Haunted Jacksonville: History and Hauntings of the "Athens of the West"

by Troy Taylor, Lisa Taylor Horton

Haunted JacksonvilleHistory & Hauntings of the "Athens of the West"by Troy Taylor and Lisa Taylor HortonMore than 150 years ago, Jacksonville was dubbed the “Athens of the West” by the settlers who carved it from the prairie land of the Illinois. It was a place of higher learning, culture, history – and hauntings. Over the decades, the city has been home to three Illinois governors, two presidential nominees, and holds a unique place in history as the home of the “Big Eli,” the world’s first portable Ferris Wheel. It also holds a strange place in America’s supernatural history. In 1847, Jacksonville became home to the Illinois State Asylum and Hospital for the Insane. It was here in 1865 that a young woman named Mary Roff died under mysterious circumstances. More than 12 years later, Mary’s spirit allegedly possessed the body of a young girl named Lurancy Vennum and became known as the “Watseka Wonder,” a phenomenon that remains one of the most documented supernatural events of all time.Join author Troy Taylor and Jacksonville native Lisa Taylor Horton as they uncover the history and hauntings of the “Athens of the West,” one of the most mysterious towns in Illinois. Within these pages, they’ll reveal the history of the hauntings that still linger in Jacksonville and will often expose the true stories behind the tales that have been part of local lore for generations. This chilling volume includes classic accounts of Jacksonville’s famous and little-known haunted places like Illinois College, MacMurray College, The Emporium, Hockenhull Building, Dunlap Hotel, the real story of the Jacksonville Theatre Guild and much more! It sets the record straight on many of Jacksonville’s most famous haunts – proving that truth really is much stranger than fiction!Inspired by the popular Haunted Jacksonville Tours, this book tells the story of how the city became so haunted and earned its reputation as one of the spookiest places in Illinois. It’s a story you won’t soon forget!

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 2, 2014

Reviews

[Jeanette Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m giving this 3 1/2 stars, but I went ahead and rounded it up to four because I really did enjoy the book. It’s always interesting to learn about local history, and Jacksonville’s past is full of amazing and tragic stories.

It was the haunting stories I have some issues with. I love ghost stories and the supernatural, but a lot of the stories in Haunted Jacksonville felt like an afterthought. They didn’t seem to be very fleshed out or researched much. I would have enjoyed more information about how the authors went about their own ghost hunting as well as a bit more description of the experiences. There were a lot of sections with long, fascinating historical stories that ended with a small paragraph stating that many people experience footsteps or noises, so they think it might be haunted. They weren’t all like that; there are a few very creepy accounts in some cases; but I thought there would be more in a book titled, “Haunted Jacksonville.”

The book also ends rather abruptly without any conclusion or wrapping up. The last paragraph is an experience a girl had at Illinois College, which ended the chapter on Jacksonville schools. The next page was the bibliography instead of a conclusion or closing paragraph.

Despite these issues, the book really is a fun and interesting read full of rich historical information about the small rural town of Jacksonville, and I recommend it to anyone who’s interested in local history.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

By the end of this book, I can say I enjoyed it. The first few chapters were definitely more history than hauntings. I know history helps tell the stories of hauntings, but it just wasn’t what I was expecting initially.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Three of my favorite non-fiction genres wrapped into one story: local history, true crime, and paranormal. I loved the straight forward, no nonsense historical approach to Jacksonville hauntings. A town filled with a deep rooted, rich history has plenty of lingering spirits and this tells the tale perfectly.