Citegeist

Welcome to the Holiday Special! On today's episode we learn about the Christmas ghost story of Lake Jean at Ricketts Glen State Park. According to legend, a young boy testing out new skates fell through the ice, followed by his parents, all three perishing in the freezing water. Visitors still report seeing figures beneath the ice, strange lights on the lake, and whispers of strange voices in the wind. Who was this family? Did they exist? This episode seeks to find out, and along the way we learn about the Susquehannock people and the legend of the Ghost Tree.https://citegeistpod.com/ Have a ghost story you want to share? Leave a voice note or send an en email at https://citegeistpod.com/contact Podcast Instagram: http://instagram.com/citegeistpod Personal Instagram: http://instagram.com/joshua.spellman Channel illustration by GiAnna Ligammari: https://virtualgia.com/ https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zip Royalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41 Underwater sounds - loopable by carmsie -- https://freesound.org/s/329915/ -- License: Attribution 3.0Sources:“1870 United States Federal Census - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d. Accessed December 11, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/7163/records/10181324?tid=&pid=&queryId=3c73f99f-67b4-4fda-a69f-043fc6282ef3&_phsrc=YQL294&_phstart=successSource&_gl=1*610ph1*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTc0MDQ4MzkzNi4xNzY1NTAzMTY2*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*czYyMzU5OTRjLTkxZjktNDY0Ny1hMmZmLTVmZmFjMmJiMDg0MCRvMSRnMSR0MTc2NTUwMzE2NSRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*czYyMzU5OTRjLTkxZjktNDY0Ny1hMmZmLTVmZmFjMmJiMDg0MCRvMSRnMCR0MTc2NTUwMzE2NSRqNjAkbDAkaDA.Bucior, Christine. 2019. “Ghosts and the Imagined Past.” Dissertation, Pennsylvania State University.Frazier, Jeffrey R. 2011. Ghosts of Penn’s Woods. Egg Hill Publications.Frazier, Jeffrey R. 2016. Pennsylvania Fireside Ghost Tales: Ghost Tales and Haunted Places Found in the Pennsylvania Mountains. Egg Hill Publications.“History Buffs Visit ‘Ghost Town’ of Ricketts, Where Lumbermen Used to Toil | Times Leader.” n.d. Accessed December 4, 2025. https://www.timesleader.com/features/656707/history-buffs-visit-ghost-town-of-ricketts-where-lumbermen-used-to-toil.“History of Ricketts Glen State Park.” n.d. Accessed December 5, 2025. https://www.pa.gov/agencies/dcnr/recreation/where-to-go/state-parks/find-a-park/ricketts-glen-state-park/history.Ieraci, Ron. 2011. “Ricketts Glen State Park.” Pennsylvania Haunts & History, January 30. https://hauntsandhistory.blogspot.com/2011/01/ricketts-glen-state-park.html.Lancaster Examiner and Herald (Lancaster, PA). 1849. “Fatal Occurence.” August 22.Petrillo, F. Charles. 1991. Ghost Towns of North Mountain: Ricketts, Mountain Springs, and Stull. Wyoming Historical and Geological Society. https://harveyslake.org/gtnm/gtnm_complete.pdf.Public Ledger and Daily Transcript (Philadelphia, PA). 1850a. “An Afflictive Event - Three Young Ladies Drowned.” January 23.Public Ledger and Daily Transcript (Philadelphia, PA). 1850b. “The Drowned Boys.” July 9.“Ricketts Glen State Park - Wikipedia.” n.d. Accessed December 4, 2025. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricketts_Glen_State_Park.Stevens, Ryan. n.d. “The First Annual Skate Guard Hallowe’en Spooktacular.” Skate Guard Blog. Accessed December 4, 2025. https://www.skateguardblog.com/2013/08/paranormal-skatetivity-from-haunted.html.Susquehanna National Heritage Area, dir. 2023. Native Peoples’ Stories: The Conestoga-Susquehannock. 04:01. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNrogNnyruI.