Whitewater, Wisconsin, has a reputation for witch legends, spiritualism and haunted places. Among its most recognizable landmarks is the Hamilton House, a Victorian mansion with a history stretching back to 1861 and ghost stories that have followed it for generations.

But what was it like to actually live there?

In episode six of Weird Wisconsin, the first installment of Wisconsin's Most Haunted, I explore the history and reported hauntings of this 23-room house through someone who called it home.

DJ Phoenix lived in the Hamilton House from 1974 to 1983 while his family operated an antique business downstairs. He recalls unexplained activity throughout the house, a boy who appeared in his bedroom, a doll whose eyes seemed to glow red, and a photograph he believes captured two spirits. He also shares the increasingly troubling experiences that ultimately led his family to leave.

Carol Cartwright, president of the Whitewater Historical Society, provides the historical perspective. She traces the house's owners, explains how Whitewater's spiritualist history became entangled with its witch legends, and examines claims of secret tunnels connected to the Underground Railroad.

Some details have historical support. Others remain unverified. Together, these accounts explore the history, folklore and deeply personal experiences behind one of Whitewater's best-known haunted houses.

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Featured in This Episode:
DJ Phoenix
Antique dealer, toy collector and former Hamilton House resident
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Carol Cartwright
President, Whitewater Historical Society
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Episode Artwork by Rachal Duggan
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Original Theme by Tyler Quinn
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Welcome back to This Week in Weird Wisconsin, a weekly mini episode highlighting the people, places, and events that happened during this week in Wisconsin history.

This week, Wisconsin shuts down public gathering places during the 1918 influenza pandemic, and exactly 39 years later Milwaukee celebrates a World Series championship. We'll also revisit the bizarre Eagle Diamond case, where a woman sold a stone for $1 only to discover it was one of the largest diamonds ever found in America.

And finally, we head to Milwaukee in 1912, where Theodore Roosevelt is shot in the chest before a campaign speech and decides to speak for roughly 80 minutes anyway.

Explore this week's event:

Halloween Legends & Lore at Old World Wisconsin
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Follow Weird Wisconsin:
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Original Theme by Tyler Quinn
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Welcome back to This Week in Weird Wisconsin, a weekly mini episode highlighting the people, places, and events that happened during this week in Wisconsin history.

This week, we dig into the bizarre early history of Bucky Badger, including the live badger that kept escaping and a raccoon named Regdab that somehow became part of the mascot story. We'll also revisit a major 1962 civil rights protest in Madison, the 1912 American Grand Prix raced on public roads around Milwaukee, the flood that nearly erased downtown Black River Falls, and the Milwaukee Police Band's unlikely path from whistling officers to performing with John Philip Sousa.

And finally, we look back at the Peshtigo Fire of October 8, 1871, the deadliest wildfire in American history.

Explore this week's events:

Spiritualism in the Victorian Era at Black Point Estate
October 2 in Lake Geneva

Bayfield Apple Festival
October 2–4 in Bayfield

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Follow Weird Wisconsin:
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Original Theme by Tyler Quinn
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