Does anyone know of any (supposedly) haunted inns/hotels/B&Bs in the Midwest? Preferably someplace with an at least somewhat creepy look or atmosphere. If you've stayed there, what did you think? (Or, if you know of a particularly good one outside of the Midwest, go ahead and mention it, and I'll take note for future reference.) Thanks!

Catherine: Try www.ghosttours.com - Richard Crowe is a ghost tour leader in Chicago - he may have something on his web site.

Catherine,

Many people might snicker at your request and ten years ago I would have been one of them. My views on this subject changed forever; however, after spending one night at Syrus Aeckney's Inn on the coast of Maine.

My wife has always been interested in "The Occult" but I always thought it was a bunch of hogwash. Still, it never bothered me that she enjoyed it (even I enjoy ghost stories now and then) and if we were at a county fair or the like I would always observe when she went for Tarot readings, tea-leaf readings, seances, etc..

Her dream was to visit a genuine haunted house and she spent much time trying to determine where the "real thing" might be by visiting the library and doing a tremendous amount of reading on the subject. This was when she read about Syrus Aeckney. It seems that in the 1920s Mr. Aeckney arrived in Maine from overseas. The text didn't say from where but merely that he arrived with “two brothers and a wife.” They arrived in Portland, drove up north to Lewiston and then proceeded directly to the coast where they spent the next three and a half years building a "mansion" on the cliffs overlooking the ocean, near the little town of Hadleyburg.

According to Anee’s (my wife) reading the Aeckneys were not the most social people in the world. Although Syrus was seen in town from time to time, the two brothers and Syrus’ wife were never seen outside the property after the mansion was completed. The townsfolk knew they were there because the family was periodically spotted by people passing on the crest of a hill opposite. The townspeople tried approaching the family several times--both to welcome them to town and invite them to social functions--but Syrus merely greeted them all with a “cold and unwelcoming gaze” and “never so much as uttered a single word to anyone who approached.” Soon, everyone stopped approaching…but not before something unsettling occurred.

During the final attempt by the locals to invite the Aeckneys to a public gathering for the next day, muffled cries were heard emanating from the mansion. This next bit is a direct quote from the text:
“ As we neared the ghastly manor we heard what appeared to be a woman’s moans coming from the place. We stopped, wondering if mayhaps we had chosen in inopportune moment for our visit. Nay, but we did continue on for we knew this was to be the last descent by us, or anyone else, to this unsettling manse. As closer we approached, we heard the moans to become cries, the cries to become screams and the screams to become silent. Our charge was forever suspended.”

According to the rest of the book, it was another two years before anyone attempted another visit to the Aeckney home. When someone finally did call on the them, it was in the form of the newly appointed constable (apparently there had been none two years before when whatever happened, happened). What constable Mathew Stroeble discovered when he broke down the door to gain entrance was described by him as, “crimes of Hell committed here, on the Earth .” The descriptions that followed are unprintable in this forum…

to be continued

Hey, Arnie, Isn't it time to take out your pup tent, put a marshmallow on a stick, and save your ghost stories for your backyard camp outs?

I have heard much over the years about the Aeckney place. Unfortunately, by the time I was old enough to have a chance at staying there, it closed forever. Hey Arnie, did you get to stay there? If so, please continue with the story.

When I was in high school (25 years ago) we used to dare each other to drive to the old Aeckney place at night. NOBODY I knew of EVER had the guts to stay there for a night--alone or otherwise. There have been a lot of truly spooky stories about that place and many kids have been hurt while looking around there.

After my 20th reunion a few of us decided to drive down there. The road is currently barely passable without a 4WD. When we got there it was just about dusk, there was razor wire slung around the grounds and we decided it wasn't worth it to try and gain entry (plus, I was scared!).

Lulu

Ghostwriter:
I Lived in Portland (Maine) for fifteen years and visited the Aekney (sp?) place at least a dozen times. Frankley, I don't know why it wasn't ever used as a haunted house in a movie because it is BAR NONE the spookiest place I have ever seen.

I have heard bits of Arnie's story before and I know there is info about the place at the local library. For a brief time they even let people stay there overnight--for a price. An end was put to that practice several years ago, although I don't know why.

Tam

Where is the other post of this story? Did FOdors delete it?

dear want to know: type in haunted hotels in the search box & it is the one with 240 hits. Arnie STILL has not completed his story!

ttt

Catherine,

If you're still looking for haunted hotels, I suggest the Jerome Grand Hotel in Arizona. It's not the midwest, but of all the hotels I've stayed at, I believe it had the most phenomena. This isn't horribly surprising, since the building was a hospital during Jerome's heyday.

However, the site that is the most active has to be the Whaley House in San Diego. It's not a hotel, but it seems something happens there almost every day.