Whitewater, Wisconsin
What can I say about Whitewater, Wisconsin.....other than it has been a very intriguing city for me!
Known as "The Second Salem", Whitewater is also known as a college town. The University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is located here and has been for many years. Founded in 1868 it is currently about 400 acres.
Some of the stories and myths of this town stem from the fact that the Morris Pratt Institute started here. Being a spiritualist school, many of the towns people believed they were witches practicing in this elegant looking building. Morris Pratt built his school here in 1889. At the time, it was called the "Temple of Pyschic Science" for the practice of spiritualism but many of the towns people called it the "Spook Temple" or "The School of the Black Arts". It was a 3 story tall building with some beautiful iron work and typical Victorian wood work on the outside. Inside the only information anyone has ever heard about was the white room they would practice in. In 1902 when Morris Pratt passes away, the spiritualist from the school form the new name "The Morris Pratt Institute". Students from all over come to attend and learn about being mediums and training in the spiritualism field. The school was moved out of Whitewater in 1946 and is still located today in Milwuakee. You can still attend today.
Tying into the "Spook Temple" and the witches is the Starin Water Tower located in Starin Park. Built in 1889 with land that was donated in 188 by Duane Starin, it was the highest built structure in the city at the time. Today, it is the 2nd oldest fully-functioning municipal water tower in the state. The tower is eighty feet tall, made of limestone that was locally quarried on the south side of the city and the tank on top hold 185,000 gallons of water. The stories of the witches go that they would surround the tower and perform their rituals. It's also rumored that there is an altar buried near the tower along with witches buried up side down.
Known as "The Second Salem", Whitewater is also known as a college town. The University of Wisconsin - Whitewater is located here and has been for many years. Founded in 1868 it is currently about 400 acres.
Some of the stories and myths of this town stem from the fact that the Morris Pratt Institute started here. Being a spiritualist school, many of the towns people believed they were witches practicing in this elegant looking building. Morris Pratt built his school here in 1889. At the time, it was called the "Temple of Pyschic Science" for the practice of spiritualism but many of the towns people called it the "Spook Temple" or "The School of the Black Arts". It was a 3 story tall building with some beautiful iron work and typical Victorian wood work on the outside. Inside the only information anyone has ever heard about was the white room they would practice in. In 1902 when Morris Pratt passes away, the spiritualist from the school form the new name "The Morris Pratt Institute". Students from all over come to attend and learn about being mediums and training in the spiritualism field. The school was moved out of Whitewater in 1946 and is still located today in Milwuakee. You can still attend today.
Tying into the "Spook Temple" and the witches is the Starin Water Tower located in Starin Park. Built in 1889 with land that was donated in 188 by Duane Starin, it was the highest built structure in the city at the time. Today, it is the 2nd oldest fully-functioning municipal water tower in the state. The tower is eighty feet tall, made of limestone that was locally quarried on the south side of the city and the tank on top hold 185,000 gallons of water. The stories of the witches go that they would surround the tower and perform their rituals. It's also rumored that there is an altar buried near the tower along with witches buried up side down.