Previously, in Episode  30, we began an investigation of a historic theater located in beautiful downtown Lockhart, Texas. We interviewed several people with first-hand accounts of experiences they’d had at the Gaslight Baker Theater. Through their testimony, we learned that they believed the theatre to be inhabited by several otherworldly inhabitants, including the original owner Colonel Baker, a woman or women who’s laughter is often heard coming from the lobby referred to as the laughing lady or ladies, and finally a darker more sinister spirit many have dubbed “the other guy”.  Now, we delve deeper into this case by uncovering more eyewitness testimony and on one hot balmy night, we bring along clairvoyant friend Sara to investigate the strange occurrences and paranormal claims surrounding this beautiful historic Theater.

EP 31: Gaslight Baker Theatre - Part II

A local Austin tattoo shop has things mysteriously moving in the night, its employees feeling uneasy, and sightings of an angry woman in their shop window after hours. But when a clairvoyant happens by one evening, this story takes an unexpected turn. 

RELEASE DATE: OCTOBER 30, 2017

EP 1: Ink, Coffee & Spirits

The Night Owl Podcast is a new monthly podcast featuring true tales of the paranormal. Join me, your host Stephen Belyeu, as I track down haunted places and personal ghost stories, dig deep into the mysteries surrounding them and share it all with you, right here. Each episode features candid stories straight from the mouths of those who’ve experienced them. Tune in on the last Monday of each month to hear a new episode. 

Subscribe now, wherever you get your podcast. Visit thenightowlpodcast.com for more info. And if you have a ghost story you’d like us to consider for the show, email us at thenightowlpodcast@gmail.com.


Follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter for sneak peaks and behind the scenes photos for upcoming episodes

Stay restless out there, and be sure to tune in for our first episode on October 30th!

EP 0: The Night Owl Podcast Trailer

One of Austin's oldest bars has, what the staff refer to as, a prankster spirit who likes to hide objects from the staff, play with electronic equipment, make unexplainable noises, and even throws things in the kitchen and bar. The tragic murder of a young girl named Emily has the staff believing she may be the prankster behind all this mischievous behavior. A creepy drawing done by a child claiming to see Emily and also an old pair of girl's shoes that were found during 2003 renovations of the building add to the credibility of these tales. Listen in as the staff tell us what's happening at The Tavern.

EP 2: The Tavern - Part I

In this special hour-long episode that concludes this series on The Tavern, host Stephen Belyeu and clairvoyant Sara return to uncover more hidden clues to this mystery, confront a dark spirit that has started to frighten the staff, and hunt down an elusive new spirit that might hold the key to solving this entire case.

EP 4: The Tavern - Part III

This campfire-style episode features two eerie tales that take place in South Texas:

"The Boy In My Room" - Several members of a family living in a ranch home in South Texas encounter what they believe to be the spirit of a little boy.

"Seance at The Shores" - On Halloween night in Corpus Christi, a group of college friends forgo the typical dress up party and decide to have a good old-fashioned seance instead. They end up getting a bit more than they bargained for.

EP 5: South Texas Tales

“The Devil’s Backbone”
Years ago, when they were only teenagers, good friends Brian, Seth, Ryo and McCall would spend many nights hanging out, playing video games, and getting high on sugar. Siblings Seth and McCall’s parents had decided to build a ranch home on an undeveloped plot of land in the Texas Hill Country that just so happened to be on the edge of a stretch of highway known as The Devil’s Backbone. Sightings, voices, and general strangeness was commonplace, but on one dark and stormy night on Seth’s 17th birthday, these four friends would experience a night they would never forget. Now, years later and all adults, they’ve come together to tell you about the many odd experiences they each had in this ranch home, and how they all believe they encountered something otherworldly during their time growing up on the edge of The Devil’s Backbone. 

