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Haunted Nebraska

Tumbling

'Big Red' state is also hugely haunted   By Patricia Ress

Brian Schill is a member of The American Society for Paranormal Research and Investigation headquartered in Orlando,FL. Schill writes," when a person dies the bioelectric energy is released from the body into the local environment where it may perform one of two actions: The unconscious energy may dissipate into the local environment..or it may coagulate and become self-aware outside the body." In case you are a stickler for scientific accuracy, this is a ghost phenomenon. And Nebraska certainly has its share of these.

One of the scariest I have ever heard was written about by Brad Steiger. According to him, Beth Domke of Omaha said that her 15-year-old daughter Stacy was caring for the infant child of a neighbor in a nearby park when a strange man approached them and stopped directly in front of them as she sat on the bench. Since her mother had cautioned her about child molesters and other strangers, Stacy was at first afraid, but the man seemed so kind and friendly-conveying a feeling of peace-that she relaxed and smiled at him. Then, without uttering a word, he suddenly leaned forward and kissed the baby on its forehead and walked away so fast that he 'just disappeared.' The girl told her mother about the incident before Stacy returned the infant to its mother. Her mother told her no harm had been done, but in the future to be more careful of strangers.

That very night, according to the baby's parents, a knock was heard at their front door. They answered, but no one was there! A few minutes later, they heard the knocking again and the mother went into the baby's room and found it had died. An autopsy later revealed the child had died of SIDS. The next day the Domkes visited the bereaved family and shortly thereafter Stacy became greatly upset. Her parents quickly gave their condolences and left. When they got home, their daughter told them she had seen an apparition of the man who had kissed the baby appear in the hall! She recognized it as having been the father of the baby's mother! Stacy's own mother believed that the spirit of the baby's grandfather had come to escort the baby's spirit home  to the afterlife. It knocked when it arrived and knocked again as it had left.

An ad in the Lincoln Journal-Star brought several ghostly stories to author Alan Boye for his book The Ghosts of Lincoln. Although he deliberately changed some information and gave wrong addresses, the book has been used extensively as a kind of walking guide for amateur ghost hunters! In a 2005 book, Nebraska native Gary Leon Hill told a family story of how his Uncle Wally and Aunt Ruth came to counsel dead spirits who took up residence in bodies that didn't belong to them! Late in the fall of 1892, women passing by the Emanuel Baptist Church in the northern Lincoln suburb of Belmont saw the face of a woman outlined in a pane of glass. People came from all over the city to see the apparition. Some felt it was a warning of calamity, others that it was a ghost and school children felt that it was the face of a playmate that had died.

The Valentine ghost- In turn-of-the-century Valentine, Nebraska, Engineer Stanton and Fireman john Moroney of engine 34 were mystified by the supernatural appearance for two nights at the point where a negro soldier was killed by railroad cars a week earlier. The men said that the object appeared to be a tall white form carrying a dim light which crosses the track from north to south just in front of the engine.

About the same time in Long Pine, Nebraska, three rural mail carriers with routes along the Niobrara River quite their jobs within the last few months on account of an alledged 'ghost' which has persisted in accompanying them on their daily drives along the river.

And then there was Faceless Fred the Phantom of Phelps County! Fred, who lived near Holdredge was a known philanderer much to his long-suffering wife's dismay. Having tired of his antics, Fred's wife killed him and cut off most of his face. She then dumped him down a well. Later a local eating and drinking establishment was built on the site of the abandoned well and it is now believed that Fred haunts the place, scaring employees and patrons alike. It you'd like to see where Faceless Fred hangs out,as you turn off Hwy 6 onto the first paved road east of Holdrege, drive south across the mainline Burlington railroad and onto the Stink Crick Turnpike. Just a stone's throw away you come to the old town of Sacramento, Nebraska which today has only some grain bins, a couple of houses and a speakeasy off on the right side of the turnpike.Fred is said to have run a roadhouse there providing supplies to early settlers and making his own corn whiskey. One of Fred's paramours went on to join the "Buffalo Bills Congress of Rough Riders 100 miles west of North Platte, Nebraska.

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Tumbling

HASTINGS- The Peterson House

Location:

The Peterson House is located in the small Midwest town of Hastings, which is located in South central Nebraska. It is 20 miles South of Interstate 80.

Description:

In 1994, when this story was researched by Norman & Beth Scott, Hastings was a town of around 23,000 people, with a college, and a museum with a great natural history collection of artifacts of the pioneers who founded this Midwestern town. The house itself was probably built in the 1920's, and was rented out to various people, throughout the years.

History Behind Manifestation:

In the 1930's a young woman, by the name of Anna C. Peterson, rented a room here, as she was employed in the laundry room of Mary Lanning Hospital . She had originally came from another small Nebraska town, to live in Hastings. She was described by an older lady who worked with her as a quiet, private, lonely person who was friendly and kind in manner, and really loved babies, but was never married. It is reported that she died in her late 30's, perhaps because of disease, but more likely because of childbirth. It is thought that someone could have taken advantage of her "genial, trusting disposition," and her strong desire to be a married woman with a family. If she had been living now, she would've been able to adopt an older child. However, in her day, the only accepted way was to be married.

Manifestations:

1) Back in 1962, the Nelson family were the current renters. They had just had a baby boy, who was sleeping in their bedroom. One early morning, at 3:00 AM, their son was partially awakened by the rain pounding on the roof. Mr. Nelson awoke, and looking over at the restless baby, in his crib, which was about 10 feet away from their bed, he saw a white misty form of a woman, that materialized into a detailed apparition of a young woman, whose back was towards him. Nelson described her as being a stocky, medium-sized woman, dressed in a green uniform-type dress, with dark stockings and black oxford-type shoes, which was what she wore at her job in the hospital laundry room. She had brown eyes, and her brown hair was pulled back in a bun.

She was gently and skillfully patting his son's back. He could see the crib and the wall through her transparent form. She turned and looked at him, and gave him a kind, loving smile. He got a mental communication from her that her name was Ann Peterson, and the knowledge that she had died in less than happy circumstances. She also communicated to him mentally that she deeply regretted the fact that she had never married and had babies of her own. He wasn't at all afraid of her, and felt assured about her presence, feeling she meant no harm, and just wanted to help.

2) About a week later, the baby once again was awakened by a rainstorm, and again Nelson awoke to find her soothing the baby back to sleep. This time, he wrote down his experience.

3) In their bedroom, there were double built-in closets, with a thin dividing partition between them. One closet was of normal temperature, but the other closet was always cold, despite the weather, with no obvious explanation. Their cat made a point to avoid the cold-aired closet, and always curled up in the warmer closet, no matter how hot it was. Nelson theorized that this apparition "lived" in the cold closet.

Still Haunted?

It's hard to say whether she is still around this old house or not. The Nelsons moved into another house to make room for their growing family. No other sightings of Ann have been reported, but it is interesting to note that the Nelsons never knew she was there, until they brought their new baby home, which brought her out of the closet, into the baby-soothing business for the living.

From HauntedHouses.com

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Tumbling

UNL has its own ghost stories

By Melenie Mench

T'was a Halloween night, not so long ago. A man, Hardy Jones, sat stone-still in his office in Oldfather Hall. Depression had seized the philosophy professor as thoughts of his recent divorce cluttered his brain. Gripped by grief and anger and the fear of losing his son, Jones finally broke shortly after midnight.

Off an open window's ledge, he stepped into the autumn air, taking a fall that ended 10 stories later on the grassy earth. In the late hours of All Hallows Eve, a University of Nebraska-Lincoln professor had committed suicide.

Unlike most Halloween ghost stories, which offer a safe scare of fictional horror, the tale of Hardy Jones truly happened at UNL in 1983.

However, it is not the only legend haunting UNL. Campus folklore abounds this Halloween as ghost stories creep into conversations. Whether one believes or not, campus folklore fits the season to be scary.

Let's begin with probably the most "spirited" building on campus: the Temple.

Finished in 1905, the Temple plays host not only to an array of theatrical performances but to ghostly activities. Julie Hagemeier, theater department general manager, said students and faculty members knew of the Temple ghosts. "Nobody freaks out because it's not threatening," she said. "It's just weird." For example, Hagemeier said, the spirit of Dallas Williams, theater department chairman and professor from 1944 to 1971, haunts the Temple.

Known for grabbing attention by throwing chairs across a room when he was alive, Williams' spirit keeps up his antics. Hagemeier said many Temple visitors have reported the sound of crashing chairs in apparently vacant rooms. "He was an interesting personality," she said. "Students will tell me they heard a chair being thrown in a room where there wasn't even a chair. Usually, we just attribute that to Dallas. It's his claim to fame." On many occasions, Hagemeier said, the echoes of someone tap dancing on the Howell stage filled Temple hallways. An investigation by curious listeners revealed no one was there.

