US State Mount Rushmore: Part 1 – Alabama to California

Posted by historymaniacmegan on April 23, 2016

In our American culture, Mount Rushmore has become a national symbol of the United States since Gutzon Borglum carved the faces of 4 presidents on the mountain in the Black Hills of South Dakota. When I was in college, one of my roommates used to watch ESPN a lot. One time, the network was doing a feature on which sports figures they’d put on Mount Rushmore pertaining to each state. I didn’t think about it at the time. But now since recently I came up with the idea of whether to do a similar idea. But this time, instead of sports figures, it would pertain to people from American history and culture (even though I did include a couple of sports figures Jackie Robinson and Jim Thorpe). Because after all, the US does have a captivating history and there are plenty of famous Americans who’ve contributed to the nation as well as the world in unique ways. I know plenty of elementary schools tend to emphasize this by assigning students famous Americans. My famous American project in 3^rd grade was Molly Pitcher said to give soldiers water and take over loading her husband’s cannon at the Battle of Monmouth. Now this woman sort of existed but there’s some evidence she didn’t but I was stuck with her. Another one I remember was a kid doing one on Virginia Dare who did exist since she was the first white child born in the Americas. But she was born on Roanoke Island that disappeared so who knows what happened to her. Then I remember another kid doing one on Albert Einstein who did exist and did reside in the US. But he was already famous for his Theory of Relatively when he came to the US in 1933 as a refugee from his native Germany. So considering him a famous American would be like saying the same about John Lennon who is best known for being one of the Beatles who all came from Liverpool in the UK. And of course, many tend to credit Betsy Ross who designed the first American flag even though this was cooked up bullshit her grandkids made up. So I bring my series on the idea that if each state had their very own Mount Rushmore, then these should be the people who should be on it based on this criteria:

The celebrities depicted must be dead. (Because you don’t want highly partisan figures. However, this means that people like Bob Dylan, John Glenn, Kens Burns, Barack Obama, the Clintons, Oprah, Muhammad Ali, Stephen King, and others don’t make it on their respective states.)
The celebrities pertaining to the state must have either been born or spent considerable time there. (For instance, though Edgar Allan Poe is associated with Maryland, he didn’t spend a lot of time there and really should be on for Virginia, Pennsylvania, or New York but those spots were taken. However, Dolley Madison was born in North Carolina but she was a rather significant First Lady while George M. Cohan gets in for Rhode Island for his immeasurable contributions to Broadway even though he was only born there.)
Each celebrity can only be depicted on one state. (For instance, despite that Lincoln had lived in Kentucky and Indiana, he’s only depicted for Illinois because that’s where he spent most of his life. Then you have Mark Twain who was born in Missouri and spent some time in California but he spent the bulk of his life in Connecticut.)
Has made a clear and considerable impact on American culture. (Reagan’s legacy is more or less debated among party lines and can either be a good or bad president depending on what your political views are. Not to mention, as far as California is concerned, his influence on the US doesn’t have nearly the cultural impact as Republicans say it does. Nixon by contrast, no matter what you think of him, will always be remembered with Watergate which will forever stain his legacy as well as American politics. This is why Reagan isn’t on for California and Nixon is. Same goes for John Muir, Jackie Robinson, and Caesar Chavez since they’re practically cultural icons.)
Has to have verifiable account of accomplishments. (For instance, details in Calamity Jane’s autobiography are questionable. Same goes for John C. Fremont.)
Impact can have positive, ambiguous, or negative effects on country. (For instance, Al Capone is on Illinois because his domination of Chicago’s organized crime scene during Prohibition made him the most famous US gangster of all time. Nevertheless, this rule allows inclusion of more infamous and controversial figures like legendary criminals or people with very negative legacies that are also very noteworthy.)
State location has to be certain. (For instance, Chief Joseph and Crazy Horse don’t make it on there because they’re associated with multiple states while Sitting Bull died at the same place he was born so he makes it on South Dakota’s. Douglas MacArthur doesn’t get in since he was from a military family and didn’t stay in one place for long. And I had to leave Francis Hopkinson out since though he signed the Declaration of Independence as a delegate from New Jersey, he spent a lot of his life in Philadelphia.)
Can be very well known as well as relatively obscure. (For instance, a lot of these states have famous people who you may not have heard of like Delaware which consists of a founder of a major US corporation, the first black woman in North America to edit and own a newspaper, the man who built the Empire State Building, and the inventor of Kelvar.)
Just because some famous person didn’t make it to their state Mount Rushmore doesn’t mean they’re less important. (For instance, I would’ve loved to have added Harvey Milk, Harriet Tubman, Rosa Parks, Washington Irving, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Bonnie and Clyde, Edgar Allan Poe, Lewis and Clark, William Tecumseh Sherman, Robert E. Lee, Arthur Ashe, George C. Marshall, Betty Ford, Frances Willard, Margaret Sanger, Gifford Pinchot, Jim Morrison, Buddy Holly, Samuel Adams, John Hancock, Dorothy Day, Babe Ruth, George S. Patton, Jesse Owens, Henry Clay, Truman Capote, Clara Barton, Ernest Hemingway, Charles Goodyear, Sojourner Truth, John Steinbeck, Eugene O’Neill, Arthur Miller, Frances Perkins, John Ericson, Upton Sinclair, Andrew Carnegie, P. T. Barnum, Jesse James, Fred Rogers, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith, John D. Rockefeller, Mary Chestnut, Elisha Hunt Rhodes, and more but you can only fill 4 slots for each state.)

For this first selection, I bring you the figures I have in mind for the state Mount Rushmores from Alabama to California. From Alabama, you have an author who wrote a book that managed to convey the evils of racism in a way that’s accessible to almost anyone, a deafblind woman who was a leading activist and author in her day, a young Baptist minister who became the face of the Civil Rights Movement, and a scientist who devoted his life to finding alternative crops to cotton in order to help poor families in the South. From Alaska there’s a former Air Force sergeant who had a show about the joys of painting, a woman who was instrumental in creating the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, an explorer who wrote numerous articles about the Alaskan wilderness, and an Alaskan Native woman whose advocacy led to the passage of the first US anti-discrimination law. In Arizona, I bring you two great Native American warriors who’ve been elevated to iconic status, a politician who’s has a substantial influence in American conservatism, and a major figure in Latin music. From Arkansas comes a black woman who’s been a major literary figure in American literature in the latter half of the 20^th century, a major country music superstar who always dressed in black, a man who founded the world’s largest retailer that now sets the way how the industry does business, and a civil rights activist who was involved in a school integration crisis. And finally, we get to California where you’ll meet a Scotsman who became a founding father of environmentalism, a man who would’ve become a great US president had he not gotten involved in a major political scandal, a baseball player whose career challenged the traditional basis of segregation, and a union organizer who’s become an icon among the Hispanic community.

Alabama

“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.”- Atticus Finch from To Kill a Mockingbird

Figure 1: Harper Lee – author of To Kill a Mockingbird which won the 1961 Pulitzer Prize and has become a classic in modern American literature as well as been cited as a factor in the success of the civil rights movement in the 1960s by giving white Southerners a way to understand racism that they’ve been brought up with and to find another way. Assisted her close friend Truman Capote in his research for the book In Cold Blood.

We mainly know Helen Keller from her story of how her teacher Annie Sullivan broke through the isolation imposed by a near complete lack of language which allowed her to blossom and communicate. Keller and Sullivan would be together until Sullivan died in 1936.

Figure 2: Helen Keller– author, political activist, and lecturer. First deafblind person to earn a bachelor’s degree. Member of the Socialist Party of America and Industrial Workers of the World as well as campaigned for women’s suffrage, labor rights, socialism, and other similar causes.

“Let us not wallow in the valley of despair. I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: “We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slaveowners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state, sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.”- from King’s “I Have a Dream” speech during the 1963 March on Washington.

Figure 3: Martin Luther King Jr.– Baptist minister, activist, humanitarian, and leader of the Civil Rights Movement. Best known for his role in the advancement of civil rights using nonviolent civil disobedience based on his Christian beliefs. Delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington. Received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964. Also made speeches against poverty and opposed the Vietnam War. Has his own national holiday and very deservedly so.

Carver is often mistakenly credited with inventing peanut butter. However, it’s said that the Aztecs have been known to make peanut butter from ground peanuts since the 15th century. And that many methods of peanut preparation had been developed and patented by by various pharmacists, doctors and food scientists working in the US and Canada.

Figure 4: George Washington Carver– botanist and inventor who based his research into and promotion of alternative crops to cotton such as peanuts and sweet potatoes as food for poor farmers and for products to improve their quality of life. Though he spent years promoting numerous peanut products, none were commercially successful. Was also a leader in promoting environmentalism.

Alaska

“Traditionally, art has been for the select few. We have been brainwashed to believe that Michaelangelo had to pat you on the head at birth. Well, we show people that anybody can paint a picture that they’re proud of. It may never hang in the Smithsonian, but it will certainly be something that they’ll hang in their home and be proud of. And that’s what it’s all about.” Nevertheless, while his show may not give rise to the next Michelangelo, it was quite relaxing to watch.

Figure 1: Bob Ross– painter, art instructor, and television host. Creator and host of The Joy of Painting on PBS. Coined the phrase, “happy little tree.” Started painting while serving as a sergeant at Eiselson Air Force Base.

Here’s Margaret Murie with her husband who was also active in the campaign to protect what is now Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. I hope their ghosts haunt anyone who intends to drill there because it’s a place that should be protected for everyone.

Figure 2: Margaret Murie– naturalist, author, adventurer, and conservationist dubbed as “Grandmother of the Conservation Movement” by the Sierra Club and the Wilderness Society. Helped in the passage of the Wilderness Act and was instrumental in creating the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (which is now subject to drilling controversies).

Here is Bob Marshall in front of what Bob Ross would call a “happy little tree.” His travels to Alaska led him to write The Arctic Village and found The Wilderness Society.

Figure 3: Bob Marshall– forester, writer, and wilderness activist. Was a scientist with doctorates in philosophy and plant physiology. Explored the Alaskan wilderness and wrote numerous articles and books, including his bestselling 1933 book The Arctic Village. Was chief of forestry in the Bureau of Indian Affairs and head of recreation management in the Forest Service during the FDR administration. Founded the Wilderness Society in 1935 and is considered largely responsible for the wilderness preservation movement. 25 years after his untimely death of a heart attack at 38, partly as a result of his efforts, The Wilderness Society fostered the Wilderness Act, which legally defined the wilderness of the US and protected some nine million acres of federal land.

“I would not have expected that I, who am barely out of savagery, would have to remind gentlemen with five thousand years of recorded civilization behind them, of our Bill of Rights.”

Figure 4: Elizabeth Peratrovich– member of the Tlingit nation as well as an important civil rights activist who worked on behalf of equality of all Alaskan Natives as a leader in the Alaska Native Brotherhood and the Alaska Native Sisterhood. Credited with advocacy that gained passage of the then territory’s Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945, the first anti-discrimination law in the US.

Arizona

While Ira Hayes became a national hero for being among the 6 flag raisers at Iwo Jima, he was never comfortable with fame and descended into alcoholism after his Marine services. Flags of Our Fathers suggests that he might’ve suffered from PTSD.

Figure 1: Ira Hayes-Pima Native American and US Marine who was one of the 6 flag raisers immortalized in the iconic photograph of the flag raising on Iwo Jima during WWII. Instrumental in revealing the true identity of one of the pictured Marines who was later killed in action. However, he never really felt comfortable with his fame, descended into alcoholism, and was found dead on his reservation. He was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.

“I was no chief and never had been, but because I had been more deeply wronged than others, this honor was conferred upon me, and I resolved to prove worthy of the trust.” Nevertheless, Geronimo was the kind of Indian fighter and leader who just couldn’t stay put.

Figure 2: Geronimo– leader of Chiricahua Apache who fought against encroachment of European settlers on Native American lands; hero of Native American fight for respect and independence. Wasn’t really a chief since only about 30-50 Apaches would be among his following but frequently led numbers larger than that. But while other Apache leaders conducted raids and carried on revenge warfare, he accumulated a record of effective resistance during this time that matched any of his contemporaries and his fighting ability extended to over 30 years. Said to “surrender” to reservation life 3 times between 1876-1886 but he led bands to “breakouts” each time. And the years after he surrendered for the last time, he spent as a prisoner of war. Among his tribe many Chiricahua had mixed feelings for him for while they respected him as a skilled and effective leader of raids or warfare, he wasn’t very likeable and wasn’t widely popular among the other Apache. He also hated Mexicans more than Americans, by the way.

No, this isn’t a middle aged Bernie Sanders with Instagram filters. This is Republican US Senator Barry Goldwater who’s often credited with the resurgence of the modern American conservative movement. Way different personality.

Figure 3: Barry Goldwater-politician and businessman who’s often most credited with the resurgence of American conservative political movement of the 1960s as well as had a substantial impact in the libertarian movement. Rejected the legacy of the New Deal and fought through the conservative coalition against the New Deal coalition. His defeat in the 1964 presidential election allowed younger conservatives to mobilize even though he was a much less active leader afterwards. Urged Richard Nixon to resign during the Watergate scandal. Became a vocal opponent of the Religious Right in the 1980s. Was the first candidate of Jewish heritage to be nominated for President by a major American party.

Lalo Guerro is best known as the “Father of Chicano Music” who’s career spanned for nearly 7 decades. As a prolific musician he’s said to be the musical historian of his beloved his Chicano culture and has influenced generations of Latin music artists.

Figure 4: Eduardo “Lalo” Guerrero– Mexican-American guitarist, singer, songwriter, and farm labor activist best known for his strong influence in today’s Latin musical artists that he’s called the “Father of Chicano Music.” Recorded and/or wrote over 700 songs from 1939 including ones about Caesar Chavez, other farm workers, and braceros. Also wrote for many famous artists. Worked closely with Chavez for farm workers’ rights.

Arkansas

“You may shoot me with your words,/You may cut me with your eyes,/You may kill me with your hatefulness,/But still, like air, I’ll rise.” – from “Still I Rise”

Figure 1: Maya Angelou– poet, memoirist, and civil rights activist. Published 7 autobiographies, 3 books of essays, several books of poetry, and was credited with a list of plays, movies, and TV shows spanning 50 years. Best known for her memoir I Know When the Caged Bird Sings based on her childhood in Stamps which brought her fame and international acclaim.

“I wear the black for the poor and the beaten down,/Livin’ in the hopeless, hungry side of town,/I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime,/But is there because he’s a victim of the times.”- from “Man in Black”

Figure 2: Johnny Cash– singer-songwriter, guitarist, actor, and author who’s widely considered one of the most influential musicians of the 20^th century and one of the best-selling musical artists of all time, selling 90 million records worldwide. Though primarily a country music icon, songs also spanned rock and roll, rockabilly, blues, folk, and gospel. Known for his deep, calm baritone-bass voice, distinctive sound of his Tennessee Three backing band, rebelliousness, increasingly somber and humble demeanor, free prison concerts, and a trademark look which earned him the nickname, “The Man in Black.”

To some, Wal Mart founder Sam Walton is a hero to American capitalism and consumerism. But to me, he’s a founder of a consumer in our society that has led to the mass exploitation, materialism, and superficiality. Seriously, when Wal Mart decided to be open on Thanksgiving I was pissed.

Figure 3: Sam Walton– businessman and entrepreneur best known for founding Wal Mart and Sam’s Club which have forever changed the nature of retail business, if not capitalism for better or worse with predatory pricing, treating workers like commodities that they’re forced to rely on government programs for basic needs, union busting, importing products made from slave labor, ideological censorship, and not giving a shit about local communities. While his chain may boast always low prices in order to live better, it has brought a very high price for communities, consumers, workers, competitors and others. Today, Wal Mart is the world’s largest retailer and sets the standards on how the rest of the industry does business while his heirs are among the richest people in the country.

As head of the NAACP in Arkansas, Daisy Bates guided and advised the Little Rock Nine when they attempted to enroll at the all white Central High School in 1957. She also used her organizational skills to get the kids in as well as her home as a haven for them. While her efforts initially met opposition from the state government, she persevered and was ultimately successful.

Figure 4: Daisy Bates– civil rights activist, publisher, journalist, and lecturer who as publisher of the Arkansas State Press and president of her state’s NAACP, played a critical role in the Little Rock Nine Integration Crisis of 1957 at Central High School when 9 black students attempted to enroll in an all-white school but were stopped by the Arkansas National Guard under the governor’s orders. Her memoir recounting the crisis, The Long Shadow of Little Rock, won the 1988 National Book Award.

California

“Any fool can destroy trees. They cannot run away; and if they could, they would still be destroyed — chased and hunted down as long as fun or a dollar could be got out of their bark hides, branching horns, or magnificent bole backbones. Few that fell trees plant them; nor would planting avail much towards getting back anything like the noble primeval forests. … It took more than three thousand years to make some of the trees in these Western woods — trees that are still standing in perfect strength and beauty, waving and singing in the mighty forests of the Sierra. Through all the wonderful, eventful centuries … God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand straining, leveling tempests and floods; but he cannot save them from fools — only Uncle Sam can do that.” – from American Forests

Figure 1: John Muir– naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, and early advocate of wilderness preservation in the US. His letters, essays, and books telling of his adventures have been read by millions that continued to be discussed today. Published 12 books and 300 articles. Activism helped preserve the Yosemite Valley, Sequoia National Park, and other wilderness areas. Founded the Sierra Club. Referred to as the “Father of the National Parks” and is a patron saint of 20^th century American environmentalism.

In many ways, Nixon could've went down in history as one of the nation's greatest presidents. But due to Watergate, perhaps Stephen Ambrose said it best, "Nixon wanted to be judged by what he accomplished. What he will be remembered for is the nightmare he put the country through in his second term and for his resignation."

As far as Richard Nixon’s legacy goes, perhaps Stephen Ambrose said it best, “Nixon wanted to be judged by what he accomplished. What he will be remembered for is the nightmare he put the country through in his second term and for his resignation.”

Figure 2: Richard Nixon– US president from 1969-1974 who could’ve been great man of our times if he wasn’t so morally lacking. Rose to national prominence as a leading anti-communist with his pursuit of the Alger Hiss case while his “Checkers Speech” led Eisenhower choose him as his vice president. His presidency saw the end of American involvement in Vietnam, end of the military draft, opening diplomatic relations with China, initiation of détente with the Soviet Union, founding of the Environmental Protection Agency, the Apollo 11 moon landing, Arab oil embargo, and enforced desegregation of Southern schools. Brought down by revelations pertaining to his involvement in the Watergate scandals which cost him political support and led him to resign the presidency in disgrace in the face of certain impeachment and removal from office. His actions pertaining to the Watergate scandal have caused a permanent stain on the presidency, his legacy, and American politics ever since.

As the first African American man to play a major league sport in the modern era, Jackie Robinson challenged the traditional basis of racial segregation through his exceptional talent, his use of nonviolence, and his dignified character. His 10 year career with the Brooklyn Dodgers and off the field activities greatly contributed to the Civil Rights Movement.

Figure 3: Jackie Robinson– Major League Baseball second baseman for the Brooklyn Dodgers who became the first African American to play in the major leagues in the modern era. Through his exceptional 10 year career, his character, his use of nonviolence, and his unquestionable talent challenged the traditional basis of segregation which then marked many aspects of American life. Had an impact on the culture and contributed significantly to the Civil Rights Movement. Was also the first black TV analyst in MLB and first black vice president of a major American corporation. In 1997, the MLB universally retired his uniform number across all major leagues, being the first athlete in any sport to be so honored as well as adopted the tradition of “Jackie Robinson Day” in 2004 with every player on every team wearing his No. 42.

“We don’t know how God chooses martyrs. We do know that they give us the most precious gift they possess — their very lives.” Today Caesar Chavez is a national icon to the Latino community. Yet, he has attracted controversy as an icon for organized labor and leftist politics since conservatives were in ire when they named a ship after him.

Figure 4: Caesar Chavez– farm worker, labor leader, and civil rights activist who with Dolores Huerta, co-founded what is known as the United Farm Workers. His public relations approach to unionism and aggressive but nonviolent tactics made the farm workers’ struggle a moral cause with nationwide support. Has become a major historical icon for the Latino community, organized labor, and leftist politics as well as symbolizes support for workers and for Hispanic empowerment based on grass roots organizing. Catchphrase “Si se puede” (“Yes, it can be done.”) His birthday is a state holiday in California.

Justice Is Not for Sale: Why the Private Prison System Must Go

Posted by historymaniacmegan on March 4, 2016

As a practicing Catholic, I’m well aware that Lent is a penitential season for reflection and fasting. But I’m also one of those liberal Catholics concerned with social justice issues, especially ones that I think don’t receive enough focus than they should most of the time. One of these is the issue of privatized prisons, which I decide to do a blog post on since it’s been in my head for a long time and keeps up with the season of Lent. Besides, those affected by the privatized prison system are among the most vulnerable in our society since they neither have a political voice nor are innocent enough for people to demonstrate on their behalf. Yes, I know that a lot of our laws protect criminals but if you ever know how they’ve been treated by the system throughout history, it makes a lot of sense. Because while they may not be innocent or anywhere nice, criminals are human beings who deserve to be treated with dignity regardless of what they did. A lot of times, society hasn’t been very kind to them and many have been subjected to punishments that are a lot more harshly and less humane than several years in a barred cell. Sure everyone agrees that criminals should be made accountable for their actions but there are so many problems with how we treat criminals that this has led to a situations known as recidivism and prison overcrowding. Mass incarceration due to the War on Drugs has also played a key role. One of the ways, the US has tried to deal with such problems of rising prison costs is contracting privatized prison facilities. As of 2013, there are 133,000 state and federal prisoners housed in privately owned prisons in the US consisting of 8.4% of the country’s prison population. This includes 19.1% of federal prisoners and 6.8% of their state prison counterparts. And the number has been at a slow increase since the 1980s which has made the private prison industry a $5 billion dollar business enterprise with investors like Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Fidelity Investments, General Electric, and the Vanguard Group. The most prominent companies are the Corrections Corporation of America, the GEO Group, Inc., and Management and Training Corporation. Private prisons operate in 33 states. Not surprisingly, most are located in the southern and western states. However, I believe that the privatized prison industry is one that brings out the worst in our country that they should be banned. And it’s a shame that because the story of private prisons is one which nobody talks about but I think it’s one everyone should hear.

