Pat and Rebecca continue the annual Christmas tradition of telling ghost stories. For many years, people engaged in the tradition of telling ghost stories on Christmas Eve. This episode takes a ghostly twist by including ghost stories with the history. Enjoy some ghostly tales as you settle in for Christmas.

This week’s listener mail is about a Texas Haunted House with a “Hi Ghost”. 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!

Pat dives into the fascinating history Harford Castle in southern Illinois. From beautiful castle with a moat to an abandoned home turned speakeasy, this land has a rich history. And a woman who haunts the land.

Hartford Sources:
Haunted Illinois: https://www.hauntedillinois.com/realhauntedplaces/hartford-castle.php
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartford_Castle
Michael Kleen: https://michaelkleen.com/2018/03/20/hartford-castles-once-majestic-remains/

Rebecca tells the story of the Axe Man. There are several variations of the story, but they all end in death and a haunted bridge.

Axman Sources:
Haunted Illinois: https://www.illinoishauntedhouses.com/real-haunt/axmans-house–axmans-bridge.html
Michael Kleen: https://michaelkleen.com/2018/11/20/axemans-bridge-in-crete-illinois/
Haunted Places: https://www.hauntedplaces.org/item/ax-mans-house-ax-mans-bridge/

Pat relates the tale of Lady Margaret Hodnett and Lord Rockenby. The tragic story ends in Pat’s favorite thing, a Woman in White!

Faceless Lady Sources:
Emerald Isle: http://emeraldisle.ie/the-faceless-lady
Ireland Stole my Heart: https://irelandstolemyheart.com/haunted-castles-in-ireland/

Rebecca found a collection of ghost stories sent in by locals in 1914 to two collectors of Irish paranormal tales (are they truth or fiction?). Hear about the haunted Barracks and the multiple ghost stories told by a police constable.

Project Gutenberg.org: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/14099/14099.txt

Find out what listeners said for the Kennedy Curse episode – Is the Kennedy family cursed? Still need to listen to our previous episode? Check it out here.

Interested in joining our new Ghostly Book Club? If you want to read spooky books and talk about them with fellow Ghostly listeners, sign up at ghostlypodcast.com/book-club. Our next meeting is in January.

New merchandise store right on our website at ghostlypodcast.com/store for all your Ghostly Gear! Several new items including Microclimate shirts! Also grab a Ghostly mask.

Please subscribe to Ghostly and give us a rating on iTunes or any podcast app where they let you. Tell your friends! Then you can debate the truth yourselves. Word of mouth is one of the best ways to grow our audience, so we can do all the amazing things we have planned for this year. And be sure to find us on all social media at Ghostly Podcast.

Visit our website, www.ghostlypodcast.com, to learn more about Ghostly, and, of course, give us your opinion on our polls here or on Facebook. 

How can you help support Ghostly? Leave us a rating and a review. And now you can also buy us a cup of coffee at buymeacoffee.com/GhostlyPodcast. You can give a one-time coffee, or you can sign up for a membership for $5 a month or $50 a year. Members get early access to future episode topics and get to join a meet and greet with Pat and Rebecca every month.

We want to hear from you! We want your ghost stories! Email us at [email protected].  Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at GhostlyPodcast. NEW! Leave us a voicemail on Ghostly’s new haunt line: 630-448-2138.

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