EP 103: “No. Period.” — The Legend of the Seven Gates of Hell in Collinsville, IL.

Spooky season is here, campers. This week, we’re heading straight into local legend territory. Nestled in the backroads of Collinsville, Illinois, just past the world’s largest ketchup bottle, lies a string of graffiti-covered railroad underpasses known as the Seven Gates of Hell. For decades, bored teens, paranormal investigators, and the morbidly curious have driven these roads at night, hoping to glimpse something beyond the veil — and sometimes claiming they did.

In this episode, we explore:

• 🪦 The Legend of the Seven Gates — how a series of abandoned train trestles became Illinois’ own portal to the underworld.
• 👻 Gate-by-Gate Lore — residual hauntings, disembodied voices, and the hellhounds said to chase trespassers through the woods.
• 🩸 Real History Beneath the Myth — from Collinsville’s coal mining past to the documented 1918 lynching of John Prager, the KKK’s presence in Southern Illinois, and how a century of violence and panic shaped local folklore.
• 🐐 Satanic Panic & the “Death House” — stories of animal sacrifice, rituals between gates three and four, and why urban legends about cults took hold in the 1970s and ‘80s.
• 🚗 Acid Bridge — the “bonus” gate where teens on LSD allegedly met a fiery end, ghost cars appear out of nowhere, and a motorcycle club called the Sons of Satan reportedly held gatherings.

We also read firsthand listener stories — from phantom cars to hellhound encounters — and dig into why certain places attract myths in the first place. Was it all just teenage rebellion, or is there something darker hiding in the woods?

⚠️ Content Warning: Mentions of racial violence, lynching, animal harm, cult activity, and unsolved murder. Listener discretion is advised.

“That’s Genevieve. And that’s Kaitlyn.”

Sisters-in-law, best friends, former CNAs, and the sharp-witted duo behind Camping Is Canceled. Known for their mix of research-driven storytelling and unfiltered commentary, Gen and Kait tackle true crime cases (and paranormal rabbit holes) with empathy, curiosity, and a healthy dose of dark humor.

📲 Instagram: @campingiscanceled 📲 TikTok: @campingiscanceled 📧 Contact: [email protected]

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