Dairyland Frights

Re- Release of The Legend of the Hodag & Haunted Rogers Theater

Welcome back to Dairyland Frights! Join hosts John, Megan, and Brooke as they kick off their spooky Wisconsin series with two of the state’s most chilling legends — The Hodag of Rhinelander and The Haunted Rogers Theater of Wausau.
First, Brooke dives into the strange, hilarious, and surprisingly heartfelt history of the Hodag, the bizarre horned cryptid that began as a lumberjack tall tale and ended up becoming the mascot of Rhinelander High School. You’ll learn how prankster Eugene Shepard created the hoax that fooled the Smithsonian, why lumberjacks told stories of vengeful oxen spirits, and how a fake monster brought an entire town back to life.
Then, Megan takes us deep into the dark basement of the Rogers Theater, where unseen hands push workers, projectors flicker off, and rows of empty seats start rocking violently on their own. Could the building’s strange past — once a funeral home, brothel, and furniture shop — have cursed it forever?
🕯️ Highlights
The hilarious feud between Brooke and Zak Bagans of Ghost Adventures (and why he blocked her on Twitter!)
The real history of the Peshtigo Fire and how it shaped Wisconsin’s spooky folklore
The Hodag’s rise from logging camp myth to pop-culture icon
Inside the Rogers Theater hauntings — “Bob,” the ghost in the black suit, and the day construction workers ran for their lives
Why Wisconsin’s small towns are hotbeds of supernatural lore
🏚️ Locations Covered
Rhinelander, WI – Home of the Hodag and its legendary prankster, Eugene Shepard
Wausau, WI – Site of the haunted Rogers Theater and its mysterious past
💀 About the Show
Hosted by John Radtke, Dairyland Frights explores ghosts, cryptids, hauntings, and all things eerie across the Midwest. Each episode blends storytelling, folklore, and humor — proving the Midwest is just as haunted as it is heartland.
🔗 Listen & Follow
🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you get your chills.💬 Follow us on X, Instagram, and Facebook @DairylandFrights for photos, ghost stories, and behind-the-scenes laughs.👻 Support the show on Patreon for exclusive bonus stories and early access to episodes!

Re-Release of The Ridgeway Ghost & The Mineral Point Vampire — Wisconsin’s Most Terrifying Legends

Welcome back to Dairyland Frights, the Midwest’s creepiest paranormal podcast! In this chilling episode, John, Brooke, and Megan uncover two of Wisconsin’s most spine-tingling legends — The Ridgeway Ghost and The Mineral Point Vampire.
First, Megan brings us Paranormal News from the Holy Hill Art Farm, where a mysterious trail-cam photo captures what appears to be a tall ghostly woman wandering the cornfields near Holy Hill, sparking thousands of Facebook reactions.
Then, John dives into the bizarre story of The Ridgeway Ghost — a shape-shifting spirit said to appear every 40 years along Highway 151 between Dodgeville and Blue Mounds. With roots in 1800s mining-town violence and folklore, this ghost allegedly killed those who saw it — sometimes appearing as a man, pig, or even a ball of fire.
Finally, Brooke brings the night home with the notorious Mineral Point Vampire, a caped figure first spotted in 1981 leaping over cemetery fences and terrifying police. The sightings continued into the 2000s, with eerie encounters at lakes and apartment buildings. Was this a true vampire, a prankster goth, or something else lurking in Wisconsin’s Driftless hills?
👻 Highlights in This Episode:
📰 Paranormal News: The ghostly photo at Holy Hill Art Farm that had social media buzzing
🪦 The Ridgeway Ghost: Wisconsin’s shape-shifting phantom that might actually kill you
🐷 Pig, Woman, or Fireball? The strangest forms the Ridgeway Ghost has taken
💀 Historical Origins: Murders, mining, and madness in 1840s Ridgeway
🧛‍♂️ The Mineral Point Vampire: From police chases to lake-side terror — Wisconsin’s own Dracula legend
🧥 The “I Was Bitten by the Mineral Point Vampire” T-shirts (and why fans still want one today)
🐺 Werewolves, UFOs, and ley lines — why the Driftless Area might be Wisconsin’s paranormal hotspot
🧠 Team discussion: Are these tales real hauntings or local legends gone wild?
🗺️ Featured Locations:
Ridgeway, Wisconsin — Haunted Highway 151
Mineral Point — Graceland Cemetery & Ludden Lake
Holy Hill Art Farm — Hubertus, WI
The Walker House Inn — Mineral Point’s historic (and possibly haunted) tavern
💬 Quotes & Funny Moments:
“It can turn into a pig, a woman, or a ball of fire — Wisconsin ghosts are multitaskers.”
“Imagine a dripping-wet vampire chasing your car through the Driftless hills.”
“Ridgeway’s got seven bars and three churches — that’s how you know it’s haunted and holy.”
“Don’t send us fake trail-cam photos — we’re smarter than that!”
📸 Connect & Share:
Follow @DairylandFrights on Instagram to see the Holy Hill ghost photo, listener-submitted evidence, and spooky behind-the-scenes pics from the show.
If you’ve seen something strange in Wisconsin, message us — we might feature your story in a future episode!

