Haunted Locations in Wisconsin

This is a file that contains some locations in Wisconsin that are reported to be haunted. This will make a fun motorcycle tag project. It gives riders a reason to go someplace to check something out, gives them a chance to experiment with their photography skills to try to capture a "haunted" image, and lets them tell some scary stories based on the lore associated with the sites they visit.

The idea here is to share the eerie lore and NOT to debunk it!

There are locations across the state so many people will be able to participate.

Overview




Coulee Region




Central WI




Chippewa Valley




East Central




Fox Valley




Northeast




Northwest




Door Peninsula




South Central




Southeast











There are a ton of websites that will give information about the locations (waypoints) listed in this file. The Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Locations is a good reference to carry along as you seek out these sites. There is a companion website as well (go to forums).

Chad Lewis and Terry Fisk publish some books for other states that serve as a good starter to identifying haunted locations. Some others may want to try this in their state.

Visit a site and take some pix. Be as creative as you like. Post them here and share the lore about why the place is haunted. If you have difficulty finding the stories associated with a particular waypoint, shoot me a PM and I'll help you out.

If you are web searching for info about these sites, make sure you include the word "haunted" in the search so you get the lore and not the facts.
Sample search: "haunted Maribel hotel"

This website is a good place to get a little information about some of the waypoints to use to begin a more detailed search.

The GPX can be downloaded here. New GPX for download as of November 7th.


Oh, and you might not want to go alone . . .

Mmmmmuuuhhhwwwwaaaaaahaaahaaaa!

Waypoint SE05 LaBelle Cemetery

People have seen the apparition of this girl walking down the steps of this marker and heading toward the lake to drown herself.



Some have seen the girl in the statue come to life before she walks down the steps of the marker.



Some say that the hands bleed from time to time.



This monument was erected in the 1940s. The people that did it used to own a tavern adjacent to a monument maker. They cut a barter deal in which part of the payment included free drinks and food from their bar for the monument maker. Something like this is reported to run over $200K today.



The lake she walks to is directly behind her.



Warning:
There are mysterious deaths, blindness, and other misfortunes associated with this marker.

Coulee Region

CR01 St Charles Cemetery Genoa Cannonshot
CR02 Subway Dodgeville Cannonshot
CR03 Whisker Old Time Inn Genoa Cannonshot
CR04 Bodega Brew Pub Lacrosse Cannonshot
CR05 Del's Bar Lacrosse Cannonshot
CR06 Mineral Point Vampire Mineral Point Cannonshot
CR07 Walker House Mineral Point Cannonshot
CR08 Fairchild's House Westby Cannonshot
CR09 Hotel Boscobel Boscobel Cannonshot
CR10 Discascio's Coon Valley Cannonshot
CR11 Swing Inn Ferryville rickcorwn
CR12 Wyalusing Academy Prairie du Chief rockcorwn
CR13 Brunner's Foods Potosi Cannonshot
CR14 Big River Inn Genoa Cannonshot
CR15 Ridgeway Phantom Ridgeway Cannonshot
CR16 Rush Creek Cemetery Ferryville rickcorwn


Chippewa Valley

CV01 Green Eyes Bridge Osseo Cannonshot
CV02 Caryville Cemetery Cannonshot
CV03 Caryville Church Caryville rickcorwn Cannonshot
CV04 Old Caryville School Caryville rickcorwn Cannonshot
CV05 Hell Hounds of Meridian Cannonshot
CV06 Phantom Cars Cannonshot
CV07 Sheeley House Cannonshot
CV08 Fire Station #10 Cannonshot
CV09 Banbury Place Cannonshot
CV10 Stones Throw Cannonshot
CV11 Elk Lake Dam Cannonshot
CV12 Devil's Punch Bowl Menomonee rickcorwn
CV13 Mabel Tainter Theater Menomonie Cannonshot
CV14 Opera House Cannonshot
CV15 Overlook Tower Elk Mound rickcorwn Cannonshot
CV16 Eagles Club Cannonshot
CV17 Ghost Dancer Osseo Cannonshot
CV18 Tainter Hall Cannonshot
CV19 Cornell Library Cannonshot
CV20 CTH M Ghost Cannonshot
CV21 Strum Cemetery Strum rickcorwn
CV22 Vine St Cannonshot
CV23 Kjer Theater Cannonshot

