The Night Owl: True Ghost Stories

Hi listeners, You may have noticed my absence over these last few weeks as I’ve been taking a break for my physical and mental well-being. It is with a heavy heart that I announce this break will continue for longer than originally planned. For reasons that won’t be discussed, the show will be taking a six month hiatus. My team will continue to upload new content to our Patreon page during this break that include: Q&A sessions with Sara and Alexis, as well as previously unreleased audio from various cases.That being said, I know you have been anticipating the release of Episode 31: The Gaslight Baker Theatre Part II. It is on the way, but will, unfortunately, not be ready for release by midnight tonight. We will work to get this episode to you in the not too distant future, but ask for your patience and understanding as we move through these next months. Your kind words of love and support have not gone unrecognized, and I hope that you continue to support the show during this time of much needed rest and self-care. 2020 has been so challenging for so many people out there and I just want to wish everyone a Happy New year and send my love. The show will continue on, there are just life circumstances that have made it impossible for me to continue at this moment. But I know my true night owls out there are with us, they support us, and they will stay restless as usual awaiting our return. All the best, you host, Stephen

Dear Night Owls, I know we don’t have an episode for you quite yet, but we wanted to take time to wish you all a happy holiday season and let our local Austinites know about our upcoming Holiday Spirits event on December 19th. Due to the challenging new times, ticket sales have been unexpectedly low, so we need to sell 40 more tickets to this event before this Sunday, December 6th to make the event possible. Being candid here, I’m struggling to keep the show going during this pandemic. I’ve pushed myself hard to maintain the show as best as I could, but investigating during these times is far more challenging with a lot more obstacles and to be quite honest, it’s been hard to figure out a quality way to record new investigative episodes during this time. Also, the mental and physical tax that this pandemic has had on me personally, outside of the show, is something I can’t simply keep ignoring. So, I wanted to personally address all you awesome Night Owls who have and continue to be such loyal supporters of the show, and say thank you for sticking with us and being understanding of this challenging time.The show is going to make it, I just need a little more time to figure out best new practices in this new normal, as well as some time for self-care. Please, if you’re around the Austin area, I encourage you to grab your tickets to Holiday Spirits before this Sunday Dec 6th, and help make this event possible to support our show during this challenging time. You’ll also be supporting Pioneer Farms, local artisans and businesses and food trucks by coming out. Not to mention our team members Alexis and Sara will both have booth sphere for their own practices, City Alchemist and Metaphysicalu, so you can visit with them and say hi from a distance! Also, we still need volunteers as well so if you’d like to donate your time and come help the night owl team out, reach out to us at [email protected] https://www.thenightowlpodcast.com/events-1/holiday-spirits for tickets. Happy haunted holiday everyone, and we’ll be back soon! Stick with us, stay tuned, and most of all...stay restless. Stephen Belyeu & The Night Owl Team

Lockhart is a picturesque small Texas town, infamously dubbed the BBQ capital of Texas because of it’s long-standing establishments serving some of the best in the state. But Lockhart’s more than just a popular day-trip destination for many Texans looking for some good brisket. The history of the town dates back to the 1840’s and includes early Comanche raids, brave Texian settlers, and rowdy cowboys driving longhorns up the Chisholm trail. If the walls of the many still-standing buildings of downtown Lockhart could talk, we can only imagine the stories they’d tell. But in tonight’s episode, one such building appears to have a voice. Many voices actually. The Gaslight-Baker Theater is located in the heart of downtown Lockhart, and many in the community have had strange personal experiences in the building. It is believed that the theatre is haunted by numerous specters, and these paranormal residents have each been given their own unique name. The "Laughing Lady" whose laughter has been heard by man. "Colonel Baker", the original owner of the theatre, is believed by many to watch over the building and cause mischief ever so often. Then there’s the elusive, more ominous presence unanimously believed to haunt stage right, oddly named “Other Guy” by the staff and patrons of the theatre. So get and ready and join Stephen and the team as they pack up their gear, hit the road, and travel to Lockhart, Texas to uncover more details about the undocumented hauntings of the historic Gaslight Baker Theatre.

