Alton YWCA

At YWCA Southwestern Illinois in Alton, Illinois, history and haunting stories seem to share the same walls. Located at 304 E. Third Street, the organization traces its Alton roots to 1915, when the Young Women’s Christian League was formed. The local organization became affiliated with the national YWCA in 1918. The current building was constructed in 1930 and included a swimming pool, gymnasium and spaces designed to serve women and the surrounding community.

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But the building's reputation took a darker turn in the 1930s with the tragic story of John Grumper, a YWCA maintenance worker. According to accounts preserved by paranormal investigators and reported by local media, Grumper mistakenly believed his daughter had drowned in the YWCA swimming pool. Although she was actually rescued and survived, Grumper reportedly became convinced that she was a ghost. He attacked her with a tool, killing her, and also fatally wounded his wife when she tried to intervene. Grumper later died by suicide.

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Today, paranormal investigators report unexplained activity throughout the Alton YWCA. The basement is said to be particularly active, with investigators reporting shadow figures, cold spots and alleged electronic voice phenomena. Some believe a male spirit encountered there may be connected to Alton's Underground Railroad history, although that claim remains part of local paranormal lore rather than established history.

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Visitors and investigators have also reported hearing footsteps, seeing apparitions and encountering the spirit of Mrs. Grumper moving through the building.

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Whether these experiences are paranormal or simply echoes of a building filled with more than a century of history, the Alton YWCA remains one of the city's most intriguing haunted locations.