ hundreds of people and make the family very wealthy. Chester Wickwire would build his grand mansion in Cortland that runs as a museum today. It would seem that his spirit remains in the house, as do the spirits of other family members. Join us for the history and hauntings of the 1890 House Museum. The Moment in Oddity features the Psycho Movie Door and This Month in History features Lucy Hobbs graduating Dental School.
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Benjamin Franklin was a little bit of everything: inventor, diplomat, statesman, author, publisher, a Founding Father and a bad boy. He helped guide America through the growing pains of becoming a constitutional republic guiding its own destiny separate from Great Britain. Philadelphia became his home and the caretaker of the cemetery where he was buried in that city once said, “If Ben Franklin haunts the city and the streets of Philadelphia, he haunts it with his personality and his invention.” And it might seem that he haunts a couple of places with his actual spirit as well. Join us for the history and hauntings of Benjamin Franklin. The Moment in Oddity features Pound Cake and This Month in History features a Robert Frost poem published.
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