For Raleigh natives, this might be a local urban legend that is common knowledge. While I’ve been in Raleigh for about six years now, I’m still learning about new things about this city. I’m always up to hearing interesting ghost stories, especially local stories. Majority of cities around the world has some sort of local myth or legend. Some of the most popular ones include the ghostly hitchhiker, a woman in white, and a crybaby bridge. Have you noticed that almost every town has a crybaby bridge legend? Well, in Raleigh’s case, it’s Crybaby Lane. I first read about it on Candid Slice, and thankfully the author, Heather Leah, had done a LOT of research and gave me a lot of resources to use when researching this legend.

The Legend

I’ve heard numerous opinions on Crybaby Lane. I’ve even had a local told me that the story was completely made up in order to create some sort of local ghost story. For those of you who are unfamiliar, here is the premise of the legend. A Catholic orphanage burned down in 1958 because some escapees from Dorthea Dix started lighting things on fire. According to legend, several children lost their lives either from the flames or the escaped mental patients. It’s a rather gory legend that puts mental health patients in a bad light. Today, if you visit the site, you’ll hear ghostly cries of the children as they scream to be saved. People who live near the orphanage claim to smell sulfur even though nothing is on fire. There is also a legend of a gatekeeper who protects the entrance to Crybaby Lane.

The first odd thing I noticed with Crybaby Lane is that no one could agree on the location. Besides Pattison’s information, the most common thing I hear is that it is near Dorthea Dix, it’s by Dix, it’s near Dix, it’s AT Dix…the list goes on. I’ve read countless stories of people who wandered around the area and couldn’t find the site. This was worrisome for the orphanage’s existence because usually there is some local who will know where the orphanage was. From my understanding, the buildings were torn down in the 1970s, which isn’t that long ago. Given that modern day record-keeping has improved tremendously for data from the past century, why was finding Crybaby Lane so confusing? Thankfully, I ran into Heather Leah’s article about Crybaby Lane, and all of her work gave me the shortcut I needed to really dive deep into this legend.

The History

The Catholic orphanage was founded by Father Thomas Price. He bought the land off of Western Boulevard in the 1890s and built a chapel there. After seeing children suffering because of their families’ poverty, he opened an orphanage in 1898/1899 with his sister, Sister Mary Agnes Price, called the Catholic Orphanage of Nazareth. As many as 250 children lived there during the Great Depression. Not all of the children there had deceased parents, most were there because their parents could no longer afford to take care of them. The orphanage closed in the 1970s. There are some discrepancies when it comes to the year. One website says that the orphanage was founded in 1898, and then the seminary followed in 1902. Apparently, there was a reunion in 1982 where 200 people gathered, and many were old enough to talk about the babies that were left at the orphanage during the Great Depression. I was really excited to find a blog where former residents of the orphanage shared their old photos and stories from living there. Sadly, it hasn’t been updated since 2014. But, I found a wealth of info, photos, and a glimpse of what life must have been like at the orphanage.

The Facts

I am currently still in the process of trying to find proof of the 1958 fire. I haven’t found it yet, and will update when I do. The location did have several fires that happened over the span of its existence. There was an article in the News & Observer that talked about a fire that broke out on October 29, 1905 at the orphanage. This is supported with newspaper clippings you’ll see here. The fire was so bad that a priest jumped out of windows to get to safety, and he ended up permanently crippled. There were three students who were sleeping on the fourth floor when the fire broke out, and they had no choice but to jump out the window as well. It was a 45 foot drop, enough to cause serious injuries and even death. The priests were spreading mattresses to cushion their fall. Timothy Wallace, who was 21 years old, and another student, jumped with injuries, but they survived. However, 16-year old John Gladish ended up missing the mattresses and died from his injuries the following Sunday. Gladish was the only casualty of the 1905 fire.

There was another fire in 1912 in the stables, but no one was injured or killed. There was a fire noted in 1961 after a priest was attempting to burn a wasps’ nest and burned the rectory to the ground. Unfortunately, some records of the graves at the orphanage graveyard burned with it. Father Price left Nazareth in 1911, and then died in 1919 China on an international mission trip after his appendix burst. There is a movement at the moment to get Father Price canonized and beatified, and he was inducted into the Raleigh Hall of Fame in 2018.

The Graveyard

John Gladish and others were buried at the cemetery at the orphanage. But, what is really disturbing, is that these graves are now unmarked and seemed to have totally disappeared. In the early eighties, an NCSU student by the name of Dean Ruedrich took walks through the graveyard. He found around 20 or 30 stones, with three people dying on Christmas Day. 30 years later, while Ruedrich was working on restoring and repairing Mount Hope after a tornado, visitors asked him about the Catholic orphanage graves.

Ruedrich had to compare aerial maps of Raleigh and traced the graveyard. According to him, he thinks the graveyard was at the corner of Main Campus Drive and Partners Way. Supposedly, the graves have been moved to St. Joseph’s Cemetery in New Bern, where there are 14 unmarked graves with crosses on them. For more information on these forgotten graves, check out the News & Observer article. It is a bit unsettling considered that these remains were entrusted to the Catholic Church and then forgotten.

The Land Today

The Catholic Diocese donated a portion of the land to Cardinal Gibbons High School in 1962. Then, a substantial portion of land near Dorthea Dix was bought by North Carolina State University in 1988. Today, the buildings are gone and replaced by modern buildings and the new cathedral. According to Kate Pattison of the Raleigh Public Record, the original orphanage building became the home for the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh and still stands to this day. Granted, her write up was dated back to 2009…but that is recent enough where a building could be remembered. From my understanding, the Catholic Diocese is now located in North Raleigh, about 10 minutes from where I live.