Central

CW01 Spiritland Cemetery Plainfield Cannonshot
CW02 Charlotte Mills Bridge Christie Cannonshot
CW03 Clarkes Hardware Plainfield Cannonshot
CW04 Gein Murder House Plainfield Cannonshot
CW05 Ed Gein Grave Plainfield Cannonshot
CW06 Black Bridge Stevens Point Cannonshot
CW07 Blood Cemetery Stevens Point Cannonshot
CW08 Bloody Bride Bridge Stevens Point Cannonshot
CW09 Boy Scout Lane Cannonshot
CW10 Old Swenson Stevens Point Cannonshot
CW11 Red Bridge Stevens Point Cannonshot
CW12 Hotel Mead Wisconsin Rapids Cannonshot
CW13 Alexander Middle School Nekoosa Cannonshot
CW14 Tuttle Lake Neshkoro Cannonshot
CW15 Blueberry Ridge Wisconsin Rapids Cannonshot
CW16 Forest Hill Cemetery Wisconsin Rapids Cannonshot
CW17 St Joseph's Hospital Marshfield Cannonshot
CW19 Old Insane Asylum Marshfield Cannonshot
CW20 Greenwood Cemetery Greenwood Cemetery Nekoosa Cannonshot
CW21 Witch Road Rosendale Cannonshot
CW22 Rodman Center for the Arts Ripon Cannonshot
CW23 Simpson's Restaurant Waupaca Cannonshot
CW24 Marsh Road Weyauwega Cannonshot
CW25 Readfield Cemetery Readfield Cannonshot
CW26 Dartford Cemetery Green Lake Cannonshot
CW27 Brockway Hall Ripon Cannonshot


East Central

EC01 Maribel Hotel Maribel Cannonshot, Unstable Rider
EC02 Maplecrest Sanitarium Whitelaw Cannonshot
EC03 Evergreen Inn Manitowoc Cannonshot
EC04 St. Mary's Nursing Home Manitowoc Cannonshot
EC05 JFK Prep St. Nazianz Cannonshot
EC06 Lions Park Elkhart Lake Cannonshot
EC07 Walnut Grove Cemetery Glenbeulah Cannonshot
EC08 Jay Road Boltonville Cannonshot
EC09 Old Wade House Greenbush Cannonshot
EC10 Yankee House B&B Plymouth Cannonshot
EC11 American Club Kohler Cannonshot
EC12 Railroad at Eagle River Sheboygan Falls Cannonshot
EC13 Superior Manor Sheboygan Cannonshot
EC14 US Bank Sheboygan Cannonshot
EC15 Sheboygan Yacht Club Sheboyan Cannonshot
EC16 Veterans Park Oostburg Cannonshot
EC17 Hilbert Road Hilbert Cannonshot
EC18 Wal-Mart Chilton Cannonshot
EC19 Club Harbor Pipe Cannonshot
EC20 St Mary's Seminary Fond du Lac Cannonshot
EC21 Galloway House Fond du Lac Cannonshot
EC22 Octagon House Fond du Lac Cannonshot
EC23 Retlaw Theater Fond du Lac Cannonshot
EC24 Ramada Plaza Fond du Lac Cannonshot
EC25 Breed & State Chilton Cannonshot
EC26 Stop Sign Near Boltonville Cannonshot
EC27 Joe Road Stockbridge Cannonshot


Fox Valley

FV01 Appleton Curling Club Appleton Cannonshot
FV02 Hearthstone Mansion Appleton Cannonshot
FV03 Kate Blood Grave Appleton Cannonshot
FV04 Zuelke Building Appleton Cannonshot
FV05 Chicken Alley Seymour Cannonshot
FV06 Lawrence Cemetery DePere Cannonshot
FV07 Sherman Hall Oshkosh Cannonshot
FV08 Downtown YMCA Green Bay Cannonshot
FV09 Paine Art Center Oshkosh Cannonshot
FV10 Norbert Hill Center Oneida Cannonshot
FV11 Valley Road Appleton Cannonshot
FV12 Grand Opera House Oshkosh Cannonshot
FV13 New Moon Café Oshkosh Cannonshot
FV14 Riverside Cemetery Oshkosh Cannonshot
FV15 Starseed Oshkosh Cannonshot
FV16 Menasha High School Menasha Cannonshot
FV17 Shirley Rd Cemetery Green Bay Cannonshot
FV18 Dairy Queen Appleton Cannonshot
FV19 Huntley Elementary Appleton Cannonshot
FV20 Secura Insurance Appleton Cannonshot
FV21 Fort Howard Hospital Green Bay Cannonshot
FV22 Baird Creek
FV23 Brew Baker's Pub Green Bay Cannonshot


