Citegeist

Joshua Spellman
  • 5.0 (43)
  • History
  • Updated Biweekly

Citegeist is a paranormal history podcast exploring ghost stories and folklore through an archival lens. Each episode starts with a ghost story as it's typically told, then we dive into the archive for a ghoulish gossip sesh, digging through historical and archival records to uncover what really happened. You'll find that, oftentimes, the real history is stranger, and scarier, than ghosts.Hosted by Joshua Spellman, archivist and librarian, who spends his days working in the archive and his nights chasing down ghosts in the historic record. New episodes drop every two weeks. Subscribe now, and I'll see you in the stacks!

  1. Sep 9

    Finding the Real Clue House: The Murder of Captain Joseph White, the Gardner-Pingree House, & the Ghosts of Tudor Close

    A Salem ghost tour claim sent me on a search for the real Clue house. While the Gardner-Pingree House, and the murder of Captain Joseph White, are said to be the story behind the game...that may not be true. Learn about the sensational 1830 Salem murder of Captain White and join the search for the real rea. Was the Gardner-Pingree house really the inspiration for the American version of Clue? And if not, what house actually was? In this episode, we cover the 1830 murder of Captain Joseph White, the panic that followed, the Knapp brothers’ disastrous scheme, and the courtroom drama that made the case famous. Then, we follow the paper trail into board game history, comparing early Clue / Cluedo editions, Parker Brothers marketing, and the houses most often linked to the game’s design...and we'll even meet a few ghosts along the way. Key Topics[00:00:00] - Intro[00:02:21] - The Gardner-Pingree House and the Captain Joseph White murder[00:26:30] - Research De-Brief[00:27:50] - Ghost Photograph at the Gardner-Pingree House[00:29:21] - Testing the Claim that the Gardner-Pingree House Inspired Clue[00:30:18] - The Parker Family Estate[00:33:55] - History of Clue / Cluedo and Anthony E. Pratt[00:36:49] - Tudor Close Hotel[00:38:25] - Reported haunting activity at Tudor Close[00:43:40] - Outro BibliographyBibliography “1950s Parker Brothers Clue Board Game - Etsy.” Accessed August 18, 2026.https://www.etsy.com/listing/4549434221/1950s-parker-brothers-clue-board-game Autencio, Kristel. “Grounds for Murder: Maps and Floor Plans in Mystery Novels.” BOOK RIOT, January 8, 2016.https://bookriot.com/grounds-for-murder-maps-and-floor-plans-in-mystery-novels-2/ Berry, Melissa. A Spooky Real-Life Murder Mystery for Halloween, Part II. Genealogy Stories. October 28, 2021.https://www.genealogybank.com/blog/a-spooky-real-life-murder-mystery-for-halloween-part-ii.html Berry, Melissa. A Spooky Real-Life Murder Mystery, Part III. Genealogy Stories. November 2, 2021.https://www.genealogybank.com/blog/a-spooky-real-life-murder-mystery-part-iii.html “Captain Joseph White |.” Accessed August 21, 2026.https://salempl.org/captain-joseph-white/ Case 13: The Return of Elizabeth Dacre. Episode 13. Uncanny. BBC, January 12, 2022.https://www.bbc.com/audio/play/m0013hb5 “Clue.” The Strong National Museum of Play, n.d. Accessed August 29, 2026.https://www.museumofplay.org/toys/clue/ Collier, Beth. “It Was Mr. Pratt in Birmingham with a Crayon!” Substack newsletter. Curious Minds, April 21, 2023.https://bethcollier.substack.com/p/it-was-mr-pratt-in-birmingham-with Daily Commercial Gazette (Boston, Massachusetts). “Joseph Jenkins Knapp.” January 1, 1831. Donelan, Jenny. “A House with Secrets.” New Hampshire Home Magazine, December 16, 2019.https://www.nhhomemagazine.com/a-house-with-secrets/ eBay. “Vintage 1949 Parker Brothers Clue Board Game, Near Complete, Excellent Condition.” Accessed August 23, 2026.https://www.ebay.com/itm/158071690018 Entire-Company690. “Ghost walk pics.” Reddit Post, r/SalemMA, September 10, 2025.https://www.reddit.com/r/SalemMA/comments/1ndemkz/ghost_walk_pics/ Historic England. “Tudor Close.” Accessed August 26, 2026.https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1380426 Houghton, Kristen. “The 1830 True Murder Behind Poe’s ‘The Tell-Tale Heart.’” Criminal Element, December 1, 2016.https://www.criminalelement.com/the-1830-true-murder-behind-poes-qthe-tell-tale-heartq/ “Knapp’s Execution and Dying Protest.” Broadsides. 