Ahhh, the internet. A good place to find marked down prescription drugs, eBay leftovers and freaks who want to show you something your mother told you never to look at. It is also a brand new world of information with podcasting! While internet radio has been around for years, podcasting has exploded in the last year or so with more broadband connections in homes. Always on the cusp (another way of calling us geeks), ghost hunters are responding with shows that help to illuminate the darkness and shine the light of truth into the spooky crap. Ok. I'm a geek too. There. Happy now?
Please peruse the sidebar under my Wee Ghostie mascot to take a peek at some great work out on the airwaves. I'll be switching them out periodically so if you have a podcast that you'd like featured here, give me a jingle!
Shirley Plantation
In 1858, long after Martha’s death, the family noticed the painting rocking violently against the wall above the mantel in a third story bedroom. Moving the noisy portrait to the attic only intensified its turbulent actions. Knocking was heard around the house and word got out that the plantation was infected with a rather boisterous picture. The Civil War soon surrounded the plantation and the residents of Shirley were caught up in the turmoil of having their home turned into a field hospital as General McClellan transported over 8,000 injured and dying men out of Virginia. With their access to the James River close by, injured men were transferred onto Union ships and the dead were buried in the family cemetery. There is no mention of Pratt’s activity during this time, they probably had more pressing matters to worry about.
After peace ensued, the portrait was taken out of storage in the attic and placed on the first floor in a place of honor for the old gal. Though happy for a while, it soon began its rocking and the hunt was on for someplace that the picture would remain quiet. Finally placing the picture in Martha’s second floor bedroom, it remained relatively quiet for the next few years.
In 1974, the Virginia Travel Council loaned the portrait with other items associated with psychic phenomena to an exhibit at Rockefeller Plaza in New York. Once placed in a display window, the picture began to rock so vigorously that the seal of Virginia, which was placed beside it, began to swing from side to side in front of spectators. Aunt Pratt made her national television debut on NBC-TV as a reporter on his way to lunch stopped by to see what all the ruckus was about and caught the rocking on tape. It caused such a disturbance that it was removed from the exhibit and crated up. The night shift reported hearing crying and rocking in the storage room. One morning it was found on the floor outside the storage locker, some thought she was making a break for the exit…
After being returned to Virginia, the portrait was taken to Linden Galleries in Richmond, Virginia to help repair the damage to the frame. While there, workers would tell of bells ringing, though there were no bells on the property. The portrait was finally placed back at Shirley Plantation and is seemingly happy in it’s second floor bedroom. Tours are available of the mansion though you may have to pay more to see the rocking… ;)
Drury Lane Theater
Drury Lane Theater
by Stacey Graham
Sometimes you just can’t pull yourself away from good theater…
The Drury Lane, Theatre Royal, is the oldest theatre in London (save the rebuilt Globe), having been built in 1663. Its walls have a long history full of intrigue, romance and murder. The most famous ghost to inhabit the audience is the Man in Gray, so named for his long gray coat accompanying his tricorn hat, powdered wig and sword. His dress has been identified as common to the 18th century. He’s more apt to shush patrons rather than scare them, he comes to watch the play from the balcony where he slowly walks from one end to the other only to disappear into the wall. Who said ghosts only appear at night, his favorite haunting time seems to be between 9am and 6pm, time enough for the tour groups to get a good peek… He is often seen at rehearsals and his presence is considered very lucky. Of course, these are the people that want you to break a leg before any performance too so I think they’re just looking for something to hold onto.
King Charles II, who gave the theater it’s Royal Charter, also likes to pop in now and again with his retinue. His love of the theater also extended to a young actress/orange seller, Nell Gwynn, who got her start at Drury Lane. She went on to become one of the most popular and infamous figures of that century, as both a comedian and Charles’s mistress. Perhaps Chuck is wandering backstage to find his lost lover? He probably didn’t find her at the performance of Oklahoma but it did help Curly hit the high note in his solo…”OOOOOOOOOOOOOOklahoma!”
Sweet young things are often “helped” along in their performances by the unseen hands of Joe Grimaldi, a popular comic and singer who was often seen at Drury Lane (before his death, duh). He apparently guides them around the stage and gives actresses a little pat on the back after a good job. Not a bad gig for a dirty old man.
