Tag: entertaining

Location: Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaArchitectural Style: GothicBuilt: 1829 Located near the bustling center of Philadelphia, Eastern State Penitentiary blends right in alongside the city’s historic architecture. Yet while the outside may seem picturesque, the sprawling compound’s interior is marred by a darker past. Designed to be a place for inmates to redeem themselves from their crimes, Eastern State Penitentiary turned into many a prisoner’s personal nightmare. Eastern State Paves the WayCompleted in early 1829, Eastern State Penitentiary was the first prison of its kind and remained in operation until 1971. After it was constructed, Eastern State was the most elaborate and expensive prison in the world, and it would be a model for more than 300 prisons. Eastern State was designed so that each cell would be more like solitary confinement than a typical holding cell. There were no bars to provide a view to the rest of the building, few windows to the outside and prisoners were even kept apart from each other when out of their cells. Religion and Reformation Unlike previous centers simply meant to hold an offender until their release, Eastern State took things one step further by implementing religious themes into the structure of the building and

Location: Jefferson, TexasArchitectural Style: VictorianBuilt: 1850-1851 We’re off to the Lone Star State as our search continues for the most haunted places. The seemingly inconspicuous Jefferson Hotel, situated in the small town of Jefferson, Texas near the Louisiana border has served as a cotton warehouse, brothel and a speakeasy. Today it’s a lovely historical hotel, though it seems some of the hotel’s guests will be staying indefinitely. Cotton Comes to Jefferson After the original building was constructed in 1850, the now Jefferson Hotel was initially designed to be a cotton warehouse to accommodate the area’s booming industry. For over two decades, riverboats bound for New Orleans made their way down the Big Cypress, stopping at Jefferson to load up on supplies for the last leg of the journey. Being a major port along the bustling riverway for travelers of all sorts, it was only natural that the warehouse was eventually transformed into a brothel and hotel. The Jefferson Opens Its Doors While there’s some uncertainty when the Jefferson Hotel first originally opened, it was a resounding success when it did. Weary travelers looking to rest their eyes were inclined to stay longer by the women that worked at the hotel,

Location: Victoria, British Columbia, CanadaArchitectural Style: ChâteauesqueBuilt: 1887-1890 “They’re heeeere!” With the return of the spooky season comes the return of our Haunted Places series! We’re starting off on a new ghost hunting adventure by taking a trip to Canada and the famed Craigdarroch Castle. From hauntings to Hollywood, this location has attracted both the living and the dead. What better way to get in the Halloween mood than with a castle fit for Dracula? BackgroundCraigdarroch Castle is a 39-room, Victorian-era castle that spans over 25,000 square feet (2,300 m2). The castle was originally built for Scottish-immigrant turned coal-magnate Robert Dunsmuir and his wife Joan. Located atop a hill overlooking the City of Victoria, the mansion was meant to be a status symbol for all below to see. However, Robert would never get to bask in the beauty of the completed castle. He died 17 months before construction was completed, one in a string of deaths that followed the family. The original architect, Warren Heywood Williams, also died following the passing of Robert Dunsmuir. With Mr. Dunsmuir gone and the castle only halfway finished, the Dunsmuir boys Alexander and James took it upon themselves to see their father’s dream to