Saturday, December 12, 2009

Ghost Hunting Should Be Professional

Ghost Hunting can be very fun and yet at times it can be one of the most terrifying things you will probably ever do in your life.

The following are just a few of the things folks have encountered during ghost hunting or paranormal investigations:

1. Smells: These smells can seem to come from no where, and develop instantly and disappear just as fast. The smells are often putrid like rotted meat, or like fresh bowel movements, and are very overpowering at times.

2. Apparitions: Some spirits appear as barely visible forms, while some become as solid and normal looking as a living person.

3. Clouds - Mists - Masses: Often fleeting shadows, things seen out of the corners of the eyes are encountered. Or a rolling black mass may appear, sometimes a whispy form like smoke is seen.

4. Disembodied voices: These are often heard and at times they can be very scary. Imagine being in a darkened room, and having something invisible whisper or even shout in your ear. These are not EVP's, but normal sounding speech.

5. Physical Sensations - Some ghost hunters have been touched, pinched, slapped, had their hair pulled, been scratched or even bitten by invisible entities.

6. Rappings - Scratching - and Knockings: In walls, ceilings and floors. strange sounds and noises are often heard in haunted locations, as well as hearing what sounds like objects being dropped, or moved in nearby rooms.

7. Cold spots: Sometimes just before a spirit manifests they draw energy from the surroundings. Often a spot in one area of a room will suddenly become very cold. For example the temperature thoughout a room may average 75 degrees but in one corner or area, the temperature will suddenly plummet to 50 degrees or even colder. This is a sure sign of a spirits presence or a soon manifestation.

8. Power drains and equipment malfunctions: Like cold spots, when a spirit is drawing energy needed to become solid or more visible, they will often draw-in nearby energy, this energy can also come from batteries in video camers, and other devices. Often cameras, tape recorders, even lights will suddenly go haywire or stop working all together when a spirit is present.

Almost everyone that does ghost hunting believes that there are two types of spirits, human and in-human, the latter are also called demons. I am a born again christian and believe the bible 100%. From my beliefs in the bible as factual. I believe there is only one type of spirit involved in any haunting, and these are in-human or demons.

According to the bible, when we are dead our spirits or souls are present with God, from there we are either granted a life of love and peace in heaven with the creator and the other believers, or we are cast into hell forever, with no chance of escape. The bible also says there is a huge chasm or void that separates the living from the dead, they cannot cross over or communicate with each other. There are other statements in the bible that clearly says that ghosts can not be the spirits or souls of people who have died.

Whether the creatures involved in a haunting are spirits of dead humans or whether they are demons, if one is trying to prove that they truly exist or if you are trying to disprove a haunting, then you must do paranormal investigations as a professional.

A professional Ghost Hunter or paranormal investigator needs to have the right tools. Here I will explain devices that every ghost hunter or paranormal investigator MUST have, if he or she is truly taking the phenomenon as real or as a business, and not as a joke.

1. Voice Recorder: It doesn't matter if you use a standard tape recorder or one of the new digital recorders, what does matter is the quality and the ability to use an external microphone. Try to get one that is of good quality, but make sure you get one that has a plug in microphone with a cable or cord so the end of the microphone is away from the recorder. The small all-in-one recorders that have the built in microphones, pick up a lot of the hiss and gear noises of the recorders when they are in record mode. A recorder is a necessity for recording EVP's. EVP's also called (electronic voice phenomenom) are a very unique and sometimes frightening thing that is often encountered in a haunted area. What an EVP is, is a voice or other communication that is heard on a tape or digital recorder during playback, that was not heard when the recorder was recording.

2. Film Camera: Do NOT use a digital camera because the photo will always be questioned as being fake, no matter how good it is, where if you use a film camera, you at least have the negatives as some proof. And unless you buy a high mega-pixel digital camera, the photo quality will be less than a nice cheap 35mm film camera.

3. Camcorder: A camera is good, but a camcorder is even better. Get one that uses a tape, either the small cassettes or one of the older models that use the full sized VHS tapes. I bought two of these older camcorders for under $75 each recently.

4. Thermal Imaging scopes or goggles: These capture the upper portion of the infrared light spectrum, which is emitted as heat by objects instead of simply reflected as light. Hotter objects, such as warm bodies, emit more of this light than cooler objects like trees or buildings. Often spirits that manifest have a temperature in their form that stands out in this spectrum, especially if a spirit is present in a cold location.

5. Night Vision scopes or goggles: These little devices have become very cheap, a nice night vision scope can now be purchased easily for under $200. They work by collecting the tiny amounts of light, including the lower portion of the infrared light spectrum, that are present but may be imperceptible to our eyes, and amplifying it to the point that we can easily observe the image.

6. Flashlight: Take along two small pocket ones for each team member. What can be worse then exploring a dark cellar or underground area, and having the lights or another flashlight fail.