Something wicked walked through the theater about 200 years ago and left a rotting corpse behind. Around 100 years ago, workmen broke through a wall containing the skeleton of a man complete with a knife poking out of his ribcage. Now call me crazy but I’m thinking he didn’t do this on accident, at least not the bricking himself up bit. The remaining bits and pieces were gathered up and buried in a nearby churchyard. Perhaps this would’ve been the same churchyard that reburied the coffins left exposed in the Drury Lane graveyard in the 1830s. It’s hard to imagine a more peaceful scene, you, the birds and someone’s foot poking out of the ground…
by Stacey Graham
Sometimes you just can’t pull yourself away from good theater…
The Drury Lane, Theatre Royal, is the oldest theatre in London (save the rebuilt Globe), having been built in 1663. Its walls have a long history full of intrigue, romance and murder. The most famous ghost to inhabit the audience is the Man in Gray, so named for his long gray coat accompanying his tricorn hat, powdered wig and sword. His dress has been identified as common to the 18th century. He’s more apt to shush patrons rather than scare them, he comes to watch the play from the balcony where he slowly walks from one end to the other only to disappear into the wall. Who said ghosts only appear at night, his favorite haunting time seems to be between 9am and 6pm, time enough for the tour groups to get a good peek… He is often seen at rehearsals and his presence is considered very lucky. Of course, these are the people that want you to break a leg before any performance too so I think they’re just looking for something to hold onto.
King Charles II, who gave the theater it’s Royal Charter, also likes to pop in now and again with his retinue. His love of the theater also extended to a young actress/orange seller, Nell Gwynn, who got her start at Drury Lane. She went on to become one of the most popular and infamous figures of that century, as both a comedian and Charles’s mistress. Perhaps Chuck is wandering backstage to find his lost lover? He probably didn’t find her at the performance of Oklahoma but it did help Curly hit the high note in his solo…”OOOOOOOOOOOOOOklahoma!”
Sweet young things are often “helped” along in their performances by the unseen hands of Joe Grimaldi, a popular comic and singer who was often seen at Drury Lane (before his death, duh). He apparently guides them around the stage and gives actresses a little pat on the back after a good job. Not a bad gig for a dirty old man.
Something wicked walked through the theater about 200 years ago and left a rotting corpse behind. Around 100 years ago, workmen broke through a wall containing the skeleton of a man complete with a knife poking out of his ribcage. Now call me crazy but I’m thinking he didn’t do this on accident, at least not the bricking himself up bit. The remaining bits and pieces were gathered up and buried in a nearby churchyard. Perhaps this would’ve been the same churchyard that reburied the coffins left exposed in the Drury Lane graveyard in the 1830s. It’s hard to imagine a more peaceful scene, you, the birds and someone’s foot poking out of the ground…
Goldfield Hotel
Elizabeth’s last moments were of torture and terror. Chained to the radiator in Room 109, the prostitute carrying the child of the Goldfield Hotel’s owner, George Winfield, cried out in the night for mercy but found only emptiness. As soon as the child was born, it was ripped from her hands and disposed of down the chute of the abandoned gold mine over which the hotel was built. Psychics say Elizabeth was either left to die there or was murdered soon afterwards, nonetheless, her spirit is trapped within the small room.
A reporter from the Las Vegas Sun came to research more about the entity in 1984, seventy-six years after the hotel opened. Taking a photograph of the room, he reported later that it was intensely cold and that floating near the ceiling was the image of a girl with long flowing hair. Later, the Lt. Governor was being shown the property and the guests were taking photographs all over the building. Only in Room 109, the cameras refused to work and they were left with nothing.
On the first floor, the George Winfield Room is said to be haunted by his shade, the smell of cigar smoke and ashes being found periodically. Once, fresh ashes were discovered within a fuse box that had not been opened in over 50 years. Winfield’s presence has also been felt by the giant lobby staircase, along with that of a midget and two small children. In the Gold Room, a ghost seems to stab people as they visit, not terribly neighborly of him…
Some psychics say the Goldfield Hotel is one of the seven portals to the other side. At the time of this writing (February 2001) the hotel is up for sale for the bargain price of $427,000 in back taxes.
A reporter from the Las Vegas Sun came to research more about the entity in 1984, seventy-six years after the hotel opened. Taking a photograph of the room, he reported later that it was intensely cold and that floating near the ceiling was the image of a girl with long flowing hair. Later, the Lt. Governor was being shown the property and the guests were taking photographs all over the building. Only in Room 109, the cameras refused to work and they were left with nothing.
On the first floor, the George Winfield Room is said to be haunted by his shade, the smell of cigar smoke and ashes being found periodically. Once, fresh ashes were discovered within a fuse box that had not been opened in over 50 years. Winfield’s presence has also been felt by the giant lobby staircase, along with that of a midget and two small children. In the Gold Room, a ghost seems to stab people as they visit, not terribly neighborly of him…
Some psychics say the Goldfield Hotel is one of the seven portals to the other side. At the time of this writing (February 2001) the hotel is up for sale for the bargain price of $427,000 in back taxes.
