Author Archives: History Goes Bump

Coe College, Ep. 196

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Coe College is located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The college began in the 1850s in of all places, the parlor of a reverend. The school grew from religious studies to a liberal arts college that was a pioneer in the education of women. The college suffered growing pains through the years and nearly closed, but today it thrives. There are tales of hauntings on the campus, with the most well known being the story of Helen and her spirit. Our listener Zoe Timmerman joins us to share her experiences. Join us as we explore the history and hauntings of Coe College. Moment in Oddity features anti-revenant practices from the Medieval Era and This Month in History features the midnight ride of Paul Revere and William Dawes.

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Summerwind Mansion, Ep. 195

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Summerwind Mansion is a ruined mansion in Land O’ Lakes, Wisconsin. It dates back to the early 1900s and served as a fishing lodge originally. Later the Lamont family would turn the lodge into a mansion. It changed ownership several times until it finally burned to the ground in 1988. The mansion has a deep history of haunting activity to the point that it is considered one of the most haunted locations in Wisconsin.We are joined by Craig Nehring who is the founder of the Fox Valley Ghost Hunters and co-founder of the Summerwind Restoration Society. Craig grew up in Wisconsin near the Summerwind Mansion and he joins us to talk about the history and hauntings of this location. The Moment in Oddity features a father and son as first and last deaths at Hoover Dam and This Month in History features Pickett defeated at Battle of Five Forks.

Music:

Vanishing from http://purple-planet.com (Moment in Oddity)
In Your Arms by Kevin MacLeod http://incompetech.com (This Month in History)

Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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Filipino Legends, Ep. 194

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The Philippines is made up of thousands of islands. Together, they are an enchanting country of beautiful beaches and enchanting opportunities for outdoor adventure. The Philippines was under Spanish rule for 350 years and much of the country is Catholic because of that beginning. The influence is still seen today in the numerous historic churches and in the Spanish colonial architecture. The people of this land embrace spirituality and there is a rich culture of mythology and folklore here. The Philippines Pantheon is vast and there are dozens of creatures that are found in the local lore. Some seem silly, while others are truly terrifying. Our Filipino listener April Garaci joins us to share stories of folklore and some haunting experiences that she has experienced. Join us as we explore the legends of the Philippines! The Moment in Oddity was suggested by History Dweeb’s Tim Scott and features a mother who believes her son is reincarnated Lou Gehrig and This Month in History features President William Henry Harrison dying in office.

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Legend of the Faeries, Ep. 193

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A belief in Faeries has existed for centuries and stretches all around the world. Early stories of faeries originate in medieval Western Europe and this is where we get the term “Fairy Tales.” The roots of the oldest tale of fairy creatures comes from a folktale named “The Smith and the Devil.” Some fairy tales are thought to be up to 6,000 years old. Stories of faeries traveled with the colonists to America and are still strong in Appalachian and Ozark lore. There are many theories as to what faeries may be and because of this, they take many forms in folklore. And while most people believe that faeries are not real, the belief in these creatures is very real. And there are tales that go beyond superstition and leave open the possibility that faeries may just exist. Join us as we explore the folklore about these fascinating beings and examine some of the tales that are told about them! The Moment in Oddity was suggested by listener RachelThomson and features Mother Ludlam’s Cave and This Month in History features the birth of Johann Sebastian Bach. Our topic was suggested by listeners Vicki Luther and Amy Harris Martinez.

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Penn State University, Ep. 192

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Penn State University is a part of the Big Ten East and has 24 campuses across the state of Pennsylvania. Not bad for a school that had small beginnings and only 64 undergraduate students. Penn State was one of the first land grant universities in America and was founded as an agricultural school. The main campus is situated in the Nittany Valley between Nittany Mountain and Muncy Mountain. The university sits on a limestone shelf, which lends itself to capturing energy and it is said that this may be one of the most haunted universities in America. Matt Swayne, author of America’s Haunted Universities, joins us to share stories of spirits that continue here in the afterlife. Join us as we explore the history and hauntings of Penn State! The Moment in Oddity was suggested by listener Kelly Helter and features Lord Tod Wadley and This Month in History features Nazi General Rudolf Freiherr von Gersdorff’s attempt to assassinate Hitler.

