Charles A. Stansfield Jr. - Haunted Minnesota: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the North Star State

Charles A. Stansfield Jr.

Illustrations by Marc Radle

STACKPOLE
BOOKS

Copyright 2012 by Stackpole Books

Published by
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All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. All inquiries should be addressed to Stackpole Books.

Printed in the United States of America

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

FIRST EDITION

Cover design by Tessa Sweigert

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Stansfield, Charles A.

Haunted Minnesota : ghosts and strange phenomena of the North Star State /

Charles A. Stansfield, Jr. ; illustrations by Marc Radle. 1st ed.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references (p. ).

ISBN 978-0-8117-0014-6 (pbk.)

1. GhostsMinnesota. 2. Haunted placesMinnesota. I. Title.

BF1472.U6S7264 2012

133.109776dc23

2012004048

eBook ISBN: 978-0-8117-4874-2

To my two fine sonsWayne Charles and Paul Scott
who, though skeptics on matters supernatural,
are firm believers in family, honor, and integrity

Northern Minnesota

The Ghost of Dan Patch

THAT COULD NOT HAVE BEEN A FACE YOU JUST SAW, COULD IT? PERHAPS it was just a shadow, or maybe a reflection of some kind, because nobody else is in the house. Those creaking sounds on the stairsthey must be the product of an old house settling or a result of strong winds against the structure. They couldnt be footsteps, could they? Theres no one there, right?

Most people have experienced puzzling sights, sounds, smells, or indescribable sensations that have no satisfying rational basis, no obvious explanation to disperse our uneasiness about them. Were they hallucinations, images originating in our brain without any external stimuli? Or was our subconscious misinterpreting real but benign and random patterns of light or sound? It has been said that humans have an inherent need to sort, categorize, and organize data into patterns and assign meaning to the meaningless.

In many cultures around the world, traditions hold that spirits of the dead are in contact with the living, and sometimes intervene in their affairs. They can perform positive roles in advising the living and protecting them from evil, as shown in the many guardian ghost stories. The dark side of these beliefs blames ghosts for illness, misfortune, and even death. In medieval Europe, pagan beliefs in various demons, vampires, and spectral threats were transformed by Christianity into the concept of souls trapped between this world and the next; ghosts were believed to be the spirits of those condemned by their own sins. On the other hand, many people also believe in mystical and holy apparitions, visions in which saints or angels have appeared to people in order to warn, inform, or praise them.

Religion and the supernatural appear to have a common concern in answering the profound question: is this life all there is, or are spirits eternal? Is there a way to continue after death, and can the living and the dead communicate in some fashion?

Why are certain places alleged to be persistently haunted, inhabited by ghosts that have manifested themselves to scores of people over many years? Are these ghost venues the result of concentrations of psychic energy of some form? Renowned inventor Thomas Edison conceived of our spirits as assemblages of tiny particles of energy and once declared an interest in building an electrical apparatus to facilitate communication between the living and the dead.

Belief in, or at least fascination with, ghosts, demons, angels, UFOs, and monsters is widespread. The evidence is in the tremendous popularity of these themes in contemporary culturebooks, movies, television dramas, and documentaries. Stories about the supernatural are universal. Every society that exists, or has ever existed, has traditions of ghosts, demons, witches, and monsters. Public-opinion surveys assert that a minimum of ten percent, and as many as forty percent, of Americans express belief in ghosts. Clearly, if convinced believers and open-minded skeptics are grouped together, a majority of Americans are receptive to the possibility of supernatural occurrences. And even the most confident skeptics can enjoy a good story whether or not they can accept the supernatural content as real.

Ghosts are geographic in two senses. They are highly territorial. Their haunts typically are quite restricted, confined to a very specific place such as a building or a room. Ghosts can be geographic in a broader sense as well. Their personal histories and circumstances are connected to the history, geography, and culture of the environment. Many tales of the supernatural in Minnesota relate to the states forestry, mining, and agricultural industries. Some ghosts, such as those of legendary American Indian leaders and early explorers, have historical backgrounds. Ghosts also haunt the childhood homes of a famous movie star, a Nobel Prize-winning author, and an internationally acclaimed aviation pioneer. Massive forest fires, ship sinkings, mine disasters, and mill explosions all have contributed to Minnesotas catalog of ghosts.

You are about to begin a journey across the dark supernatural landscapes of the land of sky-blue waters. Lock the doors, turn on all the lights, sit back, and enjoy your trip. May your subsequent dreams be interesting.

MINNESOTAS ARROWHEAD GOT ITS NAME FROM ITS SHAPE ON THE map. The northeastern corner of the state tapers eastward to a point at Grand Portage. On the northern flank is the boundary with Canada, and on the southeast, the shores of Lake Superior. A line from International Falls southeast to Lake Superior just north of Duluth completes the Arrowhead.

The Arrowhead is a mostly untouched wilderness of lakes, streams, and forests, looking today much as it did when the French voyageurs first saw it nearly three centuries ago. In this beautiful region that appeals to nature-loving tourists, youll meet Bigfoot and some exotic monsters. The phantom of a Civil War battleship haunts the lakeshore, and youll learn how to kill a vampire, French style.

Its not easy to get lost in a town the size of Virginia, Minnesota, but the Johnsons, Larry and Janet, had managed to do just that. It didnt help that dark, thick clouds obscured the waning light of dusk. Sheets of rain swept across their windshield as they tried to read street signs. They were looking for the motel where they had reservations. Having driven up from Minneapolis, they were tired, hungry, and more than a little thirsty. A couple of cold beers would be nice, fantasized Larry. Larry was paying close attention to the road. This was Iron Range country and the area was pockmarked with open pit minessome active, some abandoned. It wouldnt be good to miss a turn and plunge into a giant hole in the ground.

Janet was the one who first saw the girl. The cars headlights briefly illuminated the hunched figure alongside the road as they rounded a curve. There was instant agreement between the Johnsons that they should stop for the pathetic, rain-drenched figure. Normally neither would pick up a stranger, especially in a strange town. Janets motive was humanitarian; her motherly instincts were to give the girl respite from the storm. Larry was more pragmatic. His normal aversion to asking anyone for directions had been dissolved in the downpour. Maybe the girl could tell them where the heck they were and how to find a thick steak, baked potato, and a salad bar. And some cold beer.