The Brown Lady of Raynham Hall
Years later, Captain Frederick Marryat stayed at Raynham Hall and was told the stories of her appearance. That night, he and two friends saw a woman carrying a lamp towards them down an upstairs hallway, the light of the lamp reflected off her brown dress. As she passed the men hiding in a doorway, she smiled at them, revealing the sightless holes that bespoke her apparition. Captain Marryat got a bit too enthusiastic and shot at the ghost at point-blank range, causing the woman to disappear and the owners of Raynham Hall to patch a hole in the wall and grumble about hotheads and gun control.
The Brown Lady was not reported again until 1926, when seen by two boys. In 1936, two photographers from the magazine Country Life arrived to photograph the house. The main staircase was being photographed that day, one picture had already been taken and the photographer was readying another plate for use when the other photographer shouted that he could see something descending the stairs. It looked to be a woman in a veil and was coming quickly towards them, Provand took the shot at the command of the photographer holding the flash-gun and did not see the figure, when he looked up, she was gone. When the photograph was developed, however, it showed a dim shadowy figure on the stairs. No features can be seen, especially her lack of eyes, but the outline is pronounced.
Photographic experts were called in to examine the picture by Country Life , who testified that they believed the picture to be authentic. She has not been seen at Raynham Hall since 1936, perhaps she’s waiting for the movie…
Oak Valley Plantation
What better place to film a movie about creatures that walk the night than Oak Valley Plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana? Seen in numerous films including, “Interview with a Vampire,” the plantation has it’s own way of making visitors feel welcome. A canopy of tall oaks shield visitors from sunlight as it frames the main house, its soft pink walls beckon to you relax under the formidable veranda. Is it no wonder that the original family was loathe to leave it?
The wealthy Creole family, the Romans, have left an indelible mark on the mansion. A lady in black strolls the widow’s walk or beneath the shade of the oaks. Could she be the spirit of Louise Roman? As a young woman, she ran to escape the amorous advances of a drunken suitor and fell, slicing open her leg on the iron hoop frame. Gangrene set in and to save her life, doctors amputated the leg beneath the knee. Was the drama of that night carved into life of the oaks? Does she still walk beneath the trees of her youth? Louise, in her late twenties, founded a Carmelite Convent in New Orleans and died peacefully many years later, so perhaps not…
Employees at the plantation are regularly visited by the supernatural. Lights turn off and on during tours, touches as they walk by certain rooms, the smell of lavender wafts through the room of the original lady of the house along with the presence of a shadow just out of the corner of the eye. Phantom carriages have been heard riding up a gravel road, the clip-clop of hooves resounding in the stillness that sometimes accompanies the sound. A child weeps, it’s plaintive misery being carried through time and echoes in the empty mansion.
Recently, a candlestick flew across a room while a tour was being conducted. Visions of a violent and deadly struggle accompanied one woman while on tour, she watched as two men of the house wrestled with a Confederate soldier. The soldier is pushed from a second floor balcony, his body was then dragged to the river and rolled in. Later, a houseguest reported intense back pain while on the veranda. As he moved away, the pain lessened but returned if he ventured back to the spot. He was so amazed by the experience that he shared it with his hostess who then revealed that that was the area in which the scuffle in the vision had taken place.
Clocks hold a time all their own at Oak Valley. In an old southern custom, the clocks are stopped at the exact moment of the last owner’s death (in this case, 7:30am). The clocks were not touched again since. Recently, several guides have found that many of the clocks were set to different hours around the house. Did they reflect the death of other family members or do they follow the mysterious ticking of a clock only heard but never seen in the mansion?
Perhaps the most intriguing question at Oak Valley pertains to a photograph taken by Mr. Bernard of Fort Worth, TX. While touring the rooms, he snapped a picture in the master bedroom. When the film was developed, the shade of a young woman with waist-length chestnut colored hair appeared to be gazing out the French doors towards to the alley. When sending the photograph back to Oak Valley for their opinion, at first glance they thought it was a dressmaker’s mannequin that is displayed in the room. Of course, however, the mannequin is headless so you may draw your own conclusions…
The wealthy Creole family, the Romans, have left an indelible mark on the mansion. A lady in black strolls the widow’s walk or beneath the shade of the oaks. Could she be the spirit of Louise Roman? As a young woman, she ran to escape the amorous advances of a drunken suitor and fell, slicing open her leg on the iron hoop frame. Gangrene set in and to save her life, doctors amputated the leg beneath the knee. Was the drama of that night carved into life of the oaks? Does she still walk beneath the trees of her youth? Louise, in her late twenties, founded a Carmelite Convent in New Orleans and died peacefully many years later, so perhaps not…
Employees at the plantation are regularly visited by the supernatural. Lights turn off and on during tours, touches as they walk by certain rooms, the smell of lavender wafts through the room of the original lady of the house along with the presence of a shadow just out of the corner of the eye. Phantom carriages have been heard riding up a gravel road, the clip-clop of hooves resounding in the stillness that sometimes accompanies the sound. A child weeps, it’s plaintive misery being carried through time and echoes in the empty mansion.
