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0Ridge Cemetery
Tower Hill, Illinois
5.2 miles from Cowden, IL
Ridge Cemetery at Williamsburg Hill is said to be visited by apparitions, eerie lights and a disappearing old man. Phantom crowds and horses also have been seen and heard around the area. Rumors of sinister cult activity surround this place as well, and one report tells of a 3-year-old girl ...
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Ramsey Cemetery
Effingham, Illinois
15.7 miles from Cowden, IL
Ramsey Cemetery, established in 1851 with the burial of namesake Alexander Ramsey, is also known as Casbar Cemetery and is a nighttime teen hangout. Besides the graves, rock shelters and sandstone caves are nearby, covered with carvings from its many visitors. A young man committed suicide inside a chapel that ...
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King Cemetery
Dieterich, Illinois
27.8 miles from Cowden, IL
There are vague reports online about orbs and shadow people being seen here. This cemetery is on private property, so be sure to secure the proper permissions before even thinking about visiting.
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The Harrison Street Inn
Sullivan, Illinois
27.9 miles from Cowden, IL
Eyewitnesses report apparitions, footsteps, diesmbodied voices, showers and toilets that work by themselves, and many other strange phenomena at this historic inn.
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Anderson Cemetery - Cemetery X
Taylorville, Illinois
30.3 miles from Cowden, IL
According to tales told about this cemetery, there is a secret passage that opens up at night, when trees part and a path appears to an ancient graveyard. It's said to be protected by a phantom wolf who chases trespassers. (The cemetery is not to be confused with another Anderson ...
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Pemberton Hall - Eastern Illinois University
Charleston, Illinois
40.1 miles from Cowden, IL
The ghost of Mary Hawkins, a former dorm mother, is said to be the head haunt here.
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Greenwood Cemetery
Decatur, Illinois
40.8 miles from Cowden, IL
This large and very actively haunted cemetery is known for the ghostly weeping Greenwood Bride, and it's also home to many Confederate soldiers' spirits. The soldiers were prisoners in the Civil War, and died of yellow fever only to be cast into unmarked graves. The soldiers have been known to ...
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Lincoln Square Theatre
Decatur, Illinois
41.3 miles from Cowden, IL
This historic 1916 theater building was built atop the fire-ravaged Priest Hotel that once stood here. It is said that the ghosts of the fire victims still linger in the theater. Red, a former theater worker, is a friendly ghost here. Witnesses have heard his whispers, seen his shadowy form, ...
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Millikin University
Decatur, Illinois
41.4 miles from Cowden, IL
Many ghosts are said to haunt the historic Millikin University, including Rail Girl, who haunts the Albert Taylor Theater. Her ghost appears, as her name suggests, along a rail in the upper part of the theater. Students have a tradition of leaving her three pieces of candy before a show ...
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Avon Theater
Decatur, Illinois
41.5 miles from Cowden, IL
Staff members at this theater report disembodied laughter, footsteps, missing objects, and voices and applause that come from the auditorium when it is empty. The apparition of a man in his 50s or 60s also has been seen.
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0Ashmore Estates
Ashmore, Illinois
47.5 miles from Cowden, IL
Reportedly a former almshouse, this building was purchased for use as a haunted attraction. It was reportedly haunted by many ghosts, including Elva SKinner, a woman who died in a fire in the former almshouse. The house has been featured in several books and TV shows including Ghost Hunters and ...
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Saint Omer Cemetery
Ashmore, Illinois
49.6 miles from Cowden, IL
At Saint Omer Cemetery, legend has it that there is a witch's grave. According to the story, Caroline Barnes was hanged by the townspeople for witchcraft. As she went, she cursed the town and vowed to come back for revenge on the anniversary of her death. To trick her, the ...
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Violin Annie - Elmwood Cemetery
Centralia, Illinois
50.8 miles from Cowden, IL
Local legend says that Harriet Anne Marshall (Annie) was an accomplished violinist, and the daughter of a wealthy doctor. She became ill and died of diptheria, and at her grave her parents placed a statue of her playing the violin. It is said that cemetery visitors can hear the violin ...