Around 2003, Caroline was studying theatre abroad in France. While there, she lived on a boathouse on the Seine River in northern Paris and spent a stint of time at a cute farmhouse in southern France. Most everyone would have considered this a dream experience of studying abroad. But for Caroline, who has harbored a gift of seeing spirits since age 8, the experience was more like a nightmare. Mostly because, at both places during her stay, she encountered two women - both angry, both French, and both...dead.Check out Caroline's awesome theatre company based in Austin, Texas - Glass Half Full Theatre http://glasshalffulltheatre.com/ or @glasshalffulltheatre on social media.Photo by: Gautier Salles @yamnez

Many of us are drawn to mystery. Whether that be an unsolved murder, a mysterious disappearance, or for the paranormal enthusiasts, haunted places and legends. Tonight’s campfire iIs a combination of all the above. It’s a story of an abandoned ghost town in the middle of nowhere. A mystery surrounding the town’s population's sudden disappearance. Evidence of satanic rituals and sacrifices being held in the town’s abandoned buildings. And a group of eager teenagers who venture there, hoping to have paranormal experience of their own.In 2012, Conner and a group of high school friends, including his close friend Blake, decided to take a trip, five hours away from their hometown of Dayton, Ohio, to visit and explore the abandoned streets and buildings of the legendary Helltown. What starts off as a thrilling night with friends in a mysterious town fraught with spooky legends, quickly turns into a nightmare that still haunts Conner and many of his friends to this day. Grab a coffee or a whiskey, gather round the fire, and let’s take a trip to Helltown, Ohio. Photo Credit: Alex Azabache

We’ve seen it in movies. We’ve read it in books. It’s the typical modern ghost story. You and your unassuming family move into a new home. A new chapter begins with a mix of uncertainty and excitement. But  then the strangeness creeps in, subtly. At first it’s just a few odd noises in the night. Possible voices in the hallway. But it soon progresses. Over time the sounds begin to move. Make their way into your bedroom. Other members of your family report hearing or seeing things as well. Ultimately, the haunting grows more tangible, maybe you are touched or you wake to find a shadow standing at the foot of your bed one night only to vanish when you jolt up and flip on your lamp.  In tonight's campfire, we have one such story for you. The story revolves around a family of four who decided to build a new home in Sioux Falls South Dakota in 2012, where each of them would have their own unique experiences, and collectively grow more concerned about their own safety and later involve a local psychic in hopes of finding answers.In 2012, Mary and Jeff wanted to build their dream home for themselves and their two children, Colin and Tessa. They were a family who had strong interests in the paranormal. Today, their Colin is a well-known ghost hunter with nearly half a million subscribers on his YouTube channel The Paranormal Files - where he travels the world investigating famous haunted places. But this story Colin is about to tell happened before his career as a paranormal investigator and YouTube star. It’s the story of his childhood haunting that plagued not only him, but his entire family. In the following campfire you’ll hear from 3 members of the family, Colin, his mother Mary and his father Jeff. To check out Colin's paranormal adventures on The Paranormal Files, go tohttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSRxYAK0PiA7d0XUR6sPFA

After receiving a random message on Facebook stating that a place called Mattie’s at Green Pastures had four resident ghosts, Stephen’s interest was piqued to look into this claim as a new potential case. Come to find out, Mattie’s is a recently renovated restaurant, bar and wedding venue, but more interestingly it was housed in a historic mansion with an enduring colorful history. Now deemed an Austin Historic Landmark, the home in which Matties resides dates back to 1895 was witness to many families living through landmark events including two world wars. Now, staff at Mattie’s are coming forward with unexplained experiences and it’s more than just dismissable occurrences like glasses falling off shelves or lights flickering. There have been two very significant full-bodied apparition sightings by two employees. More impressive is that what each reported seeing matched, almost to a T, and even more impressive - both employees hadn’t shared their experiences with one another. However, what really elevated this case to a level of interest was the story of the wandering psychic, Cindy, who appeared one day claiming that the spirits of the home had called her to Mattie’s. She was allowed to sit in the home and absorb all that she could. In the end, she produced a booklet of notes detailing five spirits that seemingly haunted this home, their histories, and their wishes. It was an incredible story, but Stephen wanted to know more. He wanted to investigate Mattie’s with his team, and see where this fascinating case might lead.

The Night Owl team has investigated a lot of unique Austin establishments on this show. Restaurants and bars that are housed in buildings that are historic landmarks or perhaps built over historic land. In this episode, Stephen is contacted by a restaurant and wedding venue that he’s never heard of before. A place called Mattie’s at Green Pastures. And although the place has recently gone through some renovations, this location’s history is one of the most interesting he’s come across. Even more intriguing were the strange reports on the premises - activity mostly believed to be linked to the spirits of two young children. Phantom voices, laughter, touching, and more reputedly, children’s handprints forming on windows where no children are allowed. But above all this, the reports that had Stephen most excited to learn more about Mattie’s were two separate eyewitness accounts of seeing a full-bodied apparition of an adolescent girl. The Night Owl team will take on yet another hidden haunt, this one nestled in a quiet, eclectic Austin neighborhood, harboring a long standing history and spectres seemingly clinging to the past.