Recently, a candlestick flew across a room while a tour was being conducted. Visions of a violent and deadly struggle accompanied one woman while on tour, she watched as two men of the house wrestled with a Confederate soldier. The soldier is pushed from a second floor balcony, his body was then dragged to the river and rolled in. Later, a houseguest reported intense back pain while on the veranda. As he moved away, the pain lessened but returned if he ventured back to the spot. He was so amazed by the experience that he shared it with his hostess who then revealed that that was the area in which the scuffle in the vision had taken place.
Clocks hold a time all their own at Oak Valley. In an old southern custom, the clocks are stopped at the exact moment of the last owner’s death (in this case, 7:30am). The clocks were not touched again since. Recently, several guides have found that many of the clocks were set to different hours around the house. Did they reflect the death of other family members or do they follow the mysterious ticking of a clock only heard but never seen in the mansion?
Perhaps the most intriguing question at Oak Valley pertains to a photograph taken by Mr. Bernard of Fort Worth, TX. While touring the rooms, he snapped a picture in the master bedroom. When the film was developed, the shade of a young woman with waist-length chestnut colored hair appeared to be gazing out the French doors towards to the alley. When sending the photograph back to Oak Valley for their opinion, at first glance they thought it was a dressmaker’s mannequin that is displayed in the room. Of course, however, the mannequin is headless so you may draw your own conclusions…
How to catch a ghost by Rowyn (age 9)
Note: Rowyn and I had so much fun writing this post in 2006 that I decided to expand it into its own book. The Girls' Ghost Hunting Guide (perfect for boys too!) will be available May 1, 2012 from Sourcebooks Jabberwocky. Pre-order now at Amazon!
Visit GGHG's site for tips, EVPs and what to pack in your ghost hunting bag!
How to catch a ghost
by Rowyn
Equipment:
Camera
Paper and pencil
Watch
Thermometer
Tape recorder
Grown up
Snacks
Flashlight
Extra batteries
Ghosts are sneaky things, they are hard to catch but if you’re patient maybe you can catch one on film! Ghosts can be found anywhere and not just on Halloween. Have you ever passed by a graveyard when the sun was setting and the shadows came out to play? There may have been a ghost hiding behind its gravestone! Graveyards and old houses aren’t the only places to find ghosts, hotels and schools sometimes have see-through visitors!
First: Ask around and see if anyone has some spooky things happening in their neighborhood. Many people think they have seen a ghost and might be happy to have you get some proof with your camera. Make sure you have permission first before going anywhere, you don’t want to go someplace where they’ll mistake you for a ghost!
Second: Get your equipment together in a backpack so you’ll have it when you need it. Go with an grownup to the area where ghosts have been known to visit. This can be any time of day, you don’t need to go at night.
Third: Get ready to wait. Write down the time that you started in your notebook. Make sure that you and your partner both have the same time on your watches.
Fourth: Have your camera ready. You don’t need an expensive one, a throwaway camera works just fine.
Five: Take out your thermometer and see what the temperature in the room is. Often ghosts are reported when it gets very cold. If you feel any cold spots in the room, snap away with your camera, you may get one in a picture! When you take a picture, write down the time you took it plus the number on the camera in your notebook so you’ll know which picture is which.
Six: When it’s quiet, turn on your tape recorder. Sometimes you can get sounds on tape that you don’t hear with your ears. Be careful when the tape recorder is on not to talk too much or you won’t hear what they’re saying!
Seven: Sit still for about an hour, more if you like. Try to feel around the area for cold spots and listen for knocks or banging in the walls. Sometimes ghosts will play with TVs and lights by turning them on and off or even move chairs and pictures so keep your eyes open for those too.
Eight: When you’re finished with your ghost hunt, thank the person who’s house you are in and be sure to clean up any trash you may have left there. It is important to always be respectful of the place you just visited.
When you get home, ask your mom to have the pictures developed and look for any strange shapes such as bubbles, lights or shadows that shouldn’t be there in the first place. Play back the tape on the tape recorder and listen carefully to see if there is anyone trying to leave you a message!
Ghost hunting takes time so don’t worry if you don’t find one the first time. Have fun!
The end.
Visit GGHG's site for tips, EVPs and what to pack in your ghost hunting bag!
