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Ghostly episodes

October 07192 Villisca Axe Murder House
Is the Villisca Axe House Haunted?
Content advisory: This episode discusses a real mass murder in which six children were killed, plus violence, death, and a 2014 self-harm incident. If you or someone you love is struggling, call or text 988, the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (U.S.), any time.
On a Sunday night in June 1912, eight people went to sleep in a modest two-story house in Villisca, Iowa, and none of them woke up. More than a century later, the case is still unsolved, the house is still standing, and you can still book a night inside. Kicking off our October series, Haunted Murder Houses, Rebecca follows the children who never stopped playing, while Pat lays out the suspect list: a confession that got taken back, a state senator with a grudge, and a hired man with a payroll alibi. You decide: genuine haunting, or entirely senseless talk?
The History
In 1912, Villisca was a small railroad town of about 2,000 people with nearly 30 trains stopping every day. On June 9, Josiah and Sarah Moore, their four children (Herman, Katherine, Boyd, and Paul), and two young overnight guests, sisters Lena and Ina Stillinger, came home from the Children’s Day program at the Presbyterian church. Sometime after midnight, someone entered the house with Joe Moore’s own axe and killed all eight. Mirrors and windows were draped, faces were covered, and the killer slipped out before dawn. Townspeople trampled the crime scene, and the suspects followed: state senator Frank Jones, the hired man William “Blackie” Mansfield, and the traveling preacher Rev. George Kelly, who confessed, recanted, and was acquitted in 1917. No one was ever convicted. Restored to its 1912 appearance in the 1990s and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, the house is now open for tours and overnight stays.
The Hauntings
The children who never stopped playing — balls that roll across the kids’ room on their own, and doors that bang shut, according to former owner Darwin Linn. When WHO Radio’s Van and Bonnie spent the night, three balls “just took off all in different directions.”
The man with the axe — in 1930, newlywed Bonnie Ritner said she saw a man holding an axe at the foot of her bed. Visitors have reported the same “shadow man” ever since.
Lena’s closet — a closet door that banged behind Darwin Linn as he carried guests’ coins downstairs, and a 1999 investigator who called the house “borderline demonic.”
Footsteps on the stairs — ordinary overnight guests hearing someone climb the stairs and walk overhead when nobody else was in the house. “But we knew what we heard.”
The night things got real — a 2014 overnight that ended in an emergency, and the longtime caretaker who stopped staying the night afterward.
Music Credits
Music performed by Michael Rivers.
“Pat Facts” and “Ghost Story” themes by Mondo.
“Time for a Debate” theme by Gail Gallagher — gailgallaghermusic.com
Weigh In
Got a ghost story? Call or text us. Hear the phone number on the episode. You might hear it on the show. Vote by texting the episode title with YES (believer) or NO (skeptic), plus a haunting score from 1–10.
Listener Mail
Email [email protected] or the contact form at GhostlyPodcast.com, or write us at PO Box #264, Geneva, IL 60134.
Support the Show
Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, or join us on Patreon at GhostlyPodcast.com (tiers from $1–$10).
Sources
History
The Ax Murderer Who Got Away — Smithsonian Magazine
Villisca axe murders — Wikipedia
Josiah B. and Sara Moore House — Wikipedia
The Villisca Axe Murders — Iowa Cold Cases
Henry Lee Moore — Wikipedia
The Man from the Train — Wikipedia
Hauntings & Paranormal Reports
Villisca Axe Murder House — US Ghost Adventures (official site)
Ax Murder House — Sioux City Journal
Van and Bonnie Spend the Night at the Villisca Ax Murder House — WHO 13
Team of Ghost Hunters Investigate Infamous Villisca Axe Murder House — KETV
My Experience at the Villisca Ax Murder House — JHS Black & White
Strange Occurrences Abound at the Villisca Ax Murder House — Roadtrippers
Why Did a Ghost Hunter Stab Himself Inside a Famous Axe-Murder House? — VICE
The Time a Ghost Hunter Stabbed Himself at My Axe Murder Museum — VICE
1 hr 3 min
September 30 191 Buffalo Central Terminal
It's one of the most impressive train stations ever built in America, and for most of its life, it's been standing completely empty. This episode, Rebecca tracks down the spirits who never left Buffalo's Central Terminal, while Pat digs into how a building this grand ended up abandoned for over forty years. You decide: genuine haunting, or entirely senseless talk?