1830. Peabody Essex Museum’s Phillips Library Digital Collections.https://pem.quartexcollections.com/Documents/Detail/knapps-execution-and-dying-protest/2827 Lee, James F. “The Innocent, the Damned, and Daniel Webster: Salem Was the Scene for an Infamous Murder Trial.” James F. Lee, October 6, 2023.https://www.jamesflee.com/blog/white-murder Lewis, Walker. “The Murder of Captain Joseph White: Salem, Massachusetts, 1830.” American Bar Association Journal 54, no. 5 (1968): 460–66. JSTOR. Massachusetts Historical Society. “DYK That the British Board Game...” Facebook. Accessed August 24, 2026.https://www.facebook.com/MassachusettsHistoricalSociety/posts/dyk-that-the-british-board-game-clue-is-different-from-the-american-version-made/6552060401484905/ McDonagh, Evan. “The Great Detective Game: Clue & The George S. Parker House | Beehive.” Behive Blog, Massachusetts Historical Society, n.d. Accessed August 18, 2026.https://www.masshist.org/beehiveblog/2023/04/the-great-detective-game-clue-the-george-s-parker-house/ Milne, Andrew. “Ballrooms, Billiard Rooms, And Secret Passageways: Inside Tudor Close, The Real-Life English Mansion That Inspired Clue.” All That’s Interesting, February 14, 2026.https://allthatsinteresting.com/tudor-close-house Mizzy’s Parrots. Clue Mansion - The Actual House the Game “Clue” Was Based Off Of. 2016. 04:03.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnljXmTId34 Next Level Toys. Vintage Clue Board Games in Detail from 1963 and 1949. 2016. 14:49.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UDB2aPd-yE Popovici, Alice. “The Game Clue Was Borne of Boredom During WWII Air-Raid Blackouts.” HISTORY, June 13, 2018.https://www.history.com/articles/clue-game-origin-wwii “Rottingdean House That Inspired Cluedo Is ‘plagued by Ghost’ | The Argus.” Accessed August 26, 2026.https://www.theargus.co.uk/news/25949123.rottingdean-house-inspired-cluedo-plagued-ghost/ “Second Trial of John Francis Knapp by a New Jury: Recommenced at Salem, August 14, 1830, for the Murder of Capt. Joseph White, before the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, at a Special Session, Commenced at Salem, July 20, 1830.” Pamphlet. Dutton and Wentworth, 1830. Medicine in the Americas, 1610-1920. National Library of Medicine.http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101463057 “The Gardner-Pingree House.” Salem Ghosts, October 28, 2024.https://salemghosts.com/the-gardner-pingree-house/ “Trial of George Crowninshield, J.J. Knapp Jun.., and John Francis Knapp for the Murder of Capt. Joseph White of Salem on the Sixth of April 1830.” Pamphlet. Charels Ellms, 1830. Murder Pamphlet Collection. Fenimore Art Museum Research Library.https://nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16694coll8/id/887/ “Tudor Close, Sussex: The Mansion That Inspired Cluedo.” Exploring GB, n.d. Accessed August 26, 2026.https://www.exploringgb.co.uk/blog/tudor-close-sussex “Vintage 1949 Parker Brother’s Clue Game, First Release Game - Etsy.” Accessed August 18, 2026.https://www.etsy.com/listing/4547988681/vintage-1949-parker-brothers-clue-game Wagner, E. J. “A Murder in Salem.” Smithsonian Magazine, November 2010.https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-murder-in-salem-64885035/ Witch City Walking Tours. “The Murder of Capt. Joseph White at the Gardner-Pingree House.” Witch City Walking Tours, April 7, 2025.https://witchcitywalkingtours.com/the-murder-of-capt-joseph-white-at-the-gardner-pingree-house/

    Finding the Real Clue House: The Murder of Captain Joseph White, the Gardner-Pingree House, & the Ghosts of Tudor Close

