MINNEAPOLIS — It's spooky season, so let's metaphorically gather around the campfire and tell ghost stories.
How about we start right here in the Twin Cities? From gangster murders to friendly bar ghosts, the metro is rife with spirits and local legends.
Whether you're looking for a scary adventure or just to learn more about local history, here are a few opportunities to give you goosebumps this Halloween.
1.) Wabasha Street Caves
If you'd rather not explore alone, these St. Paul caves are great - and they host guided ghost tours. Originally created for mining, the caves were subsquently used as a mushroom farm, then a gangster's restaurant and casino in the 1930s prohibition era.
According to the location's website, there was a gang murder at the casino that remains unsolved. There are bullet holes in the walls and some believe that caves are haunted by the spirits of gangsters.
Tours are just $11, click here for more information.
2.) First Ave
If you've been to First Ave, it was likely for a much more lighthearted reason - to dance, sing and listen to great music. But if you walk into the fifth stall of the bathroom, you might meet up with an unexpected "patron."
KARE 11 reported that venue employees have seen a blonde woman who haunts the bathroom and the dance floor, alongside homeless people who died at the location when it was a Greyhound Bus Station. Legend says that the young woman hanged herself in the bathroom when she found out her lover would not return from war.
3.) Mounds Theatre
This St. Paul theatre is anything but ordinary, as it boasts an on-and-off century of silent movies and vaudeville. Beyond the screen though, things can get a little spookier.
Legend has it - according to Explore Minnesota - that three ghosts haunt the site: a little girl with a bouncing ball, an old man who creeps by the projection booth, and an usher who searches the aisles for his lost lover.
4.) Green Lantern
For those intrigued by St. Paul's gangster era, consider the old Green Lantern saloon. According to the Pioneer Press, the saloon was a popular drinking spot for criminals and gangsters in the 1930's prohibition era.
As for ghosts - a murder took place in the alley behind the Green Lantern. Legal aid site Casetext placed the saloon on Wabasha Street between 10th Street and College Avenue, which were the street names in 1931.
5.) Minnesota Institute of Art
Looking for a free ghost tour? Head no further than the MIA in Minneapolis. Staff and visitors have collected ghost stories and have an audio tour available online so you can follow in their footsteps as they tell their spooky experiences.
6.) Black Forest Inn
This Minneapolis restaurant may host the unfortunate ghost of Nellie, a cafe proprietor who fell down the basement stairs and died. Staffers have reported stomping in the basement and other Nellie-related experiences, according to the City of Minneapolis blog.
7.) Cuzzy's
In Minneapolis' North Loop neighborhood, Cuzzy's claims it is haunted by a resident ghost they've dubbed "Betsy." On the menu, the eating and drinking establishment says that Betsy occasionally offers hugs to guests, moves ketchup, or turns the lights and water on and off. Their advice?
"So if your drink starts to move around on its own, check for moisture first, and if that can't explain it, you may ask Betsy to leave it alone," the menu reads, sourced via the North Loop neighborhood site.
8.) Mill City Ruins
A well-known piece of Minneapolis history, the flour mill exploded in 1878 due to airborne flour particles. Eighteen people died that day, and the tragedy forced the company to reevaluate safety and design, according to the Minnesota Historical Society.
A fire completely destroyed the building in 1991. Since then, the Minnesota Historical Society built the Mill City Museum atop the site.
9.) Fitzgerald Theater
This stately St. Paul theater has a long history of the arts... and the scares.
Legend has it that a stagehand named Ben died in the theater in the 1940s, about 30 years after it was built. Since then, staff have reported shadows, cold spots and the dropping of empty beer bottles, according to Haunted Rooms.
10.) Anoka State Hospital
Opening in 1900, this "Asylum for the insane" was the first in Minnesota. KARE 11 reported that people have observed strange things in the windows and some employees say they are nervous to work at the location.
And if you're looking to round out your spooky trip, the city of Anoka itself is considered the Halloween capital of the world, with walking ghost tours available.
11.) Crazy Annie's Bridge
If you're up for a drive, Henderson has a chilling local legend that might be worth the hour-long commute. A ghost called Crazy Annie allegedly haunts a bridge at 270th Street after she drowned her three children in a creek and hung herself.
Locals say - according to Explore Minnesota - that after 11 p.m. they have heard screams, floating faces, figures running in the woods, and handprints on their cars.
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