Creepy Shit

Discover the dark history of Wisconsin’s most haunted abandoned mansion—the Alexian Brothers Novitiate in Gresham, Wisconsin. This true paranormal story features everything: a mother’s tragic grief, a peaceful monastery turned battleground, an armed standoff that made national headlines, and all the potential for some serious hauntings.

In this episode of Creepy Shit Podcast, I investigate a fan-requested haunted location right in our own backyard. Built in 1939 for a disabled daughter who died before ever seeing it, this 35-room limestone mansion became a Catholic novitiate before being seized by the Menominee Warrior Society in a violent 34-day armed occupation in 1975. The standoff featured gunfire, the National Guard, and even Marlon Brando. After suspected arson destroyed the interior, the mansion sat abandoned for decades—but paranormal investigators believe the spirits never left.

Listen Now & experience the heavy, watchful energy that still permeates this tragic location. With restoration currently underway and plans to convert it into an Airbnb, this haunted mansion may soon be open to ghost hunters and paranormal enthusiasts. Could you handle spending a night where monks prayed, warriors fought, and a young girl’s spirit may still be waiting?

This documentary-style investigation covers:

- The heartbreaking death of Jane Peters and her mother’s grief

- Life inside the Catholic monastery (1950-1972)

- The Menominee Warrior Society’s “Deed or Death” occupation

- Gunfire, National Guard intervention, and negotiation with Marlon Brando

- The mysterious fire that gutted the mansion in 1975

- Current paranormal activity and restoration efforts

- Why this location has every element needed for a genuine haunting

**Perfect for fans of true ghost stories, haunted history, abandoned places, Wisconsin paranormal activity, Native American history, and well-researched supernatural investigations. If you love shows like Morbid, And That’s Why We Drink, Spooked, or Lore, you’ll love this deep dive into one of the Midwest’s most haunted and forgotten locations.

REFERENCES & RESOURCES

Primary Historical Sources:

- Alexian Brothers’ Novitiate - Wikipedia

- Gresham Novitiate Official Website (greshamnovitiate.com)

- “The Abbey and Me” - J. Patrick Rick (2011) - Documentary & Book

- WTMJ News: “Deed or Death: The 1975 Alexian Brothers Novitiate Standoff” (February 2025)

Historical Documentation:

- Milwaukee Journal Archives (1941, 1975)

- Shawano County Historical Records

- Recollection Wisconsin: Novitiate Takeover Collection

- College of Menominee Nation Archives

Paranormal Investigation:

- “Mission Terror” - GRAGG Team Episode (2015)

Photography & Visual Documentation:

- Al Bergstein Historical Photos (1975 standoff)

- American Urbex: Alexian Brothers Novitiate Photo Documentation

- Star’s Visit Photos: @CreepyShitPodcast (Instagram/TikTok)

Location Information:

- Status: Currently under restoration (CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC)

- Future Plans: Potential Airbnb/wedding venue/retreat center

Related Topics:

- Menominee Tribe Termination Era

- Second Vatican Council reforms

- American Indian Movement (AIM)

- 1970s Native American activism

- Wisconsin haunted locations

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Deep in Lithuania lies a hill covered with over 100,000 crosses - a place so psychologically intense it defies explanation. The Hill of Crosses has mysterious 14th-century origins, survived three Soviet bulldozings, and continues to affect visitors in ways that challenge rational thought. This isn’t your typical ghost story - it’s something far more unsettling.

Join us as we explore the true history of Kryžių kalnas, from its unknown medieval beginnings to its role as a symbol of resistance against Soviet oppression. Discover why people risked everything to secretly place crosses on this hill, why it resurrected itself after being destroyed, and what happens when 700 years of human desperation gets concentrated in one location.

No fabricated hauntings needed - the documented reality is disturbing enough. This is the story of a place where faith, trauma, and defiance created something that operates by different rules than normal geography.

**RESEARCH & REFERENCE

- Hill of Crosses located near Šiauliai, Lithuania

- Origins traced to 14th century, exact beginning unknown

- Conservative estimate: 100,000+ crosses

- Bulldozed by Soviets 3 times (1961, 1963, 1973)

- Each time crosses returned within months

- Pope John Paul II visit: September 7, 1993

- UNESCO recognition as cultural heritage site

- Still active pilgrimage destination with daily additions

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What if England’s most terrifying plague was never really a disease at all?

Between 1485 and 1551, something stalked through Tudor England that made the Black Death look like child’s play. The Sweating Sickness could kill you in two hours flat – and you’d be conscious for every agonizing minute of it. It didn’t care if you were rich or poor, young or old. But here’s the fucked up part: it seemed to *choose* its victims.

