Posts Tagged ‘haunted hotels’

Ten More Haunted Places I Want to Visit, Chapter Eight

Posted: November 19, 2022 in Scary Stuff
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The RMS Queen Mary, one of the locations I would like to visit someday.

So I may be super busy these days writing a hundred different projects while also working a day job, but there’s one thing I can always make time for: looking up haunted places I want to investigate. And as expected, I have ten more I want to visit and even investigate. And some of them are even close! I hope that means I can get into them eventually.

Anyway, let’s talk about some haunted locations I will want to visit, investigate, and eventually force one of you to join me for a night of terrifying occurrences. Yes, I might kidnap one of you, Followers of Fear. You know I’m capable of it.

Marsh’s Library, Dublin, Ireland
Marsh’s Library was the first public library in Ireland, and dates back 300 years. From what I hear, folks like Bram Stoker and James Joyce may have spent time researching there and going through its over 25,000 volumes and manuscripts, some dating back centuries! Perhaps some of those books have spirits attached to them. What is known is that there are rumors that the library is haunted by its founder, Archbishop Narcissus Marsh, who is buried near the library. According to one legend, his beloved niece eloped and left a note for him in one of the books, so he’s searching for it.
Seems a dumb reason to haunt a library, but that’s just the one legend I was able to find. Perhaps there are other stories behind it. Other ghosts. Which leads me to ask: when can I check in?

Central Ohio Fire Museum, Columbus, Ohio
This one’s really close to me. Like, just a few miles away! Originally a working fire station until 1982, the building was turned into a museum by some firefighters wanting to preserve the history of firefighting. Today, it’s an educational center that teaches about fire safety and preserves the history of the profession in Ohio. However, there are some spooky happenings in that building as well: ghostly thoroughbred horses from the days before fire engines had engines are said to haunt the building, as does a dead fire captain who likes to take inventory. There are also reports of singing coming from nowhere.
I don’t think this place is open to ghost hunts. Still, if I could, I would go.

Pine Street Saloon, Paso Robles, California
The Pine Street Saloon is one of the oldest buildings in the area, having been around since the 1800s and used for various kinds of businesses. Today, it’s a working bar that’s open to the public and that has its fair share of spooky ghosts hanging around. I wouldn’t mind getting out the dowsing rods and doing a spirit session while also drinking a pint or two

Satan’s Hollow, Cincinnati, Ohio
Supposedly there’s a storm drain in the Blue Ash neighborhood of Cincinnati that’s supposedly a portal to Hell. If you manage to find it and go inside, you’ll hear strange noises, ghostly voices, and even demonic growls. Videos online taken in the storm drain often have creepy voices that will deliver shivers to any viewer! Sadly, this place is on private property and going there means you’re trespassing. Apparently the police have to go there multiple times a year because of trespassing calls, especially around Halloween. Makes you feel sorry for the landowners, who are probably lovely people.
Still, it would be cool to investigate. Just make sure to bring some sage with you before you go.

The Yellow House, Six Flags Over Arlington, Texas
In Texas long ago, a little girl named Annie was found dead in a creek. Years later, the Six Flags company built Six Flags Over Arlington, and the land where that creek used to be became part of the park. Annie is sometimes seen around the park, but is well-known to stay at the Yellow House, a yellow building/concession stand near the entrance of the roller coaster the Texas Giant. From what I hear, a paranormal group investigated the building and did get some recordings from Annie, who is generally a kind and mischievous spirit.
I’m not much for theme parks these days (too much standing around in line in the hot summer sun), but if I could investigate the park one night, I’d make the trip.

Sylvan Beach Amusement Park, Sylvan Beach, New York
Another amusement park, but this one is supposedly haunted all over the place, and the park even acknowledges its history of hauntings with ghost tours. Supposedly, people who love the park so much in life stay behind after death just to enjoy the rides and games for all eternity. I’d be willing to come by after hours to check this place out.

Grand Hotel, Mackinac Island, Michigan
The Grand Hotel is one of Michigan’s most beautiful resorts! Built in the 19th century, it’s a lovely building with great architecture and some lovely golf courses, stables, dining facilities and other attractions. However, there’s a dark history to the area. The island used to be home to both Native Americans and an Army fort, so there were a lot of deaths over the years. Supposedly, so many skeletons were found during construction, the construction crew gave up trying to excavate them all and just built over them. Stories of spirits haunting the place include a woman in Victorian clothing traipsing through the halls and climbing into beds at night, a man with a top hat smoking a cigar in the piano lounge, and a malevolent shadow figure with red eyes that was once spotted in the theater.
I don’t know if they lean into their haunted history at all, but if they do, invite me over. I want to find some spooks!