How to catch a ghost
by Rowyn
Equipment:
Camera
Paper and pencil
Watch
Thermometer
Tape recorder
Grown up
Snacks
Flashlight
Extra batteries
Ghosts are sneaky things, they are hard to catch but if you’re patient maybe you can catch one on film! Ghosts can be found anywhere and not just on Halloween. Have you ever passed by a graveyard when the sun was setting and the shadows came out to play? There may have been a ghost hiding behind its gravestone! Graveyards and old houses aren’t the only places to find ghosts, hotels and schools sometimes have see-through visitors!
First: Ask around and see if anyone has some spooky things happening in their neighborhood. Many people think they have seen a ghost and might be happy to have you get some proof with your camera. Make sure you have permission first before going anywhere, you don’t want to go someplace where they’ll mistake you for a ghost!
Second: Get your equipment together in a backpack so you’ll have it when you need it. Go with an grownup to the area where ghosts have been known to visit. This can be any time of day, you don’t need to go at night.
Third: Get ready to wait. Write down the time that you started in your notebook. Make sure that you and your partner both have the same time on your watches.
Fourth: Have your camera ready. You don’t need an expensive one, a throwaway camera works just fine.
Five: Take out your thermometer and see what the temperature in the room is. Often ghosts are reported when it gets very cold. If you feel any cold spots in the room, snap away with your camera, you may get one in a picture! When you take a picture, write down the time you took it plus the number on the camera in your notebook so you’ll know which picture is which.
Six: When it’s quiet, turn on your tape recorder. Sometimes you can get sounds on tape that you don’t hear with your ears. Be careful when the tape recorder is on not to talk too much or you won’t hear what they’re saying!
Seven: Sit still for about an hour, more if you like. Try to feel around the area for cold spots and listen for knocks or banging in the walls. Sometimes ghosts will play with TVs and lights by turning them on and off or even move chairs and pictures so keep your eyes open for those too.
Eight: When you’re finished with your ghost hunt, thank the person who’s house you are in and be sure to clean up any trash you may have left there. It is important to always be respectful of the place you just visited.
When you get home, ask your mom to have the pictures developed and look for any strange shapes such as bubbles, lights or shadows that shouldn’t be there in the first place. Play back the tape on the tape recorder and listen carefully to see if there is anyone trying to leave you a message!
Ghost hunting takes time so don’t worry if you don’t find one the first time. Have fun!
The end.
Kids
Kids have a natural affinity to communicate with spirits, heck, they're made up of extra energy! Many times you'll find if there is activity within an area, a child may be able to access it more readily than an adult. I like working with kids so much that I wrote a book about how they can learn more about ghost hunting in a safe and responsible way. Please visit The Girls' Ghost Hunting Guide for tips, how to capture Electronic Voice Phenomena and what to pack in your ghost hunting bag. It's a great sleepover books as well with games, recipes, ghost stories and how to write your own ghostly tales.
Now for the fun part~
I LOVE hearing ghost stories from kids. I have five daughters and they help me pack my ghost huntin' bag when I go out on investigations! Curiosity is encouraged and I'm excited to hear what y'all have to tell me! Please email me at stacey.i.grahamATgmail.com with questions or comments. I hear from a lot of kids looking for research papers in school, I'd be happy to chat with you too!
Safety
This should be a no-brainer section but let's go over this again with feeling...
- Never enter an area without back-up and I don't mean your old dog and a cell phone. It's too easy to get lost, hurt or arrested. Make sure you have visited the area in the daylight and have permission from the owner every time you go there.
- Remember, there has never been a documented case of a ghost hurting a person. More likely, they have tripped and turned an ankle due to inexperience or fright. Think of Night of the Living Dead, Barbara would've gotten a lot further if she hadn't fallen with those high heels.
- Speaking of heels, wear appropriate clothing. Most of these places are going to be dusty and possibly nasty so leave the lip gloss at home and take this seriously. I'm way more afraid of a mouse getting in my hair than a ghost so be aware of what you're getting into.
- Always carry identification. With the popularity of ghost television programs, there are more and more people out there in the middle of the night. The police are aware of this and have no problems busting you for trespassing. Use your one phone call wisely and don't order pizza.
- Never enter an area without back-up and I don't mean your old dog and a cell phone. It's too easy to get lost, hurt or arrested. Make sure you have visited the area in the daylight and have permission from the owner every time you go there.
- Remember, there has never been a documented case of a ghost hurting a person. More likely, they have tripped and turned an ankle due to inexperience or fright. Think of Night of the Living Dead, Barbara would've gotten a lot further if she hadn't fallen with those high heels.