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0Allerton Mansion
Monticello, Illinois
53.5 miles from Cowden, IL
The Robert Allerton Park, with its 1900 Georgian Revival mansion and incredible gardens, are both open to the public. Here visitors may see some ghostly goings-on in the form of a Lady in White, believed to be a guest at the mansion long ago. It is said that she is ...
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Dana-Thomas House
Springfield, Illinois
56.5 miles from Cowden, IL
Witnesses who visit or work at the historic house have reported humming voices, chairs being thrown down the stairs, curtains that move by themselves, and an apparition of a woman in black. The woman is believed to be the home’s original owner, Susan Lawrence Dana, who is rumored to have ...
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0Inn At 835
Springfield, Illinois
56.5 miles from Cowden, IL
This inn was originally built in 1909 as a private home. As to the identity of the haunt who resides here, very little is known. Guests have witnessed apparitions and heard voices coming from rooms that are vacant, and the elevator runs by itself. Also, some people here have seen ...
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Three Mile House
Edwardsville, Illinois
64.5 miles from Cowden, IL
At this site once stood an inn that was haunted by ghosts of various children and adults, including slaves. The old inn may once have been a stop on the Underground Railroad. It is said that during 1970s renovations, underground tunnels and a skeleton were found. Phenomena that then began ...
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0Original Springs Mineral Spa and Hotel
Okawville, Illinois
67.3 miles from Cowden, IL
This historic hotel is said to have a great many haunts in residence. Included are a man named Meier, who died in an explosion in the 1880s, and J.W. Schreiner, an owner during the 1890s. At least 7 other spirits of folks who have perished during this hotel's long history ...
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Tapestry Room Restaurant
Lebanon, Illinois
67.6 miles from Cowden, IL
Housed in a row of 1850's buildings, this restaurant may have ties to the underground railroad. Ever since the establishment opened, staff and diners have been reporting strange phenomena. A former cook would often hear furniture moving around when there was nothing out of place, and an electrician conducting ...
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0McKendree University
Lebanon, Illinois
67.7 miles from Cowden, IL
This college has seen its share of tragedy, and the spiritual activity reported here can attest to that. On the main campus, it is said that a distraught student once hung himself in the bell tower, and his ghost has been seen on the upper floors. In the Alumni House, ...
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Ghosts of Springfield and Southern Illinois & Other Haunted Tales from the Prairie State
Rachel Brooks Posadas
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Lincoln College
Lincoln, Illinois
68.1 miles from Cowden, IL
Lincoln College is rumored to have ghosts in the 1866 University Hall, where a face appears in the bell tower and white misty forms appear in the windows. The ghosts, whose footsteps also are heard from time to time, are believed to be a boy and girl who passed away ...
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Fife Opera House
Palestine, Illinois
69.1 miles from Cowden, IL
David Fife built the opera house around 1900 and is rumored to be haunted. The building was also used for two other business of his: a hardware store downstairs and, as Fife was also a licensed embalmer, a funeral home on the second floor behind the auditorium. In 1935, Fife's ...
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Lebanon Road - Seven Gates to Hell
Collinsville, Illinois
69.7 miles from Cowden, IL
Lebanon Road is the stuff of legends to locals, who have nicknamed the place the Seven Gates to Hell. According to locals, those who drive through all seven bridges, going through the last one at midnight on the dot, will pass through to Hell. The area is said to be ...
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Krome Family Cemetery
Collinsville, Illinois
70.1 miles from Cowden, IL
A small family cemetery is now hidden amongst the trees just off Old Keebler Road. It is all that remains of the Krome family mansion, which burned down long ago and was for decades considered to be haunted by the locals. Some enterprising explorers found leg shackles in ...
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Miner's Theatre
Collinsville, Illinois
72.5 miles from Cowden, IL
Experts on the Miner's Theatre say it has three ghosts: Two are brothers, one of whom one killed the other to become the sole owner of the theater. The third ghost, a young woman, is friendly but likes to play pranks like hiding the actors' makeup or costumes.