Cachtice Castle, Slovakia
Ever heard of Elizabeth Bathory? For those of you who haven’t, she was a Hungarian noblewoman who was accused of killing many young girls and women for the sadistic pleasure of it. Some legends even claim she bathed in the blood of her victims as part of a macabre beauty regimen (likely false, as it was first recorded a century after Bathory’s death and ascribes a very stereotypical reason for the murders. I guess for some people, women being sadistic for sadism’s sake is just too ludicrous).
Nowadays, there’s a lot of doubt that Bathory did commit those murders, or as many as is popularly rumored. Instead, she may have been the victim of a witch hunt, accused of heinous crimes because she was a powerful landowning woman whom even the King of Hungary owed a favor to. God forbid they just let a woman be independent and capable and even a national leader!
But even if the stories are lies, the castle where she supposedly committed those crimes is still around. Whether or not it’s the sight of terrible horrors, it’s probably picked up a ghost or two. Maybe even Elizabeth Bathory’s ghost. Who wants to visit with me?

Queen Mary, Long Beach, California
A former British ocean liner, the Queen Mary was used as a commercial passenger ship and, during WWII, a naval troopship. In 1967, it was retired and moored in Long Beach, California, where the city purchased it and converted it into a hotel, museum and tourist attraction. Given its history, it’s not surprising that it’s gained a reputation for being haunted. One stateroom is home to the spirit of a man who was allegedly murdered, and a former third-class cabin is said to be, by the Queen Mary’s own admission, “notoriously haunted.” I want to go there, I want to investigate, and I want to write a story based in the hotel. Who’s with me?

Catalina Casino, Catalina, California
A lot of California locations this time around, isn’t there? Anyway, this isn’t a gambling establishment, but instead comes from the original Spanish word for casino, “gathering place.” Indeed, the casino has a theater and a ballroom, and is where the residents of Catalina Island are supposed to head to when disaster strikes. However, the place is filled with a lot of spirits. A very aggressive woman supposedly haunts one of the lounges, spirits are sometimes heard knocking around the theater, and the casino once held a museum inside featuring skeletons of the local natives, which probably contributed to the hauntings.
Anyone want to make a trip out to California?

That’s all for now, my Followers of Fear. I haven’t had anything really worth blogging about lately, so I’m glad I was able to at least get together a list of haunted locations to visit at the right time and post about it. But tell me, have you been to any of these places? Are there any I should add to my list for next time? Do you plan to become a ghost after you die, or do you have other plans? Let’s discuss.

Until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night and pleasant nightmares.

Paranormal Activity at the Lafayette Hotel

Posted: January 30, 2022 in Living and Life, Scary Stuff
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The Lafayette Hotel. Definitely worth the trip on so many levels.

As many of you were probably aware, I drove out to Marietta, Ohio for the Hidden Marietta Paranormal Expo. The expo took place at the Historic Lafayette Hotel, a beautiful historic hotel that is also purported to be haunted. Since I was going to be at a hotel anyway, I didn’t want to get up early on a Saturday to drive out to the expo, and I knew its reputation, I decided to stay the night before the expo and see if anything happened.

Ladies and gentlemen, I can confirm that the Historic Lafayette Hotel is indeed haunted.

First, let me tell you about the hotel. It is a beautiful place that words can’t do justice. You step inside the building, and it’s like stepping through time: there’s all this gold and bright colors and mahogany and you almost expect to see people in Edwardian dresses and suits smoking cigars and discussing President Roosevelt or something! There’s a giant steering wheel from an old steamboat on the ceiling, a grandfather clock, and so much more scattered around. I was enchanted from the moment I stepped in!

Now, there are a few places in the hotel that are supposed to be haunted. One is the third floor, which is where I stayed. The other is the basement, where the spirit of a little boy named Thomas is supposed to hang out. (There might be more, but I didn’t have a chance to learn about them.)

After getting settled into my room, I went down to explore the hotel. During the course of my journey, I ran Carita and Viva, two of the folks who run Hidden Marietta and the expo, as well as Jeff and Caitlin, two more vendors. The latter two would become good friends of mine over the weekend and we would hang out quite a bit. Anyway, Carita and Viva gave us a short tour of the hotel, starting from the ballroom where the expo would be and going around the first floor. We then all decided to meet in the lobby and do a bit of ghost hunting at 7 PM.

