Plot Synopsis

HAUNTING IN THE HEARTLAND is a one-hour reality series that follows paranormal investigator and documentary filmmaker Steve Shippy, as he visits Midwestern towns that have been traumatized for generations by ripples of fear over stories of unexplained paranormal experiences. Growing up in a rural Michigan "creepy house on the corner," Shippy uses his own personal experiences to make intimate connections with the families who've reached out to him for help. He then puts the puzzle pieces together to identify and decipher the larger mystery of the town's haunting. Through eyewitness accounts, town archives, visits to historic sites and his own paranormal toolkit, Shippy explores emerging theories until a full picture of the town's ghostly protagonist appears, and a peaceful resolution can be formulated. On his journey through a new heartland town in each of the six one-hour episodes, Shippy seeks to directly confront the entity and bring closure to the people of the town.

In the series opener, "The Watchman," Shippy travels to the old farming village of Merrill, Michigan, to confront an evil spirit holding the town hostage since the 1800s. In the summer of 1974, the hauntings seemed to spread when a malevolent force invaded a family farm, spurring a massive investigation by the local and state police and fire departments, and even the FBI. The reign of terror culminated in a spontaneous fire, forcing family members to eventually flee the home they'd built by hand. The encounters never ceased and today, less than a mile away, another family is under siege by something so powerful, they fear for their safety. Joining forces with local authorities and historians, Shippy uncovers a town ravaged by a smallpox epidemic and tragic fires, and a shocking connection to another notorious haunting. Shippy enlists the help of a clairvoyant to dispel the evil entity before another heartland family is forced from their home.

In addition to Merrill, Michigan (pop. 735), Shippy visits haunted locations in Malvern, Iowa (pop. 7,621), Atchison, Kansas (pop. 10,636), Hebron, Kentucky (pop. 5,929), Holly Springs, Mississippi (pop. 7,621) and Greeneville, Tennessee (pop. 15,062).