A recent road trip took me to haunted Alton, IL. Nestled on the banks of the Mississippi River and near the confluence of the Missouri & Illinois Rivers the town is a hotbed of paranormal activity.
My stay in the town was short, but the following year I did return to do some ghost hunting in Alton a little more.
McPike Mansion
Why is Alton so Haunted?
Alton is full of history which probably lends itself to so much paranormal activity.
Plus, it’s been suggested that water and limestone helps contain the spirits of the deceased and the location of the town lends itself to becoming a host to those that have passed on. Alton is on the confluence of 3 major rivers and is located on top of limestone rock bed.
During my visit, I was fortunate to have a private tour with ghost hunter and tour host Gary, from Alton Haunted Tours.
We visited the most active locations and I learned a bit about the spirits that reside there.
Sadly, none made themselves known to us, to the great relief of my wonderful host from the Alton CVB who was on the ghost tour as well.
McPike Mansion
One of my favorite stops on the tour was the McPike Mansion (pictured above). A house from the 1800s that has fallen into disrepair. This mansion has been investigated by numerous paranormal teams and featured on tv shows.
Walking up to it has a very eerie feeling. I would have loved to walk around inside, but it is currently undergoing renovations to make it safe for entry.
The McPike Mansion is privately owned but offers tours throughout the year.
They recently hosted an overnight camping event which is being marked on my calendar for next year. Learn more here.
Civil War Prison
Others stops along the way included the remnants of a civil war prison and a Confederate Cemetery.
This is all that remains of the civil war prisons, but stories abound of ghosts and spirits that remain in the area.
Confederate Cemetery
Monument at the Confederate Cemetery that displays the names of all the known soldiers buried in this mass burial ground.
One tombstone is all that graces the grounds of the cemetery. During the civil war thought was not given to place identifying markers at an individual grave.
This graveyard used to be on the outskirts of town, but progress and population have made its way to the edges of the cemetery.
If you didn’t see the signs you might think this was a nice green park. Sadly, it’s the final resting place to hundreds of soldiers who never made it home.
Alton Ghost Tour Review
Our tour was interesting and offered both insights into the history and the spirits that roam Alton and the surrounding area.
It is definitely worth adding to your list of “must visit” places.
What You Need To Know Before Visiting Haunted Alton, IL
Hotel: We stayed at the Holiday Inn. A very nice property that is pet-friendly. It is convenient to all that Alton has to offer.
Food: We dined at the following locations. All of them offered fabulous food and ambiance.
1. Castelli’s–great chicken dinners
2. Tony’s Restuarant–voted best steak house, but I loved their Italian food.
3. State Street Market–get one of their salads…so good!!
In addition to exploring Alton be sure to make the drive along the scenic highway to the historic town of Grafton.
Can’t make it to Alton, but still want to learn more about the paranormal activity in the region?
I really recommend the book, Haunted Alton by Troy Taylor. It’s available on Amazon and is full of history and stories about the area.
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Question in the picture of the mansion did you take that? Cause there looks to maybe be a face in the window, I’m on my iPad and could zoom in a little. It looks to be a young girl or women with her mouth open with dark shoulder length hair. I wish I could post a picture of it from my iPad. I hope you don’t think I’m crazy….lol
Wow, what a unique tour – I’d like to go on something like that!
Eek! How exciting! I need to take a haunted tour somewhere!