Well, 7 PM arrived and I arrived in the lobby. Carita and Viva messaged to let us know they may not be able to make it due to prepping for the expo, so I ended up hanging out with Jeff, Caitlin and the hotel staff. And yes, the staff had LOTS of stories to tell. They’ve seen shadow figures and other things while working in the hotel.

Around 8 PM, we decided to go up to the third floor and see if we caught anything. Jeff and Caitlin had a lot of their own equipment, including an EMF meter (measures changes in electromagnetic energy), a paranormal puck (has an electronic dictionary in it that spirits supposedly can manipulate to answer questions), and an SLS camera (maps figures like certain video game systems do, so any figure without a person attached to it might be a spirit). So, for the first time in my life, I got to work with paranormal equipment I’d only seen on TV before! The result was the below video.

Pretty cool, right? We mapped a spirit using the SLS camera, and got some interesting answers on the paranormal puck device. Also, if you’re wondering why I said Jeff and Caitlin’s nicknames are “Wolf and Roses,” it’s because the spirits they’ve encountered in the past have called them that for reasons I’m not going to get into.

After that testing session, we kept trying to get some responses. And that’s when things got very weird and very funny.

So the spirit had us call for a dog, which may have been a demon dog; we heard the words “help” and “shit” on the spirit box (you can hear them too if you listen closely), and after we’re joined by that family, the spirit lets us know someone’s ORDER of pizza is on its way; it’s a great DEAL; and it’ll be here in a TICK! Yeah, that was hysterical.

We messed around in the hallway for a little bit longer, and the only thing I remember getting is that the puck at one point said “TOP” and “JESUS.” This will be relevant later.

At some point we moved on to using my dowsing rods in my room, and that was when things got really scary.

Yeah, so whatever we were communicating with in my hotel room was not a friendly spirit. Remember when I said the spirit said “TOP JESUS?” Well, possibly that was the same spirit we encountered in my room, and it would make sense for something malevolent to say it’s stronger than Jesus. And after I stopped recording, Caitlin started laughing uncontrollably. It was kind of scary, and she said later she had no idea why she was laughing! I think at that point I pulled the rods out of Caitlin’s hands to break the connection. Quite possibly, something was laughing through her.

Yeah, after that, we did a cleansing energy ritual to make sure I could sleep that night. And thankfully it worked, because I slept comfortably that night and none of us had any scary dreams that would indicate an evil entity was trying to attach to us. I still needed a beer from the hotel bar and then a few prayers to my higher power before I felt entirely calm, though.

And that’s the last time I do ghost hunting without first creating an energy barrier around myself!

That’s the last video I took that night, and we wrapped up our ghost hunting afterwards. To say the least, it was an experience. We laughed, we got freaked out, and we got some good evidence on camera. I’m glad I was able to do it, and I am glad I was able to do it with Jeff and Caitlin beside me.

Also, I’m going to note here that while we were waiting for Carita and Viva, I did stop in the basement for a brief moment. Let me tell you, that basement may be warm to the point of balmy, but it gave me the creeps! Maybe it was how odd that floor was laid out, but I had chills being down there and quickly went back up.

I’m going to leave it at that, Followers of Fear. To say the least, the Historic Lafayette Hotel is an active location and if you go there, you’re probably going to experience something. In the meantime, I’ll leave you with my video of the Expo. It was a lot of fun and there were plenty of cool booths there, too.

Also, check out Jeff and Caitlin’s game, Killers the Card Game! It looks like a ton of fun, and if you think you can find someone to play with, you should. You can buy it from here: https://linktr.ee/killerstcg

Until next time, Followers of Fear, good night, pleasant nightmares, and remember, ghosts know when your pizza is arriving!

Finding My Mistakes a Little Too Late

Posted: January 26, 2022 in Reflections, Writing
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Well, this is embarrassing to admit.

I’ve been reading a lot more slowly lately, so I only just started reading an anthology I was published in last year. Last night, I finally got to my own story, which I consider some of my best work. And I found some editing errors I missed.

It wasn’t anything too bad. A couple of words missing here, a couple of phrases that should have been cut there, and one time I used the word “skeleton” instead of “scream.” Not like a horrible run-on sentence, a ton of spelling mistakes, and punctuation and grammar to make a lover of literature cry.

Still, it was disheartening to see how many mistakes were missed. And while part of that was also on the publisher, I should have been more cognizant of my own work. I should have shown more diligence in finding errors. Maybe even using that feature on Word where the story is read aloud, annoying as that is.