After hearing an impressive number of first-hand paranormal experiences from Austin night club Elysium, the Night Owl team will return with clairvoyant Sara to see what validations she might make or what new discoveries rise to the surface. However, with this particular case, Stephen finds himself facing a lot of new challenges. Never before has the team entered a case with an owner who possesses the same gift as their clairvoyant friend. Going deeper into this investigation, Stephen is unable to shake the thought of their friend Sara picking up entirely different things than Elysium owner Sara Wickham, and what that would mean? Another obstacle was the undocumented seedy history of this property, rumors of a hidden brothel and the many spirits haunting the space believed to be tied to that secret part of the buildings history. Elysium will be the first case in a long time that makes Stephen question himself all over again - if ghosts could possibly be real, or if they’re merely figments of our imagination.COVID-19 Business Relief Spotlights:OH BOY! Printshop is one of many local businesses hit hard by the times. But what amazes me about OH BOY is how in a time where they need help, they step up and offer help to other. The OH BOY team have designed a few shirts with proceeds going directly to the “Stand with Austin” fund. Your purchase will not only help OH BOY! Printshop during this difficult time, but will also benefit an incredible local community foundation dedicated to improving the lives of Austinites affected by COVID-19. Go to ohboyprintshop.com, and purchase a #standwithaustin tee. You can also support OH BOY directly by purchasing any of their brand tees. Buenos Aires Café has their All Day menu for TAKEOUT & delivery AND are giving out great DISCOUNTS! Visit buenosairescafe.comPROMO CODES:CHIMI10 - 10% discount on any online order.FRIENDS15 - 15% on orders $50 or more!Bottles of wine are also available for DELIVERY service only.Elysium had to close its doors and cancel all events through May 1st. They are currently in the planning stages of some online activities to help you have fun while still practicing social distancing. Like and follow along on the Elysium Nightclub Facebook page and the Elysium Sunday 80s Night Facebook group. You can also support Elysium directly with PayPal at [email protected]. At Pioneer Farms, it’s not just the historic buildings, resident spirits, and people that tell the tale of the 1800s farm, it’s the animals, too! Right now, the donkeys, horses, longhorns, and chickens are in desperate need of your help. A small donation of $10 can buy 60lbs of hay, $15 can buy 50lbs of food pellets, and $25 can help keep animals fed for almost three whole days. Visit pioneerfarms.org/animalfeeddonations.The Clay Pit is offering their full menu, wine options, and three different meal packages that can feed a family of four and come with naan or roti as well as samosas, chutney, and rice. Available for pick-up or our favorite third delivery party app. Visit www.claypit.comThe Spiderhouse Cafe is closed temporarily, but several of the on-site food trucks there are still offering to-go and delivery options. The food trucks in operation are Always Hungry, Arlos, Kitchen for the Soul and Milky Way Shakes. Be sure to support them during this time as well. Visit spiderhouseatx.com/food-trailers/Our friends at Royal Legion Tattoo have closed their doors through May 1st. To make an appointment for when they reopen, DM them via Instagram @royallegiontattoo. Ray, Natalie, David, and Heather all have artwork available for purchase on their individual IG accounts. Ray @flawless.wallace.tattoos, Natalie @natpowertat, David @therewillbeblack, and Heather @heatherhillyall.City Alchemist is temporarily closed, but they are still providing readings, products and spiritual work through their site at cityalchemist.co To support us: patreon.com/thenightowlpodcast

The Night Owl team has been called to investigate Elysium, a night club that has been a home for the alternative and goth communities in Austin, Texas for the past 19 years. Serving up a diverse lineup of events ranging from 80’s dance nights to witchy galas, Elysium has been doing its part to not only Keep Austin Weird, but also provide a safe haven for those who sometimes feel like outsiders or misfits. Aside from being one of the longest standing entertainment venues in the city, Elysium has quite a bit of haunted lore surrounding it. Some of these stories circulating about the club are that they have resident ghosts that employees know by name, poltergeist activity throughout the building, a very haunted women’s restroom, secret hidden rooms that are off-limits to the public due to too much activity, and to top it all off, an owner who is said to be a medium with very detailed information on the buildings history and haunts. Are you ready to join the Night Owl team? Let's dive in and uncover the haunted secrets of Elysium.