MN Legend Hunters

03/16/2025

Join me on The Paracast on March 16 with host Gene Steinberg and Tim Swartz!
These gentlemen were kind enough to invite me on the show to talk about nearly everything under the sun.
Check it out on any of your favorite platforms!

05/24/2023

And MN Legend Hunters podcast out later this summer!

Season One of Shadows of the Midwest "Broken Oath, Shattered Lives" looks back into a Jane Doe discovered in southern Minnesota in 1980. We'll examine the da...

03/17/2021

The opening for the upcoming MN Legend Hunters video series. An opportunity to visit and recount some of these strange stories from the convenience of your classroom, office, or home.
A special thanks to the band Blodwar for so graciously allowing to use their song “Luna” as part of the opening.

The opening for the upcoming MN Legend Hunters video series. An opportunity to visit and recount some of these strange stories from the convenience of your classroom, office, or home. A special thanks

03/10/2020

Things that go bang in the night..
Shakopee MN

In November of 1911 the small Episcopal church at Shakopee's center began to stir the town. It wasn't with so much with a spiritual revival as the possibility of revived spirits. The rectory of the church was occupied by three women, a Mrs. Krauth, Miss Caine, and Miss Helms. The latter two were teachers at the Shakopee high school.
It was near the first of November when the occupants began hearing an unexplained low rumble beneath the house nearly every night. The noises continued through Christmas, then fell quiet until April of 1912. The nightly noises began again and came back furiously. The low rumble came back with the strength and would build to the sound of a 'giant firecracker'. Now the noise was accompanied by shaking of the house and surrounding buildings. The women stated that rattling of the windows and shaking floors were making it impossible to stay in the house.
The worst occurrence began the week of May 19. Starting at 10pm the the shots continued through the week. Each night the began exactly one half hour later. The women called on neighbors to help them investigate but they came to no resolution. Some of the locals stated there was an old spring under the property that may be the source but were at a loss to explain why the shot like sounds were never heard during the day.
The woman stated that one night the shots began at the very moment Miss Caine blew out her light, and the next night the began at the exact time that Mrs. Krauth extinguished hers. One of the women also stated that she had seen a man wearing a long black coat accompanied by a large black hat outside the house. After the man paused outside he approached and knocked on the door. When he received no answer he slowly walked away but was seen lurking about for some time after. A few nights later it was said that the man returned with shots heard immediately after he left.
Tired of being woken through the night the women invited geologist from the university to study the house. No resolution to this case was ever found.
If it interests you, do an internet search for the 'black hat man'. There are several reports of a shadow figure wearing a large hat appearing to people on their homes and bedrooms. Just food for thought.

02/11/2020

I was invited to be part of the podcast Conspirinormal's 300th episode to talk about some of my work on a couple of Minnesota missing persons cases.
Make sure to take a look at their show, always great and intelligent conversation about all things strange.

The official home of the Conspirinormal Podcast. A show dedicated to uncovering the truth in all things paranormal and conspiracy theory related.

01/27/2020

Curious to hear what you all think. Not your typical giant skeleton find...

Mahnomen County

Beaulieu Township
In early June of 1903 Mr. and Mrs. S.S. Stadsvold, the proprietor of the Fosston flour mill, paid an afternoon visit to the farm of Lewis Lohn, a cashier at the Bank of Fosston. Mr. Lohn hadinvited his visitors out to see the progress of the construction of a new outbuilding.
While watching the workers digging deep into a hillside with intentions of constructing a root cellar, one of their shovels hit a hard object that gave off a metallic sound. The workers stopped to examine the obstacle and found an iron ring fastened to something further in the hillside. Continuing to dig they discovered the ring was attached to an iron door. The door swung outward disclosing a large opening into what appeared to be a cave of sorts. Broken stones of peculiar shapes were strewn across the floor and in one corner a large stone box. Opening the box they found stone implements appearing to represent hammers, arrow darts, and perfect skeleton of a human being. The skeleton was noted to be at least seven feet tall.
According the Minneapolis Journal article of June 4, 1903 Mr. Lohn placed the skeleton and related articles in a sealed glass case to be kept with his own collections of rare Indian relics. It was believed that the internment belonged to the ancient mound builders due to the very ancient patterns of the implements.