Northeast

NE01 Fifield Cemetery Fifield Cannonshot
NE02 Holy Cross RR Xing Fifield Cannonshot
NE03 LDF Casino Lac du Flambeau Cannonshot
NE04 Summerwind West Bay Lake Cannonshot
NE05 Little Bohemia Lodge Maintowish Waters Cannonshot
NE06 Tulas Café Woodruff Cannonshot
NE07 Concrete Park Phillips Cannonshot
NE08 Molly's Rock Rhinelander Cannonshot
NE09 Lake View Cemetery Rib Lake Cannonshot
NE10 Zoar Cemetery Zoar Cannonshot
NE11 Calvary Cemetery Tomahawk Cannonshot
NE12 UW Wausau Wausau Cannonshot
NE13 Grand Theater Wausau Cannonshot
NE14 Old Sacred Heart Rectory Shawano Cannonshot
NE15 Nola Cemetery Park Falls Cannonshot
NE16 Old Portion of Hospital Merrill Cannonshot
NE17 T B Scott Mansion Merrill Cannonshot
NE18 McClintock Co Park Athlestane Cannonshot
NE19 Tribal PD Keshena Cannonshot
NE20 Casino Keshena Cannonshot
NE21 McMilllon Hotel Antigo Cannonshot
NE22 CTH VV Keshena Cannonshot
NE23 Pratt Rd Gleason Cannonshot
NE24 Headwaters Tavern Boulder Junction Cannonshot
NE25 Stevenson Chimney Boulder Junction Cannonshot
NE26 Bowler School Bowler Cannonshot
NE27 Holy Cross Church Fifield Cannonshot
NE28 The Pines Crooked Lake Cannonshot
NE29 Fifield School Fifield Cannonshot


Northwest

NW01 Paschal Aldrich Couldn't locate.
NW02 Cozy Corner Restaurant Cannonshot
NW03 Amery Lutheran Labrynth Cannonshot
NW04 Moe Lutheran Church Gone
NW05 Betty's Café Cannonshot
NW06 Bantley Graveyard Cannonshot
NW07 Ladysmith High School No Info Avail
NW08 El Rancho Motel Cannonshot
NW09 Haugen Train Station Cannonshot
NW10 Rainbow Asylum Bar Couldn't Locate
NW11 Gld Fwn Ghost Isl No Access
NW12 LCO Casino Cannonshot
NW13 Little Valley Road Cannonshot
NW14 Corral Bar Cannonshot
NW15 Hammill House Cannonshot
NW16 Siren Bridge Cannonshot
NW17 No Coll Memorial Hall Cannonshot
NW18 Rinehart Theater Gone
NW19 Abandoned Sawmill Gone
NW20 Fairlawn Mansion Superior Cannonshot
NW21 Billings Drive Cannonshot
NW22 Mi Isl Lighthouse Cannonshot


Peninsula

P01 Shipwrecked Pub Door County Cannonshot
P02 Institute Saloon Sturgeon Bay Unstable Rider
P03 Rock Island State Park Door County Cannonshot
P04 Gretchen Range Line Road Cannonshot
P05 Nelson's Hall Bitter Pub Cannonshot
P06 Hotel Karsten Kewaunee