According to WRAL.com, the new Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral apparently sits on the former site. Again, first it was the office for the Catholic Diocese, now the new cathedral sits on the same site. From what I can see on Google Maps, it appears Crybaby Lane has been paved over in efforts to provide another entrance to the massive cathedral. This was later confirmed by Heather. According to Heather, there is a stone left of the orphanage, but that’s about it. Considering how much of an impact Father Price made on the area and how massive of a presence that the orphanage had, it would be ludicrous to allow this part of history to be paved over and forgotten. If you look at the satellite version of Google Maps, it hasn’t been updated yet and you can still see the old site. You can tell it’s outdated because the new cathedral isn’t on the satellite image.

Anyway, despite the confusing history about the Catholic Orphanage of Nazareth, Crybaby Lane, the haunted orphanage, whatever you want to call it, there is truly a diamond in the rough tucked away in South Raleigh that is worth researching.

Sources

Nazareth Stories: A blog run by former inhabitants of the orphanage where they shared personal stories and photos.

Candid Slice – Ghost Hunt! Crybaby Lane Sliced Open

Father Thomas Price Inducted into the Raleigh Hall of Fame

WRAL – Cathedral sits on the former site of the Catholic orphanage

News & Observer – Cemetery for Catholic orphanage, but no one knows where they are now

Legeros – Fire at the Catholic Orphanage – October 29, 1905

Raleigh Public Record – Nazareth: Orphans, Ghosts, and a Saint

The post The Mysterious Case of Raleigh’s Crybaby Lane appeared first on Association of Paranormal Study.

After the Duel

What a lot of people don’t know is what happened to Burr after the infamous duel that took the life of Alexander Hamilton. In short, Burr’s political career was ruined. As Hamilton’s life end, Burr’s also ended in a way. He would never be able to return to his normal life. Burr was charged with murder in the state of New York and New Jersey along with multiple other crimes, but he was never brought to trial. There was that complicated scenario where Hamilton was shot in Jersey but he died in New York, which made the charges and trial a bit complicated.

Burr ended up fleeing to South Carolina to be with his daughter and her family. He would end up going to Washington, DC and Philadelphia to serve his term as vice-president under President Thomas Jefferson. Burr obviously avoided returning to New York and New Jersey. The charges against him were eventually dropped.

After he left his term as vice president in 1805, he headed west to claim land for himself and secede from the United States. Basically, his plan was to liberate Texas and Mexico from Spain and then keep the land for himself separate from the United States. Through a variety of loopholes and conspiracies, Burr found himself being charged with treason. The charges ended up being unfounded. He ended up fleeing to Europe to avoid his creditors. He eventually returned to New York. His daughter, Theodosia, boarded a ship in South Carolina so she could head up north to be with her father. Her ship ended up being lost at sea. Burr died at the age of 80 in Staten Island, New York.

This is very much an abridged version of his biography. If anything that was mentioned piques your interest, definitely explore more! Burr clearly lived a long life, and one could say there were a few regrets. Is it possible that the ghost of Aaron Burr still roams our world?

Haunting #1: The Aaron Burr House

Going back to his duel with Hamilton, Burr ended up fleeing to New Hope, Pennsylvania and stayed in a house for a week. Why this house? Burr had friends from the Revolutionary War who lived in this house and they gave him lodging for the week. Today, it’s known as the Painted Lady. The house still stands today as a bed and breakfast as the Aaron Burr House. The house also features a small collection of dueling pistols from Burr’s era. There are reports that his ghost has been seen peering around the corners and roaming the house. His ghost has even been seeing around the town, anxiously watching his back as if he is being followed. If he likes the guests that are staying at the bed and breakfast, he will tug on their clothes to prevent them from leaving. He has also been seen going up and down the staircase and roaming about the second floor.

If these sightings are true, I do have a theory about why Burr’s presence is seen. I wouldn’t go as far to say that this is his ghost. But more likely, this is an imprint of him. You could say this is a residual haunting, or even a thoughtform. Given that Burr was likely in a high state of stress after the duel, he was likely on edge the entire time he was in New Hope. He would have been watching his back and unable to relax. Would it be possible that his energy was so high that it survived after he departed? What if the surrounding area absorbed his energy and it replays like a broken record?

Also, of all places that Burr lived, why did he choose this house? Well, this house was owned by some of his dear friends, and he likely felt some sort of safety and security behind its walls. It’s not uncommon for ghosts to return to a place where they felt safe. Not to mention, the house ended up being named after him, and I’m sure “Hamilton” brought about a new generation of people interested in his story.

Haunting #2-4: New York City

The New Hope house isn’t the only place where Burr’s ghost has been spotted. His ghost seems to make its rounds around New York City. When Burr was 77 years old, he married Eliza Jumel, one of the wealthiest widows in America. But the marriage wasn’t going to last even a year. Eliza may have married Burr for recognition. However, it was clear that Burr was in it for the money. He was quickly draining her assets and the money was disappearing. Eliza and Burr lived in the house that she and her first husband, Stephen Jumel, purchased in 1810. Today, it is known as the Morris-Jumel House, and it is now considered to be one of the oldest houses in Manhattan. The divorce ended up being finalized on the day of Aaron Burr’s death in 1836. Burr has reportedly been seen at the mansion, along with Eliza, who lived in the house until 1865 when she passed away at 90 years old. Apparently, a big desk that once belonged to Burr is still in the mansion. Again, it could be some sort of energy from the desk and not Burr himself.

Burr’s ghost has also been spotted in the West Village restaurant, One If By Land, Two If By Sea. It’s rumored that the restaurant is home to his old carriage house, but that has since been debunked since the structure was built after he passed. Perhaps just the mere mentioning of his name will get Burr to appear? Supposedly, not only has Burr been spotted at the restaurant, but also a woman who strongly resembles his daughter, Theodosia. Maybe the father-daughter duo just want to enjoy a meal? It is reported that Burr’s ghost is mainly seen in the basement of the restaurant and will trip employees as they go down the stairs. Was Burr that mischievous and petty? Who knows. I’m not an expert on the rules of the afterlife, but I’m not convinced that a ghost is required to have a personal connection with a location while they were alive in order to haunt it. Burr has also been seen roaming around the West Village in general.