Also, the ghost of a little girl haunts the prop attic, Hagemeier said. Once, the crew needed a doll for "Women in Black," a play in which a ghostly woman carries a doll that represents her dead child. Taking apart various dolls, the crew left the attic in disarray after creating the "perfect doll." When the crew returned to the locked attic, Hagemeier said, someone had aligned the dolls' parts and placed the matching heads with the bodies.

Other paranormal occurrences include various sightings of a "shadowy figure" in the locked sound booth, uncontrollable and flickering lights and mysterious applause heard from the right-house balcony. Hagemeier said she wasn't surprised to hear the stories; she said she has seen the ghosts' pranks herself.

Hagemeier said a large costume donation, which had been locked in a storage closet, was found strewn about the building after a summertime performance. "Only one person had the key, and that key was hidden," Hagemeier said. "The costumes were either missing, twisted or mutilated. We had to hunt for them in all the Temple's nooks and crannies."

In 1996, KTGL-FM (92.9) "The Eagle," Lincoln's classic-rock radio station sent its morning radio crew, Joe and Timmo, with a psychic, local ghost historian Dale Bacon and some listeners to hunt ghosts in the Temple building. "Nothing dramatic happened, and we were looking pretty hard," said Timmo, who said he doesn't ever use his last name. "We wanted the ghosts to come out of hiding."

Last year, intrigued by the legends, sophomore theater major Layne Manzer and three other students created a video for a class project called, "The Temple Ghost Project." After sleeping in the Temple overnight, the quartet found nothing except pranks by fellow classmates. But Manzer said he still believed in some of Temple's legends.

"Last weekend, I was showing a friend the set for 'All's Well that Ends Well,'" he said. "As we were on the stage, we heard someone walking on the empty balcony. Then we heard the seat move down, like someone was taking a seat. "It's not to scare us. They just observe and watch us."

Ghosts also watch in Neihardt Residence Center, 540 N. 16th St. Lola Young, residence life services supervisor, said a ghost in the office, dubbed a "she," stacks the loose change in two safes located in the Raymond section of Neihardt. Young said the she-ghost prefers to stack the nickels of the safe in her office, while dimes are piled high in the Dining Services safe. "At first I didn't believe it, but so few people know the combinations," she said. "She just wants us to know she's around." Used as an infirmary in the 1930s and 1940s, many Neihardt rooms housed the sick and dying.

Josh Deacon, Neihardt residence director, said one room in the Love section of Neihardt third floor still bears the presence of a certain young patient. "Supposedly there was a polio outbreak," he said. "One young lady always opened the curtains because she couldn't go outside. When people would leave her room, they would close the curtains, and she would open them again. Now, if people close the curtains, they somehow are open when you return."

Deacon also said Neihardt legends include moving chairs in the lounge, mysterious guitar playing in the basement and a wandering girl apparition in the courtyard. Deacon said he learned of Neihardt's ghosts through a gift. "I first got here in July, the previous RD left a term paper written by a student for me to read," he said. "I don't have any personal experience with ghosts, but I do believe when I hear people tell me their stories." Deacon also said the informative term paper was mysteriously missing. "I put it in my file cabinet, and I'm the only one with the key, so it's weird that it's missing now," he said.

Overall, these ghoulish beings serve as campus pranksters more so than hell raisers. Whether or not this UNL folklore is true isn't the important thing, said Brad Trenkle, Neihardt residence assistant. "The stories add character ... making it even more special," he said.

Hagemeier said a psychic gave her the best explanation why ghosts still haunt certain places on campus. "There's so much energy expended in a building, like the Temple, that part of that person's energy stays here," she said. "It makes some sense, so I tend to believe it."

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The back stairs

The Ghost of Ft Sidney

As the Union Pacific Railroad was built across western Nebraska in 1867 it was
greeted by opposition by the Sioux, Cheyenne, and Arapahoe Indians in the area. Often these Native Americans would attack the railroad's work crews. In order to
protect the railroad employees increased military protection was necessary.

Because of its being a freight division for the railroad and the most important point between North Platte and Cheyenne it was decided that a military outpost needed to be established by General C.C. Augur. Fort Sidney was built in December of 1867. It would remain an active military outpost until it was closed on June 1, 1894.
Today three structures of the original fort still remain.

The reported haunting at Fort Sidney supposedly takes place in the Officers' Quarters. According to the story at the museum it was a day in 1885 that the tragedic event occurred. The wife of one of the officers, a young woman, was doing laundry that day. Carrying a load of clean laundry she began up the
stairs at the back of the dwelling of the Officers' Quarters. As she was going up the stairs she heard a strange sound. Startled, she lost her balance and fell down the steep stairs. Upon landing at the bottom of the stairs she had broken her neck and died.

It was her husband who discovered her broken body. She laid there with a ghastly stare frozen on her face. Her husband was overcome by grief. He ordered the stairs sealed off. A pantry was built over the new wall at the top of the stairs, a closet was built in the bedroom to seal off the staircase.

Nothing was heard about the incident until the 1930s. It was in the 1930s that suddenly visitors and residents in the quarters claimed that they could hear footsteps and the sound of something falling coming from inside the walls. The stories began to spread that the place was haunted.

Melchoir Herbert had been a soldier stationed at Fort Sidney and he had an explanation. The explanation was easy--the place was haunted. Melchoir Herbert died at 91 in 1958. Throughout the years the sounds continued to be reported. In 1975, when the quarters were being renovated, a worker hit his head inside of some drawers that were inside of the pantry. Upon further exploration it was then that the staircase was discovered. It had been sealed for 90 years.

It has been reported that the sounds still continue to this day. There have been reports by visitors of hearing footsteps when no one else is in the house. It is reported that the noise and sounds increase during the month of October.

The staircase today is open but sealed off by doors for the protection of visitors to the museum. Looking up the staircase one sees the steepness and how easily a person could lose his or her balance. Upstairs there is a framed story which hangs on the wall beside the door of the staircase. If you ask the museum's host he or she will point you in the location and share the information that they have..

Fort Sidney is located in Sidney off of Interstae 80. Off of Interstate 80 one travels north on Highway 385 to the town's main drag (Highway 30), turn west onHighway 30, until you get to Sixth Street. At Sixth Street turn left (south) and continue until you get to the intersection of Sixth and Jackson Streets--the museum is on the left.

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The Officers Quarters at Fort Sidney

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OMAHA- Mystery Manor

In the Union Pacific Days, late 1800's to early 1900's, Mystery Manor was operating as a bordello. This bordello had four distinct apartments. Mystery Manor has four genuine resident ghosts who tend to taunt our staff on a regular basis. One of the madams named Grace was murdered there along with her son. The 'guardian' ghost seems to be a dark figure who protects all in the Manor. The last ghost is an uncertainty. After the barebelly closed, the Manor was owned by a family who passed it onto each other. They all lived there at one time or another. They sold the building to a gentlemen who let the building become condemned. Thus, Mystery Manor was born (1984).

The Legend...
Built in 1887, this once magnificent dwelling was the home of William and Greta Hall. The meeting place of the elite of Omaha, it was dubbed Hall Manor by those who frequented its confines. The happy times ended on October 23, 1929 when the stock market crashed. By the end of the day William Hall, his vast fortune gone, was a broken man… and quite insane!!

Late that night, in a blinding rage of madness, he took his ax from its place in the shed and attacked his dear Greta, chopping her body into pieces until his frenzy had abated. The next morning, realizing with horror what he had done, he carefully placed his wife’s remains in a shallow grave in the front yard of her beloved Manor.

A week later, Greta's brother John Martin avenged his sister's brutal murder by hacking up his former brother-in-law with the same ax. He reunited the couple in that shallow grave. The next night, Halloween, John Martin’s body was found at the grave sight with the ax imbedded in his skull.

Some believe the ghost of William Hall killed John Martin. To this day, the murder of John Martin remains a mystery – hence the name "Mystery Manor". It has been widely rumored that the ghost of William Hall still wanders these halls every October waiting for strangers to come so that he might resume his terrible vengeance upon any soul who enters his home.

From the Mystery Manor web page

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OMAHA- Keystone Trail
 
The Keystone trail near 90th and Fort is haunted by a ghost train. On cold misty nights, one can hear the sound of the train running down the track, but the Burlington RR tracks were removed years ago.
 
fom the website "Ghosts of America"
 
 

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FREMONT - Barnard Park
 
Barnard Park was originally the town's burying ground, known as "Green Grove Cemetery". When Ridge Cemetery was established west of the city in the late 1870s, nearly all the graves were relocated to the new cemetery. Legend maintains that one or two unmarked graves remained, hence the common name, "Dead Man's Park".
 