South Central

SC01 Baraboo Hitchhiker Hwy 12 Baraboo Cannonshot
SC02 Weary Bridge Evansville Cannonshot
SC03 Weary Road Evansville Cannonshot
SC04 Showboat Saloon Wisconsin Dells Cannonshot
SC05 Church Rd Cemetery Portage Cannonshot
SC06 Wisconsin Street Portage Cannonshot
SC07 Dungeon of Horrors Wisconsin Dells Cannonshot
SC08 Cleora Manor Beloit Cannonshot
SC09 McNeel Middle School Beloit Cannonshot
SC10 Trestles Riverside Beloit Cannonshot
SC11 Blt Turner School Beloit Cannonshot
SC12 Flynn's Steak House Harris House Brodhead Cannonshot
SC13 Hell's Playground Avon Twnshp Cannonshot
SC14 Woods Church Rd Cottage Grove Cannonshot
SC15 Springfield Hill Cemetery Dane Cannonshot
SC16 Edgerton Hospital Edgerton Cannonshot
SC17 Memorial Park Brodhead Cannonshot
SC18 Oak Hill Cemetery Janesville Cannonshot
SC19 Old Towne Mall Janesville Cannonshot
SC20 Rock Co Theater Janesville Cannonshot
SC21 LaFollette HS Madison Cannonshot
SC22 Maple Bluff Country Club Maple Bluff Cannonshot
SC23 Memorial Union Madison Cannonshot
SC24 4th Floor S Capitol Madison Cannonshot
SC25 Dyreson Road McFarland Cannonshot
SC26 Milton High School Milton Cannonshot
SC27 Idle Hour Mansion Monroe Cannonshot
SC28 Aztalan Lake Mills Cannonshot
SC29 Serra Hall St. Coletta's Jefferson Cannonshot
SC30 Paradise Road Jefferson Cannonshot
SC31 Clem Hall Whitewater Cannonshot
SC32 Fricker Hall Whitewater Cannonshot
SC33 Knilans Hall Whitewater Cannonshot
SC34 Bay View Townhouses Madison Cannonshot
SC35 Sanitarium Hill Madison Cannonshot
SC36 Science Hall Madison Cannonshot
SC37 Yacht Club Monona Cannonshot


Southeast

SE01 Root River Caledonia Cannonshot
SE02 Old Holy Angels Building West Bend Cannonshot
SE03 Grafton Hotel Grafton Cannonshot
SE04 Eagle Road Cemetery Juneau Cannonshot
SE05 LaBelle Cemetery Oconomowoc Cannonshot
SE06 Dominican High School Whitefish Bay Cannonshot
SE07 UW-Washington Co West Bend Cannonshot
SE08 Brumder Mansion Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE09 Mitchell Manor West Allis Cannonshot
SE10 Tabernacle Cemetery Delafield Cannonshot
SE11 Majdecki Grocery West Allis Cannonshot
SE12 Beaver Dam Community Theater Beaver Dam Cannonshot
SE13 Potters Field Wauwatosa Cannonshot
SE14 Burlington Cemetery Burlington
SE15 Dousman House Brookfield Cannonshot
SE16 Founders Park Cedarburg Cannonshot
SE17 Nashotah House Delafield Cannonshot
SE17 Nashotah House Delafield Cannonshot
SE18 Rainbow Springs Mukwonago Cannonshot
SE19 Cobblestone Inn East Troy Cannonshot
SE20 Eschweiler Bldgs Wauwatosa Cannonshot
SE21 Peck Station Road Elkhorn Cannonshot
SE22 Sunset Playhouse Elm Grove Cannonshot
SE23 Whittier Elementary School Waukesha Cannonshot
SE24 Waukesha South High School Waukesha Cannonshot
SE25 Tichigan Lake Inn Waterford Cannonshot
SE26 Wauwatosa West High School Wauwatosa Cannonshot
SE27 Whitnall Park Hales Corners Cannonshot
SE28 Mary Buth Germantown Cannonshot
SE29 Marian Center St. Francis Cannonshot
SE30 Hartland Inn Hartland Cannonshot
SE31 Hubertus Fox & Hounds Cannonshot
SE32 Winslow School Racine Cannonshot
SE33 Westlawn Cemetery Racine Cannonshot
SE34 Durkee Mansion (Kemper Hall) Kenosha Cannonshot
SE35 Holy Rosary School Kenosha Cannonshot
SE36 Pauper Cemetery Kenosha Cannonshot
SE37 Opera House Kenosha Cannonshot
SE38 Walworth Elementary School Walworth
SE39 Lawrence House B&B Lake Geneva Cannonshot
SE40 St. Killians Lake Geneva Cannonshot
SE41 Johnson Wax Racine Cannonshot
SE42 Racine Country Club Racine Cannonshot
SE43 Grace Lutheran Menomonee Falls Cannonshot
SE44 Main St Menomonee Falls Cannonshot
SE45 Old Parks Dept Menomonee Falls Cannonshot
SE46 Bell Middle School Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE47 Cardinal Stritch Dorms Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE48 Mayer-Krom Building Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE49 Grand Avenue Mall Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE50 Holy Hill Cemetery Hubertus Cannonshot
SE51 Mashuda Hall-MU Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE52 Humphrey Hall MU Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE53 Helfaer Bldg MU Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE54 Varsity Theater MU Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE55 Straz Tower MU Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE56 Johnston Hall MU Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE57 Modjeska Theater Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE58 Northwest General Hospital Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE59 Pfister Hotel Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE60 The Rave Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE61 Grant Park Seven Bridges South Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE62 St. Adalbert School Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE63 Saint Rafael School Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE64 Sandburg Hall UW Milwaukee Cannonshot
SE65 Wisconsin Lutheran College Wauwatosa Cannonshot
SE66 Heaven City Mukwonago Cannonshot
SE67 Fork in the Road Mukwonago Cannonshot
SE68 Fitzsimmons Rd/Bender Oak Creek Cannonshot
SE69 Fowler Lake Oconomowoc Cannonshot
SE70 Old High School Oconomowoc Cannonshot
SE71 Concordia Chapel Mequon Cannonshot
SE72 Pritchard Park Racine Cannonshot
SE73 Elmwood Plaza Racine Cannonshot
SE74 River Hills Country Club River Hills Cannonshot
SE75 DeKoven Center Racine Cannonshot
SE76 Bray Road Elkhorn Cannonshot

