by Maureen Wood
TERRIFYING TIDBIT
An apparition is a physical manifestation of a spirit or entity. It can take many forms: transparent, mist-like, or even as solid as a living person. However, it often disappears quickly when being viewed.
DECEMBER 6, 1889 HOLLYWOOD CEMETERY
Richmond, Virginia
Named after the grove of holly trees on the grounds, this cemetery dating back to 1849 is reportedly alive with paranormal activity. Among its more famous residents are James Monroe, John Tyler, and Jefferson Davis. However, it's not the presidents who are said to haunt this cemetery, but the 18,000 Civil War veterans that are buried beneath the ninety-foot-tall pyramid of granite. Eleven thousand of those soldiers from the Battle of Gettysburg are interred in a mass grave. Many people who have visited the landmark at night have heard the soft moans of men floating atop the breeze. But the unknown soldiers are not the only ghosts that walk the grounds. Not too far from the pyramid is the cast iron statue of a dog. The dog had been moved from its original location, a storefront in downtown Richmond. It is said that a little girl would visit the shop every day to pet the statue. During an epidemic in 1892 she died. When she was buried at the cemetery, the owners of the cast iron dog placed it by her grave. Visitors today have sworn the dog has all but come to life, clenching its teeth and growling. So if you find yourself visiting the graves of the unknown soldiers, and you step too close to the statue of the dog, take heed; he just may come to life.
TERRIFYING TIDBIT
In Greek mythology, Galatea is a statue that comes to life. Perhaps the cast iron statue guarding the little girl in Hollywood Cemetery is of Greek descent?
DECEMBER 7, 2004 SELLING GRANDPA'S GHOST
Indianapolis, Indiana
Mary Anderson's six-year-old son, Collin, began to behave differently soon after his grandfather died. Terrified to roam around the house alone, he refused to go to the bathroom on his own. Soon after his grandfather died, he began seeing his ghost. Afraid to see his ghost again, he would even sit outside the bathroom door while his mother bathed. That's when Collin suggested to his mother that she sell grandpa on eBay.
Mary, stressed out by Collin's behavior, toyed with the idea. How could she convince Collin that his grandfather's ghost would leave? Sell him on eBay of all places? After doing some research, she real-ized that eBay does not allow sellers to offer intangible items such as spirits or souls where delivery cannot be confirmed. That was when a thought occurred to her: Her father's cane, the one item he was never without — why couldn't she sell it? In Collin's eyes, his grandfather and his cane were inseparable. As a ploy to ease her son's fears, Mary posted the cane for a seven-day sale. Her only request was that the buyer send a letter to Collin explaining that they'd received the cane along with the grandfather and both were doing well.
To her surprise, the cane with grandfather attached garnered 137 bids. The winning bid of $65,000 went to an online casino called the GoldenPalace.com. The cane with attached ghost was just one more item this Antigua-based casino added to their collection of oddities. What else did they purchase off eBay? How about a $25,000 grilled cheese sandwich displaying the image of the Virgin Mary. The above sales may have one pondering: Has eBay become a paranormal bazaar for unwanted souls?
DECEMBER 8, 1980 THE DAKOTA
New York, New York
This majestic apartment building, built in the Upper West Side in 1884, has been home to scores of the rich and famous: Judy Garland, Lauren Bacall, and Boris Karloff, to name a few. Its Gothic styling is so spooky it was chosen for the filming of Roman Polanski's 1968 horror flick, Rosemary's Baby.
Rumors of hauntings prevail. The most notable is of its former tenant John Lennon. Tragically, John met his demise on December 8, 1980, when the former Beatle was gunned down in front of the Dakota apartment building. His ghostly apparition has been seen frequenting the building and also appeared during a televised séance held there.
