Haunted Quad Cities

11/27/2025

In April 2025, we visited the ROCK ISLAND ROADHOUSE as a part of a joint investigation with Spectre Investigations & Paranormal Society

The Rock Island Roadhouse...currently home to Dan Vinar Furniture, formerly the Rock Island YMCA, is located in Rock Island, Illinois and has rich history al...

11/04/2025

HAUNTED QUAD CITIES CAMPFIRE STORIES - The Rock Island Home

I have been interested in the paranormal since I was a child, starting investigating as a young teen, been a member of a few different teams since the early-to-mid 2000's. I wasn't one that experienced the paranormal growing up, what got me interested were TV shows like Sightings and Unsolved Mysteries. Anyways, it was very early 2008 after forming a local group literally just a couple months earlier, we were called in to investigate a house in Rock Island. Keep in mind, my experience with investigations at this point was pretty limited to local cemeteries and a few homes. When I say this house left an impression on me, what I mean is that almost 20 years later, I have not experienced a house as active as this one was.

I don't remember all the details, of course, but it was a small family and I don't remember all their claims. But what we experienced was nothing short of memorable. I don't recall the exact timeline, but we had a radio turn on randomly, I went to check it out to find a haze in the air of the room. Another incident happened in the basement; while investigating, some members noted a doll holding a rattle in one of the corners; and wouldn't you know, later on that rattle rattled for a good 3-4 seconds...and yes, I caught this on audio. One last major event I remember vividly is while a member was walking back upstairs from the basement, a crafting bead flies UP the stairs at her and hits the wall, of which I also have audio of this incident.

The family did eventually flee the house and the bank caught wind of our investigations and we were threatened with a lawsuit about our posting of the investigation online. So, this case was kept under wraps for years.

Looking back, it's crazy to think how we had such an intense investigation as a young team. Like I said, I have not experienced activity in a place as crazy as what we experienced there since, and that's counting dozens of homes, businesses, and what I call commercialized investigations where you pay to investigate, though some have come close or equal.

10/22/2025

10/21/2025

Whispers from the Water: Is the Mississippi River Fueling Paranormal Activity?

The Mississippi River has always been a source of life — shaping economies, drawing settlers, and defining communities from Minnesota to Louisiana. But in the Quad Cities, some locals believe the river does more than move water. They say it moves energy. And that energy, they claim, might be fueling paranormal phenomena.

Ghost stories are nothing new here. The region is dotted with 19th-century mansions, factories, and steamboat docks — all places heavy with history and, some say, with lingering spirits. But it's been argued that there’s a pattern linking many of these hauntings: proximity to the Mississippi River itself.

The theory isn’t new; it has long been theorized that water sources, such as rivers, are a source of energy for the paranormal, and folklorists have long noted that major rivers often feature prominently in hauntings — from the Ohio to the Thames — acting as both physical and spiritual boundaries. Water, in many traditions, is seen as a conduit between worlds. In the case of the Mississippi, with its deep currents, shifting banks, and hidden whirlpools, it’s easy to imagine how that symbolism might find fertile ground.

Local legends bolster the claim. Davenport’s City Cemetery, which overlooks the river, has reports of spectral lights moving between the headstones on foggy nights. In Rock Island, workers in riverfront warehouses speak of disembodied footsteps and the sound of cargo being shifted long after closing time. Even passing boat captains have reported phantom lanterns drifting just above the water’s surface — lights that vanish when approached.

Skeptics, of course, offer more terrestrial explanations. They point to the river’s natural gases, electromagnetic fields from bridges and rail lines, or simply the human tendency to romanticize the unknown.

Still, for many residents, the idea that the river carries something beyond the physical current is hard to shake. Standing on the Centennial Bridge at dusk, watching the water reflect the city lights, one can almost feel it — a slow pulse beneath the surface, ancient and unknowable.

Whether that energy comes from the Earth’s magnetism or something far older, the Mississippi continues to inspire both science and superstition. And in the Quad Cities, where the water runs deep and the past never quite stays buried, that current of mystery shows no sign of fading.