“Susquehannock | Culture, History, & Facts | Britannica.” n.d. Accessed December 11, 2025. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Susquehannock.The Ghost Tree. n.d.The Scranton Truth (Scranton, PA). 1904. “Drowned in Sight of Her Brother: Sad Accident at Mud Pond.” August 1.The Tribune-Republican. 1914. “Mud Pond Death Due to Exposure.” December 31.The Village Record (West Chester, PA). 1891. “A Boy Drowned.” January 4.Village Record and Register & Examiner. 1856. “Tongue Frozen Fast.” February 5.Walker, T. n.d. “Ricketts Glen State Park.” State Parks. Accessed December 5, 2025. https://stateparks.com/ricketts_glen_state_park_in_pennsylvania.html.Wikipedia. 2025. “Lake Jean.” November 10. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Lake_Jean&oldid=1321359934.Wilkes-Barre Daily News. 1902a. “His Last Turkey Dinner.” December 28.Wilkes-Barre Daily News. 1902b. December 28.Wilkes-Barre Semi-Weekly Record (Wilkes-Barre, PA). 1905a. “A Mysterious Drowning.” August 29.Wilkes-Barre Semi-Weekly Record (Wilkes-Barre, PA). 1905b. “In Male Attire: Police Arrest a Woman Who Was Dressed in Men’s Clothing.” November 3.Wilkes-Barre Semi-Weekly Record (Wilkes-Barre, PA). 1905c. “Mud Pond Case: Georgi and Kensey Have Been Committed to Jail.” November 3.Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, the Evening News (Wilkes-Barre, PA). 1911. “Body on Mountain Not Identified: Grass and Bushes Grew on Decapitated Man’s Body.” July 17.N.d.

Joan Rivers often joked that her New York apartment was haunted by a ghost she called “Mrs. Spencer.” It’s a story that’s been repeated for years, usually as a quirky aside in Rivers’ life, but rarely examined any further. In this episode of Citegeist, we dig into the origins of the haunting and ask: who was Mrs. Spencer?Using property records, census data, newspapers, and archival sources, this episode traces the history of Joan’s apartment and the women who lived there before her. What begins as a celebrity ghost story quickly turns into an archival investigation and an examination of how easily real people can slip into legend. As always, the goal isn’t to debunk for debunking’s sake... it’s to uncover the hidden truths of history and bring them to light.Sources:“1920 United States Federal Census - Edith Spencer AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d. Accessed November 11, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/6061/records/110512062?_gl=1*ah79cx*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTQ3NDcxMTY2NC4xNzYyODY0ODYz*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*czAyYzI0MTQwLWI4MDAtNGIxMi1hMmFjLTA2NGFlYWRjZWQ4ZSRvMSRnMSR0MTc2Mjg2NDg2MiRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*czAyYzI0MTQwLWI4MDAtNGIxMi1hMmFjLTA2NGFlYWRjZWQ4ZSRvMSRnMCR0MTc2Mjg2NDg2MiRqNjAkbDAkaDA.“1940 United States Federal Census - Natalie C Spencer AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/2442/records/9642470?tid=&pid=&queryId=4475eccc-c152-41bb-86cb-a71db017cf4a&_phsrc=YQL44&_phstart=successSource&_gl=1*bw6u1m*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTM3MjkxMzY5Ni4xNzYyODIyODQ4*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMCR0MTc2MjgyMjg0NyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMCR0MTc2MjgyMjg0NyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.“1940s NYC | Street Photos of Every Building in New York City in 1939/1940.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://1940s.nyc/map/photo/nynyma_rec0040_1_01377_0005#18.39/40.766026/-73.970685.“ACRIS Search Results By Parcel Identifier.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://a836-acris.nyc.gov/DS/DocumentSearch/BBLResult.“AncestryLibrary.Com - Colonial Families of the USA, 1607-1775.