But what other supernatural occurrences have taken place at the Dakota? A translucent image of young blond girl bouncing a ball was witnessed by tenants and painting contractors. The little girl walked into a closet and vanished. Other paranormal phenomena have included rugs and chairs sliding of their own accord and trash bags and tools being thrown haphazardly around the basement. In fact, one man who was about to accuse someone of making the mess stopped short when a metal bar slid across the basement floor. Upon bending to retrieve it, he realized it was too heavy for him to lift. A young boy wearing knickers has been spotted as well. The list goes on. Among other spectral visitors, a man with a black top hat has appeared. Those who have witnessed the ghostly apparition believe it to be none other than the man who built the Dakota but died before it opened, Edward Severin Clark.
TERRIFYING TIDBIT
A séance is a meeting in which a group of people gather to communicate with the dead.
DECEMBER 9, 1913 FORT GARRY HOTEL
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
To take advantage of the business generated by its own trains, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway commissioned the building of the Fort Garry Hotel. However, tragedy struck even before it was completed. During its construction, a worker fell to his death down an open elevator shaft. When the hotel was finally completed in 1913, the elegant 340-room building was the jewel of Winnipeg, but once again, tragedy struck. A young bride committed suicide in room 202 after she was informed that her new husband was killed in an automobile accident. Although she died, she has never checked out.
Patrons staying in this room have experienced the most dramatic paranormal activity in the hotel. Some maids avoid this room, complaining that sometimes blood seeps from the walls. Guests have heard a woman weeping. And often they have been startled when a shadowy figure appears at the foot of their bed. Not all of the supernatural activity is confined to this room. Unexplained glowing orbs have been seen in the halls. Eerie noises and disembodied moaning are heard in other areas of the hotel. And in the dining room, a phantom diner has been spotted enjoying a meal, apparently oblivious to his supernatural state. It appears that even in death, “life” goes on at the Fort Garry Hotel.
TERRIFYING TIDBIT
The elevator in the Hotel Chelsea in New York City is said to be home to one of the more famous ghosts. Sid Vicious, a deceased member of the band the Sex Pistols, has been seen lingering on the lift a time or two.
DECEMBER 10, 1997 THE SILVERPILEN
Stockholm, Sweden
Built in the 1960s as a prototype, this eight-car silver aluminum subway train was featured on the Swedish television program Det spökar, a popular show that deals with allegedly true hauntings, and rightfully so, because since the Silverpilen (Silver Arrow in English) was taken out of service, the gleaming phantasm has been seen by many. Subway employees and commuters have all witnessed the flash of the Silverpilen zipping through abandoned tunnels and unused lines, and even stopping to pick up unfortunate passengers. Those unlucky enough to board the glowing specter receive more than they bargained for. Once the train door closes, they become lost in time and space, arriving at their destination, hours, days, and even months later. The less fortunate ones, it is said, get off at the abandoned Kymlinge station and disappear, never to be seen again.
So if you ever go to Sweden, for either business or pleasure, and you decide to venture onto its subway system, beware of the Silverpilen. And remember this: “Bara de döda stiger av i Kymlinge” (only the dead get off at Kymlinge).
DECEMBER 11, 1849 ST. ANDREWS ON THE RED CHURCH
Selkirk, Manitoba, Canada
This Gothic Revival church was built between 1845 and 1849 and was consecrated in December 1849. It is the oldest Anglican Church outside of the British Isles and perhaps the most haunted. The church's organ is known to play of its own accord, and a woman in white appears in the balcony at services. In the graveyard behind the church, a man in black has made his presence known. A phantom automobile appears out of nowhere. And a pair of red disembodied
eyes follows your every move. Rumors say that the woman in white may have died when the church was under construction and became entombed within its foundations.
Those unlucky enough to spy the spirits of St. Andrews on the Red Church are said to suffer hideous nightmares involving the rattling of the church's gates. Is it the spirits of the church warning curious visitors to keep away? Or is it a plea from the ghosts to unravel their mysterious appearance?
TERRIFYING TIDBITS
Many religions and cultures believe dreams to be a way to connect the physical world with the ethereal world, or the supernatural.