Late at night, you can see figures passing threw the park; one ghost sticks out among the rest. She is a lady who was on the Mormon Trail, her daughter died when they were staying at the camp and the girls mother was to devastated to go on and late at night in the winter, you can see the lady walking around the park crying. A lot of the houses around the park have also been said to be haunted. There is another ghost of a man that is always seen lying down on a park bench.

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from OmaHaunt website

Murdock - OxBow Cemetery

The OxBow Cemetery is located near Murdock. It is private property. You must obtain permission to visit this property.

The History:
May Carter was a student at a school that was situated at the top of a hill near the Oxbow Cemetery. A windstorm came up and the teacher evacuated the school. Nearby, May Carter’s father was working in the fields.

May was outside during the windstorm, but thought that her brother was still inside the school and ran into the schoolhouse to get him. The school collapsed and she was trapped inside. Her father came and got her out of the school, but May died later that night. May’s father buried her at the Oxbow Cemetery. She was the first to be buried there. A number of German people buried their dead here over the years, but after some time had passed, the Germans in the area moved back to New York and exhumed the bodies of their dead relatives to take with them. However, some of the bodies could not be found and so this piece of land has never been farmed.

Currently it is used as a private commercial haunted “forest” during the Halloween season.

The Haunting:
Reports include the sound of children playing out near the road when there are no children there. People living nearby have reported walking past the cemetery and hearing footsteps inside the trees.

Neighbors of the OxBow Cemetery have also observed animals making their way to the cemetery to die (older or sick animals for example).
 
From OmaHaunt website

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Columbus- The Glowing Graveyard
 
This graveyard is located way out north in the boonies of Columbus. Supposedly on a full moon the headstones are supposed to "glow", but most believe that this is just the cause of the limestone in the rock being reflected by the moon.

Right beside the graveyard is a bridge in which according to a myth a bus full of kids rolled off the bridge and died. Supposedly if you put powder all over your car and drive over it in neutral you can see the hand prints from children, or if you turn your car off in the middle of the bridge, your car won't start again.

 

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Ghost Story

An early Nebraska ghost story was related in 1934 by Oscar Samson, a pioneer settler of Burt and Cuming counties, in an address before the Cuming County Historical Society. It was later reprinted in the April-June 1934 issue of Nebraska History magazine. Samson's tale concerned "the night he was returning home from West Point with the first coffin ever purchased there to lay out a man by the name of Nelson, who had died from the effects of a horse kick. The man had died at the Samson home and had expressed a wish to be buried back in Illinois. Early day stories gave credence to ghosts and coming home with the coffin jolting in the wagon, Samson's mules came to a dead standstill."

Samson related: "Being young and foolish I thought Nelson's ghost wanted to tell me something and I said, 'What's on your mind, Nelson? Did you want to tell me something?' No answer. I urged the mules on, but they wouldn't budge.

"And then in the trail before me I saw something that made my hair stand on end. Two eyes were staring at me through the night as big as saucers. 'Who are you?' I asked, 'Be you man or the devil? Speak up or I'll shoot.' No answer. Then I took steady aim between those two balls of fire, took tight rein on my mules and fired.

"It was only three miles home, but those mules ran all the way, with the coffin jolting in the back. I put the mules in the barn at home without even unharnessing them I was so nervous.

"Next morning my brother knew something was wrong and wanted to know what had happened the night before. I told him to get on one of the mules and I got on the other and we rode back over the prairie together and there by the side of the trail where I had passed the night before we found a full grown mountain lion that had been crouching there ready to spring upon my mules.

"'And do you know,' concluded Samson, 'if I hadn't gone back over that trail and found that dead lion, I would always have believed I had seen a ghost.'"

(October 2005) Nebraska State Historical Society

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Ghost in Prospect Hill Cemetery

Readers of the morning edition of the Omaha Daily Bee on July 18, 1874, must have been startled to learn of a mysterious "woman in white" sighted in Prospect Hill Cemetery. The Bee began its report, entitled "A Ghost Story," by recalling recent accounts of a haunted house at Thirteenth and Capitol, but continued: "This morning, however, we were told a reliable story that puts the haunted house way in the shade. The scene of this strange and true narrative is Prospect Hill Cemetery, adjoining which Mr. H. P. Stanwood, the well-known sculptor, has a small dwelling and a marble cutting shop in which several hands are employed.

"On Tuesday night, shortly after dark, one of two brothers, who sleep in the shop, happened to step out of doors before retiring, and looking out over the silent city of the dead, a vision--a ghost--a 'woman in white'--the invariable costume of ghosts--met his astonished gaze. The mysterious being was slowly flitting towards the building, when he ran in and brought his brother out to view the strange sight. Both became scared, and hastening out of the back door, just as the ghost came in the front door and blew out the light, they ran over to Mr. Stanwood's residence to inform him of what had happened.

"Mr. Stanwood and the men went out to see what was the matter, and sure enough they saw before them the ghost, who hit Mr. Stanwood on the back, and asked where her children was--if they were buried in that tomb. The ghost then flitted into the house, blew out the light, and entering a bed-room, so scared the occupant that he jumped out of the window and ran away. One of the two brothers mentioned above, having pulled out his revolver, deliberately took aim and fired twice at the ghost, but without effect. She then took her departure into the cemetery, followed by the men to a certain grave, where she vanished. On Wednesday night the mysterious ghost again made her appearance, and so frightened the two brothers that they came down town to sleep during that night, and the next night.

"The above is a true statement of the facts, as related to us by a gentleman of veracity. Mr. Stanwood himself is not a superstitious man, and has no faith in ghosts, but our informant assures us that he substantiates the above statement."

(October 2001) Nebraska State Historical Society

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BALL CEMETERY
Springfield, NE
 
The Ball Cemetery began as a family cemetery and its oldest grave marker is dated 1869. Over the years, the cemetery grew to include individuals such as William "Rattlesnake Pete" Liddiard, a United States Marshal and implement dealer, who left his home of Springfield, Nebraska to join up with William “Buffalo Bill” Cody. He had a large handle bar mustache and became known as one of the fastest “on the draw” of all the U.S. Marshals. When he later died on the West coast, his body was brought back to Ball Cemetery for burial.

Various apparitions have been seen at Ball Cemetery. The ghost of a tall, male figure has been seen walking around the cemetery after dark. This ghostly apparition is known to have a rather bad temper, and there have even been reports of phantom, physical attacks dealt to some of the people who dare to visit this cemetery late at night. Other visitors have found unexplainable bruises on their arms and legs after entering the cemetery. Could this be the work of Rattlesnake Pete?

Another spirit roaming this cemetery by night is thought to be Mary Mumford, one of Ball Cemetery’s interred residents. Visitors have reported hearing the faint voice of a woman emanating from somewhere in the cemetery and some have even felt their clothing being tugged, followed by a woman's laughter.

More strange happenings at Ball Cemetery include those who say they have witnessed headstones tipping over and then rising back up on their own, and strange ectoplasm mists appearing in photographs taken among the gravesites.

Visitors beware! Ball Cemetery is guarded by its next door neighbors, who won't think twice about brandishing a shotgun if they catch you hanging out at this cemetery in the middle of the night.

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Salt Pillars

The Salt Witch of Nebraska

A pillar of snowy salt once stood on the Nebraska plain, about forty miles above the point where the Saline flows into the Platte, and white men used to hear of it as the Salt Witch.

A Native American tribe was for a long time quartered at the junction of the rivers, its chief a man of blood and muscle in whom his people gloried, but so fierce, withal, that nobody made a companion of him except his wife, who alone could check his tigerish rages.

In sooth, he loved her so well that on her death he became a recluse and shut himself within his lodge, refusing to see anybody. This mood endured with him so long that mutterings were heard in the tribe and there was talk of choosing another chief. Some of this talk he must have heard, for one morning he emerged in war-dress, and without a word to any one strode across the plain to westward.

On returning a full month later he was more communicative and had something unusual to relate. He also proved his prowess by brandishing a belt of fresh scalps before the eyes of his warriors, and he had also brought a lump of salt.

He told them that after traveling far over the prairie he had thrown himself on the earth to sleep, when he was aroused by a wailing sound close by. In the light of a new moon he saw a hideous old woman brandishing a tomahawk over the head of a younger one, who was kneeling, begging for mercy, and trying to shake off the grip from her throat. The sight of the women, forty miles from the village, so surprised the chief that he ran toward them. The younger woman made a desperate effort to free herself, but in vain, as it seemed, for the hag wound her left hand in her hair while with the other she raised the axe and was about to strike.

