Wisconsin Legends Podcast

Wisconsin UFOs - Part Two - The Conclusion (Season Finale)

Mike Huberty and Jeff Finup — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 16:45:00 -0600

It seems as though Wisconsin has had a hand in almost all of the major American UFO incidents of the modern era.

Mike and Jeff discuss Wisconsin UFO history from the 1970s to 2023.

What role did Wisconsin play in the Roswell mythos?

What landed at the Baker's farm in Wisconsin's Northwoods?

Did William Bosak encounter a fly cow humanoid? And what happened two years to that day?

What is Wisconsin's role in the latest round of UFO disclosure?

We cover all of this in more on Wisconsin UFOs: Part Two - The Conclusion

With special guest, Dean Bertram to talk about Raymond Palmer and The Shaver Mystery.

Wisconsin Rapids native, Jeff Finup is the mind behind Badgerland Legends, which explores Wisconsin's mysteries and fascinating history, a post at a time. Legends, lore, history, cryptids ,and more from the Badger State. Find his work on Instagram and Facebook.

Mike Huberty, hailing from the town of Big Bend, near Milwaukee, is the owner of American Ghost Walks, a haunted history tour company with locations in Maine, California, Illinois, Minnesota, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and started in our very own Badger State of Wisconsin - with tours in Lake Geneva, Milwaukee, Madison, Waukesha, Bayfield, and the Wisconsin Dells. Find out more at AmericanGhostWalks.Com.

Wisconsin UFOs - Part One

Mike Huberty and Jeff Finup — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Wisconsin has played an outsized role in the history of ufology.

Mike and Jeff discuss the early years of Wisconsin UFO sightings with the "airship" flap of 1897. Can these be dismissed as hysteria or was something otherworldy appearing in the skies over Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, and as far north as Wausau?

How did a solitary building on the shores of Lake Geneva play a role in the life of the "Father of Ufology"?

How did a chance sighting in Barron, WI directly inspire the work of MUFON?

Did aliens really bring pancakes to a plumber in the Northwoods?

We cover all of this in more on Wisconsin UFOs: Part One

The Mad City Murders - The Capital City Slayings

Mike Huberty and Jeff Finup — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 09:00:00 -0600

Madison is best known for being a college town and the state capital of Wisconsin.

It's usually characterized by raucous crowds at Camp Randall, its lakes, reveling on State Street, and the picturesque backdrops of photo-ops like the Capitol Building, the Monona Terrace, the Union Terrace, and Bascom Hill.

But, few know that Madison was the setting for a string of unsolved murders not too long ago.

"The Mad City Murders" or "Capital City Killings" spanned fourteen bloody years from 1968 to 1982.

Mike and Jeff take a deep dive into the string of murders and speculate who might be responsible and what set off the phenomenon.

Sources:

Mad City: The True Story of the Campus Murders That America Forgot by Michael Arntfield

The Devil in Milwaukee (LIVE) 2023 Milwaukee Paranormal Conference w/ Allison Jornlin

Mike Huberty and Jeff Finup — Thu, 26 Oct 2023 14:00:00 -0600

Live from the Milwaukee Paranormal Conference

The Devil in Milwaukee w/ Allison Jornlin (American Ghost Walks- Milwaukee)

Allison joins Mike and Jeff to discuss three curious cases from her hometown.

Recorded live at the Irish Cultural and Heritage Center in downtown Milwaukee, October 14th, 2023.

Outro: Halloween Pumpkin by PurplePlanetMusic

The Hodag & Gene Shepard - Wisconsin's Most Fearsome Critter

Mike Huberty and Jeff Finup — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 10:07:00 -0600

Spawned from the lumber camps of the Northwoods comes the Hodag, Wisconsin's most fearsome critter.

From bunkhouse tale to worldwide phenomenon.

Discover who or what created this mythical creature and how it became so popular.

Why is Rhinelander the "Home of the Hodags" and who is carrying on the tradition of the beast.

Hodag

Hodag 125th Anniversary

Whiskey Jack/Wisakedjak

JK Rollins - Hodag

JFK's Hodag

Hidden Headlines of Wisconsin - Chad Lewis

Hodag Country Music Festival

Pioneer Park Historical Complex

The Hodag Store

The Hodag Show

Hodag Heritage

I Saw a Hodag - Kerry Exotic

Carmen San Diego - Hodag Store

Best Highschool Mascot in America

Long Live the Hodag!