This is from a privatized prison in Mississippi. It’s said that while minorities tend to be over represented in the general prison population, this is even more so in for-profit facilities. And they usually tend to be young and poor. This is mostly due to the notion that such inmates are cheaper to incarcerate.

For-profit prisons harm minorities, the young, and the poor. – Poor and ethnic minorities have been disproportionately affected by the faults of criminal justice system (especially if they’re young men). In the US, it’s said that 1 in 3 African American men as well as 1 in 6 Latino men will spend time behind bars during their lifetime. Not only that, but black men are 20 more times likely to be arrested for marijuana possession and spend 20 more years in federal prisons than their white peers for the same crimes. And that’s just in the publicly run facilities. According to a UC Berkeley Ph. D. candidate named Christopher Petrella, the racial disparities in privatized prisons are even greater with people of color being housed at higher percentages. Not only that, but they also tend to be young. Petrella found that this was because private prisons usually seek out the youngest, healthiest, and cheapest prisoners. Add to the fact that many of them tend to be disproportionately poor, are usually convicted of nonviolent drug offenses and petty thievery, and more likely to experience recidivism. For them, such prisoners are the best kind of money making asset despite that they’ll be screwed up for life. After all, a young and poor person who’s convicted of petty thievery will end up committing more crimes in the future since ex-cons are often targets of discrimination as job candidates and educational institutions. Many nonviolent ex-cons and parolees are among the least deserving of such treatment. This should give us an idea that for-profit prison companies are in it to make money and not to protect society.

According to this infographic on prison violence in Mississippi, 3 of its 4 private prisons have experienced more assaults than any of its public pens. And unfortunately, the state’s private prison population is increasing.

2. For-profit prisons abuse prisoners.- Horror stories from the world of American privatized prisons are plentiful and appalling as profits are normally placed ahead of inmates’ care, health, and safety. Last year, the ACLU filed a lawsuit against the East Mississippi Correctional Facility (EMCF) on behalf of the inmates. Alleged abuses include rampant rapes, prisoners placed in solitary confinement for months at a time, stabbings, beatings, and other acts of violence occurring on a regular basis (whether the guards are involved or turning a blind eye). It’s also been reported that juveniles are put in jails with adults, where they’re oftentimes sexually (or otherwise) assaulted. Chronic hunger, malnourishment, rat infestations, suicides, have also been chronicled. And EMCF is not an unusual case. It’s widely reported that private prisons have much higher rates of inmate on inmate violence than their state run counterparts. 65% more frequent to be exact. And conditions are said to be even more horrific. A 2011 ACLU report on private prisons report horrifying cases of abuse that include juveniles smelling of urine and feces, racial segregation, punishment for speaking Spanish, and refusal of medical and mental health treatment. Thus, being an inmate in a private prison can be a hellish experience because private prisons have no interest in their inmates’ well being. To them, prisoners are commodities to profit from and nothing more.

This is an infographic on immigrant detention centers, many of which operate in the private prison business. A lot of these centers treat immigrants horribly where they have to live in horrid conditions and precarious circumstances as well as without legal representation. Undocumented immigrants have committed no crime whatsoever and their illegal entry is a civil violation at best. Yet, these detention centers treat them like criminals.

3. For-profit prisons victimize immigrants.– Aside from state and federal prisons, private prison ventures have been operating centers for immigrant detainees because the federal government lacks money and inclination to build anew. John Whitehead writes, “And yes, in case you were wondering, part of the investment pitch for CCA and its cohort GEO Group include the profits to be made in building “kindler, gentler” minimum-security facilities designed for detaining illegal immigrants, especially low-risk detainees like women and children. With immigration a persistent problem in the southwestern states, especially, and more than 250 such detention centers going up across the country, there is indeed money to be made. For example, GEO’s new facility in Karnes County, Texas, boasts a “608-bed facility still smelling of fresh paint and new carpet stretch[ing] across a 29-acre swath of farmland in rural South Texas. Rather than prison cells, jumpsuits, and barbed wire fencing, detainees here will sleep in eight-bed dormitory-style quarters, wearing more cozy attire like jeans and T-shirts. The facility’s high walls enclose lush green courtyards with volleyball courts, an AstroTurfed soccer field, and basketball hoops, where detainees are free to roam throughout the day.” All of this, of course, comes at taxpayer expense.” When I was in college, I’ve seen how immigrant detainees were treated on Frontline. Not sure if the facility featured was owned by ICE or by some private prison company. Either way, it was nothing like that and sort of brought me some degree of shame for my country. But at any rate, these people were all huddled together incredibly inhumane conditions such as physical abuse, inadequate healthcare, threats to physical violence, overcrowding, and squalor. Many of these detainees can’t afford to hire a lawyer and remain trapped in a seemingly endless legal process. It’s not surprising that a lot of them can be held in these centers for months, possibly over a year. They’re also used as cheap labor to maintain the facilities. Some earn a dollar a day, some earn stuff like candy bars, and some earn nothing. And it’s said perks like healthy food, outdoor activities, and mental health care are less available in private ICE facilities than their state run counterparts. Whitehead also writes how immigrants are heavily impacted with 2.5 million people being through the immigration detention system since 2003. At least half of them had been in private facilities that hold 34,000 on a daily basis as mandated by Congress. Today private prisons control 62% of the incarcerated immigrant population in the US.

This is photo is from a private juvenile center in Florida, which has privatized their juvenile prison system. As the most recent data indicates 40% of all juveniles are in private facilities where they’re being abused, neglected, and living in unsanitary conditions. All this is making their situations all the more tragic.

4. For-profit prisons harm children.- According to federal data in 2011, nearly 40% of juvenile delinquents are committed to private facilities. In Florida, private contractors have recently took control of all the state’s 3,300 youth prison beds which has produced some of the worst re-offending rates in the nation. Today, more than 40% of the state’s incarcerated youth wind up arrested and convicted of another crime within a year after their release. On the other hand, only 25% of youth offenders end up the same way in New York which has no private juvenile facilities to speak of. And privatization of Florida’s Department of Juvenile Justice continues to fail the state’s most troubled kids despite numerous allegations of abuse, neglect, violence, and unsanitary conditions. So much so that it has attracted attention from the US Department of Justice. One of the largest companies in juvenile sentencing is Youth Services International that had more than 40,000 boys and girls in 16 states go through its facilities whether they be prisons, boot camps, or detention center in over the last 20 years. Children held at YSI facilities across the country have frequently faced beatings, neglect, sexual abuse, and unsanitary food. And YSI isn’t an unusual case. Incarcerating adults in the name of profit is one thing, but doing the same to children is just beyond the pale. Many juvenile delinquents come from terrible circumstances like poverty or abuse. A lot of them are mentally ill and have substance abuse problems. Now juvenile detention centers aren’t supposed to be like Disney World. But they shouldn’t be hell houses either where kids have no adequate access to services to prepare for release like education resources, mental health counseling, or substance abuse treatment. But that’s exactly what’s happening at private juvenile facilities across the country and the reports about the conditions are shocking. It’s tragic that such conditions lead to many of these kids leading horrible lives and being trapped in a system that they can never get out of. Many kids in private juvenile detention centers will be screwed up for life as well as set up for a lifetime of incarceration as adults.

Though more abuse occurs in private prisons than their public counterparts, companies are more likely to turn a blind eye since they’re more focused on making money. And as a result, complaints are ignored while incidents aren’t even reported.

5. For-profit prisons profit from abuse, silencing, and mistreatment.– While many conservatives believe that prisoners have it easy in prison with great food, workout equipment, entertainment, and a lot of time on their hands, nothing could be further from the truth. Even the least notorious prisons are rife with inequality, dangers, and misery. And it’s not uncommon for a young first time offender to be placed right next to a career criminal. Nevertheless, public prisons don’t benefit from abuse and mistreatment of prisoners and neither does the general public. As prison corporations are lauded for their tough on crime measures, incidences of abuse, neglect, and violence are often unreported and unnoticed while communities suffer. Inmates grievances often go unread and unanswered while red flags are kept within. And thanks to Minneci v. Pollard (2012), the Supreme Court ruled that Eighth Amendment “cruel and unusual” cases can’t be brought against private prison employees, which ensues. Private prisons simply don’t care about the general welfare of their inmates than the profits they’re getting from them. And as long as private prisons profit from their inmates’ misery and squalor, they will keep their inmates’ grievances from seeing the light of day. Such actions deny any potential for outside oversight.

While JPay isn’t exactly in the private prison business, they do profit off of inmates and their loved ones with their banking service. They’ve exploited these people mercilessly with exorbitant fees. And it doesn’t help that many of them are already financially struggling and suffering.

6. For-profit prison companies exploit prison families. – It is well known that private prison companies and their affiliates do everything they can to make a buck off people in prison and their families. Prison phone companies are said to charge high rates for prisoners to talk to family and friends. If they or their loved ones can’t afford the fees, they run a higher risk of social isolation, which will not help their rehabilitation. Studies have shown that social connections are critical to a prisoner’s rehabilitation process once they’re released. Not to mention, there are 2.7 million kids who have an incarcerated parent and many of them suffer immeasurably when such unaffordable rates rob them of parental contact. And it’s bad enough that these kids come from at-risk backgrounds of poverty and have an elevated risk for drug abuse, school failure, unemployment, and mental health problems. Many of these children are likely to end up just like their parents. For children whose mothers are in jail, many of them will end up in foster care and never see them again since they have no one else who’d take care of them. That’s not forgetting the financial strains for-profit prisons and their affiliates put on families. For instance, for-profit prison banker JPay is known to prey on inmates’ families with some forgoing medical care, skipping utility bills, and limiting contact with imprisoned relatives just to make payments. Many of these prison families tend to be poor and such costs make it much more difficult for them to escape poverty as long as their loved one is in the system. And it doesn’t help that JPay is the only way to for nearly 40% of prison families to send money to a loved one which costs $6.95 for fast processing. Else, it might take forever if loved ones go with the “free option.” Private vendors can also charge prisoners and their families sky high prices essentials like clothes and hygiene products. It’s terrible enough for families should have their loved one incarcerated. But it’s devastating that they have to suffer for their loved one’s crime like this through no fault of their own.

In 2010, 3 inmates broke out of the Arizona State Prison in Kingman, Arizona, kidnapped and killed 2 tourists, and burned their bodies in a camper. It was later found that this prison operated by the Management and Training Corporation had inadequate patrols and prison movement, excessive false alarms, inadequate staff training., and inconsistencies with visitor screening procedures. You can see why private prisons don’t want to take in violent offenders.

7. Privatized prisons do a terrible job keeping violent offenders behind bars. – When it comes to a prison system’s effectiveness in protecting the public, you want one that’s fit to keep the most dangerous criminals behind bars. Given the problems our public prison system has, you still have maximum security facilities that have done a great job keeping the Unabomber and Charles Manson at bay. However, when it comes to security, private prisons tend to be medium at the max and often refuse to accept inmates that cost the most to house. Many of the crooks that actually pose a danger to society would fall into this category. A 2005 study found that Arizona’s public facilities were 7 times more likely to house violent criminals and 3 times more likely to house those convicted of more serious crimes. And when it comes to handling these dangerous criminals that are usually reclassified as a low security risk, private prisons have proved inept which has led to terrible consequences both in the jails and out. After all, the high frequency of unchecked violence that goes in there proves that some of these violent criminals are in there. Also, violent offenders have a tendency to be transferred to a public facility. Then there’s the question of security and keeping these crooks in. In 2010, 3 inmates escaped from a private prison in Kingman, Arizona, kidnapped two tourists, killed them both, and burned their bodies in the camper. It was later found that the prison these inmates broke out of had inadequate patrols and prison movement (the perimeter was unmonitored for 15 minutes at the start of every shift and had only one guard at the premises during the time of escape), excessive false alarms (89 during a 16 hour study period), inadequate training (1/3 of security staff had less than 3 months on the job and there was no officer training program), and inconsistencies with visitor screening procedure. To put it this way, such a system made this a very easy prison to escape and not one you’d want to put murderers in.

This is an infographic snip showing how private prisons profit which consists of occupancy quotas, cutting corners on costs, choosing cheap inmates, and keeping them in horrible conditions. Sure private prisons say that they’re more cost efficient than their public counterparts, but at what cost?

8. Privatized prisons aren’t cost efficient.- Private prison companies often sell the idea that they’re a cost-effective option for cash strapped states. However, there are 24 different studies on cost-effectiveness revealed that it’s either inconclusive or non-existent. Some research has even concluded that for-profit prisons might cost more than their public counterparts. It was also determined that some cost estimates might be misleading because privatize facilities often refuse to accept inmates that cost the most to house such as the disabled, the elderly, the HIV-positive, the mentally ill, those convicted of serious and violent crimes, and others. And a 2001 study concluded that many prison companies artificially inflate cost savings by sending the less expensive inmates to their facilities. Furthermore, privatized prisons are more likely to dole out twice the amount of infractions against inmates that lengthened their sentences by average 2 to 3 months, which can amount to as much as $3,000 increased cost per prisoner. Not only that, but inmates housed in private prisons were more likely to wind up back in the system after being released. And we all know recidivism contributes to prison overcrowding and isn’t fiscally responsible by any stretch of the imagination. Not to mention, these companies are paid by the state and at the taxpayer expense. If a state failed to reach an occupancy rate, it has to pay the company a reimbursement. Add to that the cost of poor quality that’s shifted to police dealing with escapees, court systems coping with prison lawsuits, and public hospitals treating inmates.

Private prisons like to sell the idea that they help save taxpayer money and benefit local economies. However, several studies have found just the opposite. Here is an infographic detailing the case of Harding, Montana where the promise of a private prison never panned out and wasted the town millions.

9. Privatized prisons are a waste of taxpayer money and don’t benefit local economies.– While privatization is claimed to lead to tax savings for the public, it actually costs us more. Sure some of you might complain about your tax dollars going to public programs like welfare and other social services, but each public dollar paid through one social service will spend itself 4-8 times more elsewhere in the public sector. But once public money goes into private hands, it is gone for good. This is especially true when privatization corporations are given handsome tax breaks and “incentives” in the form of what liberals like me call, “corporate welfare” meaning we’re even less likely to see that money again even if these companies present a lower figure to do the same job. We should also remember that those who privatize are generally wealthy who tend to receive your hard earned tax dollars funneled into rich guys’ coffers for their own personal gain. Today such “corporate welfare” is justified through the notion that the “free market” is the same as democracy, an idea that assumes that if everything was privatized and ruled by the law of the dollar, then democracy will be ensured. This may be true for the rich but it’s not for everyone else. And such ideas about “the free market” are what’s screwing this country, especially since Citizens United. Nevertheless, private prisons are said to rely on government perks like subsidies as well as tax abatements and reductions. But of course, many states sign up private prison contracts since they offer a promise for jobs. However, we should note that they don’t hire a lot of staff and despite claims that state budgets can be bolstered by private prisons, studies have found just the opposite.

While the private prison industry is certainly profitable, the concept of locking up criminals for profit is inherently unethical since it reduces them as commodities. Sure criminals aren’t innocent people but they’re also human beings. And no human being should have their freedom taken away from them in the name of profit.

10. Profiting from the imprisonment of human beings is morally wrong and constitutes as predatory practices. –As a venture, the private prison industry is a case in which a few people exploit our society’s larger problems for their own gain at a cost we all bare and get little in return. As John Whitehead writes, “No matter what the politicians or corporate heads might say, prison privatization is neither fiscally responsible nor in keeping with principles of justice. It simply encourages incarceration for the sake of profits, while causing millions of Americans, most of them minor, nonviolent criminals, to be handed over to corporations for lengthy prison sentences which do nothing to protect society or prevent recidivism. This perverse notion of how prisons should be run, that they should be full at all times, and full of minor criminals, is evil.” With the growing influence of the private prison industry, the US is, in effect, commoditizing human bodies for an industry in militant pursuit of profit. And it’s an industry that creates a system that trades money for human freedom, often at the expense of the nation’s most vulnerable populations: children, immigrants, and the poor. For such an enterprise to exist our country is morally indefensible and a national disgrace.

This is the infographic where the Freedom of Information Act is applicable to prisons. Notice how the public and private maps are of different colors. That’s because that private prisons tend to operate with little government oversight. This not acceptable.

11. Privatized prisons aren’t held accountable to the same degree their government owned counterparts. – Our taxpayer funded public prisons may be inherently flawed in many ways. But at least these prisons are operated and overseen by the state and federal governments for the benefit of the public good. Because of this, public prisons are encouraged to provide the best quality of service taxpayer money can buy. Because if public prisons fail, then everyone suffers. Privatized prisons just want to make money with their profit depending on the money they get from the state and spending as little as possible on the prisoners and the prisons. Not only that, but also housing as many inmates as possible, kept as long as possible, and housed as cheaply as possible. Meanwhile, private prison company executives receive multi-million dollar paychecks as well as profits for shareholders who will never suffer any negative consequences. And it doesn’t help that they’re receiving government subsidies and tax perks funded by the general public who suffers. Not to mention, since many states rely private prison companies to self-report, they have figured ways to make themselves look clean in the eyes of the state regardless what’s really happening at their facilities. Sure private prisons might operate under corporate oversight but as with most corporations, these companies will never voluntarily shape up unless there’s more government intervention. And so far, there has been little government oversight.

While it’s very apparent that social problems and flaws in the criminal justice system lead to mass incarceration, private prisons profit from them and have no incentive to fix them. In fact, a lot of their lobbying efforts have been a major stumbling block in criminal justice reform. And it’s costing our tax dollars in the process.

12. Privatized prisons profit from existing problems in the criminal justice system and society and give no incentive to solve them. -While public prisons do carry a heavy taxpayer burden as well as are facing problems such as overcrowding and high recidivism, at least public investment and government oversight gives incentives to solve such problems in the penal system. After all, a government owned prison system that’s funded by taxpayers helps promote measures aimed at reforming prisoners and reducing crime. And that’s how it should be. However, the private prison industry is only held accountable to their investors, shareholders, and benefactors who’s only concern are profits. And the private prison industry profits by making sure that more people are put in jail. When making a pitch to potential investors, CCA is quick to point out that private prisons comprise of a unique, recession-resistant investment opportunity, with more than 90% of the market up for grabs, little competition, high recidivism, and the potential for future growth in the prison population. As CCA reported in 2014, “The demand for our facilities and services could be adversely affected by the relaxation of enforcement efforts, leniency in conviction or parole standards and sentencing practices or through the decriminalization of certain activities that are currently proscribed by our criminal laws. For instance, any changes with respect to drugs and controlled substances or illegal immigration could affect the number of persons arrested, convicted, and sentenced, thereby potentially reducing demand for correctional facilities to house them. … Legislation has been proposed in numerous jurisdictions that could lower minimum sentences for some non-violent crimes and make more inmates eligible for early release based on good behavior.” It’s no surprise that the private prison industry has no interest in reforming prisoners or reducing crime like ending ex-con job discrimination, decriminalizing marijuana, reducing the system’s racist impact on minorities, and any other policies that cut into their profits. As long as these problems persist, the private prison industry will be all too willing to exploit this country’s systematic social problems in the name of profit. What our criminal justice system needs is reform, not incentive for expansion.

Private Prison Giants and Their Activities

This infographic shows the kind of issues the private prison companies have lobbied for over the years. You might notice that none of them pertain to prisoner rehabilitation. That’s because they’re not interested in reforming prisoners because it hurts their profits. And it should be no surprise to any of us that private prisons have high recidivism rates. Their business model was constructed that way.

13. Privatized prisons have no incentive to rehabilitate prisoners.– Because public prisons are funded by taxpayers and run by governments, they always have an incentive to rehabilitate prisoners before release so they won’t wind up in jail again. And while such systems are significantly flawed and not always effective, at least public investment encourages public prisons to have more responsibility in inmate welfare, rehabilitation, and public safety. But for private prison companies, their primary responsibility is generating profits for shareholders through incarcerating as many people as possible, as long as possible, and as cheaply as possible. Under such a system, it’s very difficult or outright impossible for the private prison industry to be genuinely concerned for the welfare of inmates, let alone their rehabilitation. After all, to them, reforming a prisoner is just making them less likely to function as a future source of profit. Not to mention, private prison companies have little incentive to release an inmate early, regardless how well they’ve behaved since it would reduce their cash flow. As for providing treatment, why bother if it means losing a customer?

Walnut-Grove-Correctional-Facility-Prison

In 2010, rival gangs rioted at the Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility which resulted in 6 hospitalizations, including one with permanent brain damage. Since the MTC owned prison had a staff to prison ratio of 1/120, they just sat there and waited until the fight ended. In 2014, there were 2 riots that sent 18 and 4 inmates to the hospital respectively.

14. Privatized prisons have are poorly staffed with poorly trained and paid employees.– Evidence suggests that for-profit prisons are chronically understaffed, inadequately trained, and underpaid. And when you combine this with such prisons rapidly expanding, things are bound to get ugly which could put the prisoners’ and the employees’ safety in jeopardy. This is one of the reasons why privatized prisons have increased incidences of violence and escapes. A lot of times private prisons are so poorly run that they simply can’t find enough officers and other employees. Turnover rates are significantly higher. It’s not surprising since assaults on guards by inmates are 49% more frequent than in state run prisons. And it’s said that private prison employees are paid an average of 21% less than their state employed counterparts according to a 2010 report by the US Department of Labor. However, some private prisons just don’t want to spend “extra” money in order to hire enough officers and staff members to adequately run them even as these places are rapidly expanding to house more inmates. Many also spend less money on training for correctional officers as well. The Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility in Mississippi had a staff to prisoner ration of 1/120. When this prison experienced a riot in 2010, 6 inmates were rushed to the hospital, including one with permanent brain damage. During the riot, the staff just sat there and waited until the melee ended because there were 60 times more prisoners than staff. A lack of well trained and paid staff can also lead to corruption as there have been reports guards resorting to smuggling contraband for inmates. This could mean anything from T-shirts to cigarettes and knives or other weapons.

It’s very common for private prison companies to have contracts to guarantee prison occupancy rates and/or force taxpayers to pay empty beds. 90% is the most frequent occupancy requirement. Along with promoting harsher sentencing measures, private prisons are a huge contributor to mass incarceration.