You know, my high school English teacher, Mr. G, used to say that a story is never “perfect,” but “done.” You can only do so much work to a story on it, but you’ll never get it perfect. You can just do enough work on it that you can’t fix it anymore. It’s done. I was aware that that applied to cleaning it up as much as it did to story, but this made me more aware of that.

And my American history professor in college, Dr. S, made an analogy about editing. He said he always got students who got annoyed when they were marked down on grammar and spelling when it was a History class. Why should a few spelling mistakes or whatever make a difference, these students wonder. He said, and this is pretty close to quoting:

Well, if this were an engineering class, would it be okay to have a little bad math? Or if this were a physics class, would it be okay to have a few incorrect equations? If the answer is yes, then let me know what bridges you’ve constructed or what planes you’ve built, so I can know to avoid them! Good grammar is important in History, even if it’s not an English class. And I expect good grammar in your papers.”

Dr. S, American History from 1920-1963, 2014

You can apply that right back to storytelling. No matter how good the story is, if the story has a bunch of grammar/spelling/punctuation errors, the story will suffer. And my story, while still good, suffered a bit with these issues.

I’ll remember reading this story and finding these issues from here on out. I’ll use it so that when any future stories come out, they’ll be as error-free as possible. I can’t stand a story of mine being brought low by my own laziness and missing some errors. I’ll work harder to make sure this is the last time I find a story with such glaring problems (or glaring to me, anyway).

Please stop by if you can. I’ll be selling books and doing Tarot readings.

And if this story gets published again, like in a collection someday, I’ll make sure to fix those errors. God knows I only want to give you all my best work.

Anyway, that all for now, my Followers of Fear. I’ve got a lot of writing to do tonight, so I better get to work on everything else that needs taking care of before then (like dinner and laundry). I’ll hit you guys up after the Hidden Marietta Paranormal Expo (especially if I get any paranormal activity on camera). Until next time, good night and pleasant nightmares.

Ten Haunted Places I Want to Visit Before I Become a Ghost Myself, Part 7

Posted: January 19, 2022 in Scary Stuff
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Photo by Pedro Figueras on Pexels.com

For those of you who have been following me for a while, every now and then I post about haunted locations I want to visit before I become a ghost myself (because if I get the chance, I probably will become one). Over the past several years, I’ve been lucky enough to visit some of the places I want to visit (in the case of the Ohio State Reformatory, multiple times). My most recent visit was to Zak Bagans’ Haunted Museum in Las Vegas, Nevada, and boy, did I experience some stuff (click here to read more about that).

However, as many as I manage to visit every year, several more always pop up on my lists. So that I have a record of the new places I want to visit, as well as the places some of you will now know to avoid from here on out, here’s my latest list of haunted locations! Prepare to be scared.

Great Saltair Pavilion, Salt Lake City, Utah

There have actually been several Saltair pavilions near the Salt Lake outside Salt Lake City, Utah and they’ve been resorts, amusement parks, concert venues, and dance palaces. Saltair II was even a set piece in the 1962 horror movie Carnival of Souls (which I highly recommend). Currently, only one, Saltair III, is standing, and it’s said that the building houses quite a few spirits. Some of which sometimes get violent when a concert is held in the building.

Both for the history and the hauntings, I want to go.

The Hinsdale House, Hinsdale, New York

I think this is a house my sister told me about. Anyway, the house has quite the history. According to legend, a family moved into the house in the 1970s and came into contact with numerous spirits. And some of these spirits were apparently not very friendly, as a priest from a local Catholic university had to stop by and perform exorcisms several times. Eventually the family moved out, and it went through several hands before the current owner, who turned it into an investigative hot spot.

I wonder who I know in the New York area who would want to join me there?

Virginia City, Nevada

This town was a real Wild West town, and many of the buildings in its historic district are from the 1860s and 70s. Several have been or are being converted into museums, as well as hotels, restaurants, saloons, and more. And from what I understand, quite a few cemeteries and mines from the era as well. And apparently, the majority of them are haunted! To the point you could probably spend a month there and still find new locations to investigate! Um, count me in!

Marietta, Ohio

This is another city I’ve heard has plenty of haunted locations, including the Anchorage Mansion, the Blennerhassett Island and Mansion, the Blennerhassett Regional History Museum, and the Lafayette Hotel, among others. Luckily, I’ll be visiting at least one of the locations at the end of the month for the Hidden Marietta Paranormal Expo, so maybe I can stay in a haunted room the night before and experience something spooky.

