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Weird Highway: Missouri

Name: Weird Highway: Missouri
Price: 13.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Author: Taylor, Troy
ISBN: 9781892523273

✍️ Taylor, Troy

Reader Score

4.5

(1 review) 31 sold

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📚 WHAT THE BOOK IS ABOUT

Troy Taylor's "Weird Highway: Missouri" invites readers on an unparalleled journey along the legendary Mother Road, delving far beyond the typical travelogue. This volume meticulously uncovers the forgotten histories, eerie hauntings, and bewildering anomalies that define Missouri's stretch of Route 66. Part ghost story collection, part historical exposé, and part true crime investigation, it resurrects the phantom diners, vanished towns, and unsettling tales of outlaws and apparitions that linger along America's most iconic highway. Prepare to encounter the spectral and the strange, intertwining with the nostalgic charm of a bygone era.

Taylor, Troy

📚 all books by this author (15) →

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Spiritualism

🏛 Whitechapel Productions 📅 2016 📖 246 pages 📔 Paperback 📐 Paperback ISBN: 9781892523273

Fun Fact

Troy Taylor's second "Weird Highway" installment is a compelling mosaic of Missouri's Route 66, skillfully weaving together forgotten history, true crime, and chilling paranormal accounts. It excels at evoking both nostalgia and genuine unease, painting a vivid picture of the road's multifaceted soul. Readers expecting a practical travel guide might be disappointed, as its focus is firmly on narrative and mystery. However, for those seeking to immerse themselves in the spectral undercurrents and rich, often dark, history of America's Mother Road, this volume is an essential and utterly captivating read.

📝 Description: Weird Highway: Missouri

WEIRD HIGHWAY: MISSOURI ROUTE 66 HISTORY & HAUNTINGS, LEGENDS & LORE BY TROY TAYLOR "GETTING YOUR KICKS" ON MISSOURI'S ROUTE 66! There is no greater highway in American History than Route 66 - the legendary "Mother Road" - which began in downtown Chicago and stretched all of the way to the Pacific Ocean. For millions of people, it represents a treasure trove of memories and a link to the days of two-lane highways, family vacations, and roadside diners that vanished decades ago. For many, it conjures up images of souvenir shops, tourist traps, cozy motor courts, flickering neon signs, and roadside attractions that have blown away in the wind. To others, the highway holds stories of ghosts, haunted hotels, roadside spirits, mysterious vanishings, and bewildering anomalies from America's past. In the second books in the "Weird Highway" series, author Troy Taylor takes readers on a virtual road trip and journey back in time to one of his favorite eras in our history. Part travel guide, part crime thriller, part ghost book, this volume reveals everything from lost restaurants to outlaws like Bonnie and Clyde, forgotten towns, abandoned motels, haunted places, and restless spirits that still linger from the heyday of Route 66. This is not just another book about the Mother Road, but an entertaining trip along parts of the road that many have never heard about, or have forgotten altogether. Hope in, buckle up, and let us take you on a ride you'll never forget! Some of the stories in this volume include: * Spirits of St. Louis * Mystery at the Coral Court Motel * Times Beach: Modern-day Ghost Town * Legends of "Zombie Road" * Diamonds & the Tri-County Truck Stop * Meramec Caverns * The Man Who Would be "Jesse James" * "Mammoth Cave of Missouri" * Tribute to the "Trail of Tears" * Murder at Devil's Elbow * Ghosts of Fort Leonard Wood * Munger Moss Motel * The Story of "Nelsonville" * Spectral Soldiers at Wilson's Creek * Haunts of Pythian Castle * Ghosts of the "Brookline Massacre" * Hiding out with Bonnie & Clyde * Billy Cook's Unmarked Grave * The Hornet Spook Light * Kansas on Route 66 - and much more!

💎 Expert review

“

💎

Esoterica Books editorial team

Occult literature desk

This volume succeeds as a compelling hybrid of travelogue and paranormal investigation, effectively resurrecting the phantom diners and restless spirits of Missouri's Route 66. While the narrative intertwines well with historical exposés, readers seeking rigorous academic analysis or scientific debunking may find the tone too whimsical or anecdotal. It is not suited for those who prefer straightforward historical texts without supernatural embellishments. However, for enthusiasts of the strange and spectral, it offers a rich, atmospheric exploration that balances eerie hauntings with the nostalgic allure of a bygone era, delivering exactly what its title promises without overcomplicating the experience.

