Haunted Illinois: The Stories Locals Swear Are True

On this episode, host Catie Sheehan ventures into the supernatural side of Illinois, summoning up secrets about the state’s most haunted places—from Alton and Decatur to Springfield, Chicago, and Galena.First, Catie sits down with Troy Taylor, a prolific author of more than 150 books on the paranormal, a podcaster, and a pioneer of the ghost tour movement. Troy got his start as a kid, guided through the darker corners of Decatur by his Irish immigrant great-grandfather. He shares some of Illinois' most spine-tingling tales—including the legend of Resurrection Mary, the vanishing hitchhiker of Archer Avenue who has interacted with multiple people over the years.After that, Catie drills down on Galena with Ted Williams, co-owner of the Haunted Galena Tour Company. A city of just 3,000 people that draws nearly a million visitors a year, Galena's 1850s-era streetscapes are the perfect setting for things that go bump in the night. Ted talks about some of his favorite phantoms, including the mysterious Lady in Black and a ghost cat said to curl up on the beds of the historic Dowling House.