DECEMBER 12, 1986 THE WHITNEY RESTAURANT
Detroit, Michigan
A massive three-story mansion was built in 1894 for lumber baron David Whitney Jr. The Romanesque Revival house contained 52 rooms, 20 fireplaces, 218 windows, and a secret vault. The building remained in the Whitney family until the 1920s, when it became the home of the Wayne County Medical Society. In 1980 Richard Kughn purchased the building and opened a restaurant. In 2007, former Chrysler executive, Bud Liebler, purchased the restaurant.
Reports of paranormal activity began surfacing in the mid-1980s during its restoration. The ghosts of both David Whitney Jr. and his wife have appeared within its venerable walls. Dark shadows and the apparition of a man dressed in a tuxedo have been witnessed on the third floor. Ghostly activity has also been reported on the elevator. As if summoned by some unseen force, the elevator moves on its own, mysteriously stopping between floors. When the doors finally open, no one is there. Repair technicians have found no logical explanation for the elevator's behavior. Then there are the reports of dishes and place setting rearranging themselves in the dining room and cold spots being felt throughout the restaurant. The staff has learned to live with the unworldly activity, and the owners seem to embrace it; otherwise, why would they have a Ghost Bar?
DECEMBER 13, 1870 THE LOST VIKING SHIP
California Desert
Bizarre things happen to those who visit the desert, especially those brave enough to venture into it at night. Eerie sounds that grate on your ears, indistinguishable voices carried by the wind, and strange lights and shadows dancing in front of your eyes have been reported. Most frightening of all are the ghostly images of those who have died. Native Americans, prospectors, conquistadors, soldiers, pioneers, and Vikings have all been seen. Vikings in the desert?
Believe it or not, there have been numerous accounts of a Viking longboat submerged deep in the desert sands. Within its rotting hull lies a fortune in pearls and other valuables. Several Native American legends support these tales. They tell of a long boat with a serpent head and round shields on its sides being manned by men with blond hair and blue eyes.
Prospectors talk about finding such a vessel, and according to Julian librarian Myrtle Botts, one old man even had photographs. Under the direction of the mysterious prospector, Myrtle and her husband went in search of the vessel, but were thwarted by the earthquake of 1933. Perhaps the timing of the earthquake and the shifting of the desert's sand was no accident, but was nature's way of preserving the ghosts of the longboat's treasure for eternity.
TERRIFYING TIDBIT
The Vikings, like the Egyptians, were buried with their treasures, carrying everything they would need from this world to the next. The wealthy were put to sea on their ships, which were set ablaze.
DECEMBER 14, 1799 GEORGE WASHINGTON
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
George Washington's ghost is said to have been sighted in numerous locations: the Hiawassee woods and at the Hotel Chamberlain to name just two. In fact, one of the more compelling stories of Washington's appearance comes from a group of Union soldiers.
It is said that Washington appeared before the soldiers while they struggled to keep the Confederates from advancing on Little Round Top at the Battle of Gettysburg. There he sat, sword drawn, atop a fluorescent white stallion. In a commanding voice he ordered them to fix their bayonets and charge. The Union soldiers obeyed the order, forcing the Confederate soldiers into a full retreat. Had they not listened to the General's ghost, they would surely have been slaughtered.
But that was not the last report of his appearance at Gettysburg. It seems that many of the residents have seen the luminescent spirit of George Washington as he and his ghostly steed gallop across a moonlit battlefield.