✓ EDITOR'S REVIEW

📖 Why choose it

📖

Why this book is worth reading

Readers who cherish the mystique of American history and the allure of the supernatural will find this book particularly enchanting. It serves as an ideal companion for those planning road trips along Route 66, offering a deeper, spookier perspective on familiar landmarks. Fans of true crime and historical exposés will appreciate the meticulous unraveling of vanished towns and outlaw tales. Furthermore, individuals drawn to spiritualism and ghost stories will enjoy the seamless blend of nostalgic charm with unsettling apparitions, making it a unique resource for understanding the eerie soul of Missouri’s landscape.

⭐ Reader reviews

The starting rating comes from the team Esoterica Books —

⭐ Esoterica editorial review Editorial rating 4.5/5

★★★★★

If you're drawn to the intersection of American history, road trip nostalgia, and the chilling unknown, this book is for you. Ideal for armchair travelers, paranormal enthusiasts, and anyone curious about the hidden, often eerie, narratives woven into the fabric of Missouri's most famous highway.

Reader rating

4.5

Based on 1 reviews

Esoterica Books editorial team

This volume succeeds as a compelling hybrid of travelogue and paranormal investigation, effectively resurrecting the phantom diners and restless spirits of Missouri's Route 66. While the narrative intertwines well with historical exposés, readers seeking rigorous academic analysis or scientific debunking may find the tone too whimsical or anecdotal. It is not suited for those who prefer straightforward historical texts without supernatural embellishments. However, for enthusiasts of the strange and spectral, it offers a rich, atmospheric exploration that balances eerie hauntings with the nostalgic allure of a bygone era, delivering exactly what its title promises without overcomplicating the experience.

❓ Frequently asked questions

While it certainly features compelling ghost stories and hauntings along Route 66, "Weird Highway: Missouri" is much more. It blends supernatural tales with true crime, forgotten history, and nostalgic travelogue elements, offering a multifaceted exploration of the state's eccentric past.

While not a conventional travel guide with practical directions or current business listings, this book provides an enriching historical and supernatural backdrop for any Route 66 journey. It highlights specific locations with intriguing tales, making it an excellent companion for those seeking deeper engagement with the road's mystical side.

📖 Who should read this

🎯 Key themes and symbolism

Haunted Roadways

Explore the numerous supernatural encounters and ghostly legends that cling to the asphalt and abandoned structures of Route 66. From spectral hitchhikers to poltergeists in historic motels, Taylor meticulously documents the inexplicable phenomena, offering a chilling glimpse into the ethereal side of America's beloved highway.

Lost Americana

Journey through the faded glory of Route 66, discovering the forgotten diners, motor courts, and small towns that once thrived. The book lovingly reconstructs the nostalgic charm of a simpler time, while also acknowledging the inevitable decay and disappearance of these cherished landmarks, preserving their memory for new generations.

Midwest Mysteries

Beyond the supernatural, this volume delves into the unsettling true crime stories and perplexing unsolved cases that have left their mark on Missouri's landscape. Uncover tales of notorious outlaws like Bonnie and Clyde, alongside baffling disappearances and other inexplicable events that defy easy explanation, adding a darker layer to the road's history.

📜 Historical context

This work situates itself firmly within the tradition of regional folklore and paranormal non-fiction, blending historical research with accounts of the unexplained. It contributes to the broader narrative of "weird Americana," a subgenre that explores the quirky, uncanny, and sometimes terrifying aspects of local history and legend, often focusing on specific geographic arteries like Route 66.

📚 Glossary

Route 66
Mother Road
Anomalies

📔 Questions to reflect on

Reflect on a personal experience where a specific location seemed to hold a tangible historical or unexplained energy. How did it make you feel?
Consider the concept of "lost Americana" and Route 66. What aspects of a bygone era do you find most compelling, and why do you think they continue to fascinate us?
If you were to embark on your own "weird highway" journey, what kind of mysteries – historical, criminal, or supernatural – would you most hope to uncover?