Bobby Mackey’s Music World in Wilder, Kentucky, looked like your average honky-tonk bar. It has country music, cold drinks, and line dancing on the weekends. But beneath the music and neon lights lies something much darker. Many believe Bobby Mackey’s is sitting on top of a literal portal to Hell—and the spirits trapped there are angry, violent, and impossible to ignore. Sadly this haunted building has been demolished but the haunts still remain.
The building dates back to the 1800s and has a bloody past. Before it was a nightclub, it was used as a slaughterhouse, and in the basement was a well where animal remains—and possibly worse—were dumped. That well is still there today, and many believe it acts as a gateway for demonic spirits.
One of the most terrifying legends involves the murder of Pearl Bryan, a young woman whose headless body was found nearby in 1896. Her killers were rumored to have performed a satanic ritual, and some believe her spirit is still searching for justice—or revenge. People say they hear a woman crying in the basement and smell roses, which were Pearl’s favorite flower, before something awful happens.
Over the years, the building has been the site of countless paranormal events. People have reported being scratched, pushed, and even possessed. One former caretaker claimed he was thrown across the room by an invisible force. Bobby Mackey himself has said he doesn’t believe in ghosts, but refuses to go into the basement.
The bar has been featured on Ghost Adventures—including one of their most intense episodes—as well as Paranormal Lockdown, Portals to Hell, and Buzzfeed Unsolved. Even hardened investigators have fled the building in fear.
Visitors report hearing growls from the dark, feeling something breathing down their necks, and seeing shadowy figures lurking near the old well. Exorcisms have been performed on the property, but the energy remains.
Bobby Mackey’s may be a place for music and fun upstairs—but underneath, something ancient and evil waits. It doesn’t care if you believe in it. It only cares that you walked through the door.