Jefferson Davis and the Anchuca Mansion

In January of 1869 (the actual day is unknown), former President of the Confederate States of America, Jefferson Davis, spoke to the citizens of Vicksburg, Mississippi from the balcony of one of the town's mansions. The particular home was Anchuca Mansion, which at the time was owned by Davis's brother, Joseph Davis. Many sources cite the speech as his conciliatory remarks marking an end to the American Civil War, but the conflict had been over for four years by that point. Rather, it would be one of his last public speeches after having becoming essentially banned from political life for his leadership of the Confederacy.

His brother, Joseph, would pass away one year later and Anchuca Mansion would again trade hands. The property was one of the few in Vicksburg to escape damage from the famous Siege of Vicksburg that resulted in a Union victory, though it would see the damage caused by the lives that were adversely affected that took shelter inside its walls. Like other homes in the city, it is also ripe with ghost sightings and reported paranormal activity. The tales of the mansion, which today serves as a bed and breakfast, include the apparitions of a Civil War-era soldier and daughter of a former owner.

Read the history of Anchuca Mansion at Dark Destinations.

-Casey H.

What Do These Things Have in Common?

What do the following things have in common? The song "Jeremy" by Pearl Jam, television show "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition", the novel "Interview with a Vampire", the films "Teaching Mrs. Tingle" and "Valley Girl", WWE wrestler Shawn Michaels and ventriloquists Jay Johnson and Jeff Dunham.

Click here to find out!

-Tom G

The Ghastly Execution of David Dodd

On this day, 145 years ago, the Union Army executed a 17-year-old boy named David Dodd in Little Rock, Arkansas. A notebook containing the positions of Union troops had been found in his possession, which led to him being tried and convicted as a spy for the Confederate Army. After more than a week of being held prisoner in a local arsenal, the boy was led to his execution seated in his own coffin in the back of a wagon. Reportedly, there was an audience of thousands of people for David Dodd's final moments. The young man faced his death bravely according to accounts of the time. However, his hanging apparently failed to go smoothly.

The tailgate of the wagon Dodd and his coffin rode in was propped up with a plank to form a makeshift trapdoor. The boy was made to stand on the tailgate with his hands and legs bound, while a noose was placed around his neck. The executioner discovered that he'd failed to bring a blindfold; a problem that was resolved when Dodd volunteered the handkerchief from his own back pocket. The plank was kicked out from under the tailgate, causing Dodd to drop. The rope from which he was hung had not been properly measured to take stretching into a account. The young man's toes were able to touch the ground, causing him to slowly strangle as he struggled in his last moments. A Union soldier leapt to action and pulled on the rope in an attempt to decrease the boy's suffering by speeding up the execution. David Dodd is said to have taken roughly five minutes to expire in this manner. Many onlookers are said to have become ill from witnessing the event, with some of the crowd passing out as the young man struggled gruesomely in his final moments.

David Dodd's execution rallied Confederate supporters in Arkansas at a time when the state had been considering rejoining the Union. Dodd became known as "The Boy Martyr of the Confederacy." He was buried less than a mile away, in Mount Holly Cemetery (reportedly a hot spot for paranormal activity). There are multiple memorials in Arkansas for Dodd, including one that stands where he was executed.

Pay a visit to David Dodd's Execution Memorial.

-Tom G

Multnomah Falls

Multnomah Falls in Oregon recently came to the international attention of fans of Stephanie Meyer's Twilight Saga due to its use in the filming of the Twilight movie. However, the location has long been known for an association with the paranormal long before Meyer's fictional vampires came to play there. Native American legend holds that Multnomah Falls were created by the Great Spirit because of the sacrifice of a young maiden. Some believe that it is that long dead maiden who haunts the falls even in modern day. Stories of haunting at the falls include a woman's face appearing in the cascading water as well as a feminine figure clad in white appearing near the falls.

Multnomah Falls is also of interest for cryptozoologists. There have been multiple Bigfoot sightings in the area around the falls. In 1986, one couple, along with their infant child, are said to have had a remarkable (and somewhat frightening) encounter with a Sasquatch at a rest stop not far from the falls.

Pay a visit to Multnomah Falls. It's not just for vampires.

-Tom G

For Sale: One Casket, Used For 48 Years, Good Condition

This morning I read an article about how the casket that formerly held the body of Jiles Perry Richardson Jr. (AKA: The Big Bopper) was going to be up for sale on Ebay in the next few weeks. Richardson died on February 3, 1959 in the same plane crash that took the lives of Ritchie Valenz and Buddy Holly. The deadly crash into an Iowa cornfield led to February 3 being referred to as "The Day the Music Died"; a description of the event popularized in Don McClean's song "American Pie."

The Big Bopper was a musician/song writer and former radio disc jockey. He is also credited as being the person who coined the term "music video." His remains were exhumed in January of 2007 at the request of his son Jay Richardson. An autopsy was conducted to clarify the nature of The Big Bopper's death and dispel rumors of his having survived the initial crash or that a gun had been involved in his demise. The autopsy revealed that the late musician had died immediately from extreme trauma resulting from the crash. It was also noted that Richardson's earthly remains were very well preserved for having been buried for nearly 48 years.

When his remains were reburied, it was in a new casket built by the same company that had designed his original one. The Big Bopper's original casket has been on display since then in the Texas Musicians Museum in Hilsboro, Texas. The casket, however, is still the property of Richardson's family. They have decided to auction the casket on Ebay at some point in coming weeks. The casket is made of 16-gauge steel and is said to be in great shape considering the amount of time it has spent in the ground with a corpse inside of it. A lime stain and some minor rust are the only reported damage to the casket.

It is illegal for funeral homes to sell a used coffin or casket due to the fluids that can leak from the deceased. It is considered a biohazard and can cause serious illness. As far as I know, there are no laws blocking the Richardson family from selling The Big Bopper's casket though. I'm personally hoping that the casket finds its way into a museum, where it might be presented with some class. Even as a coffin owner myself (mine was never used to hold remains), I can't imagine wanting to own that held anyone's remains, even if they were famous. I'm also fairly certain that even if I did want such a thing, it would probably be the last straw for my wife (she insists I keep my own unused coffin out in the shed).

Reading about the upcoming sale of The Big Bopper's casket raised some questions for me. Is it ethical to sell a used casket or coffin to the open public? Is this a form of grave robbery (even though it was done by relatives and the remains received a new casket)? What would you like to see happen to the casket? Should it be put on display in a museum? Should it be destroyed? Should it be allowed to fall into the hands of a private collector (and who knows what they'd do with it)? Is this valid memorabilia or just plain sick?

Apparently the money the sale raises will go toward funding a music show about The Big Bopper. Is this justification enough for the auction?

Pay a visit to the memorial at the plane crash site or the Surf Ballroom where The Big Bopper, Ritchie Valenz and Buddy Holly last played.

-Tom G