From circus tragedies to abandoned poorhouses, our Midwest paranormal journey uncovered unsettling history and unexplainable encounters at every turn.

The twisted tale begins at Showman's Rest in Forest Park, Illinois – the final home of circus performers killed in a catastrophic 1918 train collision. Here, five stone elephants stand with lowered trunks in eternal mourning over graves marked only with circus nicknames like "Baldy" and "Smiley." Our ghost tube sessions captured numerous responses, though contrary to popular legend, we found no evidence of the rumored "evil clown" – just the echoes of those who died tragically but aren't malevolent in nature.

Things took a surreal turn after visiting a small Mexican restaurant where staff locked doors behind us, turning others away. After eating, we experienced unnatural exhaustion, and strangest of all – though billed around $90, the charge never appeared on the credit card statement. We later couldn't even locate the restaurant on maps, as if dining in some liminal space between worlds.

At the Fairfield County Poorhouse in Ohio, we delved into 157 years of suffering within its walls. Built in 1828, this imposing structure housed the county's poor, mentally ill, and physically disabled until 1985. Our tour guide revealed the shocking discovery of 1,600 unmarked graves beyond the registered cemetery, where bodies were buried standing upright to save space – a practice seemingly unique to this location.

The investigation reached its terrifying climax at 4AM when heavy footsteps tracked back and forth above us in the empty attic. We fled down a fire escape, debating whether we'd encountered an intruder or a powerful manifestation. As we staked out the building from outside, flashlights swept the upper floors while adrenaline coursed through our veins.

These Midwest hauntings remind us that history's forgotten chapters often leave the deepest impressions on the veil between worlds. What spirits would you hope to encounter on your paranormal journey?

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