At that moment the chief gained a view of the face of the younger woman-it was that of his dead wife. With a snarl of wrath he leaped upon the hag and buried his own hatchet in her brain, but before he could catch his wife in his arms the earth had opened and both women disappeared, but a pillar of salt stood where he had seen this thing. For years the Native Americans maintained that the column was under the custody of the Salt Witch, and when they went there to gather salt they would beat the ground with clubs, believing that each blow fell upon her person and kept her from working other evil.

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Cedar Creek, NE

This property is known as Cedar Creek's oldest surviving building, and it was built in 1875. Rumors say that it may have been used as a hospital and also as a house of ill repute at one time or another. It is known that it was used as a school, which closed down in the 1960's, and then became a hair salon, for a brief period of time, in the 1970's. It's current owner, Brandon S., who lives across from the old school house, now uses the building solely for storage.

One of the reports of paranormal activity include witnesses hearing babies cries in the basement of the building. The outside of the school has been reported to be very active as well.

It should be noted that the old schoolhouse is located on private property and permission is required to even enter the area surrounding the building. 'No Trespassing' signs are clearly posted at the entrance to the property.

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AURORA - Witches Grave (picture below)

In the 1800's, in Aurora NE., a woman was accused of being a witch.  It was readily believed to be true, and she was burned at the stake or hanged. Before she died, she swore to get revenge on those responsible for her demise.  She said nobody would be able to keep her in the grave and she would come back and haunt all of the townspeople.
  
After she died, she was buried at the far corner of the cemetary with a big headstone to remind everyone about the dangers of witchcraft.  Four iron poles were put at the corners of her grave.  Chains were strung between and across them.  The next day, someone noticed that the chains were broken.  Everyone felt a little uneasy now.  The chains were fixed.  A few days later they were broken again.  Today, they just hang there, not connected across the top of the grave anymore.
 
Directions:
At the intersection of Highway 14 and Highway 30 in Aurora, there is a park with a cemetary just to the north.. Go north past the park and turn left on the gravel road next to the cemetary. Witch's grave is in the far northwest corner.

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SPRING RANCH - The Story of the Haunted Bridge

In 1885, two of Spring Ranch's townspeople, Tom Jones and his sister Elizabeth Taylor (widowed), were at odds with their neighbors. This was due to thier cattle getting into other neighbor's wheat and cornfields. This and a few other things had caused simmering tensions for quite some time. Most of their neighbors couldn't tollerate them anymore. Consequently, Tom and Elizabeth also started to not feel safe. So, they bought a shotgun. They were the only ones in town with a shotgun (others had rifles).  

One day a wagon of a few men were down on the Little Blue River cutting timber.  Elizabeth claimed the land was hers, and sent her hired ranch hands to chase them down.  All of a sudden, someone heard a shot, and Elizabeth was seen running toward her house.  One of the wagon drivers was dead, with half his head missing (obviously from a shotgun blast). 

It would be many months before a judge would be by to conduct a trial, so the townspeople took justice into their own hands.  They snuck into her house while she was away and took her shotgun.  They came back later to get her and her brother, they wouldn't be able to shoot at them with no gun.  They were captured and their hands were tied behind their backs.  They were marched down toward the river, where hangman's nooses were hung from the bridge over the Little Blue River.  They were put on horses on a sandbar in the river. The nooses were tightened around their necks, and a gun was fired to scare the horses.  The horses took off and left Tom and Elizabeth hanging to die. Some say that the gun that was fired was Elizabeth's shotgun. 

Elizabeth was the only woman to ever be lynched in Nebraska.  There is still a bridge over the Little Blue River in this same spot (just south of the townsite).  It's old, but probably not all original.  The bridge is said to be haunted by their ghosts.  On a eeirly silent night on the Nebraska prarie, it is said you can hear some of the events that palyed out on and under the bridge that fateful day in 1885.
 
Directions: To get to Spring Ranch, you can start out in Hastings or Aurora (if visiting Kronborg and Witch's grave).  From Hastings, take Highway 281 south about 10 miles to Highway 74.  Take Highway 74 east (left turn)  about 6 to 8 miles.  When you cross into Clay county, it's just 2 miles into the county.  When you get to the county road two miles in, take a right and go 1 1/2 to 2 miles to Spring Ranch.  If you go a very short distance further east on Highway 74, you will see the historical marker telling the story of Spring Ranch.

If you come from Aurora, take Highwas 14 south 6 miles past Clay Center to Highway 74 (about 33 miles to Highway 74).   Take a right at Highway 74 and head west.  It's approximately 10 to 12 miles to the historical marker on the south side of the highway (your left).  At the next gravel road, past the marker, take a left and go 1 1/2 to 2 miles south to  Spring Ranch.  The haunted bridge is just a 1/4 mile south of the townsite.

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Alliance Theatre

ALLIANCE- Alliance Theater

Employees have reported seeing shadowy figures, hearing footsteps running down the aisles, and feeling uneasy. According to owner Gerald Bullard, when these phenomena appear, "It's just a friendly ghost."  Believed to be haunted by a female ghost some call "Mary".

Mary was an excellent actress, she performed every act with skill. But for one show it was curtain time for the last time. Mary was playing in a love story, she played as the bride. It was near a happy ending for the performance, or so they thought. She walked up to the stage when tragedy struck. One of the light fixtures fell on top of Mary. The angel of death has claimed a victim. She died of the immense weight and electric shock. To this day, after hours, he spirit roams the stage waiting for the applause of her fans. 

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CROFTON- Argo Hotel
 
It is said that in this location of Crofton Nebraska a yong girl had died in the basement and people can still see her ghost, and being it used to be a mental institution, there are tales of hearing moaning from the rooms, and when a crofton residence was tearing down a wall in the "lounge" he found a babys skeleton, and some say that they can hear the mother whaling for her baby. Some people say that they sometimes see the pictures move.

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VALENTINE- Centennial Hall

In Valentine, the oldest school building still standing in the state of Nebraska is called Centennial Hall, which is now considered a member of the National Registry of Historic Places. Today, the hall is a museum where people can visit the site from the late spring to the early part of autumn. In the mid 1940s, a girl attending the school became poisoned and suffered a heart attack. The local legend in town involved the poisoned of her clarinet reed as the reason behind her death.

Over the years, a collection of former teachers spoke of cold drafts, odd noises, and a weird feeling whenever they entered the school building. For a brief moment, a teacher who wished to remain unknown believed that he had encountered an apparition for a couple of seconds. Many people in town swear they have heard sounds coming out of the old music room even though the school hasn’t been used as a school since 1978. There aren't even any instruments left on the premises.

Additional oddities associated with Centennial Hall include the rocking of a chair when no one is around and cold spots in the building. Some people have reported seeing chimes move from within the building.

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TAKAMAH -The Jeep house

Before the current owners moved in they were told that it was a haunted house. One couple even backed out of their contract after signing, because they too said it was haunted. The people who live their now, hear and see things often. Such as hearing squeaky footsteps when no one else is around, loud banging ( with no explanation as to what). Younger children have woke up screaming and pointing, while trembling in the night. Lights have flicked on and off, channels on the television change on their own. Their was even an incident where a plastic drawer, flew off of a shelf that had been on the shelf for 2 years. Doors are known to mysteriously open even when firmly shut. The house has a lot of history. Including the original owner having her funeral at the house. A psychic and a Catholic priest has said the house has a friendly spirit and it means no harm.

Submitted by a web page visitor 4-09

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SEWARD - Concordia University

Concordia University located in Seward has student housing called David Dorm, which is believed to serve as the haunting spot of ghostly Native Americans. The dorm was constructed during the 1970s and at the time – bones were uncovered. The remains were turned over to researchers for an analysis and learned that they dated back to the 1700s. Maps of the area at that time suggest that the bone belonged to the local Native Americans. The permission to continue building on the land was given by the city, but they had to make sure to hand over all the remains found.

Since then, odd occurrences have been known to take place, including the unexplainable actions of electrical equipment, such as curling irons, computers, and blow dryers. These items and more have been known to turn on unexpectedly. It its the belief that the Native Americans are upset with Concordia for building on top of a burial ground. Ever since 1976, the students have submitted a handful of oddball reports attributed to 'angry spirits.'

