Known as "Old Main," the New York State Lunatic Asylum at Utica opened in 1843 as the first institution of its kind to treat madness as a medical illness, not a curse. A series of groundbreaking administrators sought to save mentally ill New Yorkers from lives of confinement in sordid conditions and create a safe haven. A sense of normalcy was established for patients through Old Main's Asylum Band, the Opal monthly publication and other arts programs. The infamous Utica Crib was ...

"The true case of Lydia 'Lida' Beecher, a school teacher, being killed by one of her former students . . . The book flows seamlessly" ( Observer Dispatch).In 1914, Poland, New York, was a picturesque slice of small-town America. But that innocence was shattered with the shocking murder of beloved schoolteacher Lida Beecher at the hands of her former student Jean Gianini. At twenty-one years old, Lida wasn't much older than her students. The son of a succes...

Discover the spooky history of New York's central region From the edge of the Adirondacks, to the heart of Syracuse and everything in between, central New York boasts some of the most haunted history in the state. Utica, Rome and Cazenovia all have historic tales of ghostly moments and unexplained aparations. Join author Dennis Webster as he reveals the hidden haunted history of central New York.

Often shrouded in an eerie mist, the Adirondack Mountains are a perfect backdrop to the mysterious and the haunted. Troubled spirits of former patients roam the campus of the historic Dr. Trudeau Tuberculosis Sanitorium just outside Sarnac Lake. The ghost of Grace Brown, tragically murdered by her lover in 1906, drifts over the waters of Big Moose Lake. A long-deceased runaway slave remains a guest at the Stagecoach Inn in Lake Placid. The Sagamore Resort on an island in Lake George has be...

While the Adirondack Mountains are New York's most beautiful region, they have also been plagued by insidious crimes and the nasty escapades of notorious lawbreakers. In 1935, public enemy number one, Dutch Schultz, went on trial and was acquitted in an Adirondack courtroom. Crooks have tried creative methods to sidestep forestry laws that protect the flora of the state park. Members of the infamous Windfall Gang, led by Charles Wadsworth, terrorized towns and hid out in the high mountains...

Would a decorated lawman risk his career for garden fresh vegetables? What crime family terrorized chickens in two counties? What dastardly murder happened on Potato Hill Road? And why would anyone dare guzzle the "creeping death"? Be prepared to have these questions answered, and discover a dossier of some of the most notorious and unbelievable criminal cases in the history of the Mohawk Valley. From bootlegging to brothels to racketeering, local author Dennis Webster has collected the mo...

Head toward central and upstate New York and discover this region's ghostly history . . . photos included!The Mohawk River winds through upstate and central New York, and along its meandering path residents and visitors have encountered the supernatural. In Utica, ghosts grace the stage of the Stanley Theater. Spirits of Revolutionary War soldiers still march on the Oriskany Battlefield and linger in Schoharie's Old Stone Fort. And some former residents of Beardsle...

A ghostly journey into New York State history . . . photos included!Once a bustling hub on the Erie Canal, Utica and the surrounding region still harbor some spirits from the industrial age. "Old Main," Utica's shuttered psychiatric hospital, is one of the most haunted sites in New York State. John and Mary Jane Munn still walk the lavish halls of their castle on Rutger Street. Shrouded in secrecy, the Newport Masonic Temple's "Brotherhood of the Leather Apron" inc...

Discover the paranormal past of this little town in the Adirondacks . . . photos included!Spirits linger on the pine-covered slopes of the Adirondack Mountains that surround Old Forge. Books fly off the shelves at the Maxson House, and something—or someone—spies on the living from the attic window of the Goodsell Museum. The spirit of Mohawk Peter Waters is said to linger along the shores of First Lake, where an assassin killed him in 1833. The scent of a phantom c...

A Comprehensive Collection of Magical Wisdom in One Indispensable BookLlewellyn's Complete Book of Ceremonial Magick brings together the myriad occult philosophies and techniques necessary for a thorough understanding of the esoteric arts. This magnificent treasury is filled with fascinating insights from today's most esteemed working practitioners, developing the rich details of a dozen topics that together comprise the Western Mystery Tradition....

This book provides a review of current research in fake news and presents six new empirical research studies examining its impact.Fake news has garnered immense public attention following the 2016 Brexit referendum, three US elections, the 2019 Indian lynchings, and so on. Fake news undermines public life across the globe, especially in countries where journalistic practices and institutions are weak. Some fake news is created to spread ideological messages or to create mischief, w...

Find All the Answers You Seek with Just One PendulumFrom the bestselling author of How to Use a Crystal comes a straightforward guide to understanding pendulums and the many ways you can use them to improve your life. In his simple and clear style, Richard Webster introduces you to fifty practical and spiritual activities that can be performed with a single pendulum.How to Use a Pendulum guides you every step of the way, from choosing your...