Saskatchewan's Own , source for all your prairie haunting information.
In culture after culture, people believe that the soul lives on after death, that rituals can change the physical world and divine the truth, and that illness and misfortune are caused and alleviated by spirits, ghosts, saints ... and gods.
A supernatural Sea-Hag haunts a Bell Island's Dobbin's Gardens marsh.
Newfoundland's Bell Island is a place steeped in mysteries and legends. These are legends not merely passed down through the generations, but encountered first hand. They mainly revolve around Dobbin's Garden and the nearby marshes. They are stories of an Irish legend, the Banshee, a female spirit appointed to inform families of impending death. She comes in two forms: a beautiful woman in white, and a deformed old hag. Most encounters circle around the latter. Men have been known to walk through the small marshes, only to come out days later, not knowing where they are, or where they had been. They can only remember a putrid smell, and a grotesque old woman, in ragged clothes, crawling towards them from the bushes, forcing them to the ground with the smell of death.
As a method of supposed communication with the spirit world, the Ouija board has terrified countless slumber partying children and served as a plot vehicle in a number of Hollywood films. Here’s where it came from.
SPIRITUALISM AND PRE-OUIJA METHODS
Ouija boards have their roots in Spiritualism, which began in the United States in the late 1840s. (Claims that ancient Ouija boards existed are unfounded.) The new movement was led by mediums, who claimed to be intermediaries between the living and the dead.
There were a number of ways mediums made followers believe that they were communicating messages from those who had passed. One, table turning, involved the table moving or knocking on the floor in response to letters called out from the alphabet. Another method used planchettes, heart-shaped devices with two wheels at one end and a pencil at the point; users would place their fingers on the device, which would then be guided by spirits who would “write” messages.
Both methods were problematic. Table turning took too long, and planchette writing was hard to decipher. According to the Museum of Talking Boards, some mediums got rid of these methods altogether, preferring to channel while in a trance, while others built complicated tables, dials, and tables painted with letters that required people to use a planchette as a pointer. This method became the most popular—and paved the way for the Ouija board.
RISE OF THE TALKING BOARD
In 1886, the New York Daily Tribune reported on a new talking board being used in Ohio. It was 18 by 20 inches and featured the alphabet, numbers, and the words yes, no, good evening, and goodnight; the only other necessary object was a “little table three or four inches high … with four legs” that the spirits could use to identify letters. The brilliance of the board was that anyone could make it—the tools suggested in the article are “a jack-knife and a marking brush."
Operating the board was similarly easy:
You take the board in your lap, another person sitting down with you. You each grasp the little table with the thumb and forefinger at each corner next to you. Then the question is asked, ‘Are there any communications?’ Pretty soon you think the other person is pushing the table. He thinks you are doing the same. But the table moves around to ‘yes’ or ‘no.’ Then you go on asking question and the answers are spelled out by the legs on the table resting on the letters one after the other.
(Of course, any messages generated probably weren't from spirits; instead, they were likely a result of the Ideomotor effect. This psychological phenomenon was first described in 1852 by William Benjamin Carpenter who, in a scientific paper analyzing how talking boards worked, theorized that muscular movement can be independent of conscious desires.)
OUIJA : THE GAME
These types of talking boards became very popular, and in 1890, Elijah Bond, Charles Kennard and William H.A. Maupin had the idea to turn the board into a toy. They filed the first patent for a game they called the Ouija board, which looked and operated much like the talking boards in Ohio; the patent was granted in 1891. The name, according to Kennard, came from using the board, and was an ancient Egyptian word meaning “good luck.” The Kennard Novelty Company manufactured the boards, which were made of five pieces of wood across the face braced by two vertical slats on the back; they retailed for $1.50.
Kennard left the company in 1891, and the Kennard Novelty Company became the Ouija Novelty Company.William Fuld, an employee there, eventually took over production of the boards; in 1901, he began making his own boards under the name Ouija, which Fuld said came from a combination of the French and German words for “yes”—the etymology that is accepted today.
Fuld would go on to design many different versions of the board (he holds more Ouija patents and copyrights than anyone else in history—a grand total of 21 registrations in three countries—including the design for the modern planchette). Because of the board’s huge success, a number of competitors to tried their hands at creating their own Ouija-like devices. Fuld sued many of those copycats, right up until his death in 1927.
In 1966, Fuld’s estate sold the family business—which included more than just Ouija boards—to Parker Brothers, which manufactured the modern boards as we know them today. In 1991, Parker Brothers was sold to Hasbro, which now holds all the Ouija rights and patents (and might even make a movie based on the game).