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WAYNE

Morey Hall is haunted by a young girl who attended there in the late 1970's. She is seen walking down the hallway of the first floor late at night. She is also seen playing the piano. The Willow Bowl is also a location where many figures are seen among the trees. The chapel at WSC is also said to be haunted by a girl's spirit. At night, you can see the figure of a young woman with long dark hair walking the grounds. When you approach her, she disappears.

from website "Ghosts of America"

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PENDER

Occasionally a phenomena is observed by fishermen on the Logan Creek south of Pender. The area is where the old train trestle crossed the Logan as it bends to the south and east. A dark area appearing as a smudge against the background can occasionally be observed as if suspended over the Logan creek, where the trestle once stood. You first notice it in your peripheral vision as it moves over the creek to the west and stops at midpoint of the creek. Old timers tell of the early 1900's when a train was stopped by a team of vigilantes, who dragged a man from the train and hung him to death from the trestle. It was said he was a hired hand who had murdered the farm family he worked for.

from the website "Ghosts of America"

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PLATTE CENTER

I have lived in Platte Center NE for the last 20 years of my life. I have become quite the historian of this little town I call home. not only can I verify some of these stories, but I can contribute my own. In the early 1900's 3 young men dug a small cave into the bed of a creek running south of the town. The unstable soil gave way and buried all 3 alive...none survived. Late at night, the ghosts of the 3 can be seen in the creek bed digging with their shovels by lantern light. After a brief moment of observation, the team looks up as if caught off guard by something. It is said that they are enacting their last moments of life before being buried alive. In some instances, the creek has been said to rise and become unexpectedly violent with no logical explanation.

from the website "Ghosts of America"

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THE LEGEND OF BLACKBIRD HILL

Eight miles north of Decatur, Nebraska, on the Omaha Indian Reservation, is a hill overlooking the Missouri River.  At its summit is a mound of dirt nearly 45 feet high marking the burial place of the great Omaha Indian Chief Blackbird.  The honored Indian Chief was buried here sitting upright on his favorite horse.  Back in 1804, Lewis and Clark visited this gravesite, leaving behind decorations to commemorate him.

 

Blackbird Hill is said to be haunted and every year dozens of people gather at the site, on October 17th.  However, it is not the ghost of Chief Blackbird who lingers here, but rather, that of a young woman who was murdered upon this hill more than a century and a half ago.

 

 

Blackbird Hill

Blackbird Hill-Chief Blackbird's Burial Grounds photo by Rudi Holnsteiner

 

 

The story begins with a young couple back east who had fallen in love in the early 1840s.  When the boy finished his schooling, his plans were to travel abroad for a time and then return to marry the young girl.  However, the boy never returned from his trip abroad.  The devastated young girl waited for several years, but she finally gave him up for dead and married another man.  Soon, the newlyweds headed west, eventually settling in northeast Nebraska, atop Blackbird Hill.

On October 17, 1849, the young girl was astounded when she saw her old fiancé walking up the winding path from the Missouri River to her small cabin.  He too was surprised, having no idea that she lived there. 

Overjoyed to see him, she confessed that she had never stopped loving him and only married the other man because she thought he was dead.  He then began to convey the tale of his previous years.  When traveling abroad, he was shipwrecked but managed to survive.  However, it took him almost five years to get back to America.  When he arrived home he was saddened to find that his mother had died and his fiancée had married another man and moved west.  Setting out to find her, he joined a wagon train and headed for California, searching everywhere along the way for his long lost love.

By the time he reached the west coast he had failed to find her and heartbroken, he began the long journey home traveling along the Missouri River.  Landing one day at the foot of Blackbird Hill, he saw the winding path up the slope and decided to follow it.  That’s when fate intervened and brought the long lost pair back together.

The girl told him that when her husband returned home, she would tell him that she wished to be released from her marriage vows so they could leave together the next morning.  Giving the couple time to discuss the situation the young man hid in the nearby woods.  When the woman’s husband returned home, she explained the situation but he did not want her to leave and at first, begged her to stay.  When she refused, he began to get angry and soon ended up attacking her with his hunting knife.  Screaming, she fell to the floor.  The husband then dropped the knife and gathered up his bleeding wife.  With her in his arms he ran to the cliff at the top of the hill and jumped with her into the river far below. 

Giving chase, you young man arrived at the hill just in time to see the man leap from the summit and to hear the woman’s final scream of agony.  Collapsing with grief, the young man began to wander the hills aimlessly until he was finally found ragged and half starved by a group of Omaha Indians.  Delirious and unable to speak, the Indians carried the man back to their village, where he stayed until he could recover enough to travel.

Today, the path from the cabin to the cliff edge is barren.  Even more than 150 years later, no plant life will grow on the path that led to the woman’s death.  And, according to the legend, each year on October 17th, the woman’s chilling screams can be heard at the top of the hill.  Over the years, dozens of people have reportedly heard her cries of terror.

The Omaha Indian Reservation is located in northeastern Nebraska, just west of Highway 75. Blackbird Hill is eight miles north of Decatur along the Missouri River.  The hill itself is inside the Omaha reservation and not open to the public, but you can climb a nearby scenic overlook to view the river below.

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LINCOLN - Robber's Cave
 
Robber's Cave is located in southwest Lincoln near the intersection of 10th Street and High.  The area around the cave in largely made up of sandstone.  Through the years, water has seeped through the cracks in the rock and eroded it away in places.  This has created large underground caves and tunnels.  The caves and tunnels are very deep and very long. 

Robber's Cave became known in the early days by the Pawnee Indians.  They called it Pahuk Bluff.  They used to come here to contact the spirit, Tirawa, the god of all things.  They also would go into the caves to learn about their animal powers, healing plants, hold initiations and carry out ceremonies.  This place was very spititual place for them and they held it in high regard.  The Pawnee were removed from the area in 1858. 

In the early 1860's it was used as a stop on the Underground Railroad.  This is also plausable due to the fact that John Brown's cave (yes, the famous abolishonist) in Nebraska City (50 miles away) has been a proven stop on the Underground Railroad.  In 1876, it is said that Jesse James hid out here after a robbery. But this is just some of the interesting stories to do with the cave. The main stories to do with the caves and tunnel being haunted, have to do, in part, with its location.  It is situated very close to the state penitentiary and Hospital for the Insane.  In early years, many convicts and patients found ways into the tunnel system through the basements,  These tunnels were said to extend in all directions for miles around.  Many inmates and patients either found their way to freedom or died in the tunnels.  Soon the tunnels were found and sealed off from the penitentary and hospital sides.
  
When inside the caves and tunnels, it is said that you can hear Indian chanting and drumming.  Also to be heard are screams, cries, laughing, and voices.  You can also hear many whispering and muffled voices.

Many accounts and descriptions of the cave exist today (it has been sealed off now).  Robber's Cave used to be owned by a little old lady.  You would have to knock on her door to get permission to go in (and pay a fee).  She would unlock the big door on the cave and let you inside.  Once inside, a rickedity old stairway led down 150 feet.  There was an electrical line with light bulbs hung through some of the tunnels and corridors.  The lights were spaced so far apart, that you would be in almost total darkness between lights.  They weren't in every tunnel either, they were only in some of the tunnels closer to the entrance. Shortly after leaving the stairs behind, the tunnel would curve.  You would have to watch out for the "Well," a 200 foot plunge into total darkness caused by groundwater seepage for centuries.  It is at the "Well" that you could be guaranteed to find hundreds of bats just waiting to take flight.  They could be found elsewhere in the network, but they could always be found here. 

Many other passages wound throught the network.  As you went through many of these tunnels, water was constantly dripping from above.  But the eerie thing about it is that the water was blood red.  The bats were always flying about, just missing your face by inches.  One of the chambers, almost rarely seen by people in the tunnels, was Robber's Roost.  You would  have to climb upwards through five feet of narrow openings to get into it.  It was a vast chamber and was hidden from view by a rock face in the main tunnel.  This chamber was different from the rest of the chambers, it was dry and had a thick layer of sand on the floor.  In this cavern, there was a small natural chimney with a firepit below it.  It was here that Jesse James was said to have hidden out.  Thge chamber used to extend much further, but one end of the room had been blocked off by a wall of bricks, block and concrete.  It is here that the tunnels were said to run for miles and connect to the state penitentary and state hospital for the insane.  If you pressed your ear to this wall, you could always hear the voices, cries and screams.  They were usually faint, but must have echoed through the countless passages.
  
Robber's Cave had been open to the public off and on for many years.  In the 1970's it was closed down for the first time.  In 1985, it was opened again, but only for a few short years.  The openings have now been sealed off and the area has been developed (a Subway restaurant now stands very near the original entrance).  There is no longer access into the network of tunnels.  Or at least, that is what is said. Through that vast network of tunnels, there must be another entrance somwhere in the surrounding area. 

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LAKE WAKONDA -  Hannah's Ghost/Grave
 
This story takes place right outside of Lake Waconda, Nebraska (or WaConDa). It is near Union, Nebraska in eastern Cass County (couple miles from the Missouri River).  In the 1800's a young girl named Hannah, age 16, became pregnant.  Her parents were not pleased with this fact. When it came time to have the baby, she delivered it at home.  Her mother took it immeadaitely and is said to have drowned the baby in the Missouri River.  She later told Hannah that it was stillborn.  Hannnah was heart broken.  She is said to have died of a broken heart.  Regardless of how she died, she lived only for a short while after giving birth.  

