In this special bonus episode, we’re taking a break from our usual recap format and diving into something a little different—and very local. Join Amy, AP, and Megan as we explore some of Minnesota’s most haunted hotspots, packed with gangster lore, underground speakeasies, and a few spirits (of the ghostly kind).
👻 Featured Haunts:
- Wabasha Street Caves (St. Paul): Once a mushroom farm, then a Prohibition-era speakeasy, this sandstone cave system is now a event venue with an eerie past. Expect mobster shootouts, mysterious disappearances, and ghostly swing dancers.
- First Avenue (Minneapolis): From bus depot to rock club, this legendary venue has hosted everyone from Prince to Blue October. But did you know it may also host a legless ghost in the ladies’ room and a spirit named “Flippy” who doesn’t like bar stools out of place?
🕵️♀️ We Chat About:
- Gangster ghosts with a soft spot for kids
- Haunted bathrooms and bathroom etiquette (ghost-style)
- Amy’s failed attempt to summon a ghost (but she tried, okay?)
- Dillinger’s pistol, maybe
- How Minneapolis gangsters just wanted to make money while St. Paul’s got a little stabby
- Why prohibition might be responsible for NASCAR
- And yes, somehow it all comes back to mushrooms
📣 Bonus Content:
Amy gives a behind-the-scenes peek at her live show from her other podcast (Volsteadland) and connects the dots between historic gangsters and their haunts.
So, pour yourself some contraband hooch and join us where The Activity Continues.
Thanks for joining us! Don’t forget to rate, review, and tell your weird friends.
Chapter Markers
00:00:00 Intro
00:04:32 Hello!
00:05:24 Wabasha Street Caves
00:29:49 First Avenue
00:51:45 Volsteadland Live Show
00:57:31 Minnesota Ghost Stories needed for a book!
00:59:09 Outro
Episode links:
Wabasha Caves Resources:
https://olioiniowa.com/blog/wandering-the-wabasha-street-caves/
https://www.llewellyn.com/journal/article/2966?srsltid=AfmBOore95sVsCykyvOSoa5KyuZ7LDbq0SZPucb0e_USr1hfeSTiJQfv -Excerpt from a book “Passport to the Paranormal” by Rich Newman
https://hauntedhouses.com/minnesota/wabasha-street-caves/
First Avenue Resources:
https://www.americanghostwalks.com/articles/minneapolis-ghosts-the-spirits-of-first-avenue
https://first-avenue.com/about/our-history/
https://www.americanghostwalks.com/articles/minneapolis-ghosts-the-spirits-of-first-avenue
Buy links
“Passport to the Paranormal” by Rich Newman: https://amzn.to/4kjeLL4
Amazon links could generate a small commission
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