  2. Sep 2

    The Red Lady & Other Tales: My Ghost Stories

    On this first episode back from hiatus I wanted to do something a little different...and tell you my own paranormal encounters! I know, I know, I'm a skeptic but even despite all these encounters...I still am. You have to let me know after listening...should I be? Or would you be a believer? Key Topics[00:00:00] - Intro[00:01:40] - Story 1: The Red Lady[00:09:52] - Psychic? Experiences[00:15:17] - Story 2: The Dead Lady & the Book[00:20:10] - Story 3: Door Stopped[00:24:44] - Story 4: Thanks for the Help[00:26:43] - Closing thoughts, listener call for ghost stories, and what’s coming next Relevant LinksWATCH on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@Joshua.Spellmanhttps://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.spellmanChannel illustration by GiAnna Ligammari:https://virtualgia.com/https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zipRoyalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41

    The Red Lady & Other Tales: My Ghost Stories

  3. Aug 18

    Sorry for ghosting you...Update and New Episodes?

    If you’ve been wondering where I went, this update explains the pause and what comes next for the podcast. It’s a candid check-in on grief, burnout, and the reality of trying to make a highly researched audio show sustainable. The plan is to try again with a few new episodes for spooky season, but with a format that feels more sustainable and more connected to listeners. If you have any ideas or feedback on format or what you'd like to hear...this is the time to share! And if you’re here for the long haul, thank you for sticking around through the quiet stretch. Take care of your pets and your loved ones, and remember: even if ghosts aren’t real, the people and animals in our lives are. Cherish them. https://citegeistpod.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@joshuaspellman TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@joshua.spelllman Podcast Instagram: http://instagram.com/citegeistpodPersonal Instagram: http://instagram.com/joshua.spellman Key Topics[00:00:04] - Opening update and why the podcast has been quiet[00:00:28] - Personal losses: the death of a dog and a cat’s cancer diagnosis[00:01:27] - How grief and mental load affected podcast production[00:02:12] - The challenge of scripted podcasting versus a more spontaneous style[00:02:46] - Why audio podcasts are harder to promote and measure[00:03:27] - Reassessing the format and asking for listener feedback[00:04:02] - Possible new episodes for spooky season[00:04:37] - Ideas for listener-submitted haunted locations and local investigations[00:05:01] - Where to send suggestions and feedback[00:05:56] - Closing thoughts and a sincere apology for the silence Royalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41

  4. Apr 29

    Emily's Bridge & Boots Berry: The True History Behind Vermont's Most Haunted Bridge (Stowe, Vermont)