7. Walkie Talkies: If you have a group of team members, and you are investigating a large location, walkie talkies are not just a good thing to have, but they can be a life saver at times.

8. Notebook and pencils: Often any electronic, electrical or other devices may fail in a haunted location, so it's very wise to carry along a small notebook and some pencils in case you need to keep some valuable notes.

9. Thermal Scanner: A hand held thermal scanner (thermometer) uses infrared technology to measure the surface temperature of material without touching it. You simply point at your target, pull the trigger and read the temperature on the lit LCD display.

One of the best tools I recommend, is also the cheapest, under $10 U.S. It is a computer software program that is made just for Ghost Hunting and Paranormal Investigations. It's called 'Ghost Hunter'. The software is for anyone who explores haunted houses or locations where any type of paranormal activity is occurring. Whether you are trying to gather evidence of the haunting or other proof, this software can help make the job more organized and easier.

Ghost Hunter software was made as a scientific tool, for paranormal researchers that believe in spirits, demons, or ghosts. Researchers can easily keep track of vital data gathered at the haunted locations. With this software you can know at a glance such vital information as; the date and times of the activity, location info, GPS data, telephone numbers, notes, sounds heard, odors detected, temperature anomalies, and more.

You can use the software on location during the investigation with any WINDOWS based notebook Computer or back at home or in the office after the investigation.

For more information and the ability to download and try a free demo version of the 'Ghost Hunter' software, please visit the publishers website: http://www.rb59.com/ghosth

By Robert W. Benjamin

Source

Friday, December 11, 2009

Ghost Hunting Should Be Professional

Ghost Hunting can be very fun and yet at times it can be one of the most terrifying things you will probably ever do in your life.

The following are just a few of the things folks have encountered during ghost hunting or paranormal investigations:

1. Smells: These smells can seem to come from no where, and develop instantly and disappear just as fast. The smells are often putrid like rotted meat, or like fresh bowel movements, and are very overpowering at times.

2. Apparitions: Some spirits appear as barely visible forms, while some become as solid and normal looking as a living person.

3. Clouds - Mists - Masses: Often fleeting shadows, things seen out of the corners of the eyes are encountered. Or a rolling black mass may appear, sometimes a whispy form like smoke is seen.

4. Disembodied voices: These are often heard and at times they can be very scary. Imagine being in a darkened room, and having something invisible whisper or even shout in your ear. These are not EVP's, but normal sounding speech.

5. Physical Sensations - Some ghost hunters have been touched, pinched, slapped, had their hair pulled, been scratched or even bitten by invisible entities.

6. Rappings - Scratching - and Knockings: In walls, ceilings and floors. strange sounds and noises are often heard in haunted locations, as well as hearing what sounds like objects being dropped, or moved in nearby rooms.

7. Cold spots: Sometimes just before a spirit manifests they draw energy from the surroundings. Often a spot in one area of a room will suddenly become very cold. For example the temperature thoughout a room may average 75 degrees but in one corner or area, the temperature will suddenly plummet to 50 degrees or even colder. This is a sure sign of a spirits presence or a soon manifestation.

8. Power drains and equipment malfunctions: Like cold spots, when a spirit is drawing energy needed to become solid or more visible, they will often draw-in nearby energy, this energy can also come from batteries in video camers, and other devices. Often cameras, tape recorders, even lights will suddenly go haywire or stop working all together when a spirit is present.

Almost everyone that does ghost hunting believes that there are two types of spirits, human and in-human, the latter are also called demons. I am a born again christian and believe the bible 100%. From my beliefs in the bible as factual. I believe there is only one type of spirit involved in any haunting, and these are in-human or demons.

According to the bible, when we are dead our spirits or souls are present with God, from there we are either granted a life of love and peace in heaven with the creator and the other believers, or we are cast into hell forever, with no chance of escape. The bible also says there is a huge chasm or void that separates the living from the dead, they cannot cross over or communicate with each other. There are other statements in the bible that clearly says that ghosts can not be the spirits or souls of people who have died.

Whether the creatures involved in a haunting are spirits of dead humans or whether they are demons, if one is trying to prove that they truly exist or if you are trying to disprove a haunting, then you must do paranormal investigations as a professional.

A professional Ghost Hunter or paranormal investigator needs to have the right tools. Here I will explain devices that every ghost hunter or paranormal investigator MUST have, if he or she is truly taking the phenomenon as real or as a business, and not as a joke.

1. Voice Recorder: It doesn't matter if you use a standard tape recorder or one of the new digital recorders, what does matter is the quality and the ability to use an external microphone. Try to get one that is of good quality, but make sure you get one that has a plug in microphone with a cable or cord so the end of the microphone is away from the recorder. The small all-in-one recorders that have the built in microphones, pick up a lot of the hiss and gear noises of the recorders when they are in record mode. A recorder is a necessity for recording EVP's. EVP's also called (electronic voice phenomenom) are a very unique and sometimes frightening thing that is often encountered in a haunted area. What an EVP is, is a voice or other communication that is heard on a tape or digital recorder during playback, that was not heard when the recorder was recording.

