Un-X Media Releases New Book: Take a Haunted Road Trip on Route 66

Release date: 9-22-25

In this book, Margie Kay presents some of the most haunted sites along the infamous Route 66. Starting in Chicago, Illinois, the route then takes the traveler through Missouri, Oklahoma, a short section of Texas, through New Mexico, Arizona, and Southern California. The route was created long before the Interstate highway system, winding and bending through the terrain. The ghostly history along the route is the stuff of legends, with people reporting apparitions on the road, haunted motels and hotels, haunted graveyards, strange time anomalies, weird road changes, and even Skinwalker sightings.  If you’re thinking of taking an interesting trip across the country, take this book with you and hit the most haunted places along the way. Many of the sites mentioned in the book are still in operation today.

Experience a chilling journey through the haunted stretches of America’s iconic Route 66, where history intertwines with paranormal phenomena. This comprehensive guide explores the spectral tales and supernatural hotspots from Illinois to California, including the notorious Route 666.

Route 66, known as the "Mother Road," earned the grim nickname "Bloody 66" due to decades of fatal accidents since its inception in 1926. Beyond its historical significance as a 2,448-mile cross-country highway, it has become a corridor rich with ghost stories and paranormal activity. Effective ghost hunting along this route requires preparation, respect for the locations, and strategic timing, especially between 1:00 and 4:00 AM for peak supernatural activity.

Illinois: The Birthplace of Route 66's Hauntings

The Illinois stretch of Route 66 is the birthplace of the highway and a hotspot for hauntings. Notable sites include:

• Congress Plaza Hotel, Chicago: Known as the most haunted hotel in Illinois, it hosts ghostly apparitions such as Al Capone’s spirit, the "Hand of Mystery," and "Peg Leg Johnny," alongside unexplained noises and poltergeist activity, especially in Room 441.

• Rialto Square Theater, Joliet: Haunted by spirits such as a former vaudeville actress named Vivian and a tragic couple in the balcony, it gained paranormal fame after the "Ghost Hunters" TV show captured ghostly footage here .

• Dana-Thomas House, Springfield: Architect Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece is haunted by the spirit of Susan Dana, who conducted séances there. Visitors report floating curtains, humming sounds, and a mysterious woman in black on the stairs.

• Old Joliet Prison: Once home to notorious criminals, it is haunted by the “Angel of Joliet” and spirits of inmates, with reports of disembodied crying and shadow figures.

• Loomis House and Miner's Theater: Sites of scandal and tragedy in Carlinville and Collinsville, with hauntings linked to murder and jilted lovers.

Additionally, the Ruebel Hotel in Grafton is renowned for activity including the ghost of a little girl named Abigail and kitchen disturbances. 

Missouri: Haunted Hotspots Along Route 66

Missouri’s portion of Route 66 is rich with haunted locations:

• Lemp Mansion, St. Louis: Home to the ill-fated Lemp brewing family, the mansion is haunted by multiple spirits, including William Sr. and the "Lavender Lady," with reports of flying glasses and cold spots.

• Devil’s Elbow, Pulaski County: Known for ghostly figures, phantom vehicles, and the legend of "The Watchman," a shadowy figure guarding the bridge.

• Gasconade River Bridge: Haunted by unexplained sounds and shadow figures possibly linked to a nearby 1855 train disaster.

• Gillioz Theater, Springfield: Haunted by the projectionist Martin Kirschner and other spirits, with reports of moving objects and ghostly touches.

• Rock Fountain Court: A preserved tourist court with paranormal activity in Room 3, including cold spots and whispers.

• Wagon Wheel Motel, Cuba: The oldest continuously operating motel on Route 66, with hauntings reported especially during quiet nights.

• Drury University Campus and Pythian Castle: Campuses and castles with numerous ghost stories and paranormal investigations.

• Joplin’s Prosperity School Bed and Breakfast: Haunted by ghost children and a ghost nurse, with reports of extreme paranormal activity driving residents away.

• Joplin/Hornet Spook Light: A mysterious glowing orb with a long history, attracting tourists and paranormal researchers.

Kansas: The Haunted Half Marathon of Route 66

Kansas hosts a short but intensely haunted stretch of Route 66, featuring:

• The Witch's Grave at Oak Hill Cemetery, Galena: Known for peak paranormal activity at 3:33 AM, with reports of apparitions and EVPs.

• Brown Mansion, Coffeyville: Haunted by the entire Brown family, with manifestations of sorrow and childhood.

• Hollenberg Pony Express Station: Reports of phantom horses and riders, and mysterious voices.

• Stull Cemetery: Rumored as a gateway to Hell with dark energies and local legends.

• Other sites include the Hutchinson Public Library and Bel Aire Water Tower, both with tragic histories and hauntings.

Oklahoma: Secrets and Spirits Along 543 Miles

Oklahoma’s stretch of Route 66 is a supernatural corridor with:

• Ghost towns like Texola, Bridgeport, and Erick: Abandoned or sparsely populated towns with eerie atmospheres and reported hauntings.

• Haunted Hotels: The Skirvin Hotel in Oklahoma City, haunted by Effie, a chambermaid who died tragically; and the Stone Lion Inn with multiple spirits including children and a grieving father.

