From the Augusta Chronicle: Augusta has a few ghost stories to share
An idea, like a ghost, must be spoken to a little before it will explain itself.
– Charles Dickens
Augusta, GA isn’t really what you would call a ghost town, but sometimes over the past 200 years something strange has happened, and this newspaper has tried to explain it.
With Halloween almost here, you might be in the spirit to set out on a ghost hunt.
You could start at the Ezekiel Harris House on Broad Street near the new Kroc Center. During the American Revolution, a bitter British commander hung 13 patriots nearby. Naturally, there are those who report that strange lights are sometimes seen in the vicinity. Odd sounds are heard, too.
On the other end of Broad at the corner of Fifth Street is the famous “Haunted Pillar.” This lonely column is what’s left of an old market building destroyed by an 1878 tornado. The “haunted” part is a local legend – move the pillar or touch it, and you’re supposed to die.
The truth is the pillar has been moved a lot, and if you want to get picky, it’s not even the original. In 1935, The Chronicle reported, an automobile hit it and “reduced it to a pile of brick and cement.” The driver was not injured; the pillar was rebuilt. On a Friday the 13th in 1958, this newspaper said, the column was toppled when an oversized bale of cotton fell from a passing truck. The driver was not injured.
Maybe the curse involves bad driving.
Walk down the street a few blocks into Olde Town, and you might see something spooky. On both July 11 and July 13, 1871, The Chronicle reported a ghost frightening residents. It turned out to be a mentally unbalanced girl wandering in her nightclothes.
Now on to Walton Way. In June 1903, The Chronicle reported that ghosts were seen at Meadow Garden, the former home of George Walton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Maybe it was George and political rival William Few renewing a political argument.
Keep going up Walton Way, and you arrive at the campus of Augusta State University, scene of one of our town’s most repeated ghost stories.
According to both Chronicle reports and a Georgia ghost story anthology, a professor strolling across campus one spring night reported seeing a man dressed as a Confederate officer walking in the old Walker family cemetery. Then he vanished.
The professor said he didn’t believe in ghosts, but he could offer no other explanation. We’ll have to take his word for it, and you can take my word for this: If you do see something spooky Monday night, it won’t be me.
I should be at my own front door passing our treats. Don’t get greedy. Crowd control will be handled by my vigilant little assistant in a dog costume.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Friday, October 28, 2011
Middleburg Heights, Ohio: Things to go bump at the ’Berg
From Advertiser-Tribune.com: Things to go bump at the ’Berg
Enter if you dare.
Trick-or-treaters brave enough can participate in activities Thursday in Heidelberg University's France Hall, which is believed to be haunted by several ghosts.
Rebecca Dickinson, a sophomore from Middleburg Heights studying history, has helped organize the fundraiser, which is to be 7:30-10 p.m. Thursday at the residence hall. The resident assistants of Brown and France halls are putting on the event with the help of other organizations.
"We worked hard on trying to get campus organizations involved with the project," she said.
Dickinson said the family-friendly event is to have activities and candy for children and also areas geared more toward adults.
There is no cost, although any donations are to go toward the renovation of France Hall's basement, she said.
"It's a haunted house, but we do have an area designated for kids," she said.
A couple of months ago, a Heidelberg class went ghost-hunting in France Hall.
April Beisaw, assistant professor of anthropology at Heidelberg, taught an honors class titled "Science or Pseudoscience?" that focused on testing methods and whether ghost-hunting is a science. She said she purchased ghost-hunting equipment, and students broke into small groups to go hunting in the attics of France and Pfleiderer halls and the basement of Founders Hall.
She said France Hall is the only place where something that could be considered paranormal happened, and unfortunately, it happened to her.
"I did research afterwards," she said.
Beisaw recalled preparing to take her students into France Hall and securing two keys, one for each side of the attic. She explored the attic before taking her students up, closed the door and went downstairs to get the students. She then returned to the attic with them.
"I went to open the door, and the door wouldn't open," she said.
Beisaw said she had been given the keys to a padlock, which she was holding. The door had locked with the old mechanism, which staff wasn't using anymore.
"We couldn't get the door open," she said.
She and the students went downstairs and returned to the attic through the other entrance. After the ghost hunt, she did research and learned the female ghost who is supposed to be in the attic is known for locking doors.
"I didn't know that when that happened," she said.
Beisaw said some students believed the experience because they wanted to, while others weren't sure.
"It was fully locked, so that was really the main thing that happened up there," she said.
Wednesday, Beisaw is taking students ghost-hunting in an octagonal house the university owns on Perry Street. She said the class is going to be giving a report about the history of the house and what the class thinks should be done to it to President Robert Huntington.
"It's just falling apart sitting there by itself. ... We'll see how (the ghost-hunting) goes," she said.
Enter if you dare.
Trick-or-treaters brave enough can participate in activities Thursday in Heidelberg University's France Hall, which is believed to be haunted by several ghosts.
Rebecca Dickinson, a sophomore from Middleburg Heights studying history, has helped organize the fundraiser, which is to be 7:30-10 p.m. Thursday at the residence hall. The resident assistants of Brown and France halls are putting on the event with the help of other organizations.
"We worked hard on trying to get campus organizations involved with the project," she said.
Dickinson said the family-friendly event is to have activities and candy for children and also areas geared more toward adults.
There is no cost, although any donations are to go toward the renovation of France Hall's basement, she said.
"It's a haunted house, but we do have an area designated for kids," she said.
A couple of months ago, a Heidelberg class went ghost-hunting in France Hall.
April Beisaw, assistant professor of anthropology at Heidelberg, taught an honors class titled "Science or Pseudoscience?" that focused on testing methods and whether ghost-hunting is a science. She said she purchased ghost-hunting equipment, and students broke into small groups to go hunting in the attics of France and Pfleiderer halls and the basement of Founders Hall.
She said France Hall is the only place where something that could be considered paranormal happened, and unfortunately, it happened to her.
"I did research afterwards," she said.
Beisaw recalled preparing to take her students into France Hall and securing two keys, one for each side of the attic. She explored the attic before taking her students up, closed the door and went downstairs to get the students. She then returned to the attic with them.
"I went to open the door, and the door wouldn't open," she said.
Beisaw said she had been given the keys to a padlock, which she was holding. The door had locked with the old mechanism, which staff wasn't using anymore.
"We couldn't get the door open," she said.
She and the students went downstairs and returned to the attic through the other entrance. After the ghost hunt, she did research and learned the female ghost who is supposed to be in the attic is known for locking doors.
"I didn't know that when that happened," she said.
Beisaw said some students believed the experience because they wanted to, while others weren't sure.
"It was fully locked, so that was really the main thing that happened up there," she said.
Wednesday, Beisaw is taking students ghost-hunting in an octagonal house the university owns on Perry Street. She said the class is going to be giving a report about the history of the house and what the class thinks should be done to it to President Robert Huntington.
"It's just falling apart sitting there by itself. ... We'll see how (the ghost-hunting) goes," she said.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Calendar Reminder - Oct 26 in Niagara Falls, Ghost Hunter's lecture
From Niagara Falls, WGRZ.com: Local Ghost Hunter Offers Lecture on Hauntings at Niagara Wheatfield
Have you ever wondered what goes bump in the night? Locally renowned ghost hunter Steven Richards did after an encounter at the Town Hall in Niagara where he is supervisor. “I was at the town hall late at night and I heard voices and footsteps. I went to explore and no one was there.” After learning that other people he worked with had experienced the same thing he and some friends stayed overnight to see if anything would happen. At 5:00AM all the candles blew out simultaneously and the amateur ghost hunters ran out the door. But the experienced peaked his curiosity and it wasn’t long before he and two other ghost hunter enthusiasts, James Kramp and Diane Tallarico, joined forces to create the Dark Starr Paranormal Research Society. “Since then it has exploded,” he says.
“We spend a lot of time exploring odd and creepy places. The most fascinating thing I have ever experienced was being pulled on while on a ghost hunt and nearly knocked over. Also there have been a lot of EVP’s that we have picked up.” EVP’s are Electronic Voice Phenomenon and he had his partners have picked up many of them at local sites like the Niagara Falls Boys and Girls Club, Iron island Museum and the Pharaoh’s Night Club.
He will be speaking about his experiences and showing off his ghost hunting equipment at a lecture for the Niagara Wheatfield Adult Education program on October 26th from 6:30-8:30PM at the Niagara Wheatfield High School. “At the lecture people can expect three things: number one to see all the equipment we have and they get a hands-on demonstration of it. Number two, they get to see and hear all the evidence we have collected and number three, they get a chance to share an experience they had concerning the paranormal with the group which seems to be a great way for people to open up.” People who attend the workshop will also have a chance to sign up for a once in a lifetime guided field trip with Steven. “Our field trips will consist of taking a large group of people and breaking them into smaller groups where one of our instructors will take each smaller group on a real ghost hunt to a place where we have already been and know is haunted.”
The lecture fills up quickly, so anyone interested in hearing Steven should go to the Niagara Wheatfield website www.nwcsd.k12.ny.us under Adult Education or call the Adult Education Office at 215-3109.
Have you ever wondered what goes bump in the night? Locally renowned ghost hunter Steven Richards did after an encounter at the Town Hall in Niagara where he is supervisor. “I was at the town hall late at night and I heard voices and footsteps. I went to explore and no one was there.” After learning that other people he worked with had experienced the same thing he and some friends stayed overnight to see if anything would happen. At 5:00AM all the candles blew out simultaneously and the amateur ghost hunters ran out the door. But the experienced peaked his curiosity and it wasn’t long before he and two other ghost hunter enthusiasts, James Kramp and Diane Tallarico, joined forces to create the Dark Starr Paranormal Research Society. “Since then it has exploded,” he says.
“We spend a lot of time exploring odd and creepy places. The most fascinating thing I have ever experienced was being pulled on while on a ghost hunt and nearly knocked over. Also there have been a lot of EVP’s that we have picked up.” EVP’s are Electronic Voice Phenomenon and he had his partners have picked up many of them at local sites like the Niagara Falls Boys and Girls Club, Iron island Museum and the Pharaoh’s Night Club.
He will be speaking about his experiences and showing off his ghost hunting equipment at a lecture for the Niagara Wheatfield Adult Education program on October 26th from 6:30-8:30PM at the Niagara Wheatfield High School. “At the lecture people can expect three things: number one to see all the equipment we have and they get a hands-on demonstration of it. Number two, they get to see and hear all the evidence we have collected and number three, they get a chance to share an experience they had concerning the paranormal with the group which seems to be a great way for people to open up.” People who attend the workshop will also have a chance to sign up for a once in a lifetime guided field trip with Steven. “Our field trips will consist of taking a large group of people and breaking them into smaller groups where one of our instructors will take each smaller group on a real ghost hunt to a place where we have already been and know is haunted.”
The lecture fills up quickly, so anyone interested in hearing Steven should go to the Niagara Wheatfield website www.nwcsd.k12.ny.us under Adult Education or call the Adult Education Office at 215-3109.
Newport News, VA: Halloween events include a harrowing walk through the woods
From Daily Press: Halloween events include a harrowing walk through the woods
With apologies to Robert Frost, the woods are deadly, dark and deep.
This time of year, there seems to be a werewolf snarling behind every tree, a troll slithering beneath every bridge, a sexy nurse frolicking outside every ABC store.
Danger lurks at every turn. Which means scary Halloween fun can be found in dozens of different forms.
At St. Kateri Tekakwitha, a Catholic parish serving Tabb and Poquoson, youth group members have created a Haunted Trail with the intention of frightening the devil out of their friends and neighbors.
It's a tradition that stretches back more than a decade.
"This year, our theme is Terror Island where our 'victims' will get shanghaied onto the island by pirates where zombies, cannibals and other creatures of the night rule," explained Pat Kovac, youth minister at St. Kateri. "They will be taken through a maze, cemetery, a haunted junkyard, executioner's row, spider nightmare and other surprises."
The Haunted Trail is a big fundraiser for the church's youth summer work trips and it's something kids and adults eagerly anticipate each fall. It takes as many as 65 teens and 20 adults each night to run the trail. The number of quivering, screaming customers can reach 800.
"There are 14 large crosses on the trail that we have lit and have posted Bible sayings that pertain to fear," Kovac explained. "Our rule is that the crosses are safe zones. Between the crosses, not so much."
A new wrinkle in this season's set of Halloween events is a zombie-dodging race scheduled for Friday, Oct. 28 in the woods around The Mariners' Museum in Newport News.
"How do you dodge a zombie?" a press release for Fright Night 2011 asked. "Each participant will receive a flag to tie around around their arm or waist and be released into the woods."
In the shadows, zombies will do their best to get their hands on the participants. "How realistic will the zombies be? They're just like us, but dead," said Susanne Raiszadeh, president of the City Center Rotary Club, organizers of the race.
Those who cross a finish line alive — that is, with their flags intact — are winners. As for the losers, well, zombies need their brain food.
The race will raise money for The Arc of the Virginia Peninsula, an organization that helps people with developmental and other disabilities.
Here's a closer look at Halloween events happening across the region.
Colonial Williamsburg's "Ghosts Amongst Us." During the one-hour walking tour, guests enter the sites and meet ghostly inhabitants and those who have lived to tell of their supernatural experiences. 7 and 8:30 p.m. Lumber House Ticket Office, nightly Oct. 23-Nov. 1 and sporadically until Nov. 24. Ticket: $12. Not appropriate for young audiences.
Ghost Hunting 101. Central Virginia Paranormal Investigations, a ghost-hunting team founded in 2008, discusses do's and the don'ts of getting started in ghost-hunting, organizing a team, avoiding legal issues, finding the history of a location, working with the media and more, 6-8 p.m., Monday, Oct. 24, at Grissom Library, Newport News. They also will demonstrate their equipment and answer audience questions. No registration required. 757-369-3190.
Haunted Trail presents "Terror Island." 7-9 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday Oct. 26-27, 7-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, 7-9:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30. The St. Kateri Tekakwitha Youth Group is hosting guided spooky outdoor tours through "Terror Island." The event is located at 3800 Big Bethel Road across from Tabb Elementary School. Tickets are $8 or $6 with student ID and can be purchased in advance at the church or at the event. Scary fun for adults, teens, and tweens. Contact Pat Kovac at patkovac@stkatri.hrcoxmail.com or 766-3800. This event is not appropriate for young children.
Fort Monroe Haunted Tours. Presented by the Hampton History Museum. 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26-Saturday, Oct. 29. (Gazebo beside the Historic Chamberlin), Fort Monroe. $20 per person for ages 6 and up. Comfortable walking shoes recommended. Tours not recommended for small children. Proceeds benefit the Hampton History Museum. Each tour is approximately 11/2 hours long. For advance tickets, call 757-727-1610.
Haunted Ship: BB-64 Paranormal Investigation at Nauticus. An after-hours ghost hunt below decks. Explore dark, creepy spaces that have never been open to the public. Tours will run Oct. 27-30. Thursday 6:30-10 p.m. and Friday-Sunday 6:30-10 p.m. Participants must have the ability to climb steep ladder steps and navigate tight sub-deck spaces. Not suitable for children 11 and younger. Tickets are $15. One Waterside Drive, Norfolk. Call 664-1000.
Haunts of Poquoson. Oct. 27-29. 7:30-9 p.m. Poquoson Museum, 968 Poquoson Ave. Haunted maze, haunted walk, ghost stories. $3 a person. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. http://www.poquosonmuseum.com.
Casemate Museum Lantern Tour. 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27. One-hour walking tour of Fort Monroe. Tour begins at the entrance to the Casemate Museum and is free of charge. Reservations are required: 757-788-3391. Weather permitting.
Haunted Forest and Hay Ride. 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28-Oct. 29, Oct. 31. 600 W. Main St., Smithfield. 757-617-9758.
PFAC Presents: The Haunted Hospital. 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28-Monday, Oct. 31. Gentle scares by baby monsters, lively zombies, and ghoulish doctors and nurses. There will be take-home treats. Appropriate for ages kindergarten-fifth grade. Peninsula Fine Arts Center, Museum Drive, Newport News. Tickets are $5 per person. 757-596-8175.
Survive Norfolk, a game of zombie tag. Saturday, Oct. 29, streets of Ghent, Norfolk. A limited number of participants will be able to play as either humans or zombies. Check in and registration starts at 6 p.m., game begins at 8:30 p.m. Only 18 and older are eligible to participate. $10 registration fee. Visit survivenorfolk.wordpress.com.
Wicked 10K and Monster Mile foot races. Saturday, Oct. 29, Virginia Beach oceanfront. Runners don costumes as they race along the oceanfront. Post-race party will feature beer, costume contest celebration and live music from the band Rock Star Parking. Registration fee $60 to $25. 10K race starts at 8 a.m., Monster Mile race starts at 10 a.m. Visit http://www.wicked10k.com or call 757-412-1056.