2. Film Camera: Do NOT use a digital camera because the photo will always be questioned as being fake, no matter how good it is, where if you use a film camera, you at least have the negatives as some proof. And unless you buy a high mega-pixel digital camera, the photo quality will be less than a nice cheap 35mm film camera.

3. Camcorder: A camera is good, but a camcorder is even better. Get one that uses a tape, either the small cassettes or one of the older models that use the full sized VHS tapes. I bought two of these older camcorders for under $75 each recently.

4. Thermal Imaging scopes or goggles: These capture the upper portion of the infrared light spectrum, which is emitted as heat by objects instead of simply reflected as light. Hotter objects, such as warm bodies, emit more of this light than cooler objects like trees or buildings. Often spirits that manifest have a temperature in their form that stands out in this spectrum, especially if a spirit is present in a cold location.

5. Night Vision scopes or goggles: These little devices have become very cheap, a nice night vision scope can now be purchased easily for under $200. They work by collecting the tiny amounts of light, including the lower portion of the infrared light spectrum, that are present but may be imperceptible to our eyes, and amplifying it to the point that we can easily observe the image.

6. Flashlight: Take along two small pocket ones for each team member. What can be worse then exploring a dark cellar or underground area, and having the lights or another flashlight fail.

7. Walkie Talkies: If you have a group of team members, and you are investigating a large location, walkie talkies are not just a good thing to have, but they can be a life saver at times.

8. Notebook and pencils: Often any electronic, electrical or other devices may fail in a haunted location, so it's very wise to carry along a small notebook and some pencils in case you need to keep some valuable notes.

9. Thermal Scanner: A hand held thermal scanner (thermometer) uses infrared technology to measure the surface temperature of material without touching it. You simply point at your target, pull the trigger and read the temperature on the lit LCD display.

One of the best tools I recommend, is also the cheapest, under $10 U.S. It is a computer software program that is made just for Ghost Hunting and Paranormal Investigations. It's called 'Ghost Hunter'. The software is for anyone who explores haunted houses or locations where any type of paranormal activity is occurring. Whether you are trying to gather evidence of the haunting or other proof, this software can help make the job more organized and easier.

Ghost Hunter software was made as a scientific tool, for paranormal researchers that believe in spirits, demons, or ghosts. Researchers can easily keep track of vital data gathered at the haunted locations. With this software you can know at a glance such vital information as; the date and times of the activity, location info, GPS data, telephone numbers, notes, sounds heard, odors detected, temperature anomalies, and more.

You can use the software on location during the investigation with any WINDOWS based notebook Computer or back at home or in the office after the investigation.

For more information and the ability to download and try a free demo version of the 'Ghost Hunter' software, please visit the publishers website: http://www.rb59.com/ghosth

By Robert W. Benjamin

Source

Thursday, December 10, 2009

Ghosts inhabit Lobby of Crockett hotel

The Crockett Hotel

The Crockett Hotel is located at 320 Bonham Street in San Antonio, Texas. It is located on part of the Alamo battlefield. Hundreds of soldiers once stood where the hotel pool and courtyard are now located. The property sold several times over the years, but the hotel was built in 1909 by the International Order of Odd Fellows as a fellowship lodgehall and hotel. A wing was added in 1927. The property has changed ownership several times since then and is currently owned by San Antonio native John Blocker. The hotel has seen several renovations with the last being in 2007.

The ghosts here seem to inhabit the lobby area, the bar, and a few of the guestrooms. The entrance doors seem to open and close on their own. There are faint whispers, cold spots and some unexplained happenings. Some report seeing a man in a dark blue jacket. The air conditioning and electricity seems to have a mind of their own, footsteps are heard in empty rooms and curtains move on their own.

Source

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

Ghost of Teddy Roosevelt seen at Menger Hotel


Menger Hotel

The Menger Hotel is located at 204 Alamo Plaza in San Antonio, Texas. The original two-story, 50 room hotel was built of limestone in 1859. Over the years many additions and changes have taken place with restoration being completed in 1992.

The oldest parts of the hotel report gusts of cold air, unexplained voices, knocking sounds, cigar smoke appears in a non-smoking bar, lights turn on and off, doors open and close, and sightings of ghostly figures.

A former security guard reports seeing a man in western attire and a black hat who walked through walls and the elevator would stop on the 3rd floor no matter what button he pushed. A hotel manager at the Menger insists that Teddy Roosevelt's spirit visits there. Maintenance men report doors that open after being locked, hearing musical noises and marching footsteps coming from unoccupied parts of the hotel. Housekeeping has reported seeing a blonde woman dressed in blue 30s or 40s attire sitting in one of the rooms.

The ghost of Sallie White, a chambermaid who worked at the hotel in 1876 and was shot there by her jealous husband is sometimes seen walking around the hotel wearing a floor-length skirt, a bandana around her neck, and a long strand of beads.

