Show Notes
On Halloween night in 1936, a group of people gathered on the roof of Hollywood's Knickerbocker Hotel.
At the center of the gathering sat Bess Houdini, widow of the legendary escape artist Harry Houdini.
Ten years earlier, Houdini had died on October 31, 1926.
Before his death, he and Bess had agreed upon a secret message. If he could communicate from beyond the grave, she would know it was really him.
For a decade, she waited.
And on that Halloween night in 1936, she made one final attempt to reach her husband.
Now, exactly one hundred years after Houdini's death, we're exploring the strange, sometimes disturbing history of Halloween in America.
From ancient Irish traditions and Victorian fortune-telling rituals to the origins of trick-or-treating, we'll uncover how Halloween evolved into the holiday we know today.
We'll investigate the terrifying legend of poisoned Halloween candy and the true story of Ronald O'Bryan, the Texas father who murdered his own son with a poisoned treat.
We'll revisit the infamous 1938 War of the Worlds radio broadcast, the devastating 1963 Indianapolis Coliseum explosion, and Detroit's notorious Devil's Night fires.
And finally, we'll return to Harry Houdini.
A man who spent his final years exposing fraudulent mediums, yet left behind a secret message that people are still hoping to hear from the other side.
One hundred years after his death, the séances continue.
And if Houdini ever does return, we already know what he promised to say.
Haunted American History | Day 31 of 31 Days of Halloween
Happy Halloween
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