Citegeist

Joshua Spellman

Citegeist explores the paranormal through an archival lens. Each episode begins with a ghost story as it’s typically told, and then we dive into the archive for a ghoulish gossip sesh, examining historical and archival resources to learn what really happened.  You'll find that oftentimes, the real history is stranger, and scarier, than ghosts. New episodes drop every two weeks. Subscribe now and I’ll see you in the stacks!

Episodes

  1. 15H AGO

    The Gilded Ghosts of Santa Cruz's Golden Gate Villa

    Golden Gate Villa is said to be cursed, haunted, and steeped in violence. The the story goes that a man who was in love with his step-daughter and murdered her and committed suicide when he couldn't have her for himself...but what does the historic record actually say? In this episode, we look into the life and times of Major Frank McLaughlin; learning about the man behind the murder to better understand the motivations behind his horrific crime. https://citegeistpod.com/ Have a ghost story you want to share? Leave a voice note or send an en email at https://citegeistpod.com/contactPodcast Instagram: http://instagram.com/citegeistpodPersonal Instagram: http://instagram.com/joshua.spellman Channel illustration byGiAnna Ligammari: https://virtualgia.com/GiAnna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zip Royalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41 SOURCES“Agnes L. McLaughlin (1875-1907) - Find a Grave...” n.d. Accessed February 14, 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/143555501/agnes_l-mclaughlin. Dormanen, Susan. n.d. “The Golden Gate Villa.” Santa Cruz Public Libraries. Accessed September 10, 2021. https://history.santacruzpl.org/omeka/files/original/dac12ae750afce922632b1d9a1f17930.pdf. Gillespie, Metzgar &. Kelley. 1896. “Our Home Defenders.” Still image. United States. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/resource/cph.3b53219. Herald, Los Angles. 1916. Deutsch:  Francisco Villa Auf Seinem Hengst Sieben Meilen Vor Seiner División Del Norte, Nördlich von Ojinaga, Chihuahua. January. Archivo General de la Nación Weekly journal-miner. March 15, 1916. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Francisco_Villa.gif. Holcomb, Gwyneth. 2025. “Ask Lookout: Why Is There a ‘Door to Nowhere’ above Front Street?” Lookout Santa Cruz, February 7. https://lookout.co/ask-lookout-why-is-there-a-door-to-nowhere-above-front-street/story. Johnston, Frances Benjamin. 1897. “McKinley & Cabinet.” Still image. United States. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/89708610/. Los Angeles Examiner (Los Angeles, California). 1907. “Slays Daughter, Then Himself.” November 17. “Metroactive Features | The Haunting of Santa Cruz.” n.d. Accessed September 12, 2021. http://www.metroactive.com/papers/cruz/10.29.03/haunting-0344.html. My Vxw Site Napiwc. n.d. “Haunted Houses of Santa Cruz.” Accessed February 12, 2026. https://www.santacruzghostdirectory.com/haunted-houses-of-santa-cruz. Newspapers.Com. n.d. “7 Dec 1907, Page 1 - Santa Cruz Evening News at Newspapers.Com.” Accessed September 14, 2021. http://www.newspapers.com/image/?clipping_id=4203848&fcfToken=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJmcmVlLXZpZXctaWQiOjU1Mzc5MDMzLCJpYXQiOjE2MzE2MjAzMTAsImV4cCI6MTYzMTcwNjcxMH0.RvcF17nCqc3CPgInOgE9pYOuOODX01oAtIjpmA0sC0A. Oroville Daily Register (Oroville, California). 1907a. “Clipped From Oroville Daily Register.” November 18. Oroville Daily Register (Oroville, California). 1907b. “McLaughlin Major Frank-Oroville Daily Register 18 Nov 1907, Mon ·Page 1-Part 1.” November 18. “Patricia Wilder Obituary - Santa Cruz, CA (1924-2014).” n.d. Accessed February 14, 2026. https://www.santacruzsentinel.com/obituaries/patricia-sambuck-wilder/. “Patricia Wilder Obituary (1924 - 2014) - Santa Cruz, CA - Charlotte Observer.” n.d. Accessed February 14, 2026. https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/charlotte/name/patricia-wilder-obituary?id=17236590. PinkMelody428. 2020. “Haunted Locations / Scary Stories.” Reddit Post. R/Santacruz, December 3. https://www.reddit.com/r/santacruz/comments/k66ptw/haunted_locations_scary_stories/. San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, California). 1907. “Agnes M’Laughlin Betrothed to Sam Rucker.” November 17. Santa Cruz Evening News (Santa Cruz, California). 1907. “Services Over the McLaughlins.” November 19. “Santa Cruz Is Weird.” n.d. Accessed February 14, 2026. https://www.thecobrasnose.com/xxghost/santacruz.html. Santa Cruz Sentinel (Santa Cruz, California). 1907a. “Poverty Pitiful at the End.” November 19. Santa Cruz Sentinel (Santa Cruz, California). 1907b. “Tragic Death of Major McLaughlin and His Daughter Agnes.” November 17. Santa Cruz Weekly Sentinel (Santa Cruz, California). 1907. “Tragic Death of Major McLaughlin and Daughter.” November 23. Newspapers.com. “Sweet House Dreams: Golden Gate Villa, 1891 Queen Anne Victorian in Santa Cruz, California.” n.d. Sweet House Dreams. Accessed September 10, 2021. http://sweethousedreams.blogspot.com/2018/06/golden-gate-villa-1891-queen-anne.html. The Main Sheet. 1916. July 10. http://archive.org/details/mainsheet1191271917indo. The San Francisco Call Bulletin (San Francisco, California). 1907. “Frank McLaughlin Kills Daughter and Himself at Santa Cruz.” November 17. Tom Brezsny, dir. 2012. Golden Gate Villa - 924 Third Street Santa Cruz California - Lavishly Ornamented Victorian. 5:46. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_jd72cnY_6E. Wikipedia. 2021. “Golden Gate Villa.” May 13. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Golden_Gate_Villa&oldid=1023021509. Zirkel, Kenneth C. 2023. English:  Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site, Buffalo New York. October 14. Own work. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Theodore_Roosevelt_Inaugural_National_Historic_Site.jpg.

    37 min
  2. FEB 18

    Pluckley, Kent: Britain's Most Haunted? Or Most Hyped?

