Lore Podcast: Legends 60: Operatic

Host: Aaron Mahnke
Release Date: August 18, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Aaron Mahnke explores the shadowy legends of Duluth, Minnesota, uncovering tales of haunted mansions, ghostly ships, and a fire-ravaged opera house with its own spectral diva. The stories presented delve into the darker, mysterious side of Minnesota’s history, illustrating how even seemingly tranquil Midwestern landscapes hide stories that are as chilling as any European legend. Through historical recounting and eerie anecdotes, Mahnke investigates how tragedy, greed, and mystery intertwine in this region.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Kensington Runestone: A Legendary Beginning

• Mahnke opens with the story of the Kensington Runestone—a 650-year-old Norse tablet discovered in Minnesota in 1910.
  • The stone allegedly records a violent tragedy involving Viking explorers, a mystery hotly debated for over a century.
  • The tale sets the stage for Minnesota’s rich, if not ancient, tradition of legends.
  • Quote:
    • “...this Viking stone from 1362, covered in runes that capture a dark tale, was discovered in 1910 in western Minnesota.” (04:13)
  • Sets a thematic expectation: “A landscape doesn’t technically have to be ancient to contain a multitude of amazing legends.” (06:47)

Haunted Duluth: More Than Mosquitoes by the Lake

Duluth's Millionaires and Industrial Past

• Once a thriving port city and industrial hub, Duluth’s wealth built majestic estates and left behind a legacy of haunted landmarks.
• Noted for having “more millionaires per capita”—a legend itself, but one reflective of the city's industrial boom.

Glensheen Mansion: Wealth, Murder, and Ghosts

• History: Built in the early 20th century by Chester and Clara Congdon for tranquility and family joy.
• Murders (1977):
  • Clara’s daughter, Elizabeth, and her night nurse, Velma, were murdered by Elizabeth’s adopted daughter, Marjorie Caldwell.
  • Mahnke dryly notes the “well-adjusted family dynamic.” (19:44)
• Hauntings:
  • Tour guides avoid discussing the murders, but visitors and staff recount supernatural encounters:
    • Flickering lights, cold spots, a white mist in the library.
    • Most common: “an overwhelming sense of happiness” in living rooms and children’s bedrooms—opposite typical hauntings.
  • Quote:
    • “...even the strongest memories won't be attached to tragedy. They will be attached to memories of happiness and love.” (25:11)

William A. Irvin: Not Just a Haunted House, a Haunted Ship

• Background:
  • Cargo ship turned museum, renowned as a top Halloween haunted house attraction (Forbes, 2024).
  • Actual hauntings outlast the staged ones.
• Entities:
  • Boiler Room Man (William Warre) - the only recorded death on the ship, said to haunt the boiler room after a fatal accident (“essentially scalded to death”). (28:00)
  • Little girl in white and an old woman—appearances unexplained, not connected to ship’s death records.
  • Reports include non-visual experiences: invisible hands, thrown objects, footsteps that stopped after being greeted.
  • Classic haunted phenomena: orbs, slamming doors, disembodied voices, piano music, scratches.
  • Quote:
    • “...the most frequently reported sighting is of a man believed to be named William Warre...caught in the steam and he was essentially scalded to death.” (28:10)
    • “If you see a little girl in white wandering around, that's not an actor in a costume.” (35:43)

Opera House Ghost: Duluth’s Operatic Tragedy

The Doom of Duluth’s Opera Houses

• The original and its successor (Temple Opera House) both destroyed by fire—the latter twice in less than a decade.
• Upon the second destruction, the theater wasn’t rebuilt due to financial failure.

The Ghostly Diva and a City’s “Ghost Fever”

• Incident (1896):
  • A prominent local man reports seeing the apparition of a beautiful woman in a night robe amid the ruins at midnight.
  • The news spreads; hundreds gather nightly in hopes of seeing her, triggering a local craze (“ghost fever”).
  • Crowd's odd ritual: men throw bricks at the ghost’s supposed appearance spot.
• Police Encounter:
  • Officers respond to a report, end up pelting a disguised wooden statue with bricks, fooled by a prankster.
• Quote:
  • “...a pale, shadowy form arose in a corner of the rear of the ruins...and glided, rather than walked, to the center of the open space surrounded by the walls.” (40:41)
  • Mahnke wryly observes, “It's unclear what their goal was here, but they did it every night, several nights in a row.” (43:02)

The Legend of the Bannockburn: The Flying Dutchman of Lake Superior

The Ship That Disappeared

• Disappearance (1902):
  • Bannockburn vanishes during a massive storm on Lake Superior; only life jackets and bloodstains are ever found.
  • None of the 20 crew survive; the ship earns the moniker “the Flying Dutchman of Lake Superior.”
• Ghost Ship Sightings:
  • Over the next century: sporadic reports of an icy, spectral ship, last sighted in 2001.
  • Mahnke notes its legend lived on even when evidence was slim.
• Quote:
  • “...a life jacket with the name Bannockburn stenciled on it was found floating near the shore in Grand Marais, Minnesota. The jacket was tied tight as though it had been secured over a body, but there was no body inside... only bloodstains.” (54:25)
  • “...the Bannockburn, the Flying Dutchman of Lake Superior.” (56:03)
  • “...most witnesses are scanty with the finer details about what it looks like, although one 1917 report called it ‘all white with ice and ghostly in the darkness.’”(57:14)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Simple Truths in Legends:
  • “A landscape doesn’t technically have to be ancient to contain a multitude of amazing legends.” (06:47)
• On Duluth’s Wealth:
  • “...while not the highest in America, was still staggering. This can all be attributed to the fact that Duluth used to be a major port city.” (10:32)
• On Tragedy and Haunted Houses:
  • “...the act of violence didn't define this house. It was, at its heart, a place of love and belonging.” (24:44)
• On Ghost Hunters:
  • “As someone who doesn't really like getting clawed up by a ghost, I don't think that I will be visiting the William A. Irvine anytime soon.” (36:11)
• On Mob Mentality:
  • “Maybe they wanted to scare the ghost away. Or perhaps it was the grown up version of pulling a pretty girl's pigtails. Or maybe none of them knew what they were doing.” (44:35)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Kensington Runestone Introduction: 01:15–06:47
• Duluth’s Industrial Wealth & Ghost Story Setup: 07:05–10:32
• Glensheen Mansion - History and Murders: 11:00–18:48
• Glensheen Hauntings & Reflection: 19:00–25:11
• William A. Irvin Ship - History: 26:15–29:44
• Irvin Hauntings and Reports: 30:00–36:18
• Opera House Fires & First Ghost Sighting: 38:20–41:44
• Ghost Fever and Police Intervention: 43:00–47:33
• Bannockburn Ghost Ship: 53:33–58:13

Tone & Style

Mahnke retains his signature wry, understated delivery—blending historic detail with eerie ambiance, always balancing the macabre by recognizing the human stories beneath.

Conclusion

Aaron Mahnke weaves Minnesota’s legends into an operatic tapestry of the tragic, the absurd, and the uncertain. From haunted mansions and ships to crowds in a brick-hurling frenzy, “Operatic” proves that chilling legends are not bound by age or geography. The episode reminds listeners that the stories and places we inherit often carry a weight and wonder that transcends any single moment of darkness or drama.