In this episode, we trace the strange and unsettling rise of “Prince” Michael Keyfor Mills—a self-proclaimed prophet who promised the end of the world and gathered followers in Detroit for the coming apocalypse. But to understand Mills, we have to go back to the origins of the movement itself, through a long line of failed messiahs, fractured sects, and dangerous beliefs. What unfolds is a story of faith, control, and manipulation that spirals into scandal, abuse, and a courtroom reckoning. When the prophecy fails, what’s left behind is something far darker than just a broken promise.

RESEARCH RABBIT HOLES WE FELL DOWN...

The Rise and Fall of Prince Michael Mills and the Detroit Jezreelites - PDF By J Frost

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/234950817.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwijgsS1ufGTAxU4NYYAHV1PHEEQFnoECBwQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1H3JZrL0ce4uPk7iuBL6BJ

Exceeding Great – Order of the Jackalope
https://order-of-the-jackalope.com/exceeding-great/⁠

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Welcome to Girls Just Wanna Get Haunted, and thank you for following along with us. This week, we’re heading to Benton Harbor, Michigan, to explore the strange and tangled story of the House of David. What started as a quiet religious commune in the early 1900s grew into a thriving, tightly controlled community with its own beliefs, industries, and controversies.

The group’s founders, Benjamin and Mary Purnell, claimed a prophetic legacy that drew in hundreds of devoted followers. But behind the polished image were rumors, accusations, and a public scandal that shook the entire colony and split it into factions that still linger in small traces today.

In this episode, we dig into the origins, the rise, the unraveling, and the lasting impact of one of Michigan’s most unusual and haunting communities. Join us as we open the gates to the House of David and step inside its complicated past.

RESEARCH RABBIT HOLES WE FELL DOWN...

Images of America: The House of David by Christopher Siriano

Facebook – Israelite House of David:
https://www.facebook.com/israelitehouseofdavid/

Detroit Free Press – House of David in Benton Harbor:
https://www.freep.com/story/news/columnists/john-carlisle/2016/11/13/house-of-david-benton-harbor/93069448/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=false&gca-epti=z114121u116521e1123xxv114121&gca-ft=254&gca-ds=sophi

American Heritage – “The House of David: The Midwest Cult That Was Really Good at Baseball”:
https://www.americanheritage.com/house-david-midwest-cult-was-really-good-baseball

New York Times Archive – “King Purnell Dies; Resurrection Fails”:
https://www.nytimes.com/1927/12/20/archives/king-purnell-dies-resurrection-fails-cult-heads-followers-wait.html

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In this episode, Lacey takes a slightly unhinged stroll through the Salem witch trials, where a handful of bored Puritan teens and some truly chaotic adults managed to derail an entire town. She breaks down the panic, the politics, and the pure “what were they thinking?” energy that fueled one of history’s bleakest crowd-control failures. After that, she shifts gears and heads to modern-day Salem for a cozy solo getaway filled with good food, historic stops, and the kind of peaceful wandering that pairs well with a side of morbid curiosity. It’s dark history with a wink, plus a soft, comfy look at Salem today.

Research Rabbit holes we fell down...

Salem Witch Trials of 1692: Landmarks, Events & More — https://www.salem.org/salem-witch-trials/

A Brief History of the Salem Witch Trials — https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/a-brief-history-of-the-salem-witch-trials-175162489/

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