When it came to Mafia havens, New York, Detroit, and Chicago were often on the top list of cities that checked the box. But the Twin cities have had their own problems with gangsters in the past as well. From The Lows street gang that terrorized Mnnneapolis, to Kid Cann and his brothers who oversaw bootlegging and racketeering over both cities. Some of these gangs had hide outs all over Minnesota, one of which is a popular tourist destination in St Paul. The Wabasha Caves were used for a variety of activities during the 20th century. Now it’s a tour location for Gangster bus drives that allow people to experience the history of this interesting location.
The caves were founded in 1849, and were originally sandstone mines in which workers would use in glass production. In the late 1900’s a French immigrant named Albert Mouchnotte would use the caves as the world’s first underground mushroom farm. Albert’s business became so successful it became one of the most profitable in the country.
When Albert would eventually pass away, he left his enterprise to his daughter, Joise, and her husband, William Lehmann. While the business was able to go on, Josie and William converted it into a nightclub called Castle Royal in the 1920s. Because this was the Prohibition era of the U.S., citizens were desperate for a way to find a loophole in the current state, and the Castle Royal was, frankly, their golden ticket. People from all over the twin cities came to the club to drink and dance the night away. Unfortunately, the Castle Royal would be closed in the 1930s, and would go back to being a mushroom business. However, a new restaurant called Castle Royal 2 would open in the 1970s, and with a venue for Disco music.
Interesting facts: Even though there were plenty of fun times at the Castle Royal, it was said to be a hot spot for some of the Twin cities most infamous gangsters. St. Paul in particular was a hot spot for gang members, partially due to the O’Connor layover agreement, a policy that allowed criminal organizations to remain in St. Paul under certain agreements. Some of St. Paul’s most infamous gangsters such as John Dillinger, Ma Baker, and Alvin ‘Creepy” Karpis were rumored to have used the nightclub as a hideout for themselves. Many residents reported men who died doing ‘mob business” in the caves.
On top of all this crazy, the caves are also reported to be one of Minnesota’s most haunted locations.
It starts with a legend that goes something like this; one night three gangsters were playing cards when a man walked up to their table and asked them to leave. The men complained, saying it was early, and told the man to get lost. What happens next comes from the account of a waitress who was working that day. The waitress had reported being in the kitchen when she heard gunshots coming from the other room. She ran in and found the three men dead, and the fourth gone without a trace. The waitress called the police to come to the nightclub. When the police went into the caves to investigate however, they apparently found nothing. They accused the waitress of faking a police report, and threatened her not to waste their time again. But the waitress said that she found bullet holes in the room where the murder happened. The rumor is that the police were in cahoots with the man who did the murder. On top of that, apparently the bodies of the men were buried in a separate cave, either by the cops or someone else.
From that point one, reports of ghosts would be a common occurrence when the Washaba caves opened to the public. One report from visitors said that a group of gangsters playing cards was glaring at them before disappearing into the walls. There were also sightings of a woman in the bar area who looked like a ghost. There was one story of a young boy using the bathroom, and when he exited the stall he saw a man dressed like a gangster, adjusting his tie. Then the man winked at him and disappeared.
Whether haunted or not, the Wabasha caves are said to be a great tour destination for those visiting St. Paul.