Robert is a doll that was once owned by Key West painter and author Robert Eugene Otto. The doll is alleged to be possessed by evil spirits and has a terrifying reputation.
The doll, which is allegedly cursed, has become a fixture of ghost
tours in the Key West area since it was inducted into the Fort East
Martello Museum. Aesthetically, Robert resembles an early 20th-century
American Naval officer. Contrary to popular belief, however, the doll's
hair is not made of human hair, but rather, it consists of a synthetic
material resembling wool yarn.
Eugene was given the doll in 1906 by a Bahamian servant who was skilled in black magic and voodoo and was displeased with the family. Soon afterward, it
became clear that there was something eerie about the doll. Eugene's
parents said they often heard him talking to the doll and that the doll
appeared to be talking back. Although at first they assumed that Eugene
was simply answering himself in a changed voice, they later believed
that the doll was actually speaking.
Neighbors claimed to see the doll moving from window to window when
the family was out. The Otto family swore that sometimes the doll would
emit a terrifying giggle and that they caught glimpses of it running
from room to room. In the night Eugene would scream, and when his
parents ran to the room, they would find furniture knocked over and
Eugene in bed, looking incredibly scared, telling them that "Robert did
it!". In addition, guests swore that they saw Robert's expression change
before their eyes.
When Eugene died in 1974, the doll was left in the attic until the
house was bought again. The new family included a ten-year old girl, who
became Robert's new owner. It was not long before the girl began
screaming out in the night, claiming that Robert moved about the room
and even attempted to attack her on multiple occasions. More than thirty
years later, she still tells interviewers that the doll was alive and
wanted to kill her.
For individuals who visit Robert in the Fort East Martello Museum and
wish to take a picture of him, according to legend, the person must ask
the doll politely. If he does not agree (by tipping his head to one side), and the
individual takes a picture anyway, the doll will curse the person and
their family.
A very interesting video. Easily a fake but interesting none the less. Reminds me of my younger days when we would " fool around " with Ouija boards.
Caution to headphone users.
The hazards of Ouija board use are plentiful and well documented. The
negative vibrations resulting from opening a pathway to the spirit
dimension can be unexpected and plentiful. Mary and her friends decided
to do it anyway.
The group begins by asking the spirit if it is here with them, to which
it responds yes. Further questioning reveals its name is Fear, and is
neither human nor dead. Perplexed, the group of summoners asks what the
spirit wants.
"Mary"
Out of nowhere, a loud unexplained boom shakes the entire house, causing the group to scatter desperately from their seats.
Was this the sound of the spirit crossing into the human dimension, or
perhaps even the home itself? Whatever the case, this supernatural
entity has made a bold statement to make its presence known. Mary and
her friends may have opened themselves a can of worms.
Tunnel Springs, Alabama has an 840 foot abandoned rail tunnel. The masonry tunnel was completed in 1899 and abandoned in the 1990's. A spring that was hit when digging the tunnels exits at the northeastern end of the tunnel gives the community of Tunnel Springs its name. Its rumored that there were more then a few deaths during the construction.
This photo below was sent to us by Colin Sands who discovered it while editing pictures he had taken in an abandoned railway tunnel in Tunnel Springs, Alabama. A great capture of a strange light anomaly. Let us know what you think.
Our return trip to Fort San revealed the Sanatorium to be in a state of demolition. Not many of the original buildings were left standing by this time.
Here are some photos we took of what was left. During our exploration that day my wife heard what she says was a child crying but to me it sounded like something on the building moving in the wind. Later after reviewing out pictures I was able to capture one photo which appears to have a orb in the bottom area.
Its sad to see such a landmark, of Sunday drives around the lake and it's haunted past, fall to progress but we will always have it's stories to share.
What appears to be an orb in the bottom portion of the photo.
MS Queen Mary is an ocean liner that sailed the North Atlantic Ocean from 1936 to 1967 for Cunard Line (then Cunard White Star Line). Built by John Brown and Company, Clydebank, Scotland, she was designed to be the first of Cunard's planned two-ship weekly express service from Southampton to Cherbourg to New York, in answer to the mainland European superliners of the late twenties and early thirties. Queen Mary and her slightly larger and younger running mate RMS Queen Elizabeth commenced this two-ship service after their release from World War II troop transport duties and continued it for two decades until Queen Mary's retirement in 1967.
