The fire had started at around 2 a.m. in the early morning hours of January 7, 1950. Half an hour later, St. Elizabeth’s Mental Hospital would be engulfed in flames. Firemen and other rescuers hacked at the iron bars covering the windows to the patient’s rooms. Many of the patients screamed desperately into the […]
Beyond Recognition: What Started the St. Elizabeth’s Fire? Read More »
In this, the second part of the tragic story of the St. Elizabeth’s Mental Hospital Fire of 1950, people across America were shocked by the disaster that had claimed the lives of 41 people. Fire and police investigators were eager to find out what had caused the blaze. When they did, the truth was almost
Episode 100: Beyond Recognition: What Started the St. Elizabeth’s Fire? Read More »
In the early hours of January 7, 1950, flames illuminated the night sky around Mercy Hospital. An orderly was one of the first to see a mental hospital on the grounds engulfed in fire, but he would be far from the last. By the next morning, it would be one of the worst hospital fires
Episode 99: Plain Hell: The St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Fire of 1950 Read More »
Lucille Kalloway checked the clock. It was just before 11 p.m. The patients had been safely in their rooms since about 9 p.m., which was the normal time for them to turn in. Mentally, she ticked off her responsibilities for the end of shift. Lucille had started working at the facility in the summer
Plain Hell: The St. Elizabeth’s Hospital Fire of 1950 Read More »
Jesse Stanbridge was just another railroad cop doing his job in 1909 when he had an argument with a local farmer. That disagreement set into motion a chain of events that would change both their lives forever. Sources Ancestry.com. Iowa, U.S., State Census Collection, 1836-1925 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2007. Year: 1900;
Fit of Rage: A Kitchen Table Historian Short Story Podcast Read More »
Jesse Stanbridge’s breath came in a plume as the bitter January cold bit into him. He dug his hands deeper into the pockets of his overcoat as he walked through the Iowa night. His eyes scanned the railyard. Stanbridge wasn’t looking for anything in particular, just anything that stood out. He shivered, silently cursing the
Fit of Rage: A Kitchen Table Historian Short Story Read More »
Happy Halloween, everyone! For our Halloween episode this year, I’ll be telling you some personal stories of the paranormal, as well as some from my family and friends. Come with me as we finish out the spooky season and experience the beyond.
Episode 94: Experiences With the Beyond: The Halloween 2022 Episode Read More »
The Rock and Roll Mansion in Davenport, Iowa, is a former mortuary that’s been converted into the current home of many popular local radio stations. Employees over the years swear they have experienced everything from phantom footsteps to full apparitions. Do some spirits remain after their funeral was held in the building? Sources Entertains
Episode 93: Is This Former Iowa Mortuary Now a Haunted Radio Station? Read More »
Emma Harvey had lived a good life, but now it had come to an end. Born in New York, she and her parents had moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, during her childhood. In 1874, Emma had married Edward Shaw, a Davenport, Iowa, man who worked as a carpenter with his father, George. About a
Is This Former Iowa Mortuary Now a Haunted Radio Station? Read More »
Dr. William Stoecks was a dedicated physician and surgeon, treating countless people throughout his career. He died in 1961. But did he stay in his former home and interact with the college fraternity who bought it? Sources Arpy, Jim. A Ghost Chaser Unravels the Mystery of Davenport’s ‘Haunted House.’ The Times-Democrat, 5/11/1972 Sheridan, Joe.
Episode 92: Did Dr. William Stoecks Keep His Routine After His Death? Read More »