The famous ghost guest is Captain Richard King. He is the founder of the famous King Ranch south of San Antonio. Furnishings in the King Suite are the same from when he stayed there. He died at the hotel and his funeral was even held in the front parlor at the hotel.

Guests have reported seeing shot glasses levitate and relocate themselves, ghosts entering or leaving the elevators, televisions that turn off and on by themselves.
Source

Tuesday, December 8, 2009

Strange Specters at Emily Morgan Hotel

Emily Morgan Hotel

The Emily Morgan Hotel is located at 705 E. Houston Street in San Antonio, Texas.

The Emily Morgan Hotel was once the Medical Arts Building which was constructed in 1924. It is one of the most recognizable buildings in San Antonio. The tower is 13 stories tall and made of reinforced concrete and glazed terra cotta. The Gothic revival influence of the period is quite noticeable in this building. One of the most interesting features are the terra cotta gargoyles that depict various medical ailments such as toothaches, etc.

In 1984, the building was transformed into a AAA Four Diamond boutique hotel.

You May be Wondering "Who Is Emily Morgan"?

Legend has it that Emily, at the age of 20 detained General Santa Anna in his tent while the Texans won a decisive battle in only 18 minutes in a charge against a Mexican camp.

Emily is widely believed to be the inspiration for the well-known song, "The Yellow Rose of Texas."

The 7th and 12th floors seem to be the most active. The 12th floor was where the operations took place when the building was a medical center. Reports of noises, smells of alcohol, and being touched are common on this floor. On the 7th floor witnesses claim to have seen human shapes walking around and then walking through walls or doors. One family staying on the 7th floor reported having everything blast on in their room at 2:30 a.m. Then they saw a shape move through the room and through the wall.

The basement had been used as a morgue and crematory. Voices, footsteps, and orbs are often seen in this area.

The front desk has reported receiving calls that could be traced to the phones in an empty elevator. The elevator has been known to keep going between the sixth and seventh floors with no one in it.
Source

Sunday, December 6, 2009

Did Dracula ever live in Bran Castle?



Bran Castle situated near Bran and in the immediate vicinity of Brasov, is a national monument and landmark in Romania. The fortress is situated on the border between Transylvania and Wallachia, on DN73. Commonly known as “Dracula’s Castle” (although it is one among several locations linked to the Dracula legend, including Poienari Castle and Hunyad Castle), it is marketed as the home of the titular character in Bram Stoker’s Dracula. In 1897 Bram Stoker wrote a terrifying story about Count Dracula. A century after, there are still people who believe in it. Even researchers are trying to find out the truth about Dracula. All are trying to clear the mystery: was there or wasn’t there a vampire in Transylvania? How many of these fabulous stories are legends and how many say the truth? Here is the legend about Dracula. His castle is supposed to be Bran’s Castle since its narrow corridors constitute a mysterious labyrinth of ghostly nooks and secret chambers easy to hide a “vampire”. According to an official of the Bran Castle administration, there will be made certain changes in the castle. A projection hall with the images of the National Film Archives about the history of the royal family and the castle will be arranged. Also, a room dedicated to the costumes of the royal families and a dining-room will be arranged. Further more, in the Round Tower of the castle a luxurious apartment will be made for the tourists that want to spend the night over Bran Castle.

Source

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Shari’s Restaurant Haunted?


By Kathryn Lynch-Morin – The Saginaw News

Over the past 20 years, Shari Smith, owner of Shari’s restaurant in the Old Willard Hillton in Beaver Township, has been convinced.

“I’m one of those people who doesn’t want to believe in ghosts,” Smith said. “But so many strange things have happened.”

Like several times when the alarm company has been called, only to find nothing — and no one — on arrival.

Or the morning Smith arrived to find all of the spices knocked on the floor. Or the time she found a line of sugar leading from the kitchen into the dining room and along the length of the bar. But, she said, no one had been in the building since she left the night before.

“The alarm company tracks everyone going in and out,” she said. “No one else had been in.”

Five years ago, Smith had paranormal experts and a psychic visit her restaurant, 1506 W. Beaver Road.

They rate haunted places on a scale from 1-5, five being the most haunted. The restaurant was rated a four. Smith was told there were at least four ghosts in the building: a blonde woman in a flowing white gown named Sadie; Horace, a blacksmith; and two children who died of scarlet fever.

Built in the 1800s, the building has been a saloon, general store, hotel and jail. Smith said the psychic told her the ghosts in her restaurant did not particularly want to be reunited with loved ones in death.

“They don’t want to leave,” she said of her permanent — and deceased — guests.

Smith said she made an agreement with the ghosts and allowed them to stay on the condition that they didn’t bother her.

Still, they make themselves known.

Sadie is frequently spotted in the kitchen and at the bar.

“Everyone has described the ghost the same,” Smith said. “Even people who don’t know about her.”