The ship is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and is permanently berthed in Long Beach, California serving as a museum ship and hotel. The Queen Mary celebrated the 70th anniversary of her launch in both Clydebank with Clydebank Restoration Trust and in Long Beach during 2004, and the 70th anniversary of her maiden voyage in 2006.
Many areas are rumored to be haunted. Reports of hearing little children crying in the nursery room, actually used as the third class playroom, and a mysterious splash noise in the drained first class swimming pool are cited. In 1966, 18 year old fireman John Pedder was crushed by a watertight door in the engine room during a drill, and his ghost is said to haunt the ship.
Hey there everyone! Here is a YouTube video with an interesting partial manifestation of what appears to be a walking figure. It can be seen at 2:14 on the video. Have a look.
I'm a writer who became one, in part, because of a ghost hunting avocation. This hobby landed me a first book deal, some public speaking gigs, introduction to people on TV, and awesome friends. Plus, I'm no longer scared of life, in general. These are no small developments.
There is charm in hanging out at spooky places in the middle of the night experiencing wild and crazy things. Sometimes, we help homeowners feel better about their world. Of course, it makes us feel important to be part of the larger cultural pulse of something on TV.
Ghost hunting is a cool thing to do, and maybe for reasons you haven't considered. There is cultural importance of this ghost stuff regardless if you believe spirits actually exist.
History and Storytelling
Ghost hunters are historical preservationist and archivists.
How so? We storytellers, and the stories we preserve through paranormal investigation are from our local and regional communities. There are few hobbies that so intimately engage local history and take time to document how the living interacts with these stories. We help keep micro history (the untold stories) alive. Additionally, we reinterpret these tales to better understand who we are today.
Paranormal interest has renewed the spirit of living history. Many historic sites bank on being haunted. This isn't a bad thing. Having a ghost has helped many not-for-profit historic locations earn supplemental income as State, local, and grant funding dried up due to the economy. (Most historic locations don't operate on entrance fees alone.) Tourist traffic from paranormal interest allows some sites keep their existing funding. The coolest aspect is that visitors get a dose of local history, even if a haunted version, that they may have otherwise bypassed.
This idea is catching on. Shreveport, Louisiana is one of the first cities to put funding and sponsorship behind a downtown paranormal festival as a way to boost business and local history awareness, thus engaging paranormal tourism at a previously unprecedented level. This moves ghost hunting's cultural relevancy out of the paranormal community and into the larger society, and that is awesome.
Ghost Hunters are Multimedia Artists
Digital audio, camcorders, and cameras provide an interesting example regarding handheld technology's role in storytelling. Ghost hunters are some of the most proficient in this art form. We have hours of video and audio of our experiences, client interviews, and awesome footage of historical significant locations. The average person probably doesn't own this type of equipment despite its accessibility. If someone happens to have a camcorder, they aren't using it like we are: as documentarians.
Online clips of investigations, including satirical spoofs, have become a YouTube genre. This is a neat development because a segment of the arts community is really interested in multimedia aspects of community-based story telling. In some ways, our "client reveals" -- with the history, investigator personal experiences, and digital and audio evidence - is a form of media art.
We are multimedia storytellers.
Think about it - most people know nothing about audio or video editing. Many of us have a basic understanding of these things, and some of us develop transferable skills that steer us in unexpected directions. AdventureMyths started as paranormal investigators who created well-researched documentaries to hand back to the historic sites they investigated. Now, they are morphing into actual filmmakers.
I'm currently using my semi-professional digital audio devices (and my software editing skills) to produce a podcast series for a blog that has nothing to do with the paranormal. I developed a marketable skill set because of paranormal investigation.
Ghost Hunters Provide Spiritual Solace
Ghost hunters (the good ones) offer a new personal faith language and spiritual identity in the modern world. Our religious institutions, be it Muslim, Christian, etc., aren't always on the mark when it comes to our contemporary inner lives. Ghost hunting provides society a new way to understand large philosophical concepts like good versus evil, our place in the cosmos, and life after death.
Ethical investigators and moral psychics and Mediums can assure people they aren't crazy. Sometimes, we provide comfort during times of grieving and personal upheaval. Some investigators are explicitly faith based and offer a service to their communities that is missing from the pulpit. There is a need for "spiritual advisors" to address belief where mainstream religion leaves off.
The clip below is from the Windbridge Institute , an academic-based research organization focusing on Mediumship abilities. Their research is intriguing, solid, and provides insight on the importance of "paranormal" work to individual emotional well-being.