- Speaking of heels, wear appropriate clothing. Most of these places are going to be dusty and possibly nasty so leave the lip gloss at home and take this seriously. I'm way more afraid of a mouse getting in my hair than a ghost so be aware of what you're getting into.
- Always carry identification. With the popularity of ghost television programs, there are more and more people out there in the middle of the night. The police are aware of this and have no problems busting you for trespassing. Use your one phone call wisely and don't order pizza.
Equipment
I'll say it again. You don't need a thousand dollars worth of stuff to carry around on an investigation, leave that to the TV groupies. If you join an investigative group, they may already have equipment to try out before you buy it so for now you will need:
- Notepad
- Pencil
- Watch
- Good flashlight with extra batteries (keep them in the car in case yours go out)
- Identification
- Cell phone
- Camera (this does not have to be hugely expensive, a cheap disposable works fine)
- Extra film and batteries
Nice to have:
- Walkie-talkies
- Tape recorder with external microphone (it can be difficult to hear the playback if your recorder's inner mechanisms are loud)
- Infra-red video recorders
- Digital camera
- Electromagnetic Field Meters. These are the current favorite toys of many investigators, I find them annoying, unreliable and not easy to get accurate readings from.
- Motion detectors. Fun to have, I have yet to see one actually work with a haunting. It does, however scare the pants off of people trying to use the bathroom with one in there.
- Notepad
- Pencil
- Watch
- Good flashlight with extra batteries (keep them in the car in case yours go out)
- Identification
- Cell phone
- Camera (this does not have to be hugely expensive, a cheap disposable works fine)
- Extra film and batteries
Nice to have:
- Walkie-talkies
- Tape recorder with external microphone (it can be difficult to hear the playback if your recorder's inner mechanisms are loud)
- Infra-red video recorders
- Digital camera
- Electromagnetic Field Meters. These are the current favorite toys of many investigators, I find them annoying, unreliable and not easy to get accurate readings from.
- Motion detectors. Fun to have, I have yet to see one actually work with a haunting. It does, however scare the pants off of people trying to use the bathroom with one in there.
Some places to check out
- Hotels. I feel this is one of the least explored location for ghosts. Many people wander through there, there are bound to be stories attached.
- Old cities. New York is teeeeeeeeming with activity, you just need to keep your eyes open.
- Anywhere near water. In nearly all my cases, there was a body of water nearby. We're not sure what attracts (or traps) ghosts to water but it's worth looking into.
- Forests. Now, I'm not suggesting going into the woods and sitting in the dark all night waiting for ghosts but where do you think all those campfire stories came from... ;)
- Theaters. There are many accounts of hauntings, both residual and intelligent, at theaters. Perhaps the energy that embodied the actors just don't know when to give up their 15 minutes of fame...
- Schools. Lots of energy here, colleges especially seem to attract ghosts. Check the dorms and older buildings for activity.
You may have noticed that I didn't include cemeteries, there's a great reason for this. THEY'RE ALL DEAD. By the time the body gets there, the spirit has already either attached itself to a location or it's moved on to wherever it's going.
- Old cities. New York is teeeeeeeeming with activity, you just need to keep your eyes open.
- Anywhere near water. In nearly all my cases, there was a body of water nearby. We're not sure what attracts (or traps) ghosts to water but it's worth looking into.
- Forests. Now, I'm not suggesting going into the woods and sitting in the dark all night waiting for ghosts but where do you think all those campfire stories came from... ;)
- Theaters. There are many accounts of hauntings, both residual and intelligent, at theaters. Perhaps the energy that embodied the actors just don't know when to give up their 15 minutes of fame...
- Schools. Lots of energy here, colleges especially seem to attract ghosts. Check the dorms and older buildings for activity.
You may have noticed that I didn't include cemeteries, there's a great reason for this. THEY'RE ALL DEAD. By the time the body gets there, the spirit has already either attached itself to a location or it's moved on to wherever it's going.
Finding ghosts
Start by talking to people. I've never met a person yet that didn't have a ghost story or couldn't tell me one about a friend of theirs. Take one that seems the most interesting to you and with permission of the home owner, do a little research on the property. Not every house is going to have a history but you never know what's hiding under the pool.
Newspaper articles. Popular around Halloween, look in back issues of local papers for ghost stories, if possible, contact the person and see if they are willing to speak with you about what happened. Please remember that if they feel uncomfortable or are unwilling to talk, to simply thank them for their time and leave. There is always another case and the respect you pay towards this family is important.
Guidebooks. Check local libraries and historical societies for guides to ghosts in your area. You'd be surprised what they have in their files, I have found some excellent stories dating to 100 years old recorded and placed in historical files, donated by the family.