    Pluckley, Kent, has long claimed the title of “most haunted village in Britain,” even earning a spot in the 1989 Guinness Book of World Records. With at least a dozen named ghosts, including the Red Lady of St. Nicholas Church, the White Lady, the Watercress Woman, the highwayman...the list goes on... it’s become a pilgrimage for paranormal enthusiasts. In this episode of Citegeist, we begin with the legends as they’re typically told, taking a walking tour through Pluckley’s countless hauntings and then turn to archival research to examine historic newspapers, guidebooks, and scholarly research to trace how the village’s list of ghosts exploded over time. https://citegeistpod.com/ Have a ghost story you want to share? Leave a voice note or send an en email at https://citegeistpod.com/contactPodcast Instagram: http://instagram.com/citegeistpodPersonal Instagram: http://instagram.com/joshua.spellman Channel illustration byGiAnna Ligammari: https://virtualgia.com/GiAnna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zip Royalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41 SOURCESAndrew Green. 1990. Our Haunted Kingdom. With Internet Archive. Fontana. http://archive.org/details/ourhauntedkingdo0000andr. Bain News Service, publisher. 1910. Walter Winans with Gun and Dead Buffalo. Glass negative. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2014694839/. Bain News Service, publisher. n.d. Walter Winans. Glass negative. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. Accessed February 11, 2026. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2014685406/. Chris Maynard. 1977. All About Ghosts (The World of the Unknown). With Internet Archive. Usborne Publishing Ltd. http://archive.org/details/allaboutghoststh0000chri. Daily Herald (United Kingdom). 1939. “On Ghost Hunt At Midnight (B.S.T.).” July 24. British Newspaper Archive. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000681/19390724/028/0003. “Dering Wood in Pluckley | Atlas Obscura.” n.d. Accessed January 20, 2026. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/dering-woods. Faversham News. 1911. “Woman Burnt To Death: Shocking Occurrence Near Pluckley.” August 19. British Newspaper Archive. Fireside Horror. n.d. “Ghostly Folklore - Britain’s Most Haunted Village. — Fireside Horror’Fireside Horror’ by P A Sheldon, Is a Book Filled with Mystery, Horror and Thrills. These Ghostly and Occult Tales Will Capture You Imagination.” Accessed February 2, 2026. https://www.firesidehorror.co.uk/blog-2/ghostly-folklore-englands-most-haunted-village. Jones, Richard. n.d. “A GHOST WALK AROUND PLUCKLEY ENGLAND’S MOST HAUNTED VILLAGE.” Accessed January 31, 2026. https://www.london-walking-tours.co.uk/free-tours/haunted-pluckley.htm. Kentish Gazette. 1772. May 23. British Newspaper Archive. https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000235/17720523/010/0004. “Laying Pluckley’s Ghosts to Rest: New Research Uncovers the Truth about the Most Haunted Village in England | UWE Bristol.” n.d. Accessed January 20, 2026. https://www.uwe.ac.uk/news/research-uncovers-truth-about-pluckleys-ghosts. Lily. 2021. “Pluckley Circular Walk [Complete Guide & Map].” The Flamingo Hiker, December 8. https://theflamingohiker.com/pluckley-circular-walk/. Moreton, Simon. 2025. “Laying Pluckley’s Ghosts: Frederick Sanders and the Origins of the ‘Most Haunted Village in England’, 1939–79.” Folklore 136 (1): 39–61. https://doi.org/10.1080/0015587X.2024.2425199. “Most Haunted Village.” n.d. Accessed January 31, 2026. http://www.real-british-ghosts.com/most-haunted-village.html. “Most Haunted Village in Britain, Pluckley.” 2011. Ukmythology, March 6. https://ukmythology.wordpress.com/most-haunted-village-in-britain-pluckley/. Pluckley. n.d.-a. “Ghosts.” Pluckley. Accessed January 20, 2026. https://pluckley.net/village-life/history/ghosts/. Pluckley. n.d.-b. “History.” Pluckley. Accessed February 1, 2026. https://pluckley.net/village-life/history/. “Pluckley Brickworks, Ashford, Kent, England, UK.” n.d. Accessed February 1, 2026. https://www.mindat.org/loc-420667.html. Pluckley Ghost Storytellers: The Men Who Gave Kent Its Hauntings | Spooky Kent. 2025. Ghosts and Hauntings. August 31. https://www.spookykent.com/pluckley-ghost-storytellers/. “Psychic News, 1971-06-19 (Page 2) Metadata | Digitalcollections.Lib.Umanitoba.Ca.” 1971. Psychic News, June 19, 2. Shakespeare, William. 1613. English:  “The Dering Manuscript” – the Earliest Extant Manuscript of a Shakespearian Play. Folger Shakespeare Library. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:The_Dering_Manuscript.jpg. “Surrenden Dering House | England’s Lost Country Houses.” n.d. Accessed February 1, 2026. https://www.lostheritage.org.uk/houses/lh_kent_surrendendering_info_gallery.html. “The Derings of Surrenden Dering Manor | Ukmythology.” n.d. Accessed February 1, 2026. https://ukmythology.wordpress.com/the-derings-of-surrenden-dering-manor/. “The Highway Man.” n.d. Accessed February 7, 2026. https://www.ghostconnections.com/The%20Highway%20Man.htm. The Independent. 2025. “Secrets of England’s ‘Most Haunted Village’ Revealed in New Research.” April 24. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/pluckley-kent-ghosts-haunted-study-b2738832.html. “This Is What Happened When I Visited the Most Haunted Village in Britain | The Independent.” n.d. Accessed January 20, 2026. https://www.the-independent.com/travel/uk/england/pluckley-kent-most-haunted-village-in-britain-b2851150.html. Underwood, Peter. 1975. A Gazetteer of British Ghosts. With Internet Archive. New York : Walker. http://archive.org/details/gazetteerofbriti0000unde. Wikipedia. 2026. “Pluckley.” January 4. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pluckley&oldid=1331106193.

    50 min
  3. FEB 4

    Ocean-Born Mary & the Pirate’s Curse: Digging Up the Truth

    Ocean-Born Mary is one of New England’s most enduring ghost stories and folk tales about a child born at sea, pirates, and long lost pirate's treasure. In this episode of Citegeist, we trace the legend back to its earliest sources and follow how a real, historical figure named Mary Wallace was transformed into a paranormal celebrity tied to buried riches, the awakening of Lorraine Warren's psychic powers, and pirates...all at a place she (and pirates) never even lived. Like most episodes, we meet a cast of characters (namely Flora and Gussie Roy) that are more interesting than the ghost stories themselves... https://citegeistpod.com/ Have a ghost story you want to share? Leave a voice note or send an en email at https://citegeistpod.com/contactPodcast Instagram: http://instagram.com/citegeistpodPersonal Instagram: http://instagram.com/joshua.spellman Channel illustration byGiAnna Ligammari: https://virtualgia.com/GiAnna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zip Royalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41 SOURCESBabb Unabridged. 2024a. “Phillip Babb (1) and the Folktale of Ocean-Born Mary Fulton.” May 7. https://babbunabridged.com/2024/05/06/phillip-babb-1-and-the-folktale-of-ocean-born-mary-fulton/. Babb Unabridged. 2024b. “Phillip Babb (1) Haunts Appledore!” May 10. https://babbunabridged.com/2024/05/09/phillip-babb-1-haunts-appledore/. Billy, Chuck. 2020. “Beware the Pirate Ghost of Appledore.” Living with a Golden, October 13. https://livingwithagolden.com/beware-the-pirate-ghost-of-appledore/. Carter, Pam. 2014. “My Maine Ancestry: 52 Ancestors #44 - Butcher Pirate and Ghost or Respected Fisherman.” My Maine Ancestry, October 25. https://mymaineancestry.blogspot.com/2014/10/52-ancestors-42-butcher-pirate-and.html. dbboles. 2018. “Witches, Wizards, Ghosts, and Things That Go Bump in the Night.” The Genealogist’s Craft, October 28. https://bolesbooksblog.wordpress.com/tag/babb/. D’Entremont, Jeremy. 2021. Ocean-Born Mary: The Truth Behind a New Hampshire Legend. American Legends. The History Press. FrightFind. n.d. “The Haunted Ocean Born Mary House.” FrightFind. Accessed January 17, 2026. https://frightfind.com/ocean-born-mary-house/. Geni_family_tree. 2022. “Phillip Babb.” April 26. https://www.geni.com/people/Phillip-Babb/6000000001744948008. Holland, Samuel, and William Faden. 1784. A Topographical Map of the Province of New Hampshire. Printed for William Faden, January 1. G3740 1784 .H6. Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. 20540-4650 USA dcu. https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3740.ar087300/. Holzer, Hans. 1966. Yankee Ghosts. The Bobbs-Merill Company, Inc. Jefferys, Thomas. 1755. A Map of the Most Inhabited Part of New England: Containing the Provinces of Massachusets Bay and New Hampshire, with the Colonies of Conecticut and Rhode Island, Divided into Counties and Townships: The Whole Composed from Actual Surveys and Its Situation Adjusted by Astronomical Observations. Thos. Jefferys. G3720 1755 .J42. Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Washington, D.C. 20540-4650 USA dcu. https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3720.ar079700/. Klun, Kathleen A. n.d. “Historical Facts Versus Legend: A View ‘OCEAN BORN MARY.’” Tucker Free Library. https://www.tuckerfreelibrary.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/OBMKlun.pdf. N.H. Union Leader (Whittier). 1966. “Ocean Born Mary Descendant Wed Amid Family Traditions.” August 2. Ocean Born Mary House, Route 202 Vicinty, Henniker, Merrimack County, NH. 1933a. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington,      D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print, HABS NH,7-HEN,2-. https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.nh0076.photos. Ocean Born Mary House, Route 202 Vicinty, Henniker, Merrimack County, NH. 1933b. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division Washington,      D.C. 20540 USA http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/pp.print, HABS NH,7-HEN,2-. https://www.loc.gov/resource/hhh.nh0076.photos. Ocker, J. W. 2026. “Ocean-Born Mary in Henniker.” Atlas Obscura, January 13. http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/ocean-born-mary. Omaha Sunday Bee-New (Omaha, Nebraska). 1934. “Pirate Loot Guarded by Ghosts in Old Mansion.” December 16. “Philip Babb II (1634-1671) | WikiTree FREE Family Tree.” 1634. April 6. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Babb-83. “Phillip Babb (1608–1700).” n.d. Accessed January 10, 2026. https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/LJY3-1BS/phillip-babb-1608-1700. Richmond, Robert P. 1963. “Ghost Keeper.” New Hampshire Profiles (New Hampshire), March. New Hampshire Historical Society. Robinson, Dennis J. 2012. “Why I Hate Fake Pirates.” SeacoastNH.Com. https://www.seacoastnh.com/why-i-hate-fake-pirates/?showall=1. Rojo, Heather Wilkinson. 2013. “Nutfield Genealogy: Ocean Born Mary ~ Born on Her Way to Londonderry, New Hampshire.” Nutfield Genealogy, October 10. https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2013/10/ocean-born-mary-born-on-her-way-to.html. Scuton, Paul. 1958. “Stage Search Today for Buried Treasure.” Manchester Union Leader (Manchester, New Hampshire), September 20. Szekler, Andrew. 2022. “Black Bart: The Most Successful Pirate of the Golden Age.” HubPages, November 8. https://discover.hubpages.com/education/The-Most-Successful-Pirate-of-the-Golden-Age. Thaxter, Celia. 1870. “Among the Isles of Shoals: II.” The Atlantic, January 1. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1870/01/among-the-isles-of-shoals-ii/630863/. Thaxter, Celia. 1873. Among the Isles of Shoals. With The Library of Congress. Boston, J. R. Osgood and company. http://archive.org/details/amongislesofshoa00thax. The Most Famous House in New Hampshire | House for Sale - New England. 2017. Homes. April 17. https://newengland.com/today/famous-house-new-hampshire-house-sale/. The Ogden Standard-Examiner (Ogden, Utah). 1930. “Hunting Pirate Treasure in New England’s Mystery House.” September 21. TUCKERFREELIBRARY. 2015. Ocean Born Mary — Original Source Material – Tucker Free Library. December 11. https://www.tuckerfreelibrary.org/2015/12/11/ocean-born-mary-original-source-material/. Whitney, Stephen T. 1963. “New Hampshire Profiles” Vol. 12, No. 3 (March 1963). Photograph. Wikipedia. 2025. “Ulster Scots people.” November 24. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ulster_Scots_people&oldid=1323882429. Wikipedia. 2026. “Ocean Born Mary.” January 29. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ocean_Born_Mary&oldid=1335447659.