54 min
September 16190 Mary King’s Close in Edinburgh, Scotland
Is Mary King’s Close Edinburgh’s Most Haunted Street?
Beneath a grand 18th-century stone building on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile — one that gives no hint of what’s underneath — sits an entire street frozen in time. Rooms, staircases, even fireplaces, sealed beneath the foundations when the Royal Exchange went up in 1753. Mary King’s Close was home to merchants, tradespeople, and, in 1645, some of the city’s worst plague victims. Today it’s one of the most investigated haunted sites in the UK, and almost every tour still ends in the same small stone room, in front of a pile of children’s toys.
This week, Rebecca walks through Wee Annie, the EVP session at Andrew Chesney’s house, the Coltheart family’s disembodied limbs, a namesake ghost caught on infrared, and a real University of Edinburgh study that found something genuinely hard to explain — while Pat digs into who Mary King actually was, what Edinburgh’s Old Town was really like, and why the close’s most famous “true story” doesn’t hold up to the historical record. Is Mary King’s Close genuinely haunted, or is four centuries of plague, poverty, and marketing doing a very convincing impression of one? You decide.
What We Cover in This Episode
The History (with Pat):
Who Mary King really was — a 1630s textile merchant and one of the few women in 17th-century Scotland to hold full burgess rights
What Edinburgh’s Old Town actually looked like: 8-to-12-story tenements, no sanitation, and a city crammed onto one narrow ridge
The 1645 plague outbreak that devastated the close — and why the popular “300 people sealed in with a named plague doctor” story doesn’t hold up against the historical record
How the Royal Exchange was built directly on top of the close in 1753, sealing it underground for 250 years
Andrew Chesney, the close’s last documented resident, forced out between 1897 and 1902
The Real Mary King’s Close opening to the public in 2003 after years of restoration
The Hauntings (with Rebecca):
Evidence #1 — Wee Annie: Japanese psychic Aiko Gibo’s 1990s encounter that turned one small room into the close’s signature haunting — and its ever-growing pile of donated dolls
Evidence #2 — Andrew Chesney’s House: an EVP session that allegedly caught his voice telling investigators to “just get out”
Evidence #3 — The Coltheart Family: a 17th-century lawyer’s household terrorized by a disembodied arm, a phantom child, and a vanishing dog
Evidence #4 — Mary King Herself: an infrared photograph said to show the close’s own namesake still walking her old street
Evidence #5 — The University of Edinburgh’s Haunting Experiment: a real 2001 academic study that found a statistically significant gap between “haunted” and “ordinary” sections of the close
Weigh the Evidence
As always, it’s not up to us, it’s up to YOU. After listening, text us the episode title, add YES if you’re a believer or NO if you’re a skeptic, and give it a haunting score from 1 to 10.
(312) 869-9929
Or head to our social pages and tell us which piece of evidence convinced you — and which one Pat managed to talk you out of.
Music Credits
Music for this episode was performed by Michael Rivers.
“Pat Facts” and “Ghost Story” themes by Mondo.
“Time for a Debate” theme by Gail Gallagher — gailgallaghermusic.com
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Got a ghost story of your own? Email us at [email protected] or write to us at PO Box #264, Geneva, IL 60134.
Don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and leave a review wherever you listen — it’s the easiest way to support the show and help other ghost-story lovers find us.