She said she has had workers quit because of their encounters with the ghosts. Tenants in the apartments upstairs have reported they thought someone was breaking into the restaurant or their rooms.

Climbing down into the basement where two old jail cells now serve as the restaurant’s wine cellar makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up. It’s damp, dimly lit and eerily alive. Every creak and moan the house releases makes your heart beat a little faster.

Is there something — someone — there?

Aaron Gaertner, executive chef and general manager of Shari’s, explained his encounters with Sadie and the other ghosts.

One night while working alone, a shelf fell on his head while the brackets holding the shelf stayed in place.

“It would have had to have been lifted up and over,” Gaertner said. “It couldn’t have fallen on its own.”

Other nights he has witnessed lights turning on and off. And a few times, he has walked out of the kitchen only to return to the faucet on full-blast.

“I don’t particularly like spending too much time here alone at night,” he said.

One reader, Jbondo said that..Much of what they claim can be explained. Frankly I’ve never had Police find anything in any building I’ve worked in due to an alarm. Most times I tell them to not even come unless I request it as there are so many things that can cause an alarm. A line of sugar, hmmm, little hole in the sugar bag and it’ll draw a nice neat line wherever you carry it. Now, if you’re really busy the odds are good that you wouldn’t even notice.

As for people seeing and describing ghosts, I imagine most patrons are local. People tend to talk to each other. Example: Fred gets drunk at the bar and during that evening Susie tells him about her encounter with a ghost. 2 weeks later Fred claims to have seen a ghost. He describes the same ghost as Susie but says he never heard of the ghost before. Did Fred merely forget that Susie told him about it 2 weeks prior? After all, he was pretty intoxicated at the time.

Another one also agreed...Wonder if the old jail cells are made from limestone. Again with the recorders on site. Do we have any links available for investigative evidence done on this place? Does sound like there are many residuals here. If the place was being haunted and the spirits had been asked to leave, there’s a higher likeliness of their departure. Which leads me to believe that past events are on repeat. Were there any instances of direct contact such as name calling…ok, back tracking…just checked the article again.

Maybe they don’t want to leave because they were their first. Sometimes we just have to cohabitate with the spirits. Like jbondo said, too many factors…
Source

Screams heard at Margam Castle!




For over a hundred years, rumors of hauntings have plagued this ominous, uninhabited castle. Screams can often be heard from outside and sometimes a strange, cold mist seems to bleed through the walls. It is a disturbing chill that seeps to your very bones. Many years ago, the beautiful woman who once owned the castle died suddenly and without explanation. Some people said it was a murder, yet others were convinced she ended her own life. Do you have the nerve to spend a night in this Haunted House? Margam Castle is a Tudor Gothic castle that was built in the mid-1800’s. It has many spectacular features, such as the beautiful winding staircase and an old cistercian Abbey; the castle is located near Port Talbot, South Wales. Because of the history of this castle no one has inhabited this place for over a hundred years! Guests have the option to spend the night until 7AM. If guests wish to stay the whole night they will have to bring their own sleeping bags as there are no beds to sleep in.

Source

13 Haunted Houses on Film

Wow! This was one tough list to compile for this month’s Top 13. The main reason is that a lot of the best ‘haunted house’ movies tend to turn out not to be so haunted after all. One prime example of a film that I wanted very much to place on this list is one of my all time favorite horror films, the little seen, but highly regarded, SESSION 9. It takes place in a decaying, shut down insane asylum, and for most of the movie, we’re led to believe it is haunted—in a way. But the shock ending (and it does shock!) offers a decidedly non-supernatural explanation. Devastating end, but not haunted in the supernatural sense of the word. And, of course, for that same reason, several others of my favs didn’t make it: William Castle’s HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL, Corman’s Poe classic, THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER, etc., etc.
So, clearly our criteria for this list is that it has to be a real haunted house, with spectral happenings that cannot be explained through scientific or human means. And, of course, we tried to stick to earthbound domiciles, or else EVENT HORIZON, one of the most frightening films I’ve ever seen, would clearly have been at the top of the list somewhere.
All the greatest haunted house tales are about history, and every house that holds ghosts within its walls, does so because the people who once called it home have not left it, in effect, they are carrying on with their history. Termed ‘The Bad Place’ by Stephen King, in his landmark nonfiction book DANSE MACABRE, these places seek to be purged of their history, of their badness, or they will devour their inhabitants. And sometimes, The Bad Place ultimately becomes only a reflection for those who look upon it. Sometimes they carry their ghosts with them, and they are the haunted, not the domicile.
In literature, the haunted house is one of the best mirrors which a writer can hold up to his/her characters (see HOUSE OF LEAVES by Mark Danielewski, THE SHINING by Stephen King, and GHOST STORY by Peter Straub for three of the best examples of such ever written). But in film it becomes a bit harder to translate that sort of psychological mirror to the screen.
Below, I think you’ll find some of the best horror films ever made that have achieved that almost impossible task.
And with that being said, we present our list…




13. Paranormal Activity (2009)

A surprise hit, Paranormal Activity became the new record holder for highest grossing indie film (a record previously held by Phantasm, until The Blair Witch Project came along to knock it out o1st place). And is it scary as hell. It’s a truly disturbing story of an ordinary couple who think they might be living in a haunted house and decide to set up cameras to catch activity while their sleeping. Of course, they open a can of nasty supernatural worms by doing so, and soon discover that they aren’t living in Spielberg-land where all the ghosts are just confused Caspers. The end will leave you with nightmares.