The Mark Twain House, Hartford, Connecticut

This historic Victorian mansion was the home of Samuel Clemens, AKA Mark Twain, and his family for nearly 17 years. Today the house is a museum open for tours, educational institute, and (at least before the pandemic) a place for writers’ retreats and weekends. And it might be the home to a few spirits, including the spirit of the great writer himself.

The house of a writer that’s also haunted by said writer? When can I stop by?!

Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh, Scotland

A “close” is a Scottish term for an alleyway, and they’re usually named after a famous occupant. In this case, Mary King’s Close is named after the 17th century merchant Mary King. A century after her death, however, the close was built over for the creation of the Royal Exchange. For centuries, it’s been rumored to be haunted, and since it’s been opened and excavated, those stories have only continued. Is it maybe hallucinogenic gases from a nearby bog? Or is there something still living there, in a sense? I want to find out.

Windsor Castle, England

One of the homes of the British royal family, all sorts of spirits are said to haunt that place! King Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn, Queen Victoria, and quite a few more. I doubt the Queen or her family would let any ghost hunting team, let alone me, but it’s fun to dream. And it would be fun just to go. Who knows? Something could happen if I went on a tour!

Eloise Asylum, Westland, Michigan

Pretty sure one of my uncles told me about this one. Just not sure which one. Anyway, located about 30 miles outside Detroit, the Eloise Asylum was originally a poor house before becoming a hospital and insane asylum. It operated for nearly a hundred years and was a massive complex. Today, only a couple buildings still stand, but those that do, as well as a nearby cemetery, are reputed to be heavily haunted. The building is home to regular ghost investigations, as well as haunted attractions during October.

Ah, the number of excuses to visit my relatives in Detroit keep building up.

Punderson Manor, Punderson State Park, Ohio

This giant Tudor-style manor has been a resort since the 1950s and is a scenic place to get away from the world. You can hike, swim, fish, canoe and kayak, sleep, and relax. At least, if the ghosts don’t bug you. Apparently there are spirits who mess around with the staff and guests every now and then. Laughter is heard, objects moved without reason, lights flicker, and apparently terrifying apparitions show up. But if you ignore all that, it could make for a nice weekend getaway.

Hmm…my dad and stepmom live near there. Maybe I can convince them to stop by with me if I sell them on the weekend away from it all.

The Buxton Inn, Granville, Ohio

My most recent discovery is actually a short drive from me. This beautiful colonial house was opened in 1812 and has plenty of history and stories to match its beauty. That, and possibly a few spirits. Orbs, phantom footsteps, a ghost cat, and a “Blue Lady” in room 9 are among the hauntings reported. It sounds like the perfect place for me to hang out this upcoming Halloween…as well as maybe to tell a story at.

Well, that’s my latest list. If I visit any of these locations in the near future, I’ll be sure to let you know. Especially if I experience any activity. But tell me, Followers of Fear, have you been to any of these locations? What were your experiences? Where would you like to go? And which would you absolutely avoid at all costs? Let’s discuss.

Until next time, my Followers of Fear, pleasant nightmares!

Ten Haunted Places I Want to Visit Before I Become a Ghost Myself, Part 6

Posted: July 11, 2021 in Living and Life, Scary Stuff
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The Ancient Ram Inn, one of the most haunted locations in England. As you can guess, I want to go.

As many of you know, I love going to haunted locations, and I keep a list on this blog of some of the ones I want to visit a bit more. And the longer I live, the more places I find that I want to visit. Both in this life, and the next. Here is my latest list of haunted locations to visit.

And for some of my readers, it’s a list of places to avoid like the plague.

Houska Castle, Czech Republic
Our first entry is rather infamous, though not as well known as other places in Europe. Houska Castle was built in the 1400s, with the chapel built over a deep, possibly bottomless pit. Some people believe that the pit is a gateway to Hell and that the chapel keeps the demons in the pit. Even if the pit is sealed, however, there are plenty of stories of ghosts and dark entities haunting the castle. Coupled with the strange architecture of the place and the gruesome murals in the chapels, it’s a creepy building even without the legends.
Ever since I heard of this place, I’ve wanted to visit it. I’ve already used it in a short story (admittedly a terrible one) and I could see myself using it in another story someday. Imagine what sort of story I could write if I actually visited the castle!