Waypoint NE20 Fairlawn Mansion (from Lake Superior Circle trip)



A woman that used to be a housekeeper here was murdered by her husband.

Back in the day, the owner of the place sponsored immigrants. The immigrant would agree to a commitment of service at the mansion for a while. Once that "debt" was paid, they would move on. This chick did that. She married and moved away with her husband. He murdered her.

People think that her spirit returned to the Fairlawn Mansion because the owners made her feel so welcome. She was happy and secure there.

The apparition of the servant girl can sometimes been seen wearing 1890s clothing.

Eventually the place became an orphanage. Word is that two young girls that drowned in the pool now haunt the joint. Their ghosts have been seen playing in the basement near the swimming pool.

People feel a cold and damp chill when the servant girl is around.

Lights have been seen in the upstairs windows. Faces have also been seen peering from the window. Some figure has been seen in the tower.

CV13 Mabel Tainter Theater (from Yellowstone Trail trip)



Mabel kicked off in 1886 at age 19. She loved the arts. Her parents built this theater a few years later as a tribute to her. He father was a lumber baron.

Some believe that the place is haunted by Mabel's ghost.

One employee saw the ghost of a woman dressed in white pass him on the second floor. The employee quit.

The sound engineer would find settings change overnight after he set up the panel for a performance.

Several theater attendees have seen the ghost of a woman appear in the downstairs ladies room. The ghost curiously peers at herself in the bathroom mirror.

Some staff have seen a light hovering in the library. As they approach, the light disappears.

Local residents see people moving around in the building after hours.

Security alarms get tripped yet no one is there.

When in the study, many employees get the feeling they are not alone.

Visiting actors report seeing apparitions and strange lights while they are at the theater.

Waypoint FV07 Octagon House (from Door County trip)

This place was originally built as an Indian fort back in 1856. It was once a stop on the Underground Railroad. There is a secret room, nine passageways, and an underground tunnel (hand-dug).



There are apparitions of a young boy that roams the place.

Lots of strange things happen around the house. Things get moved around. The owner once left a room for a moment. When he came back he found a spinning wheel had been completely disassembled.

NE05 Little Bohemia Lodge

A Civilian Conservation Corps worker was mistaken for a gangster and was machine gunned to death in the driveway of this place. Many people believe the ghost of the CCC worker haunts the place now.

People hear strange voices and stuff gets moved around. One particular sleeping cabin seemed to be the haunted place. People staying at the cabin reported seeing apparitions, hearing voices, and hearing strange noises. The resort converted the haunted cabin into a game room. Staff and guests still report seeing apparitions and ghosts in the game room.

The story of how the CCC worker came to be killed as taken from my Gangster Tour thread.

