The Haunting of Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa — Hot Springs, Arkansas

Hot Springs, Garland County, Arkansas

Photo: Wikipedia

Nestled in the heart of Hot Springs National Park, the Arlington Resort Hotel & Spa isn’t just a luxury destination — it’s one of the most paranormally active places in Arkansas. With a past stretching back to 1875, this grand hotel has survived fires, hosted presidents, and welcomed infamous figures like Al Capone. And some say it still hosts... guests who never left.

The current building — the third incarnation of the Arlington — opened in 1924, and its elegant 1920s design masks a legacy of tragedy, mystery, and ghostly encounters. From the moment you enter the grand lobby, you can feel it: this is no ordinary hotel.

One of the most talked-about areas is Room 443, famously favored by gangster Al Capone. Guests who stay there report cold drafts, strange shadows, flickering lights, and the sound of muffled voices through the walls — even when no one else is nearby. It’s said Capone even had a private escape route out of the hotel... but perhaps his spirit never took it.

The fourth, seventh, and eighth floors are also rife with supernatural activity. Elevators operate on their own. Doors open and slam shut without explanation. Some guests feel sudden cold spots or the eerie sensation of being watched. Others claim to have seen a woman in white wandering the halls — a spirit whose identity remains unknown to this day.

Hotel employees have told stories of a ghostly former staff member who still performs his duties after death, especially near the laundry and maintenance areas. Whispers in empty corridors, phantom footsteps, and vanishing figures are all part of the Arlington experience for those attuned to the otherworldly.

With its historic mineral springs baths, ties to organized crime, and luxurious facade, the Arlington is both a glamorous getaway and a haunted haven. Visitors come for the charm... but some leave with stories they can’t quite explain.

Are the spirits tied to the land's ancient healing waters? Or do they stem from the hotel’s long and complicated past?

One thing is certain — the Arlington’s ghosts aren’t just part of the legend. To many who visit, they’re still very real.

Address: 239 Central Ave, Hot Springs, AR 71901
Phone: (501) 623-7771
Public access: Yes, open to guests.

The Haunting of Alcatraz Island: Spirits Behind the Bars

Photo: Wikipedia

San Francisco Bay, California — Few places in America have a reputation as chilling and mysterious as Alcatraz Island. Known as "The Rock," this isolated former prison is more than just a symbol of America's most hardened criminals — it's a place steeped in sorrow, isolation, and ghostly whispers from the past.

Originally used as a military fort, Alcatraz became a federal prison in 1934 and quickly gained notoriety for its strict rules and escape-proof location. It held some of the most infamous inmates in U.S. history — including Al Capone, George "Machine Gun" Kelly, and Robert Stroud, the "Birdman of Alcatraz." But not all who entered left. Some died by suicide. Others in failed escape attempts. And some — if stories are to be believed — never left at all.

Visitors, staff, and even skeptics have reported eerie experiences while touring the abandoned prison. Cold spots, strange voices, footsteps in empty halls, and the sound of sobbing or clinking chains have all been noted, particularly in Cell Block D — also known as "the Hole" — where prisoners were kept in total darkness for days at a time.

One of the most famous ghost tales involves cell 14D. A prisoner reportedly screamed all night about a creature with glowing eyes. By morning, he was dead — strangled in a locked cell. Guards joked it was the Grim Reaper. Others weren’t so sure.

Al Capone, once a proud and arrogant gangster, reportedly feared he was being haunted by someone he had wronged. He begged guards to protect him from a ghost he said followed him everywhere, even while he played banjo in the prison shower.

Even the Native Americans who briefly occupied the island during a protest in the 1960s claimed the land was cursed, long before it became a penitentiary. They reported evil spirits and a darkness that made many of them refuse to stay overnight.

Today, Alcatraz is a popular tourist attraction run by the National Park Service, but its haunted reputation draws more than just history buffs. Paranormal investigators from around the world have explored the crumbling cells, hoping to capture evidence of what might still linger behind those iron bars.

With its chilling energy, brutal past, and endless ghost stories, Alcatraz remains one of America's most haunted locations. It’s a place where silence speaks volumes — and the spirits may never stop pacing their cells.

Visitor Info

• Location: Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay, CA
• Managed by: National Park Service
• Tours: Ferry tours depart daily from Pier 33, San Francisco
• Phone: (415) 561-4900
• Website: https://www.nps.gov/alca/

📰 The Ghostly Gazette: Lights Up… and Spirits Stir: Historic Rialto Theater Reopens to New Hauntings

After two years of restoration, the 1924 Rialto Theater in Cedar Grove, Illinois, reopened this fall to sold-out crowds, glowing chandeliers, and something else entirely—new sightings of a shadowy figure appearing in Box Row A. Locals say the renovations may have awakened memories… or the ghosts who never left.

Theater Reborn, Legend Rekindled

Originally built as a vaudeville stage and silent-film palace, the Rialto stood for decades as the town’s brightest landmark. But after shuttering in 1998 due to structural decay, the once-grand venue fell into silence. This year’s multimillion-dollar restoration restored its marble lobby, red velvet seats, and carved balcony railings—bringing back the theater’s beauty but also, according to witnesses, its hauntings.

During the reopening gala in late October, an usher reported seeing “a man in a long coat” seated alone in Box Row A, overlooking the stage. When she approached to check his ticket, the box was empty. Several performers later claimed they glimpsed the same silhouette watching rehearsals from the upper balcony.

Backstage workers also describe cold spots drifting near the wings, soft footsteps crossing the stage after hours, and a faint humming—like someone warming up for a song—that echoes through the dressing-room corridor.

A Haunting Rooted in History

The Rialto’s most persistent legend centers on Edward “Eddie” Marlowe, a vaudeville performer who collapsed during a 1931 matinee and died before reaching the hospital. Some say his spirit lingers in the theater, still seeking the applause he never finished earning.

Restoration crews reported unusual activity long before opening night. Tools vanished and reappeared in odd places. A chandelier in the upper lobby flickered wildly whenever cold drafts swept through—despite sealed windows and updated wiring. “It was like someone was walking past it,” one electrician recalled.

Now that the Rialto is open once more, paranormal investigators expect the activity to continue—and possibly intensify—as crowds return, lights rise, and the building comes alive again.

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Visitor Information

Location: Rialto Theater, 118 East Main Street, Cedar Grove, IL

Status: Open for shows, tours, and community events

Ghost Tours: Monthly candlelight tours begin December 2025 (tickets required)

Note: The balcony and box seats are active performance areas—remain respectful, follow staff instructions, and no private investigations without permission.