Haunted Quad Cities

01/08/2026

THE SECRETS OF SKELLINGTON MANOR

Historic downtown Rock Island is the home to many iconic landmarks and buildings, and sitting at the corner of fifth avenue and eighteenth street sits a brick building with a very distinguishable MASONIC TEMPLE sign. This is Skellington Manor.

Though now an event center that hosts escape room and murder mystery events, along with its iconic haunted manor attraction every October, multiple people and paranormal teams have reported actual paranormal activity within its walls.

Build in 1913, this 28,000 square foot building was home to the Trio Lodge until the late 2000's when the building was sold and converted into what it is today.

There are almost too many paranormal reports to mention, and pretty much every type of evidence has been reported, from sounds, smells, apparitions, and object movements. My team has also investigated the manor in the past, and caught some very compelling EVP's.

Though they don't officially advertise it's haunted nature, it's the best open secret; with too many experiences and reports to say otherwise, that Skellington Manor may just be one of the most haunted buildings in the entire Quad Cities.

(photo credit: Quad City Times)

01/07/2026

CLICK THE LINK IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!

The first episode of our new podcast is LIVE! Come join us as special guest Alfredo Mancilla tells tales of his paranormal experiences at SOUTH PARK MALL!

(As this is our first episode, I apologize for any audio issues)

01/04/2026

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!

I have finally accomplished something I have wanted to do for a very long time….recorded a podcast! It will go live in a day or 2, but I am very excited about it! My aim is to mix the humor with the serious, and we certainly accomplish that in our first episode! The ultimate goal is i want to tell tales of local lore and legends along with our own personal experiences with the paranormal, mixed with humor, here in the Quad Cities.

01/02/2026

01/02/2026

SPOOKY SOUTH PARK MALL - Is There Paranormal Activity at One of Moline's Most Known Landmarks?

A recent discussion appeared on the SouthPark & NorthPark Mall Memories Facebook group that started people talking...does South Park Mall have paranormal activity?

When we hear the term "dead mall," we may think of the condition the mall is in today, but are there actual dead roaming it's corridors? I personally, until today, had not heard any stories about such things, but former employees of the mall's many stores chimed in on the post, reporting strange noises and items falling from shelves, along with investigating people reportedly still in stores with employees and there would be no one there.

While some tragedies have occurred at South Park, is this the cause of any paranormal activity, or is it tied to the land the mall occupies? We may never know, all we can do is leave our disbelief at the door and listen to the stories of past employees.

(photo credit: NinbendoPt2/Reddit)

12/23/2025

THE SHADOWS OF SYLVAN ISLAND

In honor of hitting 7,000 followers, let's explore SYLVAN ISLAND!

Sylvan Island in Moline, IL is adjacent to Arsenal Island. As such, at one time it was an industrial hotspot, featuring a steel plant, a stone crushing plant, among others. Today, all that remains of its glorious past are the foundations of the buildings. It has become a popular hiking and fishing destination, with trails weaving around its proud history.

I became aware of Sylvan Island's haunted reputation in the late 2000's when the investigation group I was a member of went there several times. Unexplained EMF spikes and EVPs were a common occurance on the island. along with the audible sounds of metal and machines working; you may think that this was coming from the nearby Arsenal, but no, it was coming from Sylvan Island itself.

Today, reports of paranormal activity continue to come from the island. One of the major reports, as documented by Michael McCarty & John Brassard Jr. in their book, EERIE QUAD CITIES, is the Spider Monkey Specter; a dark, shadowy figure that moves unnaturally fast through the trees and across the rusted industrial ruins. It is said to be seen most often at night, darting between the foundation remains of the island. Also, the sounds of metal banging and machines working continue to be reported, along with the feelings of being watched, and seeing multiple shadow figures among the trees and ruins.

Unfortunately, today, with the popularity of the island as well as it's now well-known reputation of paranormal activity, it makes it difficult to investigate and attempt to document its secrets.

(photo credit: Bryce Carlson/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.

(photo credit: Bryce Carlson/Haunted Quad Cities)

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.

(photo credit: Bryce Carlson/Haunted Quad Cities)

08/25/2025

Happy Monday, everyone!