222 - Mysterious Michigan and the Spiritualist Movement with Amberrose Hammond - Big Seance

Big Seance: My Paranormal World

For over twenty years, Amberrose Hammond has been researching the supernatural, weird, and off-beat history of Michigan, and she also has an intense interest in the Spiritualist movement. In this episode, Patrick talks to Amberrose about her most recent book, Mysterious Michigan: The Lonely Ghost of Minnie Quay, the Marvelous Manifestations of Farmer Riley, the Devil in Detroit & More. Other topics include the Ouija board and a spectacular behind-the-scenes look at fraudulent Victorian mediums. Visit BigSeance.com/222 for more info.

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In this episode:

Episode Teaser :00

Intro :45

Please share the show with a friend who would appreciate it! 1:26

Amberrose Hammond’s Bio. 2:53

Patrick and Amberrose share a love of historic cemeteries! 4:08

The story of the cover of Mysterious Michigan. 7:46

Falling in love with Michigan’s haunted history. 10:10

Paranormal conferences and more on Amberrose’s early involvement in the paranormal. 14:44

Vicksburg Spiritualist Camp at Fraser’s Grove. 16:58

“Do you Ouija?” Ouija stories from Michigan in the 1920s. 19:24

The 1920 Ouija Board and Automatic Writing: How to do it pamphlet by Hereward Carrington, PhD. 22:38

The joy of collecting Ouija boards, and some early experiences with them. 24:30

“People would describe that these forms would come floating out of the floor.” James "Farmer" Riley, seances, spirit cabinets, and a behind-the-scenes look at fraudulent Victorian mediums. 28:25

“Sitters were fooled because of a willingness to believe.” 38:55

Did the fraud really hurt anything? 40:24

Going back in time or recreating these Victorian seances. 41:36

Dividing a fortune! The lost story of Eber B. Ward and the Kardashians of their day. Plus celebrity mediums in the courtroom! 43:24

Fraud was rampant in the Spiritualist Movement, but a lot of good came out of it as well. 53:30

Other stories from the book. 56:53

Halloween talk, Howard the Duck, and Trick-or-Treating! 1:00:07

Hocus Pocus 2! 1:07:55

Chilli and pumpkin spice. 1:08:45

Final thoughts from Amberrose Hammond and where to find her! 1:09:33

A special THANK YOU to Patreon supporters at the Super Paranerd and Parlor Guest level! 1:11:00

Outro 1:13:32

For more on Amberrose Hammond

Amberrose's previous appearance in episode 151

MysteriousMichigan.com

AmberroseHammond.com

GhostlyTalk.com

The Big Seance Podcast can be found right here, on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Pandora, Spotify, TuneIn Radio, Stitcher, Amazon Music, and iHeart Radio. Please subscribe and share with a fellow paranerd! Do you have any comments or feedback? Please contact me at [e-mail]. Consider recording your voice feedback directly from your device on my SpeakPipe page! You can also call the show and leave feedback at [phone] (or 7755-TELL-ME). I would love to include your voice feedback in a future show. The candles are already lit, so come on in and join the séance!