    54 min
  4. JAN 21

    The Princess & the Plantation: Anna Madgigine Jai and the Ghosts of Kingsley Plantation

    Kingsley Plantation is often remembered for its hauntings, but the person most often reduced to legend is the woman who ran it. In this episode, we learn about Anna Kingsley (born Anta Madjiguène Ndiaye, also known as Anna Kingsley, Anta Majigeen Njaay or Anna Madgigine Jai,): a West African princess who was enslaved as a child and later became a plantation matriarch, landowner, and one of the most powerful free Black women in Florida before the Civil War. By tracing Anta’s life alongside the ghost stories tied to Kingsley Plantation in Jacksonville, Florida, this episode explores how history, race, and folklore become entangled...and how racial attitudes determine what stories are preserved and what shape they take. https://citegeistpod.com/ Have a ghost story you want to share? Leave a voice note or send an en email at https://citegeistpod.com/contact Podcast Instagram: http://instagram.com/citegeistpod Personal Instagram: http://instagram.com/joshua.spellman Channel illustration by GiAnna Ligammari: https://virtualgia.com/GiAnna's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zip Royalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41 Underwater sounds - loopable by carmsie -- https://freesound.org/s/329915/ -- License: Attribution 3.0 SOURCES “1860 United States Federal Census - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d. Accessed January 3, 2026. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/7667/records/7331642. “AncestryLibrary.Com - Florida, U.S., Wills and Probate Records, 1810-1974.” n.d. Accessed January 12, 2021. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/imageviewer/collections/8993/images/005886187_00016?usePUB=true&_phsrc=eBA241&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=120668. “Anna and Zephaniah Kingsley.” 2018. Celebrating Our History, September 22. https://uncoveringjax.wordpress.com/anna-and-zephaniah-kingsley/. “Anna Kingsley: A Free Woman.” n.d. OAH Magazine of History, 3. “Anna Madgigine Jai Kingsley - Division of Historical Resources - Florida Department of State.” n.d. Accessed January 3, 2026. https://dos.fl.gov/historical/museums/historical-museums/united-connections/women-in-history/anna-madgigine-jai-kingsley/. “Anna Madgigine Jai Kingsley (1793-1870) - Find a...” n.d. Accessed January 3, 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7698327/anna_madgigine_jai-kingsley. “Black History Month: The Ghosts of Kingsley Plantation.” 2011. Haunt Jaunts, February 25. https://www.hauntjaunts.net/black-history-month-the-ghosts-of-kingsley-plantation/. Card, Michael. n.d. “Guest Column: The Amazing Inter-Racial Story of Anna and Zephaniah Kingsley.” The Palm Beach Post. Accessed January 11, 2021. https://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/20191103/guest-column-amazing-inter-racial-story-of-anna-and-zephaniah-kingsley. Groove, Buddha. 2019. “The Spiritual Significance of Peacocks.” Balance, November 29. https://blog.buddhagroove.com/the-spiritual-significance-of-peacocks/. Jacksonville, Mailing Address: 12713 Fort Caroline Road, and FL 32225 Phone: 904-641-7155 Contact Us. n.d. “Anna Kingsley: A Free Woman - Timucuan Ecological & Historic Preserve (U.S. National Park Service).” Accessed January 11, 2021. https://www.nps.gov/timu/learn/historyculture/kp_anna_freewoman.htm. Jaxson, The. n.d. “Old Red Eyes And The Ghosts Of Kingsley Plantation.” Accessed January 9, 2021. https://www.thejaxsonmag.com/article/old-red-eyes-and-the-ghosts-of-kingsley-plantation/. leral, La rédaction de. n.d. “ANNA KINGSLEY... ou ANTA MADGIGIN NJAÏ - ANTA MADJIGUENE NDIAYE.” Leral.net - S’informer en temps réel. Accessed January 11, 2021. https://www.leral.net/ANNA-KINGSLEY-ou-ANTA-MADGIGIN-NJAI-ANTA-MADJIGUENE-NDIAYE_a263761.html. Schafer, Daniel L. 2018. Anna Madgigine Jai Kingsley: African Princess, Florida Slave, Plantation Slaveowner (Revised and Expanded Edition). University Press of Florida. Soergel, Matt. n.d. “For UNF’s Dan Schafer, Local History Is Life’s Work.” The Florida Times-Union. Accessed January 4, 2026. https://www.jacksonville.com/story/news/2018/05/16/for-unfs-dan-schafer-local-history-is-lifes-work/12218949007/. The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered, dir. 2024. Anna Kingsley. 16:35. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pTKmew88jSg. “Weird Florida.” n.d. Accessed January 10, 2021. http://www.weirdus.com/states/florida/road_less_traveled/old_red_eyes/index.php. Wikipedia. 2020. “Kingsley Plantation.” June 29. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kingsley_Plantation&oldid=965199923. Wikipedia. 2021. “Zephaniah Kingsley.” January 7. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zephaniah_Kingsley&oldid=998872813.