Howl-O-Scream, Busch Gardens. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 30. This year's fright fest will feature new haunted houses, scare zones and shows built around the theme "The Dark Side of the Gardens." Evil clowns and the musical show "Fiends" are among the attractions. Howl-O-Scream is not suitable for children after 6 p.m. Younger guests will be treated to Halloween happenings during the day at Sesame Street Forest of Fun. Single day admission, $66.99 or $56.99 for children ages 3-9. Visit http://www.howl-o-scream.com/va
Nightmares on the Beach. Through Oct. 31. Nightmare Mansion: 2008 Atlantic Ave. Haunted 3-D Fun House, Mirror Maze of Terror: 1910 Atlantic Ave. and Pirate Ghost Ride: 1608 Atlantic Ave. Starting at 6 p.m. Virginia Beach. 428-FEAR, http://www.youwillscream.com.
Fright Night – A Zombie-Dodging Footrace. 5-7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28. The Rotary Club at City Center Newport News is hosting a zombie dodging footrace through the woods and fields at Williams Field at The Mariners' Museum. This zombie-tag event will include prizes, snacks and music from DJ Chris Rice. Footrace is for those 18 and up only. $10 in advance, $15 at the gate. 757-713-2199.
The Haunting of Hampton. 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29. A frightening night of live musical entertainment and activities. All visitors are encouraged to dress in costume. Music will be by Excess. Queens Way, downtown Hampton. Free.
Virginia Air & Space Center's Halloween Bash. 4-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29. Safe trick-or-treating, scavenger hunt, creepy make-and-take activities, spooky feely stations, the skeleton crew of a ghost place and a wacky wizard's castle. Costume contest for all ages. Hampton Sheriff's Office will be on hand with their Child ID program. Space is limited and advance tickets are encouraged. 600 Settlers Landing Road, Hampton. Order tickets online at http://www.vasc.org or call 727-0900, ext. 705.
Pirates, Mermaids & Monsters Halloween Cruise. 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30. Visit with pirates and mermaids on the water this Halloween aboard Spirit of Norfolk's pirates, mermaids and monsters lunch cruise. $32.50 per person, excluding taxes and fees. 866-304-2496.
New Covenant Church hosts its annual Night of No Fear. 6-8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31. Children under 12 are invited to bring a parent and have fun in a safe, fright-free environment. There will be candy, free hot dogs, games, prizes, inflatables. 1079 Big Bethel Road, Hampton. 757-838-8700.
With apologies to Robert Frost, the woods are deadly, dark and deep.
This time of year, there seems to be a werewolf snarling behind every tree, a troll slithering beneath every bridge, a sexy nurse frolicking outside every ABC store.
Danger lurks at every turn. Which means scary Halloween fun can be found in dozens of different forms.
At St. Kateri Tekakwitha, a Catholic parish serving Tabb and Poquoson, youth group members have created a Haunted Trail with the intention of frightening the devil out of their friends and neighbors.
It's a tradition that stretches back more than a decade.
"This year, our theme is Terror Island where our 'victims' will get shanghaied onto the island by pirates where zombies, cannibals and other creatures of the night rule," explained Pat Kovac, youth minister at St. Kateri. "They will be taken through a maze, cemetery, a haunted junkyard, executioner's row, spider nightmare and other surprises."
The Haunted Trail is a big fundraiser for the church's youth summer work trips and it's something kids and adults eagerly anticipate each fall. It takes as many as 65 teens and 20 adults each night to run the trail. The number of quivering, screaming customers can reach 800.
"There are 14 large crosses on the trail that we have lit and have posted Bible sayings that pertain to fear," Kovac explained. "Our rule is that the crosses are safe zones. Between the crosses, not so much."
A new wrinkle in this season's set of Halloween events is a zombie-dodging race scheduled for Friday, Oct. 28 in the woods around The Mariners' Museum in Newport News.
"How do you dodge a zombie?" a press release for Fright Night 2011 asked. "Each participant will receive a flag to tie around around their arm or waist and be released into the woods."
In the shadows, zombies will do their best to get their hands on the participants. "How realistic will the zombies be? They're just like us, but dead," said Susanne Raiszadeh, president of the City Center Rotary Club, organizers of the race.
Those who cross a finish line alive — that is, with their flags intact — are winners. As for the losers, well, zombies need their brain food.
The race will raise money for The Arc of the Virginia Peninsula, an organization that helps people with developmental and other disabilities.
Here's a closer look at Halloween events happening across the region.
Colonial Williamsburg's "Ghosts Amongst Us." During the one-hour walking tour, guests enter the sites and meet ghostly inhabitants and those who have lived to tell of their supernatural experiences. 7 and 8:30 p.m. Lumber House Ticket Office, nightly Oct. 23-Nov. 1 and sporadically until Nov. 24. Ticket: $12. Not appropriate for young audiences.
Ghost Hunting 101. Central Virginia Paranormal Investigations, a ghost-hunting team founded in 2008, discusses do's and the don'ts of getting started in ghost-hunting, organizing a team, avoiding legal issues, finding the history of a location, working with the media and more, 6-8 p.m., Monday, Oct. 24, at Grissom Library, Newport News. They also will demonstrate their equipment and answer audience questions. No registration required. 757-369-3190.
Haunted Trail presents "Terror Island." 7-9 p.m. Wednesday-Thursday Oct. 26-27, 7-10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, 7-9:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30. The St. Kateri Tekakwitha Youth Group is hosting guided spooky outdoor tours through "Terror Island." The event is located at 3800 Big Bethel Road across from Tabb Elementary School. Tickets are $8 or $6 with student ID and can be purchased in advance at the church or at the event. Scary fun for adults, teens, and tweens. Contact Pat Kovac at patkovac@stkatri.hrcoxmail.com or 766-3800. This event is not appropriate for young children.
Fort Monroe Haunted Tours. Presented by the Hampton History Museum. 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26-Saturday, Oct. 29. (Gazebo beside the Historic Chamberlin), Fort Monroe. $20 per person for ages 6 and up. Comfortable walking shoes recommended. Tours not recommended for small children. Proceeds benefit the Hampton History Museum. Each tour is approximately 11/2 hours long. For advance tickets, call 757-727-1610.
Haunted Ship: BB-64 Paranormal Investigation at Nauticus. An after-hours ghost hunt below decks. Explore dark, creepy spaces that have never been open to the public. Tours will run Oct. 27-30. Thursday 6:30-10 p.m. and Friday-Sunday 6:30-10 p.m. Participants must have the ability to climb steep ladder steps and navigate tight sub-deck spaces. Not suitable for children 11 and younger. Tickets are $15. One Waterside Drive, Norfolk. Call 664-1000.
Haunts of Poquoson. Oct. 27-29. 7:30-9 p.m. Poquoson Museum, 968 Poquoson Ave. Haunted maze, haunted walk, ghost stories. $3 a person. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. http://www.poquosonmuseum.com.
Casemate Museum Lantern Tour. 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27. One-hour walking tour of Fort Monroe. Tour begins at the entrance to the Casemate Museum and is free of charge. Reservations are required: 757-788-3391. Weather permitting.
Haunted Forest and Hay Ride. 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28-Oct. 29, Oct. 31. 600 W. Main St., Smithfield. 757-617-9758.
PFAC Presents: The Haunted Hospital. 5:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28-Monday, Oct. 31. Gentle scares by baby monsters, lively zombies, and ghoulish doctors and nurses. There will be take-home treats. Appropriate for ages kindergarten-fifth grade. Peninsula Fine Arts Center, Museum Drive, Newport News. Tickets are $5 per person. 757-596-8175.
Survive Norfolk, a game of zombie tag. Saturday, Oct. 29, streets of Ghent, Norfolk. A limited number of participants will be able to play as either humans or zombies. Check in and registration starts at 6 p.m., game begins at 8:30 p.m. Only 18 and older are eligible to participate. $10 registration fee. Visit survivenorfolk.wordpress.com.
Wicked 10K and Monster Mile foot races. Saturday, Oct. 29, Virginia Beach oceanfront. Runners don costumes as they race along the oceanfront. Post-race party will feature beer, costume contest celebration and live music from the band Rock Star Parking. Registration fee $60 to $25. 10K race starts at 8 a.m., Monster Mile race starts at 10 a.m. Visit http://www.wicked10k.com or call 757-412-1056.
Howl-O-Scream, Busch Gardens. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 30. This year's fright fest will feature new haunted houses, scare zones and shows built around the theme "The Dark Side of the Gardens." Evil clowns and the musical show "Fiends" are among the attractions. Howl-O-Scream is not suitable for children after 6 p.m. Younger guests will be treated to Halloween happenings during the day at Sesame Street Forest of Fun. Single day admission, $66.99 or $56.99 for children ages 3-9. Visit http://www.howl-o-scream.com/va
Nightmares on the Beach. Through Oct. 31. Nightmare Mansion: 2008 Atlantic Ave. Haunted 3-D Fun House, Mirror Maze of Terror: 1910 Atlantic Ave. and Pirate Ghost Ride: 1608 Atlantic Ave. Starting at 6 p.m. Virginia Beach. 428-FEAR, http://www.youwillscream.com.
Fright Night – A Zombie-Dodging Footrace. 5-7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28. The Rotary Club at City Center Newport News is hosting a zombie dodging footrace through the woods and fields at Williams Field at The Mariners' Museum. This zombie-tag event will include prizes, snacks and music from DJ Chris Rice. Footrace is for those 18 and up only. $10 in advance, $15 at the gate. 757-713-2199.
The Haunting of Hampton. 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29. A frightening night of live musical entertainment and activities. All visitors are encouraged to dress in costume. Music will be by Excess. Queens Way, downtown Hampton. Free.
Virginia Air & Space Center's Halloween Bash. 4-7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29. Safe trick-or-treating, scavenger hunt, creepy make-and-take activities, spooky feely stations, the skeleton crew of a ghost place and a wacky wizard's castle. Costume contest for all ages. Hampton Sheriff's Office will be on hand with their Child ID program. Space is limited and advance tickets are encouraged. 600 Settlers Landing Road, Hampton. Order tickets online at http://www.vasc.org or call 727-0900, ext. 705.
Pirates, Mermaids & Monsters Halloween Cruise. 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30. Visit with pirates and mermaids on the water this Halloween aboard Spirit of Norfolk's pirates, mermaids and monsters lunch cruise. $32.50 per person, excluding taxes and fees. 866-304-2496.
New Covenant Church hosts its annual Night of No Fear. 6-8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31. Children under 12 are invited to bring a parent and have fun in a safe, fright-free environment. There will be candy, free hot dogs, games, prizes, inflatables. 1079 Big Bethel Road, Hampton. 757-838-8700.
America's top 10 haunted hotels
From STL Today: America's top 10 haunted hotels
I'm not sure I would have the guts to stay overnight on a ghost hunt, but I'm pretty sure I could manage a hotel with a haunted reputation. TripAdvisor just announced a fun list of the top 10 haunted hotels in the United States, based on on travelers' reviews and experiences.
The spine-tingling list features the properties with the greatest number of traveler comments referencing "ghosts" or "haunted" on TripAdvisor.com.
From the press release by TripAdvisor:
1. 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa, Eureka Springs, Arkansas - Average Nightly Rate: $91 - $214
Constructed in 1886, this mountaintop spa resort boasts a number of spirits, including Michael, an Irish stonemason who fell to his death while building the hotel, and even a cat, named Morris. Daily ghost tours ($18 for adults; $7 for under-12s) offer a behind-the-scenes peek at the property, and access to otherwise off-limits sights including the basement and morgue. According to one TripAdvisor traveler, "I found it to be the spookiest of all the ‘haunted' hotels' I have stayed at... I was surprised to find many orbs in the photos we took."
2. Hotel Queen Mary, Long Beach, California - Average Nightly Rate: $89 - $179
Since making her maiden voyage in 1936, this historic steamship has served as a luxury ocean liner, troopship and in more recent years, a stationary hotel. Some 55 ghosts are rumored to linger on-board, including Jackie, a young girl who can be found taking a dip in the swimming pool. One TripAdvisor traveler noted, "I want to believe that everything that we experienced was real. We did record some orbs flying around our room while we slept. (We set up our video recorder on night vision)."
3. Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado - Average Nightly Rate: $142 - $291
This property, which first opened its doors in 1909, is known for its inspirational role in the Stephen King classic, "The Shining". Regular ghost hunts ($7 - $50 for adults) take travelers to some of the property's most haunted hotspots, including the concert hall, in search of paranormal experiences. One TripAdvisor traveler wrote, "Had a lot of activity from the playful spirits there. The closet door opened and closed several times, the TV turned itself off and on, the covers were pulled off of us in the night and there was audible whispering in the room."
4. Copper Queen Hotel, Bisbee, Arizona - Average Nightly Rate: $75 - $150
Completed in 1902, this property was the product of a booming mining town, and built to accommodate visiting investors and dignitaries. Today, guests can rub shoulders with three resident ghosts: Julia Lowell, a lady of the night; a dapper gentleman wearing a cape and a top hat, and a mischievous young boy. One TripAdvisor traveler noted, "If you want to try finding a ghost ask for an ‘active' room! We had an active room and let's just say I couldn't quite explain all that I saw and heard!"
5. Marshall House, Savannah, Georgia - Average Nightly Rate: $112 - $236
Designated as a National Historic Building by The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, this property has served many different uses since being built in 1851, including serving as a hospital for Civil War soldiers. Since reopening as a hotel in 1999, many guests have reported ghostly sightings. One TripAdvisor traveler stated, "...Heard someone running in the room above me. Upon telling the staff we were told the entire floor above us was empty. So if you're looking for a ghostly experience, definitely consider this hotel."
6. Admiral Fell Inn, Baltimore, Maryland - Average Nightly Rate: $154 - $333
This historic property, comprising seven different buildings dating back to the 1770s, boasts a rich history. Among other uses, the Inn has formerly served as a theater and a boarding house for sailors - and today, travelers can choose from 80 unique guestrooms and partake in free ghost tours on Friday and Saturday evenings. "If you are searching for character, charm, great service and ghost history this is the place to stay," suggested one TripAdvisor traveler.
7. The Menger Hotel, San Antonio, Texas - Average Nightly Rate: $90 - $175
This hotel, situated next to the Alamo, was built in 1859 on the site of Texas' first brewery. Photos of prominent former guests, from Babe Ruth to President Theodore Roosevelt, line the walls - and Roosevelt's spirit is rumored to have since been seen sipping on a drink at the hotel bar, in which he recruited cowboys for the Rough Riders. One TripAdvisor traveler noted, "...Felt cold spots in several places in and around the hotel and got plenty of goose bumps during our stay, but I never once felt afraid."
8. Bullock Hotel, Deadwood, South Dakota - Average Nightly Rate: $100
This historic hotel was founded in the 1890s by Deadwood's first Sheriff, Seth Bullock and today, visitors to the town can pay their respects to the former lawman and other notable Wild West figures, including Calamity Jane, at the nearby Mount Moriah Cemetery. Hotel guests may be in for a much closer encounter with Bullock, whose spirit has supposedly roamed the property since his passing in 1919. One TripAdvisor traveler commented, "Heard tell of the ghost tour, but didn't need to go on it as we could feel Seth Bullock's presence in the hotel already!"
9. Place D'Armes Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana - Average Nightly Rate: $119 - $480
Located in the heart of the French Quarter, this property is said to have been built on the site of a former school house that was destroyed in a fire, in which many perished. Resident ghosts are rumored to include former pupils, as well as an elderly bearded man dressed in 1800's attire. One TripAdvisor traveler noted, "...My husband and daughter said they heard children laughing and playing in the next room and the ceiling fan came on all by itself. There was no next room, it was a brick wall outside!"
10. Hotel Del Coronado, Coronado, California - Average Nightly Rate: $289 - $720
Sun, sand and spirits are the order of the day at this beachfront getaway, built in 1888. The property has seen a stream of famed visitors over the years, from Charlie Chaplin, to Humphrey Bogart - but it is a former guest by the name of Kate Morgan who has continued to make her presence felt, since taking her life at the resort in 1892. According to one TripAdvisor traveler, "I brought my K2 Meter (it's believed the meter can pick up the ‘magnetic fields' of spirits). I actually got some ‘hits' on it while we were having breakfast in our room."
I'm not sure I would have the guts to stay overnight on a ghost hunt, but I'm pretty sure I could manage a hotel with a haunted reputation. TripAdvisor just announced a fun list of the top 10 haunted hotels in the United States, based on on travelers' reviews and experiences.
The spine-tingling list features the properties with the greatest number of traveler comments referencing "ghosts" or "haunted" on TripAdvisor.com.
From the press release by TripAdvisor:
1. 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa, Eureka Springs, Arkansas - Average Nightly Rate: $91 - $214
Constructed in 1886, this mountaintop spa resort boasts a number of spirits, including Michael, an Irish stonemason who fell to his death while building the hotel, and even a cat, named Morris. Daily ghost tours ($18 for adults; $7 for under-12s) offer a behind-the-scenes peek at the property, and access to otherwise off-limits sights including the basement and morgue. According to one TripAdvisor traveler, "I found it to be the spookiest of all the ‘haunted' hotels' I have stayed at... I was surprised to find many orbs in the photos we took."