One of the sadder ghost sightings of Burr include him in Battery Park by the water, specifically at the American Merchant Marine Memorial. It is speculated that this spectre is still waiting for Theodosia to arrive from South Carolina, the same trip she didn’t survive. If there is any weight to these reports, then Burr either had some powerful psychic energy that thrives to this day, or he is having a rather turbulent afterlife.

In closing, the world is wide enough for Burr to haunt as many places as he wants.

What do you think? Do you think Aaron Burr is still in unrest in the afterlife? Tell us what you think in the comments! If you enjoyed this blog, please share it with your friends and subscribe to our website!

The post The World Was Wide Enough: The Multiple Hauntings of Aaron Burr appeared first on Association of Paranormal Study.

My experiences have convinced me that there is definitely more to us then cells and bones and we go on after our physical body dies.  To me, this is a fact. I have lost more people in my life than I would like to admit and have always felt the ones I have lost before them around when it’s getting close to their end. Sometimes it’s just a feeling, a scent, a whisper or a soft touch making sure I know that my people will not be alone in the transition to their afterlife. I have witnessed some who see the ones that have passed before them while on their deathbed but this always seems to be dismissed as a hallucination, the medication they are taking, or that the person is so out of it they don’t know where they are, etc.

I am certain that we are all shown signs that our family/friends come at our end, but aren’t acknowledged or get dismissed in fear of judgement from others. Why does what we feel get disregarded when so many people believe “We will meet again” after we pass? I look forward to seeing everyone I have missed so much in my life and hope to get answers to the questions I have carried around for years. Paranormal investigations have more than proven with hard evidence that there are spirits, ghosts, demons, angels. etc. Some choose to accept this evidence as fact and some just won’t accept it. Technology has given paranormal investigators ways to communicate and measure the afterlife to further prove it’s existence.  Whether you believe or not I am sure that our loved ones stand in line to greet us when we pass, show us the way and most importantly let us know they have always been with us. We take love with us to our next destinations and I look forward to seeing who is there to greet me when it is my time to crossover.

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Is it the devil, demons, aliens the supernatural?

Is it people, disease, famine and despair?

Is it witchcraft and curses? Gambling, violence, war and drugs?

Is it all of these things?

Where does Evil come from? Is it man-made or otherworldly? I often wonder. When I was about eight years old in the seventies, I went with my Mother to visit a friend of hers.I believe her name was Bonnie. Her friend lived in a two bedroom apartment not far from where we lived. My brother who was about four was playing with Bonnie’s son about the same age in the living room which was open to the kitchen. Bonnie had the tea kettle heating on the stove and was getting cups from the cabinet. On her counter next to where she was standing was a book, The Exorcist.

My Mother started to ask her about the book because the movie just came out in theaters. Bonnie started to tell her all the creepy details and the tea kettle was whistling. So, Bonnie served the tea and sat down and continued telling my Mom about it. As they were talking, the book that was at the opposite end of the counter from the stove caught fire. Bonnie got up and threw the book in the sink and turned the faucet on. Luckily no damage. We were all shook up to say the least. My Mother, as graciously as possible, said it was time to go and we high tailed it out of there.

I don’t think we ever visited Bonnie again.

Not because of Bonnie, but because of the book. My Mother was terrified for week. I think that was the first time I sensed Evil or what it represented. There could have been a logical explanation, but I don’t remember there being one. I never read the book and didn’t see the movie until I was in my late teens. To this day I can’t watch it. It bothers the heck out of me. I’ve had many, many paranormal experiences. I don’t know if it is because I am an extremely sensitive person.

I had haunted dolls as a child, I was told it was my imagination. I was sleeping over my Grandmother’s house one night I was in my early twenties. I took her to bingo and we just got back. She was upset because my Uncle’s girlfriend was really nasty to her, and they happened to be at bingo. My grandmother was sitting at the edge of her bed crying because this woman would verbally torment her. As I was consoling her we heard this loud pop, it was a wooden trinket box my uncle gave her. It exploded. I don’t just mean the top flew off, I mean exploded to shreds! We both freaked out. We both slept in the living room. My Grandmother, an old Italian, recited the Rosary until the morning.

When I lived in my first home I purchased in 1996, I had regular hauntings for sixteen years while raising three kids. At first I thought it was me, then the kids noticed it, other people noticed it. I started studying the paranormal back in the late nineties. The shows started coming out a few years later. Other than being pushed down my basement stairs, it wasn’t violent. Things would be moved, lights flickered, toys would talk and move when they weren’t supposed to. We got through it. When I bought this home the haunting stopped. I did some amateur paranormal investigations and house cleanings.

The last one I did was in the Spring of 2014. It was successful. It was a young family and the two-year old daughter couldn’t sleep because of something in her room. According my client her daughter would sleep about three hours per night and not nap. She took her to the pediatrician and the daughter checked out fine. The daughter would hysterically cry and scream man and point at the closest and window. When the parents would bring her into their room she was still inconsolable. When I got there I worked my way through the house and the last room I worked on was the daughter’s room. When I was finished as I was giving advice before I left the little girl fell asleep in her Mother’s arms. My adult daughter was with me and on the way home I told her I think we solved their issues but something within myself didn’t feel right. Something was off. I got home did a house cleansing and cleansed myself. My daughter was not affected.