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/imageviewer/collections/61175/images/colonialfamiliesii-001476_523?_gl=1*s89t3r*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTcyMTI4MTU2NC4xNzYyODE0ODAx*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMCR0MTc2MjgxNDgwMSRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMCR0MTc2MjgxNDgwMSRqNjAkbDAkaDA.&pId=450040858.Annual Report of Tennesee Railroad Company, 1972. 1972. Annual Report. Tennesee Railroad Company. https://www.stb.gov/wp-content/uploads/R-1//TENNESSEE%20RAILROAD%20CO._1972.pdf.“Edith Spencer Scrapbook.” n.d. Accessed November 11, 2025. https://archives.nypl.org/scm/20857.“Eleanor Morgan Satterlee (1905-1951) - Find a Grave Memorial.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7300641/eleanor_morgan-satterlee.“Emma Converse Death Notice.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/mediaui-viewer/tree/154947643/person/312045274519/media/52158d83-40d9-4b21-8a91-984803ea479f?_gl=1*1785xjw*_up*MQ..*_ga*NTQ0NzI5ODM0LjE3NjI4MTIxMDI.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMSR0MTc2MjgxMjE5NyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMSR0MTc2MjgxMjE5NyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.“Emma Louise Converse.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/family-tree/person/tree/154947643/person/312045274519/facts?_gl=1*5yksy8*_up*MQ..*_ga*NTQ0NzI5ODM0LjE3NjI4MTIxMDI.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMSR0MTc2MjgxMjEyOCRqMzQkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMSR0MTc2MjgxMjEyOCRqMzQkbDAkaDA.Farber, M. a. 1967. “STUDENTS AT L.I.U. SUSPEND BOYCOTT; They Will Decide Tomorrow on Any Further Action.” Archives. The New York Times, April 12. https://www.nytimes.com/1967/04/12/archives/students-at-liu-suspend-boycott-they-will-decide-tomorrow-on-any.html.Hauntedcuriosities.Com. n.d. “J.P. MORGAN’S NIECE MRS.SPENCER.” Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.hauntedcuriosities.com/products/j-p-morgans-niece-mrs-spencer.“HPDOnline - Overview.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://hpdonline.nyc.gov/hpdonline/building/14837/overview.Inc, Zillow. n.d. “1 E 62nd St, New York, NY 10065.” Zillow. Accessed December 14, 2025. https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1-E-62nd-St-New-York-NY-10065/31533403_zpid/.“John Henry Clews. - The New York Times.” n.d. Accessed November 11, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/1907/04/11/archives/john-henry-clews.html.“Junius Spencer Morgan III.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/family-tree/person/tree/154947643/person/312045273144/facts?_gl=1*1lb300q*_up*MQ..*_ga*NTQ0NzI5ODM0LjE3NjI4MTIxMDI.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMSR0MTc2MjgxMjExMSRqNTEkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMSR0MTc2MjgxMjExMSRqNTEkbDAkaDA.Knickerbocker, Cholly. 1909. “Two of Yesterday’s Brides and Some of the Their Guests.” New York American (New York, NY), November 11.LMN, dir. 2025. Joan Rivers Calls Voodoo Priestess for Help (S3, E5) | Celebrity Ghost Stories | Full Episode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5n_DfhZHIUw.Mansions of the Gilded Age | John R. Drexel Mansion | Facebook. n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.facebook.com/groups/mansionsofthegildedage/posts/979445722076469/.Miller, Tom. 2012. “Daytonian in Manhattan: The 1903 John R. Drexel House -- No. 1 E. 62nd Street.” Daytonian in Manhattan, November 1. https://daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com/2012/11/the-1903-john-r-drexel-house-no-1-e.html.