Deena West Budd

In 1901, residents on the South Side of Hannibal claimed that the ghost of Frank Nesenhoener was haunting the “hills of Riverside Street,” after he was poisoned by his wife on July 14, 1900.

In the early part of the year 1900, Palmyra was plagued with an apparition that was witnessed by many of the town’s most distinguished citizens. In early February of 1900, the city marshal of Palmyra, W.B. Markell, was forced to post a notice requesting that the reckless shooting that had “been indulged in, on account of the ghost scare in town” stop, or the offenders would be arrested... Read Mor

Do you believe in ghosts? You might after reading this. Did you know many of the region's craziest urban legends originated in Hannibal? We took a look at some of the eeriest stories and most "haunted" sites in America's Hometown. Here are the top six...

Villa Kathrine, the lovely Moorish-like castle built on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River in Quincy, has such an interesting history that I am not surprised to find a few spirits involved in the legend as well. Although I found quite a few articles about William George Metz, the man who built Villa Kathrine, at www...

Before the swampy land of southeastern Missouri was drained to become the rich farmland of today, sightings of an immense, hairy humanoid responsible for killing livestock, were reported often. After a hunter reported shooting at the black hairy beast, it disappeared for nearly thirty years.

I had the pleasure of getting to know Ms. Carolyn Williams at Stonecroft Manor in Hannibal a few years before her death in 2010. She was a delightful lady, and shared many of her life stories with me including the paranormal activity she and her mother experienced during the time they were renovating Stonecroft...

The Gallery Salon at 220 South 5th Street next to the public library in Hannibal is owned by Stacy Roland Roach. She recently met with me to share the story of a spirit called “Shippa” first encountered there that seemed to attach itself to her daughter for a while.

Anyone growing up in Hannibal during the late 1950's, 60's and 70’s has heard the tale of Screaming Johnny’s. According to the local legend, a young boy suffered a tragic death in the church building long ago, and his screams can still be heard coming from inside the abandoned Bear Creek Baptist Church late at night.

Carpet Bagger Antiques at 1408 Market Street in Hannibal is a fascinating place to spend a couple of hours on an idle afternoon, perusing an assorted array of antique furniture and items used by citizens of Hannibal in past years…possibly by our very own grandparents or great-grandparents. People have always loved their “stuff.” Is it possible that some of us are even reluctant to leave behind cer

The Mary Ann Sweet Shop, once located at 613 Broadway in Hannibal, is still talked about to this day by those who were fortunate enough to experience their bittersweet hot fudge sundaes and other ice cream delights. Unfortunately, I did not have this privilege as I was born just a little too late. As a paranormal researcher, though, I did have the opportunity to learn about some of the spooky acti