Sources for This Week’s Episode
Mary King (merchant) — Wikipedia
Mary King’s Close — Wikipedia
Edinburgh City Chambers — Wikipedia
Edinburgh: The Old Town — Britannica
The Eerily Abandoned 17th-Century Streets of Edinburgh — History Skills
Lost Edinburgh: The Great Plague of 1645 — The Scotsman
Eerily Fascinating Mary King’s Close in Line for Tourism Award — Edinburgh News
The Plague in Scotland — National Library of Scotland
The Real Mary King’s Close — Official Site
Who Was Mary King? — Real Mary King’s Close Blog
Edinburgh’s Plague Doctor: The True Story — Real Mary King’s Close Blog
Mary King’s Close — Atlas Obscura
400 Years of History, Previously Buried — Traveling Boy
Mary King’s Close — Exploring GB
Mary King’s Close — Introducing Edinburgh
Haunted Edinburgh: The Ghostly Spectres That Still Walk Mary King’s Close Today — Edinburgh News
The Ghosts of Mary King’s Close — Spooky Isles
The Ghosts of Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh — Haunted Rooms
Ghost Finders Scotland Investigation — Ghost Club
The Ghosts of Mary King’s Close — The Scotsman
The Haunting Experiment of Edinburgh Castle (Wiseman/Watt study) — Association of Paranormal Study
Mary King’s Close — Ghostwatch
1 hr 20 min
September 02189 Preston Castle
Is Preston Castle Haunted?
In this episode of Ghostly, we head to the tiny Gold Rush town of Ione, California, to explore Preston Castle — a red-brick, Romanesque Revival reform school with a dark past and a reputation as one of the West Coast’s most active haunted locations. Built to correct troubled boys, the castle instead became the site of beatings, escapes, and at least one unsolved murder. Decades after it closed, staff, tour guides, and paranormal investigators all say the same thing: it never really emptied out.
History of Preston Castle
Established in 1890 by the California State Legislature as a progressive reform school for juvenile offenders; the cornerstone was laid December 23, 1890, in front of roughly 2,500 spectators
Built in the Romanesque Revival style — considered the finest example of that style in the Mother Lode — using bricks manufactured at San Quentin and Folsom prisons from locally quarried sandstone
The first wards were accepted June 13, 1894, and the school officially opened July 1, 1894; electricity arrived the following year via a water-wheel-powered Pelton dynamo
At its peak, the school held around 800 wards, employed 200 staff, and worked roughly 1,000 acres of surrounding farmland across some 50 buildings
Discipline behind the scenes was harsh: public lashings, isolation, military-style drills, and “dunking baths” meant to treat lice were all part of daily life for the boys sent here
The school closed in 1960 when the state opened newer facilities, and the castle sat vacant and deteriorating for more than 40 years
Local preservationists fought off demolition; the nonprofit Preston Castle Foundation leased the property in 2001 and took full ownership in 2014
Today it’s a California Historical Landmark (#867) and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, with the Foundation running public tours and events on-site
Reported Paranormal Activity
Visitors, staff, and investigators have reported disembodied footsteps and voices, sudden temperature drops, physical touches ranging from a light brush to a hard poke, and cameras or recorders draining batteries or glitching with no explanation. It’s earned Preston Castle a spot on nearly every “most haunted place in California” list out there.
The Ghost of Anna Corbin
The castle’s most well-known haunting centers on Anna Corbin, the head housekeeper who was like a mother figure to the boys at Preston. In February 1950, she was beaten and strangled in a basement storeroom. Three separate trials followed — and nobody was ever convicted. Locals believe her spirit still can’t leave, and that she’s the one still walking the basement, and the halls, checking on “her boys.”
The Infirmary
Widely considered the most consistently active room in the building. The infirmary treated wards who fell ill, and some — including 8-year-old Grant Walker and 20-year-old Nicholas Hamilton — never left. Visitors report figures standing at the infirmary windows that vanish the moment they’re noticed, along with faint voices and movement in a room that should be empty.
The Basement
Beyond Anna’s room, the basement as a whole has a reputation as the heaviest, most unsettling part of the castle — cold spots with no source, shadow figures along the walls, and a dread so strong some investigators refuse to go down at all.
