High Spirits Chicago is a Podcast dedicated to talking about all things GHOST.
We also drink quite a bit.
Hosted by CHICAGO’S VERY OWN Noelle Schmitt and Jay Steigmann.
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High Spirits Chicago is a Podcast dedicated to talking about all things GHOST.
We also drink quite a bit.
Hosted by CHICAGO’S VERY OWN Noelle Schmitt and Jay Steigmann.
Episode 63: Disneyland – The Happiest Place on Earth Jay walks us through Disneyland – which may be: the creepiest place on Earth. This story contains: 1. Opened: July 17, 1955. (In Anaheim, CA!) 2. Walt haunts Main Street. (So does the lady in White!) 3. Space Mountain is a fun roller coaster. (Look out for the three ghosts that haunt it!) 4. The Haunted Mansion is a scary attraction. (The four ghosts inside may be scarier!) 5. it’s a small world after all! (You don’t want to know. You do. But, you don’t. Oof.) Sweet Dreams XOXOZzzz.
Episode 62: The Lemp Mansion and Brewery Jay walks us through the Lemp Mansion and Brewery in St. Louis, MO. This story contains: 1. The first brew house was constructed in 1865. (On top of caves with connecting tunnels!) 2. In 1897, William Lemp's daughter, Hilda, married Gustav Pabst. (Beer dynasties united by marriage!) 3. Prohibition destroyed the family business. (Alas! No beer!) 4. A melancholy mansion. (Four Lemps killed themselves on the premises!) 5. Ghosts haunt the house. (In the bar, drinks have been known to stir themselves!) Sweet Dreams XOXOZzzz.
Episode 61: Eastern State Penitentiary Jay walks us through Eastern State Penitentiary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This story contains: 1. Operation dates of the prison were 1829 - 1971! (Resonant energy!) 2. The prison followed the “Pennsylvania System” of rehabilitation. (Woops! Solitary confinement!) 3. Prisoners were tortured. (Waterboarding! Iron gags! The Hole!) 4. The prison was designed for 250 occupants. (At its most populated, there were 1,800 people in residence!) 5. When Al Capone was a prisoner there – he saw the ghost of James Clark. (Clark died in the St. Valentine’s Day massacre.) Sweet Dreams XOXOZzzz.
Episode 60: Villisca Ax Murders Noelle walks us through the Villisca Ax Murders that occurred in 1912 in Villisca, Iowa! This story contains: 1. Murder in Iowa! (8 victims!) 2. Unsolved Crime! (So many suspects!) 3. Serial Killer? (Maybe?) 4. Robert Laursen Jr, paranormal investigator, stabbed himself in the chest when he investigated the house! (Wowza.) 5. Hauntings: footsteps, fog, children’s voices! (There’s a ghost tour! YOU can spend the night there for the small sum of $428! Tell us how your visit went.) Sweet Dreams XOXOZzzz.
Episode 59: Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans Jay walks us through the story of Louisiana Voodoo – and Marie Laveau, the Voodoo Queen of New Orleans. This story contains: 1. Why do people misunderstand Voodoo? (Racism!) 2. Those who practice Voodoo believe that there is a visible and an invisible world, and that these worlds are intertwined. (Interesting!) 3. Slaves were forced to become Catholic and were orally taught the faith. (The slaves found parallels in their own belief systems.) 4. Marie Catherine Laveau: 1801–1881. (The Voodoo Queen of New Orleans!) 5. Marie Laveau lived an amazing life! (She was so famous, that the New York Times ran her Obituary on June 23, 1881!) Sweet Dreams XOXOZzzz.
Episode 58: Krampus Noelle walks us through Christmas Legend and scary freak: Krampus! This story contains: 1. Krampus comes from the German word: Krampen. (That means CLAWED!) 2. Krampus is a half-goat/half-demon who punishes bad kiddos! (Merry Christmas!) 3. Krampus has fangs and thrashes about with his chains. (Hawt, right?) 4. Krampusnacht is on December 5th! (On the eve of the Feast of St. Nicholas.) 5. It’s customary to offer a Krampus schnapps called Krampuslauf! (Dude. What’s Krampusnacht without Krampuslauf?) Sweet Dreams XOXOZzzz.
Episode 57: Wendigo and Native Legends Noelle walks us through the Native American Legend of the Wendigo. This story contains: 1. Wendigo. (A native cannibal spirit of the Great Lakes!) 2. Wendigo’s are gaunt with glowing eyes! (Charlize Theron!) 3. Wendigo Fever. (It’s serious – just take two aspirin.) 4. Wendigo Psychosis! (It VERY medical!) 5. Flying native heads! (This Thanksgiving, be sure to think about our natives.) Sweet Dreams XOXOZzzz.
Episode 56: Anton LaVey and the Church of Satan Jay walks us through Anton LaVey, the Church of Satan, and all sorts of magic and weirdness. This story contains: 1. Anton LaVey. (Formerly, Howard Stanton Levey from Chicago!) 2. LaVey developed the Church of Satan! (The Satanic Bible has been in print since 1969!) 3. LaVey's understanding of magic was influenced by the British occultist: Aleister Crowley. (Mhm.) 4. LaVeyan Satanism! (They don’t really believe in Satan-Satan – it’s a metaphor!) 5. There are some famous Satanists – that’s fun! (Liberace, Sammy Davis, Jr,. Jayne Mansfield, Marilyn Manson!) Sweet Dreams XOXOZzzz.
Episode 55: Ghost Kids Noelle walks us through her least favorite type of ghost: GHOST KIDS. This story contains: 1. Ghost cats! (Noelle promises a whole episode on GHOAST CATS!) 2. Ghost kids! (The creepiest kind of ghost.) 3. Ghost Boy Bridge! (That’s not a nice name for that!) 4. The Radiant Boys! (Boys murdered by their mothers, not the Cabaret coming to a black box near you!) 5. Ghosts kids who try to save cars from trains! (You know they’ve helped, because they left finger prints on your bumper! THANKS, GHOST KIDS!) Sweet Dreams XOXOZzzz.
Episode 54: Urban Legends of Halloween Jay walks us through the classic Urban Legends of Halloween. This story contains: 1. The Origin of Samhain. (That’s pronounced “Sow-win”!) 2. Urban Legends! (THIS ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO YOUR COUSIN!) 3. Candy Tampering! (Tylenol and razor blades) 4. Hallucinogenic Tattoos! (Like laced candy – but, on your skin!) 5. Kidney heists (And more true stories THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED TO YOUR COUSIN!)