See. Alton Military Prison↗ Explore the site of the Civil War prison that held over 11,000 Confederate soldiers. Widow's Bay↗ Experience the eerie, ghost story-rich atmosphere of this Mississippi River area.
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Atlas Obscura
Alton, Illinois's State Penitentiary officially opened in 1833, making it the first state prison in Illinois. It was used to incarcerate convicted criminals from across the state and later served as a military prison. During the Civil War, the facility became the Alton Military Prison and was used to hold Confederate prisoners of war. More than 11,000 Confederate soldiers were held there before…
Atlas Obscura
Listen and subscribe on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , and all major podcast apps. Troy Taylor: There’s a story about a phantom riverboat that I always liked, about how if you heard the riverboat whistle blow on a foggy morning but you never saw the boat, that meant that someone who worked down on the docks was going to die within the next seven days. Amanda McGowan: A lot of old waterfront towns r…
Atlas Obscura
Illinois is known for its haunted houses and Halloween extravaganzas: the kinds of places that draw lines out the door and attract visitors from all over the country. But beyond these creepy crowd favorites are a number of lesser-known spooky spots, all with backstories both historical and paranormal—like the “devil baby” that haunts a former Chicago settlement house or the witchy tomb that dra…
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