Is This Spooky Quad Cities Mansion Really Haunted?
It's the time of year where legends and lore are passed around. Every bridge has a sinister back story and every old house is supposedly cursed by ghosts.
The Quad City Times recently rounded up a list of some of these notoriously haunted locations around the QC. At the top of the list is the infamous House on the Hill at Augustana, which is used as student housing and a reception center for the college.
According to reports, the Victorian mansion has had plenty of paranormal activity over the years. A woman named Apollonia Weyerhaeuser-Davis, said to be the daughter of the house's former owner Frederick Weyerhaeuser, is the main spirit that's taken up residence at House on the Hill.
Some of the strange occurrences include a door that had been locked for years being found suddenly open, showers turn themselves on, antiques around the house are rearranged on their own, radios have gone off in the middle of the night, and doors refuse to open (except that one that was found mysteriously ajar, apparently).
So much supposedly activity has taken place over the years that the Illinois Paranormal Research Group investigated the house in 2012. You can watch a YouTube video of their findings here.
So, is the House on the Hill actually haunted? Well, it certainly has that creepy Victorian vibe. Then again, I wouldn't put it past college students to have overly-active imaginations.
Head's up, however- since the House on the Hill is owned by the college, trespassing is definitely frowned upon. You may be able to catch a spirit or two in the windows, however. Don't say we didn't warn you.