Bartonville, Illinois: Always Room For One More

When the weather becomes extreme I tend to want the complete opposite weather. Sometimes the winter around here feels like it will never end and all I can dream is a warm, sandy beach with waves gently crashing onshore while I sip a strong margarita. But I’m typing this while in the beginning of a heat wave and there is nothing I want more than to build a snowman and watch some football. Grass is always greener, right? Well, I think I found something to melt that snowman and be thankful for no snow on the roads!

Looks like a road trip to Bartonville, Illinois is in my future! How exciting! Oh, Bartonville! Known for…well, um…is it near Chicago? OK, OK, so it’s a suburb about three hours away from Chicago and it’s not as lame as it sounds! Sitting in Bartonville is an old asylum that was abandoned during 1973. The now decaying, vandalized buildings, that used to be part of Peoria State Hospital, certainly are not completely abandoned. There are ghost stories that will raise a brow of any skeptic. By no means am I a skeptic, I’ve seen and heard plenty. I try to hold in my giggles when I come across a non-believer, I’ve been with many skeptics before and they have witnessed the same events and are now full on believers. Something tells me that this place with convert any skeptic! But it’s not so much the idea of experiencing anything supernatural that intrigues me.

I’ve always been fascinated with the insane. None of us are completely sane (if you are…you’re probably the most insane individual out there). It’s interesting how the definition of sanity evolved over time. What is sane now was insane and many innocent, healthy people were locked away to never join society again. If your child was born on a full moon it would be considered possessed, instantly insane and taken away to the loony bin to live his life. Torture was certainly common and considered a treatment, not to mention basic abuse and neglect. Lobotomies, branding and blood draining, OH MY! Sounds like the men and women behind these hospitals were lunatics themselves, but that was the norm. Most asylums were created to keep the “crazies” locked up and away from the public, like a prison. And most “patients” were treated as prisoners instead of receiving the care and treatment needed. The Peoria State Hospital was a revolutionary hospital that had no bars on doors or windows, no restraints. Were inhumane treatments practiced on patients? I’m not sure, but I’d love to find out!

The Bartonville Insane Asylum is actually open for tours! It would be an absolute treat to learn more about this hospital, patients, staff and history. Overnight paranormal tours are offered, but I’d love to walk and talk with someone familiar with the grounds and history. Tropical destinations are overrated anyways. I know what you’re thinking…I’m crazy.

Tequila Soul Mate

After four strong margaritas and a delicious Mexican meal I decided to venture over to a local music store that specializes in records, tapes and CD's. I was feeling spontaneous and ready to make a few purchases that I probably couldn't afford, most likely the tequila's fault. The tequila was probably to blame for the rest of my night, but I love it too much to point a finger. Anywho, the frizzy, long haired man with outdated glasses working behind the counter asked if he could help me find anything while I was looking at the same three albums over and over again in the jazz section.

"Yeah, I can't seem to find any Anita O'Day," I said. His little eyes widened behind those brownish-clear frames and he let out what sounded like a gasp. Was I drooling? He continued to stare at me for a moment and then began to stumble on his words. I let out an "Oh!" out of nervousness.

"It's just some guy was just in here asking for the same thing," he said as I felt relieved that it wasn't my appearance that sent him into a state of shock.

"Oh really? That's kinda weird," I said while following him into a separate room dedicated to jazz vocalists. He pointed out the section that sadly only had two O'Day records to choose from. "Maybe we're soul mates," I said jokingly about the man who was looking for the same artist as myself.

"Yeah, it was some British guy, he literally asked for her no more than five minutes ago..."

"WHAT?!" I interrupted, "British?! Oh my god, where is he?" I said while frantically looking around the store for a man that I was sure to marry. This is when I realized the nerdy guy who was helping me was now looking at me like I was insane.

"He...must...of...just...left," He said slowly. Surely I frightened this guy, but he was trying to play it cool. "But if you hurry, you might be able to catch him."

I quickly thanked him, found my friend and we left. We never found a man with a British accent but I did proceed later that night to vomit after seeing a man on television with, what I hope to be, moles covering an entire half of his face. If only my British soul mate knew what he was missing out on...