A guy from Chicago, Emil Wanatka, built a resort at Manitowish Waters. Wanatka was connected with John Dillinger's lawyer. Dillinger's lawyer had made arrangements with people to hide Dillinger out in the past. It is widely believed that Dillinger's coming to the Little Bohemia Lodge was no coincidence. Dillinger paid the equivalent of about $5K in today's dollars for a three day stay at the lodge . . . seems obvious this was an "arrangement".



Dillinger had a $10K reward on his head at that time. The lodge owners devised a plan to contact the FBI to turn in Dillinger (and the others who also had rewards) to cash in. Some say it was to cover themselves on a potential harboring charge, some say it may have been simple greed. That $10K then is about $100K or more now.

Back in the 1930s, this place would have been way out in the sticks on potholed dirt roads.


Even though the hosts were closely watched and phone calls were listened to, Mrs. Wanatka was able to get out to take her son to a birthday party. When she did, she was followed by Baby Face Nelson who kept an eye on her. In the end, and with the help of relatives, she was able to summon the FBI from Chicago who flew to Rhinelander about 50 miles away.



The FBI flew in, set up shop, and started to plan the raid. In the mean time, Dillinger decided to leave early. The Wanatkas were able to get the word to the FBI men who hastily set up the raid.



Without enough agents, enough info, or a good plan, Melvin Purvis and the boys set out to capture the outlaws. The moved in on the resort and as they did they spotted three men getting into a car to leave. Believing them to be the outlaws, they machine gunned the car as it came out the driveway. They killed a Civilian Conservation Corps worker, wounded another, and shot a gas station attendant who were the occupants of the car. These guys had just finished a $1 Sunday night chicken dinner at the resort. One wounded guy got out of the car and made it back to the resort even though he had been shot five times. The other wounded guy got out of the car and made it into the woods. This is the driveway, which would have been a potholed dirt road then, where the FBI shot up their car.


Meanwhile, Dillinger and the boys heard the shots and ran up to their rooms to recover cash and arms. They then slipped out this back window. They left their girlfriends and a bunch of weapons and other stuff behind.


Baby Face Nelson was staying in a side cabin, maybe this one, when he heard the shooting. Being more aggressive than the others, he sought to engage the feds. He took some shots at an agent he saw holding a machine gun that turned out to be Melvin Purvis. Purvis' machine gunned jammed so he shot back at Baby Face with a pistol.


All of the outlaws had reconned escape routes when they first got there. They headed toward a steep shoreline embankment to make their getaway.


Dillinger and some others went north along the shore a mile or so to another resort where they got a car and a hostage and fled. One in this group got separated and went to a different resort to get a car. If you read some detailed stories about this event, it is interesting to read about the conversations and interactions these outlaws had with regular people. They were polite but firm and explained the feds were after them and they needed to get away.


Baby Face went south along the shore on his own after shooting at Purvis. Baby Face eventually got to a house further down the line. The owner had just called the police about some suspicious stuff and just as he hung up the phone, Baby Face entered demanding a car. As Nelson was loading people into the car, a constable pulled into the driveway with two FBI men. The agents had their guns on their laps but were caught unaware. Nelson stuck his machine gun in the driver's window and cut loose. Agents bailed out of the car. The constable was shot in the throat (and recovered) and two of them bailed out of the car and made it about 40 feet before one died and one collapsed with eight bullet wounds. After those two were down, Nelson turned on one agent and gave him a head wound. The agent fired back blindly and managed to crawl through the woods to another resort for help. So after killing one FBI agent, wounding another, and wounding a constable, Nelson took their car and fled.

By the way, Nelson got his later. In July 1934 two FBI men spotted him in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, but Nelson gave them the slip. Thinking he was headed back to Chicago, the agents in WI alerted the Chicago FBI who hit the road looking for him. When Nelson passed their car near Chicago, he recognized the FBI men, did a u-turn, and eventually got into a gun battle with them. Using his machine gun he killed one agent outright, mortally wounded the other and escaped. Nelson had 17 bullet wounds as a result of this shoot out. He died a few hours later in Wilmette, IL, and his body was later found dumped in a ditch.


Two outlaws that left the resort earlier to get some money that a crook in Minneapolis was holding for them got back to Litle Bohemia just as the shooting started. They doused their headlights, made a u-turn, and hauled ass. What are the odds of that kind of timing?