07/29/2018

Vicksburg Cemetery
Flora Township
Renville County

There are several stories, mostly internet based, of paranormal experiences at Vicksburg Cemetery. Most of the stories include a glowing headstone, flowers that appear to bleed in the spring, and spectral figure of a woman in black. Since so little is actually documented I took time out on a July afternoon to visit the cemetery myself.
Vicksburg Cemetery is one of the only physical signs left of the community of Vicksburg. Located in section 30 of Flora Township in Renville county the small town virtually disappeared when it was bypassed by the railroad at the turn of the century. The cemetery is located approximately nine miles south of the city of Renville on County Road 6. Southbound the entrance is to the left as you start to descend the hill.
The cemetery entrance is marked by a historical sign and a metal gate. The actual cemetery is about a 400 yard walk through weeds and thickets to another gate that is the actually marks the entrance to the cemetery. It is small space that only contains eight burial plots that are scattered in the area. I was disappointed to find that all the markers had be smashed to the point that they were unreadable. I spent about twenty minutes in the actual cemetery and I must say the only thing that menaced me was the thought of wood ticks. There was no hint of a ghostly woman. It would be hard to judge the story of the glowing headstone. They were all knocked to the ground and there was no indication of which one it was. The county road runs parallel to the cemetery and seems impossible to be headlight reflection. The tree canopy is also very thick blocking out any direct sunlight. The bleeding flowers can't be accounted for this far into the summer, the only ones present were white wild flowers scattered about the grave yard and walking path.
I would have to say that my excursion was interesting but uneventful. At leas til I got home. When I reviewed the few pictures I took I did note something strange. I am going to refrain from discussing it here in fear that it is my own pareidolia. It was not ghostly but probably more difficult to believe. I will leave it at that for now.

07/15/2018

Mob Rules After McLeod County Murder

Glencoe MN
On June 24, 1896, about four miles north of Glencoe, a farmer by the name of B. Mathews came across two young men traveling south across the county. For reasons untold the two men assaulted Mr. Mathews and then acquired a ride into town with another farmer. Mr. Mathews followed the parties and received a warrant for the two young men. The warrant was placed in the hands of McLeod County Sheriff Joseph Rogers who took pursuit about a half hour behind them.
The sheriff and his companion, a Louis Link, overtook the men about four miles south of town. The sheriff got down from his buggy and told the men they needed to return with him and answer to the warrant. The first man responded “I guess not. I will shoot you,” he drew a revolver and shot the sheriff in the leg. Now realizing the pair were desperate the sheriff went to draw his gun from a pocket and was shot in the chest by the second man's rifle and died immediately. Link fled under gun fire to a near by farm.
Link returned to town and sounded the fire bell where a posse of around 200 citizens formed. After a pursuit of 19 hours the men were found in Duff's Lake about four miles west of Arlington and surrendered with out incident.
The men were identified as Dorman Musgrove and Henry Cingmars. Musgrove stated that they had been associated for three years and began traveling together in the past four months. They had been logging together in Rhinelander, WI. In the previous five weeks they had sought out land near Aitkin and Mille Lacs. Failing to find anything they began to move toward Iowa. Musgrove said he was from Kentucky but his parents had passed and had two sisters in Alabama. Cingmars, who also gave the name of Conely, said he had relatives in Mankato, gave in essence the same story.
Sheriff Rogers was embraced by the community and considered a friend by all that knew him. With this being said the fear of a public lynching was well within reason. Governor Clough called upon Company D from St. Paul to retrieve the two men and remove them to St. Paul.
The men were returned to Glencoe to stand trial in September of 1896. The demeanor of the town had subsided. Musgrove was the first to stand trial and a jury found him guilty of second degree murder with a sentence of life in prison. The towns folk were not pleased.
At around 12:20 on the morning of September 6, 1896 around twenty masked men entered the jail by force. They found Mr. Musgrove and Mr. Cingmars cowering in the corner of there cells. Cingmars pleaded to speak but only managed to ask that his love be relayed to his mother while Musgrove seemed to submit to the mob. Bound and gagged the pair were brought to a bridge over Buffalo Creek four blocks south of the jail. Nooses were formed in quick order, put around their necks, and both men were shoved from the side. The slack long enough to let their feet dangle in the water.
One of the jailers broke free from the restraints placed on him and notified acting Sheriff Sandman, who in turn notified the County Attorney F.R. Allen and Coroner R.S. Miles who shortly there after found the bodies of the two men.

