AMERICAN HAUNTINGS GHOST HUNTS

 AMERICAN HAUNTINGS GHOST HUNTS

NIGHT AT THE FIRST UNITARIAN CHURCH
ALTON, ILLINOIS
$48 PER PERSON
8:00 PM - 1:00 AM
SEE AVAILABLE DATES BELOW:

JANUARY 13, 2024: SOLD OUT!

BACK BEHIND THE LOCKED DOORS OF THE UNITARIAN CHURCH!
WE’VE HAD A TEMPORARY REPRIEVE!

We're going back inside one of the most haunted locations in Alton, unlocking the doors of the First Unitarian Church! Built on the ruins of the former St. Matthew's Church, the Unitarian opened in 1905, providing solace and comfort for hundreds of people for many years. But after a minister committed suicide in the church in the 1930s, strange encounters began with his restless spirit -- which lingers today!

On November 21, 1934, the body of Phillip Mercer was discovered inside the church. He had apparently committed suicide during the early morning hours after being reported missing by the family that he had been staying with. No suicide note was ever discovered, and his suicide remains a mystery, even after all these years.

Reverend Mercer may have died that day in 1934 but he has never left the church that he loved so much.

Phillip’s body was discovered by his friend James D. MaKinney, from whom the minister had rented a room for nearly five years. He had entered the door on the west side of the building and started down a hallway that ran behind the auditorium. He had only walked a short distance when he looked up and saw Phillip’s body, hanging at the end of a rope that had been tied over a window transom.

Phillip left no clues behind. A search of the premises revealed two packages of rope, one of hemp and the other a sash cord, and both had been recently purchased. The desk table in the minister's study was littered with papers and it appeared as though Mercer had rummaged through them shortly before his death. The search discovered no suicide note.

Friends and church parishioners were baffled by his suicide. There were rumors about his health and his mental state but in the end, friends could only grieve the loss. What really happened to Phillip Mercer? We’ll never know for sure. There are many more questions about his death – and his life – than there are answers. Could these lingering mysteries be the reason why Phillip Mercer is believed to still be lingering behind at the First Unitarian Church?

One of the most widely accepted theories of ghosts involves the personalities of those who once lived and who have stayed behind in our world because of a connection to people or a place on this side. These spirits sometimes refuse to cross over because of a murder, a suicide, a traumatic event, or some unfinished business that took place in the person's life. The spirits often linger because of emotions that tie them to the earth. In other cases, there is the chance the spirit did not even realize he was dead. This can occur when the death involved is sudden or unexpected.

If Phillip Mercer had some sort of unfinished business connecting him to the earth, whether it is a continuation of his good works or even the mysterious circumstances of his death, it is possible that his ghost has remained behind. And it might be this ghost that explains some of the strange things that have occurred at Alton's First Unitarian Church.

There is no question that the First Unitarian Church is one of the most haunted locations in Alton. For decades, there have been reports of footsteps, voices, knocking sounds, the smell of a man’s cologne, and even apparitions of Phillip himself inside the church. We have no idea for sure why Phillip Mercer has chosen to stay behind in this world, but we can assure you that he has – and he has no plans to leave anytime soon.

So, join us for one of these ghost hunts! We have no idea how many we can do, so be sure to book your spots while we can still get inside!