Bumper Music

Spend the Night - Sunspot

Folk Polk

Little Lord Fauntleroy- Waukesha's Cold Case w/ Josh Hughes

Mike Huberty and Jeff Finup — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 11:17:00 -0600

On March 8th, 1921, the remains of a young boy were found floating in a pond near the O’Laughlin Stone Company’s Waukesha quarry.

The boy was dressed in a gray sweater, black stockings, a blouse, patent leather shoes, and Munsing undergarments. The quality clothing and fancifully dressed suggested the young man was from means.

The newspaper writers gave the unidentified boy the nickname, Little Lord Fauntleroy after the literary title which depicted a young well-dressed boy who was adopted into aristocracy.

Who was this little boy and how did he end up at the quarry?

Mike and Jeff are joined by Josh Hughes from Waukesha Ghost Walks to discuss the tragic tale of Little Lord Fauntleroy. Josh gives his insights on the case as they discuss the motives behind his killing and his possibly identity.

Josh Hughes

Waukesha Ghost Walks

Waukesha, WI

Little Lord Fauntleroy (literary character)

Little Lord Fauntleroy (victim)

Waukesha Quary

King Ralph (1991)

Spotted Dick

Milwaukee Ghost Walks

Fisherman John St. Croix River (Stillwater, MN)

Stillwater Ghost Walks

Change.org Exhumation Petition

Slenderman

Slenderman Stabbing

Mound Builders of the Mississippi Valley

Cahokia

Scientific Studies/Papers

Filicide in the US: Indian Journal of Psychiatry- Resnick

Filicide/Suicide Common Factors in Parents who kill their children themselves- Resnick, Susan Hatters Freidman- Journal in the American Academy of Psychiatry 2005

Child Sacrifice in the Western World- David Medeema (2004) Journal of Critical Thinking and Bioethics - CedarEthics, vol. 4, pp. 5-7. ISSN 2333-9713

Keith Reyes- UTEP- Filicide as Child Sacrifice in the Judeao Christain Worldview of the US- Dissertation

Munchausen by Proxy

Mentioned in this episode:

See us in person at the 2023 Milwaukee Paracon for a live podcast recording of Wisconsin Legends Podcast! Registration is free. More details at https://www.milwaukeeparacon.com

Frank Lloyd Wright- Part 2 - The Esoteric Architect

Mike Huberty and Jeff Finup — Wed, 04 Oct 2023 10:45:00 -0600

In the conclusion of the Frank Lloyd Wright saga, we find Frank dealing with the loss of his beloved Mamah.

Wright finds love in an unusual way, but his first wife, Kitty stands in the way refusing to file for divorce.

After another ill-fated marriage, Wright finds a new mystically-inclined woman in his life.

What events led to Wright's arrest in Minnesota?

Who was this mystical stranger from the East?

Was Wright running an institution or a cult?

What are Wright's links to Joseph Stalin?

Does Wright's ghost reside in a Dallas theater? What stigmas are associated with Wright's properties?

Jeff and Mike cover it all in Part 2.

The Hunchback of Notre-Dame

Objectivism

The Fellowship (book)

Gurdjieff Visit's Taliesin

Wes Peters

Stalin's Daughter- Svetlana

American Ghost Walks

Prairie School Movement

Dallas Theater- Coleta Humphries Theater (Notion article)

Institute of Mental Physics

Edwin Dingle

Swedenborg Memorial Chapel

Black Dahlia

John Sowden House

Brian O'Doherty ogham script

Ennis House

Manly P Hall- The Secret Teachings of All Ages

The Pauson House

Maribel Caves Hotel (Wisconsin Legends Podcast)

Esoteric America - Spring Green

Esoteric America - Madison

Steven Snider

Bumper Music:

Mania-663

Sunspot- I'll be seeing you

Pony Trek

Sunspot Acoustic Duo #2

Sunspot Acoustic Duo #1

Mentioned in this episode:

See us in person at the 2023 Milwaukee Paracon for a live podcast recording of Wisconsin Legends Podcast! Registration is free. More details at https://www.milwaukeeparacon.com

Frank Lloyd Wright - Part 1 - The Building of an Architect

Mike Huberty and Jeff Finup — Thu, 28 Sep 2023 10:19:00 -0600

Join Jeff and Mike for the kickoff of Season 2 of the Wisconsin Legends Podcast

In this episode they discuss Frank Lloyd Wright who is known today as “the greatest American architect of all time”.