    Stowe, Vermont has more than New England charm and ski slopes...it's also home to one of the most famous haunted bridges in the country. Emily's Bridge (aka Gold Brook Bridge) and a tap-dancing ghost said to haunt the Green Mountain Inn have circulated for decades, but what does the actual historical record say? This episode follows both legends through oral tradition, local archives, and the frustrating reality of trying to pull truth out of a story that's been retold a thousand times. We dig into the many competing versions of Emily's Bridge, why it feels more like a template for local legend than an actual historical account, and how a rumor hardens into "fact" once it gets repeated on tours, in books, and online. We also chase the paper trail on Boots Berry, a supposedly heroic tap-dancing inn worker whose biography turns out to be far harder to verify than the legend wants you to believe. Along the way: dead links, mismatched citations, false leads, and the reality that sometimes...the information just isn't there. A reminder that some ghost stories are built from nothing but spooky vibes, loose retellings, and just enough detail to feel legitimate. CHAPTERS[00:00:03] - Introduction to Stowe, Vermont’s ghost stories and the listener-submitted case[00:01:39] - The Haunting of Emily’s Bridge at Gold Brook Bridge[00:03:45] - The Legend of Boots Berry at the Green Mountain Inn[00:07:57] - The Many Versions of Emily's Story[00:11:29] - Digging into Possible Origins of the Emily Legend[00:13:19] - A Different Haunted Bridge?[00:16:59] - Researching Boots Berry’s Biography[00:22:37] - Tracing Citations and Finding the Trail is a Dead End[00:26:10] - When Historical Research Leads Nowhere[00:28:00] - Conclusion 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 SOURCESCitro, Joseph A. Green Nountain Ghosts, Ghouls & Unsolved Mysteries. Vermont Life ; Chapters, 1994. Citro, Joseph A. Passing Strange: True Tales of New England Hauntings and Horrors. Houghton Mifflin, 1997. Green Mountain Inn. “Inn History.” Accessed April 15, 2026. https://www.greenmountaininn.com/discover-the-inn/heritage-of-the-inn. Levitt, Alice. “Exploring Vermont’s Haunted Restaurants.” Seven Days, October 30, 2013. https://www.sevendaysvt.com/food-drink/exploring-vermonts-haunted-restaurants-2266453/. Lynchings in the North. “Lynchings in the North.” Accessed April 21, 2026. https://lynchingsinthenorth.org/. Mackinnon, Kim Foley. “Spend a Night at a Favorite Haunt.” The Patriot Ledger. Accessed April 15, 2026. https://www.patriotledger.com/story/news/2007/10/19/spend-night-at-favorite-haunt/40226261007/. Merritt, Kelly, and Kelly Merritt. The Everything Family Guide to Budget Travel. Adams Media, 2011. NAACP. “History of Lynching in America.” Accessed April 21, 2026. https://naacp.org/find-resources/history-explained/history-lynching-america. Newman, Rich. The Ghost Hunter’s Field Guide : Over 1000 Haunted Places You Can Experience. With Internet Archive. Woodbury, Minn. : Llewellyn Publications, 2011. http://archive.org/details/ghosthuntersfiel0000newm. Obscure Vermont. “Emily’s Bridge?” March 17, 2024. http://web.archive.org/web/20240317102114/https://obscurevermont.com/emilys-bridge/. Ocker, J. W. “Emily’s Bridge in Stowe.” Atlas Obscura, April 14, 2026. http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/emilys-bridge. Page, Timothy. “The Legend of Boots Berry.” Vermont Daily Chronicle, Vermont Daily Chronicle. Accessed April 15, 2026. https://vermontdailychronicle.com/the-legend-of-boots-berry/. Seven Days. “Exploring Vermont’s Haunted Restaurants.” Accessed April 15, 2026. https://www.sevendaysvt.com/food-drink/exploring-vermonts-haunted-restaurants-2266453/. St. Albans Daily Messenger (St. Albans,VT). “A Heroic Young Woman.” October 30, 1882. “Stowe, Vermont Is Allegedly One Of State’s Most Haunted Towns.” Accessed April 15, 2026. https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/trip-ideas/vermont/stowe-most-haunted-small-town-vt. The Barre Daily Times (Barre, VT). “Stowe.” January 13, 1932. The Daily Iberian (New Iberia, Lousiana). “Navy Wives Club Installs Officers at Monday Meet.” August 24, 1960. The Daily Iberian (New Iberia, Lousiana). “Navy Wives Meet at Frederic.” November 8, 1960. “This Place in History: Emily’s Bridge — Vermont Historical Society.” Accessed April 15, 2026. https://vermonthistory.org/emilys-bridge.

    Emily's Bridge & Boots Berry: The True History Behind Vermont's Most Haunted Bridge (Stowe, Vermont)

  5. Apr 15

    Winderbourne Mansion: The Haunted Maryland House Built on a Mistake (Boyds, Maryland)