El Rancho Hotel, Gallup, New Mexico
This historic hotel in New Mexico is a beautiful building, filled to the brim with Indian art and photos of celebrities who used to stay there. In fact, at one point this hotel was the go-to place for film crews making Westerns.
There’s also been a spike in supernatural activity in the hotel, possibly due to an alleged ritual performed there. Some have quit because of the activity, and at least one ghost hunting crew has investigated there (which is how I heard of it). If I ever go to New Mexico, I want to stay there and see if I get anything strange or creepy to happen.

Terrace Inn, Petoskey, Michigan
At the upper edge of the lower half of Michigan, the Terrace Inn and its attached 1911 restaurant is one of only a few historic hotels in Petoskey. It’s also said that there are spirits haunting the inn, and it’s been featured on the news and one or two paranormal investigations shows. “
Given that my relatives in Michigan are always asking me to come visit and I have a novel that I’d need to visit Michigan to research, I think this could be added to the itinerary.

Vulture City and Mines, Vulture City, Arizona
Mining towns from the 1800s are notorious for becoming haunted, usually for a history of violence, greed and death. The Vulture City and the nearby mines are no exception, but some believe active mining in the area have let loose some much more evil and powerful entities. Even if it hasn’t, it has already acquired a reputation for being haunted, as attested to by many paranormal investigators.
Sounds like a good excuse to go to Arizona if you ask me.

Ancient Ram Inn, Wotton-under-Edge, England
Originally built in 1145, this inn outside of Gloucestershire is said to be one of England’s most haunted locations. Many different spirits are said to haunt the place: a Roman centurion on horseback, religious clerics and monks, a witch who was burned at the stake, etc. The inn is open to paranormal tourists, and many do stay overnight.
Since I plan to go back to England some time in the next couple years, I hope I can make a reservation and stay overnight.

Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland
The imposing body of Edinburgh Castle has been part of Scottish history for centuries. Not only as a royal residence, but as a symbol of Scottish independence and as a major symbol of the city of Edinburgh. It’s also said that various spirits haunt the castle, as one could expect. Prisoners in the dungeons, floating mists and orbs, you name it, they’re there. And I would like to find some of them. If I can.

Edinburgh Vaults, Edinburgh, Scotland
Also in Edinburgh, the vaults are chambers underneath the arches of South Bridge. They’ve been used as workshops and storage areas for craftsmen and merchants, as well as taverns, illegal gambling dens, refuges for the homeless and hives for criminal activity. These days the vaults are closed to the public and strictly controlled, and I’m not surprised. Besides being an area of archeological importance, as well as possibly in need of preservation due to years of wear and tear, spirits are said to haunt the vaults. In fact, plenty of paranormal investigators have been down there and possibly detected supernatural or paranormal activity.
Honestly, I would love the stay the night here with a few friends. We can grab a nap, then see if we can grab some proof of spirits. Anyone want to join me?

The Berkeley Ferry, San Diego, California
This historical steam ferry is an actual floating museum in San Diego. You can go on, tour the boat, and then have it go out onto the water. However, there are supposedly a bunch of spirits who call the ferry home, and some of them are not too friendly. Even crazier, some report that the ferry’s spirits have gotten more active and even more aggressive since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
Which just means I have more of a chance to see something happening, right?

Haunted 1889 McInteer Villa, Atchinson, Kansas
I actually met the owners of this villa at ParaPsyCon two months ago, and was intrigued enough to look them up when I got home. This Victorian manor has been a private home, a rooming house, and now is a paranormal hotspot. At least nine people have died naturally in the house, and there was one suicide. And that’s the ones they know about.
These deaths are possibly the cause of lights flickering or turning on and off, mysterious footsteps, feeling watched, and more. There have even been shadow figures spotted!
If I ever make it to Kansas, I think I’ll make a visit. While making as many Wizard of Oz references as possible, of course.

So, those are the latest haunted locations I’ve added to my list to visit. If you want to see the other lists, which include some of the ones I’ve visited, I’ll include links below. And in the meantime, let me ask you: have you visited any of these places? What was your experience like? Anything you couldn’t explain? Would you consider visiting them in the future? Let’s discuss.

Ten Haunted Locations, Part 5
Ten Haunted Locations, Part 4
Ten Haunted Locations, Part 3
Ten Haunted Locations, Part 2
Ten Haunted Locations, Part 1

As you are no doubt aware, Followers of Fear, my ten-year blogging anniversary is next month. And to celebrate, I’m having an Ask Me Anything, or AMA, to celebrate. And one lucky participant will win a special prize! If you want to participate and be eligible for a prize, just send me an email with your location and your question to ramiungar@ramiungarthewriter.com. If you get your question in by 11:59 PM on July 28th, 2021, your question will be answered and you’ll be eligible to win the prize.