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Milton Schoolhouse
Alton, Illinois
72.5 miles from Cowden, IL
The historic Milton School, built in 1904, operated until 1986 and then stood abandoned until the early 1990s when it re-opened as a decorative glass factory. It's believed to be haunted by a schoolgirl nicknamed Mary who was raped and murdered at the school when she stayed late to work ...
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Hartford Castle
Hartford, Illinois
72.5 miles from Cowden, IL
Hartford Castle was a speakeasy during the Prohibition, but was originally a home called Lakeview, built by French immigrant Benjamin Biszant in 1897. The castlelike home was the scene of a tragedy when Biszant's English wife passed away in the early 1900s. It is her ghost that was suspected to ...
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Alton Cemetery
Alton, Illinois
74.2 miles from Cowden, IL
Alton Cemetery is said to be haunted by several ghosts. One is a 9-year-old named Lucy Haskell, seen in the vicinity of the Hayner/Haskell monument. Another is a spectral woman in black near the Grandview mausoleum, and a third is minister and publisher Elijah P. Lovejoy. An abolitionist, Lovejoy was ...
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Lewis and Clark Community College
Godfrey, Illinois
74.4 miles from Cowden, IL
This school's library is reportedly haunted by the ghost of a person who committed suicide by hanging. It's also reported that teachers who have passed away linger here in spirit form, especially walking the hallways in the main building.
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Jacoby Arts Center
Alton, Illinois
74.7 miles from Cowden, IL
Formerly a funeral home and a furniture store, the basement of this 1883 building is particularly haunted. Visitors to the cellar have felt cold spots and an eerie presence, while the sound of the intercom that was disconnected many years ago has been heard on occasions. (Submitted by Callum Swift)
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0McPike Mansion
Alton, Illinois
74.7 miles from Cowden, IL
This 1869 mansion is the site of many strange happenings. It has been seen on the TV show Scariest Places on Earth. Apparitions have been seen in the hallways, and children's laughter has been heard.
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Mineral Springs Hotel
Alton, Illinois
75 miles from Cowden, IL
Several spirits are said to live at this historic hotel, now open for haunted tours. Among the ghosts are The Jasmine Lady, identified by the whiff of her floral perfume; George, who may have been drowned in the hotel swimming pool around the 1920s; The Drunken Ghost, the artist responsible ...
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First Unitarian Church
Alton, Illinois
75.1 miles from Cowden, IL
Founded in 1836, the First Unitarian Church's original structure here was built on the site of the St. Matthew's Catholic Church, which had burned down. Both churches were stations on the Underground Railroad. But that church also burned down in 1905, a the church that now stands here is said ...
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My Just Desserts - Ryder Building
Alton, Illinois
75.1 miles from Cowden, IL
Employees at this old-fashioned restaurant have reported a series of spooky occurrences over the past few years. A cook working on the ground level has reported hearing furniture moving around the hardwood floors upstairs on several occasions, but upon investigation, nothing is out of place. (Submitted by Callum Swift)
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208 State Street - The Lincoln Lofts
Alton, Illinois
75.3 miles from Cowden, IL
Abraham Lincoln once stayed at a hotel located in this 1836 apartment building, which is rumoured to be haunted. The ghost a young girl in a white dress has been seen playing with a ball on the main staircase, and visitors claim to have heard faint laughter and the ...
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Rocky Fork Church
Godfrey, Illinois
76.5 miles from Cowden, IL
The church was moved due to vandalism that kept recurring. Google Maps shows the church at the bend of Rocky Fork Road, but the last time I was there, it was at the end of Boy Scout Lane. When I was a young girl, my sister and cousin took me to ...
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0Cahokia Mounds
East St. Louis, Illinois
76.8 miles from Cowden, IL
The Cahokia Mounds, located in the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, were part of an ancient Native American city (circa 600 to 1400). These landmarks are said to be haunted by the spirits of the ancient Native Americans who used to live here. Visitors have reported seeing unexplained shadows and ...
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Fort Belle Fontaine
St. Louis, Missouri
78.1 miles from Cowden, IL
The historic Fort Belle Fontaine, famously visited by explorers Lewis and Clark, is said to be home to a presence that appears as dark-red smoke or a red light on the stairs.
