Visit The Old Slave House, Illinois

The Old Slave House, Illinois

July 9, 2009 in North America

The Old Slave House, Illinois

The Old Slave House in Illinois is just one of the most visited places. These weird and haunted places are often toured by adventurous visitors or by students who want to conduct several kinds of research studies. This house is better known as Hickory Hill and is located in Southern Illinois. This house is just a few miles away from the Harrisburg in Illinois and is very close to Equality and Junction. This place is indeed an interesting one for most of the visitors who love to adventure. It is not only so that if your visit this place you will be able to see strange activities but you can also gain the historical knowledge that the house still whispers into the ears of most of the people. This house was closed for a long period of time but it has been opened for public view and visits since 2006. It is now owned by the government of the state and is maintained by the same as well.

This house was built by John Hart Crenshaw who was a cruel man of that time. He was so much hungry about money that the desire to become rich and richer turned him into a criminal. During those days it was illegal to keep slaves. But this man used to hire blacks and make them work into the brutal salt mines that used to earn him loads of profit. This person, in the urge of earning more, began to purchase more slaves from other states and made them work inhumanly. The female slaves were used to produce children as much as they can so that those children could also be sold as slaves to other parts of the country. This way he began to earn in huge amounts and become a rich person overnight. This house has blood of several innocents and the pains of so many mothers. After the death of this man the house turned into a haunted place.

After his death the Old Slave House was opened for tourist visits as people used to say that many strange things happened in the house. People use to report strange noise, voices and whispers could be heard form this house. After a deadly event in the year 1920, the house was closed down and researchers and scholars where no more permitted to get in. There were various legends saying that the house has a tunnel that was connected to the basement into the Saline River. It was in this river that the slaves were exchanged in the night. The house as said to have another passageway that used to contain a wagon. This was meant to passage the vehicles to enter into the house. The house was no wonder a grand creation but the purpose it served was all wrong and evil. So much of unethical and inhuman activities are there, that have been conducted in this house and now it stands open for tourist visit where the primary aim is to research.

Also don’t forget to check out the The Amityville House

Reader Comments

July 12, 2009 la 12:48 pm | derekpm

Rather interesting. Has few times re-read for this purpose to remember. Thanks for interesting article. Waiting for trackback
August 18, 2009 la 12:01 pm | CC

This historical site is not open. The state of illinois has not opened it to the public at all. Its a terrible shame that you can’t even drive down the road to see it from the outside. There is a sign at the end of the road that says keep out or you will get a $500.00 fine. This is amazing history that our children should be able to see. If it is owned by the state is was purchased with our tax money and should be open for the public to see. But until the state decides to open it we are out of luck. This would also be great for the local economy.
October 5, 2009 la 11:19 am | Heather

I went to see “The Old Slave House” many years ago, around 1989. It is a sight to see. I do hope they get it back open because it is a piece of history that everyone needs to experience. And yes, I do believe it is haunted.
October 22, 2009 la 6:24 pm | VaNe

is it really hunted
November 18, 2009 la 2:17 pm | Stop the insanity

This story is completely false and has been perpetuated by Fisk for many, many years. Fisk used these wild stories to charge tourists to walk through the house. It was his way of making money. Musgrove, Fisk’s friend, continues to perpetuate the story so he can make money selling his writings. They both know the story they tell about Hickoy Hill and John Crenshaw is a bunch of rubbish.
The top floor of the house was used for storage and nothing more.
Have a top researcher who specializes in structures investigate the top floor, and you will find the items on the top floor were added many, many years after John Crenshaw passed away.
Shame on Fisk and Musgrove!!!!
January 20, 2010 la 10:24 am | Chuck Groves

I remember going to see this place back in the 1950s, when I was 10 or 11 years old. My folks took me and the rest of the family. I don’t recall anything about it being haunted. I do remember seeing the breeding rooms, or a better description, (shelves), in the wall, with barley room for two people to fit, one on top of the other. I guess it stuck with me, cause it just didn’t seem right.
January 30, 2010 la 9:57 pm | Matt

If the owner of the slave house could contact me. I would like to stay the night and conduct a investigation to see if this place is really haunted or not………….. mxracer2009@hotmail.com
March 23, 2010 la 10:02 am | Nicole Martin

I have been to the slave house, probably about 10 years ago. Very interesting things to see. Abraham Lincoln had ties to the house, but I don’t remember what exactly. . .They had a lot of neat memorabilia from the slave era there. Too bad it is closed, really should be reopened.
June 5, 2010 la 12:12 pm | Kandi

I also went to the slave house when i was a kid i remember the tour guide telling how at night he could hear chains rattling it was a good ghost story. Whats really sad is all the history southern illinois has from the old bank just down the road in Shawneetown to the slave house what beautiful landmarks and just to let them sit and fall apart is a shame. I hope they fix it up and reopen it…. the would def. make their money back.