    A haunted mansion. A tragic history. An official government document that seems to confirm it all...except it's wrong. Winderbourne Mansion in Boyds, Maryland has long been wrapped in stories of death, misfortune, and ghosts — but what happens when you actually go looking in the archive? In this episode, I revisit a case I first covered back in 2021 and try to untangle a widely accepted (and incorrect) narrative. Children who were said to have died...didn't. A supposed victim may never have existed at all. And the entire story traces back to a single government document with one fatal flaw. Through census records, newspaper archives, and death certificates, this one's less a ghost story and more a case study in how misinformation spreads and calcifies into "truth" — even landing in respected national publications.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“1880 United States Federal Census.” 1880. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/discoveryui-content/view/35148805:6742?tid=&pid=&queryId=77426bcee4ef96704997c9b6b70ace89&_phsrc=eBA275&_phstart=successSource. “1900 United States Federal Census.” 1900. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/discoveryui-content/view/33891257:7602?tid=&pid=&queryId=77426bcee4ef96704997c9b6b70ace89&_phsrc=eBA275&_phstart=successSource. “1920 United States Federal Census.” 1920. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/imageviewer/collections/6061/images/4313936-00657?_gl=1*h373dr*_up*MQ..*_ga*MzcwMDk3MDU4LjE3NzU0MzMzNTU.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*c2RjYTQyNzNlLTAyMmQtNGM4OC04OWMwLWMzN2EyYTQxNDA2OSRvMSRnMSR0MTc3NTQzMzM2MyRqNTEkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*c2RjYTQyNzNlLTAyMmQtNGM4OC04OWMwLWMzN2EyYTQxNDA2OSRvMSRnMSR0MTc3NTQzMzM2MyRqNTEkbDAkaDA.&pId=41965381. “Abandoned: The Decaying Splendor Of Winderbourne Mansion, Boyds, Maryland - The Ghost In My Machine.” Accessed April 13, 2026. https://theghostinmymachine.com/2021/05/10/abandoned-the-decaying-splendor-of-winderbourne-mansion-boyds-maryland/. “ACHS Summary Form M 18-10: Winderbourne (Totten House).” November 3, 1978. https://mcatlas.org/hp2/hpdocs/M_%2018-10.pdf. “Alice Crosby Totten (1869-1884) - Find A Grave...” Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38919506/alice-crosby-totten. Atlas Obscura. “Winderbourne Mansion.” Accessed February 7, 2021. http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/winderbourne-mansion. “Beulah Russelle Shry Pickrell (1904-1989) - Find a...” Accessed April 5, 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/104831376/beulah_russelle-pickrell. “COL Enoch Totten (1836-1898) - Find a Grave...” Accessed April 4, 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38919504/enoch-totten. Coleman, Peg, et al. “Winderbourne ACHS Summary Form.” 1978. https://msa.maryland.gov/megafile/msa/stagsere/se1/se5/016000/016900/016957/pdf/msa_se5_16957.pdf. Crumbling Decay America. Winderbourne Mansion Maryland - Drone (Abandoned). 2020. 07:17. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVBRJeD5oKw. Department of Commerce. Patent and Trademark Office. (1975 - ). 4750 - Sewing Machine - Elias Howe. issued May 27, 1846–May 25, 1854. https://catalog.archives.gov/id/2524933. “Dr Edith Totten (1879-1927) - Find a Grave Memorial.” Accessed April 13, 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38919509/edith-totten. “Elias Howe, Jr.” Accessed April 14, 2026. https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search/commonwealth:fb494q66x. Encyclopedia Britannica. “Elias Howe | American Inventor.” Accessed February 8, 2021. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Elias-Howe. Green Bay Advocate (Green Bay, Wisconsin). October 16, 1884. “Howe Totten (1870-1942) - Find a Grave Memorial.” Accessed April 13, 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/214024301/howe-totten. http://www.facebook.com/johnfranciskelly. “For Sale: The Faded Grandeur of the Winderbourne Mansion.” Washington Post. Accessed February 7, 2021. https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/for-sale-the-faded-grandeur-of-the-winderbourne-mansion/2016/04/18/2138eeda-0568-11e6-a12f-ea5aed7958dc_story.html. “Individual Property/District Maryland Historical Trust Internal NR-Eligibility Review Form: Boyds/White Grounds Historic District, Montgomery County.” March 21, 2022. http://web.archive.org/web/20220321093428/https://mht.maryland.gov/secure/medusa/PDF/Montgomery/M;%2018-8-1.pdf. “Michael Totten (1921-1924) - Find a Grave Memorial.” Accessed April 13, 2026. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/38919510/michael-totten. Richmond-Times Dispatch (Richmond, Virginia). “Lecturerer Dies.” November 17, 1927. The Daily Critic (Washington, D.C.). “Died.” October 8, 1884. The Evening Star (Washington, D.C.). “Col. Totten Dead.” November 12, 1898. The Evening Star (Washington, D.C.). November 7, 1901. http://newscomwc.newspapers.com/image/207674218/?terms=%22Edith%2BTotten%22&pqsid=x3NN_YD5pyhW_nx6SDusZg:489000:332569778. The Evening Star (Washington, D.C.). June 6, 1915. http://newscomwc.newspapers.com/image/332078312/?terms=%22Winderbourne%22%2BNOT%2BKennels&pqsid=x3NN_YD5pyhW_nx6SDusZg:1063000:1697821625. “The Strange, Fascinating History of This Abandoned Mansion Gave Me Goosebumps.” Trending. Definition.Org, November 30, 2016. https://definition.org/strange-fascinating-history-abandoned-mansion-gave-goosebumps/. The Times Dispatch (Richmond, Virginia). November 17, 1927.