At my place of work, I been dealing with this woman who desperately needed mental help. The following week she was committed finally for her problems. This was in April, work seemed much better without her around but I was overworked without her there and got horrible bronchitis, it took about two months to heal and then in July she came back, three of the seven people in the office were on vacation and when this woman came back she was not better. On the second day, she was screaming at me correcting my work, a coworkers work and standing over us. She was not a boss. I was in the field before she was born. I just up and left. The evil I felt from her sent chills down my spine. I found other jobs and in saying that it was one lay-off after another. I always had steady work so this was bothersome but I always had enough money for everything so I was still grateful. I still feel like I took something with me during that last house cleansing and all kinds of awful things have happened. But I protected myself and made it this far. I have an uncanny sense of discernment more than ever. I continuously protect myself. I’ve noticed that just going out in the world to work, grocery shopping, to a restaurant and even online. You have to spiritually protect yourself in whatever faith or method works best for you.

I guess it kind of answers my question.

ABOUT LISA MCLAUGHLIN O’CONNOR

In Manchester, New Hampshire a 53 year old woman named Lisa O’Connor has had paranormal experiences off and on since she was around seven years old. From 1996 through 2012 she lived in a home with lots of paranormal activity. Around 2005 she became interested in the paranormal after having so many experiences. She started watching lots of shows on the subject and also reading. As terrifying as some of the experiences were, having three children and a husband who worked two evening jobs, she had to be strong and tough. She even did some amateur investigating. Since she moved to her new home the experiences has become infrequent. She also has more time to herself now that her children are grown. She has written a few things but would like to share her story and help people that are being haunted.

The post The Diabolical appeared first on Association of Paranormal Study.

The Story

In August of 1971, a woman named María Gómez Cámara noticed a stain appearing on her kitchen floor. It was taking on the form of a face. Given that the kitchen floor was made of concrete, it became even more interesting when it seemed like the face was moving. Poor María did her best to scrub out the stain to no avail. Her son and husband even went at the concrete floor with a pickaxe and cemented the floor. But it came back. More faces started to appear on the floor. When the mayor heard about this, he forbade further destruction of the floor. The face was cut out from the floor and taken for further study. I want to know what those results yielded.

Rumor has it that when the floor was excavated, skeletons were found 10 feet below the surface. Some of the skeletons didn’t even have skulls. The 700-year old remains were re interred at the Catholic cemetery. Apparently these faces were also able to communicate. Atlas Obscura claimed they were psychophonies, meaning they were communicated through a medium. Were the people who were buried underneath the concrete still there?

Even when the floor was completely replaced, a new face appeared two weeks later. So, it wasn’t over. It didn’t take long for the rumor to spread around the village and eventually cross oceans. The house became known as “La Casa de las Caras”, also known as “The House of the Faces.”

Thoughtography Theory

Many paranormal investigators believe that these faces were created through thoughtographic phenomenon, meaning that these images were “burned” onto the floor through psychic means. I suppose you could say that this is what causes spirits to appear in photos. If ghosts don’t have mass to reflect light, then they might burn their image onto a photograph. But what is interesting is that in this case, the faces weren’t created by the people who were buried below the concrete, but instead, Maria herself.

I’ve done some research on this phenomenon in the past, and I just can’t get on board with it. Yes, I believe that supernatural occurrences are possible, but I honestly have to see it to believe it. It’s one thing for the mind to have the ability to move things, but it’s a whole other level when the mind can “burn” images onto photos, concrete, wood, etc.

A Hoax?

Most skeptics agree that this phenomenon is a hoax. It is believed that Maria and her husband used a special chemical agent or paint to make the faces appear. Maria died in 2004, and apparently the faces remained long after she passed. Given that the faces created such a widespread buzz that resulted in numerous tourists visiting the house, the family benefited from financial gain in this situation. Just by Easter 1972, there were hundreds of tourists, and this continued for about 30 years.

In 1971, the Spanish Ministry of the Interior took an interest in the case. They appointed specialists to analyze the concrete and found that there were questionable substances like vinegar, a brown pigmentation, and an aggressive chemical compound. Apparently, the compound could be found at drugstores. The July 1993 edition of the Journal of the Society for Psychical Research”  featured an article by Luis Ruiz-Noguez, who noted the presence of zinc, lead and chromium on the floor, which are common ingredients in paint. In the seventies, lead was a popular ingredient in paint. Others did infrared photography and found brush bristles. It’s believed that Maria’s son was the artist. Between paint and the possibility of an oxidizing chemical agent being used, we can pretty much consider this case closed.

Conclusion

Even when it is blatant that this was a hoax, there are still people who believe in the authenticity of these faces. Believe it or not, there are much more complex studies on this phenomenon that will break down the chemical compounds of the faces to really make the case for forgery. Any yet, it seems that people are ignoring the data and continue to believe in this. Videos about the Bélmez faces continue to go viral with people freaking out and checking their own concrete floors for signs of ghostly activity.

To me, people who believe in the faces NEED to believe in them. They provide some sort of hope that there is something out there much bigger than us. Some call it God, some may call it proof of the afterlife, something. It’s what you many call “faith.” Even when there has been scientific proof that maybe not all the events in the Bible happened as written, people still have faith that there is truth in the good book. Finding meaning in the simplest of things can make a difference between life and death for some people.

The post People in the Floor: The Forgery of the Bélmez Faces appeared first on Association of Paranormal Study.

I’m a huge Disney fan. Specifically: Disneyland. In college, this was a place I visited more often than I will admit. I was at Disneyland several times per month thanks to the annual pass and the ability to make monthly payments on the pass. I’ve only been to Disneyland Paris and Disney World once (so far). So my little write-up is focusing on Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion.

When it comes to Disneyland (DL) and Walt Disney World (WDW), one of the biggest differences I notice is the exterior of both rides. Since DL’s Haunted Mansion is set in New Orleans Square, the exterior represents a Southern mansion, taking inspiration from the Evergreen House in Baltimore, Maryland. WDW/Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion is part of Liberty Square and has a Gothic-revival style exterior.