On Camera: The Ghost Adventures Investigation
When the Ghost Adventures crew investigated Preston Castle, they captured EVPs including “I don’t know,” “talk,” and “get out of here,” along with mist and orbs moving near their own heads on camera. More than one crew member came out of the basement with fresh, unexplained scratches — and Zak Bagans reportedly behaved so differently down there that the rest of the crew wondered if he’d been influenced by Anna herself.
Spirits of the Wards
Some of the castle’s activity is tied to the boys who lived — and in some cases died — here. Reports include child-like laughter with no children around, faint crying, and small shadow figures darting through the halls. Two names recur often in the lore: Sam Goins and Herman Huber, both shot by guards during separate escape attempts in the early 1900s.
Listen now: GhostlyPodcast.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
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#GhostlyPodcast #PrestonCastle #IoneCalifornia #CaliforniaGhosts #Paranormal #HauntedHistory #HauntedReformSchool #SpookyTravel
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Join our Patreon for all sorts of great extra Ghostly, including early, commercial-free episodes. Join today: ghostlypodcast.com/support/
We want to hear from you with your ghost stories! Email us at [email protected]. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter at GhostlyPodcast.
Music for this episode was performed by Michael Rivers
“Pat Facts” and “Ghost Story” themes by Mondo
“Time for a Debate” theme by Gail Gallagher gailgallaghermusic.com
Sources for this week’s episode
Preston Castle Foundation — History
Preston Castle Foundation — Tours
The Harsh, Eerie History of Preston Castle — Merced County Times
The Preston Castle: A Tragic Blend of Mystery, History, and Horror — Calexplornia
Historic Haunt — San Joaquin Magazine
Preston Castle — Haunted US
Preston Castle Ghost Stories and History — BeyondHaunted.com
The History of Preston Castle — Paranormal Legacy
Preston Castle (episode) — Ghost Adventures Wiki
Preston Castle: A Paranormal Investigator’s Paradise — 209 Magazine
Preston Castle — Haunted Reform School — Hauntpedia
Ghost Hunt: Preston Castle in Ione, California — Ghostly Activities
1 hr 2 min
August 19Summer Rewind - Wrigley Field
Is Wrigley Field Haunted?
Welcome to the final episode of the Ghostly Summer Rewind! We’re closing out our summer trip through the vault with a hometown favorite – and our milestone 100th episode.
This one originally aired in the summer of 2022. We saved it for last on purpose: it’s dropping during Cubs–White Sox Crosstown weekend at Wrigley, which felt like the perfect note to end the summer on. Thanks for riding out the Rewind with us! New episodes return this fall!
It’s Ghostly’s 100th episode! Wrigley Field is an iconic building in Chicago and the home of the Cubs baseball team. But it’s also filled with ghost stories of past managers, announcers, and fans. Is it haunted? Listen and vote!
Questions Explored in this Episode
Where is Wrigley Field located in Chicago? What was the neighborhood like before and now? Who built it and why? How did the Cubs end up playing there? Who named it Wrigley? How has it changed over the years? What was the curse of the Billy Goat? Who are Charles Grimm, Steve Goodman, and Harry Caray and do they haunt the park?
Listener Mail
This week’s listener mail is about a helpful ghost. Have a spooky story or question of your own (or someone you know)? Send your story or question to [email protected] and we might read it on the podcast. You could be on a future episode of Ghostly!
History of Wrigley Field
Pat explores the history of Wrigley and how it came to be built where the Chicago Lutheran Theological Seminary was located. He tells us about the Federal League, the Chi-Feds (Chicago Whales), and Charles Weeghman. Learn how the field came to be the home of the Chicago Cubs and also how the Chicago Bears once played there.
The Debate
Pat and Rebecca debate if the field is haunted. The three famous ghosts are Charles Grimm, Steve Goodman, and Harry Caray. All have been seen around the park and Grimm is said to call the bullpen phones in the middle of the night.