15. Privatized prisons contribute to mass incarceration.-In 2012, CCA sent a letter to 48 states offering to buy their public prisons with promises that they have at least 1,000 beds and 90% occupancy for the next 20 years. In fact, nearly 2/3 of private prison contracts mandate that state and local governments maintain a certain occupancy rate usually 90% and require taxpayers to pay for empty beds. In Arizona, 3 private prisons are operating with a 100% occupancy guarantee. Such requirements by private prison companies are a common practice. Today crime rates are falling and the rate of incoming undocumented immigrants have leveled off. But today the US puts more people in prison than anywhere else on earth which is fueling a major crises. Such occupancy requirements by private prison companies only encourage this and have since the 1980s, especially since private prison inmate usually remain in jail longer. The fact these private prisons are profiting from the War on Drugs, undocumented immigration, as well as poor people being in desperate situations, ensures that mass incarceration is here to stay. And it also guarantees that the criminal justice system and public prisons will be swamped with more inmates than it would know what to do with.

The private prison lobby has enormous influence in federal and state governments across the country as well as contributed millions to political candidates of both parties. In turn, these prison companies have advocated “tough on crime” measures like “Truth and Sentencing” and “Three Strikes” laws as well as anti-immigration and pro privatization policies.

16. Private prison industry lobbying have a corrupting influence on the policy. – Private prisons are a highly profitable business due to government payments and prison laborers forced to work for pennies on behalf of corporations like Boeing and McDonald’s. And like any corporation, these corrections companies have powerful lobbies in Washington contributing millions to political candidates. They also lobbied for policies advocating free-market privatization as well as “tough on crime” laws like “Truth in Sentencing” and “Three Strikes Law.” CCA has helped financed Proposition 6 in California in 2008 which would’ve placed additional penalties for drug crimes. And GEO Group lobbied for Jessica’s Law in 2006 which pertains to the treatment of sex offenders. As a lobby, private prison companies influence legislation for tougher, longer sentences. They’ve also supported Arizona’s highly controversial anti-illegal immigration law. Both GEO and CCA have engaged in initiatives to create new crimes, particularly nonviolent offenses like failure to pay fines for misdemeanor offenses in Missouri (that go to private collection agencies) or being unable to afford bail. And they have responded to criminal justice reform and leniency to nonviolent criminals with vociferous opposition. Nevertheless, while private prisons benefit through such policies, their public counterparts and everyone else doesn’t. It turns out Florida US Senator Marco Rubio is one of the private prison industry’s biggest beneficiaries and political champions. He is closely connected with The GEO Group and has hired a former trustee as an economic consultant and a former lobbyist as his chief of staff from that company. GEO was also a top 10 contributor to Rubio’s Reclaim America PAC with his chief of staff being a senior advisor. There’s no question that Rubio opposes immigration or criminal justice reform since GEO has given him $40,000 in campaign contributions, making him its top recipient in the Senate. And opposition to criminal justice reform should render any candidate woefully inadequate to lead a nation suffering from a prison system that essentially perpetuates the oppression of its most vulnerable citizens. Yet, today the private prison industry is the biggest lobby that’s getting little scrutiny. That should change.

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This is a picture of Sandy Fonzo of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania confronting former Luzerne County judge Mark Ciavarella. Her son committed suicide when caught in the infamous”kids for cash” scandal where 2 judges were paid $2.8 million by Mid-Atlantic Youth Services Corporation to send over 2,000 children to it’s 2 facilities on unusually long sentences for rather petty crimes. While the judges were eventually sentence to long prison terms, hundreds of young lives were ruined in the process. And tragically, it’s said that there’s considerable evidence that private prisons have a very corrupting influence in the criminal justice system.

17. Private prisons have a corrupting influence in the criminal justice system. – While the US criminal justice system is corrupt, prison privatization simply encourages incarceration for the sake of profits which doesn’t keep with the principles of justice in any way, shape, or form. One scandal that has illustrated this is the “kids for cash” atrocity in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. From 2003-2008, the Mid Atlantic Youth Services Corporation (a firm specializing in juvenile offenders), paid off 2 judges to jail youths and send them to their 2 private prison facilities. The 2 judges made over $2.6 million in the scam to by sending more than 2,000 kids to prison on unusually long sentences for incredibly petty crimes like stealing DVDs from Wal Mart, mocking a principal on Myspace, packing ibuprofen and trespassing in vacant buildings. Over 50% of the kids who appeared before Judge Mark Ciavarella lacked legal representation and 60% of those kids were removed from their homes. Luckily the 2 judges were sentenced to 17.5 and 28 years in federal custody but not without ruining thousands of young lives in the process. And there is evidence that private prisons tend to bribe judges at a regular basis. This kind of corruption might mean your DUI could turn into a maximum sentence if you can’t afford to hire the right lawyer. Since Florida privatized the entirety of its $183 million juvenile justice system, its Department of Juvenile Justice has been reported as effectively complicit in allowing problems to fester in its jails and is a failed system of oversight and accountability. State probes of mistreatment typically end with inconclusive evidence with only a quarter of cases ever being substantiated. And there is little incentive to crack down on contractors. Reform is also not likely to happen because so many Florida politicians have received money from juvenile prison companies that Governor Rick Scott challenged the “unsupported suggestion” that problems in Florida’s juvenile justice programs were systemic. Today Florida is failing its juvenile delinquents because it seems it doesn’t want to assume any responsibility for these troubled kids. The influence of private prisons can lead to a US criminal justice system based upon increasing the wealth and power of the corporate state, which isn’t fair when certain convictions guarantee payout. Our justice system should exist for the benefit of the public good, not for the financial benefit of a few corporations who house inmates for their bread and butter. And the fact many local and state judges are elected just makes it even worse.

Recidivism is a huge problem in the prison system, especially when it leads to overcrowding. However, private prison companies see it as an asset to profit from. So they invest very little to almost nothing into a prisoner’s rehabilitation. Because why try to lose a customer?

18. Privatized prisons contribute to increased recidivism. – Despite claims that private prisons have lower recidivism rates, prisoners housed in private facilities are 40-60% more likely to return than their state run counterparts. It’s not surprising since private prisons have no incentive to rehabilitate the prisoners they house which makes them more susceptible to another prison sentence after they’re released. Across the country, recidivism is a major problem since it traps people in a vicious cycle of poverty, exploitation, and repeated offenses. Recidivism is a good reason to ban the box since convictions can prevent nonviolent ex-cons from getting a job that could keep them out of prison for good. Not to mention, recidivism leads to prison overcrowding. But for private prison companies, banning the box is bad business since their goal is to incarcerate more people in the name of profit. Other ways that private prisons encourage recidivism include limiting an inmate’s contact with family, offering a lack of educational options, and deficient rehabilitation programs. The fact that many of them charge inmates money for services like food and medical care also makes it difficult for them to get back on their feet after release.

Today there are 10,500 state prisoners are transferred to private prisons outside their home state, possibly as far as 450-3,000 miles. Though seen as a solution to prison overcrowding, this practice is detrimental to the criminal justice system because it impedes a prisoner’s rehabilitation and destroys families and communities.

19. Privatized prisons lead to prisoners being incarcerated outside their own jurisdictions.– If someone commits a crime, they will be tried, convicted and sentenced there. And it’s generally expected that the punishment will play out close to home. However, with the rise of privatized prisons, some states have been seeking solutions to prison overcrowding by having some of their inmates shipped to out of state locations across the country. Today there are more than 10,500 state prisoners in for-profit prisons outside their own states, approximately 450-3,000 miles from their home state. And it’s mostly without the prisoners’ consent. One example is Vermont since it has only 7 in-state correctional facilities, it has contracted with private prison companies for years, sending prisoners to out of state locations. Today there are currently hundreds of individuals being held from New York, Arizona, Michigan, and Kentucky. California, Hawaii, and Idaho that also house their inmates out of state as well. However, while this practice of transferring inmates out of their jurisdictions is detrimental to the criminal justice system because it separates inmates from their loved ones and social connections with the outside world. Furthermore, transporting prisoners to a remote location puts them in unfamiliar surroundings despite that inmates do much better in rehabilitation when they’re incarcerated near their own home and families. Not to mention, travel for family and friends is often prohibitively expensive. It also costs money and communities as well as destroys families. There are also concerns about the difficulty of oversight.

This is a satirical flyer pertaining to for-profit prisons. However, while the private prison industry is profitable, it’s an unethical business that carries very high social costs. But it’s one that’s seldom talked about which is just so tragic.

20. Privatized prisons carry higher social costs. – Incarceration doesn’t really make us safer when we jail nonviolent criminals. Nevertheless, dealing with crime brings a lot of social costs that we need to talk about because they’re almost never discussed. There are the social costs such as broken families and communities of both victims and perpetrators. There are the hidden financial costs like paying for foster care for prisoners’ children (particularly if they’re single women) as well as what we’ll pay again when a prisoner emerges more desperate, addicted, uneducated, and disenfranchised than they went in. Then there’s the political costs of a society that seeks vengeance through prisons and punishment that will cost us twice the price of ensuring true equality, opportunity, and social health at the roots of our society. Private prisons will only increase such costs.

In conclusion, the existence of for-profit prisons only benefits the companies who own them through profiting on mass incarceration. Despite being wildly profitable, it is a business of total moral bankruptcy that hurts inmates and their families, scams communities, corrupts legal systems, and wastes taxpayer money. It is an industry that does nothing to protect the public or save money in any way. Thus, the private prison industry shouldn’t have a right to exist because its existence is a national shame.

Touchdown with These Super Bowl Sunday Party Treats (Second Edition)

Posted by historymaniacmegan on January 8, 2016

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Just when you thought the holiday gorging season is over. Another one just seems to take its place. This time it’s NFL playoff season which will soon cap it off with the Super Bowl, which will be the most watched TV event of the year (but I’ll be watching Downton Abbey and Galavant if the Steelers aren’t in it). This year the Steelers barely made it into the playoffs after winning against Cleveland and Buffalo winning against the Jets (thank you, Buffalo). So naturally, on Saturday, they’ll be going against the Cincinnati Bengals. Nevertheless, most of the food that’s eaten during football games isn’t the best thing for you. Let’s face it, if your New Year’s resolutions include losing weight or eating healthier, you might stay away from the standard football fare like burgers, hotdogs, fries, chips, nachos, wings, pizza, fried chicken, and what else have you. And when it comes to the Super Bowl, well, you can bet some football fans will probably have given up sticking to their diets. Now I am not the most avid football fan. Yet, since I live in Pittsburgh Steeler country, I am well aware that pro football is a really big deal that the Super Bowl is America’s biggest unofficial national holiday. So it’s not unusual that many people throw Super Bowl parties on Super Bowl Sunday with their own gridiron grub. So for your reading pleasure this playoff season, here are some more Super Bowl delights for your big game party.

New York Giants fans will surely get a kick out of these cupcakes.

I’m not sure if the Giants are in the playoffs this year. Then again, they’ve won 2 Super Bowls against the Patriots. So this sort of counts.

2. This football cookies will certainly look good on your Super Bowl dessert platter.

After all, football cookies seem easy to make and decorate. I’m sure you can find chocolate and white icing at your local grocery store.

3. You’ve heard of cheeseburgers. But have you’ve seen a cheeseburger cupcake?

Yes, this is a cheeseburger cupcake. Still, unlike some, you can have one with chocolate and vanilla.

4. It’s not a Super Bowl party without some pigskin potato skins.

I’ve done pigskin potato skins in my last Super Bowl treat post. but these are made in a very different way. Still has the same heart attack potential.

5. Last year’s top Super Bowl dessert was none other than the Deflate Cake.

Sorry, Patriots fans, but I couldn’t resist. This is just perfect. the deflated football almost looks real. I’m sure this wasn’t made in New England.

6. These Ritz cracker crunch footballs will surely delight the younger fans.

These look almost professionally made as you might see. Still, at least this picture lists the ingredients so I won’t have to make them out myself.

7. Of course, a Super Bowl treat post wouldn’t be complete without a snackadium to keep some food in one place.

This one has olives on the play in the guacamole field. Still, seems smaller than others but I’m sure some of the fare might not be good for you.

8. Nothing makes a great dessert on Super Bowl Sunday than these football cupcakes.

Uses cookie footballs and minty green icing. Still, they’re quite adorable. And they’re chocolate.

9. When it comes to dip, you can’t go wrong with a guac field.

At least this looks a bit healthier than the previous stuff I’ve put on my post so far. Like how they used peppers for field goals.

10. Super Bowl Sunday wouldn’t be the same without some chocolate peanut football treats.

These look quite cute. Not sure how you get the peanuts together. But it looks doable. Also uses chocolate icing.

11. Bring the big game spirit onto your dessert platter than some football pretzel sticks.

Seems like all you have to do with these are dip them in chocolate, wait for them to dry, and put football etchings on them. Can’t be that difficult.

12. If you prefer fun size, these pretzel bites will make your game.

Like the sticks, it just seems you dip them in chocolate before painting stripes on them. Not shaped like footballs. But as long as they’re tasty, who cares.

13. Your Super Bowl appetizer isn’t complete without a football bread bowl of dip.

On second thought, couldn’t just be football bread instead? That would’ve been great just as well and there would be no need to scoop out the bread.

14. This football appetizer platter will give you all the cheese and crackers of your heart’s desires.

Well, the football is made from pepperoni and cheese with everything else surrounding it. Not the most healthy option for you. But it doesn’t look half bad.

15. Fans in Seattle will certainly delight munching on a sugar cookie jersey of their favorite Seahawk.

Not sure if I know any of these guys besides Marshawn Lynch and the one with the braids (whose name I forget). Still, the fans will love them.

16. Mason jar football brownie treats would make a fine addition to any Super Bowl party.

Not sure how big these jars are. But these certainly look tasty. Love the brownie footballs at the top.

17. This pigskin cheese dip is all covered in bacon.

Now this is bound to give someone coronaries. Because bacon isn’t known to be good for you. Still, like the cheese stripes.

18. This Super Bowl, grace your dessert platter with these football bars.

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Not sure what these are. Cheese cake bars? Seems to look like it. Oh, wait, they’re fruit bars. Well, as long as they resemble footballs, that’s fine with me.

19. These football pretzels are sure to make a tasty Super Bowl snack.

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Actually they’re football pretzel sandwich snacks. They’re used with Rolo chocolate. Not sure if this was made by the company. But it still goes on the post.

20. Nothing makes a Super Bowl party worthwhile than some Buffalo chicken sandwich patties.

Basically it’s ground up buffalo chicken shaped into footballs. And they’re decorated by string cheese for a more realistic effect.

21. Nothing is sure to excite the people of Green Bay, Wisconsin than a Green Bay Packers gingerbread house.

Yes, somebody actually did this. Still, I think it would’ve been more appropriate if it was a cheese or lunch meat house. Because it’s the Packers.

22. Steeler fans are sure to adore this cake as a dessert centerpiece.

Of course, I had to include at least one Steeler treat on this post. Not sure about the football. Looks a bit deflated and more appropriate for a New England Patriots cake.

23. You can’t have a Super Bowl party without including some cookie dough footballs.

They’re basically footballs with cookie dough inside a shell of chocolate. I’m sure it’s perfectly safe. I mean they put cookie dough in ice cream for God’s sake.

24. On the field, it’s the Hershey’s Kisses vs. the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.

To be fair, both candies are made by the same company, Hershey’s. Still, this cake is amazing. I also love how they made the striped Hershey Kisses refs.

25. For those who fondly remember Deflategate, feast your eyes on this chocolate “Bradie” ball.

This was made by a guy in Pennsylvania and it wasn’t for sale. Nevertheless, it weighs 13 lbs. Sorry, scratch that. It actually weighs 11.2 lbs since someone named Tom Brady let the air out.

26. Though it’s winter, these Giants ice cream sandwiches make a great frozen treat in New York.

Yes, these are New York Giants ice cream sandwiches. And since they’re a football team, each one has stripes and team colors in sprinkles.

27. With the Denver Broncos in the playoffs, there’s no better time to show you a Denver Brocnos dessert pizza.

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Most of this is made from popcorn and chocolate as well as sprinkles and other candies. Actually found it on Pinterest in September.

28. You can’t have a Super Bowl snackadium without some pop cans at the edges.

Actually I see some bear cans in the mix as well. Nevertheless, I think the most healthy things in here are the popcorn and the dips.

29. Why just have hotdogs on your grill when you can also have them on your dessert platter, too?

Yes, those are candy hotdogs. And yes, the circus peanut buns and gum drop relish make them look disgusting. Still, it’s unique so they’ll do.

30. People of Chicago would certainly adore this Chicago Bears chocolate cake.

Well, the Chicago Bears were National Conference champs and played in the Super Bowl in 2006. But the Indianapolis Colts beat them. Also, haven’t won a Super Bowl since the 1980s.

31. You never have a complete Super Bowl dessert platter until you have football gobs.

Seems like these gobs are rather easy to make as long as they’re shaped like footballs. Then after that is the icing of the stripes.

32. People from Seattle can always go crazy over a double decker Seahawk cake.

Now that’s a cake you could see from a mile away or in the dark. A green icing that bright could do that to a cake.

33. You can’t have a hit Super Bowl party without some cinnamon roll football cookies.

Yes, these are made from cinnamon roles. But they’re flatter as you see. Not sure if you can eat them for breakfast.

34. If you love the Pittsburgh Steelers, then you’ll love these Steeler sugar cookies.

Seems like this one has footballs, Steeler helmets, stadium views, Terrible Towels, logo, and jerseys of Big Ben, Heinz Ward, and Polamalu. Now Ward and Polamalu are out.

35. Nothing makes a better Super Bowl dessert than some football peanut butter Rice Krispie treats.

Yes, they’re just footballs with peanut butter. No, real footballs don’t look like that. Still, seem tasty.

36. For healthier dessert options, may I suggest you go with some chocolate football apple slices?

It’s possible that they’re probably covered in chocolate so they resemble footballs. Still, healthier than some of the other options on here, I’ll say.

37. These Oreo cookie footballs will surely make tasty Super Bowl treats during the big game.

I guess the Oreo cookies are crumpled up in footballs and covered by chocolate icing. May not look like much but I bet they taste great.

38. Seems like one of these little wieners just made a pass.

These are mini hotdogs with olive helmets and mustard features. And it seems they’re in the heat of a critical moment at this time.

39. This football cake is sure to make a wonderful centerpiece for your Super Bowl party.

And it’s surrounded by graham crackers to dip in. Either consisting of field goal icings and ones all covered in sprinkles.

40. Nothing makes a Super Bowl party better than a peanut butter football cake.

And all you have to do once it’s out of the oven are putting in some icing marks. Still, has some cracks but I’d certainly eat it.

41. No Super Bowl party platter is complete without a football pizza.

Yes, I did a football pizza before last year. And yes, it did have pepperoni and cheese. But this one is round.

42. You’re familiar with hotdogs at football games. But have you ever seen a football hotdog?

Well, this is more of a cheese and chili football hotdog. Nevertheless, it does have the football spirit and nachos on the side.

43. Seems like this large snackadium offers more healthier options.

Well, this contains fruit, cheese, and guacamole dip. Also, from what I can tell, this snackadium seems to be made for a Pittsburgh area venue. Well, at least according to the table cloth and the dip.

44. Celebrate the Super Bowl with with some football mozzarella sticks.

Yes, these are football mozzarella sticks. Yes, I know they don’t look like sticks. But they resemble footballs and shouldn’t that be enough?

45. This cookie tray is bound to have a jersey of your favorite Pittsburgh Steeler.

Well, Big Ben and Harrison are still around. Holmes got traded. Polamalu, Keisel, and Ward have retired. Not sure about the others.

46. For Seahawks fans, these blue and green Rice Krispie treats can’t be beat.

Well, they’re in the team colors whether through sprinkles, icing, or food coloring. Still, not sure how they’d taste.

47. You can’t complete a Super Bowl dessert platter without some cookie ice cream sandwiches.

Yet, out of these footballs, only half of these are covered in chocolate. Nevertheless, they sure look tasty if you ask me.

48. This football contains 3 different dips.

Seems like they consist of guacamole, salsa, and dressing. How they remain separated in this dish, I have no idea.

49. I give you, the quintessential meat snackadium.

The stands are made out of hamburgers and the edges and field goals are made out of hotdogs. Nevertheless, it’s certainly bound to induce some heart attacks.

50. These chocolate football brownies are sure to be any chocolate lover’s Super Bowl delight.

Now these are chocolate football brownies with chocolate icing. Must be so chocolatey rich as I say.

51. For Giants fans, you can’t have a better Super Bowl cake than one of MetLife Stadium.

I guess this was made by a professional. Still, love how the crowd is represented by sprinkles. So creative.

52. This Super Bowl, take a bite out of these super football sandwiches.

Seems like these buns are whole wheat and have the markings made from cheese. Still, I’m sure they’d be great for any Super Bowl party.

53. Nothing makes a great Super Bowl snack like some football nuts.

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Seems like these were from the year when it was the San Francisco 49ers against the Baltimore Ravens. Ravens won and it resulted in as many Super Bowl wins for Ray Lewis as murder allegations.

54. This large snackadium is sure a real hoagie breadbasket.

Seems like this one appears to be made by someone with too much time on their hands or in the restaurant business. Wonder what happened to the food left over.

55. When it comes to parking, this snackadium has a whole lot to follow.

Seems like this one is all packed with snacks and brownies. Still, I love how this person used chocolate bars for cars and chocolate chips for wheels.

56. For a veggie dish, may I suggest some football taco salad?

Then again, this may be a dip for all I know. Then again, it’s probably healthier than some of the other dishes on this post. And it’s the most colorful football arrangement I’ve seen so far.

57. This snackadium seems partially constructed from Rice Krispies.

This seems to be an interesting arrangement. Probably built by someone with too much time on their hands. Likethe donuts on the burgers.

58. This Super Bowl dessert platter will sure be a hit at your party during the big game.

This seems to have a fruit pizza field and other delights. Nevertheless, seems to be made by a Green Bay Packers fan by the looks of it.

59. No Super Bowl party would be complete without these big game cupcakes.

These consist of a football and a filled stadium. And the best part about these is that they’re chocolate.

60. New Enlganders would delight with these Patriots cookies.

These consist of a couple helmets, logos, and footballs. Also has a a Brady jersey. One for each side. What an asshole.

61. In memory of Deflategate, here are some great football cookies in case the Patriots make the Super Bowl.

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They’re said to be made by a coffee company in Boston. Seriously, I’m not kidding. Still, wonder how many orders they got outside New England.

62. Another cookie option would be of Tom Brady’s court portrait.

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For some reason, this guy reminds me more of FBI Agent Nelson Van Alden from Boardwalk Empire. Seriously, he totally looks as if he could drown his partner in a lake in an attempt to baptize him. Made from an Indianapolis bakery.