“MRS:I N::E:PEBODY :: ’ WEDSV. SPENCER; Ceremony, Performed: At the Home of Her Cousins,’Mr. and Mrs. E. Parmalee Prentice. - The New York Times.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/1927/04/01/archives/mrsi-nepebody-wedsv-spencer-ceremony-performed-at-the-home-of-her.html.Natalie Clews Spencer Foundation, Inc., Registered in New York, USA. n.d. “Natalie Clews Spencer Foundation, Inc., Registered in New York, USA.” Accessed November 10, 2025. https://cobaltintelligence.com/secretary-of-state/New%20York-business-search/NATALIE%20CLEWS%20SPENCER%20FOUNDATION,%20INC.New Pittsburgh Courier (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania). 1928. “Entertainer Edith Spencer (1928) When She Had a Brief Act with Lottie Gee.” November 10.“New York, New York, U.S., Extracted Marriage Index, 1866-1937 - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/9105/records/4134389?tid=&pid=&queryId=db9c8939-3ce1-4b14-9213-68588a4966b0&_phsrc=YQL104&_phstart=successSource&_gl=1*1uhsosg*_up*MQ..*_ga*MjAxNDA3OTA1LjE3NjI4MjYwOTE.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMCR0MTc2MjgyNjA5MCRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMCR0MTc2MjgyNjA5MCRqNjAkbDAkaDA.New York Post (New York, NY). 1984. “NYU Bldg. Sold.” October 5. Genealogy Bank.“New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (Including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d.-a. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/7488/records/23740361?tid=&pid=&queryId=fac61af1-1edc-4c73-a3d0-292197ae86ad&_phsrc=YQL75&_phstart=successSource&_gl=1*1n9uopv*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTYwMTU1MDg1MC4xNzYyODI0NTI0*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMCR0MTc2MjgyNDUyMyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*c2EzNTc2ODkyLTEzODctNGYwNi1hMzA3LTI4NmNlMzE0ZjY0NyRvMSRnMCR0MTc2MjgyNDUyMyRqNjAkbDAkaDA.“New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (Including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d.-b. Accessed November 11, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/7488/records/2006641348?tid=&pid=&queryId=b2330ca6-2a7f-43a3-ab02-bc062f7c609d&_phsrc=YQL172&_phstart=successSource&_gl=1*4ctcms*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTQyMTEzMjc2LjE3NjI4NjcyNzg.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*czAyYzI0MTQwLWI4MDAtNGIxMi1hMmFjLTA2NGFlYWRjZWQ4ZSRvMSRnMCR0MTc2Mjg2NzI3OCRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*czAyYzI0MTQwLWI4MDAtNGIxMi1hMmFjLTA2NGFlYWRjZWQ4ZSRvMSRnMCR0MTc2Mjg2NzI3OCRqNjAkbDAkaDA.“New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (Including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d.-c. Accessed November 11, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/7488/records/4028672191?tid=&pid=&queryId=8f5b7f94-8f77-40f6-90fa-213686c70db5&_phsrc=YQL175&_phstart=successSource&_gl=1*jvl1v2*_up*MQ..*_ga*MTQzOTUwODYwMC4xNzYyODY3ODg4*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*czAyYzI0MTQwLWI4MDAtNGIxMi1hMmFjLTA2NGFlYWRjZWQ4ZSRvMSRnMCR0MTc2Mjg2Nzg4OCRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*czAyYzI0MTQwLWI4MDAtNGIxMi1hMmFjLTA2NGFlYWRjZWQ4ZSRvMSRnMCR0MTc2Mjg2Nzg4OCRqNjAkbDAkaDA.“New York, U.S., Arriving Passenger and Crew Lists (Including Castle Garden and Ellis Island), 1820-1957 - AncestryLibrary.Com.” n.d.-d. Accessed November 11, 2025. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/collections/7488/records/2013115685?tid=&pid=&queryId=c85701fe-7229-4846-8122-048a8d5d7f3b&_phsrc=YQL177&_phstart=successSource&_gl=1*1m19cvx*_up*MQ..*_ga*ODE5MDk0NDk1LjE3NjI4Njc5NDc.*_ga_LMK6K2LSJH*czAyYzI0MTQwLWI4MDAtNGIxMi1hMmFjLTA2NGFlYWRjZWQ4ZSRvMSRnMCR0MTc2Mjg2Nzk0NiRqNjAkbDAkaDA.*_ga_4QT8FMEX30*czAyYzI0MTQwLWI4MDAtNGIxMi1hMmFjLTA2NGFlYWRjZWQ4ZSRvMSRnMCR0MTc2Mjg2Nzk0NiRqNjAkbDAkaDA.Newspapers.Com. n.d.-a. “Apr 23, 1922, Page 45 - New-York Tribune at World Collection.” Accessed November 11, 2025. https://newscomwc.newspapers.com/image/469284896/.Newspapers.Com. n.d.-b. “Nov 15, 1927, Page 10 - The Times at World Collection.” Accessed November 11, 2025. https://newscomwc.newspapers.com/image/304643070/.“⁨Page 13 Advertisements Column 6⁩ | ⁨דער טאג (ניו יורק)⁩ | 6 נובמבר 1944 | אוסף העיתונות | הספרייה הלאומית.” 1944. Novembe