Visit our website, www.ghostlypodcast.com, to learn more about Ghostly, and, of course, give us your opinion on our polls.
Support Ghostly
How can you help support Ghostly?
Leave us a rating and a review.
Support us on Patreon! Check out all the rewards of becoming a Patreon supporter of Ghostly, including our new show, GhostlyX!
Ghostly Gear right on our website at ghostlypodcast.com/store! T-shirts, Hoodies, Masks and more.
Sources for this Week’s Episode
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrigley_Field and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curse_of_the_Billy_Goat
MLB.com– https://www.mlb.com/cubs/ballpark
Ballparks.com: https://ballparks.com/baseball/national/wrigle.htm
Last Word On Sports: https://lastwordonsports.com/baseball/2020/10/14/haunted-wrigley-field-a-tale-of-its-haunts/
America’s Haunted Road Trip: http://americashauntedroadtrip.com/wrigley-field-is-the-ballpark-haunted/
Windy City Ghosts: https://windycityghosts.com/wrigley-field/
Waymarking: https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WMTX7T_Wrigley_Field_Chicago_Illinois
Mysterious Universe: https://mysteriousuniverse.org/2019/04/haunted-wrigley-field-and-the-curse-of-the-billy-goat/
Huff Post: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/the-ghost-of-wrigley-fiel_b_12692296
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
“Pat Facts” and “Ghost Story” themes by Mondo
“Time for a Debate” theme by Gail Gallagher gailgallaghermusic.com
1 hr 24 min
August 05 Summer Rewind - Terrace Inn
Is the Terrace Inn in Petosky, MI haunted?
Welcome to the Ghostly Summer Rewind! While we take a short break from new episodes this summer, we’re reaching back into the vault to re-release five of our favorite episodes.
This one originally aired in spring 2023. There’s no more fitting Rewind for a warm August night than a haunted summer inn on the shores of Lake Michigan. Whether you’re hearing it for the first time or revisiting an old favorite, thanks for spending part of your summer with us. New episodes return this fall!
In this episode Pat and Rebecca discuss and debate the history and paranormal stories at one of Michigan’s most haunted hotels. Or is it?
Patreon and GhostlyX
Join our Patreon for all sorts of great extra Ghostly, including our bonus show, GhostlyX, which comes out on the opposite weeks of Ghostly. We talk about listener comments, share paranormal news, and talk to interesting guests, and cover extra ghostly stories. You can also get early access to Ghostly episodes, and a monthly AMA with Pat and Rebecca! Join today: ghostlypodcast.com/support/
Visit our website, www.ghostlypodcast.com, to learn more about Ghostly, and, of course, give us your opinion on our polls.
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.
Sources for this Week’s Episode
Terrace Inn Is Haunted Hotel In Petoskey, Michigan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petoskey,_Michigan
Wonderfully charming and haunted – Review of Terrace Inn and 1911 Restaurant, Petoskey, MI – Tripadvisor
HAUNTED MICHIGAN: Are You Brave Enough to Spend the Night at the Terrace Inn in Petoskey?
About Us – Petoskey, Michigan | The Terrace Inn and 1911 Restaurant
Inside the Haunted Terrace Inn in Petoskey – 9&10 News
Haunted History – Petoskey, Michigan | The Terrace Inn and 1911 Restaurant
Things That Go Bump in the Night | Features | Northern Express
(283) HAUNTED PLACES IN MICHIGAN, SEE THE DOOR CLOSE! The Terrace Inn Petoskey MI,Tyler Selph Oct 2020 – YouTube
Terrace Inn and 1911 Restaurant | Haunted Places | Petoskey, MI 49770
Ghosts of Northern Michigan’s Past | 106 KHQ
A Taste of the Past – Issuu
Music for this episode was performed by Michael Rivers
“Pat Facts” and “Ghost Story” themes by Mondo
“Time for a Debate” theme by Gail Gallagher gailgallaghermusic.com
1 hr 13 min
July 22 Summer Rewind - Poltergeist
Was the Movie Poltergeist Cursed?