    55 min
  5. JAN 7

    The Crescent Hotel: America’s Most Haunted Hotel — The “Castle in the Air”

    Perched high above Eureka Springs, Arkansas, the Crescent Hotel is marketed as America’s "most haunted hotel". Ghost tours tell of restless spirits, wandering patients, and a mad doctor who tortured patients. But before the Crescent became a haunted hotel, it was a luxury resort, a women’s college, and later, the setting for one of the most disturbing medical frauds of the twentieth century. https://citegeistpod.com/ Have a ghost story you want to share? Leave a voice note or send an en email at https://citegeistpod.com/contact Podcast Instagram: http://instagram.com/citegeistpod Personal Instagram: http://instagram.com/joshua.spellman Channel illustration by GiAnna Ligammari: https://virtualgia.com/ https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zip Royalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41 Underwater sounds - loopable by carmsie -- https://freesound.org/s/329915/ -- License: Attribution 3.0 SOURCES:“1881 Scotland Census - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d. Accessed December 23, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/1119/records/3140305?tid=15263771&pid=252477880169&ssrc=pt&_gl=1*6566rs*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTU4MDMxOTUzNC4xNzY2NDk2MDgy*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*czk4NzQzODIxLWFhMzMtNDI4NC04MjFiLTNlZjI1YzRkNTY4YSRvMSRnMSR0MTc2NjQ5NjEwNiRqMzYkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*czk4NzQzODIxLWFhMzMtNDI4NC04MjFiLTNlZjI1YzRkNTY4YSRvMSRnMSR0MTc2NjQ5NjEwNiRqMzYkbDAkaDA. 1886 Crescent Hotel, dir. 2017. Fountain Garden Wedding Crescent Hotel. 00:20. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCFNUpUU1MY. 1886 Crescent Hotel, dir. 2018. Crescent Hotel Garden Wedding. 01:15. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=En9U-E4uUUw. “1910 United States Federal Census - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d. Accessed December 29, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/7884/records/409559?_gl=1*fn84i2*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTcwMzAyMTg5OC4xNzY3MDYzNDAy*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*czc1MjY5MDlmLTRiNTItNDMzYy1iNGQ3LWUwMGZhOGM4NjQ3OCRvMSRnMCR0MTc2NzA2MzQwMiRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*czc1MjY5MDlmLTRiNTItNDMzYy1iNGQ3LWUwMGZhOGM4NjQ3OCRvMSRnMSR0MTc2NzA2MzQwMiRqNjAkbDAkaDA. “1920 United States Federal Census - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d. Accessed December 23, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/6061/records/1885872?_gl=1*1mu4pin*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTgzMTI4NzYyMC4xNzY2NTM5MDk4*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*czk4NzQzODIxLWFhMzMtNDI4NC04MjFiLTNlZjI1YzRkNTY4YSRvMSRnMSR0MTc2NjUzOTExMiRqNDUkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*czk4NzQzODIxLWFhMzMtNDI4NC04MjFiLTNlZjI1YzRkNTY4YSRvMSRnMCR0MTc2NjUzOTA5NyRqNjAkbDAkaDA. “1930 United States Federal Census - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d. Accessed December 23, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/6224/records/113734436?_gl=1*1rv081i*_up*MQ..*_ga*NzA4OTM1Mjk5LjE3NjY1Mzg4MzQ.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*czk4NzQzODIxLWFhMzMtNDI4NC04MjFiLTNlZjI1YzRkNTY4YSRvMSRnMSR0MTc2NjUzODg0MyRqNTAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*czk4NzQzODIxLWFhMzMtNDI4NC04MjFiLTNlZjI1YzRkNTY4YSRvMSRnMSR0MTc2NjUzODg0MyRqNTAkbDAkaDA. “Another ‘Layer’ of the 1886 Crescent Hotel’s Days as a Hospital Surfaces | Arkansas.Com.” n.d. Accessed December 21, 2025. https://www.arkansas.com/another-layer-1886-crescent-hotels-days-hospital-surfaces. “Arkansas, Death Certificates, 1914-1969 - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d. Accessed December 23, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/61777/records/290106?_gl=1*1thzb0w*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTgzMTI4NzYyMC4xNzY2NTM5MDk4*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*czk4NzQzODIxLWFhMzMtNDI4NC04MjFiLTNlZjI1YzRkNTY4YSRvMSRnMCR0MTc2NjUzOTA5NyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*czk4NzQzODIxLWFhMzMtNDI4NC04MjFiLTNlZjI1YzRkNTY4YSRvMSRnMCR0MTc2NjUzOTA5NyRqNjAkbDAkaDA. Arkansas Democrat (Little Rock, Arkansas). 1885. “Notice to Builders and Contractors.” May 7. Arkansas Gazette (Little Rock, Arkansas). 1918. “Breckenridge Thompson’s Obituary.” Obituary. January 24. Arkansas Gazette (Little Rock, Arkansas). 1939. “Baker Denies Ownership of Hospital.” November 23. “Colonel John Fremont Ellis (1856–1931).” n.d. Accessed December 23, 2025. https://ancestors.familysearch.org/en/G63H-LXK/colonel-john-fremont-ellis-1856-1931. “Crescent College History Project.” n.d. Accessed December 26, 2025. https://www.facebook.com/crescentcollegehistory/. Daily Arkansas Gazette (Little Rock, Arkansas). 1886. “The Crescent Hotel.” May 21. Dallas Morning News (Dallas, Texas). 1910. “Crescent College for Young Women.” July 13. Encyclopedia of Arkansas. n.d. “Crescent College and Conservatory.” Accessed December 26, 2025. https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/crescent-college-and-conservatory-5618/. Fayetteville Weekly Democrat (Fayetteville, Arkansas). 1885. “Obituary R P Pulliam.” June 17. Garbeaux17. 2024. “Chased by a Ghost at the Crescent Hotel.” Reddit Post. R/ParanormalEncounters, September 10. https://www.reddit.com/r/ParanormalEncounters/comments/1fd5g3t/chased_by_a_ghost_at_the_crescent_hotel/. “George Leggett Booker.” n.d. Accessed December 23, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/family-tree/person/tree/119137242/person/282131381203/facts?_gl=1*692znh*_up*MQ..*_ga*MjAzMzk5ODUwLjE3NjY1MDU2MzQ.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*czk4NzQzODIxLWFhMzMtNDI4NC04MjFiLTNlZjI1YzRkNTY4YSRvMSRnMSR0MTc2NjUwNTk0MiRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*czk4NzQzODIxLWFhMzMtNDI4NC04MjFiLTNlZjI1YzRkNTY4YSRvMSRnMSR0MTc2NjUwNTk0MiRqNjAkbDAkaDA. Green, James, and Stanley Kmiec. 2003. Attachable/detachable reaming head for surgical reamer. United States Patent US20030097133A1, filed November 21, 2001, and issued May 22, 2003. https://patents.google.com/patent/US20030097133A1/en. Haley, Amanda. 2014. “Haunting Ghost Experiences Revealed.” 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa, September 24. https://crescent-hotel.com/blog/haunting-ghost-experiences-revealed/. “Haunted Hotel History | Crescent Hotel Eureka Springs.” n.d. 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa. Accessed December 21, 2025. https://crescent-hotel.com/about/history/. Historic Hotels Worldwide. n.d.-a. “The History of 1886 Crescent Hotel | Historic Hotels Of America.” Accessed December 15, 2025. https://www.historichotels.org/us/hotels-resorts/1886-crescent-hotel-and-spa/ghost-stories.php. Historic Hotels Worldwide. n.d.-b. “The History of 1886 Crescent Hotel | Historic Hotels Of America.” Accessed December 21, 2025. https://www.historichotels.org/us/hotels-resorts/1886-crescent-hotel-and-spa/history-mystery.php. Hope Star (Hope, Arkansas). 1938. “Hope Man Is Patient at Baker Hospital.” June 22. Hope Star (Hope, Arkansas). 1939. “Six Are Arrested on ‘Cancer Cure.’” September 22. Instagram. 2023. “Eureka Springs, Arkansas on Instagram: ‘The Ellis House Is Located Adjacent from the Crescent Hotel and Has Been an Eye Catcher for over a Century! This Beauty Was Built in 1886 by Colonel John Fremont Ellis. Dr. Ellis Was a Homeopathy Doctor Who Moved to Eureka Springs to Open up a Practice in a Town Where so Many Were Being Cured by the “Magic Curative Waters.” He Was Also a Member of Eureka Improvement Company (an Investment Company Responsible for the Construction of the Crescent Hotel and Other Improvements to Eureka Springs Such as Securing a Constant Water Supply for the Town. 📍 44 Prospect Ave 📸: @jordansullivanpr.’” August 29. https://www.instagram.com/eurekasprings/p/Cwi23zVvNHa/. “John Edgar (1858-1885) - Find a Grave Memorial.” n.d. Accessed December 23, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/176388932/john-edgar. “John Fremont Ellis (1856-1931) - Find a Grave...” n.d. Accessed December 23, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/46873521/john_fremont-ellis. Justia Law. n.d. “Baker v. United States, 115 F.2d 533 (8th Cir. 1940).” Accessed December 25, 2025. https://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/115/533/1542132/. Laredo Times (Laredo, TX). 1939. “Norman Baker Plans to Establish New City.” March 31. Larry Flaxman, dir. 2022. The Truth About Norman Baker’s Bottles at the Haunted Crescent Hotel. 25:52. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhY9E-kaYkg. laurieskillern. 2024. “The Ellis House.” Photographs and Memories, August 10. https://laurieskillern.com/2024/08/10/the-ellis-house/. “Mystery Solved!” n.d. 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa. Accessed December 21, 2025. https://crescent-hotel.com/blog/press-releases/mystery-solved/. Newspapers.Com. n.d.-a. “Baker Faces 4-Year Term.” Accessed December 22, 2025. https://newscomwc.newspapers.com/image/16029524. Newspapers.Com. n.d.-b. “Baker Hospital Offered for Sale to State.” Accessed December 22, 2025. https://newscomwc.newspapers.com/image/2755996. Newspapers.Com. n.d.-c. “Free Celebration at Eureka Springs 25th.” Accessed December 22, 2025. https://newscomwc.newspapers.com/image/353714756. Norris, Eunice. 1918. “Breckenridge Thompson Death.” Society. Pine Bluff Daily Graphic (Pine Bluff, Arkansas), January 27. https://www.genealogybank.com/doc/newspapers/image/v2%3A1984745A707A0518%40GB3NEWS-19BE514664F64923%402421621-19BE5139AB9F68DA%4010-19BE5139AB9F68DA. Northwest Arkansas Times (Fayetteville, Arkansas). 1938. “Fayetteville Woman Takes Dietician Position at Baker Hospital.” June 30. Paragould Soliphone (Paragould, Arkansas). 1924. “Crescent College Closes.” January 16. Paris Express (Paris, Arkansas). 1915. “Reward for Poisoned Dog.” November 11. Scurio, John-Michael. 2019. “Theodora | The Eternal Hotel Guest In Room 419.” Iloveureka!, August 13. https://www.iloveureka.com/post/theodora-the-eternal-hotel-guest-in-room-419. sharphue. 2021. “Americas Most Haunted Hotel | Crescent Hotel & Spa.” Travel Eureka Springs, October 2. https://www.traveleurekasprings.com/americas-most-haunted-hotel-crescent-hotel-spa/. “The Charlatan of the Ozarks Still Looms Over the Haunted Crescent Hotel.” n.d. Accessed December 21, 2025. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/charlatan-ozarks-still-looms-over-haunted-crescent-hotel-180973743/. The Courier News (Blytheville, Arkansas). 1938. “Urges Probe of Baker Hospital.” May 19. The Courier News (Blytheville, Arkansas). 1940. “Norman Baker, Tw