Wright’s career in architecture spanned 73 years and he is credited with many incredible works as well as the progenitor of a movement that reshaped how American’s live within their homes.

His humble beginnings in rural Richland and Sauk County, Wisconsin and how it informed much of his style and aesthetic.

The guys discuss the tragedy at Taliesin, the esoteric underpinning found in Wright's work, and the tragic and supernatural aspects linked to his projects and properties.

Frank Lloyd Wright

American Institute of Architects

Unity Chapel (F.L. Wright Del)

Charnley House

Statue of the Republic

The Devil in the White City Tour

Mamah Borthwick Cheney

Exploring the Legacies of Theosophy - Johanna Petsche

The Secret Doctrine

Hilla von Rebay

https://thecultural.me/the-legacy-of-hilla-von-rebays-mission-to-new-york-148909

Solomon Guggenheim

Guggenheim Museum

The Red Square

Susan Lawrence Dana House

Bumper Music:

Waltz for a Cat

Pony Trek

Spooky Music Theme

I'll be seeing you- Sunspot

Celtic Loop

Spend the Night - Sunspot

Mania

Bewitched

Sad Ballerina Waltz

The Ridgeway Phantom and Mineral Point Vampire- Denizens of the Driftless

Mike Huberty and Jeff Finup — Sat, 23 Jul 2022 00:07:00 -0600

One of the Dairy State's most notorious hauntings, The Ridgeway Phantom, terrorized the Old Military Ridge Road that ran from the Fox Valley in the Northeast to Prairie du Chien in the Southwest of the state. From the 1840s, residents of the Driftless area near Ridgeway have spoken about the phantom, who acts more like a troublemaker and trickster than a traditional ghost as he stalks the road. But how could the Ridgeway Phantom have been influenced by the traditions of the Welsh and Cornish lead miners who had been coming to the area by the tens of thousands? And how similar was it to a contemporary legend happening on their home island at the exact same time. Over a century later, reports of a strange creature starting happening in Mineral Point just a few miles away.

How are the cases connected and are there any recent eye witness reports of the Ridgeway Phantom? And what if it's not the spirit of a deceased human, but something completely different? From shapeshifter to vampire, this is the definitive guide to Wisconsin's most famous ghost, The Ridgeway Phantom.

Devil's Lake- Legendary Creatures and Cthulhu Power Zones, The Mysteries of Devil's Lake

Mike Huberty and Jeff Finup — Sat, 23 Jul 2022 00:06:00 -0600

Today, Devil’s Lake is known as Wisconsin’s most visited state park, a designation it has held for over 100 years. But, the region has been inhabited by man for nearly 500 generations. With its rich history comes plenty of legends and lore. Mike and Jeff discuss the early inhabitants, tales of Thunderbirds and lake monsters, and the many ghost stories that line the shores of the small enigmatic lake. Did a group of Crowley-ian sex magicians cast a spell on Devil’s Lake? Was something conjured that still resides there today? In 2020, Devil’s Lake was thrust into the headlines when it became the subject of murder a murder investigation. Who was the perpetrator of this heinous act and were they ever brought to justice? What other dangers await to visitors of the Devil’s Lake?

Haunchyville- The Miniscule Marauders of Muskego

Mike Huberty and Jeff Finup — Sat, 23 Jul 2022 00:05:00 -0600

Do you know the legend of Haunchyville near Muskego, Wisconsin?

Near the end of Mystic Drive is supposedly a barn where a farmer hung himself. Underneath the body were many child-sized footprints all around. In the barn was a sign, scrawled in his own blood saying "The Haunchies made me do it."

Whether it is a group of vengeful circus dwarves or a debauched town of Wizard of Oz's munchkins, little people have been the object of paranormal fascination for thousands of years. From leprechauns to the Lollipop Guild, join Jeff and Mike (who's actually been there!) as they head into Haunchyville to learn the truth behind the legend.