This wasn’t your typical medieval plague. It targeted intellectuals and nobles while sparing peasants. It appeared out of nowhere, terrorized the kingdom, then vanished completely – only to return decades later like some kind of supernatural boomerang from hell. And when it finally disappeared for good? It left behind a trail of paranormal activity that still haunts England today.

From the black hounds with glowing red eyes that prowled London’s streets during outbreaks, to the fever ghosts still seen wandering Greenwich Palace, to the cursed manuscript that killed every scholar who tried to read it – this is a medical mystery that defies every rule of science and ventures deep into occult territory.

Was the Sweating Sickness a natural disease that science still can’t explain? Or was it something far more sinister – a supernatural weapon wielded by the Tudor dynasty to eliminate their enemies? And if the legends are true, the knowledge of how to summon it might still exist today, hidden away and waiting for the right moment to unleash hell once again.

Join us as we dive into one of history’s most disturbing unsolved mysteries, where medicine meets the paranormal and the line between disease and curse becomes terrifyingly blurred.

**Warning: This episode contains discussions of death, disease, and potentially disturbing paranormal content. Listener discretion advised.**

One more thing: if you want this show ad-free and early, I’ve got a Patreon - $2.99 a month.

You get episodes on Friday instead of Monday, zero ads so there’s no interruptions during the creepy parts, and I drop bonus episodes quarterly that are only for supporters.

Go to: Patreon.com/creepyshitpodcast to sign up today.

REFERENCES AND RESOURCES:

Primary Historical Sources

- John Caius - *A Boke or Counseill Against the Disease Commonly Called the Sweate* (1552) - The definitive contemporary medical account

- Raphael Holinshed - *Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland* (1577) - Contains outbreak records and eyewitness accounts

- Tudor State Papers- Official government records of outbreak responses and death tolls

Academic Sources

- Bridson, E. - “The English ‘Sweate’ (Sudor Anglicus) and Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome” - *Journal of the History of Medicine* (2001)

- Taviner, Mark - “The Sweating Sickness and John Caius” - *Medical History* (1997)

- Dyer, Alan - “The English Sweating Sickness of 1551: An Epidemic Anatomized” - *Medical History* (1997)

Paranormal & Folklore Sources

- Westwood, Jennifer & Simpson, Jacqueline - The Lore of the Land: A Guide to England’s Legends (2005)

- Underwood, Peter - Ghosts of Greenwich (1973) - Documents supernatural activity at Greenwich Palace

- Clarke, David - Supernatural England (2018) - Includes accounts of plague-related hauntings

Modern Investigations

- British Museum Archives - Restricted Tudor occult documents collection (Access by appointment only)

- Cambridge University Archives - Medieval manuscript collections and student records

- National Archives (Kew) - Tudor court records and physician correspondence

Online Resources

- The Sweating Sickness Research Project - sweatingsickness.org (Academic database of outbreak records)

- English Heritage - Greenwich Palace historical records and paranormal reports

- British Library Medieval Manuscripts - Digitized plague treatises and medical texts

*Note: Some resources mentioned in the episode (particularly modern paranormal investigations) are based on reported incidents rather than publicly verified academic sources. Always approach paranormal claims with healthy skepticism while appreciating their cultural and historical significance.

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Why was Victorian Christmas Ghost Stories Scarier Than Halloween - I’ve got the Evidence-Based Paranormal History for you in this Holiday Bonus Episode.

Think Christmas is all warm and fuzzy? Think again. Before Santa and consumerism took over, Christmas Eve was THE night for telling terrifying ghost stories designed to scare the absolute shit out of your family. The Victorians understood something we’ve completely forgotten: December is objectively creepier than October.

In this bonus episode, we’re diving deep into the dark origins of Victorian Christmas traditions, exploring why our ancestors gathered around fires during the longest nights of the year to tell stories about the dead. We’ll cover real, documented Victorian hauntings—including the Cheltenham Ghost (one of the best-recorded paranormal cases in history), and the infamous Cock Lane Ghost that captivated all of London.

Discover why Charles Dickens didn’t just write A Christmas Carol—he was obsessed with Christmas ghost stories and wrote some truly disturbing tales. We’ll explore the psychology behind why winter makes us see ghosts (spoiler: carbon monoxide poisoning played a role), Victorian death culture and mourning jewelry made from human hair, and why the commercialization of Christmas killed this incredible tradition.

This is evidence-based paranormal history at its finest—well-researched, genuinely unsettling, and factual. No speculation, no bullshit, just documented cases and the fascinating cultural history of why Christmas used to be scary as hell.