2. Hotel Queen Mary, Long Beach, California - Average Nightly Rate: $89 - $179
Since making her maiden voyage in 1936, this historic steamship has served as a luxury ocean liner, troopship and in more recent years, a stationary hotel. Some 55 ghosts are rumored to linger on-board, including Jackie, a young girl who can be found taking a dip in the swimming pool. One TripAdvisor traveler noted, "I want to believe that everything that we experienced was real. We did record some orbs flying around our room while we slept. (We set up our video recorder on night vision)."
3. Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado - Average Nightly Rate: $142 - $291
This property, which first opened its doors in 1909, is known for its inspirational role in the Stephen King classic, "The Shining". Regular ghost hunts ($7 - $50 for adults) take travelers to some of the property's most haunted hotspots, including the concert hall, in search of paranormal experiences. One TripAdvisor traveler wrote, "Had a lot of activity from the playful spirits there. The closet door opened and closed several times, the TV turned itself off and on, the covers were pulled off of us in the night and there was audible whispering in the room."
4. Copper Queen Hotel, Bisbee, Arizona - Average Nightly Rate: $75 - $150
Completed in 1902, this property was the product of a booming mining town, and built to accommodate visiting investors and dignitaries. Today, guests can rub shoulders with three resident ghosts: Julia Lowell, a lady of the night; a dapper gentleman wearing a cape and a top hat, and a mischievous young boy. One TripAdvisor traveler noted, "If you want to try finding a ghost ask for an ‘active' room! We had an active room and let's just say I couldn't quite explain all that I saw and heard!"
5. Marshall House, Savannah, Georgia - Average Nightly Rate: $112 - $236
Designated as a National Historic Building by The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, this property has served many different uses since being built in 1851, including serving as a hospital for Civil War soldiers. Since reopening as a hotel in 1999, many guests have reported ghostly sightings. One TripAdvisor traveler stated, "...Heard someone running in the room above me. Upon telling the staff we were told the entire floor above us was empty. So if you're looking for a ghostly experience, definitely consider this hotel."
6. Admiral Fell Inn, Baltimore, Maryland - Average Nightly Rate: $154 - $333
This historic property, comprising seven different buildings dating back to the 1770s, boasts a rich history. Among other uses, the Inn has formerly served as a theater and a boarding house for sailors - and today, travelers can choose from 80 unique guestrooms and partake in free ghost tours on Friday and Saturday evenings. "If you are searching for character, charm, great service and ghost history this is the place to stay," suggested one TripAdvisor traveler.
7. The Menger Hotel, San Antonio, Texas - Average Nightly Rate: $90 - $175
This hotel, situated next to the Alamo, was built in 1859 on the site of Texas' first brewery. Photos of prominent former guests, from Babe Ruth to President Theodore Roosevelt, line the walls - and Roosevelt's spirit is rumored to have since been seen sipping on a drink at the hotel bar, in which he recruited cowboys for the Rough Riders. One TripAdvisor traveler noted, "...Felt cold spots in several places in and around the hotel and got plenty of goose bumps during our stay, but I never once felt afraid."
8. Bullock Hotel, Deadwood, South Dakota - Average Nightly Rate: $100
This historic hotel was founded in the 1890s by Deadwood's first Sheriff, Seth Bullock and today, visitors to the town can pay their respects to the former lawman and other notable Wild West figures, including Calamity Jane, at the nearby Mount Moriah Cemetery. Hotel guests may be in for a much closer encounter with Bullock, whose spirit has supposedly roamed the property since his passing in 1919. One TripAdvisor traveler commented, "Heard tell of the ghost tour, but didn't need to go on it as we could feel Seth Bullock's presence in the hotel already!"
9. Place D'Armes Hotel, New Orleans, Louisiana - Average Nightly Rate: $119 - $480
Located in the heart of the French Quarter, this property is said to have been built on the site of a former school house that was destroyed in a fire, in which many perished. Resident ghosts are rumored to include former pupils, as well as an elderly bearded man dressed in 1800's attire. One TripAdvisor traveler noted, "...My husband and daughter said they heard children laughing and playing in the next room and the ceiling fan came on all by itself. There was no next room, it was a brick wall outside!"
10. Hotel Del Coronado, Coronado, California - Average Nightly Rate: $289 - $720
Sun, sand and spirits are the order of the day at this beachfront getaway, built in 1888. The property has seen a stream of famed visitors over the years, from Charlie Chaplin, to Humphrey Bogart - but it is a former guest by the name of Kate Morgan who has continued to make her presence felt, since taking her life at the resort in 1892. According to one TripAdvisor traveler, "I brought my K2 Meter (it's believed the meter can pick up the ‘magnetic fields' of spirits). I actually got some ‘hits' on it while we were having breakfast in our room."
Monday, October 24, 2011
Dover, ME, Oct 28: Dinner in Dover and a ghost hunt in Portsmouth
From Fosters.com: Dinner in Dover and a ghost hunt in Portsmouth
DOVER /PORTSMOUTH — Join us for a night of ghost hunting and dinner on Friday, Oct. 28 at 7pm at UNOs in Dover. The Ghost Hunt will take place in Portsmouth Cemetery.
The cost is $35 per ticket, which includes $10 voucher towards dinner at UNO's and ghost walk in
Portsmouth Cemetery with North East Paranormal Associates.
Schedule:
7-8:30 pm: UNO's Dover; dinner and introduction to North East Paranormal Associates andindividual readings
8:30 pm: Caravan to Portsmouth Cemetery
9 pm: Ghost walk begins
How to purchase tickets:
-- Directly from a Del Tufo Schintzius Cancer Foundation board member.
-- By emailing dscf@comcast.net to reserve tickets and pick up at UNOs on Friday 10/28.
-- Purchase at UNO's the night of the event.
All profits benefit the Del Tufo Schintzius Cancer Foundation of Dover.
UK: Fun Ghost Hunt, Oct 28-31: Horley traders launch town 'ghost hunt'
This isn't a ghost hunt for real ghosts, but a Halloween themed event for kids and parents. Nevertheless, it sounded fun so I thought I'd share it.
RedHill and Reigate: Horley traders launch town 'ghost hunt'
RedHill and Reigate: Horley traders launch town 'ghost hunt'
A Halloween competition for children is being launched in Horley which traders hope will be a scream.
The Horley Ghost Hunt, drawing together 47 shops and businesses in the town in a spooky show of unity, is being held for the first time from this Friday (October 28) through to Monday (October 31).
The free-to-enter competition, in which children accompanied by an adult will be challenged to find the ghosts on show in the participating stores and log them on a ghost hunt form, is the brainchild of Andy Parr, owner of The Party Pad shop.
Andy, of Copthorne, who opened his party goods shop in January into the teeth of the economic downturn, said: “Being a family-run business, we are always looking at ways to engage with the local community and to partner other local companies.”
He said: “It's the first time the competition's been held and it's being run in conjunction with Horley and District Chamber of Commerce and Horley Retailers.
“The response has been really good and it's the sort of event you can expect to see, provided it's a success, at future times of the year, such as Christmas and Easter.
“It's pulled quite a few of the shops together.”
Ghost Hunt entry forms are available from The Party Pad in High Street, Horley, and they will announce and contact the competition winner.
Children will win a treat from The Party Pad on completion of the ghost hunt, and will be entered into a draw with a £50 costume among the prizes to be won.
Michigan: Hunt ghosts at the Historic Holly Hotel
From Daily Tribune: Hunt ghosts at the Historic Holly Hotel
By David Grocki
The Historic Holly Hotel has gained a reputation as one of the most haunted places in Michigan. During the month of October, the hotel has a tradition of convening seances and ghost hunts.
HOLLY — The Historic Holly Hotel has the reputation of being one of the most haunted buildings not only in Michigan, but the entire nation.
Strange things have been observed by staff and patrons alike, from aromas of no origin to eerie noises to full-blown apparitions.
Many paranormal groups, independent ghost hunters and psychics have visited the hotel over the years, encountering occurrences that cannot be explained by conventional science.
Norman Gauthier, a famous parapsychologist professor, once declared the hotel to be “loaded with spirits.”
“I never believed in it until I decided to work here, and it’s one of those things that you have no choice of not believing. There’s just too much activity,” said Alex Cripps, a Holly Hotel employee, in an article published last October.
“It’s just too frequent to just pass it off as something else and act like it’s nothing,” he said.
Built in 1891, the building is no longer a hotel, but a converted restaurant, banquet hall and comedy club that offers a wide selection of dishes, tea times and Sunday brunches.
Originally called the Hirst Hotel after its original proprietor, John Hirst, the hotel has a colorfully sordid history. Situated near crossing railroad lines, nearby Martha Street was filled with bars and saloons, fast becoming a venue for drunken brawls so frequent that locals renamed Martha Street “Battle Alley,” and the nickname stuck.
In addition to this unsavory fact, the hotel experienced tragedy when a fire consumed the three-story, Queen Anne-style building in January 1913. The hotel burned again exactly 65 years later to the day and hour.
The Historic Holly Hotel now has a tradition of convening seances and ghost hunts in the month of October. Michigan Paranormal Research Association Director Samantha Harris hosted a ghost hunt at the Holly Hotel Saturday with laser thermometers, digital recorders, dowsing rods and EMF readers.
Common ghostly manifestations in the hotel include an aroma of cigars and antique perfume, disembodied voices, apparitions of John Hirst and Nora Kane, a former hostess and musician of the hotel, as well as other phenomena, including the ghosts of a little girl, a dog and a Native American.
A psychic medium will be present at the hotel on Wednesday and remain through Halloween night to conduct seances to attempt contact with the building’s resident ghosts. Each seance will vary due to the time it may or may not take to contact the spirits, but generally lasts an hour.
If you go
The Historic Holly Hotel is at 110 Battle Alley St. in downtown Holly. Call (248) 634-5208 or visit www.hollyhotel.com for more information about this month’s events.
By David Grocki
The Historic Holly Hotel has gained a reputation as one of the most haunted places in Michigan. During the month of October, the hotel has a tradition of convening seances and ghost hunts.
HOLLY — The Historic Holly Hotel has the reputation of being one of the most haunted buildings not only in Michigan, but the entire nation.
Strange things have been observed by staff and patrons alike, from aromas of no origin to eerie noises to full-blown apparitions.
Many paranormal groups, independent ghost hunters and psychics have visited the hotel over the years, encountering occurrences that cannot be explained by conventional science.
Norman Gauthier, a famous parapsychologist professor, once declared the hotel to be “loaded with spirits.”
“I never believed in it until I decided to work here, and it’s one of those things that you have no choice of not believing. There’s just too much activity,” said Alex Cripps, a Holly Hotel employee, in an article published last October.
“It’s just too frequent to just pass it off as something else and act like it’s nothing,” he said.
Built in 1891, the building is no longer a hotel, but a converted restaurant, banquet hall and comedy club that offers a wide selection of dishes, tea times and Sunday brunches.
Originally called the Hirst Hotel after its original proprietor, John Hirst, the hotel has a colorfully sordid history. Situated near crossing railroad lines, nearby Martha Street was filled with bars and saloons, fast becoming a venue for drunken brawls so frequent that locals renamed Martha Street “Battle Alley,” and the nickname stuck.
In addition to this unsavory fact, the hotel experienced tragedy when a fire consumed the three-story, Queen Anne-style building in January 1913. The hotel burned again exactly 65 years later to the day and hour.
The Historic Holly Hotel now has a tradition of convening seances and ghost hunts in the month of October. Michigan Paranormal Research Association Director Samantha Harris hosted a ghost hunt at the Holly Hotel Saturday with laser thermometers, digital recorders, dowsing rods and EMF readers.
Common ghostly manifestations in the hotel include an aroma of cigars and antique perfume, disembodied voices, apparitions of John Hirst and Nora Kane, a former hostess and musician of the hotel, as well as other phenomena, including the ghosts of a little girl, a dog and a Native American.
A psychic medium will be present at the hotel on Wednesday and remain through Halloween night to conduct seances to attempt contact with the building’s resident ghosts. Each seance will vary due to the time it may or may not take to contact the spirits, but generally lasts an hour.
If you go
The Historic Holly Hotel is at 110 Battle Alley St. in downtown Holly. Call (248) 634-5208 or visit www.hollyhotel.com for more information about this month’s events.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
EPI conduct Ghost Hunt at Joanna Furnace
From Berksmont News: EPI conduct Ghost Hunt at Joanna Furnace
By Brett Swailes
for Journal Register News Service
(photo by Brett Swailes) The EPI team conducts 'Ghost Hunts' throughout the region.
View and purchase photos
On Saturday night, October 15, a group of professionals quietly conducted what some might call a ghost hunt - a paranormal investigation - at historic Joanna Furnace. They came armed with a diverse array of electronic sensors, motion and sound detectors, and cameras and computers. After a lengthy setup the team of volunteers positioned themselves hundreds of feet distant from the detection gear. Each of the individuals present that night settled in to observe the stream of raw data and a split screen monitor showing each of the observed areas.
Extreme Paranormal Investigations, or EPI, is the group that performed this study and furnished the required equipment. Nevertheless, the same question is always waiting – what is the basis that compels people with this urge to do what they do?
Brian Joad, the founder of EPI, furnished the answer: he wanted to see if this could be a manifestation of life after death. After the deaths of his aunt and uncle, Joad, a network consultant and professional videographer, developed an interest in paranormal activity. He said that he was influenced by the writings of David Rountree, the author of Paranormal Technology. The EPI approach is one that uses scientific methods together with the investigation of locations, and it seems to produce results.
EPI has already completed audits of sites that are usually historically significant (places where significant events and many people were involved). This volunteer group has recently performed investigations at the Seven Stars Inn, Mid-Atlantic Air Museum, the Rail Road Masters House, Waynebrook Inn, and the Downingtown Opera House. Joad is an immense history buff, of course, and a member of several historical societies.
From six in the evening until four the next morning, all while maintaining a silent vigil, they made their routine entries in the logs and waited. It is in those quiet places, when cloaked in darkness, and after hour upon hour of heightened awareness and painstaking waiting—that the reverie can be punctuated suddenly and without warning by moments of strong activity and yes, even terror. Even among the experts, or so they say…
Joanna Furnace was chosen for investigation because it served as a station on the Underground Railroad. Its role as part of the Underground Railroad was kept a close secret to avoid any interruptions in the ironmaking activities from the federal government or slave chasers. Keeping this secret was especially problematic in the aftermath of the 1857 Dred Scott Decision—the ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that made slaves the legal property of their owners, as the proximity of the Mason-Dixon Line made Pennsylvania a frequent stop for the agents of the southern slave owners.
Joad said that African-Americans regularly congregated at the Mount Frisbey AME church, which was located between the Hopewell and Joanna Furnaces. He suggested that perhaps a narrow road that cut through the woods was used as part of the conduit leading to the Joanna stop.
The other EPI team members on that night at the furnace were: Sandra Dee - who works as a professional ballroom dance instructor and is originally of Harlingen, Texas; Joe - an EMT in both Elverson and Exeter and an Lieutenant at the West Bradford Fire Company in his spare time; and Phil – a retired auto mechanic who has been interested in the paranormal for quite some time.
What did they observe at Joanna Furnace on October 15? While Brian said that there was “nothing substantial” on that night, he added that all the data had not yet been verified. During an infrared search in the woods, however, they discovered an old, overgrown wagon road. Was it part of the Underground Railroad? Perhaps, but only long-dead stationmaster Henry Segner could have verified that fact. EPI’s final conclusions in the Joanna study will be published within two weeks.
Thanks for this article are owed to the folks at the Hay Creek Valley Historical Association (In 1979 Bethlehem Steel transferred title to the lands to the Hay Creek group), and to Sue Fellman Jacobs - the author of History of Joanna Furnace 1791-1999: History of a Berks County, PA, Charcoal Iron Furnace. Continued...
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For information on EPI, their methods of investigation, and upcoming hunts, visit the group online at www.extremeparanormalinvestigators.com. For more information on Joanna Furnace visit www.haycreek.org/joanna_furnace.htm
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On Saturday night, October 15, a group of professionals quietly conducted what some might call a ghost hunt - a paranormal investigation - at historic Joanna Furnace. They came armed with a diverse array of electronic sensors, motion and sound detectors, and cameras and computers. After a lengthy setup the team of volunteers positioned themselves hundreds of feet distant from the detection gear. Each of the individuals present that night settled in to observe the stream of raw data and a split screen monitor showing each of the observed areas.
Extreme Paranormal Investigations, or EPI, is the group that performed this study and furnished the required equipment. Nevertheless, the same question is always waiting – what is the basis that compels people with this urge to do what they do?
Brian Joad, the founder of EPI, furnished the answer: he wanted to see if this could be a manifestation of life after death. After the deaths of his aunt and uncle, Joad, a network consultant and professional videographer, developed an interest in paranormal activity. He said that he was influenced by the writings of David Rountree, the author of Paranormal Technology. The EPI approach is one that uses scientific methods together with the investigation of locations, and it seems to produce results.