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Papa Vito's Restaurant
Belleville, Illinois
78.7 miles from Cowden, IL
The current restaurant is housed in a historic residence dating back to the mid nineteenth-century. The building is rumoured to be haunted by four entities, including a ghostly stagecoach driver known as 'Charlie', a mother and her young child, and a ghostly headmistress who used to teach at a ...
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Lincoln Theatre
Belleville, Illinois
78.8 miles from Cowden, IL
Lincoln Theatre is believed to be haunted by a prankster ghost. An apparition of a ghostly child has run up and down the stairs, a woman has appeared in the balcony, and tricks are played in the projection booth. Reports say there are seven ghosts who call this theater home.
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Vigo County Historical Museum
Terre Haute, Indiana
78.9 miles from Cowden, IL
Formerly the Sage Mansion and once used as a halfway house, the Vigo County Historical Museum is home to some strange phenomena. The front staircase is a hot spot for orbs, and a small mist has been seen as well. Furthermore, a crib upstairs in an area that's closed to ...
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0Cheney Mansion
Jerseyville, Illinois
79.1 miles from Cowden, IL
Numerous reports of ghosts include the apparition of Miss Dorothy, a former nursemaid who roams the hallways and the bedroom bearing her name. Reports of people hearing talking upstairs, like women holding a conversation. Sounds of dining room chairs moving, like somebody's pulling out the chairs getting ready to sit ...
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Indiana State University
Terre Haute, Indiana
79.1 miles from Cowden, IL
At Indiana State University's Burford Hall, a ghost named Barb is the spirit of a student who died of alcohol poisoning. Witnesses have heard her vomiting or crying in the bathroom. And in Cromwell Hall is a white cross under a 12th-floor window where a man jumped to his death, ...
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Lindenwood Auditorium
Belleville, Illinois
79.5 miles from Cowden, IL
Lindenwood Auditorium at Lindenwood University, built in 1924, is said to be haunted by a teacher who passed away before the play she was producing made it to the stage. According to witnesses, the friendly ghost likes to move the props around.
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Illinois College
Jacksonville, Illinois
81.1 miles from Cowden, IL
Illinois College, founded in 1829, is rumored to have several haunted buildings. Among them are Sturtevant Hall and Beecher Hall, where folks have reported apparitions, footsteps, and other noises. Beecher Hall, according to campus talk, was formerly a medical building and the top floor was a space for storing cadavers. ...
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Bissell Mansion Restaurant and Dinner Theatre
St. Louis, Missouri
82.4 miles from Cowden, IL
Bissell Mansion Restaurant & Murder Mystery Dinner Theatre, inside the historic Bissell Mansion, is rumored to be haunted by more than the characters in their mystery shows. The mansion, built by Captain Lewis Bissell in 1823, is believed to be haunted by the captain himself. His apparition has been seen ...
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0Stanford Cumberland Presbyterian Church
Stanford, Illinois
84 miles from Cowden, IL
Built in 1901, the Stanford Cumberland Presbyterian Church had been loved and enjoyed by it's congregation until it was sold in 2004. Between 2004 to 2012 it has changed hands four times since. The first owner lived it for a very short time. It was then ...
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0Stanford Pour House
Stanford, Illinois
84.1 miles from Cowden, IL
Originally built at the turn of the century as a mercantile grocery store, it was shortly after used by a local church for their temporary place of worship until their regular church building was completed. It was then used for many years as a funeral home. It ...
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0The Lehmann House
St. Louis, Missouri
84.7 miles from Cowden, IL
This 1960s building, now a bed-and-breakfast, is said to be haunted by original owner Mr. Edward Rowse, who passed away in the dining room. Folks have reported shadowy figures, unexplained voices, and banging sounds.
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0Lemp Mansion
St. Louis, Missouri
85.7 miles from Cowden, IL
Reports say that at this bed-and-breakfast you may experience cold spots, electrical oddities, vibrations from the floors, feelings of sorrow, tapping on your shoulders, a pervasive feeling of being watched, a piano that plays a single note during the night... and if that weren't enough, you may find strange things ...
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