(LEX 18) — When LEX 18 arrived at the most haunted nightclub in the United States, we weren't sure what we'd see or hear.
But as ghost hunter Laura Roland showed us around Bobby Mackey's Music World in Wilder, she made it clear something haunts the infamous Campbell County honky-tonk.
"I've seen a lot of things; I've heard a lot of things," Roland said. "I've experienced a lot of things. So yeah, I do believe it's very haunted."
The building has a long, sordid history that began long before country singer Bobby Mackey bought it in 1978. Members of the mob owned the club in the 1940s and 50s, and Roland says that was a violent time.
"That's one of those things where you don't really know what went on here because they don't keep records of who they killed," she said.
But the urban legends surrounding Bobby Mackey's date back centuries. In 1896, Pearl Bryan's corpse was discovered just a few miles from the site, and some say her ghost still haunts the club. Others believe the building has been the site of suicides, but no evidence supports any of these claims.
During our tour of the club's basement, Roland took us to the well room, where an area became known as a "Portal to Hell." Many people say the building was a slaughterhouse at one point in time, but Roland explained that's a misconception. Before Prohibition, it was a distillery.
"We have no proof that that is true, as far as any satanic activity or demonic practices going on," Roland said. "However, this room is very active. I've had rocks thrown in here, people get scratched. I've heard growling."
A small room connected to the well room operated as a jail cell for mobsters. Many modern-day guests have reported being scratched or touched while inside. Other ghost hunters say they have photos depicting tall, dark figures moving around the basement.
But after ten years leading paranormal tours at Bobby Mackey's, Roland says she's confident they're not dangerous.
"I honestly don't think there's anything evil in the entire building," she said. "Attention seeking, yes. Mischievous, yes. But I wouldn't be here for ten years if I felt like something was going to harm me or anybody I brought in here. Haunted, though, but it's not evil."
So, while some, like Roland, visit Bobby Mackey's to hunt for ghosts, others choose to party with them. The nightclub is open Friday and Saturday nights, and Bobby Mackey performs with his band nightly.
If you'd rather get a taste of the paranormal, check out Gatekeeper Paranormal. You can even book a private tour or investigation.