    Winderbourne Mansion: The Haunted Maryland House Built on a Mistake (Boyds, Maryland)

  6. Apr 1

    The Ghost of Katie King: Spiritualism, Séances, and Scandal (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

    At the height of the Spiritualist movement, a spirit calling herself Katie King started appearing in darkened séance rooms across America and England — and she was unlike anything anyone had seen. She materialized in front of witnesses, spoke, walked, even let herself be touched. Scientists, journalists, and true believers all pointed to her as proof of life after death. Katie King claimed to be the daughter of the pirate Henry Morgan, returned as a "spirit control" to prove death wasn't the end. But as the séances grew more elaborate and the manifestations more physical, suspicion started creeping in. This one's got dimly lit cabinets, public demonstrations, whispered accusations, and a series of dramatic exposures that helped take down Spiritualism as a movement. 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 SOURCESAmerican Hauntings. “MEDIUMS OR MAGICIANS?” Accessed March 18, 2026. https://www.americanhauntingsink.com/davenport. Beachcombing. “Spirit Photo Fakes: Katie King.” Beachcombing’s Bizarre History Blog, January 4, 2014. http://www.strangehistory.net/2014/01/05/spirit-photo-fakes-katie-king/. “Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress - Retro Member Details.” Accessed March 23, 2026. https://bioguideretro.congress.gov/Home/MemberDetails?memIndex=O000152&lang=en&lang=en&lang=en. “Charley and Walter Ross: The First People Kidnapped in the U.S.” Accessed March 23, 2026. https://www.ushistory.org/germantown/upper/charley.htm?srsltid=AfmBOoo4kl_H2Wl0C7EBb979k_Y5_iuptZdvLOziLdSAb_ti6mBNCDuE. Child, Henry T. “Report of Henry T. Child, M. D., Vaccine Physician for the Northern District of the Northern Liberties of Philadelphia.” Medical Examiner (Philadelphia, Pa.) 3, no. 26 (1847): 86–87. Cincinnati Daily Gazette (Cincinnati, Ohio). “A Ghost or a Fraud.” July 23, 1874. Detroit Advertiser and Tribune (Detroit, Michigan). “The Katie King Affair.” September 25, 1874. Hoover, Stephanie. Philadelphia Spiritualism and the Curious Case of Katie King. The History Press, 2013. https://www.biblio.com/book/philadelphia-spiritualism-curious-case-katie-king/d/1588335242?srsltid=AfmBOor8LGIoqOeC-bMLOhMRnj7bTabEdHPM7OWWnZPcR3MxNop7G23j. Olcott, Henry Steel. People from the Other World. American Publishing Company, 1875. Photograph of the Materialized Spirit, “Katie King.” [with Dr. James Manby Gully (1808-1883)]. 1875 1874. Cabinet photograph. Harvard Art Museums. River Falls Journal (River Falls, WI). “Robert Dale Owen. The Cause and Manifestations of His Insanity.” July 30, 1875. “Rope Escapes, Musical Ghosts, and the Mysterious Magic of the Davenport Brothers.” Accessed March 18, 2026. https://www.weirdhistorian.com/rope-escapes-musical-ghosts-and-the-mysterious-magic-of-the-davenport-brothers/. “Spiritualists and Spiritualism.” Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, n.d. Accessed March 23, 2026. https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/spiritualists-and-spiritualism/. Sunday Dispatch (Philadelphia, PA). “‘Katie King’ or ‘The Spiritualism Mysery Exposed.’” April 1, 1877. “The Curious Case of Cook and Crookes.” Accessed March 15, 2026. https://www.sparkmuseum.org/the-curious-case-of-cook-and-crookes/. The Evening News (Detroit, Michigan). “Holmes’ Humbug. A News Skeptic Goes After That Blissfield Ghost.” September 19, 1874. The Evening News (Detroit, Michigan). “Katie King. She Makes Her Debut in Michigan.” September 14, 1874. The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, PA). “Katie King. Her Autobiography Concluded.” Secs. 1-2. January 11, 1875. The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, PA). “Katie King. Her Full History. As Related by Herself.” Secs. 1-2. January 9, 1875. The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, PA). “Robert Dale Owen’s Insanity and Its Cause.” July 6, 1875.