    47 min
  6. 12/23/2025

    The Boy Beneath the Ice: Holiday Haunts at Ricketts Glen State Park

    Welcome to the Holiday Special! On today's episode we learn about the Christmas ghost story of Lake Jean at Ricketts Glen State Park. According to legend, a young boy testing out new skates fell through the ice, followed by his parents, all three perishing in the freezing water. Visitors still report seeing figures beneath the ice, strange lights on the lake, and whispers of strange voices in the wind. Who was this family? Did they exist? This episode seeks to find out, and along the way we learn about the Susquehannock people and the legend of the Ghost Tree. https://citegeistpod.com/ Have a ghost story you want to share? Leave a voice note or send an en email at https://citegeistpod.com/contact Podcast Instagram: http://instagram.com/citegeistpod Personal Instagram: http://instagram.com/joshua.spellman Channel illustration by GiAnna Ligammari: https://virtualgia.com/ https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zip Royalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41 Underwater sounds - loopable by carmsie -- https://freesound.org/s/329915/ -- License: Attribution 3.0 Sources:“1870 United States Federal Census - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d. Accessed December 11, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/7163/records/10181324?tid=&pid=&queryId=3c73f99f-67b4-4fda-a69f-043fc6282ef3&_phsrc=YQL294&_phstart=successSource&_gl=1*610ph1*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTc0MDQ4MzkzNi4xNzY1NTAzMTY2*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*czYyMzU5OTRjLTkxZjktNDY0Ny1hMmZmLTVmZmFjMmJiMDg0MCRvMSRnMSR0MTc2NTUwMzE2NSRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*czYyMzU5OTRjLTkxZjktNDY0Ny1hMmZmLTVmZmFjMmJiMDg0MCRvMSRnMCR0MTc2NTUwMzE2NSRqNjAkbDAkaDA. Bucior, Christine. 2019. “Ghosts and the Imagined Past.” Dissertation, Pennsylvania State University. Frazier, Jeffrey R. 2011. Ghosts of Penn’s Woods. Egg Hill Publications. Frazier, Jeffrey R. 2016. Pennsylvania Fireside Ghost Tales: Ghost Tales and Haunted Places Found in the Pennsylvania Mountains. Egg Hill Publications. “History Buffs Visit ‘Ghost Town’ of Ricketts, Where Lumbermen Used to Toil | Times Leader.” n.d. Accessed December 4, 2025. https://www.timesleader.com/features/656707/history-buffs-visit-ghost-town-of-ricketts-where-lumbermen-used-to-toil. “History of Ricketts Glen State Park.” n.d. Accessed December 5, 2025. https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/ricketts-glen-state-park/history. Ieraci, Ron. 2011. “Ricketts Glen State Park.” Pennsylvania Haunts & History, January 30. https://hauntsandhistory.blogspot.com/2011/01/ricketts-glen-state-park.html. Lancaster Examiner and Herald (Lancaster, PA). 1849. “Fatal Occurence.” August 22. Petrillo, F. Charles. 1991. Ghost Towns of North Mountain: Ricketts, Mountain Springs, and Stull. Wyoming Historical and Geological Society. https://harveyslake.org/gtnm/gtnm_complete.pdf. Public Ledger and Daily Transcript (Philadelphia, PA). 1850a. “An Afflictive Event - Three Young Ladies Drowned.” January 23. Public Ledger and Daily Transcript (Philadelphia, PA). 1850b. “The Drowned Boys.” July 9. “Ricketts Glen State Park - Wikipedia.” n.d. Accessed December 4, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricketts_Glen_State_Park. Stevens, Ryan. n.d. “The First Annual Skate Guard Hallowe’en Spooktacular.” Skate Guard Blog. Accessed December 4, 2025. https://www.skateguardblog.com/2013/08/paranormal-skatetivity-from-haunted.html. Susquehanna National Heritage Area, dir. 2023. Native Peoples’ Stories: The Conestoga-Susquehannock. 04:01. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNrogNnyruI. “Susquehannock | Culture, History, & Facts | Britannica.” n.d. Accessed December 11, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Susquehannock. The Ghost Tree. n.d. The Scranton Truth (Scranton, PA). 1904. “Drowned in Sight of Her Brother: Sad Accident at Mud Pond.” August 1. The Tribune-Republican. 1914. “Mud Pond Death Due to Exposure.” December 31. The Village Record (West Chester, PA). 1891. “A Boy Drowned.” January 4. Village Record and Register & Examiner. 1856. “Tongue Frozen Fast.” February 5. Walker, T. n.d. “Ricketts Glen State Park.” State Parks. Accessed December 5, 2025. https://stateparks.com/ricketts_glen_state_park_in_pennsylvania.html. Wikipedia. 2025. “Lake Jean.” November 10. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lake_Jean&oldid=1321359934. Wilkes-Barre Daily News. 1902a. “His Last Turkey Dinner.” December 28. Wilkes-Barre Daily News. 1902b. December 28. Wilkes-Barre Semi-Weekly Record (Wilkes-Barre, PA). 1905a. “A Mysterious Drowning.” August 29. Wilkes-Barre Semi-Weekly Record (Wilkes-Barre, PA). 1905b. “In Male Attire: Police Arrest a Woman Who Was Dressed in Men’s Clothing.” November 3. Wilkes-Barre Semi-Weekly Record (Wilkes-Barre, PA). 1905c. “Mud Pond Case: Georgi and Kensey Have Been Committed to Jail.” November 3. Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, the Evening News (Wilkes-Barre, PA). 1911. “Body on Mountain Not Identified: Grass and Bushes Grew on Decapitated Man’s Body.” July 17. N.d.