63. Like peanut butter and chocolate chips? Then you’ll love these football cookies.

Well, these footballs seem spotty if you ask me. But nevertheless, they sure look tasty regardless.

64. This Superbowl, take a bite out of these Reese’s fudge footballs.

Seem to resemble the Ritz cracker crunch ones I showed earlier. But they’re probably softer. Still, these look so delicious.

65. Nothing makes a Super Bowl party complete than these little football toast pizzas.

They seem rather small and made with mustard stripes. Still, whoever made these was quite creative if you ask me.

66. Celebrate this Super Bowl with some jello shots representing your team.

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Now jello shots contain alcohol and shouldn’t be taken by anyone under 21, pregnant, AA members, or designated drivers. Nevertheless, these seem to be for the San Francisco 49ers. Of course, you probably remembered what happened to them when they went against Baltimore.

67. For those rooting for Green Bay, this cake is for you.

Seems most appropriate since the Packers are associated with cheese, namely cheese heads. Still, not sure if I’m fine with them beating the Steelers at the Super Bowl. Then again, it could be worse.

68. This cake is sure to show some plays on the field.

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This looks quite clever to say the least. Seems so simple to make if you know how to do an icing playbook.

69. To make your Super Bowl party a hit, use some football pizza dip.

To some it resembles a pizza. To others, it looks like a pie with pepperoni on top. But to me, it’s clever and seems rather appetizing.

70. When it comes to Super Bowl parties, you can’t go wrong with a football stuffed pizza.

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Yes, I might’ve shown a football calzone before. But this one is made from bread and it looks so toasty. Also love the cheese decor on this.

SantaCon Costumes Are Coming to Town

Posted by historymaniacmegan on December 18, 2015

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Okay, SantaCon is actually over for this year and I couldn’t do a post on it then since I was in Richmond, Virginia last weekend for my sister’s VCU graduation. But still, I have to keep the Christmas posts coming somehow. Now SantaCon is an American holiday tradition that’s an annual mass gathering where people dressed as Santa Claus or other Christmas characters parade in several world cities in a parade and pub crawl. Though originated in San Francisco as “joyful performance art” in the 1990s, it’s largest gathering is in New York City. And it’s now evolved into a “reviled bar crawl” of drunken brawling, vandalism, and disorder in New York City and elsewhere. It has resulted in fierce community resistence, especially from parents who don’t want their kids to see a naughty Santa. Other names for this are Santarchy, Santa Rampage, the Red Menace, and Santapalooza. Still, despite it’s naughty yuletide reputation, this doesn’t mean we can’t have fun with SantaCon. And as I looked on Pinterest, SantaCon has an array of unique Christmas costumes to boot. So for your reading pleasure, here is a treasury of SantaCon costumes that you might like to see. And you don’t have to take my word for it.

Some might find sexy gingerbread lady yummy enough to eat this holiday season.

I don’t know about you. But for some reason, I don’t think food should be sexy. Seriously, that’s just wrong.

2. Of course, at SantaCon there’s bound to be one sexy Frosty the Snowman.

But I’m sure she won’t be wearing this in order to build one. Seriously, that outfit is totally unsuited for below freezing temperatures. Dressing like that will get you hypothermia.

3. He may live at the North Pole but he has a hunk of heart of burning love.

Seems like Santa Elvis has just entered the building. Has his Santa suit, red sash, big glasses, and slicked back pompadour and all. Now he’s all sleighed up.

4. Sometimes at SantaCon it’s either be present or be present.

And it seems this guy managed to fit his upper torso in a purple present box. But he asks not to be opened until Christmas.

5. Since the Nutcracker is running this season, you can’t forget the toy soldier.

Now this toy soldier costume is for women as you see. But unlike some of the costumes so far, it ain’t supposed to be sexy at all.

6. As with any winter wonderland gathering, you can’t forget the Ice Queen.

Of course, I’m sure she’s probably the slowest member of the SantaCon pub craw. However, her dress is a convenient flat surface nonetheless.

7. When it comes to Santas, a sexy one is a real treat.

I don’t mind women dressing as Santas. However, I kind of find it hard to accept one being sexy in a Santa suit. Maybe it’s just me.

8. Still, a toy soldier can always look so proper and badass in a big tall furry hat.

Yes, I know that toy soldiers usually tend to be guys. But this guy in such a costume kind of gives me the creeps for some reason. I don’t know why.

9. For lady Santa costumes, a cape and a skirt is all you need.

Now that looks kind of cute and not too sexy as some of the other costumes. However, I hope her tights keep her legs warm enough. Because they look they might freeze.

10. Now this costume looks like a cross between Santa and a Victoria’s Secret model.

Then again, if you love Christmas and have a job dancing on tables, this might be the SantaCon outfit for you. Unless the weather in your neck of the woods is below freezing of course.

11. To appear more festive at New York’s SantaCon, you might want to go as a Rockette.

Of course, you might look glamorous in such an outfit. But if it’s 32 below outside, you might want to wear it with pants.

12. Now this pink Santa outfit will make you the darling of the Santa pub crawl.

Now this one looks like a Santa nightie you might see at a Victoria’s Secret fashion show. And I’m not sure those stockings are bound to keep you warm in freezing weather either.

13. Now this woman is dressed as a gingerbread lady who’s yummy enough for Santa’s plate.

While many of these costumes certainly come from stores like Yandy or Party City, this woman has made her own. And yes, she looks so cute in it. Love the mittens.

14. If you prefer a long dress, may I suggest you dress as a Victorian caroler?

Now that really doesn’t look like something from the 1800s. Then again, if it looked authentic, it would be terribly uncomfortable and hard to fit through a door.

15. This girl at SantaCon comes as pretty as a Christmas tree.

Wait a minute, she is a Christmas tree. And it seems that she made her own costume by dressing in green with tinsel and some metal to boot.

16. For the holiday season, it helps to dress up as pretty snowflakes.

Seems like these women decided to match and make their own costume as well. Hope they don’t hit somebody with those giant snowflakes possibly made from construction paper.

17. Of course, a sexy toy soldier always has to wear a short black skirt.

Looks more like a marching band majorette uniform to me. Then again, I’m sure her legs would be freezing cold once it snows.

18. You better watch out/You better not cry/You better not pout, I’m telling you why/Santa pimp is coming to town.

Now this is a Santa who prefers you to be naughty instead of nice. Because when you’re naughty toward his ho, ho, hos, he gets paid. Yeah, he’s very naughty as well.

19. You can be a sexy Santa with a short red and white fur lined dress and some jingly reindeer antlers.

For the love of God, can’t we not sexualize Santa for once? He’s a jolly fat man with a white beard. And yet, they make sexy Santa costumes. That’s not right.

20. Of course, we shouldn’t forget about the unsung heroes of Christmas who get absolutely no recognition: Santa’s sleigh repair crew.

You know, the guys who make sure Santa’s sleigh is up and running for Christmas Eve. Yeah, you probably never heard of them. But hey, somebody has to do it. You also forget about those who have to clean up after the reindeer, too.

21. As Santa said, “Rudolph with your nose so bright, won’t you drive my sleigh tonight.”

Now this sexy Rudolph costume is bound to make anyone look like a deer in the headlights. Then again, female reindeer do have antlers this time of year. So why not.

22. Nothing makes you a darling of SantaCon than a Santa suit and a light up ugly Christmas sweater.

Seems this guy will soon be easy for the cops to find if he’s acting too naughty at this convention. Yeah, SantaCon doesn’t really have a good reputation.

23. When it comes to being sexy Santa, why need pants?

Now this is just wrong. I’m sure no one would wear something like that at the North Pole. Still, if a guy wore that, would we call him sexy? No, we’d think he looks like an idiot.

24. A lady toy soldier always looks sharp in a red skirt and white hat.

Also looks like a marching band majorette uniform to me. Also, I don’t think the short skirt and tights are cold weather accommodating.

25. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the Santabot 3000.

Now this is a clever costume if you think about it. However, I suppose this guy will have trouble moving around. Wonder what his gift giving efficiency rate is.

26. A candy cane costume is sure to make you look as sweet as peppermint.

I don’t know about you but she looks more like what you’d expect Candy Cane forest inhabitant to look like if Candyland was a horror movie. Then again, at least she has everything matching.

27. Seems like these presents didn’t have much wrapping to them.

I’m sure these aren’t meant for freezing conditions. Still, you probably shouldn’t unwrap them until Christmas, just to be safe.

28. When it comes to SantaCon, it’s all for one and one for all.

Now these are just Santa versions of the 3 Musketeers. And yes, they’re using candy canes instead of swords.

29. Of course, in warmer climates, Santa might don a sombrero.

I don’t know about this. Kind of think sombreros and Santa suits don’t go together. Maybe it’s just they’re clothing articles made for different climates.

30. At SantaCon, real man dress as reindeer with real animal skin.

Not sure how PETA would feel about this (then again, I do). Still, hope he’s not wearing it during deer season.

31. Of course, not all snowflake costumes are alike.

Yes, snowflakes are pretty. But this guy looks like he’s an advertising mascot for some product. I don’t know why.

32. Seems like Santa’s bound to have a blue Christmas this year.

Well, this is a blue Santa suit. And yes, they exist. Still, not sure if that’s Santa’s color.

33. Of course, tis the season for snowmen.

Now this is a rather convincing snowman costume. However, I can’t help thinking that it looks a bit creepy. Must be the eyes.

34. When one of you is a toy soldier, almost all of you have to match.

Now it’s snowing here. Then again, at least some of these girls are wearing pants. But one stands out because she’s wearing a green and red hat.

35. Looks like this Santa pimp is looking for some of his ho, ho, hos.

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Yeah, don’t know what’s behind the Santa pimp costume either. Then again, I do like his candy cane suit, red fedora, and pimp candy cane.

36. Sometimes a silver Christmas tree makes a less complicated costume.

Now this one doesn’t have a lot of silver limbs on it. But I do like how she put all those bulbs on that cone hat. Very stunning.

37. During the holiday season, there’s nothing better than a sexy polar bear.

With a costume like that, you’d swear that she was a member of the polar bear club. Hope she loves to swim in freezing temperatures in that.

38. Don’t worry about them. They’re just a couple of candy canes.

Now those are clever costumes. It’s apparent how their white outfits are covered in red ribbons. And how their crooks are made from paper.

39. Now I’m not sure which one of these two is supposed to be Rudolph.

Then again, this costumes are made for both men and women. And neither of them are sexy at any means.

40. At SantaCon, save Santa the trip and be naughty.

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Of course, SantaCon is the kind of event where the Christmas clad characters do all sorts of naughty things. And sometimes they dress naughty, too.

41. Now I see that this elf is a bit on the naughty side.

I don’t know about you. But from the look at this, it’s a bit too naughty for my taste. Also, I’m sure she’s bound to freeze her ass off when it’s under 32 degrees outside.

42. Never thought they’d have a sexy reindeer around at SantaCon.

Of course, I’m not sure if the antlers and red nose make this costume a bit freaky. But then again, to each his own.

43. Of course, it can be hard to participate in a pub crawl if you’re inside a snow globe.

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On a positive note, at least their friends will have a designated drive. Yet, I’m sure their costumes will make that job rather difficult.

44. At SantaCon, anyone is bound to shimmer in this Santa dress.

Now this one kind of reminds me of the get up some pop stars wear on their Christmas album covers. Mariah Carey comes to mind.

45. Of course, when Santa can’t deliver his presents, the Caped Crusader takes over.

Of course, he’s not smiling because Batman really doesn’t have a merry Christmas most of the time. Yes, I know the guy needs some psychiatric counseling. Still, he looks like a badass.

46. Hey, look, it’s the Grinch with little Cindy Lou Who.

And they even have their dog dressed as Max in full reindeer attire. Oh, and they even have a sack for good measure.

47. Now this guy is all dressed and ready in his own snowman suit.

Now that guy looks quite flashy. Maybe the suit is fuzzy white and he’s wearing a scarf and hat.

48. Now this elf seems a bit on the skimpy side to me.

She reminds me of a skimpy elf you’d see at Santaland in the mall. Or some North Pole gentleman’s club.

49. Seems like this snowman really wants to be the center of attention.

Yeah, that snowman is practically taking over the whole photo. And some of the Santas are really not happy about it.

50. Now this is the kind of Christmas tree costume you can fold up and store in your attic.

Yeah, that one looks like it was made from hoops and stretchy green material. wonder what those yellow and red things are on it.

51. Seems like this Santa pimp is all about the ho, ho, hos and the benjamins.

Yes, this is my 3rd Santa pimp on this post. Yes, you see a lot of them. No, I don’t know why it’s a popular idea for SantaCon.

52. Of course, these 4 candy canes all come in a set.

Wonder what it’s like to be wearing a giant crook on your head. Might make you look like an idiot in some situations. But not on Christmas.

53. For SantaCon, a dress like this will certainly make you a winter darling.

Now this doesn’t look like it’s suited for cold weather. Better to wear it with pants outside.

54. When it comes to reindeer, you can’t ignore the one with the golden antlers.

Now this is a cute reindeer costume. Love the fuzzy cuffs and gold antlers. Nice makeup job, too.

55. Of course, Christmas wouldn’t be the same without a cute elf on the shelf.

Now normally I think elf on the shelf is a creepy phenomenon that I tend to make fun of mercilessly. But this costume is quite cute if I say so myself.

56. Now I call these ladies, “the Snowflake Girls.”

Not sure if their legs can withstand freezing temperatures. Still, I like their snowflake headbands. Very clever.

57. A snowman costume is never complete without a white tutu.

Well, at least they can keep their head and necks warm with a scarf and hat. But they could really use a coat.

58. This Christmas tree comes complete with all the trimmings.

Of course, you wouldn’t want to eat any of the candy canes. They came with her costume. Still, she must’ve spent a lot of time on this.

59. A toy soldier is never a badass unless he has his rifle.

Dear Lord, please let that gun be fake. Also, the hat and makeup job doesn’t enhance that guy’s costume at all.

60. Of course, sexy elf costumes aren’t just reserved for the ladies.

Nice try. But I don’t know if any guy could look sexy in a velvet elf costume. Yet, this guy doesn’t look half bad.

61. For elves who like turned shoes and fur trimmings, go for it.

Now that kind of looks like an elf costume David Sedaris would describe in his Santaland diaries. Yeah, I’m sure a guy wouldn’t wear it unless his job required him to.

62. If you enjoyed A Christmas Story, then you’ll love how this leg lamp lights up.

Man, little did people know that a lamp people would associate with strip club decor would now be a Christmas decoration. Of course, that was before A Christmas Story came out and attracted a lot of fans.

63. Looks like this is a job for Santaman.

Yes, Santaman will make sure all the good girls and boys will receive their presents. And that evil is vanquished once and for all.

64. The Force is strong with these Santas.

Now this consists of Princess Leia with Christmas decor, and Santa Stormtrooper, Yoda, and Chewbacca. Yes, the Force is strong with Christmas this year.

65. When it comes to Christmas hairstyles a candy cane mohawk is always fashionable.

Of course, I couldn’t pass this one up. Yeah, this Santa really looks like a real tough guy with his mohawk and jacket. This is just too hilarious to resist.

66. Hey, nobody calls Santa chicken.

Now that’s something I’ve never seen before. Hope Santa wasn’t tarred and feathered. Because that’s stuff is such a bitch to get off. Then again, he probably wasn’t.

67. Of course, being a reindeer on the mantle isn’t as great as it’s cracked up to be.

Now that’s a very clever costume. Love the deer head with antlers. But I bet it’s very hard to move around in.

68. Oh, no, it’s the Abominable Snowman!

Then again, seems that this yeti has toned down his look a bit for this year. Also, he kind of looks like a smurf with white hair and a beard.

69. Seems like Katy Perry has dressed up as a scantily clad nutcracker this year.

Of course, she most likely got this costume from some online vendor like Yandy or Party City. Because they certainly sell them. Believe me, I’ve seen it advertised.

70. If you can’t wrap your presents, then put them in a gift bag.

Now this costume certainly looks doable. All you need are large gift bags and a lot of tissue paper.

71. A tall furry hat and a pleated skirt are always essential for any lady toy soldier.

Let’s hope she’s wearing pants to keep her from freezing. Still, the hat certainly looks cool and sure seems warm and fuzzy, too.

72. Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you Santa Beaker.

Of course, Santa Beaker only says one thing and thinks that Christmas is all about him. Still, this is a very clever costume if I say so myself.

73. Looks like we have a Krampus in Santa clothing in this place.

Now this is a mythical creature from Central Europe who does terrible things to very bad children on Christmas Eve. So be good and save him the trip.

74. Not sure if this guy is supposed to be Santa or some candy cane Monopoly man.

Seems like this guy has his pants all covered in money. Yet, his boots are trimmed with fur. But he sure looks trim.

75. Now instead of a white beard, this Santa seems to have a boom box and a white shag feather wig.

Then again, I’m not sure whether this guy is supposed to be Santa or not. Still, he really seems to rock it in the Christmas spirit.

76. Surely this Christmas candy fairy will bring you some much needed Christmas cheer.

Yes, this is one of those sexy costumes they gear to women. However, you have to admire the creativity on this with the wings and the Christmas tree on top. Never seen a Christmas costume like that before.

77. Of course, in Westeros, Christmas doesn’t always mean, “Peace on Earth, Good Will Toward Men.”

Yes, this is Game of Thrones Santa. And yes, his arsenal is on his throne. But considering how the show has a high death rate, he should be prepared for anything.

78. Darth Vader Claus would like you to come over to the merry side of the Force.

Yes, this is another Darth Vader Santa Claus. And yes, he knows what you’re getting for Christmas. Because he can feel your presents.

79. Of course, you never know who’d just turn up at SantaCon.

Yes, this is Spiderman dressed as Santa Claus. As you see he’s wearing two suits this time. And he’s taking a selfie.

80. Nevertheless, Mr. Candy Cane will always dress in red and white for the occasion.

And I see he’s wearing a Christmas bow for his suit. He also has a candy cane scarf. Sad he’s not carrying a large candy cane in his hand. That would look cool.

Pass the Drumstick with These Thanksgiving Craft Projects

Posted by historymaniacmegan on November 16, 2015

Of course, back when we were in school, we all should remember doing some sort of Thanksgiving craft project. I know I have. I mean we all should have some idea about drawing turkeys with hands. Still, craft projects have always been associated with elementary school children in art class, in one way or another. However, contrary to what a recent immigrant might see on the TV screens or around the block, Thanksgiving is a holiday and Americans do celebrate it with food and family. Yes, it denotes the time when the Indians helped a bunch of religious puritanical separatists (and others) survive after they lost nearly half their group during their first New England winter. And we know that some of those Indians would later regret that act of kindness in the long run when later settlers decided to seize their landholdings. Oh, and the fact the Indians didn’t appreciate the gifts the Pilgrims had in store for them like small pox. But we don’t tell little ones that much. No, we try to sanitize it to fit a more elementary school audience because they might be traumatize by the idea of Native American genocide. Still, many of the craft projects that I’ll present aren’t the appropriate kind for elementary school kids in art class. Rather these are for people like parents, party hosts, and repressed art majors. So for your reading pleasure, here is an assortment of craft projects for Thanksgiving.

There’s never enough tulle to make a turkey wreath.

From what I’ve seen, turkeys aren’t usually red, orange, or yellow. They’re usually brown and black. Well, at least the wild ones are.

2. Bring in the autumn spirit this Thanksgiving with these hanging acorns.

Now these are adorable. Hope they don’t go on any Christmas tree. That might not be appropriate.

3. Get your hair in the Thanksgiving mood with these Pilgrim hair clips.

Now these are so adorable. Makes you want to forget how bad things got between the Massachusetts settlers and the Wampanoag in later decades.

4. Set your place at your Thanksgiving dinner with this turkey place mat.

Now you can put all your utensils inside the turkey’s feathers. Still, wonder why anyone would need to eat a meal with 3 different forks and 2 different spoons is beyond me.

5. Grace your Thanksgiving table with this pine cone turkey.

Now this is something kids could make. Just need feathers, pine cone, pipe cleaners, and googly eyes.

6. Any balls of yarn can be a turkey if you add some cloth attributes.

Now this is a cute turkey. But it seems to have weird blue eyes that makes it look dazed for some reason.

7. For garland decorations, how about try Indian corn?

As I found out while doing my movie history series, Indian corn didn't look like this in the 1620s. The kernels were said to be much smaller.

While this was indeed the corn used by Native Americans during the first Thanksgiving. However, its texture doesn’t resemble corn as we know it.

8. Deck your home for Thanksgiving with these autumn leaf samplers.

Now these come in so many colors and shapes. Still, not sure what kind of leaves they are from the looks of them.

9. When making a decorative turkey, it helps if you stick feathers in a pumpkin.

Actually, it would look better with some darker feathers. Then again, the turkeys I usually see are usually brown or black anyway.

10. This turkey hair clip would make anyone’s hair festive this Thanksgiving season.

Now this was made from ribbon. Still, the googly eyes make this turkey seem dazed or cross eyed for some reason or another.

11. For a more autumn look, it helps if you use leaves to hang them by your window.

However, you might want to get the leaves when they’re still colorful and on the trees. Because by November, they’re brown and fall off.

12. Grace your Thanksgiving table this year with this flower turkey centerpiece.

Now I’m not sure about putting turkeys on flowers. Just seems a bit weird for me. But to each his own.

13. Nothing says “Happy Thanksgiving” on your doorstep than this burlap turkey wreath.

Not sure if it looks like a turkey to me. But I see it has feathers, legs, and a Pilgrim hat.

14. For a more harvest feel on your front door, this tulle harvest wreath will do quite nicely.

Now this is pretty and it’s all in fall colors. Love the autumn decorations on this, too.

15. Keep your little one warm this Thanksgiving with this crocheted turkey cap.

Now this is adorable. Sure it might look ridiculous on an older child. But I don’t think a toddler is going to remember wearing something like this.

16. For a more festive Thanksgiving, this burlap turkey wreath might serve your fancy.

Yes, I know it’s another burlap turkey wreath. But this has a brighter disposition wit the vibrant orange bow.

17. For a more colorful and 3-dimensional turkey, you can always make one from paper machete.

Now this looks well done and certainly not made by a kid. At least not a kid without exceptional art skills.

18. Cuddle up this Thanksgiving with these crocheted Pilgrim plushies.

Now these are cute. Love their clothes though they’re more suited for Pilgrim Sunday dress than anything.

19. Keep warm while watching the parade this Thanksgiving with this turkey quilt.

Now the feathers are in a variety of fabrics to make it look rustic but colorful. But each feather uses fall colors despite the pattern.