    The Ghost of Katie King: Spiritualism, Séances, and Scandal (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)

  7. Mar 18

    The Ghost of Anna Wheeler and the Trial of Mildred Brewster (College Hall; Montpelier, Vermont)

    Anna Wheeler's ghost is said to haunt College Hall at the Vermont College of Fine Arts — at least that's what campus lore claims. In this episode, I go looking for the real story behind the ghost and the strange happenings reported in the building's tower...and the truth turns out to be far juicier than the school's oral history lets on. In fact, Anna likely never even set foot in the building. The real story involves an 1890s love triangle between Annie Wheeler, Jack Wheeler, and Mildred Brewster, with a twist you won't see coming. Through archival research and historical court records, we trace how a real crime got flattened into a campus ghost story...and why, once again, the truth is stranger than the legend. 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 SOURCESArchival RecordsUnited States Federal Census 1900 — John Wheeler. Accessed February 27, 2026. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/7602/records/61913074 1910 — John Wheeler. Accessed February 27, 2026. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/7884/records/864619 1920 — John Wheeler. Accessed February 27, 2026. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/6061/records/59960769 1920 — Mildred Brewster. Accessed February 20, 2026. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/6061/records/13569057 1930 — John Wheeler. Accessed February 27, 2026. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/6224/records/81379697 1930 — Mildred Brewster. Accessed February 20, 2026. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/6224/records/111886159 1940 — John Wheeler. Accessed February 27, 2026. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/2442/records/52015944 1940 — Mildred Brewster. Accessed February 20, 2026. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/2442/records/66282820 Other Records “Kentucky, U.S., Death Records, 1852–1965.” Accessed February 27, 2026. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/1222/records/664663 “Lena Mildred Brewster.” Ancestry family tree record. Accessed February 20, 2026. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/family-tree/person/tree/163255563/person/172623223608 “Vermont Homicides 1891 to 1900.” The Ohio State University. NewspapersBoston Herald “Shot Rival and Self.” May 30, 1897 “Begged For Her Revolver.” June 1, 1897 “Trial of Mildred Brewster Will Be Begun This Morning.” November 22, 1897 “Validity of the Indictment.” November 23, 1897 “Mildred Brewster’s Fate.” April 7, 1898 “Jury Visited the Scene.” April 8, 1898 “Mildred Brewster’s Letter.” April 9, 1898 “Moods of Mildred Brewster.” April 15, 1898 Boston Journal “Mildred L. Brewster: She Is Arraigned on the Charge of Murdering Annie Wheeler, and Held for Trial.” November 19, 1897 “More of Insanity Theory.” April 20, 1898 “Expert Testimony.” April 22, 1898 “Insanity Theory Saves.” May 6, 1898 “Mildred Brewster Sent Back to Asylum.” September 24, 1908 “Mildred Brewster Once Accused of Murder, Quits Insane Asylum.” November 1, 1916 Other Newspapers The Barre Daily Times. “Experts Call Woman Sane.” October 27, 1916 The Boston Globe. “Brewster Trial Begins Today.” April 4, 1898 The Caledonian Record. “Sent Back to Waterbury.” September 30, 1908 The Caledonian Record. “Woman Freed from Asylum.” November 1, 1916 The Lowell Sun. “Mildred Brewster Will Die.” June 23, 1897 Seattle Daily Times. “Lena Brewster Funeral Announcement.” April 29, 1942 The Seattle Star. “Obituaries.” April 29, 1942 St. Albans Daily Messenger. “Praying for Death.” May 31, 1897 St. Albans Daily Messenger. “Asks for Release.” February 24, 1908 St. Albans Daily Messenger. “Press Opinion: The Return of Mildred Brewster to State Insane Hospital.” September 26, 1908 St. Albans Daily Messenger. “Tells Story of Life.” April 23, 1908 St. Albans Daily Messenger. “A Century Ago, a Sensational Murder Shocked Montpelier.” July 15, 1997 Vermont Watchman and State Journal. “Washington County Court.” April 20, 1898 Articles & EssaysSinger, Michelle A. L., and Tom Brown. “The True Story Behind the Legend of Anna’s Ghost.” The Bridge, October 16, 2015.https://thebridgevt.org/2015/10/the-true-story-behind-the-legend-of-annas-ghost/ Lockwood, Marissa. “The Haunted Vermont College Where History and Haunting Collide.” My Family Travels, November 28, 2025.https://myfamilytravels.com/the-haunted-vermont-college-where-history-and-haunting-collide/ Ramsey, Connie Cain. “The Ghost of Montpelier’s Courthouse.” Burlington Free Press.https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/news/local/2014/11/06/ghost-montpeliers-courthouse/18605573/ Wilhelm, Robert. “Insane Jealousy.” Murder by Gaslight.http://www.murderbygaslight.com/2018/07/insane-jealousy.html Writer, Stephen Mills. “Ghost of Anna Still Haunts VCFA.” Times Argus, October 30, 2019.https://www.timesargus.com/news/local/ghost-of-anna-still-haunts-vcfa/article_4dcf023c-3002-5a55-9545-f65f5b9bdcdd.html Shelberius. “Haunted New England: College Hall: Girl Killed for Love Haunts Tower.” Haunted New England, January 2, 2018.https://hauntedne.blogspot.com/2018/01/college-hall-girl-killed-for-love.html Websites & Online ResourcesConstructive. “The Story Behind VCFA’s Resident Ghost.” Vermont College of Fine Arts, October 19, 2015.https://vcfa.edu/the-story-behind-vcfas-resident-ghost/ “Tragedy and Mystery: The True Legend of Anna’s Ghost in Vermont.” Around Vermont, October 16, 2023.https://www.vermonter.com/annas-ghost/ “The True Story Behind the Legend of Anna’s Ghost.” Wayback Machine, July 17, 2020.https://web.archive.org/web/20200717115701/https://vcfa.edu/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/2015-10-15-The-True-Story-Behind-The-Legend-of-Anna%E2%80%99s-Ghost.pdf BROKEN ANTLER. “It Started with a Ghost: An Interview with Ann Dávila Cardinal.”https://www.brokenantlermag.com/blog/an-interview-with-ann-davila-cardinal “Montpelier Ghost Tour.” US Ghost Adventures.https://usghostadventures.com/montpelier-ghost-tour/ “Haunted Montpelier Ghost Tour.”https://lizzie-borden.com/ghost-tours/montpelier/ “County Courthouse: A Murder and a Ghost Story.”https://pocketsights.com/tours/place/County-Courthouse%3A-A-Murder-and-a-Ghost-Story-65-State-Street-86247:8775 Black Agnes & Anna Wheeler (video).https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1082195716850085

