The mansion gained its nickname due to its dark history, including infidelity, murder, and paranormal activity. Lyda Congelier killed her husband and his mistress in a jealous rage, and subsequent owners reported strange occurrences, leading to its reputation as a haunted house.
Lyda was found several days later, calmly sitting in a chair with the severed head of her husband's mistress in her lap. She was arrested and the house was left dormant for some time.
After the murders, the house was abandoned and later purchased by a doctor who conducted gruesome experiments in the basement. Workers who later occupied the house reported strange noises and deaths, leading to its reputation as a haunted location.
The church's wall mysteriously moved inward by several feet, possibly to exclude the grave of an excommunicated man. Locals believe the church moved on its own to keep the sinner's grave outside its sacred grounds.
Archaeologists confirmed that the wall had been moved 2-3 feet inward from its original foundation. The wall, made of rough stubble stone, stands 19 feet high and is 3 feet thick, suggesting an external force was involved.
Ivan Milat was an Australian serial killer who terrorized citizens in the 1990s. He was suspected of at least 12 murders and was convicted of seven, receiving seven life sentences.
Zach Bowen killed his girlfriend, Addie Hall, by strangling her and dismembering her body. He then cooked parts of her remains and wrote messages on the wall before committing suicide by jumping off a building.
Residents of South Carolina have reported mysterious booms for centuries, known as Seneca Guns or skyquakes. The cause remains unknown, with theories ranging from military activity to natural phenomena like methane gas releases or shallow earthquakes.
Olivia Mabel's body was found in her Texas home, sitting upright in a rocking chair in front of an altar dedicated to her deceased son. The house was in disrepair, but her son's room was meticulously kept, leading to speculation about her mental state and possible supernatural involvement.
Kaspar Hauser appeared in Nuremberg in 1828, claiming to have been raised in captivity. His origins and identity remain a mystery, with theories suggesting he was a lost prince or an imposter. He was later murdered under mysterious circumstances.
Weirdo Watch Party THIS COMING SATURDAY (Dec 14, 2024): https://weirddarkness.com/tv)Darkness Syndicate members get the ad-free version. https://weirddarkness.com/syndicate)Info on the next LIVE SCREAM event. https://weirddarkness.com/LiveScream)IN THIS EPISODE: The dark and strange history of the Congelier Mansion in Pittsburgh is lost to time, but not to those who’ve heard the stories. (The House The Devil Built) *** A chance meeting brings two people love, then marriage… then jealousy and murder. (The Bitter Fruit of a Jest) *** He terrified citizens in Australia in the 1990s – suspected of at least twelve murders, and sentenced to seven life terms in prison. His name was Ivan Milat. (Serial Killer Ivan Milat) *** How can a young woman remember herself being old? (Hannah’s Past Lives) *** A toddler plays with an imaginary friend – who ends up being his deceased grandmother whom he has never met. (Panteletas) *** In 1972 an aircraft crashed into the Florida Everglades - and has become one of the most famous aircraft flights in the annals of the supernatural. (Ghosts of Flight 401) *** A young girl is beaten and abused as a child, ignored by her family and schoolmates, and ended up crying each night alone in her room… although she was not truly alone. (Who Is With Me) *** There is no doubt that something puzzling did happen hundreds of years ago in Ireland. Scientists, historians and locals admit this particular place is shrouded in mystery. (Unexplained Phenomenon in Ancient Ireland) *** Skyquakes. Mistpouffers. Seneca Guns. The mysterious booms in South Carolina have many names, but no one knows what causes them. (Mysterious Booms in South Carolina) *** A man had apparently leapt off the roof of a building, committing suicide. That would’ve been the end of it, except that police found a note in the man’s pocket with instructions on how to find the pieces of his girlfriend. (The Zach and Addie Murder/Suicide) *** No one paid much attention to Kaspar Hauser when he strolled into Nuremberg one morning in 1828. But that would soon change. (The Enduring 200 Year Mystery of Kaspar Hauser) *** When a man goes to prison, only to come home a year later and find his wife with another man, you know the ending already. (The Brown Tragedy) *** A woman’s body was found in a secluded Texas home, sitting upright in a rocking chair in front of a mysterious altar. The murder of Olivia Mabel is so strange that authorities are asking for your help in solving the mystery. (The Bizarre Death of Olivia Mabel)CHAPTERS & TIME STAMPS (All Times Approximate)…00:00:00.000 = Disclaimer and Cold Open00:02:19.463 = Show Intro00:06:02.947 = The House The Devil Built00:12:27.158 = Hanna’s Past Lives00:14:11.658 = Bitter Fruit Jest00:22:39.099 = Who Is With Me?00:31:17.242 = Serial Killer Ivan Milat00:34:06.906 = Pantaletas00:42:32.841 = Bizarre Death of Olivia Mabel00:49:54.586 = The Brown Tragedy00:56:44.587 = Unexplained Phenomenon in Ancient Ireland01:04:53.275 = Kaspar Hauser01:09:31.319 = Mysterious Booms01:14:39.043 = The Zach And Addie Murder-Suicide01:23:35.641 = Show CloseSOURCES AND REFERENCES FROM THE EPISODE…“The House The Devil Built” posted at The Occult Museum (link no longer available)“The Bitter Fruit of a Jest” by Robert Wilhelm for Murder By Gaslight: http://bit.ly/2WtC2Cy)“Serial Killer Ivan Milat” by Robert Keller (link no longer available)“Hannah’s Past Lives” was submitted anonymously“Pantaletas” submitted by Michy from Upcycle Creations: http://bit.ly/2WqMwCx)“Ghosts of Flight 401” by Troy Taylor in his book, “Cabinet of Curiosities”: https://amzn.to/2KEWqI5)“Who Is With Me” from YourGhostStories.com: http://bit.ly/30Q2WnJ)“Unexplained Phenomenon in Ancient Ireland” by Ellen Lloyd: (link no longer available)“Mysterious Booms Plague South Carolina”: (link no longer available)“The Zach And Addie Murder/Suicide” by Shelly Barclay for Historic Mysteries: http://bit.ly/2HZq8qR)“The Enduring 200 Year Mystery of Kasper Hauser” by Gina Dimuro for All That’s Interesting: http://bit.ly/2Kgll7l)“The Brown Tragedy” by Robert Wilhelm for Murder By Gaslight: http://bit.ly/2I5NZoD)“The Bizarre Death of Olivia Mabel” from OliviaMabel.com: http://oliviamabel.com/)Weird Darkness theme by Alibi Music Library. = = = = =(Over time links seen above may become invalid, disappear, or have different content. I always make sure to give authors credit for the material I use whenever possible. If I somehow overlooked doing so for a story, or if a credit is incorrect, please let me know and I will rectify it in these show notes immediately. Some links included above may benefit me financially through qualifying purchases.)= = = = ="I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." — John 12:46= = = = =WeirdDarkness® is a registered trademark. Copyright ©2024, Weird Darkness.= = = = =Originally aired: May 27, 2019CUSTOM LANDING PAGE: https://weirddarkness.com/HouseDevilBuilt