“Man of My Dreams”
When Jennifer got back from backpacking around the world, she needed a quick place to squat and recoup her finances in Austin, Texas. She was thrilled to find a cheap house on the East side of town with some roommates. However, when everyone else in the house slowly moved out, and she had the place to herself, she started to sense something wasn’t right. Jennifer shares a harrowing tale of her time living in alone in this East Austin home where an oppressive presence began entering her dreams and torturing her. It wasn’t until family and friends started reporting the same dream to her that she began to worry, and fear for her life. 

Photo Credit: Jake Blucker

Campfire 1: The Devil's Backbone

THE GOLDEN GHOULS

I know you all hunger horrifying stories, thirst for true tales of terror, so in tonight's campfire, we're not only sharing more ghost stories with you, these stories will be told by a delightful trio of like minded ladies who are just as fascinated with the paranormal we are. Alyssa, Emily and Kyley are the hosts of The Golden Ghouls Podcast, a paranormal podcast covering all things unexplained. The ghouls inject a healthy dose of comedy into every episode, and it’s quite refreshing, because sometimes, it’s nice to explore the darker side of this strange world we live in, with a sense of humor. These ghouls do it perfectly and we've really been enjoying their show. But tonight, for this campfire, we're turning the mic on these three ladies and asking them each to  share their most memorable personal experience that sparked their interest in the paranormal. Emily shares her experience when she was 16 and visited the infamous Stanley Motel on a family vacation. Kyley recounts an experience in her teens when she and a daring group of friends dared visiting the abandoned Danvers State Hospital in Danvers, Massachusetts which was host a dark and morbid history treating the insane. And lastly, Alyssa tells a much more personal story that involves her family, a tragic loss, and the haunting that came after. 

The Golden Ghouls is a paranormal comedy podcast created by ladies who love ghosts and all things spooky. Hosted by Alyssa Minnis, Emily Alston, and Kyley Smiley, they cover unexplained happenings, with a dash of humor for good measure. Check out their podcast at www.thegoldenghouls.com


BRUISES & NIGHTMARES

In this live recording from a Night Owl Podcast event on October 11th, 2018,  Austin comic Melody Shifflet recounts a horrific experience she had living in a home in East Austin home live on stage. Struggling to find a place to call home, keep her day job at a local cafe, and buckle down and finish high school, Melody's new home and strange roommates led to haunted nightmares, mysterious bruises and ultimately, possession.

You can follow Melody and keep tabs on her comedy shows and events in and around Austin on Instagram @melodyshifflet or on Twitter @smelodysnifflet

Campfire 6 - The Night of the Ghouls

In this episode, the Night Owl team will conclude their investigation of Pioneer Farms, the living history museum nestled on a historic site on the banks of Walnut Creek in Austin, Texas. Being the largest site they've ever tackled, the team will have to revisit the farm several additional days with Sara and allow her time to focus on spirits she’s drawn to and further investigate strange phenomena she’s witnessed on the property.  Stephen also begins an extensive search through history records pertaining to the farm, the land, and the various buildings that were relocated to the farm. Just when the case feels to have hit a dead end,  Stephen makes a discovery that propels this story in an entirely new direction. One that involves bringing Sara back to the farm one last time, to explore its grounds with someone who might possess a gift similar to her, but who has a slight advantage over everyone, because she grew up on the farm and has talked to these spirits for most of her life. 

For photos of our investigation at Pioneer Farms, visit www.thenightowlpodcast.com and check out blog!

Be sure to visit Pioneer Farms and experience this magical site for yourself. Visit https://www.pioneerfarms.org/ for more info. 

Note we are taking a break in July 2019 so there will be no new episodes next month. Our schedule picks back up in August 2019. 

Photo Credit: @thaophotography

EP 20: Pioneer Farms - Part III

Metz Elementary is one of Austin ISD’s oldest schools, established in 1916 on Willow Street in East Austin.  At that time, this area was considered to be on the outskirts of East Austin.  The School Board that year decided that Spanish-speaking students in that area should attend a separate school where their needs could be better met.  In an unprecedented move, many of the Mexican-American parents protested this decision and appealed to the school board to change their decision.  The other school was several miles away making transportation extremely difficult and the parents felt that if segregated, their children would not have the same opportunities as the English-speaking students.  The School Board quietly dropped the issue and Spanish- speaking students were allowed to attend Metz Elementary School.