12. The Uninvited (1944)

Based on a novel by Dorothy Macardle, UNEASY FREEHOLD, The Uninvited is one of those old Hollywood classics that has elegance, and yet conveys an underlying menace through use of German Expressionistic shadow and light play. Starring a young Ray Milland and Ruth Hussey as brother and sister who buy an enchanting seaside home, this is a quiet horror film. All seems to be perfect for them until they find a locked room that holds its own dark secrets from its new owners. The scares come from well placed cameras and some great acting, by a superior cast.







11. The Innocents (1961)

Based on Henry James’ classic psychological/supernatural thriller, TURN OF THE SCREW, producer/director Jack Clayton catches perfectly the gut-wrenching ambiguity of this house’s haunts. Deborah Carr plays the new, somewhat naïve, governess over two children who become increasingly strange. Are they possessed by the dead? Or is it all her imagination? There are scenes in this film that still have the power to make you recoil. Not in disgust, mind you; but because of well timed scares. If you want a classic to make you appreciate good filmmaking, this is the one.



Read more on ... the black glove

Is this a real London underground haunting? What do you think?



The London Underground is built on countless gravesites and plague pits, and is the site of many human disasters, could this account for the hundreds of reported ghostly sightings?
Source

Friday, December 4, 2009

Cold Spots: Mason House Inn




Cold Spots Ghosts Mason House Inn paranormal
Bentonsport, Iowa - A guest comes down the stairs after a night's rest and approaches the owner of the historic inn. "Did you know this place is haunted?" she asks. The owner smiles, not because she thinks her guest is delusional, but because she's heard it before. And far from being afraid, the guest seems more excited. They're not scary, not malevolent, and not tortured. In fact, in life, the entities liked the place so much, they just didn't want to leave.


There is an old saying among those who believe in the paranormal: Those who don't believe in ghosts just haven't met the right one yet. It doesn't have to be the Hollywood version of a shrieking, blood-soaked monstrosity that's out for revenge that makes believers. In many cases, something as small as a tugged shirt-sleeve or a sudden unexplainable drop in temperature can make a person question their certainty that nothing beyond this life exists. Of course, one of the biggest challenges is the question of where to find a place where experiences of the paranormal sort are more of the norm than not. In Iowa, there is such a place, and as luck would have it, it's a bed and breakfast.
History
Built in 1846 as a hotel for steamboat travelers, the home was first called the "Ashland House." The builder, William Robinson, hired exclusively Mormon builders who took several years to gather the materials. Eleven years after it opened its doors, the hotel was sold to Lewis and Nancy Mason, who re-christened it the Phoenix Hotel. However, their reputation for hospitality was so great that the people of Bentonsport took to calling it just "Mason House." Part of the fame came from Nancy Mason's insistence that every room hold a full cookie jar for weary travelers.

Over the next hundred-fifty-two years, the home saw numerous owners, floods, and remodeling. It also saw more than its fair share of tragedy. During the Civil War, it was used as a small military hospital, where undoubtedly many soldiers, while waiting for transport, died. It was also used, for a time, as a stop on the famous "Underground Railroad." There were also several of the owners who died in the hotel, all of seemingly innocuous circumstances. The hotel even had one strange murder when a drunk guest, referred to by newspaper accounts as "Mr. Knapp," tried to climb into a bed that wasn't his and got a saber through the chest for his confusion.

The hotel remained in the Mason family until 1951 when Fannie Mason Kurtz died of natural causes in front of the fireplace. It was purchased by several families over the next fifty years, all of whom had their own paranormal experiences. In fact, one previous owner, a retired minister named McDermet, told stories of seeing Mary Mason Clark during renovations of the house. He also told of attempting to wallpaper the fifth room, and finding the wallpaper re-stripped every morning until he took the hint. The wallpaper sample book was found open to a certain sample, which he bought and put up, and there were no problems afterword. In 2001, Joy and Chuck Hanson purchased Mason House, and continue to run it as a bed and breakfast.

Ghosts
While Joy Hanson says they have at least five resident ghosts, the experiences of their non-permanent guests show those five are remarkably active, and there may be more. Guests tell the Hanson's of their experiences all the time, and most of them have similar rings to them.

