Dark House

By House Beautiful

At the crossroads of true crime, interior design, and the paranormal, Dark House explores beautiful homes that can’t seem to escape their dark histories. Hosts and House Beautiful editors Hadley Mende... more

4.6

753753 ratings

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How many episodes does Dark House have?

The podcast currently has 43 episodes available.

Best of Dark House

The most played episodes among Podcast App listeners.

Number 1: Waco Siege Part 2: Feat. Cult Scholar Daniella Mestyanek Young
Following their investigation into New Mount Carmel Center, Hadley and Alyssa resume their discussion of the infamous 1993 Waco siege. Hoping to better understand the actions of those embroiled in the conflict, they’re joined by author and cult scholar Daniella Mestyanek Young, who, as a cult survivor and Army veteran with a Masters in Organizational Psychology, provides valuable insight into the perspectives of each side. Speaking to her own experiences, Daniella talks about growing up in the Children of God cult as well as her time serving in the Army, and the parallels she’s noticed between those two chapters in her life. The hosts also pick her brain on all things coercive control, including how cult leaders utilize isolated locations and strict living conditions to control their followers. Wrapping up the episode, Alyssa and Hadley reflect on the stories they shared this season. SWEEPSTAKES *IMPORTANT DISCLOSURE: Following @Darkhousepodcast and liking Darkhouse’s ‘Uncultured’ Memoir sweepstakes post is required to enter Darkhouse’s ‘Uncultured’ Memoir Sweepstakes and does not necessarily signify an endorsement of the brand or post.* NO PURCH. NEC. TO ENTER OR WIN. Darkhouse ‘Uncultured’ Memoir Sweepstakes. Sponsored by Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. From 11/15/23 at 12:01 AM (ET) - 11/22/23, at 11:59 PM (ET), follow @Darkhousepodcast on Instagram and like Darkhouse’s ‘Uncultured’ Memoir sweepstakes post. Open to US, DC, & Canada (excluding Quebec) residents from age of majority. Void in Puerto Rico. Subj. to rules at https://www.housebeautiful.com/promotions/sweeps/a45701029/darkhouse-uncultured-memoir-sweepstakes-2023/. CREDITS Alyssa Fiorentino - Co-host & Producer Hadley Mendelsohn - Co-host & Producer Jessy Caron - Producer & Audio Editor To advertise on the show: https://www.advertisecast.com/DarkHouse or email us at [email protected]. RELATED LINKS ‘Uncultured: A Memoir’ by Daniella Mestyanek Young: https://amzn.to/497qeIQ ‘Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism’ by Amanda Montell: https://amzn.to/406FPnQ “Joaquin Phoenix and Rose McGowan Spent Their Early Years in a Religious Cult. Then it Became Infamous.” Esquire (ARTICLE): https://bit.ly/3Q7gTb9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
November 15, 20231h 10min
Number 2: Waco Siege Part 1: New Mount Carmel Center (Waco, TX)
Alyssa and Hadley turn their attention to New Mount Carmel Center, an isolated ranch just outside of Waco, Texas where a 51-day standoff between the FBI and the Branch Davidians—a religious cult led by self-proclaimed prophet David Koresh—came to a disastrous end on April 19, 1993, when the group’s massive compound burned to the ground with 76 Branch Davidians still inside. Setting out to understand what led to the government’s siege of Mount Carmel, the hosts go back to the beginning, reviewing the tumultuous history of the cult and their property. They also examine the harsh living conditions that Koresh’s followers were subjected to while living there, and how the compound's rudimentary design and construction played a significant role throughout the conflict. Finally, Alyssa and Hadley uncover what happened to Mount Carmel after the fire, how the remains of the compound became a macabre tourist attraction, and the chilling sounds that visitors and caretakers have reported hearing on the grounds since. CREDITS Alyssa Fiorentino - Co-host & Producer Hadley Mendelsohn - Co-host & Producer Jessy Caron - Producer & Audio Editor To advertise on the show: https://www.advertisecast.com/DarkHouse or email us at [email protected]. RELATED LINKS ‘Waco: David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and A Legacy of Rage’ by Jeff Guinn: https://amzn.to/3FtvqZL “The Bizarre History of the Branch Davidian Headquarters in Waco, Texas” House Beautiful (ARTICLE): https://bit.ly/40o8CVb “The Ghosts of Mount Carmel” (ARTICLE): https://bit.ly/3M9U4m3 “Branch Davidian Compound, Mount Carmel Center” (VIDEO): https://bit.ly/3Q7gBRB “David Koresh SERMON” (VIDEO): https://bit.ly/45IZL15 “The Sinful Messiah: Read the series” Waco Tribune-Herald (ARTICLE): https://bit.ly/3Mf4lNT “The hounds of Waco” Salon (ARTICLE): https://bit.ly/497qMyo “End Of Days” BBC Radio 5 Live (PODCAST): https://bit.ly/409UKNP Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
November 08, 20231h 27min
Number 3: Ammons House (Gary, IN) Feat. Psychology Professor Karl Rosengren