Metz Elementary continued to serve students in the community for the next 7 and a half decades.  Just imagine, this school was educating our youth during the First World War, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.  This school was witness to 14 different Presidents during that span of time.

In 1989 the school was deemed to be too small and too dilapidated to fit he needs of the community.  The old school was demolished in September 1990 and a new school was built in its place and opened in 1992.

Today, Metz is rumored to be the most haunted school in Austin. So much so that when you search Metz Elementary on the internet, some of the first things you’ll see pop up are the articles detailing it’s long-standing haunted history. Tonight we’ll hear from former teachers, students and even those who once stepped foot in the old building, and the countless unexplained experiences they had in this historic school.

Photo Info: 
Metz Elementary School, photograph, Date Unknown; https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth125274/
University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Austin History Center, Austin Public Library.

Campfire 7 - School Spirit

Are you ready for a slightly darker journey into the paranormal than usual? In this episode, the Night Owl team is packing their bags, hitting the road, and traveling to a home that was recently the site of an unsolved double homicide. Martin and his girlfriend Veronica recently have decided to rent this home, fully aware of the tragedy that occurred within its walls,  but with the intention of putting it out of their minds and enjoying the lovely new space for themselves and their family. However, Martin soon finds himself having strange feelings, insomnia, ghostly sightings, and eventually physical attacks by an unseen presence in the home. Desperate for help, Martin reaches out to see if the Night Owl team can provide any answers to his experiences and determine if this activity has anything to do with the horrible act that was committed in their home.

EP 21: Murder House - Part I

Haunted objects, a spirit of a serial killer, and a hotel so haunted it's guest book has been deemed "The Book of the Dead" - these are the tales of tonight's campfire. 

Warning: Tonight’s Campfire episode is a cautionary tale. Stories from people who continually search for answers that might shed light on the eternal question - are ghosts real? Come join the Night Owl by the fire and let’s get transported to three haunted sites, each with its own haunted history. One such place is Zach Bagans' Haunted Museum in Las Vegas, a place filled with supposed haunted objects and a sign posted to warn people of the dangers of entering such a haunted space. Another site is the Historic Jefferson Hotel in Jefferson, Texas, where guest encounters are so common they’ve created a guest log full of personal experiences the staff refer to as “The Book of the Dead". And lastly, the Magnolia Hotel in Seguin TX is place with so much history and haunts the current owner has stated she loves it when people say, "If only these walls could talk,  here at the Magnolia…they do.” Cozy up, grab a cup of coffee or a glass of whiskey, and join us by the fire. 

VACANCY
A couple years ago Holly and two of her friends decided to celebrate her birthday by traveling from Austin to Shreveport to hit up a casino for the first time. But on the way there, they discovered there was a hotel in Jefferson, Texas that was reputedly haunted. So Holly and her friends decided, let’s get a room. And There were plenty available at this historic hotel nestled on a small side street of this Texas ghost town. Holly didn’t know it, but she was about to get the scariest birthday present of her life.

THE WARNING
Alyssa Onyx is a gothic fashionista and gothic home decor/designer currently living in Austin Texas. She has been connected to, and interested in, the paranormal since the age of 2. But one late July night in a 170 year old hotel, Alyssa found that what started out fun, quickly turned horrific when she encountered the spirit of a notorious Texas serial killer within the walls of the Magnolia Hotel in Seguin, Texas. 


STOWAWAYS
From cemetery tours under the light of a full moon to visiting multiple haunted locations by limo hearse, Jennifer's interest in the paranormal has taken her to numerous haunted locations.  But when she and friend planned a trip to Vegas, and decided to visit Zak Bagans' Haunted Museum, she could never have predicted what would result from entering a building with so many haunted objects. She's spent her life pursuing the paranormal, but it never crossed her mind in her quest,  one day, something might pursue her.