DECEMBER 15, A.D. 37 SANTA MARIA DEL POPOLO CHURCH
Rome, Italy
Santa Maria del Popolo Church was built upon the former grave of the Roman Emperor Nero who was born on December 15, A.D. 37 and ruled during the time of the great fire. The fire that burned for six days, destroying two-thirds of the city of Rome, was blamed on Nero's slaves. A brutal tyrant, Nero deflected the charge, pointing his finger back on the populace, proclaiming the Christians were at fault. Four years later, on June 9, A.D. 68, while facing his own execution, Nero committed suicide. His body was entombed. Legend has it that out of his grave grew a mighty walnut tree that attracted multitudes of ravens. Superstitious Roman citizens proclaimed Nero's soul was being tormented by the Devil himself. And the tree and its flock of birds was what grounded Nero's restless soul to earth. In 1099, the people of Rome had so tired of dealing with his malevolent ghost that they petitioned the Pope to resolve the situation. It is said that Pope Pascal II fasted in prayer and was soon visited by the Virgin Mary. She told the Pope how to put an end to Nero's ghost. Following the Virgin Mary's instructions, the Pope ordered the tree cut down. Then, Nero's tomb was dug up, and it was thrown into the Tiber River. To consecrate the exorcised ground, a church was built on the site. In 1472, Pope Sixtus IV rebuilt and named the church Santa Maria del Popolo. And as for Nero, there are some who believe he still wanders this earth, his soul still at unrest. But perhaps this theory is just for the birds.
DECEMBER 16, 1820 THE BELL WITCH
Adams, Tennessee
The beginning of the end for John Bell began in 1817. It all started one day when John, who was tending his crops, spotted a strangelooking creature that he described as a mix between a rabbit and a dog. The second Bell opened fire on the beast it vanished before him.
The Bells' torment had only just begun, however. First they heard the sound of loud knocking and banging against their home. The entity grew in strength with each passing day. What had started with the sound of banging, progressed to gurgling noises, animals fighting, the scraping of chains being dragged upon the floor, and physical attacks. It seems that not only did the entity loathe John Bell, it also took a dislike to his daughter, Betsy. Poor Betsy was scratched, spit at, had her hair pulled, and was forced to endure nightly beatings. Finally after a year of torment, John Bell told all.
A neighbor, James Johnston, brought in a close friend, a Methodist minister, with the intent to rid the Bell family's home of the evil presence. They failed miserably. The entity had become so powerful that it had begun to have full conversations with people, at times quoting scripture. When the presence was asked when it would leave, it replied that it would not leave until John Bell was dead and buried.
President Andrew Jackson and his men, having heard of the activity made a visit to the Bell farm. Upon arriving, one of Jackson's men boasted of his ability to destroy the spirit. No sooner had the words left his mouth than the carriage stopped in its tracks, refusing to roll forward any farther. Then suddenly, after hearing the entity's words telling it to move, the carriage began to roll. The spirit tortured Jackson and his men throughout the night. Horrified, they left as soon as they could and never returned.
John Bell, no longer able to withstand the torment, took to his bed, where he soon died. A mysterious vial of liquid (poison) was found beside his body.
At John Bell's funeral, the entity was heard merrily singing and celebrating. With its mission accomplished, it left, never to be heard from again.
TERRIFYING TIDBIT
Many people believe that the entity that tormented John Bell kept its word and left. However, did i
t really? Or has the malevolent spirit returned from whence it came … residing in a cave on the former Bell property, adeptly named, the Bell Witch Cave.
DECEMBER 17, 1886 THE DRISKILL HOTEL
Austin, Texas
Colonel Jesse Lincoln Driskill, the original owner of the haunted Driskill hotel in Austin, Texas, was said to have made his fortune through the sale of longhorns. In search of a change of careers, Jesse purchased a plot of land. His intention was to build one of the finest hotels the city of Austin had ever seen. He succeeded, and soon after it opened in December of 1886, the Driskill Hotel quickly became all the rage for Austin's high society. In fact, during Prohibition, it housed one of the finest speakeasies.
And although it has changed hands more than twenty-five times, many believe the wafting scent of cigar smoke belongs to none other than the ghost of Jesse, the original owner. But he's not the only ghost that remains at the Driskill. Among other spirits to frequent the hotel is the spirit of a little girl who, along with bouncing a ball, can be heard in the first floor lobby, the women's bathroom, and the stairs leading up to the mezzanine. But who is she? In 1887, while the Capitol building underwent construction, the Senate used the mezzanine of the hotel to host their meetings. One day, while in session, the daughter of a senator fell to her death while chasing a ball down the mezzanine steps.