An Apparition on South Arch in Hannibal

A fire on the night of last December 17 that destroyed the vacant duplex located at 326/328 S. Arch brought to my mind a time years ago, when my friends lived in the home. The year was 1980, and the group of five or six friends lived in the 326 side of the duplex for a very short period of time. Spooky events eventually drove them out of the house.

When the group of friends first moved into 326 South Arch, Morgan’s bedroom was the only one located on the second floor. She thought it was strange when blackbirds began to appear, although all the windows on this floor were nailed shut. No one could figure out how the birds were getting into the house. Of course, the superstitions relating to blackbirds flying into a house are usually not positive ones, and concern death and darkness. It wasn’t too long before Morgan moved into a bedroom on the first floor.

The downstairs of the home was no less frightening than the second floor. In the kitchen, the washing machine would often turn on by itself, and begin to fill with water.

In the living room by the bathroom door next to the stairs going to the second floor was the stereo, which would also turn on by itself.

Oftentimes, loud and heavy footsteps could be heard walking down the steps from the second floor, although no one was there. I experienced this occurrence myself while sleeping on the couch only a few feet from the stairs. I heard someone coming down the steps to join me on the first floor, but there was not a soul to be seen.

On Morgan’s last day in the home, the sound of something huge barreling down the stairs scared her so badly that she left immediately.  When she was outside the front door and turned around to look back at the empty house, someone seemed to be peering at her through the window blinds on the second floor.

Morgan knew that our friend Keri would be getting off work and returning to the house soon. This was a time before cell phones were in use. Morgan called the house continuously until she was finally able to talk to Keri and tell her to get out of the house.  Walking to her car, Keri realized she had forgotten something and went back inside. Exiting out the front door across from the stairs, Keri heard Morgan’s dog coming down the steps behind her. However, the dog was downtown with Morgan, not in the house.