Welcome to the Ghostly Summer Rewind! While we take a short break from new episodes this summer, we’re reaching back into the vault to re-release five of our favorite episodes.
This episode originally aired back in the summer of 2019. Quick heads-up: you may notice the sound quality and formatting aren’t quite up to our current standards — we’ve learned a lot since then! We hope you’ll excuse the rougher edges and just enjoy the story. Whether you’re hearing it for the first time or revisiting an old favorite, thanks for spending part of your summer with us. New episodes return this fall!
In Ghostly’s seventeenth episode, Pat and Rebecca explore the curse of Poltergeist, the 1982 movie by Steven Spielberg and Tobe Hooper and its sequels. Legend says that the movie was cursed because of its dark subject matter and use of real skeletons in the original movie. Several actors suffered untimely deaths, including two of its main stars, Dominque Dunne and Heather O’Rourke. Other paranormal claims include lightening strikes, mechanical clowns attacking children, and an exorcism. Do all these events add up to a curse? As always, you the listener get to decide.
Questions explored in this episode:
What happened on the set of the Poltergeist movies that led people to believe it was cursed? What happened to Dominique Dunne? How did Heather O’Rourke die? What claims did JoBeth Williams, who played the mother make about the film? Did she and others experience poltergeist activity? What is a poltergeist? Why was there an exorcism performed on the set of the second movie? Is there a Poltergeist curse?
Listen to hear Pat give a basic plot overview along with a brief history of the movie and the details of the deaths of two of the main stars, Dominque Dunne and Heather O’Rouke.
WARNING: There are some graphic details of domestic abuse when discussing Dominque Dunne’s tragic death. If you or anyone you know is suffering from domestic abuse, please call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit https://www.thehotline.org/
After the history, listen to Rebecca tell the ghost story of what it was like to work on the film. It is a terrifying tale that would be a nightmare for any actor – or anyone.
Then listen to the Great Debate! Rebecca and Pat go through all the stories and evidence of the curse of Poltergeist, including the deaths, the almost deaths, and just all-around potential paranormal activity, and debate what’s true and what’s just folklore. Listen to all sides and decide what you believe.
Be sure to stay for the whole episode to hear the “Closing Arguments” to help you make your choice before voting.
Also included in this episode are, as always, poll results from our previous episode on Waverly Hills Sanatorium. (Check out the episode here if you haven’t had a chance to listen yet).
Done listening to the episode? Please subscribe to Ghostly and give us a rating on iTunes or any podcast app where they let you J. 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.
Then visit our website, www.ghostlypodcast.com, to see the pictures talked about in the episode, learn more about Ghostly, and, of course, give us your opinion on our polls on Facebook.
We want to hear from you! We want your ghost stories or even your non-stories if you later realized you saw nothing paranormal. We would also love your suggestions for stories to cover in the future. Email us both at [email protected] or individually at [email protected] or [email protected]  Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at GhostlyPodcast
Sources for this week’s episode:
https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/poltergeist-curse
https://www.ranker.com/list/victims-of-the-poltergeist-curse/melissa-brinks?page=3
https://www.biography.com/news/the-poltergeist-curse-its-heeere
http://www.the13thfloor.tv/2015/12/22/the-shocking-history-of-the-poltergeist-curse/
https://www.popsugar.com/entertainment/Poltergeist-Curse-True-Story-37392582
https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2015/05/poltergeist-curse-continues-to-haunt-people-in-real-life
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
2 hr 19 min
July 08 Summer Rewind - Skinwalker Ranch
Is there Paranormal Activity Happening at Skinwalker Ranch?
Welcome to the Ghostly Summer Rewind! While we take a short break from new episodes this summer, we’re reaching back into the vault to re-release five of our favorite episodes.
