Eerie Encounters: Is Waukesha Haunted?

While the ghost tales and urban legends haven’t brought hunters Sam and Dean Winchester from the TV show Supernatural to Waukesha, the stories are out there.

Whether it’s spooky finds in eerie basements or noises at a high school, Halloween can bring out some tales that can just bring a shiver to your spine.

• Waukesha Patch Facebook fans weigh in on local ghost stories.

There are claims the Waukesha South High School theater is haunted by a ghost of a girl who died in the 1950s. However, a 2008 article in the Waukesha Freeman debunked those rumors.

much like other college campuses, is supposedly haunted by the spirit of Ray Wilbur of the Wilbur Lumber Company, according to Carroll University’s student newspaper.

But for a real spooky story that truly happened would make many Waukesha folks scream. Waukesha Patch freelancer Amy Gilgenbach was cleaning out the basement of her older house late last October when she realized the thing in the corner was not a Halloween decoration:

It was a fitting start to the Halloween weekend but put a bit of a damper on the holiday fun: It’s one thing to see creepy headstones and macabre decorations on someone’s lawn and it’s quite another to find the real deal in your basement.

We had looked forward to owning an older house in Waukesha in part because we’re both interested in local history; however, we didn’t expect an up-close and personal experience. The Waukesha Springs era is exotic; a headstone in the basement – not so much.

Here’s what we know: there is no body buried in the basement. We checked, by exploring the dark recesses and with the previous owners.

And in case you’re in the mood for a real scary experience, we have a wrap up of area haunted houses.

WI Communities Have Scare Stories

Meanwhile, there are ghost and creepy stories throughout southeastern Wisconsin. There are unconfirmed reports of the residents of a former mansion haunting the St. John’s Military Academy.

And legend has it that in the 1890s and neighbor before burning his lands. His field is said to lie within the “haunted” Bender Park borders these days. Rumors about Indian burial grounds, satanic rituals and spectral drag race victims off of Fitzsimmons Road are also prevalent when discussing the spooky park's history.

Last year, Menomonee Falls Patch reported unexplainable phenomena were occurring at businesses up and down Main Street. Those stories came from business owners and employees, and were chilling enough. Now, it appears, the spirits are speaking for themselves.

On Sept. 29, Menomonee Falls Patch joined investigators from Cream City Paranormal to perhaps catch signs of ghostly activity at Purloin Studio. Owner Susan Corkum reported seeing a female apparition at the front of the store, hearing giggling, and customers witnessed sparks above the checkout counter. Purloin handyman Cale Youngbeck also reported a mysterious shadow figure in the basement.

Menomonee Falls Patch even has a recording of what the paranormal investigators found.

Finally, the lore of Haunchyville is one that is well known throughout southeastern Wisconsin. But is Mystic Drive in Muskego really Mystic?

Have you had an spooky encounters in Waukesha? Tell us in the comments.