Campfire 8: Cautionary Tales

We’ve seen it in movies. We’ve read it in books. It’s the typical modern ghost story. You and your unassuming family move into a new home. A new chapter begins with a mix of uncertainty and excitement. But  then the strangeness creeps in, subtly. At first it’s just a few odd noises in the night. Possible voices in the hallway. But it soon progresses. Over time the sounds begin to move. Make their way into your bedroom. Other members of your family report hearing or seeing things as well. Ultimately, the haunting grows more tangible, maybe you are touched or you wake to find a shadow standing at the foot of your bed one night only to vanish when you jolt up and flip on your lamp.  In tonight's campfire, we have one such story for you. The story revolves around a family of four who decided to build a new home in Sioux Falls South Dakota in 2012, where each of them would have their own unique experiences, and collectively grow more concerned about their own safety and later involve a local psychic in hopes of finding answers.

In 2012, Mary and Jeff wanted to build their dream home for themselves and their two children, Colin and Tessa. They were a family who had strong interests in the paranormal. Today, their Colin is a well-known ghost hunter with nearly half a million subscribers on his YouTube channel The Paranormal Files - where he travels the world investigating famous haunted places. But this story Colin is about to tell happened before his career as a paranormal investigator and YouTube star. It’s the story of his childhood haunting that plagued not only him, but his entire family. In the following campfire you’ll hear from 3 members of the family, Colin, his mother Mary and his father Jeff. 

To check out Colin's paranormal adventures on The Paranormal Files, go tohttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsSRxYAK0PiA7d0XUR6sPFA

Campfire 9: Haunted Heartland

Many of us are drawn to mystery. Whether that be an unsolved murder, a mysterious disappearance, or for the paranormal enthusiasts, haunted places and legends. Tonight’s campfire iIs a combination of all the above. It’s a story of  an abandoned ghost town in the middle of nowhere. A mystery surrounding the town’s population's sudden disappearance. Evidence of satanic rituals and sacrifices being held in the town’s abandoned buildings. And a group of eager teenagers who venture there,  hoping to have paranormal experience of their own.

In 2012, Conner and a group of high school friends, including his close friend Blake,  decided to take a trip, five hours away from their hometown of Dayton, Ohio, to visit and explore the abandoned streets and buildings of the legendary Helltown. What starts off as a thrilling night with friends in a mysterious town fraught with spooky legends, quickly turns into a nightmare that still haunts Conner and many of his friends to this day. Grab a coffee or a whiskey, gather round the fire, and let’s take a trip to Helltown, Ohio. 

Photo Credit: Alex Azabache

Campfire 10: Helltown

Around 2003, Caroline was studying theatre abroad in France. While there, she lived on a boathouse on the Seine River in northern Paris and spent a stint of time at a cute farmhouse in southern France. Most everyone would have considered this a dream experience of studying abroad. But for Caroline, who has harbored a gift of seeing spirits since age 8, the experience was more like a nightmare. Mostly because, at both places during her stay, she encountered two women - both angry, both French, and both...dead.

Check out Caroline's awesome theatre company based in Austin, Texas - Glass Half Full Theatre  http://glasshalffulltheatre.com/ or @glasshalffulltheatre on social media.