The first ghost that people report seeing is a young boy who stays on the landing. Though his identity is unknown, he appears often, and seems to be something of a trickster. He wears knickers, and appears to be waiting for someone. Nicknamed "George," the boy likes to knock on doors before vanishing. He is also blamed for moving items from one room to another, and for often stealing the pins from alarm clocks to make them ring.

Another presence who appears to guests, but doesn't seem to mean any harm, is described as an old woman in a white night gown who stays on the third floor's south bedroom. She's most often seen standing in the doorway to her room before disappearing. People who stay in the room below hers report hearing a squeaking rocking chair from above, as well as the sounds of many boxes being dropped and footsteps. Strange, considering the room is not occupied (or wasn't at the time) and was used for storage. There was no rocking chair, but the retired minister who used to have his office in the room identified the woman as Mary Mason Clark.

In the dining room, people often get a welcoming feeling that goes well beyond the warmth of the fireplace. According to at least one psychic, it is none other than Fannie Mason Kurtz, the owner who died in front of the fireplace and whose body wasn't discovered for three days. According to the psychic, Fannie is happy in Mason House, and simply doesn't want to leave.

A fourth ghost manifests himself by way of what guests refer to as a feeling of dread. With no knowledge of what happened in one particular room, many guests instinctively know that there was a violent death in its past. It appears the unfortunate Mr. Knapp is still looking for his proper bed. However, he doesn't seem to mind guests of the feminine persuasion, as Hanson's daughter found out when, while making up the bed one day, she felt a hand pat her butt. She spun to confront whoever would be so bold, only to find the room empty.

The fifth apparition seen is one that Mrs. Hanson refers to as "Mr. Foggybody," though she believes it may be the ghost of former manager Francis O. Clark. Described as a floating head with shocking white hair, atop a body of smoke, he's been sighted by employees and guests alike. Though Francis Clark didn't die in the hotel, he managed it for several years, and his body was laid out in the hotel parlor when he died.

In addition, there are a myriad of phenomena that typify a haunted house, though most don't have them all in one place. Phantom footsteps, cold spots, opening and closing doors and windows, are all par for the course at Mason House.
Read more...Dread Central

Will Lizzie again weild her axe atLizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast?




The Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast is located in the home where murders occurred. Visitors can tour the home and murder scenes, and guests may spend the night in the house. In 1892, Andrew Borden and his wife, Abby, were brutally murdered by someone wielding an axe. Although ultimately acquitted of the crime, Borden’s youngest daughter, Lizzie, never regained her precrime innocence, and many folks in Fall River (and around the country) remained convinced that she got away with murder. Today, the house in which the Bordens lived and died is a city landmark, a museum, and a bed and breakfast. Although Lizzie Borden was acquitted, no one else was ever arrested or tried, and she has remained notorious in American folklore. Dispute over the identity of the killer or killers continues to this day.
Now, this is one way to be an entrepreneur. Make a living from ghosts!

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Voodoo Queens casts a curse at Manchac Swamp!




The Manchac Swamp, also known as the “haunted swamp,” near New Orleans is a Southern Gothic fan’s dream. An imprisoned voodoo queen is said to have cast a curse on these watery surroundings around the turn of the last century, resulting in the disappearance of three hamlets in a hurricane in 1915. This swamp is a wilderness jewel. Sims’s photographs and John Kemp’s text have made timeless the people and place of Manchac Swamp. The Manchac Swamp Bridge is a bridge in the US state of Louisiana. With a total length of 22.80 miles (36.69 km) it is the third longest bridge in the world by total length (see List of bridges by length). The bridge carries Interstate 55 over the Manchac Swamp in Louisiana, and represents one-third of the highway’s approximately 66 miles in Louisiana. Torchlit nighttime boat tours are offered by the Old River Plantation Adventure. But beware: As anyone who has spent a night in the wild can tell you, nature can be anything but gentle, and the staring red-eyed alligators can give you a real fright as they watch your boat cruise slowly by.
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Thursday, December 3, 2009

Haunted Places in Wisconsin

Under the watchful eye of goddesses, angels and shrouded mourners, visitors to the now 200-acre Forest Home Cemetery in Milwaukee wind their way through the undulating landscape. The cemetery's original 72 acres were established in 1850 on a site known to be a former American Indian village and burial mound. Some have said the hill adjacent to the reflecting pond on the north side of the cemetery has caused them to feel sick and fearful after walking upon it. One visitor reported visions of splintered coffins and shredded corpses, followed by the onset of headaches and bloodshot eyes.
Corey Schjoth/for The Wausau Daily Herald


Resting near the shores of Lake Superior, Fairlawn Mansion was built for industrialist and Superior's second mayor Martin Pattison and his family in 1890. The 42-room mansion was designed in the Queen Anne Victorian style that was popular at the time. After Pattison's death in 1918, Martin's wife Grace donated the mansion to be used as an orphanage. Later purchased in 1963 by the City of Superior for $12,500 in hopes of preserving a part of the town's history. Visitors taking tours have reported seeing a woman dressed in period clothing helping them find displays then vanishing. Ghosts of two children are reported to be seen and heard playing near the swimming pool in the basement.