Spooky Inspiration

Paranormal pop culture is a favorite subject of mine. While I’m looking for ghosts and *trying* to engage in spirit communication, others take a different route. There are those who have taken inspiration from this world and have created something incredible. From horror movies, ghosts in plays, to haunted houses, the paranormal is truly inspiring some amazing stories. One of my favorite rides at Disneyland is The Haunted Mansion, or as I like to call it, “Spiritualism: The Ride.”

I didn’t ride The Haunted Mansion often as a kid. My household is very Christian, and my mom thought the ride was something of the Devil. To give you an idea of the severity, I didn’t read the “Goosebumps” books at home. There’s a reason I read my paranormal-related books in the public library.

A Real Life Haunted Mansion

The idea for The Haunted Mansion dates back to 1951 when Walt Disney came up with the idea. At first, it was originally thought of as a walk-through haunted house. It was also going to live at the end of Main Street, as Disney wanted the attraction to be that stereotypical haunted house at the end of the road.

The idea was left untouched until 1957, which is when Disney wanted to expand New Orleans Square. Disney found some real-life inspiration to help his process. I LOVE the developmental story of The Haunted Mansion because Disney visited the Winchester Mystery House. This is the house with all of the stairs that lead to nowhere, the multiple rooms, random doors, etc.

Having been a rider on The Haunted Mansion for years, I see where the Winchester House served as inspiration. After literal tumbles, twists, and turns with development, the ride finally opens in 1969.

Is Madame Leota Reciting a Real Seance Invocation?

I want to discuss what I love the most about the ride; Madame Leota and the séance. Seriously, can we talk about how “dead” on this is?

Serpents and spiders, tail of a rat, call in the spirits, wherever they’re at!

Rap on a table — it’s time to respond. Send us a message from somewhere beyond…

Goblins and ghoulies from last Halloween, awaken the spirits with your tambourine!

Creepies and crawlies, toads in a pond, let there be music from regions beyond!

Wizards and witches, wherever you dwell, give us a hint, by ringing a bell!

From the tarot cards floating in the air to Madame Leota’s head in a crystal ball, I find it really interesting that the ride essentially starts off with a séance to summon the 999 happy haunts. Every time I read this to a group of paranormal researchers, spiritualists, and even skeptics, I ask them where the passage is from. I get answers ranging from a historical séance, something from one of Lincoln’s séance, etc. When I tell them it’s the script from The Haunted Mansion, the reaction is always amusing.

Here is a sample séance invocation from 1901:

‘There is a land where we all go,
Where never the frost or cold winds blow.
And friends remembered reunite,
where those who hate, forget their spite.
In glow, surround these gentle beings,
we call you now to bless our meetings,
Heaven’s promise, our spirits thrive,
So now for the living, let the dead come alive.
Greetings spirits, Speak now to us?’

From “The Spirit Speaks! Weekly Newspaper” 1901
~ Revised by Barbara Morris

Past Technology Becoming the Future

As we pass by the ballroom in our Doom Buggies, we see a variety of vignettes. There are ghosts dancing in a ballroom, a ghost blowing out some candles, and other ghostly images. It’s fairly well-known now that this effect was created using a technique called, “Pepper’s Ghost.” Ironically, this technique came about around the same time that Spiritualism’s popularity is on the rise in 1862, thanks to the Civil War. This is because families left behind were trying to make contact with their lost loved ones. It was created by a scientist by the name of John Henry Pepper. It involves a room hidden from the viewer that is illuminated and glass. What we see on DL’s Haunted Mansion are two rooms; one above the Doom Buggy and one underneath.

See this photo for more.

via Haunted Dimensions

This also speaks to me in such a way where I know the Imagineers did their research when it came to developing this ride. They brought about special effects technology that existed in the same timeframe as the rise of Spiritualism itself.

Here Comes the Bride

Even the origin story of the bride carries on a very “black widow” or a “Lizzie Borden like” story. Given that hauntings that originated from ax murders are some of the most popular investigation sites today (Villisca, Lizzie Borden, etc.), the storyline fits perfectly in the spooky narrative. At the end of the ride, it is apparent that the bride’s ghost is very much active, and beckons us all to come back as we exit the ride.

At the end of the day, we are finding more evidence of paranormal inspiration in our daily lives without even realizing it. In this case, even something located in the Happiest Place on Earth draws that connection, making the spooky a little more magical.

The post The Terrifying True Story Behind Disney’s The Haunted Mansion appeared first on Association of Paranormal Study.

5. Avoid Stacking Questions

We already know that during an EVP session, we should leave a 5-15 second pause in between questions so there is room for a response. But did you know that stacking questions can also inhibit your communication attempts? When I say stacking questions, I mean avoid asking multiple things in a single line of questioning. Here’s an example, “What’s your name? Who are you? Tell us about yourself.” Here, there are three different questions with three different possible questions. “What’s your name?” is fairly direct, so that’s a good question. “Who are you?” can be subjective with multiple answers like a profession, species, gender, name, family role, etc. “Tell us about yourself” is an open-ended question that could result in lots of talking. But when you ask all three of these questions in a single stream of speaking, the ghost may get confused or just shut down. Or, you might end up with an answer you don’t understand. Keep it simple!

4. Know How Your Equipment Works

If you’re able to invest some cash into equipment, that’s fantastic. When you receive your goodies, make a cup of tea and sit down with your manual and the internet. Sure, we can assume the blinking lights mean that a ghost is trying to communicate, but it could also mean temperature changes, electrical responses, and more. For example, if you bought one of those fancy teddy bears with the EMF and temperature readers, you might notice that it talks. I’ve met several who possess this tech and they constantly try to turn off the talking. However, the questions and statements that the bear is saying is a direct result in changes to the environment. That is your opportunity to use those statements as your cue for your line of questioning and interaction with the ghost. If you don’t know the ins and outs of your tech, then you are potentially missing out on engagement opportunities.