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Spiritualism and the Eddy Brothers’ House

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Psychic phenomenon and interaction with the spiritual world date back to the beginnings of humankind. Humans have used various means to facilitate this communication. During the Victorian era, the practice of Spiritualism began and grew in popularity. Many people are credited with growing the beliefs and interest in the afterlife. The Fox Sisters from New York are a couple of those people. The sisters would eventually claim to be frauds, but there was another pair of siblings who are much harder to discredit that were popular a couple decades after the Fox Sisters. Those siblings were the Eddy Brothers of Vermont. Not only were they practitioners of Spiritualism, but their home was host to countless spirits and apparitions.Some of whom still seem to remain today. Join us as we explore the history of Spiritualism and discuss the lives of the Eddy Brothers and the hauntings at the Eddy Brother House with listener Mariessa Dobrick! The Moment in Oddity was suggested by Angie Reynoso Akbarzad and features Madame Tussaud originally using the dead to make her waxworks and This Month in History features two Boeing 747s colliding in the Canary Islands.

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The Ghost Town Bodie, Ep. 190

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The town of Bodie in California is probably one of the best preserved ghost towns in America and the town describes itself as being in a state of arrested decay. There are over 100 structures still standing today with many of them dating back to the late 1800’s. The town is a State Historic Park maintained by the California State Parks System. In its heyday, it played home to gamblers, miners, gunfighters and prostitutes. It went boom and bust quickly and left abandoned. Some would claim that it is not completely abandoned. The spirits of those who lived during Bodie’s glory years seem to still be around, as if waiting for another rich strike to bring the people flocking to the ramshackle buildings. Join us as we explore the history and hauntings of the ghost town of Bodie! The Moment in Oddity was suggested by listener Kathy Webb-Thomas and features The Cadaver Synod and This Month in History features the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire. We also have the 13th installment in the 3rd series of Tim Prasil’s Spectral Edition! Our location was suggested by listener Debbie Miller.

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Hampton Court Palace, Ep. 189

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Hampton Court Palace located in the London suburb town of Hampton, dates back to medieval times. Throughout the centuries, the palace has been expanded to the point that it has become two palaces in one. The first is a Tudor Palace that was transformed by both Cardinal Wolsey and then King Henry VIII and a baroque castle that was built by William and Mary. The interior decor has changed to suit the occupants, who have ranged from knights to cardinals to kings and queens. What has been left behind, makes Hampton Court a museum of history. Spirits have been left behind as well. Join us and our listener Amanda Prouty as we explore the history and haunting experiences, one of which is hers, of Hampton Court Palace. The Moment in Oddity was suggested by Tim Scott and features a light bulb that has burned since 1901 and This Month in History features Nelson’s Pillar blown up by IRA.

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Rispin Mansion, Ep. 188

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Rispin Mansion is located in Capitola, California in the beautiful and supernaturally infused Santa Cruz area. The history of the mansion is intriguing and just part of that, is the fact that a rich real estate baron built it and then went on to be buried in a pauper’s grave. Everyone from nuns to hippies have called this place home and the once grand estate has become an abandoned eyesore. But it is not completely abandoned. Rumors of hauntings swirl around the property. And legends and hauntings seem to be everywhere one looks in Santa Cruz. We will share some of these strange tales as we explore the history and hauntings of the Rispin Mansion. The Moment in Oddity features Winston Churchill writing about aliens and This Month in History features the birthday of Casimir Pulaski. Our location was suggested by listener Sasha Wolfe.

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Congress Plaza Hotel, Ep. 187

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Chicago’s Congress Plaza Hotel is said to be the city’s most haunted hotel. Chicago hosted the World’s Fair in 1893 and the hotel was built to help provide more accommodations, so it has been around for more than a century. World leaders, US Presidents and the rich and famous have all stayed here. There are rumors that the hotel was used during Prohibition by Al Capone. And similar to the inspiration The Stanley Hotel provided to Stephen King when writing The Shining, the Congress Plaza Hotel inspired him when writing his short story 1408, which eventually became the movie of the same name starring John Cusack. There seems to be many spirits at the hotel to help provide haunting inspiration. Join us as we explore the history and hauntings of the Congress Plaza Hotel! The Moment in Oddity features the Moon Mausoleum and This Month in History features Julius Caesar assassinated. Our location was suggested by listeners Matthew Hirons and Kristin Swintek.

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