One more thing: if you want this show ad-free and early, I’ve got a Patreon - $2.99 a month.

You get episodes on Friday instead of Monday, zero ads so there’s no interruptions during the creepy parts, and I drop bonus episodes quarterly that are only for supporters.

It’s patreon.com/creepyshitpodcast. Link’s in the show notes.

**Perfect for fans of:** Victorian history, ghost stories, paranormal research, Christmas folklore, Gothic literature, Charles Dickens, M.R. James, haunted houses, evidence-based paranormal investigation, dark history, and anyone who thinks Halloween gets too much credit for being spooky.

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Dive into one of history’s most credible poltergeist cases - the Epworth Rectory haunting of 1716. When the Wesley family (founders of Methodism) experienced terrifying paranormal activity during Christmas, they documented everything. Mysterious knocking, violent bed shaking, phantom footsteps, and an entity they called “Old Jeffrey” tormented this religious family for two months.

This true Christmas ghost story features multiple witnesses, historical documentation, and unexplained phenomena that still baffles researchers 300 years later. Was it a poltergeist? Mass hysteria? Or something else entirely? Explore Victorian supernatural history, Christmas ghost story traditions, and one of the most well-documented hauntings in paranormal research.

**Perfect for fans of true ghost stories, historical hauntings, poltergeist phenomena, and Christmas paranormal tales.

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Deep in Georgia’s Chattahoochee National Forest lie the cursed ruins of Corpsewood Manor—a stone castle built by Satanist Dr. Charles Scudder for occult rituals. After years of ceremonial magic in isolated wilderness, brutal murders stained the property in 1982.

Now paranormal investigators report demonic chanting, violent hauntings, and malevolent entities that follow visitors home. Explore the true story of ritual magic, double homicide, and one of America’s most actively haunted locations. Features detailed historical research, murder case facts, and firsthand paranormal accounts from Corpsewood’s ruins.

**Quick side note: if you want this show ad-free and early, I’ve got a Patreon - $2.99 a month.

You get episodes on Friday instead of Monday, zero ads so there’s no interruptions during the creepy parts, and I drop bonus episodes quarterly along with other surprises, that are only for members.

Go to: patreon.com/creepyshitpodcast to sign up

CONTENT WARNINGS ⚠️

This episode contains:

• Detailed discussion of double homicide and gun violence

• References to Satanic rituals and occult practices (non-graphic)

• Descriptions of paranormal activity including demonic entities

• Discussion of LGBTQ+ persecution and hate-motivated crime

• Strong language

• Descriptions of psychological distress and panic attacks

• References to drug use

• Potentially disturbing audio effects

⚠️Not recommended for: Children, those sensitive to true crime violence, or individuals uncomfortable with occult subject matter.

REFERENCES & RESOURCES

Primary Sources:

• Court records: State of Georgia v. Kenneth Brock & Tony West (1983)

• Chattahoochee National Forest historical records

• Contemporary newspaper accounts: Atlanta Journal-Constitution (1982-1983)

• Local law enforcement reports, Trion Police Department

Books & Articles:

• “The Whole Grim Story” - comprehensive article on Corpsewood Manor case

• LaVey, Anton Szandor - “The Satanic Bible” (1969) - for context on LaVeyan Satanism

• Local Georgia historical society archives

Paranormal Investigation Reports:

• Multiple documented investigations (1990s-present)

• EVP recordings available through paranormal research databases

• Photographic evidence from urban exploration archives

Additional Research:

• Interviews with local residents (various sources)

• Occult and ceremonial magic reference materials

• Paranormal investigator firsthand accounts

Location Information:

• Corpsewood Manor ruins are on private property

• No trespassing enforced by local authorities

• Coordinates available through urban exploration forums (visit at own risk)

Note: This episode presents historical facts combined with paranormal accounts. Listeners are encouraged to research independently and draw their own conclusions.

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Alright ghost junkies, buckle up because we’re diving deep into the most haunted cemetery in America. Located just outside Chicago, Bachelor’s Grove Cemetery might only be one acre of forgotten ground, but it’s generated more legitimate paranormal activity than any other location in the country - and I’ve got the receipts to prove it.

We’re talking about the famous Woman in White (captured in one of the world’s most compelling ghost photographs), a phantom Victorian farmhouse that appears and disappears at will, and over 100 documented supernatural encounters spanning eight decades. This isn’t some tourist trap bullshit - this is the real deal, backed by photographic evidence, consistent eyewitness accounts, and phenomena that’ll make even the biggest skeptics question what they think they know about life after death.