    The Ghost of Anna Wheeler and the Trial of Mildred Brewster (College Hall; Montpelier, Vermont)

  8. Mar 4

    Golden Gate Villa: The Gilded Ghosts of Santa Cruz's Haunted Mansion

    Golden Gate Villa is said to be cursed, haunted, and steeped in violence. The legend goes that a man in love with his stepdaughter murdered her and took his own life when he couldn't have her — but what does the historical record actually say? In this episode, I dig into the life of Major Frank McLaughlin, trying to understand the man behind a horrific crime rather than just retelling the ghost story that's grown up around it. 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.

    Golden Gate Villa: The Gilded Ghosts of Santa Cruz's Haunted Mansion
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About

Citegeist is a paranormal history podcast exploring ghost stories and folklore through an archival lens. Each episode starts with a ghost story as it's typically told, then we dive into the archive for a ghoulish gossip sesh, digging through historical and archival records to uncover what really happened. You'll find that, oftentimes, the real history is stranger, and scarier, than ghosts.Hosted by Joshua Spellman, archivist and librarian, who spends his days working in the archive and his nights chasing down ghosts in the historic record. New episodes drop every two weeks. Subscribe now, and I'll see you in the stacks!

Information

  • Creator
    Joshua Spellman
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    17
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Joshua Coty
  • Show Website
    Citegeist

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