There’s A Haunted Arcade + Skating Rink In Minnesota
Have you ever heard of a haunted skating rink? Now you have! I just learned that there is an allegedly haunted place located just a few hours from the Twin Ports. This skating rink is called the Skatin' Place and it is located in St. Cloud.
The story behind this haunt is pretty spooky! Folklore says that the spot is haunted by a ghost named Gilbert. This ghost used to live on a farmhouse on the property and unfortunately, passed away after getting trapped in some swampy water. He never really left.
Legend says he now haunts the land he died on, which happens to be where the Skatin' Place is located. He haunts patrons by turning the lights off and on in the arcade area and even can be heard walking on the roof. If that isn't scary enough, one customer says they saw a face in a vent while they were skating. Ahhhh!
The spookiest report says that one night after closing, a song went over the loudspeaker. There was no cd in the player and the system was turned off, meaning this defied all odds. The song was 'Ghostbusters' which makes the whole thing a whole lot spookier, even though it is a pretty fun song.
Some locals from the area have also had some encounters with the ghost named Gilbert. One frequent patron of the spot says that everyone should know about Gilbert and wished him peace in hopefully finding peace someday. Another says they possibly encountered the ghost in the ladies room once upon a time.
There are a few differing stories about who Gilbert really is, though. While many say Gilbert is actually an old man who passed away in the same spot, another local says Gilbert is actually the ghost of a little boy who passed away tragically.
Whoever Gilbert may be, it looks like there is at least some consensus that the Skatin' Place is haunted by something. It is located in St. Cloud at 3302 Southway Drive. That is just about two and a half hours from Duluth. Road trip anyone?