20. Grace your Thanksgiving table with a fall floral centerpiece like this.

Now I’m sure the flowers are as fake as the ones on grave sites. Because most flowers are dead by November. Still, it’s pretty.

21. Bring the Thanksgiving spirit to your home by stuffing your own cornucopia this year.

Now this looks like it was stuff with stuff you’d see at someone’s grave. But at least they have a turkey feather in there.

22. Now this turkey quilt has feathers of all different colors.

Of course, I kind of find it strange why they dress turkeys a Pilgrims in Thanksgiving art. I mean it’s an American native bird. Then again, dressing it as an Indian might have unfortunate implications.

23. Nothing makes Thanksgiving look more festive than this tulle turkey wreath.

Yes, I know it’s another tulle turkey wreath. But it’s quite adorable just the same, especially with those ping pong ball eyes.

24. For those who like to decorate with flowers, these Pilgrim hat bouquets will simply stun any table.

The Pilgrim hats seem to be made from flower pots and construction paper. The flowers appear to be of plastic as far as I can tell.

25. Create a rustic Thanksgiving atmosphere with these tree trunk candles.

You can tell this is a Thanksgiving arrangement because of the wooden turkeys. Still, let’s hope the trunks don’t catch fire.

26. Nothing is cuter on Thanksgiving than this crocheted stuffed turkey.

Kind of reminds me of the peacock from my amigurumi post of last year. Still, it’s just as adorable.

27. Why burn a tree branch in your fire this autumn while you can make it to hold candles?

Then again, I’m not sure if it’s a tree branch or a trunk. Still, you have to think the candle arrangement is clever.

28. This owl wreath is charming fall decor for any front door.

Personally, I kind of prefer owls to turkeys. Maybe it’s because owls are cool birds of prey with big eyes. Turkeys on the other hand, really don’t have as much coolness.

29. Nothing makes a great Thanksgiving centerpiece than this pumpkin bouquet.

Of course, for the fall feel the flowers has to match with the pumpkin’s exterior. Thus, I’m sure most of these flowers came from a craft store.

30. For a more fall feel, wrap a big candle with some ears of Indian corn.

Indian corn is also called “Flint corn” since its kernels are said to be hard as flint and leave no dents. It’s also said to be rather durable.

31. Since Thanksgiving is associated with football, perhaps nothing can emphasize such spirit than a football turkey.

Yes, it’s a paper kid project. But it’s adorable and clever to say the least. Seriously, who ever thought of football feathers is a genius.

32. Be in the Thanksgiving spirit this turkey day in this turkey shirt.

Then again, it’s probably one for a young girl as I can see it. I mean it has a bow and some feathers at the bottom.

33. For the cold ride to grandmother’s house, you might want to wear this knitted turkey hat.

Now this is different from the other turkey hat. Then again, you might not want to wear this in front of your relatives for fear that they might think you’re nuts.

34. Of course, you can make a turkey from a gourd and tissue paper.

Seems like kids might do in art class. Still, these do look cute if you ask me.

35. This Pilgrim hat will certainly make a great Thanksgiving centerpiece.

Interesting how it has to be in festive fall decoration to be considered Thanksgiving appropriate. It could just be a Pilgrim hat and be Thanskgivingy enough.

36. Of course, a pumpkin bouquet doesn’t have to be in fall colors.

Now I like these bouquets better than the other ones I featured. Seems to have more vibrant colors.

37. Nothing makes your Thanksgiving more like autumn like a fall flower wreath.

Now this mostly consists of Black-Eyed Susans with some leaves and a plaid bow. Still, it’s quite warm and lovely.

38. Let guests know their places at the table with these turkey place holders.

Seem to come in 3 different sizes. But they seem rather easy and adorable.

39. Nothing brings the Thanksgiving spirit to your front door than this bauble autumn wreath.

Not sure if I like the colors on these. Not sure if baubles and earth tones go together.

40. Celebrate Thanksgiving with these Indian and Pilgrim flower pot figures.

Now these are so adorable. However, after Thanksgiving, you can use these to play Colonial Indian Wars. Yay!

41. It’s not Thanksgiving until you make your own sock turkey.

Now this turkey seems to have a dark tossel hat instead of a Pilgrim hat. Does that mean this turkey is a thug? Not sure.

42. To express the Thanksgiving spirit, this walnut turkey pin will do nicely.

Looks like this was made in some elementary school art class. Still, it’s quite cut if I say so myself.

43. This fall garland will certainly look rustic on anyone’s front door.

Now this doesn’t seem in vibrant fall colors. But has a lot of flowers, strands of wheat, nuts, and other trimmings.

44. Make this Thanksgiving memorable wearing this turkey dress.

Then again, this one might be for a young girl. But it is quite adorable and creative just the same.

45. Now this is a very colorful turkey hair clip.

Now this one has all kinds of ribbons with all kinds of colors from pink to blue. Still, it's quite cure.

Now this one has all kinds of ribbons with all kinds of colors from pink to blue. Still, it’s quite cute.

46. Now these pinwheel turkeys are sure to make the perfect outdoor Thanksgiving decoration.

Now these are cute. Then again, they’ll certainly stand out in a front lawn with bare trees and fallen leaves.

47. Your guests will sure gobble up over this wooden turkey.

Now this is just adorable. Love the wooden and the autumn leaf feathers on this one.

48. These turkey hair clips will sure bring the thankful spirit.

Now these are so adorable with some ribbons and felt. Still, probably worn by kids.

49. Nothing brings the Thanksgiving spirit to your home than an autumn leaf wreath.

Now the leaves are fake. However, the yellow ones seem to have names on them for some reason.

50. Show the harvest mood with this wheat wreath on your front door.

Now I’m sure the wheat is fake. If not, then don’t hang it outside since it might attract crows.

Happy Thanksgiving Greetings from Yesteryear

Posted by historymaniacmegan on November 14, 2015

You may not know it from the media landscape. But a long time ago, Americans celebrated (and still do to some extent) a holiday known as Thanksgiving where everyone had the day off, nearly every workplace was closed, school children had the day off, and families got together for one big turkey dinner. Some even watched football, the Macy’s parade, or the National Dog Show. Yes, we tend to honor a nice moment of friendship between Pilgrims and Indians before it all resulted in rampant Colonialism, genocide, and the French and Indian War. Oh, and New England Puritanism that led to the Salem Witch Trials. But we don’t talk about that. Now if you go further back in time, people didn’t communicate much through phone or internet. Thus, people usually wrote letters to each other to keep in touch. And on special holidays, they tended to send greeting cards. Thanksgiving was no exception to that as seen here. Now we tend to see vintage Thanksgiving cards a cutesy with turkeys and fall scenery. I can go all I want with all the great Thanksgiving cards out there. But I know you’d be bored to tears, so I go with the greeting cards that might make you scratch your head or guts churn. So without further adieu, here is a lovely assortment of Thanksgiving cards from the distant past.

Thanksgiving Day greetings from the kid who just killed his first turkey.

Is it just me or is this kid a little way too excited about killing a turkey? Not sure if he’s feeling pride or an inordinate amount of bloodlust.

2. Great wishes for this Thanksgiving from your little neighborhood Washington Redskins fan.

Yeah, because if anything pisses Native Americans off, it’s white people wearing Indian costumes. And I’m sure that kid’s not wearing an Algonquin costume.

3. Nothing makes great transportation than turkey pedal power.

Well, Gobblekins might be whipped for going too slow now and then. But at least he knows he’ll survive his next Thanksgiving as long as he puts the pedal to the metal.

4. “Thanks to him who spared our living. We’re here, we’re here till next Thanksgiving.”

These terrifying turkeys may be gobbling now. But little do they know about turkey season, which might be sooner than they think. Then again, they might be domestic.

5. “I’m the popular birdie. All right! All right!”

Unfortunately, this turkey doesn’t realize why he’s popular. I mean does he even know those are menus? Also, why is he in a top hat smoking a cigarette?

6. This turkey wishes you a joyful Thanksgiving.

Yes, the turkey is a Thanksgiving mascot. But you know why? Because we eat them. Kind of disturbing if you think about it. Still, it’s probably “final hours” in this turkey’s case.

7. Nothing says “Happy Thanksgiving” than turkeys discussing the contradictions of human nature.

Didn’t know how perceptive and insightful turkeys can be in their observations. Too bad it’s not going to save one of them from being decapitated.

8. Don’t worry, this turkey is just going for a “change of climate.”

Kind of reminds me what you tell children who are upset about eating a dead animal. Yeah, “change of climate” indeed.

9. Best wishes for a happy Thanksgiving and one last look at yourself, Mr. T.

Guess a turkey needs to look his best before he goes on the chopping block. Still, the girl should know not to be that close to a turkey.

10. Nothing says “Thanksgiving Greetings” than a turkey attacking an ax-wielding Pilgrim child in self defense.

“You gonna’ cut my head off, pluck off my feathers, and stuff me, are you? Not if I can help it, murderers.”

11. On Thanksgiving, a turkey should always be dressed in his best.

Yeah, but dressing in most turkeys’ case usually doesn’t apply to formal attire. Also, why the hell is he wearing pants?

12. May we wish you some Thanksgiving joys.

From Buzzfeed: “Here is a child wielding an impossibly large knife that his parents think is OK for their kid to use.” Now that’s bound to scare any parent or the turkey under him.

13. Abnormally large turkey wishes you a merry Thanksgiving.

Yes, if you saw a turkey as big as you, you’d be scared, too. And you’d be even more freaked out if it’s talking to you.

14. Happy Thanksgiving from the kids who are riding the turkey and waving the American flag.

From Buzzfeed: “Children! No! Clearly, the parents of all the kids in these cards are off drinking mead and playing grown-up leapfrog.”

15. Happy Thanksgiving and by the way, try some corn, Gobblers, and don’t look behind the pumpkin.

Man, that kid with the ax is freaking me out. I’m sure he’s killing the turkey because he’s the only one in his family with the potential of most likely becoming a serial killer.

16. “Oh, yes! I’m starred on the bill all right!”

Must be hard to be a high class city turkey on Thanksgiving. Always have to be reminded on how people spend this day eating your fellow turkey brethren.

17. Nothing makes a turkey pull the wagon better than a large knife and tongs.

It’s supposed to provide motivation for what will happen to the turkey if he doesn’t do its job properly. Still, those large utensils are freaking me out.

18. Nothing says Thanksgiving on a turkey trying to avoid his own mentality by defending his inalienable rights.

From Buzzfeed: “What this turkey is trying to say probably won’t have much effect on the outcome of his future.” Yeah, I’m sure the kid’s going to decapitate you no matter what you say.

19. Happy Thanksgiving from the turkey who’s freaking out a child.

Now I don't know about you, but I'm more freaked out by the child in this. I mean the child is just terrifying for some reason.

Now I don’t know about you, but I’m more freaked out by the child in this. I mean the kid is just so terrifying for some reason.

20. Happy Thanksgiving from the kid in the turkey costume.

Now I know people might’ve thought it was cute. But to me, it’s terrifying. Quick, can someone give me a picture of Paul Simon from that old Thanksgiving episode of SNL?

21. Happy Thanksgiving from the turkey running from the creepy kid.

Yes, I know this is supposed to look cute. But that little kid is beyond terrifying. Seriously, I want that turkey to run for his life with that thing behind him.

22. For Thanksgiving night, don’t be surprised if the turkey you ate came to your bedside beyond the grave.

Oh, yes, Gobbles would like to wish you a happy Thanksgiving by haunting your dreams. Sleep tight, suckers.

23. Uncle Sam wishes you Happy Thanksgiving greetings.

Because he is eating his Thanksgiving dinner all alone at a restaurant and desperately seeks company. So he’s eating a burnt turkey with a side of cranberries and a bottle of wine to numb his lonely feelings.

24. “May glad Thanksgivings crown your days and years.”

Yeah, nothing says “Happy Thanksgiving” than a card with a turkey in a wooden crate about to be slaughtered. Seriously, why?

25. Nothing says Thanksgiving than a kid carrying a turkey dinner on a tray.

Now that might look adorable. However, there's a very strong chance she's going to trip if she continues her foot like that.

Now that might look adorable. However, there’s a very strong chance she’s going to trip if she continues skipping to her destination like that.

26. “Here’s to a rough and ready Thanksgiving!”

Didn’t know they carved turkeys at the kids’ table. Don’t you think that’s a bit of a safety hazard? Seriously, you don’t let kids do that.

27. Thanksgiving greetings to all the turkeys who were smart to remain skinny.

Now come on, a Thanksgiving card with turkeys watching two of their friends get it? Seriously, that’s just fucked up.

28. “Thanks to him who spared my living, For I’m a victim of Thanksgiving.”

Okay, those kids are clearly carrying a dead turkey. Seriously, how do I explain such images to young children?

29. “Smile for the camera, Gibblets.”

Yeah, just one more picture before the turkey gets put on the chopping block for Thanksgiving dinner. Isn’t that nice.

30. Have a glad Thanksgiving courtesy of William Bradford from 1621.

And there’s a Pilgrim shooting a turkey with a blunderbuss. Well, I guess it could be worse. Could be an Indian on that end. Oh, shit.

31. May I wish you sincere Thanksgiving greetings.

Okay, the dead turkey is disturbing enough. Also, that woman doesn’t look like an Indian. She looks more like a white woman in black braids wearing an Indian costume.

32. While turkeys are often killed for Thanksgiving dinner, some go on the warpath.

Kid: “Help! Help! The turkey’s attacking me!”
Turkey: “Hello, my name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.”

33. Happy Thanksgiving from one young turkey rider to another.

Now that turkey has to be huge for that kid to ride on it. Of course, I know what he’ll end up when he’s old and gray.

34. “May yours be a Happy Thanksgiving.”

Let’s just say if a dog was hungry, then it made a huge mistake going after a live turkey. Seriously, turkeys aren’t as dumb and docile as they’re depicted.

35. May you have a peaceful Thanksgiving.

Apparently, the turkey didn’t have a peaceful end as far as I can see. And I sure wouldn’t call it peaceful on what’s going to happen to his body next.

36. May you have a festive Thanksgiving this year.

Is it just me or does anyone think the pumpkin pie had too much wine? Also, why is almost everything in this picture have such freaky faces?

37. Happy Thanksgiving from a turkey that’s clearly going to die soon.

Now this is just messed up. Seriously, why stick a knife and pronged fork into a living turkey? That’s just sick.

38. Have a joyful Thanksgiving to you from a scary veggie man.

Now this guy looks like he could scare more crows than a scarecrow. Also, what’s with the turkey feather headdress? Okay, I don’t want to know.

39. “May you catch him in time for dinner.”

I’m sure the turkey is running for his dear life right now. Still, this woman should be happy it’s domestic. But her knife is real scary.

40. “I killed this one all by myself.”

I think I’d rather stay away from this kid. Seems like he’s a future psychokiller in the making. And it’s said they always seem to start with animals.

41. “Wishing you a happy Thanksgiving.”

I don’t know about you. But there’s something really wrong with that girl. She looks like she’s plotting something like killing somebody in their sleep.

42. Thanksgiving greetings from the jerky turkey standing over the kid.

Kid: “Let me go! Let me go!”
Turkey: “Fat chance, boy. Either your dad spares my life or you’re history.”

43. We wish you a hearty Thanksgiving greetings.

Now how that terrifying kid’s looking at that turkey just gives me the creeps. I don’t know but it doesn’t look good.

44. Happy Thanksgiving and may your turkey not go to the dogs.

Seems like this turkey dinner is gone to the dogs. Reminds me of that scene in A Christmas Story. Boy, those kids’ parents are going to be so mad when they see this.

45. Happy Thanksgiving greetings from up above.

“Shit, now they’re doing aerial hunting. Really hate what this world’s coming to.”

46. Looks like Tom Gobblers is going on a vacation this time.

Or may I say, he’s going into hiding until Thanksgiving blows over. Why wait for a pardon? Just get out an dodge.

47. Happy Thanksgiving greetings, now say your prayers, turkey.

Sure the turkey might take down that kid in a heartbeat. But that terrifying nightmare tot has an ax to swing. Yeah, this turkey’s minutes are numbered.

48. Happy Thanksgiving greetings, from all of us at the kids’ table.

Okay, now those soulless kids are certainly to tear that turkey to shreds and bring it a most painful death. Also, is that wine? Don’t think kids should be drinking that.

49. Thanksgiving greetings from all the turkeys in your neck of the woods.

Okay, now this has a turkey pulling a hansom cab, driven by another turkey and transporting another turkey. Does anyone see anything freaky about this?

50. “Good wishes for this Thanksgiving Day.”

I don’t know about you. But I sure as hell wouldn’t trust this little girl with a knife if I were you. Seems like she’s planning to kill somebody with it.

In These Haunted United States – Part 5: South Dakota to Wyoming

Posted by historymaniacmegan on October 30, 2015

So we’ve come to the end. Hope you had a good time reading these as I have had writing them. Now throughout the series, we’ve seen haunted houses, haunted hotels, hallowed battlefields, paranormal prisons, creepy mental asylums, and what have you. Of course, some of you might go for the ghostly legends that might make it hard for you to sleep at night. But if you’re like me, you’re probably reading this series on haunted places as an excuse to read something about history at around Halloween. Yes, ghost stories are interesting and some people might really believe them. But while I’m a churchgoing Catholic with politically liberal views, I’m not a believer in the paranormal such as the ghost and monster stuff. I’m not much of a fan of horror movies either, especially the recent slasher ones advertised on TV that seem to suck. But I do love history and I do like talking about places that have some sort of interesting past, ghost stories or not. And I know that a place’s reputation for being haunted might somehow lead to someone wanting to preserve it to attract tourist. Well, unless there’s an Amityville Horror situation involved where the residents want nothing to do with the publicity. Still, in this post, I bring you my final installment of haunted American places. These consist of a hotel in South Dakota owned by a guy you might know from Deadwood, a plantation house in Tennessee owned by a famous country singer, a famous fortress in Texas, a liberal arts college in Utah, a large state university in Vermont, a very old plantation house in Virginia, a hotel in Washington state, a former state penitentiary in West Virginia, an abandoned mansion in Wisconsin, and a former state prison in Wyoming. So for your reading pleasure, here is my last post in my haunted America series.

41. South Dakota

The Bullock Hotel is the oldest one in Deadwood, South Dakota. However, what’s even more interesting about it is the man who owned it and is said to still haunt the place. If you’re a fan of Deadwood, you might know something about Captain Seth Bullock.

Most Haunted Place: Bullock Hotel in Deadwood

History: Opened 1895 by Captain Seth Bullock and it’s the oldest hotel in the city, which he built from a converted warehouse. This after a fire swept Deadwood the previous year and destroyed much of the town and the original 2 story building. Bought by the Ayres family in 1976 who converted it to a hardware store. However, in 1991, was sold to Bullock Properties who restored and converted the place back to a hotel as much as modern safety standards would allow.

Present Use: It’s still a hotel but it only has 28 of its original 63 rooms. However, it also has a casino and restaurant named Bully’s after Bullock’s friend Teddy Roosevelt. Still, unlike the original structure each room has it’s own bathroom. More expensive rooms are said to contain a Jacuzzi.

Sightings: Well, many have reported hearing voices, seeing apparitions and orbs, and being tapped.

Anyone Famous?: Well, Captain Seth Bullock himself who was known in life as a lawman, marshal, frontiersman, store owner, horse breeder, hotel owner, and investor. He was also a Rough Rider during the Spanish American War. He’s actually said to do most of the haunting according to guests, workers, and employees. He’s mostly amiable and acts like he owns the place but is said to shatter plates and glasses when he’s displeased. Still, he actually died there of colon cancer by the way. Nevertheless, he and his wife Martha are best known as characters from the HBO show Deadwood.

Open to Tourists?: Yes. So if you’re a fan of ghosts and Deadwood, this is your ideal Halloween destination. Also hold ghost tours regularly.

Other Haunts: Alex Johnson Hotel, Mount Marty College, Northern State University, Pine Ridge Old Hospital, Sioux San Hospital, 1880 Hill City Train, Firesteel Coal Mines, Mount Rushmore Brewing Company, Isabel Post Office, Old Keystone Cemetery, Jackpot Bingo Hall, Rock Creek Day School

42. Tennessee

Loretta Lynn still owns this house as well as the town of Hurricane Mills. However, it’s still said to be haunted by the ghost of the previous owners as well as Confederate soldiers and slaves.

Most Haunted Place: Loretta Lynn Plantation House in Hurricane Mills

History: Built in 1876 by James Anderson who also built the new mill in town. In 1966, Loretta Lynn and her husband Doolittle fell in love with the place where they not just bought the plantation, but also the entire town. Apparently, despite that she swears there were ghosts there, Lynn doesn’t seem to mind so much.

Present Use: The plantation house is more of a museum than anything. Lynn now lives in the house she built behind it, realizing that it would be better used for tourism.

Sightings: It’s said to be haunted by the original owner, a woman in white, as well as ghosts of Confederate soldiers and slaves.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Hurricane Mills itself, Bell Witch Cave, Carnton Mansion, Hales Bar Dam, Isaac Franklin Plantation, Gatlinburg Mysterious Mansion, Orpheum Theatre, Sheraton Read Hotel, Tennessee State Prison, Woodruff-Fontaine House, Chickamauga Battlefield, Stones River Battlefield, Ryman Auditorium, East Tennessee University, Tennessee State Capitol, Rotherwood Mansion

43. Texas

The Alamo is a symbol of Texas as well as the site of the famous battle fought there. However, I’m not sure if you’ll find the ghosts of Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, or William Travis there. Didn’t really look that up.

Most Haunted Place: The Alamo in San Antonio

History: Built in 1744 as the Mission San Antonio de Valero which functioned as a Roman Catholic mission to convert and acculturate Native Americans. But in 1793, the mission was secularized and abandoned. A decade later, it became a military fortress with its unit giving the place its present name. During the Texas Revolution, Mexican General Martin Perfecto de Cos surrendered the fort to the Texian Army in December 1835, following the Siege of Bexar. A small number of Texian soldiers occupied the place for months but were soundly defeated at the Battle of the Alamo in March of 1836. When the Mexican Army retreated from Texas, they tore down many of the Alamo’s walls and burned some its buildings. For subsequent years, the Alamo buildings would be used as a fortress for soldiers, a quarter master’s depot, and even a wholesale grocery store. Thanks to the efforts of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, particularly Adina Emilia de Zavala and Clara Driscoll, the place was restored.