Join me in uncovering the truth behind the legend of Angola's Pigman. This half-man, half-beast specter stalks Holland Road in Angola, New York just outside of Buffalo. In life he was a brutal butcher responsible for murdering teens and countless others, in death he still terrorizes those who dare step foot on his property...or was he? We use archival resources to dissect the legend and discover what really happened.https://citegeistpod.com/Have a ghost story you want to share? Leave a voice note or send an en email at https://citegeistpod.com/contactPodcast Instagram: http://instagram.com/citegeistpodPersonal Instagram: http://instagram.com/joshua.spellmanChannel illustration by GiAnna Ligammari:https://virtualgia.com/https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zipRoyalty Free Music:"Behind the Veil" by 8er41Sources:Angola Record (Angola, New York). 1919. “Carnegie Hero Medal and $1,000 Cash Awarded Ted Miller for Saving Boy’s Life.” Front Page. May 1.“Bill Durks | Sideshow Wiki | Fandom.” n.d. Accessed November 7, 2025. https://sideshows.fandom.com/wiki/Bill_Durks.Buffalo Evening News (Buffalo, New York). 1931. “Angola Butcher Slain; Suspect Held.” July 13.Carnegie Hero Fund Commission. n.d. “THEODORE MILLER, Angola, New York.” Accessed November 7, 2020. https://mychfc.org/hero.aspx?hero=18422.Colmerauer, Catherine. 2011. “Misguided Man or Unmerciful Monster: Uncovering the Legend of Pigman.” The Hamburg Sun (Hamburg, NY), October 27.Evans Journal. 1962. “Theodore Miller Dies, Native Angolan.” Obituaries. April 26.“Francis Joseph Anselmo (1913-1981) - Find A Grave...” n.d. Accessed November 7, 2020. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/85844336/francis-joseph-anselmo.Hageman, M.C. n.d. “Pigman: Angola’s Legend.” Accessed November 7, 2020. https://angolapigman.weebly.com/uploads/3/6/6/0/3660761/pigman.pdf.Leslie, Frank. 1867. The “Angola Horror.” Leslies’s Weekly. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Angola_Wreck.jpg.“Prodigies by James G. Mundie - Three-Eyed Man and Child.” n.d. Accessed November 7, 2025. https://www.missioncreep.com/mundie/images/image38.htm.Shea, Kate. n.d. “Forgotten Crimes: Specter of the Mob Hangs over Angola Butcher’s Slaying.” The Buffalo News. Accessed November 7, 2020. https://buffalonews.com/news/local/history/forgotten-crimes-specter-of-the-mob-hangs-over-angola-butchers-slaying/article_950b17b0-1cd0-599d-8206-87134af0539d.html.Vogel, Charity. 2013. The Angola Horror: The 1867 Train Wreck That Shocked the Nation and Transformed American Railroads. Cornell University Press.“WWII Draft Registration Cards for California, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947.” 1947. Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 49. The National Archives in St. Louis, Missouri.https://search.ancestrylibrary.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=2238&h=18097660&tid=&pid=&queryId=ea002894c1595865e870374abecb384c&usePUB=true#?_phcmd=u('https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/search/categories/39/?name%3DFRANCIS_ANSELMO%26birth%3D1913%26birth_x%3D0-0-0%26successSource%3DSearch%26queryId%3Dea002894c1595865e870374abecb384c','successSource').