Photo by: Gautier Salles @yamnez

Campfire 11: A Haunting Abroad

Lockhart is a picturesque small Texas town, infamously dubbed the BBQ capital of Texas because of it’s long-standing establishments serving some of the best in the state. But Lockhart’s more than just a popular day-trip destination for many Texans looking for some good brisket. The history of the town dates back to the 1840’s and includes early Comanche raids, brave Texian settlers, and rowdy cowboys driving longhorns up the Chisholm trail. If the walls of the many still-standing buildings of downtown Lockhart could talk, we can only imagine the stories they’d tell. But in tonight’s episode, one such building appears to have a voice. Many voices actually. The Gaslight-Baker Theater is located in the heart of downtown Lockhart, and many in the community have had strange personal experiences in the building. It is believed that the theatre is haunted by numerous specters, and these paranormal residents have each been given their own unique name. The "Laughing Lady" whose laughter has been heard by man. "Colonel Baker", the original owner of the theatre, is believed by many to watch over the building and cause mischief ever so often. Then there’s the elusive, more ominous presence unanimously believed to haunt stage right,  oddly named “Other Guy” by the staff and patrons of the theatre. So get and ready and join Stephen and the team as they pack up their gear, hit the road, and travel to Lockhart, Texas to uncover more details about the undocumented hauntings of the historic Gaslight Baker Theatre.

EP 30: Gaslight Baker Theatre - Part I

Dear Night Owls, 

I know we don’t have an episode for you quite yet, but we wanted to take time to wish you all a happy holiday season and let our local Austinites know about our upcoming Holiday Spirits event on December 19th. Due to the challenging new times, ticket sales have been unexpectedly low, so we need to sell 40 more tickets to this event before this Sunday, December 6th to make the event possible. 

Being candid here, I’m struggling to keep the show going during this pandemic. I’ve pushed myself hard to maintain the show as best as I could, but investigating during these times is far more challenging with a lot more obstacles and to be quite honest, it’s been hard to figure out a quality way to record new investigative episodes during this time.  Also, the mental and physical tax that this pandemic has had on me personally, outside of the show, is something I can’t simply keep ignoring. So, I wanted to personally address all you awesome Night Owls who have and continue to be such loyal supporters of the show, and say thank you for sticking with us and being understanding of this challenging time.

The show is going to make it, I just need a little more time to figure out best new practices in this new normal, as well as some time for self-care. 

Please, if you’re around the Austin area, I encourage you to grab your tickets to Holiday Spirits before this Sunday Dec 6th, and help make this event possible to support our show during this challenging time. You’ll also be supporting Pioneer Farms,  local artisans and businesses and food trucks by coming out. Not to mention our team members Alexis and Sara will both have booth sphere for their own practices, City Alchemist and Metaphysicalu, so you can visit with them and say hi from a distance! Also, we still need volunteers as well so if you’d like to donate your time and come help the night owl team out, reach out to us at thenightowlpodcast@gmail.com

Visit https://www.thenightowlpodcast.com/events-1/holiday-spirits for tickets. 

Happy haunted holiday everyone, and we’ll be back soon! Stick with us, stay tuned, and most of all...stay restless. 

Stephen Belyeu & The Night Owl Team

Night Owl Update and Announcement - Dec 2020

Hi listeners, 

You may have noticed my absence over these last few weeks as I’ve been taking a break for my physical and mental well-being.  It is with a heavy heart that I announce this break will continue for longer than originally planned.  For reasons that won’t be discussed, the show will be taking a six month hiatus.  My team will continue to upload new content to our Patreon page during this break that include: Q&A sessions with Sara and Alexis, as well as previously unreleased audio from various cases.

That being said, I know you have been anticipating the release of Episode 31: The Gaslight Baker Theatre Part II.  It is on the way, but will, unfortunately, not be ready for release by midnight tonight.  We will work to get this episode to you in the not too distant future, but ask for your patience and understanding as we move through these next months.  Your kind words of love and support have not gone unrecognized, and I hope that you continue to support the show during this time of much needed rest and self-care. 

2020 has been so challenging for so many people out there and I just want to wish everyone a Happy New year and send my love. The show will continue on, there are just life circumstances that have made it impossible for me to continue at this moment. But I know my true night owls out there are with us, they support us, and they will stay restless as usual awaiting our return. 

All the best, you host, Stephen

Announcement: A Night Owl Pause

True ghost stories; haunted places, haunted people, and the mysteries that surround them. Follow host Stephen Belyeu and his team as they investigate paranormal events and those who are affected by them.

Have a personal ghost story or haunted home or business? Share via voicemail at (512) 270-8859 or email thenightowlpodcast@gmail.com

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