The Ethereal Residents of the Riverbend

1. The Ethereal Residents of the Riverbend The Riverbend area has been called “one of the most haunted places in America.” We don’t have just one or two wayward ghosts who can’t seem to locate a celestial passage into the afterworld. No, our area has an all-inclusive list of these paranormal entities. Many have taken up residency in homes, hotels, and schools, and a few even roam some of the local roads. We have spirits wandering the rooms of Mineral Springs Mall, as well as the Piasa Masonic Temple. There is also the mysterious “Woman in Black” who is said to walk along Powder Mill Road. We have vaporous orbs appearing in photographs taken around the local cemeteries, as well as a child ghost named “Mary,” who is said to haunt the halls of Milton School. The McPike Mansion reports at least ten spirits who have become lost in the transition between life and death. These are only a very few of the many documented mysteries surrounding the local communities. These restless spirits of the Riverbend have produced enough disturbances that their stories have been put into books, organized into haunted tour guides, and featured in television documentaries. There is even a website dedicated to the dark histories of Alton. Tom Boothby was a spirit who haunted the Mansion House. Since a devastating fire earlier in the year forced city officials to raze this historic building, we can only wonder where the spirit of Tom Boothby is now. Has his tormented spirit been forced to roam the street near his old homeplace, or has he finally found rest? To learn more about the ghosts of Alton’s past, visit the Illinois Room of Hayner Downtown Library.