Some of Us Are Citizen Scientists
Paranormal investigators - the serious kind - are citizen scientists. Citizen science goes back to the early days when the average person was an inventor, a philosopher, and a scientist. In a way, paranormal investigation harkens a time when science wasn't determined by academic and research institutions. Some of us are collecting interesting data of anomalous events, and we are capable enough to document other environmental aspects, as well. If we do our research right, we can exchange ideas with citizen scientists in areas like geology, meteorology, and ecology (among others fields).
Now, here is a disclaimer: I am the first to say that most investigators aren't scientific at all. However, the goods ones, at bare minimum, ask important questions about anomalous events. A few are actual researchers, like the folks at the Rhine Research Center, where innovative research is underway on consciousness, bioenergy, other potentially related maters. The John Templeton Foundation recently offered grant funding for academic-based survival research along with the theological and social implications of these questions. This is a pretty big deal, by the way, because the biggest challenge to serious research is funding.
Back to Everday Gal: ghost hunters around the world are exploring equipment innovation. Granted, much of this stuff is useless. Yet, some equipment works off of intriguing hypotheses. While equipment may or may not prove ghosts, this cottage industry is innovation not found in many hobbies. This is grassroots funded research and design. Plus, there aren't many avenues in our society where the average person gets to be innovatively creative. Tweaking and creating ghost equipment brings the phrase "thinking outside of the box" to a completely new place, even if ne'er a ghost is caught.
Ghost Hunters Make Better Communities
Ghost hunters seem like a cliched bunch. Let's admit it -- many of us are. We take pictures of our camcorder/K-2/Mel Meters like we are tech-porn stars in black t-shirts. We speak in code that only other ghost hunters understand. We draw battle lines around TV shows, and some of us get all silly over the latest community drama.
Yet, we are kind of cool, right? We keep local history alive. We experience phenomenal stuff. The best among us help people in meaningful ways. But we also do something else -- we give back to our communities.
Most ghost hunting groups provide the first time members have engaged in volunteerism and civic-minded activities. Better organized groups hold educational events and sometimes raise awareness for historic locations and local charities. Many of us give back to the world while learning how to manage and operate new organizations. That is a useful management skill itself!
Ghost hunting makes one a better citizen.
So go out and hug a ghost hunter today. We make the world better, or at least, less haunted and more interesting.
It is certainly arguable over which building in the U.K or indeed, the world is the most haunted. There are many contenders, from small houses to country estates, the list is seemingly endless.
One that is claimed but certainly not proven. is the Ancient Ram Inn a former pub located in Wotton-under-Edge, a market town within the Stroud district of Gloucestershire, England.
The building certainly has history and a well documented past, and dates back to around 1145 AD when on that date, builders engaged in the construction of the village church were lodged there.
The land the pub was built on is claimed to have been an ancient pagan burial ground, although I have seen little evidence of that, aside from the claims made by the current owner, John Humphries who purchased the building from it`s brewery owners in 1968 for £2,600.
Since then Mr Humphries has strived to restore the building by opening up the place to television companies and paranormal investigators. It is claimed that in the 16th century a witch was burned at the stake there, and perhaps rather conveniently, the witch had previously taken lodgings at the inn. Today, there is a room called `The Witches Room`, where it is claimed she had lived.
According to Mr Humphries, he has also found evidence of black magic and ritual sacrifice too. He discovered the skeletal remains of children just under the staircase with broken daggers amongst their bones.
Until this day, he claims to be haunted and attacked by various entities in the house on a regular basis. There have been many sightings of previous owners of the inn seen residing and sitting together with the patron’s of today’s time.
The most claimed haunted room, is that named The Bishop`s Room`, and most people who attempt to sleep there have been forced to flee in the middle of the night. Allegedly, this room is haunted by a monk.
Other ghosts include that of a Roman Centurion on horse back who appeared before a plumber, and also that of a succubus, and lastly the site crosses two ley lines.
These entities and more have been regularly investigated by ghost hunters and paranormal investigators alike from both foreign and domestic groups. Yet in terms of hard evidence, the building does not fare much more differently than the majority of ancient and haunted homes.
I do not personally doubt that this ancient and beautiful inn is haunted, but with regular investigations and visits with large numbers of people, (and I say that with regard to more than 4 investigators being present) it is less likely that your time and investment in getting there would yield the results you are looking for.
The truth is that old houses like to be left alone. Constant investigation has a detrimental effect to being able to capture activity, And the less people there are, the better the results.
For sure the inn has yielded video of anomalous activity, and many photographic stills over the years, but never in any quantity that would justly award the building the honour of being one of the world`s most haunted locations.
The more remote and less human active the location, the better (generally) the results.