I look forward to reading your questions. In the meantime, I’m going to be working on my latest story. Until next time, my Followers of Fear, good night and pleasant nightmares.

Also, who or what is that standing behind you? It’s about to grab your shoulder! Run!

Another Ten Haunted Locations I Want To Visit Before I Become a Ghost Myself

Posted: May 4, 2020 in Living and Life, Scary Stuff
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The Shanley Hotel in Napanoch, New York, one of the haunted locations I want to visit.

Well, it’s been a while since I’ve written one of these posts. And for those of you who don’t know, I keep a rather extensive list of places purported to be haunted that I want to visit someday, and I’ve been lucky enough to visit a few of them, such as the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast and the Paris catacombs. I’ve even been to the Ohio State Reformatory twice (and if it weren’t for this damned coronavirus, I’d have been there this past weekend for a convention).

And as of last month, I’ve finally come up with enough additions to that list to warrant another one of these posts. So if you’d like to know what places I could possibly visit in the future to look for ghosts, or you want to know some places to avoid in the future, please read below. And you can check out the first three in this series here, here and also here.

And don’t worry. The places on these lists may be haunted, but the posts themselves aren’t. I think.

Drovers Inn, Loch Lomond, Scotland

Head out to rural Scotland, and you’ll find an old, historic house on the north end of Loch Lomond. In addition to being a working hotel, the house also features good food, live music, and more than a few ghosts. Guests have reported flickering lights in midair, a ghost girl in a pink dress showing up in a photograph, the ghost of an angry cattle driver, and a family who died in a snowstorm looking for shelter, among others.

One room, please!

The Shanley Hotel, Napanoch, New York

Yeah, you’re going to be seeing a lot of hotels, motels, and inns on this list. Almost like these places attract spirits for some reason.

Anyway, the Shanley Hotel is a beautiful, three-floored bed and breakfast located in the northern area of New York. Built in 1845 as a hotel, it has gone under many names, but has always been known for an elite clientele and even has been an active bordello at times (scandalous!), and was a site active for bootlegging during Prohibition. To this day, there are many spirits who still haunt the house, including a few children of the previous owners who died young, one of the bootleggers, a cat that died, and perhaps even a few of the bordello women.

Supposedly this place is so haunted, you need to sign a waiver and pay a handsome fee to stay there. But like that is enough to scare me off. Nope, I’m in, and I’ll take anyone who’s brave enough with me.

Wolf’s Creek Inn, Wolf Creek, Oregon

The oldest still-running inn in the Pacific Northwest, this beautiful building features lovely rooms, a restaurant, and more than a few ghosts hiding within its walls. It’s been featured on paranormal shows like Ghost Adventures, and advertises ghost hunts and paranormal tours on its website. If you ask me, it sounds like a good excuse to go out west further west than I’ve ever gone before.

RMS Queen Mary, Long Beach, California

The Queen Mary is a former British ocean liner that first set sail in 1936. It briefly saw use as a troopship, ferrying soldiers to the war. Afterwards, it became a passenger ship and traveled across the Atlantic Ocean until the 1960s. It was retired in 1967, and has been moored in Long Beach, California ever since. It has since become a tourist attraction, and there have been rumors of hauntings ever since, including shadow figures and one room where the ghost of a murdered passenger still hangs around.

Normally I’m not one for cruise ships, but I’d make an exception for this lovely lady.

Hell’s Bridge, Algoma Township, Michigan

If you go into central Michigan, and then into the woods, you’ll find an old, metal bridge spanning a narrow river. It looks unassuming, at least in the day time, but at night it looks rather eerie. Especially when you learn about the legend surrounding the bridge. Supposedly during the 1800s, a serial killer named Elias Friske murdered several children and threw their bodies into the river off a stone bridge. When the bodies were finally found and Friske identified as the killer, he claimed the devil had told him to kill those kids before he was lynched by the locals.

While there are no records of Friske or these supposed crimes, at least none that I could find, the area where the stone bridge was and where the metal bridge now stands has gained a reputation. Supposedly, if you stand on the bridge at night, you’ll spot the spirits of Friske or the children he killed, and perhaps even the forces that he claimed influence him to kill. I’d check it out if I had the chance.