• Phantom Trains and Lost Travelers: The 1917 Frisco train derailment near Kellyville and graves of British airmen in Miami are linked to ghost sightings.

• Vanishing Hitchhikers: Classic legends of ghostly travelers appearing and disappearing along the highway.

• Cemeteries and Sacred Grounds: Tucker Cemetery with shifting graves and Sacred Heart Mission with child spirits and acoustic phenomena.

• Abandoned Asylums: St. Vincent Asylum and other institutions known for intense paranormal activity.

• Oklahoma offers ghost tours and paranormal investigations in historic locations like Fort Reno and Guthrie, blending history with supernatural intrigue.

Texas: Haunted Sites Along Route 66

Texas features several haunted landmarks:

• The Natatorium in Amarillo: Former indoor pool turned dance hall, now an antique mall with reports of cold spots and ghostly dancing couples.

• Tradewind Airport: Haunted by the ghost of a woman who killed her husband and his mistress and then herself.

• Jackson Square Apartments: Abandoned building with multiple violent hauntings and apparitions, including a pregnant woman and a ghostly child.

• Morley Theater in Borger: Haunted by a voodoo curse and ghostly apparitions.

New Mexico: Chilling Supernatural Stops

New Mexico’s Route 66 legacy is marked by ghost towns and haunted establishments:

• Glenrio: A ghost town on the Texas-New Mexico border with abandoned motels and gas stations, reportedly haunted by the echoes of past travelers.

• Endee: Known for its violent frontier past and abandoned motor court with haunting atmospheres.

• Cuervo: A town physically split by Interstate 40, with abandoned buildings and reported paranormal activity.

• Santa Fe: The original Route 66 alignment was altered due to political reasons, leaving haunted roads like La Bajada Hill and Glorieta Pass with ghostly soldiers and vanishing hitchhikers.

• High Noon Saloon, Albuquerque: Haunted by a lady in white and other spirits, with paranormal activity in the dining area.

• KiMo Theater: Haunted by the spirit of a young boy named Bobby and other entities affecting performances.

• La Posada Hotel, Santa Fe: Haunted by Julia Staab, a socialite whose ghost manifests with domestic phenomena.

• Abandoned road segments and historic churches: Sites that preserve memories and paranormal activity.

Arizona: True Ghost Stories That Will Make You Stop Driving

Arizona’s nearly 400 miles of Route 66 is arguably the most haunted stretch, featuring:

• Hotel Monte Vista, Flagstaff: Home to the phantom bellboy, the rocking chair ghost, and the malevolent "Meat Man" .

• Weatherford Hotel: Haunted by a tragic honeymoon couple and a dancing ghost woman in the ballroom.

• Oatman Hotel: Famous for spirits of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard, plus “Oatie” the restless miner.

• Red Garter Inn, Williams: Haunted by Eva, a murdered woman, along with other ghostly phenomena.

• Two Guns: A cursed ghost town with the Apache Death Cave and a history of desecration and tragedy.

• Ghost towns like Amboy and Canyon Diablo: Sites with ghostly whispers and violent pasts.

• Energy vortexes and cultural trauma: The convergence of ley lines and layered human history creates a "perfect storm" for paranormal activity.

California: Hidden Spirits Along Route 66

California’s 315-mile stretch offers diverse haunted locations:

• Needles: The Green House and El Garces Hotel, connected by underground tunnels, with reports of apparitions and unexplained sounds.

• Ludlow: A ghost town with phantom miners and desert whispers.

• Barstow’s Casa del Desierto: Haunted by a dedicated Harvey Girl and railroad workers.

• Aztec Hotel, Monrovia: Known for the ghost "Razzle Dazzle" and other paranormal activity.

• Pasadena Playhouse: Haunted theater with spirits assisting performances and mysterious occurrences backstage.

• Colorado Street Bridge: Nicknamed "Suicide Bridge," it is a vortex of spiritual energy with numerous tragic deaths and ghost sightings.

• The Comedy Store, West Hollywood: Haunted by mobster spirits and paranormal phenomena amid the comedy scene.

• Georgian Hotel, Santa Monica: A historic hotel with ghostly phone calls, unexplained noises, and Marilyn Monroe sightings.

Route 666: The Devil’s Highway

Route 666 (now US 491) is infamous for supernatural terror:

• History and renaming: The highway’s "666" designation correlated with high accident rates and paranormal lore.

• Satan’s Sedan: A phantom black car that terrorizes drivers.

• The Hounds of Hell: Supernatural dogs that attack vehicles and pedestrians.

• Evil Spirit of the Semi Truck: Malevolent ghost truck causing accidents.

• The Pale Spirit: A young girl ghost in a white dress, unsettling but non-aggressive.

• Skinwalkers: Shapeshifting entities from Native American lore that haunt the highway, causing accidents and soul capture.

• Disappearances and time loss: Mysterious vanishings and lost time phenomena reported by travelers.

The highway remains a terrifying paranormal hotspot, with many locals avoiding it after dark 105. 

This guide provides a detailed exploration of Route 66’s haunted legacy across states, blending historical context with documented paranormal phenomena, offering travelers and investigators a rich tapestry of supernatural lore along America’s most famous highway.

Publication date: 9-22-25. Available at Amazon.com