10/19/2025

Hauntings Among the Headstones: Riverside Cemetery

Riverside Cemetery in Moline, Illinois has a rich history, with roots date back to 1851 when the original “4th Avenue Cemetery” was formed. Then, in the 1870s it was expanded under the design influence of famed Chicago architect and landscape designer William Le Baron Jenney, giving it scenic terraces overlooking the Mississippi River. Today the cemetery covers roughly 62 acres and is the resting place of 28,000 individuals. Many stories have come out of Riverside over the years of unexplained activity, with some visitors and local investigators having reported glimpses of figures at dusk or night, feelings of being watched, and sudden drops in temperature or odd electronic disturbances. There have also been scattered reports of tombstones glowing at night, even rotating 90 degrees. Riverside's most famous attraction centers on the statue known locally as the “Black Angel” — originally positioned over the John Deere tomb within Riverside. According to local legend, the angel was struck by lightning (or otherwise darkened), and then became the focus of dare rituals: touching the angel at midnight, encountering bad luck or worse. The angel, however, has long been removed and is rumored to be in California.

The creepiest area is what is called the Pauper's Section, hidden on the lower eastern side of the cemetery, where countless unmarked graves reside. There are also rumors of more graves in the woods further east. Here, there have been reports of strange sensations and electronic interference. I personally have been there several times and have witnessed people either become sick or just become overwhelmed with feelings of dread or the urge to just leave.

If you wish to visit, always remember; be respectful and do not trespass after dusk.

10/17/2025

⛺👻 Don't miss out on our 9th annual Library Haunted House! The East Moline Library's Haunted House is free but donations are welcome at the door.

When: Friday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, Oct 25
Where: East Moline Public Library
What time: 7-10pm both nights

For a complete list of rules and FAQ, please visit the library's website: https://eastmoline.librarycalendar.com/event/haunted-house-11171

10/13/2025

In honor of Spooky Season, let's explore the Villa de Chantal—often simply called The Villa—once a majestic Gothic Revival Catholic boarding and day school for girls in Rock Island, Illinois. Operated by the Sisters of the Visitation, the institution became intertwined not only with education and faith, but also with mystery, tragedy, and ghost stories. Since its closure and eventual demolition, the Villa de Chantal has passed into local folklore—a place where, many say, the past never truly fell silent.

The Sisters of the Visitation arrived in Rock Island from Maysville, Kentucky, in 1898, establishing a small school on Fifth Avenue near Sacred Heart Church. Due to its success, they soon purchased property on Ball’s Bluff, at the edge of Highland Park, to build a larger campus. The first section of the complex opened in 1901. Within five years, the school had grown to sixty boarders, prompting a major expansion. The original portion housed the convent, while the new section contained the dormitories, classrooms, and chapel. A chaplain’s bungalow was added in 1919, and in 1929 the east wing—known as Lewis Hall—was constructed, providing additional classrooms and a gymnasium.

The Sisters operated a twelve-grade school, though the boarding program was discontinued in 1958. The final high school class graduated in 1975, and the school itself closed in 1978. In the early 1990s, the complex was sold to a private school, which occupied the building until 2005, when a developer purchased it with plans to renovate the property into senior apartments. However, in the early morning hours of July 14, 2005, fire consumed the older sections of the building. Only the brick walls remained, along with the 1929 addition and the caretaker’s home. The cause of the fire was never determined, and the ruins were razed in 2008.

Although the Villa no longer stands, stories about its haunted past persist. Some are well-documented in local lore, while others exist only as whispered tales. Former students have claimed that, especially at night, one could hear disembodied voices and screams, along with footsteps pacing the empty halls—particularly in the upper floors and dormitory areas. Reports also describe objects moving on their own, doors slamming or creaking open without cause, toilets flushing when no one was present, and lights flickering or illuminating unexpectedly.

One of the more sensational legends alleges that some of the nuns became pregnant and, in an effort to conceal their “sins,” aborted their unborn children and buried them within the walls. According to legend, the spirits of these children eternally knock and cry from behind the plaster. Another tale claims that numerous suicides occurred at the Villa, especially on the fourth floor. However, archival research has found little—if any—evidence that suicides ever took place at the school.

I remember one of the local TV stations, KWQC Channel 6, once following a paranormal investigator as she explored the building. I was fascinated by the segment as a child and even wrote to the station to ask if they planned a follow-up. They weren’t—but they kindly sent me the full printed transcript of the segment, which, unfortunately, I couldn’t locate for this write-up.

Today, the Rock Island Center for Math & Science stands where the Villa once proudly rose. I haven’t heard any stories about the new building—but you never know...

08/25/2025

Happy Monday, everyone!

08/10/2025

Happy Sunday!

08/09/2025