Haunted Houses from Around the Country

[ryguy]

Thought you guys might be interested in this article I just published last night called Real Haunted Houses

I just wanted to share it because in the process of doing research for it (trying to find the haunted structures with the most evidence/testimony to support the claims), I came across the story of a pub where one 10 year old girl died on the train tracks near the hotel. Apparently the innkeepers keep the bloody dress in the attic.

My first question was: "Huh? Why on earth do something so sick?"

Well, the answer came in an interview with one of the locals (the interview is in the video link in that article) - he said one woman found the dress and took it home. All night she heard someone running up and down the stairs and making a general ruckus. Each time she checked no one was there. It kept her up all night and spooked her pretty bad.

Next day she took the dress back and they put it back up in the attic of the pub. All activity ceased at her house, but apparently a lot of activity continues at the pub/inn.

I thought..."oh, that's a cute little urban legend they can tell patrons of the inn." But then I found the video where a researcher was given permission to take a look up in the attic, and sure enough he found a small dress up in there. You can have a look for yourself.

I'd love to hear from anyone who stayed at any of these places. Also - anyone who has stayed anywhere in the Northeast and has had similar experiences.

Anyway - enjoy the article!

-Ry

[Zep Tepi]

Well-written article Ryan

However... you knew there would be a "however", right?

From the article:

This certainly holds true for the authentic examples of real haunted houses from around the United States

Authentic and real? Reaaaaalllllllly....! hehe

In the attic of this tavern, Mary's bloody dress remains untouched and undisturbed. Don't believe it? You can see the dress yourself in a video of author and investigator Jeff Belanger exploring the mystery of Stone's Public House.

That there is a "bloody dress" is not in doubt. That the dress belonged to Mary and remained untouched and undisturbed all this time however... well... How are we to know?

Sometimes owners of an inn or a hotel will attempt to keep hidden the fact that their old house is filled with active ghosts

Those owner's should learn from the thousands of so-called haunted pubs & hotel owners that are very quick to advertise the fact there are ghosts on their premises. Most people would jump at the chance of dining or sleeping in an "authentic" haunted building - it makes for a great conversation piece!

The owner of Stone's Public House, featured in the first part of your article certainly knows his onions:
Stone's Public House - History

It's creepy here late at night, when the only light sneaks through the windows from the streetlights outside and the upper floors creak and settle in for the long night. The faces in the paintings on the second floor seem to follow you wherever you walk, and John Stone's scowl can be felt even when you turn your back to his portrait above the tavern fireplace. Doors seem to open and close at times for no reason. Glasses have been known to fly off the shelf or shatter to bits without provocation. Both employees and guests have felt hands on their necks or sensed an unseen presence behind them. But is it really haunted?

I can't see him being too worried about losing custom because of ghosts in the premises

I know I know, I can talk...

Cheers,
Steve

[ryguy]

My skeptical friend, even with 1st hand experience...you continue to doubt.

By the way...thankfully on that website, I provide myself a little leeway to write more of an interesting story, and ease off a bit on the science. However - that doesn't mean I'm willing to publish any old story. I had to bypass countless stories by ridiculous and stupid "ghost hunters" who constantly call "orbs" on digital photos evidence of paranormal activity ffs...

It took me about twice as long to write this one because I refused to publish stories that weren't supported by at least 3 to 10 witnesses and I especially liked the stories supported with physical evidence. Given - those authentic (as authentic as you can prove) stories are really hidden among a majority of stories that definitely aren't authentic.

But whether there are authentic paranormal experiences out there to be found? You know the answer to that one.

-Ry

[Chorlton]

My skeptical friend, even with 1st hand experience...you continue to doubt.

By the way...thankfully on that website, I provide myself a little leeway to write more of an interesting story, and ease off a bit on the science. However - that doesn't mean I'm willing to publish any old story. I had to bypass countless stories by ridiculous and stupid "ghost hunters" who constantly call "orbs" on digital photos evidence of paranormal activity ffs...

It took me about twice as long to write this one because I refused to publish stories that weren't supported by at least 3 to 10 witnesses and I especially liked the stories supported with physical evidence. Given - those authentic (as authentic as you can prove) stories are really hidden among a majority of stories that definitely aren't authentic.

But whether there are authentic paranormal experiences out there to be found? You know the answer to that one.

-Ry

The problem as I found it with these so called 'Paranormal places' is. One persons ghost is another persons nothing
Example. In the 80's a man walking his dog was supposed to have seen a ghost in a graveyard in Kent every time he walked past. So unbeknown to him, myself and 3 other people went into the graveyard an hour or two before he did.
We had also earlier checked the place out so we knew where to be, to be in sight of him and his supposed ghost.
Night fell (KERAAAASHHHHH) Nothing

Along comes the man with the dog, walking slowly. Still nothing. Off he goes.
next day on the local radio, said man phones up on schedule and says he waked past the graveyard last night and saw the ghost again. Well 4 of us didnt see it, so where was it?.