3. Learn the Basics of Photo, Video, & Audio

There is no doubt that photo and video are the very basics of data (otherwise known as evidence). I strongly recommend that anyone interested in paranormal investigating, or even just spirit communication, take a basic 101 class in photography and videography. You want to understand how these devices capture and interpret light. Knowing this, you’ll avoid the trap of thinking that dust or moisture is the Holy Grail of proof that ghosts exist. We’ve all seen the arguments on social media when someone posts a photo or video of an orb. Plus, if you know the mechanics of how the lens captures photos and video, then you can even tweak your equipment to better capture your environment. The same goes for basic audio and how sound waves work. Ignorance doesn’t mean that you’ve captured a ghost. It means that someone out there will know what you “captured” and call you out on it.

2. Keep It Human

What it all comes down to is that you’re trying to communicate with humans. Sure, you might capture the occasionally inhuman entity, if you believe they exist. But we’re all trying to communicate with conscious beings who have thoughts and feelings. Sticking equipment in their space and then expecting them to perform like trained monkeys takes the humanity out of paranormal investigating. Think about how you engage someone who you just met. You want to know about their past, their life, and how they’re feeling. These are incredibly personal questions to be asked by a stranger. You may find you might have to work harder to build some rapport with whoever is inhabiting the building. Would you like it if someone stuck a camera in your face and demanded communication? Probably not. They also want to know about YOU. If you’re trying to communicate with kids, and you’re a parent, or the cool aunt of uncle, use it to your advantage. Talk about yourself, have casual conversations, keep it human. Some of the most interesting audio data I have obtained come from conversations about myself and my team instead of the formal, “Give us a sign of your presence.”

1. Be Flexible

This can be a hard one, especially if you’re investigating a larger facility and you have a limited time. But at the same time, this isn’t speed dating where you can get the person’s contact info and follow-up after. So what do you do when you’re in a space, and you have like 30 minutes left in that area, and you’re getting nothing? Not only that, but you’re hearing a response down the hall? What do you do? In this case, you need to be flexible. There’s a chance that there is nothing happening in that room. For most of us investigating public locations, you’ve dropped some money for the experience. Go where the activity is and see what happens. If you have a group of more than 2, have someone go check out the activity down the hall to make sure it’s not a pipe or a rodent. If there’s something happening, go! On the other hand, what if you’ve been communicating with something for the last 45 minutes and time is almost up before you have to go someplace else? If your entire group is together…by all means, you should stay. Continue to talk to that entity and see what happens. If you’re in a large group where you’ve split up and you have to give someone else some time, try to make a transition. Introduce the new people to the entity and hope for the best. It also doesn’t hurt to invite the rest of your party to engage in the conversation with you. Sticking to a rigid schedule can have its benefits, but it can also be incredibly inhibiting when you’re trying to talk to someone. This can be linked to “Keeping it Human” where you need to have some wiggle room in the event there is active engagement and communication.

What do you think? Do you have tips for the advanced ghost hunter? Share them in the comments!

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Hauntings don’t just happen on land, but ghosts seem to favor the seven seas! Unsurprisingly, it seems that the majority of haunted ships are tied with the military and combat. There are theories as to why this is, which I’ll get into throughout the list. I’ve had the honor of investigating four of the ships on this list. Some officially, and another unofficially. I’m excited to say that I’ll check another one off this list on Saturday, March 17th, 2018. I’ve always had a fascination with haunted ships. Perhaps it started with my fascination with the Titanic. I became enthralled with the different histories of ships and how mysterious they were as they went about their business in the open ocean. I’ve tracked down ten of my favorite. Well, I should say nine, as one of them is a submarine!

USS Lexington

By M. Hansen, U.S. Navy [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

USS Salem

By U.S. Navy Bureau of Ships – This media is available in the holdings of the National Archives and Records Administration, cataloged under the National Archives Identifier (NAID) 7577535.

The USS Salem is located in Quincy, Massachusetts and it is the world’s only preserved heavy cruiser. The ship was built in the 1940’s and was nicknamed the “Sea Witch.” In 1953, the ship rescued earthquake victims in 1953 in Greece. It also served as a hospital as well as a morgue for the earthquake victims. This was where the USS Salem apparently gathered their spirits from this occurrence. The lives lost during the earthquake have seemed to call the ship their permanent home in the afterlife.

H.L. Hunley

via National Geographic

Perhaps this is a form of cheating since this isn’t technically a ship…but a submarine for the Confederate States of America. The H.L. Hunley was the first combat submarine to sink a warship, but it disappeared right after. The submarine was built in 1863 and launched in 1864. The Hunley sank two previous times before and killed her entire crew each time, including Horace Hunley himself. That alone showed the dangers of undersea warfare and perhaps something that the CSA shouldn’t have pursued. On February 17, 1964, the Hunley shot a torpedo at the USS Housatonic and sank the warship. The Hunley then disappeared and the fate of her third crew remained a mystery. The Hunley was located in 1995 with the remains of all eight members still inside. At first, it was believed that the crew died from running out of oxygen. It was later determined that the crew died from the blast of the torpedo that struck the Housatonic. You can see their facial reconstructions here.  In terms of paranormal activity, this is really under the radar as this information was divulged to me by a third part. But phantom voices have been heard around the original submarine as well as shadow people. Even if it’s not haunted, the Hunley has an amazing story.