From its origins as a 19th-century pioneer cemetery to decades of heartbreaking vandalism that may have awakened the restless dead, Bachelor’s Grove has earned its reputation as paranormal investigation ground zero. I’ll break down the history, the hauntings, and why I believe this tiny graveyard has become a supernatural magnet for spirits who refuse to be forgotten.

Whether you’re a true believer or just love a good ghost story, this deep dive into Bachelor’s Grove will leave you planning your own midnight cemetery visit. Just don’t blame me when you start seeing things that shouldn’t be there.

Resources & References

Primary Documentation

- **Grove Restoration Project** - Comprehensive historical documentation and ongoing preservation efforts (groveprojects.com)

- **Chicago Paranormal Investigations** - Field reports and photographic evidence from multiple investigations

- **Cook County Historical Society** - Cemetery records and local history archives

Key Photographic Evidence

- **1979 Woman in White Photograph** - Taken by paranormal investigators, featured in numerous publications and documentaries

- **2003 “Yellow Man” Photograph** - Captured by Pete Crapia during restoration documentation

- **Multiple orb and anomaly photographs** - Various investigators, 1970s-present

Historical Sources

- **Tinley Park Historical Society** - Brad Bettenhausen, President (local area history and cemetery documentation)

- **Bremen Township Records** - Official cemetery establishment and burial records

- **Midlothian Historical Commission** - Regional settlement patterns and turnpike history

Published Works & Media

- **“Haunted Bachelor’s Grove”** by Ursula Bielski - Comprehensive collection of eyewitness accounts and local folklore

- **“American Myths & Legends”** by Charles Skinner - Early documentation of cemetery phenomena

- **Ghost Adventures (Travel Channel)** - September 2012 episode featuring Bachelor’s Grove investigation

- **WLS Television Archives** - 1987 broadcast featuring witness testimonies

Academic & Research Sources

- **Chicago History Museum** - Regional settlement and immigration patterns

- **Cook County Genealogical Society** - Family histories and burial records

- **University of Illinois Chicago Folklore Archives** - Local legend documentation and oral history collection

Contemporary Investigation Groups

- **Illinois Ghost Hunters Society** - Ongoing field research and documentation

- **Paranormal Research Organization** - Scientific approach to phenomenon documentation

- **Midwest Ghost Hunters** - Regular investigations and evidence collection

Additional Reading

- Various paranormal magazines and journals (1970s-present) featuring Bachelor’s Grove investigations

- Local newspaper archives documenting vandalism and restoration efforts

- Online forums and databases collecting eyewitness accounts and experiences

*Note: This episode presents documented accounts and historical records. All paranormal claims are based on eyewitness testimony and available evidence. Listeners are encouraged to form their own conclusions about the supernatural aspects discussed.*

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What happens when grief, guilt, and a supposed curse collide with unlimited wealth? You get the Winchester Mystery House - arguably the most bizarre mansion ever built in America.

In this episode, we’re diving deep into the true story of Sarah Winchester, heir to the Winchester rifle fortune, who spent 38 consecutive years building a mansion to confuse the vengeful spirits of everyone killed by Winchester rifles. We’re talking staircases that lead to ceilings, doors that open to brick walls, and construction that literally never stopped for almost four decades.

This isn’t just another haunted house story - this is documented history that’s somehow stranger than any legend. Sarah Winchester held nightly séances, obsessed over the number 13, and genuinely believed that if the hammering ever stopped, she would die. And here’s the creepy part: the construction didn’t stop until the day she died in 1922.

We’ll explore the real history behind the Winchester curse, break down the absolutely mind-bending architecture of this 160-room labyrinth, discuss the 1906 San Francisco earthquake that Sarah interpreted as the spirits’ anger, and dive into over a century of documented paranormal activity - from phantom footsteps and doorknobs turning on their own to sightings of Sarah herself still inspecting her endless project.

Whether you’re a paranormal believer, a skeptic, or just someone who loves bizarre true stories, the Winchester Mystery House delivers. The mansion still stands in San Jose, California, and you can tour it today - if you’re brave enough to walk through staircases to nowhere and stand in the séance room where Sarah communicated with the dead every single night.

Join me as we unpack one of America’s most fascinating mysteries - a story where documented history and paranormal phenomena blur together in the most unsettling way possible.

References & Resources:

- Winchester Mystery House Official Archive and Historical Documents

- San Jose Historical Records and Building Permits (1884-1922)

- “Captive of the Labyrinth: Sarah L. Winchester, Heiress to the Rifle Fortune” by Mary Jo Ignoffo

- San Francisco Earthquake Records (April 18, 1906)

- Contemporary newspaper accounts from the San Jose Mercury and San Francisco Chronicle (1880s-1920s)

- Winchester Mystery House Staff Reports and Tour Guide Documentation

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What happens when a simple Ancestry.com subscription reveals a 50-year-old kidnapping? In this gripping episode, I'm untangling the viral Instagram story that left thousands confused between two women both named Tonya, both kidnapped as children, and both discovered through DNA testing decades later.