During the time when Native Americans occupied the hill where the Scott Mansion rests now a curse was put upon the land as revenge for the death of the chief's daughter who fur traders at the time called Jenny. According to legend she either died of shame by her own hand or was killed because she was pregnant with a fur trader's child. In 1884 Scott mansion was being constructed for Thomas Blythe Scott who died before the house was finished. His widow, Anna, died the following year. Their son, Walter, sold the mansion, but died ten years later from being stabbed with a letter opener after an argument. The Scotts never lived in the mansion. Ever since that time any one who has owned the house has met untimely death. Corey Schjoth/for The Wausau Daily Herald
For more of this article visit... Central Wisconsin Hub

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

The World's Most Haunted Places




Many have been able to unearth the most haunted places in the world. The Colosseum of Rome is listed as one of them.



This ancient monument is definitely a symbol of the mighty Roman Empire but it was also the place where thousands met their doom. Gladiators were forced to fight until their deaths to entertain Caesar, the emperor of Rome at that time. Sadly enough, this cruel and barbaric act continued over a period of 500 years.
It is said that ghosts have been sighted in the Colosseum and sounds of swords clashing, loud weeping and even the sounds of tigers and lions have been heard too.
Another spooky site is the ‘Auschwitz Concentration Camp’. This is a place where happiness ceases to exist that even birds refuse to sing in this death camp. About four million people, mostly Jews, were massacred here during World War II under the command of the Nazis. Most were killed in gas chambers using the highly poisonous cyanide-based insecticide, Zyklon B. Others were starved to death and used for cruel medical experiments. Needless to say, visitors have sighted ghostly apparitions in the camps many times over.
The White House is also among these haunted places. It seems that several presidents and first ladies of late refuse to vacate the building. Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States, is the most frequently sighted ghost in the White House. Many have reported seeing him around the residence especially in the Oval Office. Benjamin Harrison, the 23rd president, also refuses to leave and is often seen rummaging around the attic. No one knows what he is looking for. Andrew Jackson, the 7th president has also made several appearances in his former bedroom in the White House while former first lady Abigail Adams has been sighted floating through the hallways.
It is believed that spirits linger on in our world if they fail to complete any ‘unfinished business’ when they were alive.
In Paris, people tend to be unaware of the shocking events that took place in this magnificent city during its grand remodeling in the1860s, when the ‘Catacombs of Paris’ were re-constructed to support the expansive housing developments and massive boulevards that now define the metropolis.
Underneath the beautiful façade of the city is a structural support system built of human bones that houses one of the largest mass tombs in the world. Millions of corpses were quietly dug and their remains deposited along the walls of the dark and uncanny passageways lying beneath the city grounds.
The catacombs have become a huge hit amongst tourists who venture to the underground tombs to catch a glimpse of one of the goriest sights in the world. The silence here is indeed deafening as visitors frequently sight ghostly apparitions along the passageways sometimes following the tour groups around.
Raynham Hall located in Norfolk, England is also one of the most famous haunted places in the world due to its well-known ghost figure, ‘The Brown Lady’, who was captured on film in 1936 floating up the staircase and is said to be one of the most authentic ghost pictures ever taken. It has a long history of sightings, reports and strange phenomena stretching back to over 250 years. People residing in this building have encountered many strange happenings.
Among the most famous incident reported was in the early 1800’s, when George IV stayed at the house. He spent the night in the state bedroom, but was awoken to see a woman dressed in brown standing at his bedside. The woman was deathly pale, and scared him out of his wits. Another visitor, Colonel Loftus, recalled encountering the ghost twice on Christmas in 1835.
Another site famous for its ‘paranormal’ entities is the Tower of London. The history in this place depicts both the bloody and cruel acts leading to the torture, execution and even murder of countless people among which, include some of the most well-known individuals that helped shape England’s history. They were violently interrogated, tortured and eventually sentenced without a trial. Most were beheaded as this was a common form of execution during the Medieval and Renaissance England times.
This would explain why ghostly apparitions are sighted in a headless state. Visitors and guards have reported hearing the rattling of chains and desperate cries of prisoners inside the towers.
Some of the famous individuals that succumbed to these cruel acts were Anne Boleyn, the Queen of England who was beheaded in 1536 after being falsely accused of adultery, incest and treason, Lady Jane Grey is another commonly sighted ghost and she too was beheaded in 1553. Many spiritual ‘entities’ have been spotted by those who visit the towers and obviously, clairvoyant activities commonly occur in this place.
The never-ending parables of ghostly encounters and experiences will always remain part of our world. However, it is not an issue to toy around with. Despite our various beliefs, these stories were carried down from generations to generations for a reason and I’m sure it’s more that just a bedtime story to scare the kids.

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