Old houses move, fact. I had a 15th century farmhouse. Half timbered, all oak beams inside, and the noise in that house at night in winter was quite worrying untill you work out the science. The fire heats up the beams and walls and plaster during the day = Expansion.
At night, temperature drops = Contraction = Noises as wood moves etc etc etc.
Ive also been told that in certain circumstances the movement can create static electricity.

But Ghosts ?? No way.

[ryguy]

Whether they are "ghosts" as people define them is definitely not known.

Your example above is excellent. The majority of cases involve people assuming normal things are "paranormal." A few great examples of these assumptions:

1. "Cold spots" or "hot spots" in an old house (it's called poor heating, poor ventilation, and drafts)
2. "Orbs" on digital photos - I've seen a list of 15 to 20 things that can cause these photographic anomalies, and none are parnormal in nature.
3. Doors closing on their own. If you've ever been alone in a room where either a slight draft or an uneven floor causes the door to close on its own (sometimes even slamming), it can be unsettling. But not paranormal. Drafts from two rooms can even "battle" and cause the door to move back and forth - I saw this in an old house we rented in college. Nothing paranormal.

However, with all of that said, there are numerous examples where trustworthy and very sane people have heard knocking, tapping, muffled voices, screaming, laughing, etc... or have actually seen apparitions and/or strange orbs in a room. Paranormal groups record clear examples of these often, and a lot of cases are available where the quiet voice was not only heard by those in the room, but it's captured on tape.

Hauntings are a lot different than UFO/Alien stories in that there are a lot of cases where substantial evidence exists to support it.

In fact, I'm certain I could make you a believer, Chorlton, if you came over to the States. A visit to one or two of the most paranormal sites, and I bet you'd be running for your life.

-Ry

[Zep Tepi]

My skeptical friend, even with 1st hand experience...you continue to doubt.

{Snip}

But whether there are authentic paranormal experiences out there to be found? You know the answer to that one.

-Ry

Careful mate, I have a reputation to think about!

[Access Denied]

Careful mate, I have a reputation to think about!

No worries, your secret is safe with us.

I'd love to hear from anyone who stayed at any of these places. Also - anyone who has stayed anywhere in the Northeast and has had similar experiences.

Cool Ryan, I’m going to show your article to my wife and will let you know if she has anything to share. She’s fascinated with haunted houses and knows quite a lot about the subject.

Not the Northeast but she loves making me stay the night on the Queen Mary in Long Beach in the hope that I’ll have a paranormal experience and quit giving her such a hard time.

You might want to contact Erika Frost who runs the Paranormal Research Center there…

http://erikafrost.blogspot.com/2006/08/ ... enter.html

[Chorlton]

Whether they are "ghosts" as people define them is definitely not known.

However, with all of that said, there are numerous examples where trustworthy and very sane people have heard knocking, tapping, muffled voices, screaming, laughing, etc... or have actually seen apparitions and/or strange orbs in a room. Paranormal groups record clear examples of these often, and a lot of cases are available where the quiet voice was not only heard by those in the room, but it's captured on tape.-Ry

Its my opinion that with the ghosts and paranormal phenomena, we have a similar situation as that with UFO's.
There are far too many things happening in. on and to the earth that we simply know nothing about. Hence we start calling certain phenomena, Ghosts or UFO's. It was only a few years ago that scientists discovered that lightning goes up as well as down. And only a few years ago that people discovered the low frequency radio waves emitted from storms.
Theres just too much we dont know about natural occurences, to simply call them Ghosts, Ufos or whatever. Naturally generated electricity from the earth, gas emitted from certain building materials. Not to mention the possibilities of reactions to cars moving and the effects of magnetism and wind movements, then we could move on to Airplanes and the effects of thoe on the air, air chemistry. Then theres radio waves, of all frequencies from VLF to VHF and above, I could go on.
Many supposed haunted buildings in England are made of Granite which itself is radioactive.
The idea of 'lost souls' wandering the earth to me, a dedicated Non Believer in God or afterlife or anything is laughable.
I admit there are and is some strange phenomena around certain buildings etc, but my belief is that it is natural.

In fact, I'm certain I could make you a believer, Chorlton, if you came over to the States. A visit to one or two of the most paranormal sites, and I bet you'd be running for your life.
-Ry

But thats a different point isnt it? I have been scared by things, but thats simply a natural human reaction and is completely automatic. One is scared by things one doesnt understand or that is unexpected, but that doesnt mean I think its ghosts or whatever.
Being scared by something isnt going to make me a believer. It would simply make me look for the reason.

However I look forwards to receiving your cheque for the flight to the US. Virgin Atlantic please, Business class.