5 Types of Ghosts and True Ghost Stories – Nightland Frights

Step into the shadows with Nightland Frights as host John Radtke uncovers the five main types of ghosts that haunt our world — and the terrifying real stories behind them. From violent poltergeists to mysterious shadow people, discover what kind of spirit might be lurking in your home.
Featuring true Midwest hauntings, viral paranormal evidence, and the eerie history of locations investigators refuse to enter, this episode dives deep into the darker side of the supernatural.
Whether you’re a skeptic or a believer, you’ll never look at that chill down your spine the same way again.
👻 Chapters / Key Moments
00:00 – Introduction: Welcome to the world of restless spirits03:15 – Intelligent hauntings and ghostly communication09:42 – Residual hauntings: when the past won’t fade16:30 – Poltergeists: chaos, fear, and flying objects22:18 – Shadow People: the watchers in the dark28:40 – Orbs and energy forms: fact or photographic illusion?35:00 – John’s final thoughts and chilling listener story
🪦 Featured Stories
The Haunted Barn in Oshkosh – where tools move on their own
Boyd House – a paranormal team’s nightmare encounter
The Hille Farm Curse – a haunting that never ends
A viral TikTok shadow figure that terrified millions
👉 Subscribe on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or YouTube.👉 Join the Patreon for exclusive bonus episodes and early access.👉 Follow @DairylandFrights & @NightlandFrights on X, Instagram, and Facebook for weekly haunt updates.

Rissa, Tea & Smoke — The Ouija Board Story”

In this spine-tingling episode, host John Radtke is joined once again by Rissa from Tea & Smoke for an in-depth journey into one of the most infamous paranormal tools of all time — the Ouija Board. From its eerie Victorian origins to its pop culture legacy, they trace how a “toy” became one of the world’s most feared gateways to the unknown.
👻 Episode Summary
What started as a parlor game during the Spiritualist movement of the 1800s soon transformed into a cultural phenomenon. Rissa walks us through the dark, tragic, and surprisingly entrepreneurial history of the Ouija board — from its creation by businessmen in Baltimore to the spooky myths and moral panics that followed. You’ll learn how a locket, a séance, and a clever marketing plan birthed a legend that refuses to die.
Together, John and Rissa explore:
The Fox Sisters and the birth of American spiritualism
How Helen Peters named the Ouija board — and how it betrayed her
Why Hasbro now owns one of the world’s most “haunted” brands
The Exorcist effect that turned a game into a demonic symbol
The Satanic Panic years — and how fear fueled sales
Modern science’s explanation: the ideomotor effect
And whether Ouija boards are truly dangerous… or just misunderstood
💀 Highlights
📜 The Ouija board’s link to the Civil War, grief, and loss
🪦 The mysterious death of inventor William Fuld
🧠 How scientists once used Ouija boards to access hidden memories
🎬 Pop culture moments from I Love Lucy to The Exorcist
🔥 The surprising rules of play — and what not to ask
🕯️ Why You’ll Love It
This episode blends history, folklore, and psychology with John and Rissa’s trademark humor and insight. Whether you’re a skeptic, believer, or just love a good ghost story, you’ll come away with a whole new understanding of why the Ouija board endures — and why it might not be as evil as you think.
📅 Episode Out: Halloween Week
🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your chills.💬 Rate, review, and share to keep the spooky stories alive!