    42 min
  7. 12/17/2025

    Unveiling the Ghost Who Haunted Joan Rivers: Mrs. Spencer

    Joan Rivers often joked that her New York apartment was haunted by a ghost she called “Mrs. Spencer.” It’s a story that’s been repeated for years, usually as a quirky aside in Rivers’ life, but rarely examined any further. In this episode of Citegeist, we dig into the origins of the haunting and ask: who was Mrs. Spencer? Using property records, census data, newspapers, and archival sources, this episode traces the history of Joan’s apartment and the women who lived there before her. What begins as a celebrity ghost story quickly turns into an archival investigation and an examination of how easily real people can slip into legend. As always, the goal isn’t to debunk for debunking’s sake... it’s to uncover the hidden truths of history and bring them to light. Sources: “1920 United States Federal Census - Edith Spencer AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d. Accessed November 11, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/6061/records/110512062?_gl=1*ah79cx*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTQ3NDcxMTY2NC4xNzYyODY0ODYz*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*czAyYzI0MTQwLWI4MDAtNGIxMi1hMmFjLTA2NGFlYWRjZWQ4ZSRvMSRnMSR0MTc2Mjg2NDg2MiRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*czAyYzI0MTQwLWI4MDAtNGIxMi1hMmFjLTA2NGFlYWRjZWQ4ZSRvMSRnMCR0MTc2Mjg2NDg2MiRqNjAkbDAkaDA. “1940 United States Federal Census - Natalie C Spencer AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/2442/records/9642470?tid=&pid=&queryId=4475eccc-c152-41bb-86cb-a71db017cf4a&_phsrc=YQL44&_phstart=successSource&_gl=1*bw6u1m*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTM3MjkxMzY5Ni4xNzYyODIyODQ4*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMCR0MTc2MjgyMjg0NyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMCR0MTc2MjgyMjg0NyRqNjAkbDAkaDA. “1940s NYC | Street Photos of Every Building in New York City in 1939/1940.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://1940s.nyc/map/photo/nynyma_rec0040_1_01377_0005#18.39/40.766026/-73.970685. “ACRIS Search Results By Parcel Identifier.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://a836-acris.nyc.gov/DS/DocumentSearch/BBLResult. “AncestryLibrary.Com - Colonial Families of the USA, 1607-1775.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/imageviewer/collections/61175/images/colonialfamiliesii-001476_523?_gl=1*s89t3r*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTcyMTI4MTU2NC4xNzYyODE0ODAx*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMCR0MTc2MjgxNDgwMSRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMCR0MTc2MjgxNDgwMSRqNjAkbDAkaDA.&pId=450040858. Annual Report of Tennesee Railroad Company, 1972. 1972. Annual Report. Tennesee Railroad Company. https://www.stb.gov/wp-content/uploads/R-1//TENNESSEE%20RAILROAD%20CO._1972.pdf. “Edith Spencer Scrapbook.” n.d. Accessed November 11, 2025. https://archives.nypl.org/scm/20857. “Eleanor Morgan Satterlee (1905-1951) - Find a Grave Memorial.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7300641/eleanor_morgan-satterlee. “Emma Converse Death Notice.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/mediaui-viewer/tree/154947643/person/312045274519/media/52158d83-40d9-4b21-8a91-984803ea479f?_gl=1*1785xjw*_up*MQ..*_ga*NTQ0NzI5ODM0LjE3NjI4MTIxMDI.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMSR0MTc2MjgxMjE5NyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMSR0MTc2MjgxMjE5NyRqNjAkbDAkaDA. “Emma Louise Converse.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/family-tree/person/tree/154947643/person/312045274519/facts?_gl=1*5yksy8*_up*MQ..*_ga*NTQ0NzI5ODM0LjE3NjI4MTIxMDI.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMSR0MTc2MjgxMjEyOCRqMzQkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMSR0MTc2MjgxMjEyOCRqMzQkbDAkaDA. Farber, M. a. 1967. “STUDENTS AT L.I.U. SUSPEND BOYCOTT; They Will Decide Tomorrow on Any Further Action.” Archives. The New York Times, April 12. https://www.nytimes.com/1967/04/12/archives/students-at-liu-suspend-boycott-they-will-decide-tomorrow-on-any.html. Hauntedcuriosities.Com. n.d. “J.P. MORGAN’S NIECE MRS.SPENCER.” Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.hauntedcuriosities.com/products/j-p-morgans-niece-mrs-spencer. “HPDOnline - Overview.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://hpdonline.nyc.gov/hpdonline/building/14837/overview. Inc, Zillow. n.d. “1 E 62nd St, New York, NY 10065.” Zillow. Accessed December 14, 2025. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1-E-62nd-St-New-York-NY-10065/31533403_zpid/. “John Henry Clews. - The New York Times.” n.d. Accessed November 11, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/1907/04/11/archives/john-henry-clews.html. “Junius Spencer Morgan III.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/family-tree/person/tree/154947643/person/312045273144/facts?_gl=1*1lb300q*_up*MQ..*_ga*NTQ0NzI5ODM0LjE3NjI4MTIxMDI.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMSR0MTc2MjgxMjExMSRqNTEkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMSR0MTc2MjgxMjExMSRqNTEkbDAkaDA. Knickerbocker, Cholly. 1909. “Two of Yesterday’s Brides and Some of the Their Guests.” New York American (New York, NY), November 11. LMN, dir. 2025. Joan Rivers Calls Voodoo Priestess for Help (S3, E5) | Celebrity Ghost Stories | Full Episode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n_DfhZHIUw. Mansions of the Gilded Age | John R. Drexel Mansion | Facebook. n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.facebook.com/groups/mansionsofthegildedage/posts/979445722076469/. Miller, Tom. 2012. “Daytonian in Manhattan: The 1903 John R. Drexel House -- No. 1 E. 62nd Street.” Daytonian in Manhattan, November 1. https://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-1903-john-r-drexel-house-no-1-e.html. “MRS:I N::E:PEBODY :: ’ WEDSV. SPENCER; Ceremony, Performed: At the Home of Her Cousins,’Mr. and Mrs. E. Parmalee Prentice. - The New York Times.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/1927/04/01/archives/mrsi-nepebody-wedsv-spencer-ceremony-performed-at-the-home-of-her.html. Natalie Clews Spencer Foundation, Inc., Registered in New York, USA. n.d. “Natalie Clews Spencer Foundation, Inc., Registered in New York, USA.” Accessed November 10, 2025. https://cobaltintelligence.com/secretary-of-state/New%20York-business-search/NATALIE%20CLEWS%20SPENCER%20FOUNDATION,%20INC. New Pittsburgh Courier (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). 1928. “Entertainer Edith Spencer (1928) When She Had a Brief Act with Lottie Gee.” November 10. “New York, New York, U.S., Extracted Marriage Index, 1866-1937 - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/9105/records/4134389?tid=&pid=&queryId=db9c8939-3ce1-4b14-9213-68588a4966b0&_phsrc=YQL104&_phstart=successSource&_gl=1*1uhsosg*_up*MQ..*_ga*MjAxNDA3OTA1LjE3NjI4MjYwOTE.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMCR0MTc2MjgyNjA5MCRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMCR0MTc2MjgyNjA5MCRqNjAkbDAkaDA. New York Post (New York, NY). 1984. “NYU Bldg. Sold.” October 5. Genealogy Bank. “New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (Including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d.-a. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/7488/records/23740361?tid=&pid=&queryId=fac61af1-1edc-4c73-a3d0-292197ae86ad&_phsrc=YQL75&_phstart=successSource&_gl=1*1n9uopv*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTYwMTU1MDg1MC4xNzYyODI0NTI0*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMCR0MTc2MjgyNDUyMyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMCR0MTc2MjgyNDUyMyRqNjAkbDAkaDA. “New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (Including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d.-b. Accessed November 11, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/7488/records/2006641348?tid=&pid=&queryId=b2330ca6-2a7f-43a3-ab02-bc062f7c609d&_phsrc=YQL172&_phstart=successSource&_gl=1*4ctcms*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTQyMTEzMjc2LjE3NjI4NjcyNzg.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*czAyYzI0MTQwLWI4MDAtNGIxMi1hMmFjLTA2NGFlYWRjZWQ4ZSRvMSRnMCR0MTc2Mjg2NzI3OCRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*czAyYzI0MTQwLWI4MDAtNGIxMi1hMmFjLTA2NGFlYWRjZWQ4ZSRvMSRnMCR0MTc2Mjg2NzI3OCRqNjAkbDAkaDA. “New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (Including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d.-c. Accessed November 11, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/7488/records/4028672191?tid=&pid=&queryId=8f5b7f94-8f77-40f6-90fa-213686c70db5&_phsrc=YQL175&_phstart=successSource&_gl=1*jvl1v2*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTQzOTUwODYwMC4xNzYyODY3ODg4*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*czAyYzI0MTQwLWI4MDAtNGIxMi1hMmFjLTA2NGFlYWRjZWQ4ZSRvMSRnMCR0MTc2Mjg2Nzg4OCRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*czAyYzI0MTQwLWI4MDAtNGIxMi1hMmFjLTA2NGFlYWRjZWQ4ZSRvMSRnMCR0MTc2Mjg2Nzg4OCRqNjAkbDAkaDA. “New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (Including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d.-d. Accessed November 11, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/7488/records/2013115685?tid=&pid=&queryId=c85701fe-7229-4846-8122-048a8d5d7f3b&_phsrc=YQL177&_phstart=successSource&_gl=1*1m19cvx*_up*MQ..*_ga*ODE5MDk0NDk1LjE3NjI4Njc5NDc.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*czAyYzI0MTQwLWI4MDAtNGIxMi1hMmFjLTA2NGFlYWRjZWQ4ZSRvMSRnMCR0MTc2Mjg2Nzk0NiRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*czAyYzI0MTQwLWI4MDAtNGIxMi1hMmFjLTA2NGFlYWRjZWQ4ZSRvMSRnMCR0MTc2Mjg2Nzk0NiRqNjAkbDAkaDA. Newspapers.Com. n.d.-a. “Apr 23, 1922, Page 45 - New-York Tribune at World Collection.” Accessed November 11, 2025. https://newscomwc.newspapers.com/image/469284896/. Newspapers.Com. n.d.-b. “Nov 15, 1927, Page 10 - The Times at World Collection.” Accessed November 11, 20