On this premiere episode of Citegeist, we uncover the tragic history behind Chicago’s Iroquois Theater Fire and the ghosts said to linger in Death Alley. Spirits have been seen by many, including Ana Gasteyer as she was starring in Wicked as Elphaba in what is now the Nederlander Theatre.WATCH on YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/@Joshua.Spellman0:00 Intro 1:46 Story Portion (Alleged History) 11:33 Gossip Sesh Begins 12:24 Reliaility of Newspapers 13:10 Digital Preservation Discussion 14:29 Construction of the Iroquois Theater 19:16 Research Tangent #1: Mary Lytle 20:10 "Takes Ride in Cab with Wife's Body" (Research Tangent #2) 24:49 What Went Wrong? Asbestos Curtain & Safety Issues 33:41 Rachael Gorman and the "Sister's of Charity" 38:50 The Search for "Emma Dixon" the Ghost 41:36 The Real Cost of the Fire 42:12 Inquest & Court Cases 47:04 Ana Gasteyer as Elphaba in Wicked 47:42 Outro https://citegeistpod.com/ Have a ghost story you want to share? Leave a voice note or send an en email at https://citegeistpod.com/contact Podcast Instagram: http://instagram.com/citegeistpod Personal Instagram: http://instagram.com/joshua.spellman Channel illustration by GiAnna Ligammari: https://virtualgia.com/ https://www.instagram.com/virtualgia.zip Royalty Free Music: "Behind the Veil" by 8er41Bibli-ahh-graphy and Works Cited“1903 Chicago Iroquois Theater Legal Proceedings Overview.” n.d. Accessed November 24, 2025. https://www.iroquoistheater.com/iroquois-theater-fire-legal-proceedings-overview.php.“1903 Newspapers Spiced Tragedy with Heroes and Villains.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.iroquoistheater.com/bogus-1903-iroquois-theater-fire-news.php.“Anna ‘Annie’ Halverson Dixon (1860-1903) - Find a...” n.d. Accessed November 24, 2025. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/44159931/anna-dixon.“Anna Dixon and Her Daughters Lost Their Lives at the Iroquois Theater.” n.d. Accessed November 16, 2025. https://www.iroquoistheater.com/anna-dixon-and-daughters-iroquois-theater-victims.php.“Asbestos - Overview | Occupational Safety and Health Administration.” n.d. Accessed November 15, 2025. https://www.osha.gov/asbestos.“Chicago Newspaper Cartoonist John T. McCutcheon.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.iroquoistheater.com/famous-john-mccutcheon-cartoon-about-iroquois-theater-disaster.php.“Chicago’s ‘Alley of Death’ - Atlas Obscura.” n.d. Accessed November 8, 2025. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/couch-place-the-alley-of-death.Clark, Charles R. n.d. Iroquois Theater Fire, Exterior View of the Facade. Photographic print. The Chicago History Museum, ICHi-36009.“DECISION IN IROQUOIS FIRE.; Court Holds Fuller Construction Company Was Not Absolved from Liability. - The New York Times.” n.d. Accessed November 24, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/1908/02/02/archives/decision-in-iroquois-fire-court-holds-fuller-construction-company.html.“Eddie Foy as Sister Anne in ‘Mr. Bluebeard.’ He Was Dressing for This Act with the Elephant When the Iroquois Fire Began.” 1903. 50c16040-457a-0131-2dd2-58d385a7bbd0. Billy Rose Theatre Division, The New York Public Library. https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/50c16040-457a-0131-2dd2-58d385a7bbd0?canvasIndex=0.Ericson, Henry Albert. 1903. “Panorama of Iriquois [i.e. Iroquois] Theater after the Fire, Dec. 31, 1903.” Photograph. December 31. LC-DIG-ppmsca-07431. Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. https://www.loc.gov/pictures/item/2007662240/.“Frank Berg’s Family Died at the Iroquois Theater in 1903.” n.d. Accessed November 24, 2025. https://www.iroquoistheater.com/frank-berg-family-died-at-iroquois-theater.php.“Iroquois Theater Fire Changed Theaters and Fire Prevention.” n.d. 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Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division, LC-DIG-ppmsca-72874.McCutcheon, John T. 1904. His Sunday Dinner. