This week we will be visiting 620 Broad St, Milledgeville GA. This is the morbid history of Georgia’s Central State Hospital, formerly known as Georgia State Lunatic, Idiot, and Epileptic Asylum, the United States largest mental institution and possibly the largest the world has ever seen, with its peak housing between 13,000-17,000 patients.

Sources:

A Brief History of Mental Illness and the U.S. Mental Health Care System (uniteforsight.org)

Introduction · Central State Hospital, Milledgeville, GA · Georgia Public Library Service (omeka.net)

Lunacy in the 19th Century.pdf (wisconsin.edu)

Asylum: Inside Central State Hospital, once the world's largest mental institution - Atlanta Magazine

Controversial Psychosurgery Resulted in a Nobel Prize - NobelPrize.org

The World's Largest Mental Asylum: From The Horrors Of The Back Wards To Today's Jails and Prisons - Pete Earley

Inside Georgia's Real-Life Lunatic Asylum - Deep South Magazine

7 FACTS ABOUT THE ABANDONED INSANE ASYLUM: CENTRAL STATE HOSPITAL MILLEDGEVILLE GA (365atlantatraveler.com)

Central State Hospital - New Georgia Encyclopedia

Scoop: The Evolution of a Southern Reporter - Jack Nelson - Google Books

This week's episode, we cover the Bell Witch. The story surrounds the particularly spooky events experienced by John Bell, his wife, children and household staff on their property in the 1800's. Mysterious dogs appearing, gnawing and scratching at the bed posts, sheets pulled off the beds, knocking sounds in the walls. This creepy story is about an entity dubbed the name, Kate. Who was she? Why was she focused on this family and particularly the youngest daughter who was physically hurt by this entity multiple times. Kate would sometimes show kindness too on occasion. Word spread and folks all over came to see if the rumors were true, even confirmed the supernatural events they saw themselves. President Andrew Jackson even paid a visit himself! Jump into this spooky tale with Ashley and Lanie to find out more to this disturbing yet interesting tale of the Bell Witch.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram @haunted.real.estate

Send us an email with your stories or suggestions at [email protected]

Sources:

The Official Home Of The Bell Witch (bellwitchcave.com)

The Bell Witch Site - All About the Epic American Haunting Legend

The Authenticated History of the Famous Bell Witch by M.V. Igram (book)

This week we get into the darkness within Houska Castle in the Czech Republic. Built in the 13th century, it has served various roles throughout time. Supposedly built over the "gateway to hell" where half human/half animal creatures would fly out to attack villagers, the castle was meant to cover and contain the dark, seemingly bottomless pit with its walls meant to keep things in vs keep out. Over time, the Castle changed as it also served as a noble residence. When we think the gloom and doom is less present, think again. Nazi's took over as an experimental headquarters because, well they are Nazi's and a castle meant to trap things in seems up their alley, right? Today, we still don't know what is down this hole that's been surrounded by mystery, horror and death. Dive in with Ashley and Lanie to learn more about this spooky piece of real estate in the Liberec Region of the Czech Republic.

PSA: A grandaddy grasshopper joins us as a guest star to scare us during recording. No grasshoppers were hurt in the making of this podcast.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram @haunted.real.estate

Send us an email with your stories or suggestions at [email protected]

Sources:

Czechcenter.org

Book: Real Haunted Castles and Fortresses

Prague Trips (on youtube) documentary

Houska Castle - The Little House of Horrors

Gate to Hell at Houska Castle - McGee's Ghost Tours of Prague - Prague guided walking tours (mcgeesghosttours.com)

Welcome to the former home of the cannibalistic tribe known as, the Karankawa tribe. Captain Jean Lafitte's gloomy clan of pirates and slave owners then invaded and massacred the tribe making it their home. Feeling good vibes of this land? Well don’t… because there are also hell hounds and voodoo queens. Just wait till you see how it all unfolds and what people see today in this creepy hell hole located in Galveston, TX.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram @haunted.real.estate

Send us an email with your stories or suggestions at [email protected]

Sources:

Galveston Ghost - Jean Lafitte's Maison Rouge

Jean Laffite | Galveston & Texas History Center (galvestonhistorycenter.org)

The Ghost of Jean Lafitte | The ghost stories of Galveston's first Pirate (ghostcitytours.com)

Galveston JeanLafitte.net

Jean Laffite | Biography & Facts | Britannica

TSHA | Karankawa Indians (tshaonline.org)