Present Use: It’s now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a National Park, and a symbol of Texas. Receives over 4 million visitors each year.

Sightings: Site is reportedly haunted by the people who died there defending the place. Many claimed to have seen apparitions either coming straight through walls or walking along the roof.

Anyone Famous?: Good luck trying to find ghosts of Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, and William Travis.

Open to Tourists?: Yes. In fact, it’s a huge tourist destination. And they do give ghost tours.

Other Haunts: Devil’s Backbone, Jefferson Davis Hospital in Houston, Houston Zoo, Miss Molly’s Bed and Breakfast, Presidio La Bahia, Catfish Plantation Restaurant, The Grove in Jefferson, Littlefield House, University of Texas in Brownsville, Baker Hotel, Haunted Hill House, La Carafe, Spaghetti Warehouse, Jefferson Hotel, Hotel Galvez, Granbury Opera House, Emily Morgan Hotel, Bragg Road, Elder Street Artist Lofts, Driskill Hotel, White Sanitarium

44. Utah

Originally built by Protestant missionaries to convert the Mormon children, Salt Lake City’s Westminster College has been trying to shed its religious past. But it’s said to have 7 known ghosts.

Most Haunted Place: Westminster College in Salt Lake City

History: A private liberal arts college established in 1875 and the only accredited one in Utah. Built at a time when Protestants flocked to Utah in order to try converting Mormons so they built private and secondary schools where they offered free tuition. Westminster belonged to the Presbyterian Church until the school officially severed its denominational ties in 1974 and it’s no longer antagonistic to the state’s Mormon establishment. Its campus is known for its natural beauty and elegant architecture. Its mascot is the griffin and its colors are blue and gold. Notable alumni include Olympic skier Maddie Bowman.

Present Use: It’s still a liberal arts college and one of the few in the Intermountain West with no denomination.

Sightings: Said to be haunted by at least 7 known ghosts, spread out over several buildings as well as known for appearing at random, making odd noises, and sometimes touching passersby.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: I think it might. You might want to check.

Other Haunts: American Fork Canyon, Clearfield Job Corps Center, Gray Cliff Lodge Restaurant, Kiwanis Park, Roy High School, Voo Doo Caves of Beaver Dam, Forest Farm House at Old Deseret, McCune Mansion, Dove Creek Camp, Southern Utah University, Latuda, Winter Quarters Mine

45. Vermont

The University of Vermont is one of the oldest American public colleges and alma mater to a lot of celebrities including a First Lady. It’s also had a colorful history and is said to be a haunt of a lot of ghosts. Don’t mention the racist winter celebrations though.

Most Haunted Place: University of Vermont in Burlington

History: Established in 1791 and became the state’s sole land grant university in 1862, it’s one of the first public colleges in the country as well as one of the first to admit women and African Americans. However, this didn’t stop them from using the Kakewalk and blackface in their winter celebrations, which was abolished in 1969. They also have a naked bike run at the end of the year. Its mascot is the Catamounts in NCAA Div. I sports. It’s also said to have one of the most selective medical schools in the country. Its first edifice was destroyed by a fire in 1824 and the citizens paid for a replacement with the Marquis de Lafayette laying the cornerstone on what’s now “Old Mill.” In 1924, it held the first radio broadcast in the state. Also has a long history of environmental sustainability. Notable alumni include attorney Consuelo Northup Bailey (first female lawyer to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court), Boston Red Sox pitcher Ray Collins, First Lady Grace Coolidge, philosopher and educator John Dewey, Phish bass player Mike Gordon, Phish guitarist Trey Anastasio, Olympic gold medalist Albert Gutterson, serial killer H. H. Holmes, doctor and American Legion founder Horatio Nelson Jackson, Pulitzer Prize winning author E. Annie Proulx, New York Times co-founder Henry Jarvis Raymond, author and cook Jessica Seinfeld (or Mrs. Jerry Seinfeld), 3-time Stanley Cup champion Patrick Sharp, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Jody Williams and missionary Samuel Worcester.

Present Use: It’s still a public university to this day.

Sightings: Events reported are poltergeist activity, apparitions, voices, and windows and doors slamming.

Anyone Famous?: No, but there’s a hall named after Grace Coolidge which is said to have few ghosts in it.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Averill Stand Bed and Breakfast, Bennington College, Carbur’s Restaurant, Gold Brook Covered Bridge, White House Inn, Hayden House, Lake Bomoseen, Brattleboro Retreat Tower, Green Mountain Inn, Golden Stage Inn, Shelburne Museum

46. Virginia

Since its establishment, the Ferry Plantation House has been on property that’s served as a plantation, courthouse, school, and post office. Was a place of a famous witch trial in 1703 which is honored each year.

Most Haunted Place: Ferry Plantation House in Virginia Beach

History: Got its name from the ferry service that ran through the Lynnhaven waterway. Current house built in 1830 by slaves of George and Elizabeth McIntosh as well as on a property that’s been used as a plantation, courthouse, school, and post office. It’s said that a woman named Grace Sherwood “the Witch of Pungo” was tried by ducking there in 1703 and it’s now commemorated with a festival in her honor. She was the last person in Virginia to be convicted of witchcraft (but she didn’t die until 1740) All the bricks were from the ruins of the previous mansion built there which was burned two years earlier.

Present Use: It’s now a museum and educational center. It even has a history summer camp to educate youth about 18^th and 19^th century life.

Sightings: It’s reported to contain no less than 11 spirits reputed to be former owners, children, slaves, people who drowned, and other lost souls. It’s also reported that the lights go on during the night while unoccupied and strange balls of light are seen dancing on the roof.

Anyone Famous?: Artist and General Thomas H. Williamson is said to haunt while wearing a dirty shirt. Alleged witch Grace Sherwood is also said to haunt the premises.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Aquia Church, Ball’s Bluff, Bremo Recess, Manassas National Battlefield, Monticello, Rosewell, Swannanoa Palace, Fort Magruder Hotel, Staunton Train Depot, Paxton Manor, Salubria Manor, Boxwood Inn Bed and Breakfast, Cold Harbor Battlefield, Major Graham’s Mansion, Historic Avenel, Weems-Botts Museum, Historic Jordan Springs, Henricus Historical Park, Exchange Hotel Civil War Hospital Museum, St. Albans Sanatorium

47. Washington

Port Townsend’s Palace Hotel is said to house an Egyptian theater, Northern Pacific offices, a grocery store, a state liquor store, a florist shop, and several restaurants. But it’s said that its haunted activity stems from it being used as a brothel.

Most Haunted Place: The Palace Hotel in Port Townsend

History: Constructed in 1889 by retired sea captain Henry L. Tibbals. Over the years it housed an Egyptian theater, the Northern Pacific offices, a grocery store, a state liquor store, a florist shop, and several restaurants. Its current shape was achieved between 1925 and 1933 and it was operated as a brothel and hotel at the time. Has 19 rooms and suites, each bearing the names of one of the prostitutes who occupied the hotel during Prohibition. It was restored and renovated in 1977-1984.

Present Use: It’s still being used as a hotel but all the rooms have private bathrooms though. First floor is home to a restaurant and bar.

Sightings: Several female apparitions have been reported, some believed to be prostitutes. People also report being touched and having their things moved. Other spirits include a priest, a boy, an Indian woman, and a housekeeper.

Anyone Famous?: Well, Captain Tibbals himself who was one of the area’s most colorful residents. Notable exploits include carrying cargo of railroad iron across the Isthmus of Panama and testing the first US diving bell, using it to retrieve $68,000 of silver from a sunken Spanish frigate in the Gulf of Mexico. Also built Union Wharf in the city as well as served as sheriff, postmaster, and county commissioner.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Cascade Job Corp, Butterworth Building, Manresa Castle, Montgomery House Bed and Breakfast, Point Defiance Park, Starvation Heights Sanitarium, Black Diamond Cemetery, Tacoma Old City Hall, Oxford Saloon, Spokane Campbell House, Hotel de Haro, Mount Baker Theater, Lewis County Historical Museum, University Heights, Rucker Mansion, Meeker Mansion, Tokeland Hotel, Northern State Mental Hospital

48. West Virginia

The Old West Virginia State Penitentiary was one of the most violent in the country, mostly due to overcrowding. Said to experience a lot of riots and 36 murders. Famously featured in both book and movie The Night of the Hunter.

Most Haunted Place: West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville

History: Prison that operated from 1876-1995. Original state penitentiary in West Virginia (since it used to be part of Virginia before it split from the state to join the Union in 1863). The place was built by convicts and it was said to be virtually self-sufficient and said to save state taxpayers $14,000 a year. While conditions were good around the turn of the century, they would later worsen during the years that it would be among the most violent prisons in the country. One of the more infamous locations was the recreation room known as, “The Sugar Shack” which experienced incidences of gambling, fighting, and raping. It’s said that a total of 36 homicides took place in its walls as well as 94 executions from 1899-1959 either by hanging or the electric chair. A noteworthy incident involved an inmate being butchered by 3 prisoners with dull shivs for snitching. Played a key role in Dave Grubb’s book (and better known movie) The Night of the Hunter. Had a peak population of 2000 in the 1960s but it had problems with overcrowding and small cells. Saw a mass escape in 1979 and a riot in 1986. After it closed its doors, the Moundsville Economic Development Council obtained a 25 year lease on the complex. Notable prisoners are Socialist Party Leader Eugene V. Debs.

Present Use: It’s now maintained as a tourist attraction and training facility for law enforcement and corrections practitioners. Is also used as a film location.

Sightings: It’s one of the most haunted prisons in the US with ghost stories originating as early as the 1930s. Legends include the prison occupying the site of a Native American graveyard and former guards seeing phantom prisoners and a “shadowman” wandering the premises as well as unexplained noises, voices, and cold spots.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: Yes, even has a Halloween “Dungeon of Horrors.” They also have tours.

Other Haunts: Blennerhassett Hotel, Booth House at Harpers Ferry, Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, Lake Shawnee, Camden Park, Darkish Knob, Grave Creek Indian Burial Mound, Morgantown, Historic Harpers Ferry

49. Wisconsin

Summerwind is a mysterious place believed to have been built in the early 20th century as a fishing lodge. Said to be notoriously haunted from the time it was owned by Robert Lamont. However, most of the place was destroyed by a lightning fire in 1988. Only the foundation and chimney remain.

Most Haunted Place: Summerwind Mansion in West Bay Lake

History: According to popular legend, this place was built in the early 20^th century. Originally used as a fishing lodge, it was bought in 1916 by a guy named Robert Lamont who renovated it into his summer home. Said to be haunted right from the time he moved in because it’s reported that he and his family left in the 1930s (though this was about the time that Lamont was appointed Secretary of Commerce under Herbert Hoover). Another set of owners in the 1970s are said to leave after a few months because the hauntings drove them insane. In 1988, it was struck by lightning and burned to the ground, leaving only the foundation and chimney.

Present Use: Currently none and it’s considered private land. Might be rebuilt into a bed and breakfast someday.

Sightings: It’s been reportedly haunted for years. Lamont is reported to shoot a ghost with a pistol twice and sent it back to the cellar. When the Hinshaws lived there in the 1970s, renovators reported electrical problems, disappearing tools, and windows opening and closing by themselves. In the 1980s, it’s reported that people saw furniture appearing at random, room dimensions suddenly changing, and even dark shadows in full view.

Anyone Famous?: According to Raymond Bober, the house might be haunted by the ghost of 18^th century British explorer Jonathan Carver. He basically explored and mapped much of the Midwest areas but he also thought he discovered the Northwest Passage. He didn’t. However, Bober said that Carver was searching the place for a deed sealed in the foundation that gave him rights to a third of Wisconsin.

Open to Tourists?: No, but there might be plans to restore and reopen the place as a bed and breakfast.

Other Haunts: The Rave/Eagles Club, Modjeska Youth Theater Company, Rinehart Theater, Saint Killian’s Catholic Cemetery, Scott Mansion, Pfister Hotel, Nelsen’s Hall, Elk Lake Dam, Appleton Riverside Cemetery, Brumder Mansion, Bloody Bride Bridge, Bodega Brew Pub, Plainfield Cemetery, Siren Bridge, Boy Scout Lane, Oshkosh Grand Opera House, Marquette University, Ripon Witch Road, Dartford Cemetery, Ripon College, Hotel Hell

50. Wyoming

The Wyoming Frontier Prison is said to have housed 13,500 prisoners in its operation. But it was infamous for its disciplinary measures like handcuffing prisoners to poles and whipping them with hoses. Was a film site for an early Viggo Mortensen movie.

Most Haunted Place: Wyoming Frontier Prison in Rawlins

History: Prison that operated from 1901-1981. Incarcerated 13,500 prisoners in its lifetime, including 11 women, all before 1909. Contained several different means of disciplining inmates such as a dungeon, several variations of solitary confinement, and a “punishment pole” to which men were handcuffed and whipped with rubber hoses. They also used different execution methods like hanging and gas chamber. 14 were executed. Had a broom factory in 1901-1917 but it was burned down in a riot. After it closed, it was abandoned until 1987 when it was used for a low-budget film starring a little known actor named Viggo Mortensen. The next year, it was restored and established as a museum.

Present Use: It’s now a museum that offers tours to 15,000 tourists annually.

Sightings: It’s reported that apparitions and voices are common, as is a malevolent entity that responds with hostility to many people who try to explore certain areas of the prison.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: Yes, and they even have Halloween tours and a Christmas bazaar.

Other Haunts: Old Faithful Inn, Shoshone Bar, Historic Plains Hotel, Irma Hotel, Platte River, Meeteetse Cowboy Bar, Occidental Hotel, Frances E. Warren Air Force Base, Heart Mountain Relocation Center, Kane Cemetery, Cheyenne St. Mark’s Episcopal Church

In These Haunted United States – Part 4: New Mexico to South Carolina

Posted by historymaniacmegan on October 30, 2015

Of course, it’s well known that many of these haunted places attract tourists, especially in the Halloween season and the summer. Some of these places might have some historical or artistic significance. Some were built to receive tourists from the get go. And others might welcome tourists because it’s a highly profitable enterprise that provides funding to restoration and historical preservation. In fact, a lot of these places that I’ve covered might not be around today if it wasn’t for tourism and highly encourage it. And it so happens that many of them have reputations for being haunted, which provides a unique Halloween opportunity on its own. However, we should remember that not all haunted places are open to visitors and for various reasons. Some may be privately owned and still in use like private residences such as the Sallie House. Some might be abandoned for a very good reason and may not be open to the public due to safety concerns such as some of the mental institutions. And some of them might not be open to the public because the people in the area think all the horror stories surrounding the location are just a big hoax and that visitors are just disturbing the peace. An example of this is the Amityville Horror House I’ll talk about in this post. In this fourth installment, I’ll bring you 10 more haunted places from the land of the free. These consist of a deadly highway in New Mexico, a house in New York that’s been a subject of horror movies and controversy, a mountain known for mysterious lights in North Carolina, a memorial building in North Dakota that’s now home to its state library, a mental institution in Ohio that’s now part of a college, a hotel in Oklahoma, a hotel and bar in Oregon, a famous battlefield in Pennsylvania, a mental institution in Rhode Island, and a old jail in South Carolina. So for your reading pleasure here are some more noteworthy places from haunted America.

31. New Mexico

In New Mexico, the aptly named US Highway 666 has had a reputation for accidents and fatalities. Though some people blame it on paranormal road rage, experts think the rate had more to do with inadequate design for traffic loads at the time.

Most Haunted Place: US Highway 666 (Now 491)

History: A highway that ran from Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah and was the only highway to pass through each of the Four Corners States. Started as part of the Old Spanish Trail and was upgraded to 666 with the US highway system. The New Mexico portion of this highway had a reputation for being statistically dangerous since it was a sight for a lot of accidents and fatalities. However, this had more to do with inadequate design for traffic loads at the time than the numbering itself. Still, let’s just say that

Present Use: It’s now a highway but it’s been renamed US 491 due to its designation as “The Devil’s Highway,” a reputation for fatalities, renumbering changes, and persistent sign theft. The Arizona portion has been renamed US 191. Nevertheless, the renumbering drew quite a bit of controversy.

Sightings: Reported incidents include a flaming truck that attempts to run people over, a charging black sedan, a very fast semi driven by a ghost with road rage, two tailgating black cars, a hitchhiking girl in a white gown, spirits of skinwalkers, vicious hellhounds running after cars, and ghosts that show up in the backseats.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: Yes, but more as a place to drive on.

Other Haunts: Boyd’s Sanitarium, Chino Mines Creek, Holy Cross Sanatorium, Albuquerque Insane Asylum, New Mexico Military Institute, KIMO Theatre, Luna Mansion, Hotel Parq Central, Miss Gail’s Inn, Carrie Tingley Children’s Hospital, Church Street Café in Old Albuquerque, Albuquerque Arroyo, Rancho de Corrales, San Pedro Library

32. New York

I decided to post an old picture of the Amityville Horror House out of respect that the community and owners have been unhappy with the house’s publicity. The believe what happened to the Lutz family in there after the DeFeo murders was a hoax. So if you like the Amityville Horror movies, for the love of God, keep the fuck out of there!

Most Haunted Place: The Amityville Horror House in Amityville, a Long Island Suburb

History: A Dutch Colonial house built in 1927 with original owners being John and Catherine Moynahan. When they died, their daughter moved in with her family and lived there until the 1960. Between 1960 and 1965, it would be owned by the Rileys but they divorced and sold the house to the DeFeos (who lived there for 9 years). It’s best known as the site of the 1974 DeFeo murders when oldest son Ronald Jr. shot and killed his entire family while they slept. After the murders, George and Kathleen Lutz bought the home for $80,000 – a steal in New York real estate. But they lived there for 28 days that they didn’t make payment on the $60,000 mortgage on the house. Their time was when the haunting stuff is said to have happened. Later owners reported no problems while living there, save maybe the price and horror movie fans. The Cromartys who lived in the home after the Lutzes have even sued. Nevertheless, Peter O’Neill lived in the house for 10 years (1987-1997) and would later die on 9/11.

Present Use: Well, it’s still a private residence owned by a retired math teacher and his wife. They bought it in 2010 at $950,000.

Sightings: This is the country’s most infamous haunted house which has inspired books, movies, and documentaries. The Lutz family is said to experience hauntings such as moving objects, attacks, levitation, and demonic apparitions.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: No, and the residents of Amityville are unhappy about the house’s publicity and have declined requests to discuss the matter. In fact, they believe it’s a hoax and so does the Catholic Diocese of Rockville. The Amityville Historical Society even makes no mention of the DeFeo murders or the time the Lutz family lived. Not only that, but the house has been renovated and had its address changed to discourage people from visiting it. Hell, they didn’t even want a film crew in their sleepy community and denied shooting permits. So, Amityville Horror fans, for the love of God, show some courtesy and keep the fuck out of Amityville! Seriously, for Christ’s sake, Amityville doesn’t want you in their town, so leave them alone!

Other Haunts: Big Moose Lake, Cherry Hill Estate, New York State Capitol, Smith-Ely Mansion, Letchworth Village, Durand-Eastman Park, Irvington Church of St. Barnabas, Farnam Mansion, Former Plattsburgh Air Force Base, Sailor’s Snug Harbor, Onondaga County Criminal Courthouse, Brooklyn Most Holy Trinity Church, Raynham Hall, Otesaga Hotel, Rolling Hills Asylum, Utica Lunatic Asylum, Blithewood Mansion, Fiddler’s Bridge, Dewittville Poor House Cemetery, Dupree House, Belhurst Castle, Revelatory Hero’s Cemetery, Loudon Cottage, Marcellus, Old Spook Rock Road, Dakota Apartment Building, One If By Land, Two If By Sea Restaurant, New Amsterdam Thatre

33. North Carolina

Brown Mountain is known to experience the mysterious illuminations called “The Brown Mountain Lights” for perhaps centuries as there were hundreds of eyewitness accounts. It’s even merited 2 investigations by the United States Geological Society. But as of today, the lights are still a mystery.

Most Haunted Place: Brown Mountain in Burke and Caldwell Counties

History: It’s a low lying mountain range in the Pisgah National Forest within the Appalachians.

Present Use: It’s still a mountain and will remain so.

Sightings: There’s a mysterious illumination known as the Brown Mountain Lights consisting of small balls that appear irregularly all over the mountain, which has appeared for maybe hundreds of years. Residents are said to see them since the 19^th century while the Cherokee might’ve been seeing them since the 13^th. There are hundreds of eyewitness accounts on this that it’s merited 2 investigations by the United States Geological Society. Said to be seen as far away as Blowing Rock. It’s widely believe these lights are the ghosts of Native Americans.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Devil’s Tramping Ground, Sandford House, Carolina Theatre, Lydia’s Bridge, Ashe County Hospital, Museum of Ashe County History, Attmore-Oliver House, Harvey Mansion Historical Inn and Restaurant, Tar River, The Bitmore Estate, The Great Dismal Swamp, Orcacoke Island, Paint Rock, French Broad River, Grove Park Inn, Winston-Salem Single Brothers House, Chimney Rock, Teach’s Hole

34. North Dakota

Originally built for additional government office space, the Liberty Memorial Building is now home to North Dakota’s state library. However, it’s said to be haunted by an entity known as the Stack Monster.

Most Haunted Place: Liberty Memorial Building in Bismarck

History: Completed in 1924, this was originally intended to provide additional office space for state agencies and to mark the end of WWI. It’s the oldest building standing on the capitol grounds.

Present Use: It’s now home to the North Dakota State Library and dedicated to the memory of those in the state who served in WWI.

Sightings: It’s been the reported haunting of the Stack Monster, who apparently calls out the names of employees when no one else is present, has been seen repeatedly, and opens doors at random.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Apple Creek Country Club, Chateau de Mores, North Dakota State University (which is in Fargo), Old Luger Hotel, Saint Joseph’s Hospital and Health Center, Sage Hill Bed and Breakfast, University of North Dakota, San Haven Sanatorium, Children’s Museum at Yunker Farm, Harvey Public Library, Fort Abraham Lincoln Custer House, Williston Old Armory, Totten Trail Historic Inn, Medora Fudge and Ice Cream Depot

35. Ohio

Before it was called The Ridges, this was the Athens Lunatic Asylum which had an infamous reputation as a mental institution. And its real history is even scarier than the ghosts said to haunt there. It’s now a part of Ohio University.

