| Address |
| Osage St, St Louis, MO 63118, USA (Saint Louis, Missouri)
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| Information |
The Location
This spot marks the former location of the old Alexian Brothers Hospital in Saint Louis, Missouri. At this location in 1949, a series of exorcisms were performed on a boy from Washington D.C., which successfully ended on April 18, 1949 at this very spot. The boy was reportedly moved between this location, a nearby residence (see The Saint Louis Exorcist House), and the rectory of St. Francis Xavier College Church on the St. Louis University campus (see The Old Rectory at St. Louis Xavier College Church). Of the three locations, only the residence still survives. This exorcism would later serve the basis for the novel and movie, The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty.
April 18, 1949
On the day after Easter 1949 and after a month of exorcisms to remove the demon from the boy, the boy was placed at this location in the psych ward. He suffered a series of seizures and spells, which caused the priests to double their efforts. At 10:45, the boy fell lie completely still, only to awake seven minutes later and proclaim, "He's gone." The boy would later recount that he witnessed the devil, with some demons, engaged in a battle with the Archangel St. Michael, who would smile at the boy and say, "Dominus."
Today
The building no longer exists and was torn down in the late 1970's. The reputed spot of the exorcism was said to have taken place on the fourth floor over what is now part of the parking lot. There is a legend that at the very spot on the property where the demon was exorcised, the asphalt is consistently cracked. Any attempts to repair the cracks have proved futile; as the cracks suddenly reappear only days after the repairs were made. |
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| Related Sites |
The Haunted Boy: The Inspiration for The Exorcist
A five-part article by Mark Opsasnick that explores the true story behind the inspiration for William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist. The article relies on newspaper reportings at the times, as well as Blatty's own explorations into the case. |
River Front Times: Hell of a House
An October, 2005 article about a house in St. Louis, Missouri where a boy lived while undergoing an exorcism in the city. The exorcism was the influence for William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist. |
Missouri Paranormal Research: The St. Louis Exorcism
An entry from Missouri Paranormal Research about an exorcism that occurred in St. Louis, Missouri that inspired William Peter Blatty's The Exorcist. |
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| Similar Destinations |
| Danvers State Hospital |
| Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution |
| The Saint Louis Exorcist House |
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| See Also on TheCabinet.com |
| Dark Destinations in the News (10/10/07) |
| Blog: Extraterrestrials & Exorcisms (04/18/08) |
| Blog: Dark Destination's Birthday: Top 25 Destinations (08/05/08) |
| Blog: The Top 25 for the Month of October 2008 (11/04/08) |
| Blog: St. Louis Exorcism: 60 Years Later (04/18/09) |
| Blog: The Dark Destinations Top 50 for Spring 2009 (05/24/09) |
| Blog: Top 20 Dark Destinations for Month of January 2010 (01/31/10) |
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| Available from Amazon.com |
The Devil Came to St. Louis |
Possessed |
Possessed |
The Exorcist |
The Exorcist - The Complete Anthology (Original / The Version You've Never Seen / Exorcist II The Heretic / Exorcist III / The Beginning / Dominion) |
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