SS William A. Irvin

via museumships.us

In Duluth, Minnesota, the SS William A. Irvin has been delivering scares and frights for a while. In 1964, a seaman was scalded to death in the boiler room, which is nothing short of a terrible end of life. Other former crew members are rumored to be haunting the flagship of the U.S. Steel’s Great Lakes Fleet. The ship worked as a lake freighter from 1938 until 1975 before becoming a workhorse fleet until 1978. It just goes to show that not all haunted ships are warships, nor do they have to see any combat.

USS Yorktown

Something Original at English Wikipedia [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons

Star of India

via Wikimedia

Located in San Diego, California, the Star of India is one of those landmarks I grew up with. Built in 1863, the ship sailed the world 21 times before calling San Diego home. School trips, acting gigs, and more…the Star of India is one of the most fascinating places in the world. At least to me. The haunting that lives on the ship is rather malevolent though according to my comrades. I didn’t experience that when I investigated the ship. The ghost is believed to be of a stowaway who hid in the ship and then fell to his death, and there are cold spots where he hit the deck. The ghost has been blamed for the death of a volunteer who fell to his death from the ship’s rigging in 2010. Do I believe that? I don’t know. It’s a coincidence at most and a tragic accident.

USS Hornet

via uss-hornet.org

The USS Hornet was the first aircraft carrier that I officially investigated. Officially meaning that I was there to ghost hunt and not me sneaking in an audio recorder just to see what I can capture. It was an incredible experience once I went about on my own with another person. The ship does have a “ghost tour” where they will tell you where things happen and what to expect. While I was in the sick bay, I saw anomalies that were ever-present in front of my eyes. You can read more about my experience at The Paranormal Can Be a Gift. People have reported hearing voices, footsteps, and apparition throughout the ship. Considering the ship’s history with World War II and the subsequent awards that were earned for her valor, I’m not surprised.

USS Midway

via Alex Matsuo Photography

Another San Diego staple is the USS Midway. While I was living in America’s Finest City, the Midway Museum was not receptive to having any sort of paranormal team investigate the premises officially. I believe this may have changed but the only sanctioned investigation that occurred was by the San Diego Ghost Hunters. The ship was commissioned one week after the end of World War II and it was the largest tonnage ship in the world until 1955. The Midway saw action during Vietnam and was the flagship during Desert Storm. Stories of the haunting on the ship include the sighting of over 30 ghosts in the halls. However, as mentioned before, the staff and volunteers stay mum about paranormal activity. For me personally, I have recordings of strange voices, but given it was in a public location, it’s easily debunkable.

RMS Queen Mary

By RMS_Queen_Mary_Long_Beach_January_2011.jpg: David Jones from Isle of Wight, United Kingdom derivative work: Altair78 (RMS_Queen_Mary_Long_Beach_January_2011.jpg) [CC BY 2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

USS North Carolina

via wwaytv3.com/

The USS North Carolina is one of the most decorated warships of World War II. She was one of the first battleship to arrive in Hawaii after the attack on Pearl Harbor. She was welcomed with a celebration and sailors said that the ship was “the most beautiful thing they had ever seen.” The ship was active between 1941-1947 and sat dormant until 1960. She was saved from being used for scrap metal thanks to the people of North Carolina. She participated in every in every official naval offensive in the South Pacific and was even present during the armistice between the United States and Japan. She was considered to be the protector of aircraft carriers and fueled the tanks of destroyers every 3-4 days. In August 1942, she first saw combat while protecting the USS Enterprise. The USS North Carolina is the fourth vessel to bear the name, with the first USS NC being launched in 1820 and then sold for scrap in 1867. There was another ship named North Carolina, which was a CSS for the Confederacy and built in Wilmington, North Carolina. She sank in 1864 near Southport, North Carolina. The second US Navy ship named North Carolina was an Armored Cruiser 12 commissioned in 1909 and decommissioned in 1921. The third ship was known as Battleship 52 and it was never completed. In terms of hauntings, people have reported hearing voices, seeing shadow figures, full body apparitions, and even being touched. There have been numerous deaths associated with the USS North Carolina, and you can see a comprehensive list here.

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Here are some of my favorite encounters I found in my research. As you read, ponder this: How likely is it that planes can be haunted? Why or why not?

Demon on a Plane

Okay, I’m not convinced this was an actual case of possession by a demon. In December 2017, a woman caused an Air China plane to turn around and go back to Beijing. After the plane took off, the woman collapsed about 20 minutes into the flight. Given that she was unresponsive, the captain decided to turn the plane around. However, when the woman came to, she wasn’t very receptive to receiving any help. She declared that there were things “possessing” her body and she started thrashing and becoming emotionally unstable. It took six people to get her under control. What’s even more creepy is that the woman said that there were not only things possessing her body, but that they couldn’t be found with health checks.

Eastern Airlines Flight 401

This is probably one of the most famous ghost stories in relation to airplanes that I’ve read about. On December 29, 1972, Eastern Airlines Flight 401 went down in the Everglades and took 101 lives. The plane departed from New York City and was heading towards Miami. As the plane was preparing to land, the landing gear indicator light wasn’t on. It was later reported that the light had burnt out and the landing gear was down. However, the crew became so distracted by the reported malfunction that the plane crashed. Pilot Bob Loft, and flight engineer Donald Repo, were among the perished. After the crash, it was rumored that the functional parts that were left were used for parts on other planes. After that, there were over 20 reports of Loft and Repo being sighted. Repo was often seen warning the passengers that there was something wrong with the plane, while Loft was seen sitting next to passengers. While this could be an elaborate ghost story, one has to wonder if Repo and Loft were trying to make amends for their mistake in life.

The Scarebus

How sore would you be if you were sent home from work, and then killed in a car accident on the way home? That’s what happened to a flight attendant who was working on an A320 aircraft that was run by the Constellation International Airlines. While she was doing her pre-flight check, she fell ill and called her boss. The flight attendant ended up being sent home. While she was driving back, she ended up getting killed in a car accident. After the accident, it seemed that her soul went back to the plane she was supposed to work on. Flight attendants and pilots reported hearing her whisper in their ears, screaming for help over the intercom, as well as causing mechanical issues on the plane. Not only is Casper still reporting for work, but she is also wreaking havoc. Could it be a revenge plot? The flight itself is known as the “Scairbus.”