EPI has already completed audits of sites that are usually historically significant (places where significant events and many people were involved). This volunteer group has recently performed investigations at the Seven Stars Inn, Mid-Atlantic Air Museum, the Rail Road Masters House, Waynebrook Inn, and the Downingtown Opera House. Joad is an immense history buff, of course, and a member of several historical societies.
From six in the evening until four the next morning, all while maintaining a silent vigil, they made their routine entries in the logs and waited. It is in those quiet places, when cloaked in darkness, and after hour upon hour of heightened awareness and painstaking waiting—that the reverie can be punctuated suddenly and without warning by moments of strong activity and yes, even terror. Even among the experts, or so they say…
Joanna Furnace was chosen for investigation because it served as a station on the Underground Railroad. Its role as part of the Underground Railroad was kept a close secret to avoid any interruptions in the ironmaking activities from the federal government or slave chasers. Keeping this secret was especially problematic in the aftermath of the 1857 Dred Scott Decision—the ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that made slaves the legal property of their owners, as the proximity of the Mason-Dixon Line made Pennsylvania a frequent stop for the agents of the southern slave owners.
Joad said that African-Americans regularly congregated at the Mount Frisbey AME church, which was located between the Hopewell and Joanna Furnaces. He suggested that perhaps a narrow road that cut through the woods was used as part of the conduit leading to the Joanna stop.
The other EPI team members on that night at the furnace were: Sandra Dee - who works as a professional ballroom dance instructor and is originally of Harlingen, Texas; Joe - an EMT in both Elverson and Exeter and an Lieutenant at the West Bradford Fire Company in his spare time; and Phil – a retired auto mechanic who has been interested in the paranormal for quite some time.
What did they observe at Joanna Furnace on October 15? While Brian said that there was “nothing substantial” on that night, he added that all the data had not yet been verified. During an infrared search in the woods, however, they discovered an old, overgrown wagon road. Was it part of the Underground Railroad? Perhaps, but only long-dead stationmaster Henry Segner could have verified that fact. EPI’s final conclusions in the Joanna study will be published within two weeks.
Thanks for this article are owed to the folks at the Hay Creek Valley Historical Association (In 1979 Bethlehem Steel transferred title to the lands to the Hay Creek group), and to Sue Fellman Jacobs - the author of History of Joanna Furnace 1791-1999: History of a Berks County, PA, Charcoal Iron Furnace.
For information on EPI, their methods of investigation, and upcoming hunts, visit the group online at www.extremeparanormalinvestigators.com. For more information on Joanna Furnace visit www.haycreek.org/joanna_furnace.htm
By Brett Swailes
for Journal Register News Service
(photo by Brett Swailes) The EPI team conducts 'Ghost Hunts' throughout the region.
View and purchase photos
On Saturday night, October 15, a group of professionals quietly conducted what some might call a ghost hunt - a paranormal investigation - at historic Joanna Furnace. They came armed with a diverse array of electronic sensors, motion and sound detectors, and cameras and computers. After a lengthy setup the team of volunteers positioned themselves hundreds of feet distant from the detection gear. Each of the individuals present that night settled in to observe the stream of raw data and a split screen monitor showing each of the observed areas.
Extreme Paranormal Investigations, or EPI, is the group that performed this study and furnished the required equipment. Nevertheless, the same question is always waiting – what is the basis that compels people with this urge to do what they do?
Brian Joad, the founder of EPI, furnished the answer: he wanted to see if this could be a manifestation of life after death. After the deaths of his aunt and uncle, Joad, a network consultant and professional videographer, developed an interest in paranormal activity. He said that he was influenced by the writings of David Rountree, the author of Paranormal Technology. The EPI approach is one that uses scientific methods together with the investigation of locations, and it seems to produce results.
EPI has already completed audits of sites that are usually historically significant (places where significant events and many people were involved). This volunteer group has recently performed investigations at the Seven Stars Inn, Mid-Atlantic Air Museum, the Rail Road Masters House, Waynebrook Inn, and the Downingtown Opera House. Joad is an immense history buff, of course, and a member of several historical societies.
From six in the evening until four the next morning, all while maintaining a silent vigil, they made their routine entries in the logs and waited. It is in those quiet places, when cloaked in darkness, and after hour upon hour of heightened awareness and painstaking waiting—that the reverie can be punctuated suddenly and without warning by moments of strong activity and yes, even terror. Even among the experts, or so they say…
Joanna Furnace was chosen for investigation because it served as a station on the Underground Railroad. Its role as part of the Underground Railroad was kept a close secret to avoid any interruptions in the ironmaking activities from the federal government or slave chasers. Keeping this secret was especially problematic in the aftermath of the 1857 Dred Scott Decision—the ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that made slaves the legal property of their owners, as the proximity of the Mason-Dixon Line made Pennsylvania a frequent stop for the agents of the southern slave owners.
Joad said that African-Americans regularly congregated at the Mount Frisbey AME church, which was located between the Hopewell and Joanna Furnaces. He suggested that perhaps a narrow road that cut through the woods was used as part of the conduit leading to the Joanna stop.
The other EPI team members on that night at the furnace were: Sandra Dee - who works as a professional ballroom dance instructor and is originally of Harlingen, Texas; Joe - an EMT in both Elverson and Exeter and an Lieutenant at the West Bradford Fire Company in his spare time; and Phil – a retired auto mechanic who has been interested in the paranormal for quite some time.
What did they observe at Joanna Furnace on October 15? While Brian said that there was “nothing substantial” on that night, he added that all the data had not yet been verified. During an infrared search in the woods, however, they discovered an old, overgrown wagon road. Was it part of the Underground Railroad? Perhaps, but only long-dead stationmaster Henry Segner could have verified that fact. EPI’s final conclusions in the Joanna study will be published within two weeks.
Thanks for this article are owed to the folks at the Hay Creek Valley Historical Association (In 1979 Bethlehem Steel transferred title to the lands to the Hay Creek group), and to Sue Fellman Jacobs - the author of History of Joanna Furnace 1791-1999: History of a Berks County, PA, Charcoal Iron Furnace. Continued...
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Reader Comments »
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For information on EPI, their methods of investigation, and upcoming hunts, visit the group online at www.extremeparanormalinvestigators.com. For more information on Joanna Furnace visit www.haycreek.org/joanna_furnace.htm
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On Saturday night, October 15, a group of professionals quietly conducted what some might call a ghost hunt - a paranormal investigation - at historic Joanna Furnace. They came armed with a diverse array of electronic sensors, motion and sound detectors, and cameras and computers. After a lengthy setup the team of volunteers positioned themselves hundreds of feet distant from the detection gear. Each of the individuals present that night settled in to observe the stream of raw data and a split screen monitor showing each of the observed areas.
Extreme Paranormal Investigations, or EPI, is the group that performed this study and furnished the required equipment. Nevertheless, the same question is always waiting – what is the basis that compels people with this urge to do what they do?
Brian Joad, the founder of EPI, furnished the answer: he wanted to see if this could be a manifestation of life after death. After the deaths of his aunt and uncle, Joad, a network consultant and professional videographer, developed an interest in paranormal activity. He said that he was influenced by the writings of David Rountree, the author of Paranormal Technology. The EPI approach is one that uses scientific methods together with the investigation of locations, and it seems to produce results.
EPI has already completed audits of sites that are usually historically significant (places where significant events and many people were involved). This volunteer group has recently performed investigations at the Seven Stars Inn, Mid-Atlantic Air Museum, the Rail Road Masters House, Waynebrook Inn, and the Downingtown Opera House. Joad is an immense history buff, of course, and a member of several historical societies.
From six in the evening until four the next morning, all while maintaining a silent vigil, they made their routine entries in the logs and waited. It is in those quiet places, when cloaked in darkness, and after hour upon hour of heightened awareness and painstaking waiting—that the reverie can be punctuated suddenly and without warning by moments of strong activity and yes, even terror. Even among the experts, or so they say…
Joanna Furnace was chosen for investigation because it served as a station on the Underground Railroad. Its role as part of the Underground Railroad was kept a close secret to avoid any interruptions in the ironmaking activities from the federal government or slave chasers. Keeping this secret was especially problematic in the aftermath of the 1857 Dred Scott Decision—the ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that made slaves the legal property of their owners, as the proximity of the Mason-Dixon Line made Pennsylvania a frequent stop for the agents of the southern slave owners.
Joad said that African-Americans regularly congregated at the Mount Frisbey AME church, which was located between the Hopewell and Joanna Furnaces. He suggested that perhaps a narrow road that cut through the woods was used as part of the conduit leading to the Joanna stop.
The other EPI team members on that night at the furnace were: Sandra Dee - who works as a professional ballroom dance instructor and is originally of Harlingen, Texas; Joe - an EMT in both Elverson and Exeter and an Lieutenant at the West Bradford Fire Company in his spare time; and Phil – a retired auto mechanic who has been interested in the paranormal for quite some time.
What did they observe at Joanna Furnace on October 15? While Brian said that there was “nothing substantial” on that night, he added that all the data had not yet been verified. During an infrared search in the woods, however, they discovered an old, overgrown wagon road. Was it part of the Underground Railroad? Perhaps, but only long-dead stationmaster Henry Segner could have verified that fact. EPI’s final conclusions in the Joanna study will be published within two weeks.
Thanks for this article are owed to the folks at the Hay Creek Valley Historical Association (In 1979 Bethlehem Steel transferred title to the lands to the Hay Creek group), and to Sue Fellman Jacobs - the author of History of Joanna Furnace 1791-1999: History of a Berks County, PA, Charcoal Iron Furnace.
For information on EPI, their methods of investigation, and upcoming hunts, visit the group online at www.extremeparanormalinvestigators.com. For more information on Joanna Furnace visit www.haycreek.org/joanna_furnace.htm
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Leesburg, VA: Leesburg Ghost Tours Explain the Seemingly Unexplainable
From Leesburg Patch: Leesburg Ghost Tours Explain the Seemingly Unexplainable
Unique for their scientific approach to the paranormal, Leesburg ghost tours run Friday and Saturday nights now through Oct. 31.
Around October when the witches decorate our doorsteps and ghosts and goblins haunt our windowpanes, our minds turn to the super-natural. Then it is only natural that we wonder- are ghosts real?
Ghost tours have long capitalized on our mortal curiosity; however the Leesburg Ghost tours has the distinction of being started by a scientist and a skeptic.
In 1992, Joe Holbert wanted local fork-lore stories for the Loudoun Museum, when instead he received personal accounts of encounters with ghosts and spiritual entities.
Cynical, he investigated and disproved several cases, but he could not disprove 100 or so in which multiple individuals experienced unexplained sights, sounds, smells or objects moving on their own.
This led Holbert to find the Virginia Scientific Research Association (VSRA) to investigate paranormal phenomenon. What he came to find there, went on to inspire other paranormal investigators and even the television show, Ghost Hunters.
Holbert passed away a few years ago, but the VSRA continues to host ghost tours in Leesburg. Autumn tours run on Friday and Saturday nights at 9 pm, leaving from the Georgetown Café and Bakery on 19 South King Street, and extending until October 21, Halloween Night.
However, this is not the usual tour. It is not meant to scare you, as much as educate you on the latest theory on supernatural sightings.
That does not mean that sightings are debunked. On the contrary, they are explained; and participants are even tested to see if they are likely to trigger a supernatural occurrence.
The tour culminates at the county courthouse on Market Street, where tourist can touch a potent energy field. Hauntings at the courthouse are attributed to a slave named Mercer, who was quartered there.
According to the ghost tour guides, JoAnn Manriquez and Elaine Maxon, traumatic experiences can cause ghostly behavior. Less frequently, ghosts are really visiting spirits appearing in the flesh.
“While at first I hadn’t had any paranormal experience at all, on the tours I’ve smelt and heard things, I have no explanation for,” said Maxon.
However, she assured Saturday's group that the tour would not be frightening. “Once you understand what is going on [with paranormal activity]," Maxon said. "You won’t be afraid.”
Like other ghost tours, the Leesburg tour provides historical information as well as stories of ghost sightings, supported by references to historical events where applicable.
Besides the regular ghost tours, Keeler Hunt, who works for the VSRA, gives her own more scientific based tours; and while tours run on the weekend, people can request a special small group tours as well.
More information on Leesburg Ghost Tours and the Virginia Scientific Research Association can be found on their website: http://vsra.yolasite.com/
Unique for their scientific approach to the paranormal, Leesburg ghost tours run Friday and Saturday nights now through Oct. 31.
Around October when the witches decorate our doorsteps and ghosts and goblins haunt our windowpanes, our minds turn to the super-natural. Then it is only natural that we wonder- are ghosts real?
Ghost tours have long capitalized on our mortal curiosity; however the Leesburg Ghost tours has the distinction of being started by a scientist and a skeptic.
In 1992, Joe Holbert wanted local fork-lore stories for the Loudoun Museum, when instead he received personal accounts of encounters with ghosts and spiritual entities.
Cynical, he investigated and disproved several cases, but he could not disprove 100 or so in which multiple individuals experienced unexplained sights, sounds, smells or objects moving on their own.
This led Holbert to find the Virginia Scientific Research Association (VSRA) to investigate paranormal phenomenon. What he came to find there, went on to inspire other paranormal investigators and even the television show, Ghost Hunters.
Holbert passed away a few years ago, but the VSRA continues to host ghost tours in Leesburg. Autumn tours run on Friday and Saturday nights at 9 pm, leaving from the Georgetown Café and Bakery on 19 South King Street, and extending until October 21, Halloween Night.
However, this is not the usual tour. It is not meant to scare you, as much as educate you on the latest theory on supernatural sightings.
That does not mean that sightings are debunked. On the contrary, they are explained; and participants are even tested to see if they are likely to trigger a supernatural occurrence.
The tour culminates at the county courthouse on Market Street, where tourist can touch a potent energy field. Hauntings at the courthouse are attributed to a slave named Mercer, who was quartered there.
According to the ghost tour guides, JoAnn Manriquez and Elaine Maxon, traumatic experiences can cause ghostly behavior. Less frequently, ghosts are really visiting spirits appearing in the flesh.
“While at first I hadn’t had any paranormal experience at all, on the tours I’ve smelt and heard things, I have no explanation for,” said Maxon.
However, she assured Saturday's group that the tour would not be frightening. “Once you understand what is going on [with paranormal activity]," Maxon said. "You won’t be afraid.”
Like other ghost tours, the Leesburg tour provides historical information as well as stories of ghost sightings, supported by references to historical events where applicable.
Besides the regular ghost tours, Keeler Hunt, who works for the VSRA, gives her own more scientific based tours; and while tours run on the weekend, people can request a special small group tours as well.
More information on Leesburg Ghost Tours and the Virginia Scientific Research Association can be found on their website: http://vsra.yolasite.com/
Monday, October 17, 2011
26 October, Wheatfield, NY: Niagara-Wheatfield Town Hall: Haunted?
From Metro WNY: Niagara-Wheatfield Town Hall: Haunted?
Have you ever wondered what goes bump in the night? Locally-renowned ghost hunter Steven Richards did, after a close encounter of some kind at town hall in Niagara, where he works as supervisor.
He had some friends stay overnight to see if anything would happen. At 5 a.m., all the candles blew out simultaneously and they ran away. Since then, Richards joined forces with two other ghost enthusiasts, James Kramp and Diane Tallarico, to form Dark Starr Paranormal Research Society.
“We spend a lot of time exploring odd and creepy places,” Richards said. “The most fascinating thing I have ever experienced was being pulled on while on a ghost hunt and nearly knocked over. Also, there have been a lot of EVPs [electronic voice phenomenon] that we have picked up.”
Richards will be speaking about his experiences at a lecture from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Niagara Wheatfield High School. People who attend the workshop will have a chance to sign up for a guided field trip with Richards.
“Our field trips will consist of taking a larger group of people and breaking them into smaller groups, where one of our instructors will take each smaller group on a real ghost hunt to a place where we have already been and know is haunted,” Richards said.
This lecture fills up quickly, so anyone interested should visit www.nwcsd.k12.ny.us and click under Adult Education or call the Adult Education Office at 215-3109.
Have you ever wondered what goes bump in the night? Locally-renowned ghost hunter Steven Richards did, after a close encounter of some kind at town hall in Niagara, where he works as supervisor.
He had some friends stay overnight to see if anything would happen. At 5 a.m., all the candles blew out simultaneously and they ran away. Since then, Richards joined forces with two other ghost enthusiasts, James Kramp and Diane Tallarico, to form Dark Starr Paranormal Research Society.
“We spend a lot of time exploring odd and creepy places,” Richards said. “The most fascinating thing I have ever experienced was being pulled on while on a ghost hunt and nearly knocked over. Also, there have been a lot of EVPs [electronic voice phenomenon] that we have picked up.”
Richards will be speaking about his experiences at a lecture from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Oct. 26 at Niagara Wheatfield High School. People who attend the workshop will have a chance to sign up for a guided field trip with Richards.