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:McCutcheonIroquoisSundayDin.jpg.Newspapers.Com. n.d. “Dec 31, 1903, Page 2 - St. Joseph News-Press at World Collection.” Accessed November 16, 2025. https://newscomwc.newspapers.com/image/559333703.Old Spirituals. 2025a. “Iroquois Theater.” January 16. https://oldspirituals.com/tag/iroquois-theater/.Old Spirituals. 2025b. “Iroquois Theater.” January 16. https://oldspirituals.com/tag/iroquois-theater/.Pietrantonio, Valeria. 2023. “Lillian Russell, American Gilded Age Singer and Actress.” Quello Che Piace a Valeria, December 4. https://quellochepiaceavaleria.com/en/lillian-russell-american-gilded-age-singer-and-actress/.Queen of Random Things, dir. 2021. Ana Gasteyer - GORGEOUS Defying Gravity. 01:44. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PQbseCqVXU.“Rachael Gorman Targeted the Wealthy.” n.d. Accessed November 10, 2025. https://www.iroquoistheater.com/notorious-grifter-masquerading-as-nun-helped-in-iroquois-theater-rescues.php.scott. 2019. “Death Alley Near Nederlander Theatre.” Windy City Ghosts, November 9. https://windycityghosts.com/death-alley-near-nederlander-theatre/.The Inter Ocean. 1903a. “Her Southern Home Left for Gay Revels.” August 11.The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1902. “REAL-ESTATE TRANSFERS.” September 14.The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903b. “Architect Who Designed New Iroquois Theater Engaged to Arrange Philadelphia Playhouse.” January 22.The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903c. “Iroquois Theater Cornerstone Laid.” July 29.The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903d. “Iroquois Theater Fire, 1903 [Page 1].” December 31.The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903e. “Iroquois Theater Fire, 1903 [Page 2].” December 31.The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903f. “Iroquois Theater Fire, 1903 [Page 5].” December 31.The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903g. “Iroquois to Open Monday, Nov, 23.” November 15.The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903h. “One Sister Safe and One Dead.” December 31.The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903i. “Promenade Foyer of the Proposed Iroquois Theater.” May 10.The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903j. “Takes Ride in Cab with Wife’s Body.” December 7.The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1903k. “Work on Theater Tied Up.” August 11.The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1904a. “Asbestos Curtain In Theater Death Trap Annihilated By Blast Of Air During Fire.” January 1.The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois). 1904b. “The Inter Ocean (Chicago, Illinois); 01 Jan 1904, Fri.; Page 1.” January 1.The Survivors and Rescuers, Bishop Fallows. 1904. Chicago’s Awful Theater Horror “Lest We Forget.” Memorial Publishing Co.“Three Original Early 20th Century Chicago Postcards of j.k. Sebree’s Saratoga Hotel and Annex.” n.d. Accessed November 8, 2025. https://www.urbanremainschicago.com/three-original-early-20th-century-chicago-postcards-of-j-k-sebree-s-saratoga-hotel-and-annex.html.“Traeger Appointed Coroner Jury Heard Testimony from 180 Iroquois Witnesses.” n.d. Accessed November 24, 2025. https://www.iroquoistheater.com/iroquois-theater-coroners-jury.php.Wicked Wiki. 2025. “Ana Gasteyer.” November 8. https://wicked.fandom.com/wiki/Ana_Gasteyer.

Citegeist isn’t your typical paranormal podcast. Every episode, we dig into ghost stories, historic true crimes, folklore, and legends — all through a critical, archival lens.Here, we put the “ahh!” in bibliography and look for the truth behind our favorite tall tales. Each episode begins with a story as it’s usually told and then we head to the archives and have a ghoulish gossip sesh where we examine historic and archival resources to learn what really happened and read first hand encounters of ghosts, goblins, and ghouls.We cover everything from local legends, historic true crimes, cryptids, aliens, and anything out of the ordinary — if it’s weird and you want it? We’ve got it covered! Subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts… and let’s get spooky.