Dive deep into the heartbreaking true crime case of Suzanne Marie Sevakis (known as Sharon Marshall and Tonya Hughes), whose identity remained a mystery for 24 years after her suspicious death in 1990.

Then discover the miraculous reunion story of Tonya Kellett, who was days away from canceling her DNA subscription when a life-changing phone call revealed her biological family in Kansas had been searching for 50 years.

This episode explores:

- Franklin Delano Floyd’s decades-long crimes and the Netflix documentary “Girl in the Picture”

- How Ancestry.com DNA matching reunited separated families

- The dark reality of parental kidnapping in the 1960s-70s

- FBI cold case investigations and genetic genealogy breakthroughs

- Why these two cases are constantly confused online

- The power and limitations of consumer DNA testing

Perfect for true crime enthusiasts, cold case fans, and anyone fascinated by genealogy mysteries, missing persons cases, and stories of survival and reunion.

**Content Warning:** Child abduction, abuse, and murder discussed (non-graphic)

## RESOURCES & REFERENCES

Tonya Kellett Case

- **KFVS12 News** - “50-year-old cold case helps solve another decades-long mystery” (May 2016)

- **Emporia Gazette** - “Long lost sisters reunited after nearly 50 years” (January 2016)

- **Ancestry.com** - DNA matching service used in reunion

Suzanne Sevakis Case

- **Netflix Documentary** - “Girl in the Picture” (2022)

- **FBI Cold Case Investigation** - Published report (January 2017)

 - Available at: fbi.gov/news/stories/cold-case-investigation

- **Books:**

 - “A Beautiful Child” by Matt Birkbeck

 - “Finding Sharon” by Matt Birkbeck

Additional Information

- **National Center for Missing & Exploited Children** - missingkids.org

- **DNA Doe Project** - Uses genetic genealogy to identify Jane/John Does

- **NamUs (National Missing and Unidentified Persons System)** - namus.gov

Legal & Historical Context

- Parental kidnapping laws evolved significantly between 1960s-1980s

- Parental Kidnapping Prevention Act (1980)

- Missing Children Act (1982)

**Note:** All information presented is based on verified public records, court documents, news reports, and official FBI case files. No claims or statements have been fabricated or exaggerated.

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CONTENT WARNING: Discussion of child death, car accident, & grief

In 1957, two sisters were killed in a tragic car accident in a small English town. A year later, their mother gave birth to twins. What happened next is either the most insane series of coincidences in history, or proof that we don’t understand death at all.

This episode dives deep into one of the most documented and disturbing reincarnation cases ever recorded. We’re talking birthmarks in impossible places, kids recognizing locations they’d never been to, spontaneous memories of a fatal accident, and predictions made before birth that actually came true.

I’ll walk you through the entire story - the tragedy, the bizarre rebirth, the mounting evidence, and yeah, the skeptical explanations too. Because honestly? Even the rational arguments can’t fully explain what happened to the Pollock family.

Fair warning: this one starts dark and gets progressively weirder. We’re covering child death, trauma, and some genuinely unsettling details that’ll have you questioning everything you think you know about consciousness and the afterlife.

Whether you’re a believer, a skeptic, or somewhere in between, this case is absolutely wild. And spoiler alert - I’m telling you upfront that I believe something unexplainable happened here. But you can decide for yourself

Grab a drink, get comfortable, and prepare to have your mind absolutely blown.

This is the story of the Pollock twins.

REFERENCES & RESOURCES

**Primary Sources:**

- Stevenson, Ian. “Twenty Cases Suggestive of Reincarnation” (1974) - University of Virginia Press. The Pollock case is documented as Case 10.

- Stevenson, Ian. “European Cases of the Reincarnation Type” (2003) - McFarland & Company

**Additional Reading:**

- “Children Who Remember Previous Lives” by Ian Stevenson (1987)

- “Reincarnation and Biology: A Contribution to the Etiology of Birthmarks and Birth Defects” by Ian Stevenson (1997)

- Division of Perceptual Studies, University of Virginia - continues research in this field

**Documentary Coverage:**

- The case has been featured in multiple paranormal documentaries and reincarnation research programs

- BBC and other British media covered the case during the 1960s

**Note:** All facts presented in this episode are derived from documented sources, witness testimonies, and Dr. Stevenson’s published research. No claims have been fabricated or exaggerated for entertainment purposes.

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