“Our field trips will consist of taking a larger group of people and breaking them into smaller groups, where one of our instructors will take each smaller group on a real ghost hunt to a place where we have already been and know is haunted,” Richards said.
This lecture fills up quickly, so anyone interested should visit www.nwcsd.k12.ny.us and click under Adult Education or call the Adult Education Office at 215-3109.
28 Oct, LIttleton, CO: Ghosts and Ghosts Hunting
From Out Littleton News: Littleton Calendar. Oct. 28, 2011
Ghosts and Ghost Hunting.
Littleton based Spirit Paranormal Investigations presents an exciting and informative presentation about ghosts and ghost hunting at 7 p.m. Oct. 28 at Bemis Public Libray. From 7-8:30 p.m., SpiritPI investigators will share their ghost hunting tools and techniques. This presentation is free and no registration is needed. For those brave enough to stick around after the presentation, you can sign up for an actual ghost hunt with SpiritPI investigators, and search together for evidence of real ghosts at the haunted Bemis Library. The library ghost hunt will take place from 8:30-10 p.m. The cost of the library ghost hunt is $10 per person. Call 303-795-3961.
Ghosts and Ghost Hunting.
Littleton based Spirit Paranormal Investigations presents an exciting and informative presentation about ghosts and ghost hunting at 7 p.m. Oct. 28 at Bemis Public Libray. From 7-8:30 p.m., SpiritPI investigators will share their ghost hunting tools and techniques. This presentation is free and no registration is needed. For those brave enough to stick around after the presentation, you can sign up for an actual ghost hunt with SpiritPI investigators, and search together for evidence of real ghosts at the haunted Bemis Library. The library ghost hunt will take place from 8:30-10 p.m. The cost of the library ghost hunt is $10 per person. Call 303-795-3961.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Scotland: Beware Edinburgh Horror Tours
From Scotsman.com: The phantom ghost tour: Punters bemused as tour guides fail to materialise
Anyone who books a spooky ghost tour can expect some scary surprises.
But many who have gone for an eerie excursion with Edinburgh Horror Tours claim to have been left truly horrified – having waited for a guide who never turned up.
Of the seven reviews left for the firm on the website Trip Advisor, five complained that the host did not appear.
The Edinburgh Horror Tours website claims its tours – Gallows to Grave and Ghost Hunt – run every day of the year, with the exception of a few dates in the festive season.
The firm is promoted on the VisitScotland website.
Nearby tour company Mercat Tours has been compensating bewildered customers by offering them free places.
Head of development Kathleen Brogan described the firm’s conduct as an “embarrassment to Edinburgh”.
She said: “So far we’ve had around 20 customers come to us wondering what’s been going on. And this company is featured on the VisitScotland website.”
Her concerns led her to hold a meeting with the city council and to make a complaint to VisitScotland.
Graham Birse, managing director of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, backed Ms Brogan’s calls for greater regulation.
He said: “If this is the case, VisitScotland should remove them from the Quality Assurance Scheme.
“Poor operators are harmful to the visitor experience and to Edinburgh.”
It is believed Edinburgh Horror Tours began operating in April.
On Trip Advisor one contributor, who booked a tour in August, complained: “Absolutely appalling! We booked online, turned up ten minutes before the tour started and nobody came!” Another said: “We turned up at about 8.40pm for their 9pm tour. After over half an hour of waiting, we called the number on their poster – this was about 9.10pm – and no one answered.”
When the Evening News attempted to contact the Edinburgh Horror Tours through its two telephone numbers, they were not recognised – and we received no reply to our e-mail.
Although the website still offers details of the tours – advising that customers can pay the guide on the night – the facility to pay in advance is no longer available.
It is unclear whether the company has stopped operating.
The city council confirmed that a licence for outside 180 High Street, operated by Steven Owen, expires in June next year.
A VisitScotland spokes- person said: “VisitScotland has received one complaint on this company from Mercat Tours and we advised them to speak to Edinburgh Council about the issue.”
The spokesperson did not respond when asked whether they would now consider removing the page promoting the Edinburgh Horror Tours from the VisitScotland website.
A spokesman for the council said: “We have no complaints being processed in respect of any of the licensed walking tour operators.
“If a complaint was made it would most likely be passed to the police and some cases to the council’s Services for Communities Department for investigation.”
Anyone who books a spooky ghost tour can expect some scary surprises.
But many who have gone for an eerie excursion with Edinburgh Horror Tours claim to have been left truly horrified – having waited for a guide who never turned up.
Of the seven reviews left for the firm on the website Trip Advisor, five complained that the host did not appear.
The Edinburgh Horror Tours website claims its tours – Gallows to Grave and Ghost Hunt – run every day of the year, with the exception of a few dates in the festive season.
The firm is promoted on the VisitScotland website.
Nearby tour company Mercat Tours has been compensating bewildered customers by offering them free places.
Head of development Kathleen Brogan described the firm’s conduct as an “embarrassment to Edinburgh”.
She said: “So far we’ve had around 20 customers come to us wondering what’s been going on. And this company is featured on the VisitScotland website.”
Her concerns led her to hold a meeting with the city council and to make a complaint to VisitScotland.
Graham Birse, managing director of Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce, backed Ms Brogan’s calls for greater regulation.
He said: “If this is the case, VisitScotland should remove them from the Quality Assurance Scheme.
“Poor operators are harmful to the visitor experience and to Edinburgh.”
It is believed Edinburgh Horror Tours began operating in April.
On Trip Advisor one contributor, who booked a tour in August, complained: “Absolutely appalling! We booked online, turned up ten minutes before the tour started and nobody came!” Another said: “We turned up at about 8.40pm for their 9pm tour. After over half an hour of waiting, we called the number on their poster – this was about 9.10pm – and no one answered.”
When the Evening News attempted to contact the Edinburgh Horror Tours through its two telephone numbers, they were not recognised – and we received no reply to our e-mail.
Although the website still offers details of the tours – advising that customers can pay the guide on the night – the facility to pay in advance is no longer available.
It is unclear whether the company has stopped operating.
The city council confirmed that a licence for outside 180 High Street, operated by Steven Owen, expires in June next year.
A VisitScotland spokes- person said: “VisitScotland has received one complaint on this company from Mercat Tours and we advised them to speak to Edinburgh Council about the issue.”
The spokesperson did not respond when asked whether they would now consider removing the page promoting the Edinburgh Horror Tours from the VisitScotland website.
A spokesman for the council said: “We have no complaints being processed in respect of any of the licensed walking tour operators.
“If a complaint was made it would most likely be passed to the police and some cases to the council’s Services for Communities Department for investigation.”
Hampton Roads, VA: The Maritime Museum’s Ghostly Sights
October 20th-23rd and October 27th-30th
From B Channel News: The Maritime Museum’s Ghostly Sights
The best way to go looking for ghosts is to join a group who knows what they are doing. The Maritime Museum of British Columbia will be hosting two different tours during the Halloween season, one will tell the tale and the other will try to find the spirits said to be still lurking here. “I think the experience is more on how receptive people are to it,” said MaryAnne Dieno, Events Coordinator for the Museum, “In my own, I don't know if it's just because I know the history of this building. I'm always nervous, always on edge.” Some people are more sensitive than others when it comes to trying to find proof, but for paranormal investigators and journalists, to come out with a story to tell is what everyone else wants to hear. The best chills from a good ghost story are those that can be personally experienced, especially in the Maritime Museum, reputed to have many ghosts within its hallowed interior. The Museum played host to three previous ghost hunts in the past two years, and some of the experiences previous attendees have felt were emotional. Those tales are also what television shows like Ghost Hunters, Most Haunted, My Ghost Story and Creepy Canada like to grab on to. Without the story, why should people watch? By day, most venues operate as per normal, but at night, some of these locales are willing to let paranormal investigators look around past midnight looking for evidence of the other side. The only times when a location is not willing to let detectives wander around at night is because of insurance issues. “As a tourist place, you have to be really careful in who knows the venue as a haunted place and who doesn't know, “ said Dieno, “If you have an investigation in the evening, we can answer to that market without affecting the daytime market, and that's the attraction for the tourists.” These day tourists or nighttime investigators can choose what they like to explore. In a venue like the Maritime Museum, it was a courthouse in the late 19th century, where life assurance was often challenged. The accused were convicted of capital offenses. To those who were guilty, they were hanged in Bastion Square. Tom Paterson, a historian, writer and journalist said that he’s visited the old building before it became a museum, prodded around the structure and learned about most of its history through independent research.
“Murder and death are the ultimate forms of human drama,” said Paterson, “If there's ever such a thing as a ghost, they have to be here by default." But Paterson is also a storyteller. He uses history as his choice of genre to tell his tale. The Ghost Tours will feature museum staff talking about the history of the artefacts and the ghosts said to be connected to them. Some of their own personal experiences may also get related as all three floors are explored. When he was present in the past Ghost Hunts at the Maritime Museum, he was there to observe the people, watch the procedure, see the protocol being used, and make notes. He gets his own reward from that, and reports about it.
In the Maritime Museum's coming Ghost Hunt before and after Halloween, attendees have a chance to participate in an actual investigation. This will be led by Dawn Kirkham, a paranormal investigator from Liverpool with many years of experience to share. She is also a medium, a person who can sense and communicate with the spirits from the other side. That can be important since an investigation doesn’t always have to be about evidence gathering. “For me it is also about helping them, like telling their story or helping them to move on,” said Kirkham. This medium defines ghosts as a memory, a recording, and spirits are sentient. They know people are there and they may want to communicate. Sometimes that voice is captured by video cameras or on an audio recording. Kirkham contracted PARAVI, a local paranormal investigation group led by Susanne Gilby, to provide the technical assistance of handling all recording devices for the night. They will show attendees how the equipment is used and what their procedures are. But in what is seen with the third eye or captured on tape, are they ghosts? “I don't think you can do a proper well rounded investigation without using both,” said Gilby, “Especially when considering we don't know if paranormal activity can be detected with any scientific equipment.” The doubt is simply because in all of recorded history, there is very little evidence that everyone can proclaim as 100% proof positive. In the courtroom of the Maritime Museum, where plenty of emotions have been expressed during the trials that happened there, the impressions that have been left behind can still be felt today. And some people consider that to be the most haunted room in the entire museum. “When there is powerful emotion—happy or sad—it leaves an energetic footprint which can be experienced,” said Kirkham. The feelings one may get while sitting in this courtroom can range from a simple feeling of being watched to an outright emotional outburst.
As for why that is happening, that has yet to be fully explained. “People will always have their own perceptions and beliefs,” noted Gilby. “I believe anything which helps educate the public and open their eyes to other potential ideas is always good.” The Ghostly Tours October 20th-23rd and October 27th-30th, starting 6pm. Cost: $13 Maritime Museum's Ghost Hunt Oct 28th and November 5th, 10pm-3am. Limited Seats available, 30 per night. Cost:$55 To reserve a spot to either, please call: 250-385-4222
From B Channel News: The Maritime Museum’s Ghostly Sights
The best way to go looking for ghosts is to join a group who knows what they are doing. The Maritime Museum of British Columbia will be hosting two different tours during the Halloween season, one will tell the tale and the other will try to find the spirits said to be still lurking here. “I think the experience is more on how receptive people are to it,” said MaryAnne Dieno, Events Coordinator for the Museum, “In my own, I don't know if it's just because I know the history of this building. I'm always nervous, always on edge.” Some people are more sensitive than others when it comes to trying to find proof, but for paranormal investigators and journalists, to come out with a story to tell is what everyone else wants to hear. The best chills from a good ghost story are those that can be personally experienced, especially in the Maritime Museum, reputed to have many ghosts within its hallowed interior. The Museum played host to three previous ghost hunts in the past two years, and some of the experiences previous attendees have felt were emotional. Those tales are also what television shows like Ghost Hunters, Most Haunted, My Ghost Story and Creepy Canada like to grab on to. Without the story, why should people watch? By day, most venues operate as per normal, but at night, some of these locales are willing to let paranormal investigators look around past midnight looking for evidence of the other side. The only times when a location is not willing to let detectives wander around at night is because of insurance issues. “As a tourist place, you have to be really careful in who knows the venue as a haunted place and who doesn't know, “ said Dieno, “If you have an investigation in the evening, we can answer to that market without affecting the daytime market, and that's the attraction for the tourists.” These day tourists or nighttime investigators can choose what they like to explore. In a venue like the Maritime Museum, it was a courthouse in the late 19th century, where life assurance was often challenged. The accused were convicted of capital offenses. To those who were guilty, they were hanged in Bastion Square. Tom Paterson, a historian, writer and journalist said that he’s visited the old building before it became a museum, prodded around the structure and learned about most of its history through independent research.
“Murder and death are the ultimate forms of human drama,” said Paterson, “If there's ever such a thing as a ghost, they have to be here by default." But Paterson is also a storyteller. He uses history as his choice of genre to tell his tale. The Ghost Tours will feature museum staff talking about the history of the artefacts and the ghosts said to be connected to them. Some of their own personal experiences may also get related as all three floors are explored. When he was present in the past Ghost Hunts at the Maritime Museum, he was there to observe the people, watch the procedure, see the protocol being used, and make notes. He gets his own reward from that, and reports about it.
In the Maritime Museum's coming Ghost Hunt before and after Halloween, attendees have a chance to participate in an actual investigation. This will be led by Dawn Kirkham, a paranormal investigator from Liverpool with many years of experience to share. She is also a medium, a person who can sense and communicate with the spirits from the other side. That can be important since an investigation doesn’t always have to be about evidence gathering. “For me it is also about helping them, like telling their story or helping them to move on,” said Kirkham. This medium defines ghosts as a memory, a recording, and spirits are sentient. They know people are there and they may want to communicate. Sometimes that voice is captured by video cameras or on an audio recording. Kirkham contracted PARAVI, a local paranormal investigation group led by Susanne Gilby, to provide the technical assistance of handling all recording devices for the night. They will show attendees how the equipment is used and what their procedures are. But in what is seen with the third eye or captured on tape, are they ghosts? “I don't think you can do a proper well rounded investigation without using both,” said Gilby, “Especially when considering we don't know if paranormal activity can be detected with any scientific equipment.” The doubt is simply because in all of recorded history, there is very little evidence that everyone can proclaim as 100% proof positive. In the courtroom of the Maritime Museum, where plenty of emotions have been expressed during the trials that happened there, the impressions that have been left behind can still be felt today. And some people consider that to be the most haunted room in the entire museum. “When there is powerful emotion—happy or sad—it leaves an energetic footprint which can be experienced,” said Kirkham. The feelings one may get while sitting in this courtroom can range from a simple feeling of being watched to an outright emotional outburst.
As for why that is happening, that has yet to be fully explained. “People will always have their own perceptions and beliefs,” noted Gilby. “I believe anything which helps educate the public and open their eyes to other potential ideas is always good.” The Ghostly Tours October 20th-23rd and October 27th-30th, starting 6pm. Cost: $13 Maritime Museum's Ghost Hunt Oct 28th and November 5th, 10pm-3am. Limited Seats available, 30 per night. Cost:$55 To reserve a spot to either, please call: 250-385-4222
Monday, October 10, 2011
On travel til Wednesday
I'm visiting elderly relatives in Box Elder, SD who do not have internet.
Will try to sneak out now and again to an internet cafe to post, but more than likely will not be posting until Wedneday.
Will try to sneak out now and again to an internet cafe to post, but more than likely will not be posting until Wedneday.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Tewksbury, MA Library Hosts Paranormal Experts
From Tewksbury Patch: Tewksbury Library Hosts Paranormal Experts
Every Wednesday night this October, the Tewksbury Public Library is hosting paranormal talks for adults. These programs promise to both scare and fascinate audiences!
Ghosts of Massachusetts with Roxie Zwicker Wednesday, October 12, 6:30pm-8pm
About The Program
The Bay State is home to some of the most historic places in America. Find out what ghostly stories can be found walking down its roads! Find abandoned places, haunted beaches, tavern ghosts and eerie cemeteries. Take a spirited virtual journey highlighting stops in Marblehead, Boston, Provincetown, Littleton, Springfield - just to name a few. Explore the places and the stories of legends on this fun and scary tour of area haunts.
About The Presenter
Roxie Zwicker is the founder of New England Curiosities, a company that gives haunted tours throughout New Hampshire and Maine. She has been sharing her stories of New England Legends and Lore since 1993. Roxie is the author of five books, including: Haunted Cemeteries of New England: Stones, Stories and Superstitions; Haunted Portland: From Pirates to Ghost Brides; and Haunted Pubs of New England.
Ghost Chronicles with Ron Kolek & Maureen Wood Wednesday, October 19, 6:30pm-8pm
About The Program
Join Ron Kolek and Maureen Wood as they take you on a journey into the unknown, the unexplained, and the unbelievable. They will reveal the gory details of some of their most interesting cases ripped from the pages of their hit book - The Ghost Chronicles. Meet Ron and Maureen - called "the Burns and Allen of the netherworld" by Channel 5's Chronicle - for a ride you will never forget…no matter how much you try!