    41 min
  8. 12/10/2025

    The Legend of Pigman's Road

    Join me in uncovering the truth behind the legend of Angola's Pigman. This half-man, half-beast specter stalks Holland Road in Angola, New York just outside of Buffalo. In life he was a brutal butcher responsible for murdering teens and countless others, in death he still terrorizes those who dare step foot on his property...or was he? We use archival resources to dissect the legend and discover what really happened. https://citegeistpod.com/Have a ghost story you want to share? Leave a voice note or send an en email at https://citegeistpod.com/contact Podcast Instagram: http://instagram.com/citegeistpodPersonal Instagram: http://instagram.com/joshua.spellman Channel illustration by GiAnna Ligammari:https://virtualgia.com/https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zip Royalty Free Music:"Behind the Veil" by 8er41 Sources: Angola Record (Angola, New York). 1919. “Carnegie Hero Medal and $1,000 Cash Awarded Ted Miller for Saving Boy’s Life.” Front Page. May 1. “Bill Durks | Sideshow Wiki | Fandom.” n.d. Accessed November 7, 2025. https://sideshows.fandom.com/wiki/Bill_Durks. Buffalo Evening News (Buffalo, New York). 1931. “Angola Butcher Slain; Suspect Held.” July 13.Carnegie Hero Fund Commission. n.d. “THEODORE MILLER, Angola, New York.” Accessed November 7, 2020. https://mychfc.org/hero.aspx?hero=18422. Colmerauer, Catherine. 2011. “Misguided Man or Unmerciful Monster: Uncovering the Legend of Pigman.” The Hamburg Sun (Hamburg, NY), October 27. Evans Journal. 1962. “Theodore Miller Dies, Native Angolan.” Obituaries. April 26. “Francis Joseph Anselmo (1913-1981) - Find A Grave...” n.d. Accessed November 7, 2020. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/85844336/francis-joseph-anselmo. Hageman, M.C. n.d. “Pigman: Angola’s Legend.” Accessed November 7, 2020. https://angolapigman.weebly.com/uploads/3/6/6/0/3660761/pigman.pdf. Leslie, Frank. 1867. The “Angola Horror.” Leslies’s Weekly. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Angola_Wreck.jpg. “Prodigies by James G. Mundie - Three-Eyed Man and Child.” n.d. Accessed November 7, 2025. https://www.missioncreep.com/mundie/images/image38.htm. Shea, Kate. n.d. “Forgotten Crimes: Specter of the Mob Hangs over Angola Butcher’s Slaying.” The Buffalo News. Accessed November 7, 2020. https://buffalonews.com/news/local/history/forgotten-crimes-specter-of-the-mob-hangs-over-angola-butchers-slaying/article_950b17b0-1cd0-599d-8206-87134af0539d.html. Vogel, Charity. 2013. The Angola Horror: The 1867 Train Wreck That Shocked the Nation and Transformed American Railroads. Cornell University Press. “WWII Draft Registration Cards for California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947.” 1947. Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 49. The National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri.https://search.ancestrylibrary.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2238&h=18097660&tid=&pid=&queryId=ea002894c1595865e870374abecb384c&usePUB=true#?_phcmd=u('https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/categories/39/?name%3DFRANCIS_ANSELMO%26birth%3D1913%26birth_x%3D0-0-0%26successSource%3DSearch%26queryId%3Dea002894c1595865e870374abecb384c','successSource').