Wisner Bridge, Chardon Township, Ohio

Yeah, there’s a few bridges on this list as well. Another haunted location in Ohio I need to visit, the Wisner Bridge was a Crybaby Bridge, or a bridge where the spirits of dead children can supposedly be heard crying. In this case, the Wisner Bridge supposedly was haunted by spirits of melon heads, diminutive humanoids with bulbous heads in American folklore. While the legends vary from state to state, in Ohio it’s believed the melon heads were orphans who were experimented on by a sadistic doctor, either causing or worsening their appearance. They later killed the doctor, burned down the orphanage, and retreated to the woods near the bridge to live in the wild.

Today the bridge itself is gone, having been torn down in 2013. However, locals still report hearing crying babies at the site where the bridge stood. Whether or not you believe the urban legends, this might be a place for me to check out.

Gold Brook Covered Bridge, Stowe, Vermont

A wooden bridge that has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places, this bridge is also known as Emily’s Bridge, owing to the legend surrounding it. While stories vary, most of them agree that a young woman named Emily was supposed to get married or elope, and when her lover never showed, she died on or by the bridge. There’s no evidence Emily existed and the legend first popped up in 1968, after a student wrote a paper about how they used an Ouija board and made contact with a spirit named Emily.

Since then, many people using Ouija boards and other devices to contact the dead have supposedly come into contact with Emily and learned her story. Even stranger, many people passing over the bridge have been touched or scratched by her, whether on foot or in their cars. Is Emily the spirit of a real person? The result of overactive imaginations? Or did belief in her bring a spirit into existence, one that took on Emily’s identity to answer the demand to see her? I want to go and find out!

Franklin Castle, Cleveland, Ohio

Another Ohio location, the Franklin Castle is an old Victorian manor with a reputation. Its original owners, the Tiedermann family, suffered several deaths while they lived there, including four of their children, and there were rumors of horrific crimes within its walls. Since then, the house has changed hands several times, and several of its past owners and residents have reported hauntings. One family even performed exorcisms in the house before moving out. And in 1975, human bones were found on the property, though there is evidence to suggest they may have been planted.

The good news is, my dad lives up in Cleveland, so there’s a good chance I’ll visit this house the next time I visit my dad. The bad news is, the house is privately owned and there’s very little chance the current owners will let me in. Still, I can at least drive by and take photos. And who knows? Perhaps someone living there will allow me in. Whether that someone is living or not, however, is up for debate.

LaLurie Mansion, New Orleans, Louisiana

Fans of American Horror Story will know Delphine LaLurie as the sadistic southern slave-owner who took pleasure from torturing her slaves. What they may not know is that the house featured in the show was not her actual house. Or that her real house is still standing in New Orleans, and that it may have a few spirits living in it. Supposedly there have been moans heard from the room where the slaves were kept and the sounds of footsteps at night. When the building was an African-American girls’ school, many of the children there reported being attacked by a mysterious woman, and when the building was converted into apartments, one resident was found murdered after claiming a demon was after him.

Sadly, today the house is privately owned and the current owners show no interest in having investigations conducted in the home. So, like the details of LaLurie’s life and the full extent of her crimes, we may never have the full truth. However, ghost tours passing by the house occasionally have encounters of the weird kind. And I would be happy just to have that.

Cecil Hotel, Los Angeles, California

Speaking of American Horror Story, the Cecil Hotel was another inspiration for the fifth season, Hotel. Originally a luxury hotel for businessmen and travelers, after the 1940s the hotel became a home for transients as the neighborhood took a dive. Even before that, though, the hotel had been known for murders and suicides. Other violent and illicit activities occurred there over the years, and the hotel was a temporary home for serial killers Richard Ramirez and Jack Unterweger. In 2013, a Canadian student was found dead and naked in the water tank on the roof. Footage was found of the student acting erratically, poking in and out of and hiding in an elevator hours before her death. The footage is, to say the least, unsettling.

While the hotel has since been renamed the Stay on Main and is trying to gain back its reputation as a luxury destination, the building cannot escape its reputation of sinister and violent occurrences. And perhaps, if I were to check in, I would find some guests that had never checked out.

 

There you go. Ten more haunted or strange locations I’d like to visit after this pandemic has run its course. But tell me, have you been to any of these places? Do you want to go to any of them? Maybe with me? And what haunted places have you been to that I haven’t named? Let’s discuss.

That’s all for now, my  Followers of Fear. I’ll be busy writing this week, so hopefully I get plenty done. And in the meantime, you can still order signed copies of Rose by sending me an email at ramiungar@ramiungarthewriter.com. Until next time, stay safe, be healthy and pleasant nightmares.