Most Haunted Place: The Ridges (Athens Lunatic Asylum) in Athens

History: Operated as a mental institution from 1874-1993 and provided services to a variety of patients including American Civil War veterans, children, and violent criminals suffering from various mental disabilities. It’s said to be Ohio’s largest employer for many years and a large percentage of the work it took to maintain the facility was carried out by the patients. This is because the doctors thought it was not just therapeutic but also free. But it’s infamously well known for the use of lobotomy, hydrotherapy, electroshock therapy, psychotropic drugs, as well as neglect and abuse. Oh, and most of the causes of insanity listed (according to my words based on their mostly outdated medical interpretations) consisted of masturbation, alcoholism, menopause, post-partum depression, PMS, general ill health, self-abuse, tuberculosis and epilepsy. Also housed elderly and rebellious teenagers who were dumped by their families, while homeless people would frequent there for shelter. At its height, it held over 2000 patients. Over 2000 people are said to be buried there.

Present Use: It’s now part of Ohio University and houses the Kennedy Museum of Art, an auditorium, and many offices, classrooms, and storage facilities. However, the TB Ward doesn’t remain because it had to be demolished due to its walls being lined with asbestos and college students breaking into the building.

Sightings: Most well-known reported event is of a woman who died there and left a stain in the outline of her body. The cemetery is said to be haunted as well.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: Yes, and they even have walking tours.

Other Haunts: Ohio University, Cincinnati Music Hall, Spring House Gazebo (or the place in Cincinnati where George Remus killed his wife), Ohio State Reformatory, Twin City Opera House, Old Licking County Jail, Prospect Place, Emmitt House, Franklin Castle, Stately Road, Akron Civic Theater, Dayton Woodlawn Cemetery, Lafayette Hotel, Fudge Road Bridge, Chillicothe Majestic Theatre, Kenyon College, Mudhouse Mansion

36. Oklahoma

The Skirvin Hotel is said to be the oldest in Oklahoma City and has paid host to Harry Truman and various NBA teams. Said to be home of a rather promiscuous female ghost.

Most Haunted Place: Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City

History: Opened in 1911, it’s the city’s oldest hotel. Original owner William Balser “Bill” Skirvin whose daughter was ambassador to Luxembourg under Harry Truman. Said to be a popular speakeasy during Prohibition. Was closed in 1988 and remained abandoned for 19 years until it was renovated and reopened as part of the Hilton chain of hotels in 2007.

Present Use: Well, it’s still a hotel and it’s been used by NBA teams whenever they play the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Sightings: Reported incidents include a female ghost who climbs into bed with male guests, maids’ carts moving down the halls on their own, and a baby crying. NBA players tend to report other hauntings as well. It’s said that an owner had an affair with a maid, knocked her up, locked her into a room, which drove her to the edge even after the baby was born. She was said to commit suicide with the baby in tow.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: Yes, if you can afford it.

Other Haunts: Labadie Mansion, Timberidge Cemetery, Fort Washita, McBride House, Vinita Cry Baby Bridge, Dead Women Crossing, Belvidere Mansion, Blanchard Cemetery, Bird Creek School, Brady Theatre, Blue Belle Saloon, Cherokee Strip Museum, Cushing First Christian Church, Fort Reno, Cain’s Ballroom, Kiamachi Kitchen, Mohawk Park and Golf Course, Langston’s Western Wear, Stone Lion Inn, Veteran’s Lake, Witch’s Grave in Hillside Cemetery, Wheelock Mission

37. Oregon

Originally a pub for Polish immigrants, Portland’s White Eagle also included services like gambling and prostitution. It’s now been a rock’n roll place since the 1970s with live music shows.

Most Haunted Place: White Eagle Saloon and Hotel in Portland

History: Opened in 1905 which was originally a hub for Polish immigrants but later became popular among sailors. But wasn’t a place with a great reputation since its services included gambling and prostitution. Was known for a lot of incidents such as a prostitute being killed by her jealous lover, drunken patrons being shanghaied through a basement tunnel, fierce and frequent brawls, and other events.

Present Use: It’s still used as a bar and hotel. However, it’s more like a rock n’ roll place with live music shows since the 1970s.

Sightings: It’s been reported that many people feel someone touch them or find it physically impossible to get out of their beds, while others report being shoved down the stairs.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Bagdad Theater, Pittock Mansion, Roseland Theater, Geiser Grand Hotel, Granite, Hot Lake Hotel, Ashael Bush House, Dammasch State Hospital, Multnomah County Poor Farm, Multnomah Falls, Rhododendron Village, South Eugene High School, Benson Hotel, Cathedral Park, Heathman Hotel, Hollywood Theatre, Lotus Isle, North Portland Library, Oaks Amusement Park, Old Town Pizza, Reed College, Rimsky-Korsakoffee House, Roseland Theater, Portland shanghai tunnels, Tryon Creek, Villa St. Rose, Lithia Park, Southern Oregon University, Wolf Creek Inn, Malheur Butte, Oregon Caves Chateau, Astor Building, Coos Bay Egyptian Theatre, Fort Stevens, Heceta Head Lighthouse, Siletz Bay

38. Pennsylvania

The Battle of Gettysburg was perhaps the bloodiest incident on North American soil that left nearly 50,000 dead. Still, while it’s said that most of the ghosts are harmless, they’re willing to inflict deadly force to those who think building a casino in Gettysburg is a good idea. Actually I made that up, but let’s just say a casino in Gettysburg is just sacrilege, in my opinion.

Most Haunted Place: Gettysburg Battlefield in Gettysburg

History: Site of the Battle of Gettysburg which lasted from July 1-3, 1863. It was the last attempt at a northern invasion by Confederate General Robert E. Lee but it resulted in a critical Union victory and a turning point in the war. It was the bloodiest battle of the American Civil War as well as on North American soil resulting nearly 50,000 dead. Also the site where President Abraham Lincoln gave his Gettysburg Address.

Present Use: It’s now a National Battlefield, historic landmark, memorial, and military cemetery. It’s one of the most visited national parks each year.

Sightings: It’s one of the most haunted places in the country. Ghosts include phantom soldiers, a headless horseman, a soldier smelling of sulfur, sharpshooters, a ragged soldier from Texas, a woman in white who committed suicide in 1880, and others. Some swear that they still hear babies crying and music.

Anyone Famous?: Well, there’s Confederate Brigadier General William Barksdale who was killed during the battle.

Open to Tourists?: Yes. In fact, I’ve been there twice. Didn’t see any ghosts though. Nevertheless, even if you don’t believe in ghosts, I highly recommend the trip. Seriously, it’s worth it.

Other Haunts: The town of Gettysburg, Saint Vincent College, Mayview, Baleroy Mansion, Bishop White House, Philadelphia City Tavern, Cliveden Manor, Eastern State Penitentiary, First Bank of the United States, Fort Mifflin, Grumblethorpe, Philadelphia Library Hall, Pennsylvania Hospital, Physick Mansion, Powel House, Philadelphia St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, USS Olympia, Philadelphia Washington Square, Welles House, Bolton Mansion, Brandywine River, Brinton Lodge, Albertus L. Meyers Bridge, Dixmont State Hospital, Fairfield Inn, General Warren Inn, General Wayne Inn, Growden Mansion, Harrisburg State Hospital, Hill View Manor, Keith House, Lebanon Valley College, Knickerbocker Hotel, Logan Inn, Mishler Theatre, Pen Ryn Mansion, Pennhurst State School and Hospital, Phillips’ Rangers Monument, Valley Forge, US Route 322, Heilbron Manor

39. Rhode Island

Though officially built to serve train the mentally disabled for jobs, it spent much of its history as a eugenics penal colony. So it’s no wonder why so much of this place has been demolished.

Most Haunted Place: The Dr. Joseph Ladd School in Exeter

History: Operated from 1908-1993 as a state institution constructed to serve the needs of the mentally disabled. 5,000 are said to have lived and died there. Though its official purpose was to train young people with disabilities for farm work and mechanical trades, the ideology behind an institution like this was formulated by a prominent eugenicist named Dr. Walter Fernald whose doctrine was to remove the “feeble-minded” from society in order to cleanse the population of inferior and “defective” genes. That doctor’s protégé, Dr. Joseph Ladd, was the institution’s first superintendent, but he would soon gain a reputation for mistreatment as his students grew and the place would become notorious for overcrowding and terrible living conditions. During its existence under Ladd, it more or less resembled a penal colony detaining people as a means of segregating them from free society either until menopause or natural death (because in Rhode Island, forced sterilization was illegal. However, there were a few women who were though). And during the 1920s-1940s, it wasn’t just the mentally disabled who were confined there, but also women accused of immoral practices like prostitution, sodomy, extramarital sex, or being pregnant out of wedlock as well as other individuals who either committed petty crimes or no crimes at all. In 1947, Ladd discharged a third of the inmates due to money problems and redirected its mission to institutionalizing only those with severe disabilities. But after a long time resident was implicated in a murder of a disabled child in 1955, Ladd resigned. Things were better in its later years but the place would come under more scrutiny. Closed down for good in 1993.

Present Use: As of 2013, most of the place has been demolished. But the grounds are still private and are still being watched.

Sightings: Since its abandonment, many have reported hearing moaning, phantom footsteps or shuffling, voices, and crying. Some have claimed to see doors open, close, and/or lock with no explanation.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: No.

Other Haunts: Belcourt Castle, Crescent Park, Rhode Island School of Design, Biltmore Hotel, Conjuring House, Chestnut Hill Cemetery, The Barn at Roger Williams University, Providence City Hall, Block Island, Providence Athenaeum

40. South Carolina

The Old Charleston Jail has had a long history that it has housed prisoners ranging from criminals, unruly slaves, pirates, and Union POWs. It’s best known for executing a woman named Lavinia Fisher said to be America’s first female serial killer.

Most Haunted Place: Old Charleston Jail in Charleston

History: A prison that operated from 1802-1939 which housed Charleston’s notorious criminals and served as its county jail. Prisoners include career criminals like John and Lavinia Fisher, unruly slaves like Denmark Vessey (who planned a slave revolt), high sea pirates, and American Civil War POWs. It also held black seamen there while they were in port during the antebellum years. In 1886, part of the complex was badly damaged by an earthquake.

Present Use: Today it’s been owned by the American College of the Building Arts since 2000 who have also helped restore it. Not only that, but it also serves as a laboratory and classroom for students.

Sightings: Said to be haunted by the spirits of the deceased prisoners who died in jail. It’s been reported that apparitions, voices, as well as moving and disappearing objects are the norm.

Anyone Famous?: Well, there’s Lavinia Fisher who might’ve been America’s first female serial killer but we’re not sure if she killed anyone. However, her and her husband were active members of a large gang outside the city and owned an inn that was used as a hiding place. Publicly executed at the jail for highway robbery, which was then a capital offense in 1820.

Open to Tourists?: Yes. They also have walking and ghost tours, too.

Other Haunts: Legare Street House, Pawley’s Island, Redcliffe Plantation, St. Helena Parish Chapel of Ease Ruins, South Carolina Lunatic Asylum, Charelston Naval Base Admiral’s House, Baynard Plantation, Anderson Cry Baby Bridge, Cypress Garden Ruins, Hell’s Gate/Oakwood Cemetery, Abandoned Mansion in Santee, Montrose Cemetery, Smoaks Old Train Building and Trestle, Salem Black River Church, Greenville Tuberculosis Hospital, White Point Gardens, Seven Devil’s Bridge, The Hermitage, Rose Hill Plantation

In These Haunted United States – Part 3: Massachusetts to New Jersey

Posted by historymaniacmegan on October 30, 2015

Now we’re in the middle of my haunted series on the United States. You might notice that many of these haunted places include hotels. Well, there are some reasons why. For one, hotels tend to have long histories with many still being used today. And let’s just say that something which has been around for a very long time is bound to carry some baggage. In the hotel realm, a checkered past might give rise to ghost stories like some maid committing suicide over an affair. Second, hotels tend to but hubs with a lot of people in them whether they be employees, visitors, owners, and what not. So a lot people can lead to a lot of ghost stories. And third, they tend to be places where you see people from different classes, races, and creeds such as the poorer employees as well as the richer patrons and management. And yes, in America, you’re bound to see plenty of employees to be African American, Latino, or immigrants as you would see in the country’s service industry. But such mingling at another time can lead to some tragic consequences. In this section, I bring you a third installment of some of the most haunted American places. These will include a Massachusetts house that was a scene of a notorious murder, mansions in Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, and Missouri, a major college in Montana, the Nebraska State Capitol, a ghost town in Nevada, a cemetery in New Hampshire, and a house in New Jersey that inspired legends. So for your reading pleasure, here are some more haunted places in these United States.

21. Massachusetts

Legend has it that in this Fall River House, Lizzie Borden brutally murdered her father and stepmother in 1892. But she was found not guilty despite what public opinion thought of her. However, if Lizzie did killed her parents, it was most likely out of a family dispute.

Most Haunted Place: The Lizzie Borden House in Fall River

History: Built in 1845, it was the 19^th century home of Lizzie Borden and her family. This was the site of the axe murders of her father and stepmother in 1892, widely believed to be committed by Lizzie herself despite being found not guilty. However, if she did kill her parents, it would’ve been over a family dispute. Has been sold in 1918 and 1948.

Present Use: Now a bed and breakfast as well as museum.

Sightings: Apparitions and voices of the Borden family members, servants, and pets are said to be experience throughout the house. Ghosts of 2 young children have also been reported.

Anyone Famous?: It’s said that Lizzie Borden herself has been seen in the basement.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Boston Athenaeum, Houghton Mansion, Joshua Ward House, Witch House, USS Salem, Taunton State Hospital, Leicester Quaker Cemetery, Cape Cod Orleans Inn, Waltham Metropolitan State Hospital, Fort Revere, Danvers State Mental Hospital, Lincoln Mill, Cutler Majestic Theater at Emerson College

22. Michigan

Henderson Castle was originally owned by one of the most successful businessmen in Kalamazoo. It’s now a bed and breakfast with a restaurant and spa.

Most Haunted Place: Henderson Castle in Kalamazoo

History: Built in 1895 and originally owned by Mary and Frank Henderson who was one of Kalamazoo’s most successful businessmen as well as owner and president of the Henderson-Ames Uniform Company (which designed uniforms for secret societies, organizations, and the military). However, Frank would die 4 years after construction while his wife died in 1907. The Henderson children sold the place in 1919 and has since passed hands 10 times until the current owners bought it in 2011.

Present Use: Currently a bed and breakfast. It even has a restaurant and spa.

Sightings: Said to be haunted by the original owners and a soldier as well as al little girl and a dog. Many people report being tapped, having radios blare even when unplugged, and seeing apparitions.

Anyone Famous?: Well, Frank Henderson but only in a local capacity.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Big Bay Point Light, Fort Wayne, Holy Family Orphanage, Eloise Asylum, Murphy’s Lamplight Inn, Traverse City State Hospital, Detroit Masonic Temple, Felt Mansion, Michigan Bell Telephone Company in Grand Rapids, River Raisin National Battlefield Park, Pere Cheney, Mackinac Island, Bone Head’s BBQ

23. Minnesota

The Forepaugh Mansion was home to a successful dry goods businessman in St. Paul. However, he’s said to have an affair with a maid who later committed suicide. Forepaugh and his family didn’t live in there long soon after that.

Most Haunted Place: Joseph Forepaugh Mansion in St. Paul

History: Built in 19^th century, it was the mansion of entrepreneur Joseph Forepaugh who made his fortune in the dry goods business and was Senior Partner in the J.L. Forepaugh and Company. He lived there with his wife Mary and their two daughters. However, he made the mistake of cheating on his wife with a young maid named Molly. When Mary caught him in bed with Molly, she asked Joseph to end it and he did. Unfortunately, Molly found out she was pregnant and committed suicide by hanging from a window. The Forepaughs sold the place to retired Civil War General Henry Hammond and moved to Europe. However, Forepaugh would later commit suicide in 1892, most likely to escape a financial crash.

Present Use: It’s now an upscale French restaurant with reception/banquet space. It’s also a museum as well.

Sightings: It’s said the Molly’s ghost apparently bangs on walls, causes glasses to explode, and can sometimes be seen.

Anyone Famous?: Customers are said to see a solid form of Joseph Forepaugh himself, apparently pleased with the restoration and renovation efforts of the current owners. He’s also said to act like he owns the place.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Greyhound Bus Museum, Minneapolis City Hall, Palmer House Hotel, Winona State University, Lake Julia Sanitarium, Dead Man’s Trail, Janesville Doll House, Lake View Cemetery, Mantorville Opera House, Washington Street Bridge in Minneapolis, Concordia College, St. Olaf College, Griggs Mansion

24. Mississippi

Cedar Grove Mansion was home to the Kleins who used their home as a hospital during the Battle of Vicksburg when it was attacked by cannon. The family would reside there until 1919.

Most Haunted Place: Cedar Grove Mansion in Vicksburg

History: Built in 1852 and was owned by planter and businessman Joseph Alexander Klein as well as his wife Elizabeth where they’d have 10 children. During the Civil War, they used their home as a Union hospital, particularly during the Battle of Vicksburg. However, it didn’t prevent the mansion from being attacked by cannon nor did Elizabeth’s family ties to General William Tecumseh Sherman. The Klein family would reside there until 1919.

Present Use: Now a bed and breakfast. Said to be among the most elegant in the South.

Sightings: Reported manifestations of the house include house’s original family, various apparitions (including soldiers), laughter, and footsteps.

Anyone Famous?: Well, it’s said the John Klein still keeps an eye on the staff and is apparently not quite trusting of the living’s judgement. His wife is said to be there, too.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Cold Spring Plantation, Kessler Air Force Base, Longfellow Place, Rowan Oak, Mississippi State Capitol, Vicksburg National Military Park, Waverly Plantation, Chapel of the Cross, Corinth Battlefield, Dunleith Plantation, Meridian Grand Opera House, Natchez King’s Tavern, Linden Plantation, Merrehope Plantation, Monmouth Plantation, Springfield Plantation

25. Missouri

In their heyday, the Lemp family dominated the beer business in Missouri until Prohibition. Unfortunately, the family was rocked by tragedy, scandal, and dysfunction with 4 members committing suicide. 3 of them in this St. Louis house.

Most Haunted Place: Lemp Mansion in St. Louis

History: Built in 1868 and home of the Lemp Family, whose brewing company dominated the St. Louis beer market before Prohibition. They lived in this house until 1949. Nevertheless, the family was besieged by tragedy and dysfunction. Four members of the family committed suicide including original owner William Lemp Sr. and 3 of his children.

Present Use: It’s now a restaurant and inn owned by the Pointer family. It’s even a venue for murder mystery dinner theater and Halloween parties.

Sightings: During restoration efforts in the 1970s, it’s been workers reported being harassed by slamming doors, ghostly noise, and experiencing an uncomfortable feeling due to the oppressive atmosphere of the mansion and the “burning sensation” of staring eyes. It’s said a monkey-face boy haunts the attic, looking for love and attention, who is believed to be an illegitimate son of William Lemp Jr. and was said to have Down Syndrome. Not to mention, there have been reports of apparitions of the family members as well.

Anyone Famous?: If you count the Lemp family, then yes, in a local capacity.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Avilla, St. Louis City Museum, Epperson House, Henderson Mansion, Kemper Arena, Missouri State Penitentiary, Pythian Castle, Vaile Mansion, Kansas City Union Station, Knob Noster, Jesse James Farm, Jefferson Barracks and Cemetery, Ravenswood, Missouri Governor’s Mansion, Boonville Thespian Hall

26. Montana

Since its 1893 founding the University of Montana has been the alma mater of an Oscar winning actor, a member of Pearl Jam, a prominent TV star, and this country’s first US Congresswoman. However, it’s been reported to have an entire lecture attended by ghosts.

Most Haunted Place: The University of Montana in Missoula

History: Founded in 1893. Said to be a city within a city that has its own post office, medical facilities, police department, banking, restaurants, and ZIP code. Houses the earliest authorized edition of the Lewis and Clark Journals. Mascot is Monte the Grizzly Bear. Notable alumni include Oscar winning actor and Farmer’s Insurance spokesman J. K. Simmons, Pearl Jam’s James Ament, All in the Family’s Carroll O’Connor (best known as Archie Bunker), and US Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin.

Present Use: It’s still used as a public university and is a flagship campus of the UM system.

Sightings: Reports range from the ghost of a girl who committed suicide, a ghost of a dog, and other apparitions and emotional sensations. It’s said at Rankin Hall, there’s an entire lecture attended by ghosts.

Anyone Famous?: Not from what I have heard. However, Rankin Hall is named after famous alum Jeannette Rankin who was the first US Congresswoman.

Open to Tourists?: Well, on a seasonal basis. But they do give haunted tours to the public.

Other Haunts: Bannack, Carroll College, Copper King Mansion, Garnet, Little Bighorn National Battlefield, Montana State Prison Museum, Virginia City, Belton Chalet, Chico Hot Springs, Dumas Brothel, Paris Gibson Square Museum, Reeder’s Alley

27. Nebraska

Besides being home to the country’s only unicameral state legislature, the State Capitol of Nebraska is said to be haunted by accident victims who are said to fall from its large tower. On a lighter note, it’s been praised for its architecture.

Most Haunted Place: Nebraska State Capitol in Lincoln

History: Completed in 1932, this is the primary government headquarters of the Nebraska state government. Its style is a mix of Art Deco, Neo-Byzantine, and Gothic Revival. Seriously, Wikipedia’s entry is devoted to the place’s architecture. Several deaths are said to occur there, including 2 people falling to their deaths from the 12^th floor and 2 which took place in the central tower stairwell.

Present Use: It’s steal the seat of government in Nebraska.

Sightings: Reports are said to include screams and crying, as well as mist that is seen falling through the stairwell. Ghosts include, an inmate, a workman, a female employee, and a visitor.

Anyone Famous?: Not that I can name off hand.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Brother Sebastian’s Restaurant, Centennial Hall, Hummel Park, Nebraska Wesleyan University, Alliance Theater, Antelope Park, Ball Cemetery, Barnard Park, Blackbird Hill, Bailey House Museum, Devil’s Canyon, Fort Sidney Museum, Hastings College, Logan Creek Bridge, Neville Center for the Performing Arts, Platte County Historical Society and Museum, Seven Sisters Road, Holdrege Speakeasy, Warbonnet Creek Battlefield, Wayne State College

28. Nevada

In its heyday, Virginia City, Nevada was a boom town known for its rich silver deposits. Today it’s almost entirely abandoned and relies almost entirely on tourism. And their ghost stories that have sprung up.