The Scorned Spirits: Deborah from Paranormal Paradigma on the Dark Feminine, Folklore & Healing

Welcome back to Dairyland Frights! Host John Radtke is joined once again by the ever-insightful Deborah from Paranormal Paradigma — a gifted medium, healer, and spiritual guide — for a fascinating and empowering dive into the legends of vengeful women in folklore and what these stories reveal about the dark feminine, trauma, and transformation.
From Japan’s Kuchisake-Onna (The Slit-Mouthed Woman) to La Llorona and the White Lady of Europe, Deborah unpacks how cultures worldwide have created ghostly figures of women betrayed, silenced, and transformed by pain — and how those myths reflect real human wounds that still haunt us today.
Together, John and Deborah explore:
💀 The truth behind the Kuchisake-Onna sightings that terrified Japan in 1979
🌙 Why spirits linger when trauma and emotion go unhealed
🕯️ How society’s fear of the feminine created centuries of ghost stories
🧿 The spiritual meaning behind “Am I beautiful?” — and what it really asks of us
💫 Deborah’s approach to subconscious healing through mediumship, and how shadow work can transform pain into purpose
⚡ Why the paranormal is really about the unknown within ourselves
This episode blends folklore, psychology, and spirituality into one eerie yet uplifting conversation — perfect for your Halloween week playlist.
🧙‍♀️ About the Guest:
Deborah (Paranormal Paradigma) is a psychic medium, healer, and content creator helping others reconnect with their subconscious, heal deep emotional wounds, and discover their purpose.🌐 Website: paranormalparadigma.com📱 Instagram & TikTok: @paranormalparadigma📺 YouTube: Paranormal Paradigma💬 Offering: Medium readings, subconscious healing, and shadow-work sessions

Sinister Sisters Paranormal Return – Haunted Investigations, Civil War Spirits & Waverly Hills Mysteries

The Sinister Sisters Paranormal team is back on Dairyland Frights with even more chilling encounters and unbelievable stories from their latest investigations. From haunted Civil War hospitals in Tennessee to the dark halls of Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary, these fearless investigators share their scariest “ugly” moments, the surprising “good” ones, and everything in between.
Highlights in this episode:
A terrifying Estes Method session gone wrong at the Gaines House in Gainsborough, TN.
Paranormal encounters at Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary, including unsettling attachments and energy drains.
The infamous Waverly Hills Sanatorium—spirits seeking help, the body chute, and the legendary nurse’s suicide.
Exploring Rosemont, a historic home filled with family spirits, children’s laughter, and intelligent hauntings.
Stone Tape Theory explained—why buildings made of limestone, quartz, or granite may hold paranormal energy.
Funny and eerie moments, from ghostly whistles to spirits demanding whiskey and pistols.
The Sinister Sisters also discuss how they protect themselves, the importance of respect when dealing with spirits, and upcoming paranormal events at Rosemont and beyond.
👻 If you love ghost hunting, paranormal investigations, and real haunted history, this episode is packed with eerie tales you won’t forget.
Follow on Facebook and Instagram

Midwest Spirit Seekers: Haunted Houses, Dark Spirits & Nightmares

Welcome back to Dairyland Frights! In this chilling episode, John is joined once again by David from Midwest Spirit Seekers, along with team member Tiffany, an evidential medium. Together they share their most intense and unforgettable paranormal investigations across Minnesota—including haunted Victorian homes, protective spirits, and one location so dark they vowed never to return.
From protective ghosts watching over a historic home in Minneapolis, to unsettling encounters at the infamous Boyd House, to shadowy figures and clawed entities at Edinburgh Manor, this episode dives deep into the terrifying and mysterious. Tiffany also reveals how her abilities have helped validate spirit activity and uncover shocking truths hidden within these haunted places.
Plus—hear about the team’s upcoming charity event at Malvern Manor on November 8th, raising funds for Type 1 diabetes.
Highlights in this episode:
🏚️ How Midwest Spirit Seekers began and why helping people is their mission
👻 Tiffany’s first-hand medium experiences and chilling validations
🪦 The history and spirits of a Victorian home in Minneapolis
😱 Dark forces inside the Boyd House—what made the team finally walk away
🩸 Shocking physical manifestations during an investigation at Edinburgh Manor
🙏 Why respect for spirits is vital during investigations
📅 Details on their Malvern Manor event
Links & Resources:
Follow Midwest Spirit Seekers on Facebook & Instagram
Learn more about their upcoming Malvern Manor event
Support their fundraising for Type 1 Diabetes research