Newspaper articles. Popular around Halloween, look in back issues of local papers for ghost stories, if possible, contact the person and see if they are willing to speak with you about what happened. Please remember that if they feel uncomfortable or are unwilling to talk, to simply thank them for their time and leave. There is always another case and the respect you pay towards this family is important.
Guidebooks. Check local libraries and historical societies for guides to ghosts in your area. You'd be surprised what they have in their files, I have found some excellent stories dating to 100 years old recorded and placed in historical files, donated by the family.
Types of Ghosts
~Intelligent hauntings
These types of ghosts are the ones in the movies. They attempt to interact with those around them, generally making themselves a nuisance by scaring the bananas out of people. Some of the things they seem to be able to do are:
- Whispering
- Slamming doors
- Temperature drops and moving the cold spots around
- Body contact (I've had my hair pulled)
- Smells (roses in January)
- Items turn up missing in the house only to reappear later in a completely different location
I do not believe that there are evil spirits, I do think that the personality of a ghost is set by how they were in life. If they were mean and nasty while living, don't expect that to change to cuddly and endearing after death.
Intelligent hauntings contain the energy of the person, that's why some people are able to gather intense feelings when confronted with a ghost. Sadness, anger and jealousy don't die. Some don't realize they're dead, children are especially unaware and often try to make contact for attention.
~Residual Hauntings
A typical haunted house (if there is such a thing). A residual haunting is a memory of an event that replays itself over and over. Sometimes it seems as if you've walked into a film, they are not aware of you but you are able to see what they're going through. Reports of ghosts walking through walls or missing half of their bodies because of changes in the house are common, you're witnessing a memory and not true spirit activity. Some of the ways to tell a residual haunting from an intelligent haunting are:
- Knockings
- Footfalls
- The aforementioned walking through walls
~Elementals
These are spirits of the earth such as pookas, fairies, banshees, etc.
~Poltergeists
If only it was as easy as that movie...
I think these are the least well understood part of the entire paranormal picture. Instead of nicely fitting into a category, these bad boys create havoc centering around an adolescent child (like they don't have enough to worry about already) or a young emotionally disturbed person. The most recent belief is that they are unknowingly able to move things by psychokinesis (the ability to move things by the energy of the brain). Some of these include:
- Small fires
- Rocks being thrown from nowhere
- Frogs raining from the sky
These types of ghosts are the ones in the movies. They attempt to interact with those around them, generally making themselves a nuisance by scaring the bananas out of people. Some of the things they seem to be able to do are:
- Whispering
- Slamming doors
- Temperature drops and moving the cold spots around
- Body contact (I've had my hair pulled)
- Smells (roses in January)
- Items turn up missing in the house only to reappear later in a completely different location
I do not believe that there are evil spirits, I do think that the personality of a ghost is set by how they were in life. If they were mean and nasty while living, don't expect that to change to cuddly and endearing after death.
Intelligent hauntings contain the energy of the person, that's why some people are able to gather intense feelings when confronted with a ghost. Sadness, anger and jealousy don't die. Some don't realize they're dead, children are especially unaware and often try to make contact for attention.
~Residual Hauntings
A typical haunted house (if there is such a thing). A residual haunting is a memory of an event that replays itself over and over. Sometimes it seems as if you've walked into a film, they are not aware of you but you are able to see what they're going through. Reports of ghosts walking through walls or missing half of their bodies because of changes in the house are common, you're witnessing a memory and not true spirit activity. Some of the ways to tell a residual haunting from an intelligent haunting are:
- Knockings
- Footfalls
- The aforementioned walking through walls
~Elementals
These are spirits of the earth such as pookas, fairies, banshees, etc.
~Poltergeists
If only it was as easy as that movie...
I think these are the least well understood part of the entire paranormal picture. Instead of nicely fitting into a category, these bad boys create havoc centering around an adolescent child (like they don't have enough to worry about already) or a young emotionally disturbed person. The most recent belief is that they are unknowingly able to move things by psychokinesis (the ability to move things by the energy of the brain). Some of these include:
- Small fires
- Rocks being thrown from nowhere
- Frogs raining from the sky
Signs of a Haunting
There are many possible reasons for knocking in walls or disappearing remote controls but below are some signs that you may have more in your house than loose pipes and a remote-eating couch!
-Pets. It may not just be the phase of the moon! Some animals react to things that we cannot see by barking at a certain point in a room or refusing to enter areas, others will “watch” activity by tracking it with their eyes.
-Unexplained cold spots. Plug up those drafts and then see if you’re still walking into a drop in temperature. I find that my face will be cold but my back will be warm when I encounter something. You are usually able to discern a wobbly shape of the cold spot with your hands. Start a journal of when these cold spots occur and where. Try to find a pattern!