The Yellow One

A Boeing 737-8Q8 belonging to Sterling Airlines has created quite a reputation for itself. Flight crew members, and even the cleaning crew don’t like to go on this plane at night. Why? There have been reports of footsteps being heard on the roof of the plane, even at over 30,000 feet in the air! There is nothing more unsettling than hearing footsteps above your head when you’re flying over the Atlantic Ocean. Supposedly, a woman died on the plane, and it is believed that her spirit never got off the plane.

I’m Cold

I found two stories with striking similarities, which makes me think that this is purely myth. Or, for the hardcore believers out there, it could be evidence of similar phenomenon happening on airplanes. Both of these stories occurred on a Virgin Atlantic flight. In the first story, there was an old lady wandering around the plane and complaining that she was cold. The flight attendants found her and took her to the crew rest area to sleep. She gave them her name and they looked her up on the passenger manifest. They found her last name and went to the seat noted on the report. The flight attendants found a man, who was her son, and told them what happened. The man turned pale and said that his mother was indeed on the plane, but she was in a coffin in the cargo area. The man showed them a photo of his mother, and it was the same woman who was seen wandering the aisle. The old woman was never seen again.

In a similar story, there was an old man standing in the aisle of a plane by the cabin door. When the flight attendant asked him if he needed anything, he told her to tell his wife, “It’s okay.” The flight attendant got the wife’s name and went to the woman’s seat. After delivering the message, the wife showed the flight attendant a picture of the man. Once his identity was confirmed, the wife said that her husband recently passed, and his body was being transported on the plane.

Casino Royale

A 747 aircraft belonging to South African Airways was used on the set of Casino Royale. The galley doors would open and close by themselves. During filming, crew members reported seeing a woman walking up and down the aisle at night. The lights would also turn on and off…and keep in mind this plane didn’t always have functional power while filming. Needless to say, crew members refused to stay on the plane overnight.

Senior Flight Attendant

What if you loved your job so much that you kept working even in the afterlife? While there is no specific flight mentioned, this story of a ghostly flight attendant is interesting. A flight attendant with red eyes and a spooky appearance was seen on a red-eye flight walking up and down the aisles. The passengers would try to stop her and ask her for help, but she would only look straight ahead and kept walking. Given that the woman must have been dressed like a flight attendant for people to ask her for help, one must wonder who this woman was. She had been seen on so many flights, that she was given the name, “Senior Flight Attendant.”

Have you ever encountered a haunted airplane? Tell us about it!

The post Spooks on a Plane: A Story of Haunted Planes appeared first on Association of Paranormal Study.

I love any and all things paranormal. Whether it be related to cryptozoology, hauntings, religion or ufology, if it’s anything mysterious or spooky, down the rabbit hole I will go. One thing I love most about the paranormal community is that people love to share their stories, opinions and ideas. That’s why I always jump at the chance to go to con’s, conventions, meetings and other such events. I enjoy seeing people so passionate about what they believe in that they want to stand up and tell the world.

I recently attended The Excavation of Victorian Ghosts at Bedford Springs in Pennsylvania. There were many wonderful people and presenters and I bought a couple of books that caught my attention. Among them was the book “The Ghost Studies – New Perspectives on the Origins of Paranormal Experiences” written by Brandon Massullo. Of course I immediately turn the book over to get a quick idea of the topic and it states that “this book is far more than a compilation of ghost stories. This book provides scientific explanation for paranormal occurrences that include theories to explain apparitions, hauntings and spirit communications.” It is indicated that the role of energy, electricity, emotions, bioenergetics and the environment are also covered. As someone who has always erred on the side of psychology and science in relation to the paranormal, these topics really jumped out at me.

My first thought on this book is one of gratitude. Thank you Brandon for approaching these topics in straightforward, clear-cut ways. This book could be read by a novice or seasoned investigator, the slightly curious, skeptic or believer and it will still have an impact on the reader. The first chapter touches on popular ghost theories,spiritual and pop culture views and the paranormal investigator him/herself. It provides a solid starting point for the later chapters. Electricity, EMF’s and apparitions are then discussed and even though I feel like i have a rather decent grasp on this, I was still intrigued by Massullo’s discussion of the God Helmet. There are many investigators out there that have a basic understanding of EMF but don’t understand how it affects us personally and these chapters explain this relationship in such a way that it can be understood by even the layman.

Topics like telekinesis, esp, quantum mechanics and near death experiences are just some of the topics approached in this book.

Author Brandon Massullo

While it’s easy to get sucked down the rabbit hole with any one of those topics individually, the author provides enough explanation on each to enlighten the reader but he does a great job at not weighing down the book with too much information. While this book isn’t ‘just a compilation of ghost stories’  there are plenty tales of first hand experiences presented for discussion.

What I enjoyed the most about this book, however, is the attention that Massullo spends discussing the psychology of experiences. It has always been my belief that our minds and emotions don’t get near the attention that they should in regards to evaluating paranormal experiences. I agree strongly with the author and I’m encouraged that this book is really opening the floor for that conversation. For so long paranormal experiences have been discussed as events that have happened TO you and there hasn’t been much discussion about the fact that these events may have happened BECAUSE of you.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to expand their knowledge of the paranormal. You may or may not agree with all the theories discussed but they will definitely make you think. This book is well written and opens the doors for countless areas of study and discussion and it is one that you will find yourself going back to again and again.

Order Brandon’s book on Amazon

Listen to Alex and Maeve interview Brandon Massullo on “The Wicked Domain”

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