In early August 1829 Presbyterian minister and East Tennessee College professor Dr. Stephen Foster met with 24-year-old James White and 60-year-old Joshua Young in jail in Knoxville, Tennessee. Both men were convicted murderers and scheduled to be hanged. As a man of science and faith Dr. Foster had an eerie fascination with galvanism that stemmed…
In early September 1889 Bellevue, Kentucky was buzzing about a ghost that had been spotted in local store. A wealthy, headstrong woman named Elizabeth Rusconi insisted on seeing the phantom for herself and made arrangements with the owner to visit the store late at night. That night when Mrs. Rusconi walked into the building, she…
In late September 1907 in Ashland, Kentucky, after reading a story about a ghost in the local newspaper, Clara Osgood boldly declared that she wasn’t scared of ghosts. After her sister pressed her on the issue, Clara took things one step further and stated that she wasn’t fearful of anything, and it was impossible to…
In the late 18th century Gaspar Garcia, who served in the in the Third Battalion of the Infantry Regiment of Cuba acquired the property that is now home to the Inn through a land grant. In 1791 Garcia built the house where he lived until his death. The property changed hands several time until Colonel…
In 1822 the Girod Street Cemetery was established in what is now the Central Business District of New Orleans. Like other cemeteries in the Crescent City, bodies were interned above ground due to the city’s constant problems with flooding. Remains were typically placed in a tomb or placed in vaults. But with outbreaks of yellow…
Located in Savannah, Georgia, just behind River Street on a bluff is Factor’s Walk. Factor’s Walk has a series of pathways made of concrete and iron bridges that connect the bluff to the top floors of the buildings that were used by cotton brokers over two hundred years ago. Since Cotton was the main export…
Driving down Las Vegas Boulevard you can’t miss the 350 feet tall black pyramid and 10 story tall Sphinx rising out of the desert. The casino and resort with an Egyptian style themed hotel consists of 4,407 rooms, 29 retail shops, 4 swimming pools and a wedding chapel. When it opened in 1993 the Luxor’s…
Built from 1800 to 1805 the Croft House on the grounds of the Nashville Zoo is the second oldest house in Davidson County. After falling behind on property taxes, Margaret and Elise Croft made a deal to donate 200 acres and the home that had been in their family for five generations to a local…
Tales abound about the spirits from the Civil War that allegedly reside in the old Williamson County Courthouse in Franklin, Tennessee. But, did you know that before the courthouse was built, the property was home to a small building that belonged to Dr. Ferdinand Stith? Like many other medical professionals in the early 19th century,…
In 1929 the first ever Academy Awards were held at the Roosevelt Hotel’s Blossom Room in Hollywood, California. That night Wings won the award for best picture and Emil Jannings and Janey Gaynor took home the Oscar for Best Actor and Actresses. However, during the awards ceremony, someone was slighted and didn’t receive an award…