Thursday, November 6, 2008

Sioux City History and Culture by Bicycle Part 82: Sioux City's Haunted History Part 4: Sioux City Auditorium/Long Lines Family Recreation Center

The second building named the Sioux City Municipal Audotorium, now called the Long Lines Family Recreation Center is haunted by 2 ghosts. One is an employee who lost his life in an electrocution accident, the second is a 12 year old boy.

In the late 1950's an electrician by the name of Rodriguez was manually lubricating the high voltage electrical lines. This had to be done before a show. A day before a show Rodriguez shut the power off to the electical junction so he could lubricate the lines. He told a co-worker it would only take 10 min. and to turn the power back on after that much time. His co-worker waited the 10 min and then turned the power back on. 2 hours later Rodriguez's wife showed up with a new suit because it was his birthday. After a search of the building he was found dead by the electrical panel he was working on earlier. He haunts the building to this day turning lights on and off and the lights flocker when they are not suppsoed to. There is also a general coldness in certain parts of the building where there is not suppoed to be otherwise.

The 12 year old boy who died was hunting pigeons with his friend up on the roof of the building in the 1960's. After becoming seperated his friend left thinking the other had gone home. The boy was not found until 2 weeks later when a foul smell was noticed coming from the bottom of a roof exhause meant for a boiler that was never installed. The 12 year old boy fell 150' down the exhaust shaft hitting many sharp edges and rebar. A very messy sight when he was found. The bottom of the shaft is gone now. People claim to have heard screams in the area where the shaft used to be as well as a feeling of cold in the area near where the bottom of the shaft used to be despite how warm it may be.

I have never heard screams or felt cold in any part of the building I have been in. But I have seen lights flickering on and off when they are not supposed to. One of those times was during a concert I attended. In fact they had to stop the show for a short time to figure out and fix the problem. I have a feeling it was the ghost of Rodriguez paying a visit.

Photo's of the outside of the building today:











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