About The Presenter
Ron Kolek is the founder and lead investigator of The New England Ghost Project. With a degree in Environmental Science, he was the ultimate skeptic. In addition to hosting Ghost Chronicles on Ghostvillage Radio and iTunes, he hosts a weekly internet radio show on Toginet.com, and has co-written two books with Maureen Wood, The Ghost Chronicles and Ghost a Day. Maureen Wood is a fifth generation Psychic/Trance-medium. For as far back as she can remember, she has communicated with the deceased. She has practiced, studied, and instructed metaphysical studies for more than twenty-five years. Maureen has been with the New England Ghost Project since 2001 and has accompanied the group on over 100 investigations.
Haunted Baseball with Dan Gordon Wednesday, October 26, 6:30pm-8pm
About The Program
Baseball and ghost stories are as American as apple pie. Author Dan Gordon's works combine both! In exploring the relationship between the paranormal and baseball, he has interviewed more than 1,000 current and former Major League Baseball players, including Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Tim Linecum, Roy Halladay, and Jacoby Ellsbury. Gordon has also interviewed countless stadium personnel, umpires, front-office folks, and fans. He will discuss his research, presenting an entertaining and eerie look at our national pastime.
About The Presenter
Dan Gordon co-authored two best-selling books: Haunted Baseball: Ghosts, Curses, Legends & Eerie Events and Fields of Scream: Haunted Tales From The Baseball Diamond, The Locker Room, and Beyond. Gordon, who lives and dies with the Red Sox, also authored Cape Encounters: Contemporary Cape Cod Ghost Stories. His writings on baseball have appeared in numerous publications, including the Providence Journal and Fort Worth Star.
Fine Print
All talks are held in the Meeting Room. Doors open 15 minutes prior to start time. Seating is limited. The room is handicap accessible. Light refreshments will be provided. A door prize will be awarded. Pre-registration is strongly recommended as it aids the presenter and staff with planning. Register by stopping by the Reference Desk; calling 978-640-4490 ext. 207; or by visiting the library’s online calendar of events (www.tewksburypl.org).. Talks are FREE thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Tewksbury Public Library. The Friends of the Tewksbury Public Library's Friendly Little Bookshop will be open prior to each talk. Talks are best suited for adults and teens. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult. For those interested, a book signing and selling will follow each talk.
Every Wednesday night this October, the Tewksbury Public Library is hosting paranormal talks for adults. These programs promise to both scare and fascinate audiences!
Ghosts of Massachusetts with Roxie Zwicker Wednesday, October 12, 6:30pm-8pm
About The Program
The Bay State is home to some of the most historic places in America. Find out what ghostly stories can be found walking down its roads! Find abandoned places, haunted beaches, tavern ghosts and eerie cemeteries. Take a spirited virtual journey highlighting stops in Marblehead, Boston, Provincetown, Littleton, Springfield - just to name a few. Explore the places and the stories of legends on this fun and scary tour of area haunts.
About The Presenter
Roxie Zwicker is the founder of New England Curiosities, a company that gives haunted tours throughout New Hampshire and Maine. She has been sharing her stories of New England Legends and Lore since 1993. Roxie is the author of five books, including: Haunted Cemeteries of New England: Stones, Stories and Superstitions; Haunted Portland: From Pirates to Ghost Brides; and Haunted Pubs of New England.
Ghost Chronicles with Ron Kolek & Maureen Wood Wednesday, October 19, 6:30pm-8pm
About The Program
Join Ron Kolek and Maureen Wood as they take you on a journey into the unknown, the unexplained, and the unbelievable. They will reveal the gory details of some of their most interesting cases ripped from the pages of their hit book - The Ghost Chronicles. Meet Ron and Maureen - called "the Burns and Allen of the netherworld" by Channel 5's Chronicle - for a ride you will never forget…no matter how much you try!
About The Presenter
Ron Kolek is the founder and lead investigator of The New England Ghost Project. With a degree in Environmental Science, he was the ultimate skeptic. In addition to hosting Ghost Chronicles on Ghostvillage Radio and iTunes, he hosts a weekly internet radio show on Toginet.com, and has co-written two books with Maureen Wood, The Ghost Chronicles and Ghost a Day. Maureen Wood is a fifth generation Psychic/Trance-medium. For as far back as she can remember, she has communicated with the deceased. She has practiced, studied, and instructed metaphysical studies for more than twenty-five years. Maureen has been with the New England Ghost Project since 2001 and has accompanied the group on over 100 investigations.
Haunted Baseball with Dan Gordon Wednesday, October 26, 6:30pm-8pm
About The Program
Baseball and ghost stories are as American as apple pie. Author Dan Gordon's works combine both! In exploring the relationship between the paranormal and baseball, he has interviewed more than 1,000 current and former Major League Baseball players, including Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Tim Linecum, Roy Halladay, and Jacoby Ellsbury. Gordon has also interviewed countless stadium personnel, umpires, front-office folks, and fans. He will discuss his research, presenting an entertaining and eerie look at our national pastime.
About The Presenter
Dan Gordon co-authored two best-selling books: Haunted Baseball: Ghosts, Curses, Legends & Eerie Events and Fields of Scream: Haunted Tales From The Baseball Diamond, The Locker Room, and Beyond. Gordon, who lives and dies with the Red Sox, also authored Cape Encounters: Contemporary Cape Cod Ghost Stories. His writings on baseball have appeared in numerous publications, including the Providence Journal and Fort Worth Star.
Fine Print
All talks are held in the Meeting Room. Doors open 15 minutes prior to start time. Seating is limited. The room is handicap accessible. Light refreshments will be provided. A door prize will be awarded. Pre-registration is strongly recommended as it aids the presenter and staff with planning. Register by stopping by the Reference Desk; calling 978-640-4490 ext. 207; or by visiting the library’s online calendar of events (www.tewksburypl.org).. Talks are FREE thanks to the generosity of the Friends of the Tewksbury Public Library. The Friends of the Tewksbury Public Library's Friendly Little Bookshop will be open prior to each talk. Talks are best suited for adults and teens. Children under 13 must be accompanied by an adult. For those interested, a book signing and selling will follow each talk.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
NY: Ghost hunt in Tupper Lake
From Adirondack Daily Enterprise: Ghost hunt in Tupper Lake
TUPPER LAKE - A Tupper Lake home is set to be featured in a documentary on ghost hunting.
Patty Hathaway believes her house at 13 McLaughlin Ave. is haunted. Doors and drawers close and open without people touching them, she constantly hears unexplained noises, and she has what she calls a game with one of the "entities" in which it moves a porcelain shoe she has on display, she rights it, then the ghost tips it again.
She says she has even seen a man hanging from the loft of her garage, who she said was in old-fashioned clothing.
"My granddaughter has seen a young boy," Hathaway said in a phone interview Monday. "She thinks it's her uncle. I don't tell her it's a ghost."
So she contacted the St. Lawrence Association of Paranormal Science.
"I wanted to find out if I was really out of my mind, for one thing, and I wanted to try and pinpoint who was actually there," Hathaway said.
Donny Deragon and Nate Lashomb, the two heads of SLAPS, did two investigations at the house and had some significant findings, so when Malone director Brad Rousell wanted to film a documentary on the group, they chose Hathaway's house as one of the two to feature in it. The other house is in Massena.
When they did a ghost hunt at Hathaway's house about a month ago for the documentary, they were joined by Brian Harnois, who used to be on the Syfy channel's "Ghost Hunters." Deragon said it was interesting because he and his friends got into ghost hunting in part through watching the show.
"It was a really cool experience," Deragon said. "I'm glad we got to do it."
He said it turned out that much of what SLAPS does in an investigation is similar to Harnois' method. The group uses a variety of equipment, including a DVR system, voice recorders, a whole bunch of cameras and a K2 meter, which measures electromagnetic fields. They'll talk to the homeowners, find out what they've been hearing and seeing, then go into the home, set up all the equipment and document what, if anything, goes on throughout a night.
"It's not all what you see on TV, that's for sure," Deragon said. "A lot more goes into it. When they show you something on TV, they just show you the good parts, and if they don't find anything, they don't put it on."
In general, Deragon said, they try to find a natural cause for any complaints the owner has. It's only when they discount any possible natural causes that they turn to the supernatural.
"We really take like a scientific approach towards it," Deragon said.
Deragon wouldn't say much about what actually happened during the investigation of Hathaway's house while they were filming the documentary, because he wants to make sure people watch it, but he said it was a fruitful hunt.
"We had a lot of cool experiences there that haven't happened to us before," Deragon said.
Through research, they found out that a teenage boy with a troubled life shot himself in the home in 1980, and Hathaway believes that's the boy her granddaughter has seen.
"We wanted to do the documentary to show kids that are troubled that are thinking of committing suicide that it's not a better way out," Hathaway said. "You're more or less stuck."
She also believes that there are several other entities in the house, including an old man - or there were before her brother-in-law came in, smoked the house with sage and sea salt, placed crystals around the home and invited the ghosts to leave.
Hathaway said she doesn't mind her house being haunted as long as it remains the harmless, sometimes whimsical presence it's been so far. If it becomes negative or malicious, she said she'll have her brother-in-law come and do a more thorough job of cleansing the house.
"I'm so used to it," Hathaway said. "I've lived there for 13 years."
Hathaway said she's nervous but excited to see the documentary. So far she's only seen the trailer on SLAPS' website.
She's interested to see what the response is to the DVD and how many people buy it. She said she thinks more people are getting interested in, or at least becoming more accepting of, the paranormal.
"Brad and Nate and Donny are fantastic guys," Hathaway said. "They're very easy to work with. They're wonderful. There's not enough words I can say about them. They're a very awesome, professional group."
The documentary is called "Weird Vibes," and it's set to be released this weekend at a paranormal convention at Crete Civic Center in Plattsburgh.
Speakers are set to present at the convention on a variety of topics, including demons, ghosts, the Champy lake monster, UFOs, Bigfoot and Mothman. For more information on the third annual Northern New York Paranormal EXPO, go to www.nnyprs.com.
Deragon, who manages a bank for a living, started SLAPS with a few friends about four years ago, but it wasn't until Lashomb, who Deragon calls a techie, joined the group that it started to grow and evolve into what it is today.
They get calls frequently from people who want them to investigate their homes, and they end up doing about two to three hunts a month. They're based in Massena, but they've done investigations from Madrid, N.Y., to Syracuse.
For more information on SLAPS or to pre-order the DVD, go to www.freeghosthunt.com.
TUPPER LAKE - A Tupper Lake home is set to be featured in a documentary on ghost hunting.
Patty Hathaway believes her house at 13 McLaughlin Ave. is haunted. Doors and drawers close and open without people touching them, she constantly hears unexplained noises, and she has what she calls a game with one of the "entities" in which it moves a porcelain shoe she has on display, she rights it, then the ghost tips it again.
She says she has even seen a man hanging from the loft of her garage, who she said was in old-fashioned clothing.
"My granddaughter has seen a young boy," Hathaway said in a phone interview Monday. "She thinks it's her uncle. I don't tell her it's a ghost."
So she contacted the St. Lawrence Association of Paranormal Science.
"I wanted to find out if I was really out of my mind, for one thing, and I wanted to try and pinpoint who was actually there," Hathaway said.
Donny Deragon and Nate Lashomb, the two heads of SLAPS, did two investigations at the house and had some significant findings, so when Malone director Brad Rousell wanted to film a documentary on the group, they chose Hathaway's house as one of the two to feature in it. The other house is in Massena.
When they did a ghost hunt at Hathaway's house about a month ago for the documentary, they were joined by Brian Harnois, who used to be on the Syfy channel's "Ghost Hunters." Deragon said it was interesting because he and his friends got into ghost hunting in part through watching the show.
"It was a really cool experience," Deragon said. "I'm glad we got to do it."
He said it turned out that much of what SLAPS does in an investigation is similar to Harnois' method. The group uses a variety of equipment, including a DVR system, voice recorders, a whole bunch of cameras and a K2 meter, which measures electromagnetic fields. They'll talk to the homeowners, find out what they've been hearing and seeing, then go into the home, set up all the equipment and document what, if anything, goes on throughout a night.
"It's not all what you see on TV, that's for sure," Deragon said. "A lot more goes into it. When they show you something on TV, they just show you the good parts, and if they don't find anything, they don't put it on."
In general, Deragon said, they try to find a natural cause for any complaints the owner has. It's only when they discount any possible natural causes that they turn to the supernatural.
"We really take like a scientific approach towards it," Deragon said.
Deragon wouldn't say much about what actually happened during the investigation of Hathaway's house while they were filming the documentary, because he wants to make sure people watch it, but he said it was a fruitful hunt.
"We had a lot of cool experiences there that haven't happened to us before," Deragon said.
Through research, they found out that a teenage boy with a troubled life shot himself in the home in 1980, and Hathaway believes that's the boy her granddaughter has seen.
"We wanted to do the documentary to show kids that are troubled that are thinking of committing suicide that it's not a better way out," Hathaway said. "You're more or less stuck."
She also believes that there are several other entities in the house, including an old man - or there were before her brother-in-law came in, smoked the house with sage and sea salt, placed crystals around the home and invited the ghosts to leave.
Hathaway said she doesn't mind her house being haunted as long as it remains the harmless, sometimes whimsical presence it's been so far. If it becomes negative or malicious, she said she'll have her brother-in-law come and do a more thorough job of cleansing the house.
"I'm so used to it," Hathaway said. "I've lived there for 13 years."
Hathaway said she's nervous but excited to see the documentary. So far she's only seen the trailer on SLAPS' website.
She's interested to see what the response is to the DVD and how many people buy it. She said she thinks more people are getting interested in, or at least becoming more accepting of, the paranormal.
"Brad and Nate and Donny are fantastic guys," Hathaway said. "They're very easy to work with. They're wonderful. There's not enough words I can say about them. They're a very awesome, professional group."
The documentary is called "Weird Vibes," and it's set to be released this weekend at a paranormal convention at Crete Civic Center in Plattsburgh.
Speakers are set to present at the convention on a variety of topics, including demons, ghosts, the Champy lake monster, UFOs, Bigfoot and Mothman. For more information on the third annual Northern New York Paranormal EXPO, go to www.nnyprs.com.
Deragon, who manages a bank for a living, started SLAPS with a few friends about four years ago, but it wasn't until Lashomb, who Deragon calls a techie, joined the group that it started to grow and evolve into what it is today.
They get calls frequently from people who want them to investigate their homes, and they end up doing about two to three hunts a month. They're based in Massena, but they've done investigations from Madrid, N.Y., to Syracuse.
For more information on SLAPS or to pre-order the DVD, go to www.freeghosthunt.com.
Drive There: Experience New Jersey's haunted past
From LeHigh Valley Live: Drive There: Experience New Jersey's haunted past
Paranormal Books & Curiosities is not your run of the mill bookstore. In addition to carrying a wide assortment of both rare and popular books, visitors can participate in ghost hunting classes, paranormal investigations and take a variety of historical ghost tours.
Driving: Paranormal Books & Curiosities, in Asbury Park, NJ, is one hour and 40 minutes from the Easton area. Parking is available right outside the book store, but remember to bring money for the meter. For information on Asbury Park, check out their city guide.
Address and information:
627 Cookman Ave.
Asbury Park, N.J.
732-455-3188
The museum:
Current exhibits include The Jersey Devil: Expedition of 1819, Ghost Ship: The Tragedy of the S.S. Morro Castle, Vampires: Fact and Fiction and the featured exhibit Ouija Boards: A History. The museum explores the theory that this toy is a spiritual device that can be used as a portal into the unknown. Keep an inner eye out for upcoming Ouija Board Workshops.
Tickets for the museum cost $5 for adults, $3 for children under 12.
Haunted tours:
The paranormal museum offers several tours, including Asbury Park Ghosts and Legends Downtown Tour, and lists some of Asbury Park's haunted attractions.
Each tour has you explore the haunted past of the Jersey shore as you walk to different historic locations in the area, learning more about their ghostly secrets, such as the mystery of the infamous Jersey Devil. For added effect these tours take place in intimate groups at night.
Tickets for the tour cost $10 for adults and $5 for children under 12. All tours are approximately 90 minutes long.
Extra paranormal:
Want a psychic reading? The book store also offers the services of psychic mediums Bill Blount and Linda Fate. Blount offers crystal readings while Linda offers tarot card readings. A 10-minute session gives you a brief glimpse into the events around you and costs $20. A 20-minute session costs $40 and presents you with a fuller perspective with targeted questions, while $50 gets you a comprehensive life reading in 30 minutes.
If you’re dying to find out what lies ahead, or even if you’re only curious, Paranormal Books & Curiosities provides you with a comfortable environment to discover your past, present and future.
And if you want to join the ranks of television's paranormal experts and become a ghost hunter, then a Paranormal Investigation is for you. Join the hunt led by experienced investigators who will train and equip you with all the latest ghost hunting technology and arm you with the leading theories as you take an adventure through a haunted location within the Asbury Park area.
For information on upcoming investigations and expeditions, visit the book store’s online calendar.
Make a day of it:
Visit these Jersey Shore hot spots to complete your day.