The Mystery of Mel’s Hole & Haunted Lives with Red Tree House

Hello spooky friends! 👋 Welcome back to Dairyland Frights, the Midwest’s paranormal podcast, where we dive into everything eerie, creepy, and unexplained.
In this episode, John sits down with Will from the Red Tree House podcast, a master storyteller of the strange, to explore the world of hauntings, curses, possessions, and one of the strangest urban legends ever told: Mel’s Hole in Washington State.
🌲 What You’ll Hear in This Episode:
Will’s personal experiences living in a haunted house—including encounters with a playful spirit nicknamed Henry and a darker, more sinister presence.
The strange discovery of a hidden graveyard near his home and how it ties into unexplained activity.
A deep dive into the bizarre legend of Mel’s Hole: a supposed bottomless pit said to resurrect animals, alter metals, and attract government cover-ups.
The blurred lines between urban legend, supernatural mystery, and psychological suggestion.
Why some paranormal stories stick with us even when science says they’re impossible.
👻 Whether you’re a skeptic, a believer, or somewhere in between, this episode will have you questioning what lies beneath the ground… and what might be lurking in your own home.
🔗 Connect with Will & Red Tree House:
Podcast: Red Tree House (Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube)
Instagram redtreehousepod
✨ Support Dairyland Frights:If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. It helps us keep bringing you creepy tales from the Midwest and beyond!
Stay spooky, friends. 👻

Nightland Frights - 10 Signs Your House Is Haunted and The Haunted Octagon House

Welcome back to Nightland Frights—the darker, twisted shadow of Dairyland Frights. Tonight, we step into homes that don’t want to be empty, homes where the dead don’t sleep… and homes that may already be watching you.
In this episode:
Paranormal investigator Brandon Kramer (Appleton, WI) shares 10 ways to tell if your house is haunted, from cold spots to dream visitations.
We uncover the chilling history of the Octagon House in Fond du Lac, a place filled with hidden tunnels, tragic stories, and reports of ghostly children still at play.
A listener shares their terrifying personal haunting—complete with shadowy figures, whispers in the night, and a playful spirit named Henry who might not be as harmless as he seems.
Whether it’s footsteps behind you, shadows in the corner of your eye, or that heavy feeling you just can’t shake—tonight’s episode will make you question what’s really inside your home.
👻 Do you think your house might be haunted? Listen and find out.
🔗 Follow Brandon on TikTok: @realghosthunter1🔗 More Wisconsin paranormal at: Wisconsin Frights
Sleep… if you can.

Haunted Madison with KJ of Mad City Ghost Walks

In this spine-tingling episode of Dairyland Frights, John welcomes back one of his favorite guests — KJ from Mad City Ghost Walks. KJ is not only a seasoned ghost tour guide in Madison, Wisconsin, but also a paranormal investigator and lecturer who has presented at Gettysburg’s Paranormal Symposium.
Together, John and KJ explore:👻 The haunted history of downtown Madison and Forest Hill Cemetery🌲 Why Madison, WI is considered “capital H Haunted”🪦 Stories from unmarked graves and ghostly encounters on cemetery tours🧠 The Stone Tape Theory and how the environment may record traumatic events⚔️ KJ’s lecture at Gettysburg on residual hauntings and “if walls could talk”🔮 The intersection of science, energy, and the paranormal
Whether you’re a believer, skeptic, or just love spooky history, this episode will make you see Madison — and the paranormal — in a whole new light.
Links & Resources
👣 Book a tour with Mad City Ghost Walks: madcityghostwalks.com
📸 Follow KJ on Instagram: @Kjee83
🎧 Listen to more spooky episodes: Dairyland Frights Podcast