As I researched these stories, I found there were several different versions - depending on who was telling it. I also found out by talking to a local that there may be some ill-will around the neighborhood about all of this and who played what role, etc. So, I pretty much just stuck to the basic story for this ride report. You can read more by searching around on your own.

Anyway, the only shooting by the gangsters was by Baby Face Nelson. The others just lammed it. The people inside the resort headed for the basement (per the plan) once the shooting started. The FBI then lit into the resort. It seems like the gunfire only lasted 15 minutes, but they lobbed tear gas in most of the night.

Actual bullet holes from that night.








When the boys left, they left a lot of stuff behind. The FBI snatched the weapons and the resort owner snatched the rest. Eventually he ran a museum of Dillinger stuff on the grounds. Some of the stuff is still on display.




Baby Face Nelson


By the way, newspapers around the country got on J. edgar Hoover's case about this botched raid and called for his resignation. Keep in mind that Dillinger had already busted out of a jail. This stuff was getting embarrassing to law enforcement.



The resort owner's museum got him in trouble. He had a bullet proof vest and revolver on display that he claimed belonged to the slain FBI agent. The FBI got word and after a careful inventory of their equipment they paid a visit to Wanatka to tell him to knock it off.




The movie "Public Enemies" shot some scenes here last year. In fact, they shot a lot of stuff in Wisconsin. I'll visit a few of the movie shooting sites. Little Bohemia was prominently featured in the movie.

Movie bullet holes.




Some of the fictional "shootout" here, as depicted in the movie, was shot in this bar room. There is also an intact set upstair of Dillinger's room that you can pay to see.




More gangster sights and stories later.

You can visit the web site for the movie "Public Enemies" to view a trailer to "put you in the mood" for a gangster story.

But more interesting than that is to visit the "Crime Wave" page on that site that has an interactive map of John Dillinger's escapades.

http://www.publicenemies.net/
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Waypoint P03 Rock Island (from Door County ride)



I guess the place is lousy with ghosts. There are two main areas of ghostly stuff.

One is an old native American graveyard on the east end of the island. People see strange apparitions roaming about. Nearby campers have reported voices and odd noises coming from the graveyard.

The lighthouse is said to be haunted. A lighthouse keeper killed himself after failing to prevent a shipwreck that killed several people. Some people heard slamming doors inside the boarded up lighthouse. There were a lot of shipwrecks in this area.

There is a graveyard on the west side of the island. People report the ghosts of small children playing there. These kids were supposed to have died from scarlet fever.

Waypoint P01 Shipwrecked Pub

Al Capone and his pals used to visit here.

Customers and employees have reported seeing the ghost of a stern looking woman in the dining room as if she was checking up on the place. She has also been seen floating both upstairs and downstairs. She is believed to be a previous owner of the place. An employee was alone in the basement and heard a woman talking. No one was there. Employees feel that her showing up is a forewarning that something bad is about to happen.

People that have rented rooms there have reported hearing the faint crying wails of a child. They also sighted a frantic mother looking for the child. This is believed to be the child of one of Capone's girls. Some believe that Al caused the child to "disappear" one day.

Employees have seen the ghost of a man in the attic. This is believed to be an illegitimate son of Al Capone.

Local residents have called the place to report a man walking around on the roof. No one was ever found.

Some people have encountered the ornery ghost of a lumberjack there. This is believed to be the ghost of a man murdered at the bar in the 1800s.

Waypoint FV02 Hearthstone Mansion (from Door County ride)

In 1882, this house, owned by a local industrialist, became the first residence to be powered from a central electric station. The owner wanted to light the home as a showplace for his wife. He used power from the same station that lit his paper mill.



The house still uses the original Edison switches and chandeliers.


This place is haunted by the ghost of the second owner who died in the house.

Each morning when the office manager opens the doors, she says "Good morning Mr. Priest" to the ghost.

People have reported hearing odd sounds, including sneezes, when no one else was in the building.

Volunteers who work in the house report an uneasy feeling caused by Priest being around haunting the place.

Waypoint FV12 Grand Opera House (from Door County ride)

Phantom dogs roam this place. A lighting director told performers to remove a dog from the stage. They couldn't see it.

The ghosts of former workers continue to be involved in productions.