The Stone Pony, known as the CBGB of the Jersey Shore, is a historic music venue located at 913 Ocean Ave. in Asbury Park. Call 732-502-0600 for information.
The Langosta Lounge is a bar and restaurant that hosts regular dance parties at 1000 Ocean Ave. at 2nd Avenue in Asbury Park. Call 732-455-3275 for information.
Silver Ball Museum Arcade is the Pinball Hall of Fame at 1000 Ocean Avenue in Asbury Park. Call 732-774-4994 for information.
Friday, October 7, 2011
St. Louis: Take a Halloween vacation
From STLToday: Take a Halloween vacation
Looking to celebrate Halloween in a big way? Perhaps a trip out of town? We've got some great ideas for a haunted celebration.
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios, Orlando, Fla. • For 25 nights beginning Sept. 23, Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights returns with eight haunted houses, six scare zones including a night maze and garden of evil, two live shows, scary thrill rides and throngs of monsters, ghouls and goblins. Tickets and vacation packages are on sale now and can be purchased here.
Penitentiary Ghost Tours • Want a ghostly dose of the paranormal to spike your eerie and spooky levels during the month of October? Creep through the Missouri State Penitentiary after dark on a hunt for a possible encounter with the ghosts of the prison's storied past on a "ghost hunt" or "ghost tour." Twilight Ghost Tours cost $25 per person for a two-hour tour and feature exploration of Housing Unit 1, A-Hall, Dungeon Cells and the Gas Chamber, where 40 inmates were put to death. Battery-powered lamps will be provided. Ghost Hunt Tours are also $25 per person for two hours and provide both history and interactive exploration of the prison. Tours are available throughout the month of October, including Halloween weekend. MissouriPenTours.com
Florida Keys • The island chain will host an array of lively hauntings sure to spook visitors above and below the water's surface. For devilish divers who prefer their spookiness submerged, the annual Underwater Pumpkin Carving Contest is set for 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, in Key Largo. (amoray.com). Stay at the beautiful 63-acre Crane Point Hammockin Marathon where a haunting event Oct. 28 will feature ghosts, goblins, spooky hayrides, food, fun and a costume contest. The lush landscape will take a turn for the terrifying with trails and spook houses planned to send chills down visitors' spines (cranepoint.net/events.html). Fort Zachary Taylor, a Civil War-era fort on Key West's Atlantic Ocean shore, will host a Vampire's Ball, set for 8-11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22. For complete event information, visit hauntedkeywestfort.com.
SeaWorld's Halloween Spooktacular • Guests can enjoy an "ocean of Halloween" fun featuring trick-or-treating, dancing with whimsical sea creatures, catching silly and spooky shows and creating sea-themed arts and crafts. SeaWorld's Halloween Spooktacular in Orlando and San Diego takes place weekends in October. Price included with admission. seaworldspooktacular.com
Halloween Getaway to London • The Langham London is considered one of London's most haunted establishments, and it is offering a Halloween package during the month of Octorber. This annual October package priced £333 (the same number as The Langham's most haunted room) features overnight accommodation for two persons, a Tarantula Cocktail for two in Artesian, a Jack The Ripper Walking Tour and a complimentary history book (complete with ghost stories) of The Langham, London from The Langham Book Butler. Guests may request to stay in room 333, subject to availability. Bookings may be made on-line at langhamhotels.co.uk, by calling the hotel directly on 011 44 20 7973 7503, by e-mail: lon.resv@langhamhotels.com
Looking to celebrate Halloween in a big way? Perhaps a trip out of town? We've got some great ideas for a haunted celebration.
Halloween Horror Nights at Universal Studios, Orlando, Fla. • For 25 nights beginning Sept. 23, Universal Orlando's Halloween Horror Nights returns with eight haunted houses, six scare zones including a night maze and garden of evil, two live shows, scary thrill rides and throngs of monsters, ghouls and goblins. Tickets and vacation packages are on sale now and can be purchased here.
Penitentiary Ghost Tours • Want a ghostly dose of the paranormal to spike your eerie and spooky levels during the month of October? Creep through the Missouri State Penitentiary after dark on a hunt for a possible encounter with the ghosts of the prison's storied past on a "ghost hunt" or "ghost tour." Twilight Ghost Tours cost $25 per person for a two-hour tour and feature exploration of Housing Unit 1, A-Hall, Dungeon Cells and the Gas Chamber, where 40 inmates were put to death. Battery-powered lamps will be provided. Ghost Hunt Tours are also $25 per person for two hours and provide both history and interactive exploration of the prison. Tours are available throughout the month of October, including Halloween weekend. MissouriPenTours.com
Florida Keys • The island chain will host an array of lively hauntings sure to spook visitors above and below the water's surface. For devilish divers who prefer their spookiness submerged, the annual Underwater Pumpkin Carving Contest is set for 8:30 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 16, in Key Largo. (amoray.com). Stay at the beautiful 63-acre Crane Point Hammockin Marathon where a haunting event Oct. 28 will feature ghosts, goblins, spooky hayrides, food, fun and a costume contest. The lush landscape will take a turn for the terrifying with trails and spook houses planned to send chills down visitors' spines (cranepoint.net/events.html). Fort Zachary Taylor, a Civil War-era fort on Key West's Atlantic Ocean shore, will host a Vampire's Ball, set for 8-11 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22. For complete event information, visit hauntedkeywestfort.com.
SeaWorld's Halloween Spooktacular • Guests can enjoy an "ocean of Halloween" fun featuring trick-or-treating, dancing with whimsical sea creatures, catching silly and spooky shows and creating sea-themed arts and crafts. SeaWorld's Halloween Spooktacular in Orlando and San Diego takes place weekends in October. Price included with admission. seaworldspooktacular.com
Halloween Getaway to London • The Langham London is considered one of London's most haunted establishments, and it is offering a Halloween package during the month of Octorber. This annual October package priced £333 (the same number as The Langham's most haunted room) features overnight accommodation for two persons, a Tarantula Cocktail for two in Artesian, a Jack The Ripper Walking Tour and a complimentary history book (complete with ghost stories) of The Langham, London from The Langham Book Butler. Guests may request to stay in room 333, subject to availability. Bookings may be made on-line at langhamhotels.co.uk, by calling the hotel directly on 011 44 20 7973 7503, by e-mail: lon.resv@langhamhotels.com
Canton, OH tonight: Ghost hunters to converge on Palace Theatre
From CantonRep.com: Ghost hunters to converge on Palace Theatre
CANTON — A local ghost hunters group will venture into the Palace Theatre tonight.
The Nearly Everywhere Ohio Ghost Society will host a tour of the downtown movie house on Oct. 7, following a showing of “The Blair Witch Project.” The group also offers private overnight investigations at the Palace, located at 605 Market Ave. N.
They’re looking for signs of this:
Legend is that on opening night in 1926, Palace patrons were treated to sounds of Banks Kennedy and the Kilgen Wonder Organ. In the 1930s, Kennedy was shot and killed in the theater basement on the order of a mob boss, because Banks dated the mobster’s daughter against his wishes. There also have been reports of a little girl seen in the balcony.
Admission to the ghost hunt and movie is $40 and is limited to 30 people.
For more information, visit the Palace Theatre website to check for future ghost tours and hunts, or call 330-454-8172 to reserve tickets.
CANTON — A local ghost hunters group will venture into the Palace Theatre tonight.
The Nearly Everywhere Ohio Ghost Society will host a tour of the downtown movie house on Oct. 7, following a showing of “The Blair Witch Project.” The group also offers private overnight investigations at the Palace, located at 605 Market Ave. N.
They’re looking for signs of this:
Legend is that on opening night in 1926, Palace patrons were treated to sounds of Banks Kennedy and the Kilgen Wonder Organ. In the 1930s, Kennedy was shot and killed in the theater basement on the order of a mob boss, because Banks dated the mobster’s daughter against his wishes. There also have been reports of a little girl seen in the balcony.
Admission to the ghost hunt and movie is $40 and is limited to 30 people.
For more information, visit the Palace Theatre website to check for future ghost tours and hunts, or call 330-454-8172 to reserve tickets.
Oct 7, Fri, Farmington Hills, MI: Halloween fun kicks off at mansion, zoo, park
From Hometown Life: Halloween fun kicks off at mansion, zoo, park
Ghost Hunters of Southern Michigan (GHOSM) will talk about ghostly findings from locations they've investigated around the state at a presentation at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7 at Longacre House, in Farmington Hills.
The program will include a tour and search for paranormal activity at the Longacre House, a Georgian mansion that is owned by the City of Farmington Hills, at 24705 Farmington Road. Coffee and doughnuts also will be served.
Members of Ghost Hunters of Southern Michigan share an interest in searching out spirits and abnormal occurrences. The group has conducted tours of The Whitney in Detroit, as well as cemeteries and houses in Flat Rock, Rockwood, Westland, Plymouth, West Bloomfield, Wayne, Redford, Monroe, and Freeland. They record and document ghostly sounds and other evidence as well as “true ghost stories” told by their patrons.
Admission to the tour and presentation is $20 for residents and $25 for non-residents. Participants must be age 18 or older.
Reservations are required. Visit https://recreg.fhgov.com or register in person at the Costick Center, 28600 W. 11 Mile, Farmington Hills.
For more information, call the Cultural Arts Division at (248) 473-1856.
Zoo Boo
The Detroit Zoo's annual “merry-not-scary” Zoo Boo celebration returns this Halloween season, featuring a festively decorated half-mile trick-or-treat trail through the front of the Zoo, 6-8 p.m. Oct. 14-16, 21-23 and 28-30.
Elaborate pumpkin displays will line the treat trail, where greeters will pass out goodies to children along the route. A trail of eerie fog will lead through a spooky graveyard to the Haunted Reptile House, where friendly witches, vampires and other monsters will take up residence for the Halloween season.
The live mini-musical “Zoo Boo Revue” will be performed in the Events Pavilion. The Ghouly Games Tent will feature Halloween-themed games, prizes, arts and crafts and a hay maze and The Zombie Zone will offer games, spooky activities and pumpkin-carving demonstrations.
Also returning for Zoo Boo is the limited-release pirate adventure “The Curse of Skull Rock” at the Wild Adventure 3-D/4-D Theater in the Ford Education Center. Tickets are an additional $4 per person; children under 2 are free.
Advance tickets for Zoo Boo are available at Booth One at the front of the Detroit Zoo or online at www.detroitzoo.org/zooboo. Tickets are $7 per person ages 2 and up. Time slots for Zoo Boo are 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. If a date and time slot is not sold out, a limited number of tickets may be available at the gate that day after 5 p.m. for $10.
The Detroit Zoo is located at Woodward Ave., and the I-696 service drive, in Royal Oak.
At Hines Park
Wayne County Parks' Halloween Festival 2011 will run 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15 at Nankin Mills Picnic Area, located on Hines Drive, east of Ann arbor Trail in Westland and offer free games, hayrides, inflatables, trick-or-treating, and entertainment. Youngsters may dress in “spook-free” costumes and participate in a costume parade.
Check out the first annual Howl-O-Ween from 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Oct. 15 at the Wayne County Dog Park, located at Hawthorne Ridge Park, located on Hines Drive east of Merriman, in Westland. There will be costume contests, pet related vendors, games and give-aways at this free event.
A spook-free Halloween Hike, with starting times of 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., will include a walk and nature-inspired costumed characters on Friday, Oct. 21 at Nankin Mills Interpretive Center. Cost is $5 and preregistration is required. Call (734) 261-1990.
Ghost Hunters of Southern Michigan (GHOSM) will talk about ghostly findings from locations they've investigated around the state at a presentation at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7 at Longacre House, in Farmington Hills.
The program will include a tour and search for paranormal activity at the Longacre House, a Georgian mansion that is owned by the City of Farmington Hills, at 24705 Farmington Road. Coffee and doughnuts also will be served.
Members of Ghost Hunters of Southern Michigan share an interest in searching out spirits and abnormal occurrences. The group has conducted tours of The Whitney in Detroit, as well as cemeteries and houses in Flat Rock, Rockwood, Westland, Plymouth, West Bloomfield, Wayne, Redford, Monroe, and Freeland. They record and document ghostly sounds and other evidence as well as “true ghost stories” told by their patrons.
Admission to the tour and presentation is $20 for residents and $25 for non-residents. Participants must be age 18 or older.
Reservations are required. Visit https://recreg.fhgov.com or register in person at the Costick Center, 28600 W. 11 Mile, Farmington Hills.
For more information, call the Cultural Arts Division at (248) 473-1856.
Zoo Boo
The Detroit Zoo's annual “merry-not-scary” Zoo Boo celebration returns this Halloween season, featuring a festively decorated half-mile trick-or-treat trail through the front of the Zoo, 6-8 p.m. Oct. 14-16, 21-23 and 28-30.
Elaborate pumpkin displays will line the treat trail, where greeters will pass out goodies to children along the route. A trail of eerie fog will lead through a spooky graveyard to the Haunted Reptile House, where friendly witches, vampires and other monsters will take up residence for the Halloween season.
The live mini-musical “Zoo Boo Revue” will be performed in the Events Pavilion. The Ghouly Games Tent will feature Halloween-themed games, prizes, arts and crafts and a hay maze and The Zombie Zone will offer games, spooky activities and pumpkin-carving demonstrations.
Also returning for Zoo Boo is the limited-release pirate adventure “The Curse of Skull Rock” at the Wild Adventure 3-D/4-D Theater in the Ford Education Center. Tickets are an additional $4 per person; children under 2 are free.
Advance tickets for Zoo Boo are available at Booth One at the front of the Detroit Zoo or online at www.detroitzoo.org/zooboo. Tickets are $7 per person ages 2 and up. Time slots for Zoo Boo are 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. If a date and time slot is not sold out, a limited number of tickets may be available at the gate that day after 5 p.m. for $10.
The Detroit Zoo is located at Woodward Ave., and the I-696 service drive, in Royal Oak.
At Hines Park
Wayne County Parks' Halloween Festival 2011 will run 1-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15 at Nankin Mills Picnic Area, located on Hines Drive, east of Ann arbor Trail in Westland and offer free games, hayrides, inflatables, trick-or-treating, and entertainment. Youngsters may dress in “spook-free” costumes and participate in a costume parade.
Check out the first annual Howl-O-Ween from 10 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Oct. 15 at the Wayne County Dog Park, located at Hawthorne Ridge Park, located on Hines Drive east of Merriman, in Westland. There will be costume contests, pet related vendors, games and give-aways at this free event.
A spook-free Halloween Hike, with starting times of 6 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m., will include a walk and nature-inspired costumed characters on Friday, Oct. 21 at Nankin Mills Interpretive Center. Cost is $5 and preregistration is required. Call (734) 261-1990.
Peterborough, UK: Ghost Hunt: Chills at Sacrewell Farm
The ghost hunt announced below actually took place on Sept 30. I share the news because you've got a phone number for the NPIT, who go on several ghost hunts, and because Sacrewell Farm will have "fright nights" from October 23-30 to celebrate Halloween.
From The Evening Telegraph: Peterborough: Ghost Hunt: Chills at Sacrewell Farm
DARE you explore Sacrewell Farm’s 18th-century haunted watermill in the middle of the night?
Intrepid explorers can join the Northamptonshire Paranormal Investigation Team (NPIT) at the farm, near Peterborough, tonight.
The NPIT is well-known for its popular ghost hunts, which are held all over the country.
Each of the investigators are psychics, and their use of state-of- the-art equipment adds to a very intriguing night.
The ghost hunt will begin at 10pm and continue through until 2am. Tickets are £10 each, available from the head investigator Dennis Binks on 01536 460097.
And this Halloween, there will be something spooky going on down at the farm.
Strange creatures will stir, witches begin to stoke their cauldron and giant spiders start to spin their webs.
Back by popular demand, Sacrewell Farm’s spooky fright nights offer an unmissable, spine-tingling experience.
There are limited spaces available for fright nights (October 23 to 30) and pre-booking is essential.
Tickets are £5.50 from 01780 782254.
Sacrewell Farm’s new craft and gift fair also launches tomorrow.
Visitors can choose from a wonderful selection of gifts and goodies, including hand-made jewellery and bespoke presents. The barn doors open at 10am and it’s free entry to the fair.
Normal farm admission prices apply.
From The Evening Telegraph: Peterborough: Ghost Hunt: Chills at Sacrewell Farm
DARE you explore Sacrewell Farm’s 18th-century haunted watermill in the middle of the night?
Intrepid explorers can join the Northamptonshire Paranormal Investigation Team (NPIT) at the farm, near Peterborough, tonight.
The NPIT is well-known for its popular ghost hunts, which are held all over the country.
Each of the investigators are psychics, and their use of state-of- the-art equipment adds to a very intriguing night.
The ghost hunt will begin at 10pm and continue through until 2am. Tickets are £10 each, available from the head investigator Dennis Binks on 01536 460097.
And this Halloween, there will be something spooky going on down at the farm.
Strange creatures will stir, witches begin to stoke their cauldron and giant spiders start to spin their webs.