Hadley and Alyssa investigate the Ammons House, a modest, single-story home in Gary, Indiana where, in the spring of 2011, Latoya Ammons and her three young children were reportedly possessed by demons. After unpacking the history of the region, the hosts dig into the Ammons family’s case, from the first signs of paranormal activity to the extreme behavior that eventually led Latoya to flee the home and seek medical attention for her children. They also review reports made by healthcare professionals, law enforcement officers, and government workers whose eyewitness accounts point to two chilling possibilities: either the Ammons family suffered a psychological phenomenon, or the house really was infested by something evil and otherworldly. Hadley and Alyssa also discuss what happened to the house after Ghost Adventures host Zak Bagans bought it in 2014. Later, they’re joined by Karl Rosengren, a professor in the Brain and Cognitive Sciences and Psychology departments at the University of Rochester, to discuss how belief in the paranormal and magic affect early childhood development, the psychology behind superstition, and more. CREDITS Alyssa Fiorentino - Co-host & Producer Hadley Mendelsohn - Co-host & Producer Jessy Caron - Producer & Audio Editor To advertise on the show: https://www.advertisecast.com/DarkHouse or email us at [email protected]. RELATED LINKS “Paranormal activity: Do Catholics believe in ghosts?” U.S. Catholic (ARTICLE): https://bit.ly/3QDiqak “White flight followed factory jobs out of Gary, Indiana. Black people didn't have a choice” The Guardian (ARTICLE): https://bit.ly/3FyLSry “Resilient Midtown Tour to explore Gary’s historic district on foot” Indiana University Northwest (ARTICLE): https://bit.ly/3s74nQX “The exorcisms of Latoya Ammons” Indianapolis Star (ARTICLE): https://bit.ly/406svzQ Demon House (MOVIE): https://bit.ly/3s2BHse “We almost lost our lives': Woman possessed by demons in 'portal to hell' house that terrified even the police chief reveals new details of her family's terrifying ordeal” Daily Mail (ARTICLE): https://bit.ly/3s2qzf8 “Childhood trauma and the development of paranormal beliefs” PubMed (STUDY): https://bit.ly/3Q0Ge6o “Exorcism is something we can’t quite quit” Los Angeles Times (ARTICLE): https://bit.ly/3tSUKpm Silhouette in the Ammons House window (PHOTO): https://bit.ly/3QsAYtJ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
November 01, 20231h 38min
Number 4: Black Dahlia Part 2: The John Sowden House (Los Angeles, CA)
With a better understanding of the victim, Elizabeth Short, Hadley and Alyssa set their sights on the Black Dahlia’s suspected killer: prominent California doctor George Hodel. Dr. Hodel lived in the John Sowden House—Frank Lloyd Wright Jr.'s surrealist magnum opus in Los Feliz—from 1945 to 1950, until he abandoned his family and fled the country after the home was bugged by the district attorney's office. Following the trail of a popular theory, the hosts explore the history of Sowden House, from its magnificent Mayan Revival architecture and many former owners to the events and evidence that have led many to believe it was the site of Elizabeth Short’s murder. CREDITS Alyssa Fiorentino - Co-host & Producer Hadley Mendelsohn - Co-host & Producer Jessy Caron - Producer & Audio Editor Jacob Stone - Sound Editor & Mixer To advertise on the show: https://www.advertisecast.com/DarkHouse or email us at [email protected]. RELATED LINKS Sowden House, 5121 Franklin Avenue, Los Angeles (PHOTOS): https://bit.ly/3PBihm5 ‘Black Dahlia Avenger’ by Steve Hodel: https://amzn.to/468kDj4 Root of Evil: The True Story of the Hodel Family and the Black Dahlia (PODCAST): https://bit.ly/45iciIU Historic American Buildings Survey, Sowden House (PDF): https://bit.ly/3ZwglA1 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
October 04, 20231h 39min
Number 5: Black Dahlia Part 1: The Biltmore Hotel (Los Angeles, CA)
Hadley and Alyssa dive into the life and gruesome death of Elizabeth Short—better known as the Black Dahlia—whose unsolved murder spurred Hollywood’s most persistent ghost story. Working to uncover whether or not the iconic Millennium Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles was the last place she was seen alive, the hosts retrace Elizabeth's final steps through her unmailed letters, stories from people who knew her, and eye-witness testimony. Having tracked her movements up to the evening of January 9, 1947, when she was seen leaving the lobby of the Biltmore, Alyssa and Hadley review all the possible sightings that may prove Elizabeth was seen elsewhere in Los Angeles the following week. They also sift through the many chilling stories of paranormal activity reported by Biltmore guests in recent years, which have many people convinced that Elizabeth’s spirit remains at the hotel. Later, the hosts learn about several top suspects in the case, including one who stands out among the rest. CREDITS Alyssa Fiorentino - Co-host & Producer Hadley Mendelsohn - Co-host & Producer Jessy Caron - Producer & Audio Editor Jacob Stone - Sound Editor & Mixer To advertise on the show: https://www.advertisecast.com/DarkHouse or email us at [email protected]. RELATED LINKS Ghost Captured in the Biltmore Hotel by Ginny Myers Sain (PHOTO): bit.ly/45UCN85 ‘Childhood Shadows’ by Mary Pacios: https://amzn.to/4532RwC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
September 27, 20231h 32min