Her parents laid her to rest in one of their fields.  On many nights, it is said that you can hear Hannah crying out for her baby.  You can also see a dim lantern like light floating around in the darkness of the area fields.  It is also said that when it snows, no snow touches her grave.

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HAT CREEK BATTLEFIELD

This site in Nebraska is haunted by spirits of Cheyenne Indians.  It is located in the very northwest corner of Nebraska on the old Deadwood-Cheyenne Trail.  It is the site a battle by the 5th U.S. Cavalry with the Cheyenne Indians.  The battle took place in mid July of 1876.  The Cheyenne had just heard about the demise of General George Armstrong Custer.  They decided to leave the reservation and return to their homelands in the Black Hills.  The U.S. Cavalry was intructed to cut them off and send them back to the reservation.  It is at this site that Buffalo Bill Cody killed a warrior named Yellow Hand.  After the killing, he took his war bonnet, and later displayed it at many of his wild west shows through the years.  In the battle here, the Cheyenne were massacred.  It is said that at this site you can see phantom Cheyenne Indians creeping slowly through the tall prarie grass.  You can also hear their whispering, sometimes hear gun shots and see a wierd green mist swirling around the monument area.

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Alexandria -Alexandria Cemetery- As your leaving the town, right after you pass the cemetery, a shadowy covered wagon follows you all the way to the highway. It stays right behind you even if you go 90mph.

Beemer - Canyon Road - Go up to the golf course and keep going on the gravel road right in front of it. And stop on the corner where you can see the graveyard. At 12:35 in the morning shut your lights off and honk your horn 3 times and when you turn on your lights again there should a better ghostly figure of a man standing in front of your car.

Bellevue - Bellevue East High School - there is paranormal activity there, a number of other people have witnessed supernatural things in that school. Doors of the theater and number of doors on the second door suddenly burst open. Seeing a specter on the stages cat walk. Ghostly images in mirrors of bathrooms. Yet, there is not any information to say who or what these apparitions are.

College Heights - Housing Area(downtown) - a house in that area is known to be buried on a Indian burial ground. Reports of unexplained noises and events. Owner would wake up to see what?s to be a spirit looking at her then would disappear. Things would go crashing to the ground, when owner would be by her self in a different room. History books in fact show area is built near Indian burial sight.

Fairview Street - There are many different things around Fairview. 1 Fairview School, as seen on this page. Too many people have seen cars drive by with NO driver. 3 Streetlights flash with no one around. As you can see, you shouldn?t drive or go to school at Fairview.

Gilbert Pool - There's a haunting in the office at Gilbert Pool, sights of ghosts. If you lock the door and come back everything will be all over the place in the office even when the door is still locked.

Jewel Park - Numerous accounts of sounds, extra footprints in the dirt, when you are alone, thick mist on a clear night, being chased by something or someone that isn't there. Animal sounds, when no animals have been on the property in 6 months to year. Figures of people, when no one else is there, objects show up in some places and gone by the time you turn around. One witness reports being ran over by something, but no one is near, whispering, rodeo sounds from the old rodeo stands.

John Rice Library - During the night (and sometimes during the day) you can feel see and hear the entities of a old man and a little girl. The girl is about 10 and has dark brown hair parted in the middle and roundish glasses that look big for her face. Most don't get a real good look at her, but the see her in their peripheral vision. The man has been seen crouching down over books, but his face has never been seen. Employees report feeling poking on their back when there's never anyone or anything there to explain it.

Bellwood - Bellwood Elementary - At night, you'll see what appears to be a severely burned young woman standing in the library window, there are also cold and hot spots, strange sounds. You'll put something somewhere one night, it'll be gone or moved the next morning. Late nights, inside the building, the halls will be filled with the sound of jingling keys, but there's no source of the sound, you'll see shadows moving up and down the halls.

Blair - Dana College - Argo Hall - This is the oldest building on the Dana Campus. There have been numerous reports of objects moving, televisions and radios turning on and off and changing channels by themselves, doors opening and closing, and an unseen hand touching people.

Dana College - Charles A. Dana Hall of Science - It's said that people in the labs late at night have turned around to find a pitch-black, shadowy figure standing in the doorway. In addition, the cause of a mysterious false fire alarm causing the sprinklers to come on and flood the building in the summer of 1999 remains unexplained. Many say it was an angry or mischievous ghost.

Dana College - Elkhorn Hall - Ghost haunts 4th floor where in the 1930's he hung himself. Reports say the ghost whispers "shut up" to people and the room that he died in is colder than other rooms next to it. Sometimes the sound of football cleats can be heard running down the hall

Dana College - Madsen Fine Arts Center - In the Fine Arts building, there are often reports of phantom piano music coming from empty rooms, as well as a cold 'visitor' in the basement dressing area. In addition, a dark figure has been seen darting down the aisles in the empty theater.

Brownville - Captain's museum - Many people in this area have seen a ghost playing the piano in the old library. Others have just heard the piano playing late at night.

Chadron - Old Main Street Inn - This neat old bed & Breakfast/Restaurant, Bar is haunted by a friendly spirit that the Owners call (Jack). Guests and employees have heard footsteps on the stairs when no one is there. objects have been moved from their original position. One couple who recently stayed there had placed a water glass by their bed side table. The next morning when they awoke they were surprised to find the water glass sitting on a counter in another room.

Clatonia - Boyscout Lake - Woman figure seen walking around and an evil growling noise can be heard. Story has it she froze to death looking for her family in a blizzard. Her and Her family used to live on the grounds and one morning she had sent her kids out to help her husband with the farm chores and the weather increasing got worse as the time had passed. Worried, she went outside to look for her family and ended up freezing to death. Her family ended up taking shelter in the barn and had survived. (*Note The trees leading up to the lake seem to grow together and never seem to have many leaves)

Columbus - Columbus High School - Rumors of a teacher once died of a heart attack around 50 years ago after school. Janitors often hear doors slamming and machinery turning on late at night as their shifts are ending.

The Glowing Graveyard - This graveyard is located way out north in the boonies of Columbus. Supposedly on a full moon the headstones are supposed to "glow", but most believe that this is just the cause of the limestone in the rock being reflected by the moon. Right beside the graveyard is a bridge in which according to a myth a bus full of kids rolled off the bridge and died. Supposedly if you put powder all over your car and drive over it in neutral you can see the handprints from children, or if you turn your car off in the middle of the bridge, your car won't start again.

Hy-Vee - it is suspected that hyvee is haunted by a ghost named scooter. he is about 5"6' and appears to have brown hair. he comes out around 2 and people have said to hear screeching noises in the back room close to the dairy produce section. employees have reported this to management but they have thought nothing of it up until about 2 months ago the manager had a akward encounter with this suspected ghost.

Scotus Central Catholic High School - This school has existed for over a hundred years and is believed to be haunted by several spirits. A nun, a small boy, and a former student are said to roam the halls of this educational institution. To add to the story, there are tunnels under the school that ghost hunters were brought in to investigate in 1980. Several presences were found. There have even been accounts of teachers quitting because of the disturbances.

Shell Creek School -2 miles east - first road to the west of Twister's or around 2 miles east of Shell Creek School, When you take the road and are heading north you will go over this little hill. On top of the hill, sometimes you will see around 5-6 orange lights near the creek. They do not have the shine around them such as incandescent. We suspect it to be fires. Then you will go a little ways out and see a diesel tank to run the irrigation systems. Follow the road to the left. At this point it gets very narrow. Keep following the road. You will come across another diesel tank that says "Stay Out". If you chose to go past this, following up to the left is a large bump/rising in the road and you rise slightly in elevation. There will be many stacks of old pipes here. There will be no real good place to turn around so you might have to do some 3-point turns. Honk your horn when you think you can't go any farther on the road. The horn should sound very distant, not like it was coming from your engine, almost as if it was coming from all around you.

Old Shockey/Penfield House - In the upstairs of the house, door will open when they were shut and locked, lights dim and flicker. Strange sounds--Is said to be "haunted" by the late Keith Penfield, who died there unexpectedly one morning. The basement also gives off unusual sounds, and you feel like someone's watching you while you sleep, also if you walk around the house when it's dark, you'll see mysterious shadows around the house.

Wal-Mart - the girls bathroom by the layaway room has been haunted for about 3 years...witnesses hear the water faucet turning on to find no one there.

Curtis - Curtis College - Dorm Rooms - it is said that the Curtis College dorm rooms are haunted by a guy that hung himself because he was made fun of. it is said that he walks around the halls at night and whistles and makes fun of people and pounds on the floor and doors and people go out and see and there is no one there!