This episode originally aired in late 2021. Quick heads-up: you may notice the sound quality and formatting aren’t quite up to our current standards — we’ve learned a lot since then! We hope you’ll excuse the rougher edges and just enjoy the story. Whether you’re hearing it for the first time or revisiting an old favorite, thanks for spending part of your summer with us. New episodes return this fall — but for now, back out to the strangest acres in America.
Is there paranormal activity happening at Skinwalker Ranch? Considered one of the strangest places in the world, Skinwalker Ranch is filled with stories of UFOs, animal mutilations, orbs, shadow people, and even poltergeist activity. Also, of course, reports of attacks by Skinwalkers, beings who transform into animals. Special Guest Jack Chavez, founder of Paranormal Chicago joins us to help explain the ufology and cryptology of this highly charged location. How real are the stories? Listen and vote!
Questions Explored in this Episode
Where is Skinwalker Ranch? How did it get its name? What are Skinwalkers? Is the land cursed? Who has owned the land and who has lived on it? How many of the legends about the history of the land are true? What are the odd readings people get on instruments on the ranch? What do the UFO sightings look like? Did they actually happen? Do people believe there are ghosts on the land? What happened with the government and research on the ranch? Is it full of paranormal activity?
Listener Mail
This week’s listener mail is about a truly haunted Scottish cottage. Have a spooky story or question of your own (or someone you know)? Send your story or question to [email protected] and we might read it on the podcast. You could be on a future episode of Ghostly!
History of Skinwalker Ranch
Pat explores the history the ranch. While legends abound about the history of this place, very little is documented. With every owner, more of Skinwalker ranch’s secrets have been revealed.
The Debate
Pat and Rebecca debate the paranormal evidence. UFO sightings, Skinwalker sightings, animal mutilations, voices, paranormal activity – this place has them all.
Ghostly Gear
New merchandise store right on our website at ghostlypodcast.com/store for all your Ghostly Gear! T-shirts, Hoodies, and Masks and more.
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.
Sources for this Week’s Episode
Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skinwalker_Ranch
History.com: https://www.history.com/shows/the-secret-of-skinwalker-ranch and https://www.history.com/news/skinwalker-ranch-paranormal-ufos-mutilation
Legends of America: https://www.legendsofamerica.com/skinwalker-ranch/
Fandom.com: https://the-secret-of-skinwalker-ranch.fandom.com/wiki/History_of_Skinwalker_Ranch
Den of Geek: https://www.denofgeek.com/tv/the-secret-of-skinwalker-ranch-season-2-hitchhiker/
Tech Buzz: https://www.techbuzz.news/brandon-fugal-and-the-secret-of-skinwalker-ranch-on-the-history-channel/
KSL.com: https://www.ksl.com/article/50022431/supernatural-is-normal-at-utahs-infamous-haunted-skinwalker-ranch-6-essential-facts-to-know
ABC27.com: https://www.abc27.com/news/skinwalker-ranch-possibly-the-spookiest-place-on-earth/
River City Ghosts: https://rivercityghosts.com/the-terror-of-the-skinwalker-the-native-american-boogeyman/
Daily Star: https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/weird-news/skinwalker-ranch-paranormal-hotspot-bigfoot-24956716
Austin Ghosts: https://austinghosts.com/skinwalker-ranch-a-paranormal-hotbed-few-know-about/
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
“Pat Facts” and “Ghost Story” themes by Mondo
“Time for a Debate” theme by Gail Gallagher gailgallaghermusic.com
2 hr 19 min
June 24 Summer Rewind - Alcatraz
Is Alcatraz haunted? Pat and Rebecca dig into the ghosts, dark history, and chilling cellblock stories of America's most infamous prison. A Ghostly Rewind.
1 hr 20 min
June 10188 Leap Castle
Is Leap Castle in County Offaly, Ireland Haunted?
