Spiritualism… a movement that involves attempting to communicate with the dead—spread across the world during the 19th century. It seems one of the eternal questions that has plagued humanity centers around what happens to us when we die. Most modern religions try to tackle the question, but none did so with more intensity than modern spiritualism. What started in a cabin in New York with two young girls quickly spread across the globe. Soon, spiritual mediums who claimed they could communicate with the dead, could be found in almost every town in the nation, and even found its way into Franklin County history.
It’s officially halloween week, and if it weren’t spooky enough, the Franklin County Historical Society will add to it on tonight, November 2nd, when they will present “Beyond the Veil: A History of Spiritualism”. It will examine the emergence of this religious phenomena, its connections to both the Civil War and World War I, and how it led to a battle of words between the creator of Sherlock Holmes and the greatest magician of all time. It will be presented by local history librarian at the Topeka and Shawnee County Public Library, Katie Keckelson at the Historical Society Archives and Research Center, tonight at 7 and will also be live streamed on zoom and facebook live.
