Deena West Budd
Java Jive – A Comfortable Gathering Place for Locals, Tourists…and Spirits
Java Jive in downtown Hannibal is a favorite gathering spot for locals to talk about topics ranging from politics to the paranormal. Tourists in the Main Street area are also drawn to the relaxing ambience and tasteful décor of the building. I first heard about a haunting at this location during the time that it was part of Haydon’s Hardware, and the ghost lingering at the location was known to be
Spirits of a Different Sort…at Finn’s on North Main
Most of the buildings on North Main in Hannibal have existed since the town’s beginning. In addition to businesses offering butchering services, lumber, groceries and other sundries and necessities of the time, there were also many taverns, houses of prostitution and gambling halls lining both sides of the street. Is it any wonder that so many spirits have decided to linger on in such a lively are
Dining With the Departed at the Historic LaBinnah Bistro
The LaBinnah Bistro is located in an 1870 Victorian home at 207 N. 5th Street, part of Hannibal’s historic Millionaires’ Row. The restaurant is well-known for offering fine Mediterranean cuisine in an elegant atmosphere. Many Hannibal residents are also aware that this location was where the respected businessman Amos J. Stillwell played euchre with his own murderer, Dr. Joseph C. Hearne, a few ho
Is the Morawitz Farmhouse on Highway HH Cursed?
Can a tragic event initiate a curse upon a house? Could an argument between neighbors, and a subsequent murder in 1876, be behind a curse on the old Morawitz Family farmhouse, located west of Highway 61, on the north side of what is now known as Route HH?
Does the Spirit of a Little Girl Haunt Hannibal’s Mark Twain Cave?
Anyone taking a tour of the famous Mark Twain Cave on Highway 79, just south of Hannibal, has heard the story of Dr. Joseph Nash McDowell and his young daughter. Many of the tour guides and visitors have actually seen the spirit of Dr. McDowell's daughter.
Is a Ghost Haunting the Garden House Bed & Breakfast in Historic Downtown Hannibal?
Many of Hannibal's visitors enjoy staying overnight at one of the bed and breakfast establishments in the historic downtown area. One of the most popular of these inns is the Victorian Queen Anne mansion, now called the Garden House Bed and Breakfast, on what was once known as Millionaire’s Row. The Garden House has been the focus of several paranormal investigations due to reported activity over
Judge Ogle’s Ghost Story
Judge John D. Ogle, a well-respected Associate Circuit and Probate Court Judge in this area from the time of his election in 1962 until his retirement in 1996, shared an interesting ghost story about the spirit of a young boy who would have grown up to be his uncle, had he lived.