Tucked into the quiet farmland of County Offaly, just north of the small town of Roscrea, sits a castle that has been unsettling visitors for the better part of eight hundred years. Leap Castle has survived clan warfare, a brother murdering a brother mid-Mass, the discovery of a pit holding over 150 human skeletons, a civil-war burning, and decades as a roofless ruin.
This week, Rebecca dives into the legends of the Bloody Chapel, the oubliette, the Red Lady, the ghost children Emily and Charlotte, the Governess, and the bizarre entity known only as “the Elemental,” while Pat lays out the documented, true-crime-level history that makes this castle’s reputation almost too easy to believe. Is Leap Castle genuinely haunted, or is eight centuries of trauma just doing a very convincing impression of a haunting? You decide.
What We Cover in This Episode
The History
How Leap Castle got its name — and the legend of the brothers’ deadly leap that decided who got to build it
The O’Carroll succession war of 1532 and the murder of a priest at the altar of his own chapel
The 19th-century discovery of a hidden oubliette beneath the chapel floor — and the three cartloads of human remains pulled out of it
The 1922 burning of the castle during the Irish Civil War, and the fifty years it spent as a roofless ruin
How the Ryan family rebuilt Leap Castle from a ruin into the private home — and haunted-tour destination — it is today
The Hauntings
Evidence #1 — The Bloody Chapel: the apparition of the murdered priest, Thaddeus, and EVP recordings of murmured prayers
Evidence #2 — The Oubliette: the pit of forgotten prisoners, and the theory that disturbing their remains “woke” the castle
Evidence #3 — The Elemental: Mildred Darby’s chilling first-person account of a grey, sheep-sized entity with a face unlike anything else in Irish folklore
Evidence #4 — The Red Lady: the tragic spirit of an imprisoned woman, said to wander the upper floors in mourning
Evidence #5 — Emily, Charlotte & the Governess: two ghost children and the nanny who still seems to be looking after them — and after blonde-haired guests
Vote
As always, it’s not up to us — it’s up to YOU. After listening, head to our social pages and tell us: which piece of evidence convinced you, and which one did Pat manage to talk you out of? Genuine haunting, or centuries of trauma playing tricks on the imagination? Cast your vote and join the conversation.
Music & Sound Credits
Music for this episode was performed by Michael Rivers.
“Pat Facts” and “Ghost Story” themes by Mondo.
“Time for a Debate” theme by Gail Gallagher — gailgallaghermusic.com
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Sources
Leap Castle — Wikipedia
History — LeapCastle.net (Official Site)
The O’Carrolls — LeapCastle.net
The Irish Castle Where Workers Found Three Cartloads of Human Bones — Love Ireland
A Journey Through Time: The History of Leap Castle — IrishHistory.com
Leap Castle: Ireland’s Most Haunted — European Waterways
Leap Castle County Offaly: Ireland’s Haunted Fortress — Connolly Cove
The Bloody Chapel — LeapCastle.net (Official Site)
The Elemental — LeapCastle.net (Official Site)
The Red Lady — LeapCastle.net (Official Site)
Emily & Charlotte — LeapCastle.net (Official Site)
Are you ready to be spooked by Leap Castle? — Ireland.com
Leap Castle is the most haunted castle in Ireland and this story proves it — Irish Central
The Most Haunted Castle in Ireland | Irish Ghost Stories — Emerald Isle
The Ghosts of Leap Castle, Roscrea, Co. Offaly — Haunted Rooms
Leap Castle Ireland: The Oubliette, the Elemental and Five Centuries of Violence — Haunted Silence
The Governess of Leap Castle County Offaly: A Haunted Tale — Kinnitty.com
Exploring the Paranormal at Leap Castle — Celtic Elegance
The Haunting of Leap Castle: Ireland’s Most Haunted Fortress — Paranormal Case Files
Haunted History: Dive Into The Secrets Of Leap Castle — Spirit Shack
Leap Castle, Co Offaly: Ireland’s Most Haunted Castle — My Real Ireland
Ireland’s Biggest Haunt – Leap Castle — Beyond the Bizarre
1 hr 15 min