Visiting performers encounter apparitions.

In 1967 a UW professor took his class to the theater to film a fictional movie about a haunted theater. Students observed a ghost looking at them from an upper balcony. Their description matched that of a former stage manager.

During the filming, a student was suspended on a rope high above the stage for about an hour. After the student was let down, and there was no longer weight on the line, the rope snapped. It is believed that the ghost of the stage manager saved the life of a student.

During a screening of the film, the professor looked up into the balcony to see the ghost of the stage manager watching.

One director used to sit in the dark theater to unwind. He got up to leave and as he was about to exit he got an overwhelming urge to look back at the stage. There he saw a vaporous orange mist.

Some performers reporting seeing ghosts sitting in theater seats watching them rehearse. When employees check up on this, they find the seats have been pushed down where the ghosts had been sitting.

The usual phantom footsteps on the stairs bit no one ever shows up.


1883 Opera House.


For a while the place was an X-rated movie theater. Probably the only X-rated theater to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Chad Lewis was on Wisconsin Public Radio this afternoon talking about haunted places in Wisconsin and his book Wisconsin Road Guide to Haunted Locations.

Entertaining.

Waypoint SE10 Delafield

Back in the 1800s a boy accidentally hung himself in a nearby barn. He is buried here.



Some believe he haunts the place. He has been seen several times right by this tree.



Another view of where the apparition has been spotted.



People that have visited here have reported being strangled, hearing voices and footsteps, and being attacked by a ghost dog.

Lights sometimes appear at this fence and shine on people in the cemetery.



Warning: If you visit the cemetery at night, as you leave a truck will appear that will follow you all the way back to town.

Waypoint SE04 Eagle Road Cemetery

Lots of strange happenings here at night. Even the township advises against entering after dark.



Apparitions have been seen moving around the graveyard.



People detect cold spots and eerie breezes even on warm summer nights.



Perhaps some of the spirits are wandering the graveyard unable to locate their plots.



Epiphanies of the Virgin Mary have been observed.



Some people that visited the cemetery found blood on their hands and arms. My hands began to itch with an unusual intensity while I was there. Perhaps this was a sign I was to leave.



Perhaps this Civil War veteran is roaming about looking for his comrades.



Lots of places to be ambushed by evil spirits that might be lurking nearby.





Is this some kind of portal to the underworld here?

Waypoint SE13 Jay Road (Seven Bridges Rd)

The road travels through a cold and dark swamp. Sometimes the road is closed due to flooding or ice.



The story is that a woman was jogging on this road early one morning. A drunk driver hit her, perhaps because of a swampy haze, and her body ended up in the swamp.



People that have traveled this road have reported seeing a haze appear just beyond their headlights. When they catch up to it the figure of a woman in jogging clothes comes into view.



She jogs down the road in front of your vehicle for a short distance and then she turns to face you so you run into her. Some have had her vanish at the car hood while others have had her head appear in their vehicle with her looking at the driver before disappearing.



If you visit here, best not to shut your engine off. There are reports that it won't start again while you are here.



Some say that she keeps getting struck in a quest to find proper rest instead of being abandoned in the swamp.



A stop sign on this road appears to be bleeding. From a distance the blood seems to be dripping. As you get close to the sign it disappears.

This pile of bones was laying along side the road. Something evil happened.

Waypoint SE20 Lions Park

The story is that a child passed away here. Now at night the swings are active and the merry-go-round turns even though there is no wind. The story is that this is the ghost of the child playing in the playground.

I found another batch of sites to add to the file. Maybe you can get out and snap some pix of the ones that are close to you and post about them here. Lots of information about the sites can be found with a haunted search on the web. Kind of fun to deal with these.

I should warn you about getting involved though. The other night the file I have on this fell to the floor at 3:30AM and woke me up. I got up and checked on it. Twenty minutes later it fell to the floor again. Mmmuhwaahahaaaa!

Waypoint SE29 Old Wade House

The Wade House is an old stage stop hotel from the 1850s. I don't think anything evil happened here so the story is that it is kind of a gentle haunting.



Tour guides dressed in period costumes have reported being spoken to by ghosts from the past.



Some guides have reported being pushed down the steps of a back bedroom.



Others have heard scuffing around the house when no one else was there. I think some ghosts from that period have been seen on the porch as well.