Darr - Darr Bridge - If you pass over this bridge at midnight on a foggy winter's night and look in your rearview mirror you will see a pioneer woman who was killed on this bridge. Some say that she is in a covered wagon and some say that she is walking and looking for her son that died. Not all that go will see her, so be patient.

Dorchester - Gilbert's Graveyard - Haunted graveyard by the Gilbert family who were pioneers in the 1890's. Strange noises and the movement of the tombstone are just the tip of this sight.

High School boiler room - A kid once locked himself down in the boiler room and died. Janitors her someone yelling during the night and they go down there and don't see any one.

Fremont - Midland Lutheran College - Theater above the student union is haunted by what was a caretaker from way back. Strange noises and eerie feelings abound.

Hastings - Hastings College - The ghost of another music professor has been seen in human form and as a floating light in the music building named for him. Lights have been turned on and off, as well as sightings of him walking the halls late at night.

Hastings College - Altman Hall of Hastings College - Altman hall is said to be haunted by Clara Altman. She is a good ghost who protects the students staying there. You hear knocking on doors lights turn on and off and radios turned on in the middle of the night.

Homer - Layde's Grave - pronounced "Lottie" - on the gravel road you see lights, also see lights coming from inside the grave yard. If you put a can of pop on the grave, try to pick it up and you will not be able to. When you finally can, the can will be empty. Other things are said to happen. - Septermber 2004 additional information: Another story known by the locals was that she fell in love with another man and her jealous husband or lover killed them and threw their bodies from a bluff into the river. If you called on her she was supposed to appear in the trees in white. Supposedly you could hear her crying at night.

Kearney - Conrad Hall - The Hall was built in the late 1950s and used to house the KSC chapter of the Alpha Omicron Pi sorority. The ghost, named Stella after one of the AOPi founding sisters is said to haunt the west end of the third floor rooms, particularly room 318. The ghost appears at night, sitting in students' chairs, as well as on their beds. Sometimes, students wake up unable to open their eyes or roll over in bed because the ghost is said to be sleeping next to them. Chairs are often found drug across the tile floors in front of the mirrors. Lights are found turned on in vacant rooms that have remained locked, and the ghost also is said to turn on water in the bathrooms, where students find it running.

Knox County-Danny Liska's intriguing stories from Knox County, Nebraska, include tales of monsters, ghosts, UFOs, Bigfoot, and the "Little People." Liska's Bigfoot Ranch was the setting of a Metaphysical Institute tapping into the "cosmic energy produced there by the confluence of the Missouri and Niobrara rivers and the Bazile, Ponca, and Verdigre creeks." Liska is best known for his early 1960s motorcycle trip from the northern tip of Alaska to the southernmost tip of South America, chronicled in his book, Two Wheels to Adventure.

Krakow (near Genoa) - Krakow Church - There was an old convent there that was torn down years ago. If you go out there on a full moon and drive past the church going south some say you can still see the convent there. Also seen a figure hanging and swaying.

Lincoln - Antelope Park - Near the memorial, behind the care takers house, there is a field where numerous sightings of figures have been seen, walking across into the trees.

Hobbittsville House - ghost of a girl who died there haunts the property.

Friendship Manor - Smell cigar smoke at times(no smoking allowed) This is a women?s shelter. History there that a man hung himself there .

Lake Street Lake - What used to be the sight of a small dairy farm, was turned into a skating rink where many of Lincoln's youth came. After numerous accidental deaths, the most famous being of a little boy killed by a group of bully's, the Lake was drained and is now a deep grassy area. But the original tree still stands from the original dairy farm, and on winter nights, reporting of ghost sightings near the creek that once led into the lake have exploded since.

Nebraska Weslyan College - The ghost of a music professor has been seen and heard frequently in the old music building on the Nebraska Weslyan College campus. The professor was an organ instructor, the organ can be heard late at night , and sometimes can be seen sitting at or near the organ. The ghost has also been seen and heard at the apartment where the professor lived.

Old Captain's Studio - haunted by The Captain who use to live there.

Speed Indoor Racing - 3 months after it opened the owner was walking down the hall and saw a person run across the room way ahead of him. He went after it and it was gone. Also, bells were once heard ringing and a broom caught on fire in the storeroom when no one was there.

The Capitol Building - is haunted by the maintenance man that changed the light bulb on top fell and died now haunts the fourteenth floor. The storage levels the stairs that lead up to them are haunted by a worker that worked there way back in the day she was afraid of heights but to do her job for the money cause she was poor. she climbed them anyway got dizzy and the stairs are so narrow and the rail is so short she fell of the twelfth floor and is now seen as a fog falling past you in the middle of the rotating stairs but when you look down them you can't see her.

University of Nebraska - The Temple Building - A worker fell from the rafters during construction early in the 1900's and was killed as he hit the stage floor. People have heard a noise followed by a crashing sound from the stage. As they come to investigate, there is no one there or anything out of place. A misty figure of a worker in old style clothes has also been seen. - February 2004 update: The ghost's name is Clara and they recently put an office in for her (Clara's Office) With a piano and many different instruments. If you're alone in the building you can hear her playing the organ.

Washington Street - Apparently there was a little boy back in the day who was on one of the four corners on Washington Street. There was a car full of gang members in the car and shot the little boy on one of the corners. They say that if you come across one of the corners you hear the little boy scream and a brush of wind hit across your body.

Loup City - Jenner's Park - If you go down to Jenner's Park at night, the sound of children laughing can be heard. The park used to be a zoo and the stone-earthen cages still remain which adds to the creepy feelings aroused there.

Malcolm - Fern Westfall Library - After dark, apparitions can be seen of Fern Westfall, the founder of the school, knocking books off of the shelves. Reports also state that a portrait of her in the elementary cafeteria contains roaming eyes that follow curious, staring students.

Maxwell - Plumer Street House - Residents have heard baby cries, have seen an empty rocking chair begin rocking by itself; one resident says he's seen a young woman dressed in white in the chair, a thudding noise on the stairs at night, and have seen the naked light bulb swinging back and forth by itself in the upstairs front bedroom. Upon further examination of the source of these sounds, several hidden walkways between each of the upstairs rooms were found. Lights flickered on and off. Some of the stories is a young boy had fallen down the stairs and broke his neck on his way to use the outhouse in the middle of the night...an infant child died in her crib in an upstairs room and the mother held the dead baby in her arms and rocked her until she was discovered...another young boy hung himself from a light cord in the front upstairs bedroom...a woman and her lover fought and one was killed in the area where my mom's room was(it was a parlor before we moved in). 

Nebraska City - 7 Sisters Road - Legend is a man hung each one of his sisters on each of the 7 hills. Only about 3 or 4 good hills remain, but there are a lot of strange happenings at night. Cars will stall, headlights will shut off, and screaming can be heard. Also many OLD ghost buildings still exist. The Camp Creek Cemetery is also well know for being haunted. Located in same area, about 3 miles South of Nebraska City.

Super China Buffet - There have been many restaurants and stores in this old building in historic Nebraska city in. Nobody is sure who haunts it, some say it?s the ghost of a boy who died and one of the restaurants was named after him and owned by his parents. Others say its the ghost of the woman who had a antique shop there for many years and cared dearly for the building. Anyone who spends any amount of time there has seen objects moving, strange sounds, and misplaced objects. - December 2003 update/correction: the restaurant used to be a place called Bischofs hardware. they were in business for many. many yeas. A man ran it, there was Minnie Bishof who was the bookkeeper there and she babysat. Mr Bishof ran it until he died at age 90! His brothers helped too along with his sister Minnie. They were a well respected family in town. A family renovated the building and named it Scooters after theirson who committed suicide, it was rumored boy is buried close by where my parents are buried. The boy died well before they opened up the restaurant.

Norfolk - Regional Center - Local mental institution, there have been visions of people walking the halls, then turning down a dead end hallway and disappearing. Also many howls, screams, pounding throughout the night.

North Platte - Buffalo Bill Codys' House - So after on of our concerts in North Platte, my band mates decided to go out to the famous Buffalo Bill Codys? house, looking up at the window we saw a vision of a little girl. The curtains were moving around while there was no wind, perfectly clear night. The little girl looked to be glowing around the edges as she moved her hand around.

Dodge Hill Road & Cemetery - Many of the locals frequent this spot in the winter for its choice sledding, but after dark, only the brave visit this area. The road takes a few twists and turns and has a sheer drop on either side at some points. Several people have skidded through the guard rails and plunged to their death. Further along is the infamous cemetery. It is said that if you go there at night and point your headlights at the statue of Jesus, he will eventually move. Sometimes people can be seen walking through the tombstones one moment and vanish the next. Phantom animals have also been reported.