Back by popular demand, Sacrewell Farm’s spooky fright nights offer an unmissable, spine-tingling experience.
There are limited spaces available for fright nights (October 23 to 30) and pre-booking is essential.
Tickets are £5.50 from 01780 782254.
Sacrewell Farm’s new craft and gift fair also launches tomorrow.
Visitors can choose from a wonderful selection of gifts and goodies, including hand-made jewellery and bespoke presents. The barn doors open at 10am and it’s free entry to the fair.
Normal farm admission prices apply.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Calendar: 29 October, Lexington KY: Ghost Hunt-Paranormal Investigation
From Lexgo: Ghost Hunt-Paranormal Investigation
Ghost Hunt-Paranormal Investigation
Friday, Oct 28 7:00p to Saturday, Oct 29 12:00a
at Waveland State Historic Site, Lexington, KY
Join us at Waveland Musuem for a Ghost Hunt and Paranormal Investigation. This is our fourth year hosting this event and each year we have activity. You will get to work with actual paranormal investigators and perform an actual investigation in the main house, cabin and slave quarters. You will get to use EMF equipment, recorders, cameras and other tools used to hunt for activity. This event is a blast, educational and just plain fun. You have seen it on TV, now be part of an actual ghost hunt.
Ghost Hunt-Paranormal Investigation
Friday, Oct 28 7:00p to Saturday, Oct 29 12:00a
at Waveland State Historic Site, Lexington, KY
Join us at Waveland Musuem for a Ghost Hunt and Paranormal Investigation. This is our fourth year hosting this event and each year we have activity. You will get to work with actual paranormal investigators and perform an actual investigation in the main house, cabin and slave quarters. You will get to use EMF equipment, recorders, cameras and other tools used to hunt for activity. This event is a blast, educational and just plain fun. You have seen it on TV, now be part of an actual ghost hunt.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Calendar: OCtober 15, Fairfield, Ohio: Ghost hunt author to speak at Fairfield Lane Public Library Oct. 15
From Cincinatti.com: Ghost hunt author to speak at Fairfield Lane Public Library Oct. 15
A ghost hunting expert will speak about haunted locations throughout the country when he comes to the Fairfield Lane Public Library Oct. 15.
John Kachuba’s hour-long program begins at 1 p.m., at the library, 1485 Corydale Dr. It is free and open to the public.
Kachuba is the author of Ghosthunting Ohio and Ghosthunting Illinois. He will include haunted locations in the region.
His books will be available for purchase following the program.
Information: 513-858-3238x358
A ghost hunting expert will speak about haunted locations throughout the country when he comes to the Fairfield Lane Public Library Oct. 15.
John Kachuba’s hour-long program begins at 1 p.m., at the library, 1485 Corydale Dr. It is free and open to the public.
Kachuba is the author of Ghosthunting Ohio and Ghosthunting Illinois. He will include haunted locations in the region.
His books will be available for purchase following the program.
Information: 513-858-3238x358
Calendar, 26 OCtober at Niagra Falls: Local Ghost Hunter Offers Lecture on Hauntings at Niagara Wheatfield
From Niagara Falls, WGRZ.com: Local Ghost Hunter Offers Lecture on Hauntings at Niagara Wheatfield
Have you ever wondered what goes bump in the night? Locally renowned ghost hunter Steven Richards did after an encounter at the Town Hall in Niagara where he is supervisor. “I was at the town hall late at night and I heard voices and footsteps. I went to explore and no one was there.” After learning that other people he worked with had experienced the same thing he and some friends stayed overnight to see if anything would happen. At 5:00AM all the candles blew out simultaneously and the amateur ghost hunters ran out the door. But the experienced peaked his curiosity and it wasn’t long before he and two other ghost hunter enthusiasts, James Kramp and Diane Tallarico, joined forces to create the Dark Starr Paranormal Research Society. “Since then it has exploded,” he says. “We spend a lot of time exploring odd and creepy places. The most fascinating thing I have ever experienced was being pulled on while on a ghost hunt and nearly knocked over. Also there have been a lot of EVP’s that we have picked up.” EVP’s are Electronic Voice Phenomenon and he had his partners have picked up many of them at local sites like the Niagara Falls Boys and Girls Club, Iron island Museum and the Pharaoh’s Night Club.
He will be speaking about his experiences and showing off his ghost hunting equipment at a lecture for the Niagara Wheatfield Adult Education program on October 26th from 6:30-8:30PM at the Niagara Wheatfield High School. “At the lecture people can expect three things: number one to see all the equipment we have and they get a hands-on demonstration of it. Number two, they get to see and hear all the evidence we have collected and number three, they get a chance to share an experience they had concerning the paranormal with the group which seems to be a great way for people to open up.” People who attend the workshop will also have a chance to sign up for a once in a lifetime guided field trip with Steven. “Our field trips will consist of taking a large group of people and breaking them into smaller groups where one of our instructors will take each smaller group on a real ghost hunt to a place where we have already been and know is haunted.”
The lecture fills up quickly, so anyone interested in hearing Steven should go to the Niagara Wheatfield website www.nwcsd.k12.ny.us under Adult Education or call the Adult Education Office at 215-3109.
Have you ever wondered what goes bump in the night? Locally renowned ghost hunter Steven Richards did after an encounter at the Town Hall in Niagara where he is supervisor. “I was at the town hall late at night and I heard voices and footsteps. I went to explore and no one was there.” After learning that other people he worked with had experienced the same thing he and some friends stayed overnight to see if anything would happen. At 5:00AM all the candles blew out simultaneously and the amateur ghost hunters ran out the door. But the experienced peaked his curiosity and it wasn’t long before he and two other ghost hunter enthusiasts, James Kramp and Diane Tallarico, joined forces to create the Dark Starr Paranormal Research Society. “Since then it has exploded,” he says. “We spend a lot of time exploring odd and creepy places. The most fascinating thing I have ever experienced was being pulled on while on a ghost hunt and nearly knocked over. Also there have been a lot of EVP’s that we have picked up.” EVP’s are Electronic Voice Phenomenon and he had his partners have picked up many of them at local sites like the Niagara Falls Boys and Girls Club, Iron island Museum and the Pharaoh’s Night Club.
He will be speaking about his experiences and showing off his ghost hunting equipment at a lecture for the Niagara Wheatfield Adult Education program on October 26th from 6:30-8:30PM at the Niagara Wheatfield High School. “At the lecture people can expect three things: number one to see all the equipment we have and they get a hands-on demonstration of it. Number two, they get to see and hear all the evidence we have collected and number three, they get a chance to share an experience they had concerning the paranormal with the group which seems to be a great way for people to open up.” People who attend the workshop will also have a chance to sign up for a once in a lifetime guided field trip with Steven. “Our field trips will consist of taking a large group of people and breaking them into smaller groups where one of our instructors will take each smaller group on a real ghost hunt to a place where we have already been and know is haunted.”
The lecture fills up quickly, so anyone interested in hearing Steven should go to the Niagara Wheatfield website www.nwcsd.k12.ny.us under Adult Education or call the Adult Education Office at 215-3109.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Reminder - Oct 23 and 31 in England at Beaulieu Abbey
From Easier.com: Join the hunt for ghosts & ghouls at Beaulieu Abbey
On the 22nd and 31st October this year, join the Hampshire Ghost Club as they embark on a paranormal investigation at the historic 13th century Beaulieu Abbey, the site of many spooky spectre sightings.
Beaulieu Abbey was founded in 1204, when King John gave a gift of land to the Cistercian monks to found a monastery. The largest Cistercian Abbey in England, Beaulieu thrived for over 300 years until it was destroyed in the 1530s at the time of the dissolution of the Monasteries.
The strange stories and legends surrounding Beaulieu Abbey have captured the imaginations of people from all walks of life, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who had a great interest in psychic research and made many visits to Beaulieu in search of the unexplainable. To this day, both staff and visitors to Beaulieu report glimpsing ghosts of the Abbey’s former inhabitants, as well as sounds and smells from eras past.
Now, the Hampshire Ghost Club are inviting members of the public to join them on a ghost hunt, investigating some of the most haunted areas of Beaulieu’s ancient Abbey.
The paranormal sessions will be taking place on two nights around Halloween, beginning at 9pm and continuing through to 1pm. Activities will include vigils and investigations, using professional equipment, in the Abbey’s Domus building, which was formerly the Lay Brothers’ Dormitory. Investigations will also take place in the Abbey ruins and Cloisters. Ticket prices are £50 per person, including hot drink refreshments, and are available to people aged 18+. Pre-booking for these sessions is essential, and you can reserve your place by telephoning 01590 612888.*
For more information, visit beaulieu.co.uk.
On the 22nd and 31st October this year, join the Hampshire Ghost Club as they embark on a paranormal investigation at the historic 13th century Beaulieu Abbey, the site of many spooky spectre sightings.
Beaulieu Abbey was founded in 1204, when King John gave a gift of land to the Cistercian monks to found a monastery. The largest Cistercian Abbey in England, Beaulieu thrived for over 300 years until it was destroyed in the 1530s at the time of the dissolution of the Monasteries.
The strange stories and legends surrounding Beaulieu Abbey have captured the imaginations of people from all walks of life, including Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, who had a great interest in psychic research and made many visits to Beaulieu in search of the unexplainable. To this day, both staff and visitors to Beaulieu report glimpsing ghosts of the Abbey’s former inhabitants, as well as sounds and smells from eras past.
Now, the Hampshire Ghost Club are inviting members of the public to join them on a ghost hunt, investigating some of the most haunted areas of Beaulieu’s ancient Abbey.
The paranormal sessions will be taking place on two nights around Halloween, beginning at 9pm and continuing through to 1pm. Activities will include vigils and investigations, using professional equipment, in the Abbey’s Domus building, which was formerly the Lay Brothers’ Dormitory. Investigations will also take place in the Abbey ruins and Cloisters. Ticket prices are £50 per person, including hot drink refreshments, and are available to people aged 18+. Pre-booking for these sessions is essential, and you can reserve your place by telephoning 01590 612888.*
For more information, visit beaulieu.co.uk.
Reminder about UK event on Oct 8
From Keighley News, UK: Hunt is on for ghostly girl
Ghostbusters hope to discover the truth about a girl who allegedly haunts a Haworth club.
The Pennine Paranormal Society will visit Parkside Social Club to find traces of the spectral child.
People can join experts Si Booth and Chris Whitehouse for the night-time investigation.
Proceeds of the event, on Saturday, October 8, event will support Not Over The Hill Yet (NOTHY), an “over 50s youth club” based at Parkside.
NOTHY founders Shona and Geoff Grange told the Keighley News last year about the haunting at the Butt Lane building.
Ghosthunter Malcolm Hanson looked into sightings of a girl believed to be in Victorian clothing.
Mr Booth believes the clothing may be more modern and the girl could be an evacuee sent to Haworth during the 1940s.
He said: “Hopefully from research and from the evening itself more details will come forward. The club itself has had many reports of footsteps being heard in empty rooms, also cold spots and the apparition of the girl herself.”
Mr Booth, who runs the Pennine Paranormal Society, will make a visit to Parkside on September 23 with Mr Whitehouse, who runs Otherworld Investigations UK.
They will return for the all-night vigil on October 8 for what they are calling A Night Of Paranormal Investigation And Ghost Hunting.
Limited tickets for the event, which will run from 10pm until the early hours, cost £30 including refreshments through the night.
They are available from pennineparanormal.co.uk or the Parkside Social Club.
Mr Booth said anyone with information about the haunting could contact him through the website.
Mr Booth said the Para-normal Society had recently been involved in a documentary for Belgium TV.
He said: “We have further events planned at the West Riding in Leeds and Bar Place in Hebden Bridge.
“We have also been involved in a number of private house investigations where people have had problem hauntings or just wanted to find out more about the activity going on in their homes.”
Reminder - Oct 14 and 15 in Milford, DE
From Milford Beacon: Paranormal team invites public to investigate Parson Thorne Mansion
Milford, Del. — For those who have ever wondered if the Parson Thorne Mansion on Front Street in Milford is haunted, Delmarva Historic Haunts plans to find out.
The Milford-based paranormal group will host a public ghost hunt at the mansion from 7 to 11 p.m., Friday, Oct. 14 and Saturday, Oct. 15.
Milford resident Rick Coherd, lead investigator and founder of Delmarva Historic Haunts, formed the group seven months ago after branching off from the Delaware Ghost Hunters, a group that investigates historic sites like Fort Delaware, Bellevue Hall Mansion and Fort Mifflin, as well as local homes.
Coherd said DHH focuses on helping local historic sites, like the Milford Historical Society’s Parson Thorne Mansion, raise funds in order to continue educating the public.
“I’m a historian first,” he said. “If we can help these places keep history alive for the people and for our kids to enjoy, what’s wrong with a little ghost hunting?”
Coherd, a longtime guide at Fort Delaware, said he’s experienced his share of paranormal activity in the fort and is a definite believer in the supernatural.
“Life is complicated and sometimes death is, too,” he said. “If you’ve heard all the things I’ve heard or seen all the things I’ve seen, there’d be no doubt there’s something going on.”
Coherd said his group, made up of 11 members, will not investigate houses less than 100 years old. His investigators will often spend the night in homes, looking to debunk claims or find something eerie.
“What we do is try to find out if anything at all is actually going on,” he said. “There’s no show. We’re either watching corn grow in the dark or it’s something phenomenal.”
The group recently investigated the Parson Thorne Mansion and did come across some activity using electro magnetic field detectors and DVR system, Coherd said. Activity has included hearing footsteps up the stairs and even catching what could be a shadowy figure near the graveyard.
“Parson Thorne is supposed to be walking around the grounds and the house,” he said. “I’m chomping at the bit to see the footage we caught. Even if it’s some guy with a beer can, we’ll post it. Sometimes you’ll end up debunking rumors.”
Coherd said the public ghost hunt in October will include a one-on-one class at the local library before the two-hour investigation. The public will be divided into three groups of 10 and explore different spots of the property using the group’s equipment.
“Often times, people want to be apart of the investigation,” he said. “This is a great way of doing that.”
Coherd said those interested but aren’t able to make this hunt will have another opportunity when DHH teams with the Lewes Historical Society to explore Shipbuilders Square each during the last two weekends of October. The group will offer two separate sessions, which will run from 7 to 10 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., Friday and Saturday nights.
“These historical societies need our help,” he said. “This is our way of giving back. We’re here to help the community have a good time around Halloween, so let’s have some fun and do it.”
Milford, Del. — For those who have ever wondered if the Parson Thorne Mansion on Front Street in Milford is haunted, Delmarva Historic Haunts plans to find out.
The Milford-based paranormal group will host a public ghost hunt at the mansion from 7 to 11 p.m., Friday, Oct. 14 and Saturday, Oct. 15.
Milford resident Rick Coherd, lead investigator and founder of Delmarva Historic Haunts, formed the group seven months ago after branching off from the Delaware Ghost Hunters, a group that investigates historic sites like Fort Delaware, Bellevue Hall Mansion and Fort Mifflin, as well as local homes.
Coherd said DHH focuses on helping local historic sites, like the Milford Historical Society’s Parson Thorne Mansion, raise funds in order to continue educating the public.
“I’m a historian first,” he said. “If we can help these places keep history alive for the people and for our kids to enjoy, what’s wrong with a little ghost hunting?”
Coherd, a longtime guide at Fort Delaware, said he’s experienced his share of paranormal activity in the fort and is a definite believer in the supernatural.
“Life is complicated and sometimes death is, too,” he said. “If you’ve heard all the things I’ve heard or seen all the things I’ve seen, there’d be no doubt there’s something going on.”
Coherd said his group, made up of 11 members, will not investigate houses less than 100 years old. His investigators will often spend the night in homes, looking to debunk claims or find something eerie.
“What we do is try to find out if anything at all is actually going on,” he said. “There’s no show. We’re either watching corn grow in the dark or it’s something phenomenal.”
The group recently investigated the Parson Thorne Mansion and did come across some activity using electro magnetic field detectors and DVR system, Coherd said. Activity has included hearing footsteps up the stairs and even catching what could be a shadowy figure near the graveyard.
“Parson Thorne is supposed to be walking around the grounds and the house,” he said. “I’m chomping at the bit to see the footage we caught. Even if it’s some guy with a beer can, we’ll post it. Sometimes you’ll end up debunking rumors.”
Coherd said the public ghost hunt in October will include a one-on-one class at the local library before the two-hour investigation. The public will be divided into three groups of 10 and explore different spots of the property using the group’s equipment.
“Often times, people want to be apart of the investigation,” he said. “This is a great way of doing that.”
Coherd said those interested but aren’t able to make this hunt will have another opportunity when DHH teams with the Lewes Historical Society to explore Shipbuilders Square each during the last two weekends of October. The group will offer two separate sessions, which will run from 7 to 10 p.m. and 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., Friday and Saturday nights.
“These historical societies need our help,” he said. “This is our way of giving back. We’re here to help the community have a good time around Halloween, so let’s have some fun and do it.”
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