Is the Island of the Dolls Haunted?  Pat and Rebecca explore La Isla de las Muñecas, or the Island of the Dolls. In a series of canals in Xochimilco there is an island full of dolls strung up everywhere. Julian Santana Barrera believed the canals and the island were full of spirits and that the dolls helped keep them at bay. Have they?

Where is the Island of the Dolls? How can a visitor reach the island? Who was Julian Santana and what happened to drive him to fill the island with dolls? Did he find a girl drowned in the water, and afterwards her doll? What do the dolls look like? What is the story of La Llorona and how does it relate to the island and canals? Who runs the island now? What happened to Julian? What paranormal activity has been reported on the island? Is it haunted?

Listener mail takes us to Gatlinburg and a spooky hotel room. We also have a quick story that is the inspiration for this episode that includes a dirt devil. Have a spooky story or question of your own (or someone you know)? Send your story or question to [email protected] or leave a voicemail at 630-448-2138 and we might read or share it on the podcast. You could be on a future episode of Ghostly!

Listen to Rebecca tell a story based on the legend of La Llorona and the Island of the Dolls. A mother and child visit the island and get more than they planned.

Pat tells the history of the Island of the Dolls as well as the canals in the Valley of Mexico and the Xochimilco region. He makes the connection to the Mexican Revolution before exploring Don Julian’s story. Santana kept adding dolls to his island after finding a girl drowned in a canal. His nephew later found Santana dead in almost the same spot as the girl. Pat also talks about the island today and how visitors can find it.  

Rebecca has chosen three paranormal investigations to debate. They represent the most common stories people tell about the island. One is about a doll moving on it’s own, another is about something paranormal in the woods, and lastly one with a doll that laughs on its own. What does Pat and Team Skeptic think of these stories?

Find out what listeners said for the Dublin episode – is Dublin haunted? Still need to listen to our previous episode? Check it out here.

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Sources for this Week’s Episode
Isla de las Muñecas: https://isladelasmunecas.com/
Paranormal Database: https://paranormaldatabase.com/index.html
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Island_of_the_Dolls
Amusing Planet: https://www.amusingplanet.com/2011/04/island-of-dolls-mexicos-creepiest.html
Meaww: https://meaww.com/ghost-adventures-zak-bagans-crush-psychic-medium-island-of-dolls-investigation-mexico-sabrina-402245
Ancient Origins: https://www.ancient-origins.net/unexplained-phenomena/island-dolls-0011771
Pintrest (Photo from Destination Truth): https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/342977327846465689/
KSAT 12 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VomCBURc52I
Ghost Adventures YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6J3qQnYXG4
Discovery UK YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfTn1EmDgso

Music for this episode was performed by Michael Rivers
Intro: “III. Allegro moderato from Gargoyles” by Lowell Liebermann
Outro: “Dream Images (Love-Death Music)” by George Crumb
Bumper: “Ghost Waltz” by Lowell Liebermann