Old Fox Theatre - Neville Center for the Performing Arts - Every Theatre has its ghosts, and this one is no exception. In the Balcony, specifically in the area of the Lighting booth, people have had "unexplainable" encounters with something. Usually, it happens as a sudden drop in temperature. Sometimes people have actually felt the touch of someone's hand. Everyone who performs there or is in anyway involved with the Playhouse has heard the stories and knows that he is harmless. Or, at least, he has been so far.

Ogallala - Boot Hill - Boot hill is a cemetery for old cowboys. Many people have seen the ghost of pioneers, and cowboys roaming around the grave stones at night.

Mansion on the hill - people driving past on west 10th street have seen lights on in the back room when the museum is closed at night. Museum keepers have also seen a man's figure walking around during the after noon when only the museum keepers are there.

Omaha - Alpha School - The building can be empty except for you and the floor will creek and footsteps can be heard. Doors will close for no reason. Strange noises are always heard.

Brother Sebastian's - "The Regular" Bill Wolcott was an older gentleman who, for years, dined at Brother Sebastian's almost every evening. Wolcott had his peculiarities: he often dressed in a formal smoking jacket complete with an ascot tie; he always dined in the lounge, always at the same seat. Unfortunately, Wolcott was stricken with cancer. Although treatments were painful he continued to dine at Brother Sebastian's, even while he was hospitalized. When Wolcott became so ill that he could no longer swallow solid food, the kitchen staff pureed his meals for him. At some point during this time Wolcott began draping a towel over his head while he was in public; but for some reason he was drawn to his favorite dining spot. Wolcott, it appears, felt so comfortable at Brother Sebastian's that he continues to frequent the restaurant even after his death. The last report of Wolcott's ghost occurred on the night of the restaurant?s grand re-opening. A woman seated in one of the back dining rooms complained that someone was staring at her and making her uncomfortable. The "Someone" to whom she referred was the face of an old man that the woman claimed was in the stones that make up the wall of the room. Two of the staff also witnessed, late one night after the restaurant was closed and all the doors were locked. They were the only people inside, they saw a swinging door at the rear of the bar open fully, stopped moving as if someone were walking through the threshold, and closed. Anyone who has been inside the building knows that a random wind breezing through to swing doors open and closed is unlikely: Just like the original building (before the 1995 fire), the new structure has no windows. Sometimes in restaurants an employee closes the establishment one night and opens the business the following morning. More than one server has stated that a candle that they knew was snuffed out the previous night was burning the next morning.

Lynch Park - You go there and you can hear footsteps of people running and the crying of a baby. One witness heard a man screaming saying,? It?s so cold, help me," and you could swear that you felt a man grab your leg.

Millard North High - There is a hallway by the south doors where the janitors had a smoking room downstairs. One-day student snuck down there to smoke a cigarette. He smoked his cigarette and was on his way out. There was told to be a puddle of water by the door and he slipped and hit his head. He died instantly. It's shut off to students and personal now but if you walk down that hallway you'll smell stale cigarette smoke and hear a crashing sound underneath you. 

O'Hanlon house - footsteps and pounding on the front door are the main events here.

Omaha South High School - At Omaha South High School, there is a ghost. The ghost's name is Gus. About 20-25 years ago there was a tornado drill. So everyone had to go to the "Catacombs" as we call them. This was a part of the building that was built when the performing arts part of the building was built. It was the 50's so it was built, to be a nuclear fallout shelter. Well during this tornado drill everyone went down to the catacombs. Gus, a janitor for the Performing Arts part of the building, thought that they would be there for a while. So he went to the "Rat Room" to get some provisions for everyone. He closed the door behind him, went to get a barrel of food, when it fell on him, and crushed his head. He was not found until he had been dead for a while. Now Gus still roams the Performing Arts section of the building, even after it was remolded about 10 years ago. The strange thing is that if you are in a play there and you don't believe in Gus he will mess you up. As in you mess up your lines, cues, entrances, etc. He also likes to be in the Green Room, which is right next to the Catacombs; he leaves lights on and open doors.

The White House Apartments - These apartments used to be an old hospital. It is said that some of the tenents who lived on the main floor has seen a lady in a long white gown walking the hallway.

O'Neill - O'Neill Cemetery - Sometimes on very late and cold December nights there is a group of people who stand around in the middle of the cemetery (residents of O'Neill, you know about the place with the bbq stand) and they sacrifice animals no one knows who they are and sometimes reports of people coming out of their sleep at their houses near by with blood on their hands and all over their clothes and they wake up in different clothes. Now remember this is only one persons story so don?t go getting mad if you don?t see them often.

Palmyra - High School - In the old part of the high school on the 3rd floor there is to be know of a ghost named Willy he was a janitor here in the high school and the other janitors say that he still roams here and one janitor said that he was vacuuming in one room and he shut it off and went to another room and when he came back it was running by it self and he was the only janitor in the school so he thought. Sometimes in the restrooms on 3rd floor the stools would run out of know where and a door will shut really loud.

Papillion - Pattycakes bakery - reports of oven doors opening by themselves with no one around . reports of ghosts attacking employees.

Platteview - Fairview Elementary - the land belonged to a farmer who had his head cut off by his son and he walks with his head in his hands.

Santee - Santee Tribal Office - A little boy has been seen and heard walking the hallways of the tribal building. Last year a photograph was taken in the Head Start office and a child's face of a boy was transparent over the face of the child coloring. No other children were in the room besides the child coloring. The boy appeared to have a bruised up face and his eyes seemed to be bloated.

Schuyler - Cemetery - Strange lights can be seen from a mausoleum at times, voices have also been heard.

Sky Drive-In Theater - There has been descriptions of black dogs roaming around one with one eye and one leg missing but when you turn away and look back they are gone. There has also been reports of things being in place one day and all thrown around the next day.

Scottsbuff - Scottsbluff National monument - There is a female spirit clad in white that walks along the base of the opposite bluff, around the end of July and beginning of august around midnight or one in the morning. Sometimes you'll see her, sometimes you won't. A lot of people have besides me...but you got to look closely, and be patient.

Seward - Seward Middle School - Janitors report of several weird things happening in this school. They said that you can hear and see kids walking up and down the hall ways at night and one of the ghosts actually talks to one of the janitors. The janitor said that there was a day care center that burned down killing everyone in it, and the new addition of the school was built on that. In the girls locker rooms, the showers have been seen turning on and off by themselves, the janitors will turn off the lights and find them back on later that night.

Stanton - Whistlers - Story of guy went crazy killed his family then hung himself from second bridge. At night you can hear him whistling, because he always sat on the bridge and whistled while he fished. Some say to have seen him swinging during the late hours of night.

Valley - Valley High School - Once in what is now the old gym there was a stage that is now the wrestling room and it is said that in 1955 a boy fell from the lighting bridge during the winter concert when he fell one of the Christmas tree props went right through his back and out his chest. They say now when you go up there that blood will appear on the floor and you can hear a crowd screaming. At night you can see a boy fall on a tree and then disappear. Don't believe me come to the office and ask to go to the wrestling room.

Wayne - Wayne State College - Neihardt Hall - which is haunted by Cora, a young lady that killed herself in the basement. The Lay Theater that is haunted by a very mischievous ghost. The Willow Bowl which is said to be haunted by a young man that committed suicide there a few years ago. And a young girl who was playing in the tunnels when her ball rolled into a cubbyhole with bare electrical wires haunts the tunnels between the dorms.

Weeping Water - Weeping Water Graveyard - If you go there at night you can see people rising from the graves and if they see you they might come after you. When they saw me they did and they will attack so beware.

Witch's Bridge - It is said that many years ago this witch hung herself from the bridge known as Witch's bridge. It is said that if you go out there on an odd night at an odd hour with an odd number of people and hang your head and top half of your body over the edge of the bridge you will see yourself hanging or she will pull you under the bridge.

Wilber - Wilber-Clatonia High School - It's said that a student once fell and died while working on a latter in the auditorium.. People have seen things move and fall on there own in the 'storage room' (located next to the auditorium). And the auditorium itself is the coldest place in the building with feelings of someone watching you. Music can be heard coming from the band room and choir room and voices can be heard also when in the school after dark.

Wilber-Clatonia schools - a kid a while back fell off a ladder and died in the gym. and ever since the gym has been the coldest place in the school and people still see him walking around the gym with the ladder he fell off of.

York - East 3rd - there are people yelling and throwing thing down the street and this happens at midnight

York High School - A teacher was once killed here, and you can see her figure walking into her room, turning on the lights, and then sits down and messes up all the paper from that day.

Do you know of any Nebraska hauntings? Have you seen a ghost in Nebraska? Let us know so we can post it!

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Nebraska Haunting Investigations (with photos)

OmaHaunt

Great Plains Paranormal Research Society

The Yutan Clan Paranormal Investigators

Grasping Shadows