Mystic Grove promises an “immersive paranormal experience” to anyone with a credit card and a high tolerance for candle wax and nonsense. So naturally, I booked the town’s most theatrical offering: a private evening ghost tour with Mariah St. James, self-proclaimed medium, ghost hunter, spiritual intuitive, and costume jewelry enthusiast. Mariah met me just after … Read more
Nestled at the edge of Mystic Grove — and I use “nestled” as loosely as possible — the Shady Oak Bed and Breakfast promises “historic charm with a touch of mystery.” What it delivers is the architectural equivalent of a shrug. The place looks like it was decorated entirely from estate sale leftovers. It offers … Read more
St. Augustine, Florida, bills itself as America’s oldest city — a charming mix of Spanish colonial architecture, cobblestone streets, overpriced taffy, and relentless humidity. It also bills itself as one of America’s most haunted cities, which is tourist-speak for “bring your wallet and your willingness to believe anything after dark.” Naturally, I signed up for … Read more
Of all the charming invitations extended to me over the years — psychic conventions, ghost hunts, aura detox seminars — few sounded more ludicrously promising than an overnight stay at Ironford Penitentiary, one of New England’s most notoriously “haunted” abandoned prisons. A place where, according to the marketing brochure, “the walls still remember the screams.” … Read more
Shudderton, Nevada — population 3,947 if you believe the sign, which I don’t — is one of those towns that clings to its ghost stories like they’re on the payroll. You can’t walk five feet without someone offering you a brochure for a haunted mine tour or a cursed saloon experience. So it’s no surprise … Read more
When You Need Therapy, Not Chucky There’s nothing quite like a grown adult claiming their stuffed toy is possessed by the malevolent spirit of a Victorian chimney sweep. It’s the kind of story that makes you question not just individual judgment, but the collective failure of entire educational systems. “Haunted” dolls have become an industry … Read more