Most Haunted Place: Virginia City, Nevada

History: Sprang up as a boom town in 1859 due to the discovery of the Comstock Lode, the first major silver deposit discovery in the US. Had over 25,000 residents at its peak in 1862 and was called America’s richest city. One of its famous residents at the time was a young reporter for the local paper named Samuel Clemens. You know him as Mark Twain and he’d later write a novel named Roughing it set in the city. Was also a place of many fires, including a Great Fire in 1875. But as the mines’ output declined after 1878, the city declined. Its most recent population is estimated at 855.

Present Use: Well, it’s mostly a tourist town now, with its historic district drawing 2 million visitors a year.

Sightings: Well, since we’re talking about an entire town, there’s just so many reported haunting incidents to put in this. Some of the ghosts include a woman who killed her own baby before committing suicide, a bunch of dead miners who were killed in fire, a lady waving from a balcony, an Indian killed in saloon fight, a little girl run over by a wagon and her mother, a young woman in lavender, a smoking old man scowling, a schoolteacher, and a woman who died penniless and held séances to contact with her dead husband. Reported incidents include a pieces of metal and rock thrown at visitors, a moving gravestone, and a glowing gravestone.

Anyone Famous?: Not that I can name off hand.

Open to Tourists?: Yes, and supported by tourists, too.

Other Haunts: Abraham Curry House, Goldfield Hotel, Madame Tussaud’s Las Vegas Wax Museum, Zappos Building, Mustang Ranch, La Palazza Mansion, Bonnie Springs Ranch, Mizpah Hotel, Redd Foxx’s Las Vegas House, Nevada Governor’s Mansion, Boulder Dam Hotel, Whiskey Pete’s Hotel and Casino

29. New Hampshire

Pine Hill Cemetery was founded in 1769 on land donated by a man who had to sell his farm. It’s said to have family that’s been murdered in the 1800s but records don’t hold that story up.

Most Haunted Place: Pine Hill Cemetery in Hollis

History: Founded in 1769 on the land donated by Benjamin Parker Jr. who had to sell his farm. About 300 people are said to be buried there. Many of them in graves that are now currently unmarked.

Present Use: As far as I know, it’s still said to function as a cemetery.

Sightings: It’s said to be the most haunted cemetery of New England. Called “Blood Cemetery” because it’s alleged that the ghost of Abel Blood is said to roam the place as well as various members of his family (they were alleged to be murdered in the 1800s. However, records don’t support this since he and his family died at different times and different places, many of natural causes). A ghost of a little boy was said to try flagging down cars for some reason. Still, reported incidents include ghosts sitting on their own tombstones as well as one tombstone that appears to glow in the dark at night.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: Yes, but not at night like most cemeteries. And it’s heavily patrolled by police.

Other Haunts: Gibson Road Cemetery, Isles of Shoals, Mount Washington Hotel, Three Chimneys Inn, Alton Town Hall, Amos J. Blake House Museum, Dover Mills, University of New Hampshire, Toll Hill, Philbrick House, Meetinghouse Green Memorial Park, Nutmeg Inn, MacDowell Colony, Point of Graves Burial Ground, Rockingham Hotel

30. New Jersey

The Seabrook-Wilson House in Port Monmouth is one of the oldest homes in New Jersey and is subject to many legends. However, according to historians, it’s more likely that this house had a long but unremarkable existence. And that much of the stories surrounding it might’ve been made up by a previous curator to save it.

Most Haunted Place: Seabrook-Wilson House in Port Monmouth

History: Built in 1663 by Thomas Whitlock where he lived with his family. The second family, the Seabrooks owned the place for 250 years. And its current structure was built in 1892 by Reverend William V. Wilson and his wife, Martha. From 1910-1970s it was said to operate as a hotel. And up to the 2000s, it served as a historical museum. But since the early 2000s, it’s been closed to the public until 2012.

Present Use: It still functions as a museum but only the first floor is open.

Sightings: Up to 22 ghosts are said to haunt this house including a woman in white, a minister alleged to privately practice Satanism, a bearded sea captain, and a young boy. It’s even alleged to be a spy house and tavern during the American Revolution.

Anyone Famous?: There are legends surrounding that Captain Morgan was known to hide treasure and conduct tortures in the house’s basement that had underground tunnels. And his ghost is said to threaten children visitors in the museum. However, the notion of Captain Morgan’s ghost frequenting a place in New Jersey just doesn’t make sense since he spent most of his life in the Caribbean and died as governor of Jamaica.

Open to Tourists?: Since 2012, only the first floor is opened to the public.

Other Haunts: Shades of Death Road, Burnt Mill Road, Cape May, Red Mill Museum Village, Flemington Union Hotel, Lakehurst Hangar No. 1, Leeds Point, The Devil’s Tree, Burlington County Prison, Proprietary House, Ringwood Manor, Essex County Hospital Center, Clinton Road, The Devil’s Tower in Alpine, Clifton Gates of Hell, Blairsden Mansion, Flanders Hotel

In These Haunted United States – Part 2: Hawaii to Maryland

Posted by historymaniacmegan on October 30, 2015

Now we’re off to a great start. You might notice how some of these places might be familiar to you such as famous battlefields and other areas. I know that Alcatraz is a familiar place for anyone since it housed some of the notorious criminals in early 20th century America. It’s also used in a lot of movies as a filming location. Still, a lot of places might have their own ghost stories for whatever the reason. Sometimes it was a place where there were a lot of deaths and mistreatment like prisons, insane asylums, and battlefields. Sometimes it had a checkered past such as some of these mansions and hotels. Sometimes there might be a chance that some structure was built on top of an Indian burial ground. But occasionally, you might have a place with an alleged haunting for almost no reason at all like UAA’s auditorium. I mean other than Wendy Williamson, you don’t know why other ghosts would hang out there. Nevertheless, in this section, I’ll bring you another set of haunted places in the US. These will include a royal palace that was home to the last rulers of Hawaii’s monarchy, a state prison in Idaho, hotels in Illinois and Indiana, a home that was sight to a notorious murder in Iowa, a small house haunted by a mysterious girl in Kansas, a mental institution in Kentucky, a plantation in Louisiana, a lighthouse in Maine, and a Civil War battlefield in Maryland. So for your reading pleasure, I give you another installment of some of the most haunted places in the United States.

11. Hawaii

From 1845 to 1893, the Iolani Palace was home to the last rulers of the Hawaiian monarchy (and it’s said that some of the royal family members still reside there as ghosts). Under US rule it would be used as the Hawaiian seat of government until 1969. It’s the only royal palace on US soil.

Most Haunted Place: ‘Iolani Palace in Honolulu

History: Constructed in 1845, it was the residence of the Hawaiian Royal Family from Kamehameha III to Queen Lili’uokalani. After the royal family was overthrown in 1893, it was used as the territorial and later state capitol until 1969.

Present Use: It’s now a museum for the public.

Sightings: It’s said that various royal ghosts have been seen or heard there.

Anyone Famous?: It’s been reported that the most frequent sightings have revolved around Queen Lili’uokalani.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Hamakuapoko, Pounder Beach, Barber’s Point, Dole Cannery Signature Theaters, Hilton Hawaii Village, Kaka’ako Fire Station, Morgan’s Corner, Nu’uanu, Sacred Heart Academy, State Capitol Building, Kahala Mall, Waikiki Parc Hotel, Waialae Drive-In Theaters, King Kamehameha’s Kona Beach Hotel, Waimano Building, Hickam Air Force Base

12. Idaho

During its operation, Boise’s old Idaho State Penitentiary received over 13,000 prisoners. The most famous of these are a political assassin and a black widow serial killer. Closed over riots and poor living conditions.

Most Haunted Place: Old Idaho State Penitentiary in Boise

History: Was a functional prison in the Western US from 1872-1973. Received more than 13,000 inmates with maximum occupancy at about 600. 215 of the inmates were women. Saw 10 executions. Famous inmates were Harry Orchard who assassinated a former governor in 1905 and Lyda Southard, infamously known as Idaho’s Lady Bluebeard for killing several husbands for the life insurance. It was a place of violence and riots. Closed over riots due to horrible living conditions. It’s now owned by the Idaho Historical Society.

Present Use: It’s now a museum and contains an arboretum.

Sightings: There have been reports of footsteps, voices, shouts, and overwhelming emotional sensations. It’s been reported there was one death row inmate who jumped off the third floor is said to make his presence known by a greenish light and causing batteries to go dead.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Farragut State Park, Harms Memorial Hospital, Joyce Building, Owyhee Mountains, Egyptian Theater, Idaho State University at Pocatello, Pete’s Tavern, Pioneer Boot Hill Cemetery

13. Illinois

Since its opening in 1893, Chicago’s Congress Plaza Hotel has had a long and colorful history from protests to presidential guests. It’s also been the place for a lot of haunted ghost sightings, including that of a hobo and a guy in disco attire.

Most Haunted Place: Congress Plaza Hotel in Chicago

History: First opened in 1893 for the World’s Columbian Exposition and has underwent two major expansions and renovations. It’s 11 stories with 871 guest rooms. In 1912, it was the sight of Teddy Roosevelt’s “Bull Moose” speech. In October 1916, Woodrow Wilson passed this hotel as part of his visit to the city where he was greeted by over 100 suffragette protestors from the National Women’s Party. They were attacked by a mob as police looked on and/or laughed. In 1932, it was FDR’s transition team headquarters. Known for its artwork by Louis Grell and for providing lodgings for several US presidents from Grover Cleveland to FDR. In 2003, about 130 members of UNITE HERE went on strike to proposed a 7% wage cut that soon became one of the world’s longest, ending in 2013. No concessions were given by management though Barack Obama briefly stood in the picket line in 2007. It’s now owned by a Syrian national.

Present Use: It’s still used as a hotel as I’ve seen on the website.

Sightings: Guests and employees have reported everything from apparitions and voices to the presence of a room so horrible that it’s been boarded over. Ghosts reported include a boy whose mother threw him out a window, a workman said to be buried in the walls during construction, a pegleg hobo who was murdered, a Spanish American War vet who shot himself, and a guy in disco attire.

Anyone Famous?: Well, some people have reported sightings of Al Capone and Teddy Roosevelt. It’s also alleged Jake “Greasy Thumb” Guzik’s ghost resides there as well. Of course the guy was one of Al Capone’s henchmen and is said to live there for several years. For those who want to know more about Guzik, check out my series on Boardwalk Empire since he’s a character on the show.

Open to Tourists?: Yes, if you can afford it.

Other Haunts: Ashmore Estates, Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery, Crenshaw House, Former Chicago Historical Society Building, Stickney House, St. Turbius Church, Aux Sable Cemetery, Scutt Mansion, Graceland Cemetery, Lincoln Theater, Eldred House, Tinker Swiss Cottage, Anderson Cemetery, Dana-Thomas House, Ninth Street Pub, St. Rita of Cascia, Leland Tower, Sheraton Gateway Suites, Desoto House Hotel, Woodstock Opera House, Blood’s Point Cemetery, House of Blues, Robinson Woods, Harrison Street Inn, Original Springs Mineral Spa and Hotel, Ruebel Hotel, Hotel Baker, Willowbrook Ballroom, Greenwood Cemetery, Benedictine University, St. George Antiochian Orthodox Church, Lincoln Square Theater, Massock Mausoleum, Three Mile House, Krome Family Cemetery, Red Lion Pub, Mineral Springs Hotel, Peoria State Hospital, Morton College, McPike Mansion, Clark Street Bridge, American Flight 191 Crash Site, Mount Carmel Cemetery, Waldheim Cemetery, McKendree University

14. Indiana

French Lick Springs Hotel was originally built for those who came to experience the healing benefits of the area’s sulfur springs. Today it’s now part of a casino resort complex. Of course, before then, it tended to get in trouble with the state for illegal gambling operations.

Most Haunted Place: French Lick Springs Hotel in French Lick

History: The resort was originally built for those who came to partake the advertised healing properties of the town’s sulfur springs. After the original hotel burned down in 1897, the current structure was constructed by DNC chair and Indianapolis mayor Thomas Taggart. Had been seized by the state government for illegal gambling. Famous guests include FDR (who announced his presidential campaign there) and Ronald Reagan.

Present Use: It’s now part of a larger casino resort complex.

Sightings: Many report hearing footsteps and voices. Some say there’s a ghost of an elevator attendant who helps out as well as one of a bride who committed suicide and a black bellhop. Not only that, but it’s said there are ghosts calling the front desk from empty rooms.

Anyone Famous?: It’s said to be haunted by original owner Thomas Taggart who’s been reported to operate the elevator when the place gets busy, appear riding a horse in the ballroom or down the halls, and hold ghostly parties.

Open to Tourists?: Yes, if you can afford it.

Other Haunts: Central State Hospital, Dunes State Park, Story Inn, Willard Library, Whispers Estate, Cry Baby Bridge, Fort Rouge Plant, Barber Hotel, Battle Field Memorial, Hoosier National Forest, Indiana University, Scales Lake, Old Sycamore Haunted Bridge, Chesterfield Christian Church, Cloverdale Cemetery, Adams County Cheese Factory, Eastland Mall, Lakeside Park, Franklin College, Bishop Noll Institute, St. Joseph’s Old Abandoned Catholic Church, Hanna House, House of Blue Lights, James Dean’s Grave, New Haven Historical City Hall

15. Iowa

Villisca’s Moore House was the site of an infamous unsolved murder that killed 8 people. Until 1994, previous owners would claim they saw a guy wielding an ax at the foot of their beds.

Most Haunted Place: Josiah B. and Sara Moore House in Villisca

History: Built in 1868 and served as a private residence. Josiah and Sara Moore bought the house in 1903 and lived there until 1912. On June 9 of that year, all 6 members of the Moore household and 2 houseguests (both children) were bludgeoned to death by an axe at the residence. The murder remains unsolved. After the murders, went through possession 8 times until 1994 when the last owners decided to restore the house to its 1912 condition.

Present Use: Has been a local museum since the 1990s.

Sightings: Prior to the 1994 renovations, there were reports from former tenants claiming they saw a figure of an axe wielding man at the foot of their beds. Others report their kids waking up to the sounds of children crying. One dad reported that a knife forcefully stabbed him in the thumb. Other incidences included finding shoes filled with blood and a closet door opening and closing by itself.

Anyone Famous?: Well, other than the victims, no.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Drake University, Independence State Hospital, Iowa State Penitentiary, Jordan House, Stony Hollow Road, Hotel Blackhawk, Cresco Theatre, KD Station, Tara Bridge, Mathias Ham House, Oakland Cemetery

16. Kansas

While it has changed hands as a private residence, the Sallie House is said to be haunted by a little girl named “Sallie” and an older woman said to be violent toward a male owner. Though vacant, it’s still privately owned so I wouldn’t recommend anyone to visit it.

Most Haunted Place: The Sallie House in Atchison

History: Built in 1857 as a private residence. Has changed in various hands.

Present Use: As of 2015, it’s currently been vacant since 2004. Has been currently owned by a landlord since the 1990s so I guess it’s still being used as a residence.

Sightings: It’s reportedly been haunted by a little girl named “Sallie” who liked play little pranks and an older, unidentified woman who was violent toward a male owner.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: No.

Other Haunts: Atchison itself, Brown Grand Theater, Kansas Aviation Museum, Kansas State University, McConnell Air Force Base, Topeka High School, Wichita State University, Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery, Molly’s Hollow, St. Jacob’s Well, Theorosa’s Bridge, Hutchinson Public Library, Hamburger Hill, Potwin Place

17. Kentucky

Like Seaside, the Waverly Hills Sanatorium initially operated as a treatment center for TB patients before becoming a mental institution. And it was closed for similar reasons. However, unlike Seaside, the current owners are paranormal enthusiasts and want to convert this place into a hotel as far as I know.

Most Haunted Place: Waverly Hills Sanatorium in Louisville

History: Opened in 1910 as a tuberculosis sanatorium after the area was ravaged by an epidemic that prompted its construction. After the sanatorium was closed in 1962, it was converted to a geriatric center, a nursing home for the elderly and mentally handicapped. The place was closed by the state due to patient neglect as is common in these environments of understaffed and overcrowded institutions. It’s said that thousands have died there, though it’s more likely 8,212.

Present Use: It has basically been abandoned until its current owners have decided to restore it and just happen to be paranormal enthusiasts. There are currently plans to convert the place into a 4 star hotel for the haunted hotel enthusiasts as well as regular patrons. However, it once hosted an extreme metal and metalcore festival in 2007. But it’s not likely to happen again due to complaints made by local residents.

Sightings: Many ghosts are said to haunt the place including children chanting “Ring Around the Rosey” on the roof, a nurse who committed suicide via jumping off the roof, a little girl playing hide and seek, a little boy playing ball, an old woman in chains, a man in a white coat and other ghosts treading down the halls. Others consist of various voices, a floating head, lights coming on without electricity, and a flicker of a TV screen.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: Not sure.

Other Haunts: Perryville Battlefield, Bob Mackey’s Music World, X Cave at Carter Caves, Raven Hill Cemetery, Old Louisville, House on Coon Branch, White Hall, Phillips’ Folly, Rocky Point Manor, Ditto House, Cave Hill Cemetery, Lick Creek Cemetery, Maple Hill Manor, Loudon House, Sherman’s Tavern, Old Greensburg Courthouse, Seelbach Hilton, Louisville Palace Theater, Mammoth Cave, Camp Zachary Taylor

18. Louisiana

The Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana has had its share of owners and incidences. Today it’s operated as a bed and breakfast by paranormal enthusiasts.

Most Haunted Place: The Myrtles Plantation in St. Francisville

History: Built in 1796 by General David Bradford who lived there until President John Adams pardoned him for his involvement in the Whiskey Rebellion (by the way, I actually went to Bradford’s house in Washington, PA). In 1817, his daughter and son-in-law Sarah and Clark Woodruff managed the plantation but she and two of their kids died in yellow fever epidemic during the early 1820s. When his mother-in-law died Clark and his surviving daughter moved out. In 1834, it was sold to Ruffin Gray Stirling who took an extensive remodeling project and doubled the size of the building. They had 9 children but 5 died young. Stirling died in 1854 and left the place to his wife Mary Cobb. In 1865, she hired son-in-law William Winter and he resided there with his wife Sarah and their 6 children, one of whom died of typhoid at 3. In 1871, Winter was shot at his porch by E.S. Webber and died within minutes on the 17^th step of the stairs. Sarah died in 1878 while her mother Mary died in 1880 and the plantation passed to her Stephen. However, the place was heavily in debt and it changed hands several times until it was bought by current owners James and Frances Kermeen Myers.

Present Use: Currently a bed and breakfast offering historical and mystery tours.

Sightings: It is supposedly the home of at least 12 ghosts usually consisting of previous residents and slaves. It’s said that visitors and employees still hear William Winter’s dying footsteps to this day. It’s also reputed to be built over an Indian burial ground. Another reported seeing Sara Woodruff and her two dead children through a mirror. Other ghosts include a slave woman in a green turban, a young Native American woman, a young girl who died in 1868, and of two slaves asking to do any chores.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Central Louisiana State Hospital, Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre, Louisiana State Penitentiary, Magnolia Plantation, Le Beau Mansion, Tomb of Marie Laveau, Caddo Parish Penal Farm, Bonnie and Clyde Ambush Site, Marian Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes, Elise Reus Memorial School, Manchac Swamp

19. Maine

Maine’s Wood Island Lighthouse might seem to have an uneventful history. However, in 1896 it was the scene of a drifter killing a deputy sheriff and committing suicide. It’s said his moans and footsteps are often heard. Why Stephen King doesn’t write something about this I’ll never know. Seriously, Maine is the guy’s home state for God’s sake.

Most Haunted Place: Wood Island Lighthouse in Wood Island

History: A 47ft tall conical white tower of granite rubble lighthouse. It’s the second oldest in Maine and 11^th oldest in the nation. Established in 1808 but its current structure was erected in 1858. In March 1865, Lightkeeper Eben Emerson saved the crew of the British brig Edyth Anne from drowning in a heavy storm and was commended by the Canadian government with a reward of binoculars. Another lightkeeper had a dog named Sailor who became famous for ringing the station’s fog bell to greet passing ships by taking the belt cord in its mouth and pulling it with his teeth. Currently maintained by the United States Coast Guard and The Friends of Wood Island Light.

Present Use: It’s still used as a lighthouse to this day as well as a historical site.

Sightings: In 1896, a drifter shot and killed a local deputy sheriff and then went to the lighthouse to kill himself. It’s said his moans and footsteps are often heard, as well as shadows with a human form. Locked doors are also known to somehow open by themselves.

Anyone Famous?: No.

Open to Tourists?: Yes, but they only offer seasonal tours though.

Other Haunts: Camden Hills, Captain Fairfield’s Inn, Fort Knox, Southern Maine Community College, University of Southern Maine, West Side Lake, York Village Historical Museum, Strand Cinema, Boothbay Opera House, Captain Lord Mansion, Ellis Pond, Fort William Henry, Beckett’s Castle, Maine State Prison

20. Maryland

Antietam was the first battle in the American Civil War to take place on Union soil and one that experience the most losses in a single day. Though it was a strategic Union victory, it was tactically inconclusive. And it was a rather lucky break for McClellan. Today it’s a national battlefield in Maryland. But sometimes I tend to call it, “Maryland’s Gettysburg.”

Most Haunted Place: Antietam Battlefield in Sharpsburg

History: Site of the Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862, which marked Robert E. Lee’s first northern invasion and George B. McClellan’s lucky break. Still, neither side really gained anything from it. It was the bloodiest single day battle in the American Civil War with a combined tally of dead, wounded, or missing at 22,717.

Present Use: It’s now a national park with 330,000 visiting the place each year.

Sightings: Many visitors have reported seeing apparitions in uniforms as well as hearing cannon and gunfire. Blue balls of light, disembodied voices, orbs, phantom drumming, and strange mists have also been reported.

Anyone Famous?: Not that I can name off hand.

Open to Tourists?: Yes.

Other Haunts: Auburn House, Chestnut Lodge, University of Maryland Morrill Hall, Point Lookout Lighthouse, Westminster Hall and Burying Ground, Dr. Mudd’s House, Jonathan Hager House, Maryland State House, Bachelor’s Point, Decoursey Bridge, St. Paul’s Cemetery, Kitty Knight House, Fort McHenry, Baltimore County Almshouse

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The Lone Girl in a Crowd

The thoughts and perceptions of an aspiring writer on life and the world around her

Tag Archives: United States

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