Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol was published in 1843. It’s a Christmas story, true. But take away the Christmas garland and A Christmas Carol is a classic gothic ghost story. For most people, Christmas ghosts stories begin and end with that tale. But they go much fur- ther back, and were a larger part of the Christmas tradition than […]
Tales Told By A Tombstone … on Betsey Reed, The White Lady of Baker Cemetery, and a quartet of southern Illinois hauntings from Lawrence and Crawford counties
The history of The White Lady of Baker Cemetery, Elizabeth Betsey Reed, the first and only woman hung in Illinois and other ghostly tales from Lawrence and Crawford Counties
Tales Told By A Tombstone: “Prepare For Death and Follow Me,” Secrets of the Witch’s Grave at Big Hill Cemetery
The witch’s stone in Big Hill Cemetery, Norris City IL is peculiar. But why does it carry the legend and who carved it?
The 1925 Tri-State Tornado: In search of the scars from the worst tornado in U.S. history and finding them closer than I expected … A tale told by a tombstone
The Tri-State Tornado of 1925 spent most of its duration along country roads. A look at how rural communities were torn apart.
This Old Gothic House II: What are ghosts, what type of ghosts are there, and what types of ghosts do I live with?
It’s now October 31 … has been for about nine minutes. Tonight is Halloween. Covid is on the upswing in our town, as well as the towns we venture off to for supplies. Otherwise I’m at home, or in the country, away from people. It’s a good time to take an inventory of the ghosts […]
A Tale Told By A Tombstone: A real life Poison Ivy appears while searching for a ghost in a Carmi cemetery
Red Skelton, a comedian of the mid twentieth century was once asked, “what was the best thing about growing up in a small town?” Skelton grew up in the small town of Vincennes, Indiana, and he spoke for many of us when he replied “leaving.” For some it’s for opportunity, or to see the world. […]