05/27/2018

Nobles County
Graham Lake Township
“A Friend to the End...and then some”
A September 1916 Minneapolis newspaper recounts a story from 1872 taking place in northeast Nobles County. Wes Cosper and John Weston owned adjoining farms four miles west of Graham Lakes, attended the same Methodist church, and considered each other friends. But in the fall of 1872 the two farmers had a falling out and were no longer on speaking terms.
John Weston had newly immigrated from England. He had never feared to venture out on the coldest, most blustery days in his homeland, but no experience in the bare prairies of southwest Minnesota. Weston had set out one afternoon with his team of oxen to visit John Hart, friend who lived about two miles northeast of his home. Before the visit had ended a blizzard set in, and despite the protest of Mr. Hart, Weston insisted on setting out for home. Weston and his oxen put forth a valiant effort in the storm because they found his oxen froze to death just a few hundred yards from his front door. Poor Mr. Weston was not to be found.
Had Weston continued his path a few hundred yards more he would have been safe with his waiting wife and children. Search parties assumed he was turned around in the blizzard with the lack of visible landmarks, and after many a failed attempt to locate him, they assumed spring would bring resolution.
In the meantime Mr. Cosper assumed the farm chores of his former friend along with his own.
The snow continued to to fall and blow so that Mr. Cosper would have to shovel a path to the barn daily. It was said that the loss of his friend and the regrets of thing left unsaid weighed heavy on him.
One day when Cosper was at work in his own barn, shoveled out yet again and nearly half done with chores, he opened the barn door to find John Weston standing in front of him. Overjoyed he spoke “How are you my friend? I am so glad to see you. I had thought you froze to death.” As Cosper put out his hand the figure in the doorway beckoned him back and spoke.
“I am frozen to death. You will find my body northwest of Hersey,” and with that being said the figure disappeared.
Cosper's depression had become almost unbearable as he would to tell his wife and friends of the phantom visitor, and finally refused to recount anything to anyone. Another search party was formed by B. W. Woolstencroft, founder of the Fulda Republican and long time Murray County probate judge, to test the story. He and the others followed the directions of the specter and indeed found the body of Mr. Weston in place indicated, northwest of Hersey, or the town now called Brewster.

04/02/2018

"The Minnesota Woolly Girl"
On March 14, 1887 a daughter arrived in the North Minneapolis household of Aloyius and Mary Doherty. Alice Elizabeth Doherty was a healthy baby but had one unusual trait that came from neither parent. Alice was born with a light furry layer of hair approximately two inches long. Her condition is known as Hypertrichosis lanuginosa, and Alice the only known case in the United States.
In the upcoming years Aloyius left his job as a plasterer and the family toured the country with Alice headlined as “The Minnesota Woolly Girl.” From all accounts Alice was a cordial and engaging girl and most noted in the press for her beautiful blue eyes.
It is reported that Alice retired comfortably from touring in 1915 a few years after her death. Alice passed away at the age of 46 in Dallas, TX from bronchial pneumonia and was laid to rest with next to her father.

03/04/2018

Hey Legend Hunters! Do you have a story to share, a tip, or something you'd like to learn more about?
MN Legend Hunters is asking for your submissions. Just send an email to [email protected]. Your stories will be shared on our website mnlegendhunters.wordpress.com
There just a few simple guidelines to follow:
1.Your email must include full name and city. Stories will be posted with initials and location unless otherwise requested.
2.Stories maybe edited for spelling and grammar, but never content or context.
3.If you don't want your story shared please make a note of it in your email.
Looking forward to hearing from all of you, and remember “your biggest adventure is outside your door”.

Your biggest adventure is outside your door