-Objects in the building vanish and then appear later.
-Electrical appliances turn themselves on or off. Most disturbing are the occurrences of objects that work without their required batteries! Forget the messages from beyond on the TV, they usually turn out to be from Tammy Faye…
-Nightmares. Someone could be reaching out and trying to contact you when you’re most vulnerable. Keep a log of when these happen; do they occur around special dates?
-Feeling of being watched. All right, this gets downright spooky when you think about it. Who needs a peeper?
-Strange odors. Of course it could be the Chinese food you’ve left under the couch for a month but if you’re noticing a smell that cannot be explained, such as roses wafting through a room in December, you may have a visitor.
-Movement out of the corner of your eye. We’ve all had it happen, something darts past us that is too quick to be seen. I blame my five year old but perhaps it’s something else…
-Floating heads. Ok, just wanted to see if you’re paying attention but this is a surefire way to tell if you’re being haunted. Apparitions vary from full-bodied ghosts to misty clouds.
Please remember to use common sense before jumping to the conclusion that you’re being haunted. Most cases are explained by natural causes or overactive imaginations. If you feel you’re being visited, write down when and where these occurrences happened. Do some research on the building, not just 20 years ago but 120 years ago. You never know what’s buried beneath your begonias.
-Pets. It may not just be the phase of the moon! Some animals react to things that we cannot see by barking at a certain point in a room or refusing to enter areas, others will “watch” activity by tracking it with their eyes.
-Unexplained cold spots. Plug up those drafts and then see if you’re still walking into a drop in temperature. I find that my face will be cold but my back will be warm when I encounter something. You are usually able to discern a wobbly shape of the cold spot with your hands. Start a journal of when these cold spots occur and where. Try to find a pattern!
-Objects in the building vanish and then appear later.
-Electrical appliances turn themselves on or off. Most disturbing are the occurrences of objects that work without their required batteries! Forget the messages from beyond on the TV, they usually turn out to be from Tammy Faye…
-Nightmares. Someone could be reaching out and trying to contact you when you’re most vulnerable. Keep a log of when these happen; do they occur around special dates?
-Feeling of being watched. All right, this gets downright spooky when you think about it. Who needs a peeper?
-Strange odors. Of course it could be the Chinese food you’ve left under the couch for a month but if you’re noticing a smell that cannot be explained, such as roses wafting through a room in December, you may have a visitor.
-Movement out of the corner of your eye. We’ve all had it happen, something darts past us that is too quick to be seen. I blame my five year old but perhaps it’s something else…
-Floating heads. Ok, just wanted to see if you’re paying attention but this is a surefire way to tell if you’re being haunted. Apparitions vary from full-bodied ghosts to misty clouds.
Please remember to use common sense before jumping to the conclusion that you’re being haunted. Most cases are explained by natural causes or overactive imaginations. If you feel you’re being visited, write down when and where these occurrences happened. Do some research on the building, not just 20 years ago but 120 years ago. You never know what’s buried beneath your begonias.
Getting started
Welcome to Wee Ghosties! I'm Stacey, I've been investigating the spookier side of "life" for nearly 20 years and have picked up a load of tips. I'm happy to answer questions, please write me at infoATweeghosties.com! Please replace AT with @ -- eh, you know the drill...
Getting started in ghost hunting is as simple as walking outside with a notepad and pencil. The only real requirements are the ability to do research, a healthy dose of common sense so you're not chasing wild geese and an open mind. There are some in this field that believe anything that seems even half-way plausible has to be spirit activity, please don't confuse a raccoon under a house with a ghost (it's happened before and will happen again)!
You do not need a certificate to start investigating ghosts or buy a bunch of equipment, I still use primarily paper, pen, a watch and a tape recorder. The rest just helps you to pinpoint activity but it's not necessary. Trust your instincts and use them to help you find what you're looking for, you don't need a $100 thermometer to tell you it got colder in one area of the room than another. ;)
Ok, let's get busy.
Getting started in ghost hunting is as simple as walking outside with a notepad and pencil. The only real requirements are the ability to do research, a healthy dose of common sense so you're not chasing wild geese and an open mind. There are some in this field that believe anything that seems even half-way plausible has to be spirit activity, please don't confuse a raccoon under a house with a ghost (it's happened before and will happen again)!
You do not need a certificate to start investigating ghosts or buy a bunch of equipment, I still use primarily paper, pen, a watch and a tape recorder. The rest just helps you to pinpoint activity but it's not necessary. Trust your instincts and use them to help you find what you're looking for, you don't need a $100 thermometer to tell you it got colder in one area of the room than another. ;)
Ok, let's get busy.
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