Also, Mike's band Sunspot even recorded a song about the place, click here to watch the video.

The Beast of Bray Road- Wisconsin's Werewolf

Mike Huberty and Jeff Finup — Sat, 23 Jul 2022 00:04:00 -0600

In 1991, on a slow news week at the end of December, an article was published in small weekly Walworth County paper called “The Week”.

The article was titled, “Tracking down “The Beast of Bray Road””. The story by Linda Godfrey detailed the rumors of a creature that stalked Walworth County along with two eyewitness interviews.Nicknamed Wisconsin’s Werewolf, The Walworth County Werewolf, the Wisconsin Dogman, the Beast of Bray Road has held the imagination of Elkhorn residents since the article was published. In recent years it’s attracted the attention of cryptid enthusiasts, which have resulted in a horror movie, an excellent documentary, at least two metal bands, and countless paranormal TV appearances. From analyzing the influence of the Satanic Panic to introducing previously unreported sightings, Mike and Jeff present a new take on the phenomena.

Jeffrey Dahmer- The Cream City Cannibal

Mike Huberty and Jeff Finup — Sat, 23 Jul 2022 00:02:00 -0600

Jeffrey Dahmer was one of the most notorious serial killers in American history. Over the course of thirteen years, he raped, murdered, and dismembered seventeen victims, young men. His crimes were so heinous that even now, nearly thirty years after his death, he continues to terrify the public imagination. Some say that his spirit still lurks in the places he haunted in life. Others believe that he haunts the cemetery where he was buried. Either way, Dahmer's legacy is one of horror and gruesome violence. Visitors have reported seeing strange shadows moving about the site of his first murder, and some say they can still hear the sound of Dahmer's victims screaming. Whether or not you believe in ghosts, there's no denying that the echoes of Jeffrey Dahmer's horrific crimes still haunt Milwaukee.

Were his crimes unavoidable? Was he just an unredeemable psychopath destined to murder? Why did he cannibalize some of his victims? From Dahmer's psychiatric diagnoses to rumors of supernatural activity to his legacy on Wisconsin, this is a complete analysis of one of Wisconsin's most infamous murderers of all time.

Hotel Hell, Manitowoc's Maribel Caves

Mike Huberty and Jeff Finup — Sat, 23 Jul 2022 00:01:00 -0600

The vestiges of the Maribel Caves Hotel lie in ruin near the town of Cooperstown in Manitowoc County. Nicknamed “Hotel Hell”, it has been home to many legends. It allegedly burnt three time, all on the same date. It was the scene of a mass murder and suicide. It was owned by Al Capone during prohibition. It served as a hideout as well as a stop for his rum-running business, which included John Dillinger.

And the most intriguing, the front fountain contained a portal to hell. A legion of demons escaped and unleashed hell on the nearby town. Fortunately, a white witch stepped in and banished the demons from whence they came and sealed the portal. Although the legends may only contain kernels of truth, its ominous stone façade and dilapidated state are sure to attract even more tall tales. Mike and Jeff take a deep dive into the hotel which was built in 1900 and reveal the true history of The Maribel Caves Hotel.

Check out Hotel Hell t-shirts here

Ed Gein- The Original Psycho

Mike Huberty and Jeff Finup — Sat, 23 Jul 2022 00:00:00 -0600

It was the crime that shocked 1950s America, Ed Gein was born in Wisconsin in 1906 and grew up on a farm desperately attached to his strict, religious mother. When she died, his isolation and terrifying obsessions led to stealing corpses from graves and making trophies and keepsakes out of their lifeless bodies. In 1957, he was arrested for murdering two women and was arrested and institutionalized for the rest of his life. However, many believe that his spirit never left the property where he committed his atrocities. To this day, there have been reports of strange noises and sightings of a dark figure lurking around the place.

His gruesome work sensationalized the small town of Plainfield, Wisconsin to its core. For years afterwards, people spoke in hushed tones about the man who had turned his farmhouse into a slaughterhouse. The inspiration for Robert Bloch's popular novel and Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece, Psycho, Gein's real story, his psychiatric diagnoses, and his impact on (as well as being a victim of) Twentieth Century Culture is much more fascinating than just his crimes.