THE HISTORY OF THE CLINTON HAUNTINGS

CLINTON, IL. Strange things happen when October comes to Clinton. It all began as the late fall breezes of 1993 began to coax the leaves of spring and summer from the trees.

Lonely wailing. Flickering lights. Weird, maniacal laughter. Spooky, yet intriguing events encircled the old DeWitt County jailhouse that fall. After standing empty for over a year, the 92-year-old structure seemed to become more restless as the Halloween holiday approached. It was as if some unfriendly force was trying to break free. For two years the “hauntings” (as the locals called them) would begin in mid-October and climax on Halloween night only to become silent again for the next eleven months.

When the jail was destroyed in 1997, the town breathed a sigh of relief when that October, the 200 block of North Monroe street remained quiet. Perhaps the building’s destruction had buried whatever caused the disturbances.

However, the supernatural events began to occur again. Only this time an old sale barn on the east edge of town housed the restless spirits. Strange and horrible sounds emanated from this barn while fiendish pranks occurred throughout the building. Ghostly figures appeared, seeming to search the ground for something. . . or someone. Nightmares plagued poor souls who dared venture into this enclave of horror after the setting of the sun.

The building owners remodeled in 1998 and whatever presence that plagued the building the fall before seemed to prefer the quiet and loneliness of abandoned structures. As October appeared on the calendar, two homes near the center of town began to show the now annual signs of the “hauntings.” Determined to rid the community of this presence, the homes were destroyed immediately. The town was once again quiet.

The Fall of 1999 blew into town and a previously quiet three-story building built in 1923, abandoned for over 20 years, commonly known as “the old GTE building,” became the home for these wandering spirits. For two years the sounds emitting from the structure during the autumn season were at times bone-chilling. The building has been scheduled for demolition. But the spirit seemed to find out.

The Fall of 2001came to Clinton. Washington Street appeared to be the new resting place for these spirits which now find a new home each fall in this little Central Illinois community. The “old VFW Hall” has become a place no one wants to travel by after the sunlight disappears. Screams, moans, and strange figures have been heard and seen around the premises.

In the eerie month of October in 2002, they made a chilling return to the historic old VFW Hall.

Fast forward to 2024, a staggering 22 years later, and they still linger within its aged walls. Over the passing years, the hall has transformed, with ethereal beings departing and new, unknown entities taking their place. Are you brave enough to step foot into this enigmatic building after the sun sets? Dare to uncover the secrets that hide in the shadows every weekend throughout October as this tranquil, genteel community transforms into the haunt of these mysterious creatures of the night. Take the risk and step inside if you dare to face the unknown.