    44 min
  9. 12/03/2025

    The Iroquois Theatre Fire & the Ghosts of Death Alley

    On this premiere episode of Citegeist, we uncover the tragic history behind Chicago’s Iroquois Theater Fire and the ghosts said to linger in Death Alley. Spirits have been seen by many, including Ana Gasteyer as she was starring in Wicked as Elphaba in what is now the Nederlander Theatre. WATCH on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@Joshua.Spellman 0:00 Intro 1:46 Story Portion (Alleged History) 11:33 Gossip Sesh Begins 12:24 Reliaility of Newspapers 13:10 Digital Preservation Discussion 14:29 Construction of the Iroquois Theater 19:16 Research Tangent #1: Mary Lytle 20:10 "Takes Ride in Cab with Wife's Body" (Research Tangent #2) 24:49 What Went Wrong? Asbestos Curtain & Safety Issues 33:41 Rachael Gorman and the "Sister's of Charity" 38:50 The Search for "Emma Dixon" the Ghost 41:36 The Real Cost of the Fire 42:12 Inquest & Court Cases 47:04 Ana Gasteyer as Elphaba in Wicked 47:42 Outro https://citegeistpod.com/ Have a ghost story you want to share? Leave a voice note or send an en email at https://citegeistpod.com/contact Podcast Instagram: http://instagram.com/citegeistpod Personal Instagram: http://instagram.com/joshua.spellman Channel illustration by GiAnna Ligammari: https://virtualgia.com/ https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zip Royalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41 Bibli-ahh-graphy and Works Cited “1903 Chicago Iroquois Theater Legal Proceedings Overview.” n.d. Accessed November 24, 2025. https://www.iroquoistheater.com/iroquois-theater-fire-legal-proceedings-overview.php. “1903 Newspapers Spiced Tragedy with Heroes and Villains.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.iroquoistheater.com/bogus-1903-iroquois-theater-fire-news.php. “Anna ‘Annie’ Halverson Dixon (1860-1903) - Find a...” n.d. Accessed November 24, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/44159931/anna-dixon. “Anna Dixon and Her Daughters Lost Their Lives at the Iroquois Theater.” n.d. Accessed November 16, 2025. https://www.iroquoistheater.com/anna-dixon-and-daughters-iroquois-theater-victims.php. “Asbestos - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration.” n.d. Accessed November 15, 2025. https://www.osha.gov/asbestos. “Chicago Newspaper Cartoonist John T. McCutcheon.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.iroquoistheater.com/famous-john-mccutcheon-cartoon-about-iroquois-theater-disaster.php. “Chicago’s ‘Alley of Death’ - Atlas Obscura.” n.d. Accessed November 8, 2025. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/couch-place-the-alley-of-death. Clark, Charles R. n.d. Iroquois Theater Fire, Exterior View of the Facade. Photographic print. The Chicago History Museum, ICHi-36009. “DECISION IN IROQUOIS FIRE.; Court Holds Fuller Construction Company Was Not Absolved from Liability. - The New York Times.” n.d. Accessed November 24, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/1908/02/02/archives/decision-in-iroquois-fire-court-holds-fuller-construction-company.html. “Eddie Foy as Sister Anne in ‘Mr. Bluebeard.’ He Was Dressing for This Act with the Elephant When the Iroquois Fire Began.” 1903. 50c16040-457a-0131-2dd2-58d385a7bbd0. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/50c16040-457a-0131-2dd2-58d385a7bbd0?canvasIndex=0. Ericson, Henry Albert. 1903. “Panorama of Iriquois [i.e. Iroquois] Theater after the Fire, Dec. 31, 1903.” Photograph. December 31. LC-DIG-ppmsca-07431. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2007662240/. “Frank Berg’s Family Died at the Iroquois Theater in 1903.” n.d. Accessed November 24, 2025. https://www.iroquoistheater.com/frank-berg-family-died-at-iroquois-theater.php. “Iroquois Theater Fire Changed Theaters and Fire Prevention.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.iroquoistheater.com/iroquois-fire-impact-on-theaters-and-fire-prevention.php. “Iroquois Theater Lamp.” 1903. ICHi-073824. The Chicago History Museum. https://images.chicagohistory.org/asset/7265/. Iroquois Theatre. n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://iroquoistheatrefire.org/. “John and Elizabeth Christian Lost Their Daughter Henrietta to the Iroquois Theater Fire.” n.d. Accessed November 24, 2025. http://www.iroquoistheater.com/18-year-old-henrietta-christian-died-at-iroquois-theater.php. “Leah F Dixon (1888-1903) - Find a Grave Memorial.” n.d. Accessed November 24, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/44159937/leah_f-dixon. Library, Massasoit. n.d. “Massasoit Libraries: Major American Fires: Iroquois Theater Fire- 1903.” Accessed November 10, 2025. https://library.massasoit.edu/americanfires/iroquois. Lillian Russell, 1861-1922, Bust Portrait, Facing Right, Wearing Plumed Hat. n.d. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-ppmsca-72874. McCutcheon, John T. 1904. His Sunday Dinner. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:McCutcheonIroquoisSundayDin.jpg. Newspapers.Com. n.d. “Dec 31, 1903, Page 2 - St. Joseph News-Press at World Collection.” Accessed November 16, 2025. https://newscomwc.newspapers.com/image/559333703. Old Spirituals. 2025a. “Iroquois Theater.” January 16. https://oldspirituals.com/tag/iroquois-theater/. Old Spirituals. 2025b. “Iroquois Theater.” January 16. https://oldspirituals.com/tag/iroquois-theater/. Pietrantonio, Valeria. 2023. “Lillian Russell, American Gilded Age Singer and Actress.” Quello Che Piace a Valeria, December 4. https://quellochepiaceavaleria.com/en/lillian-russell-american-gilded-age-singer-and-actress/. Queen of Random Things, dir. 2021. Ana Gasteyer - GORGEOUS Defying Gravity. 01:44. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PQbseCqVXU. “Rachael Gorman Targeted the Wealthy.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.iroquoistheater.com/notorious-grifter-masquerading-as-nun-helped-in-iroquois-theater-rescues.php. scott. 2019. “Death Alley Near Nederlander Theatre.” Windy City Ghosts, November 9. https://windycityghosts.com/death-alley-near-nederlander-theatre/. The Inter Ocean. 1903a. “Her Southern Home Left for Gay Revels.” August 11. The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1902. “REAL-ESTATE TRANSFERS.” September 14. The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903b. “Architect Who Designed New Iroquois Theater Engaged to Arrange Philadelphia Playhouse.” January 22. The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903c. “Iroquois Theater Cornerstone Laid.” July 29. The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903d. “Iroquois Theater Fire, 1903 [Page 1].” December 31. The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903e. “Iroquois Theater Fire, 1903 [Page 2].” December 31. The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903f. “Iroquois Theater Fire, 1903 [Page 5].” December 31. The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903g. “Iroquois to Open Monday, Nov, 23.” November 15. The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903h. “One Sister Safe and One Dead.” December 31. The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903i. “Promenade Foyer of the Proposed Iroquois Theater.” May 10. The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903j. “Takes Ride in Cab with Wife’s Body.” December 7. The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903k. “Work on Theater Tied Up.” August 11. The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1904a. “Asbestos Curtain In Theater Death Trap Annihilated By Blast Of Air During Fire.” January 1. The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1904b. “The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois); 01 Jan 1904, Fri.; Page 1.” January 1. The Survivors and Rescuers, Bishop Fallows. 1904. Chicago’s Awful Theater Horror “Lest We Forget.” Memorial Publishing Co. “Three Original Early 20th Century Chicago Postcards of j.k. Sebree’s Saratoga Hotel and Annex.” n.d. Accessed November 8, 2025. https://www.urbanremainschicago.com/three-original-early-20th-century-chicago-postcards-of-j-k-sebree-s-saratoga-hotel-and-annex.html. “Traeger Appointed Coroner Jury Heard Testimony from 180 Iroquois Witnesses.” n.d. Accessed November 24, 2025. https://www.iroquoistheater.com/iroquois-theater-coroners-jury.php. Wicked Wiki. 2025. “Ana Gasteyer.” November 8. https://wicked.fandom.com/wiki/Ana_Gasteyer.

    50 min
5
out of 5
39 Ratings

About

Citegeist explores the paranormal through an archival lens. Each episode begins with a ghost story as it’s typically told, and then we dive into the archive for a ghoulish gossip sesh, examining historical and archival resources to learn what really happened.  You'll find that oftentimes, the real history is stranger, and scarier, than ghosts. New episodes drop every two weeks. Subscribe now and I’ll see you in the stacks!

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