Commentary: Ghostly tales fit for the Halloween season
Commentary by Doug Spoon, Editor ‘Tis the season of ghosts and goblins, zombies and witches, and scary decorated houses. In a world where ...
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Commentary by Doug Spoon, Editor
‘Tis the season of ghosts and goblins, zombies and witches, and scary decorated houses. In a world where we seem so divided and pessimism is commonplace, we deserve at least one night to have fun with the kids and enjoy a harmless scare.
But what about when those scary things are real – or appear to be so? Halloween always makes me think of some personal encounters I’ve had with things that don’t appear to be of this world. Yeah, ghosts. The stories and opinions I’m about to share are purely my own, perhaps more for entertainment value than anything else. But the truth is, these things fascinate me.
This happened a few years ago, when we were on vacation in Savannah, Georgia. I booked us a room at the Planter’s Inn, which is reported to be a former brothel that is haunted. Of course, I didn’t let my wife Kristen know this in advance.
Things seemed nice and cozy until we turned in for the night. I got up a couple times to use the bathroom and each time, the bathroom light was on. I know I had turned it off. When we awoke in the morning, it was on again. OK, I figured, no big deal. The place is supposed to be haunted.
The next night about 11, I chose to take a walk down by the cemetery. Nothing unusual about that, right? Yes, I was seeking evidence of ghostly activity. Kristen thought I was crazy, but I went anyway.
A few blocks from our hotel, I came upon Colonial Park Cemetery. It was established in 1750 and contains about 9,000 bodies, including many Revolutionary War and War of 1812 soldiers. It is also considered one of the most haunted places in Savannah.
Walking on the sidewalk alongside the wrought iron fence that surrounds the cemetery, I realized I was the only one within sight. The cemetery was locked for the night, but I peered through the bars of the fence and took some photos. Lots of creepy looking, centuries-old headstones.
At the end of the block was a bench facing the cemetery. Stopping at the corner, I turned around and looked down the street, seeing no one. When I turned back around, a young man was sitting on the bench. He literally came out of nowhere. Even more curious, he was dressed in 1800s attire and wearing a derby hat. His head was bowed and I couldn’t see his face. He said nothing and didn’t acknowledge me. I was too scared to speak.
I turned around again to see if anyone else was seeing this. When I turned back around, he was gone.
(Cue scary music)
When I got back to the hotel, I uploaded the pics from my camera’s memory card (no cell phone camera back then). That’s when I saw this photo showing an orb in the cemetery, as if it were a head peering over the headstone at me. The next day I took Kristen back to that location and she re-created the pic for me.
The rocking cradle at Patterson House
This one happened right here in Winchester and the story has been told previously on Menifee 24/7. The Patterson House was built in 1891 and was home to one of the area’s pioneer families. It is most certainly haunted. I have toured the house three times and the same thing happened each time.
Upstairs you will find the bedroom of Jessie Patterson, who died in the house at age 22. The room is furnished much like it must’ve been back then. In the corner is an old wooden cradle that reportedly was used by Jessie for her son.
As others in the tour left the room, I lingered behind with one woman who was also curious about the cradle. Suddenly, the cradle began to rock slowly back and forth. We looked at each other and didn’t say a word. There was no vibration from traffic going by the building or anything that would’ve caused that motion. No fishing line as an invisible prop to pull the cradle back and forth. Nothing.
After a couple of minutes, the rocking stopped. I realized I had missed a golden opportunity. I pulled out my cell phone in hopes of getting video of this occurrence. “Could you please do that again?" I asked. Sure enough, the cradle began rocking again and I took this video.
Every time I visit the Patterson House, I go into that room and just watch and wait. Every time, the cradle starts rocking.
Haunted Provost Dungeon in Charleston, South Carolina
This happened on the same vacation as the incident in Savannah. Kristen and I took a ghost tour that included the Old Exchange Building on the waterfront at Bay Street. Tour guides will tell you that the building was built in the 1700s and served as a British military prison during the Revolutionary War. The dungeon housed pirates, and legend has it that Blackbeard spent time there in the dark, damp, rat-infested cells.
It’s creepy, all right. The front walls of the brick cells have now been removed. Heavy metal chains hang from stanchions to keep visitors from stepping into the cells.
Once again, I was lagging behind the group with a couple others and noticed that the chains at one of the cells started swinging slowly back and forth. Again, no strings attached. Others saw this as well. Unfortunately, I was too transfixed to shoot video, but here’s a photo of the chain after it stopped moving.
This one happened right here in Winchester and the story has been told previously on Menifee 24/7. The Patterson House was built in 1891 and was home to one of the area’s pioneer families. It is most certainly haunted. I have toured the house three times and the same thing happened each time.
Upstairs you will find the bedroom of Jessie Patterson, who died in the house at age 22. The room is furnished much like it must’ve been back then. In the corner is an old wooden cradle that reportedly was used by Jessie for her son.
As others in the tour left the room, I lingered behind with one woman who was also curious about the cradle. Suddenly, the cradle began to rock slowly back and forth. We looked at each other and didn’t say a word. There was no vibration from traffic going by the building or anything that would’ve caused that motion. No fishing line as an invisible prop to pull the cradle back and forth. Nothing.
After a couple of minutes, the rocking stopped. I realized I had missed a golden opportunity. I pulled out my cell phone in hopes of getting video of this occurrence. “Could you please do that again?" I asked. Sure enough, the cradle began rocking again and I took this video.
Every time I visit the Patterson House, I go into that room and just watch and wait. Every time, the cradle starts rocking.
Haunted Provost Dungeon in Charleston, South Carolina
This happened on the same vacation as the incident in Savannah. Kristen and I took a ghost tour that included the Old Exchange Building on the waterfront at Bay Street. Tour guides will tell you that the building was built in the 1700s and served as a British military prison during the Revolutionary War. The dungeon housed pirates, and legend has it that Blackbeard spent time there in the dark, damp, rat-infested cells.
It’s creepy, all right. The front walls of the brick cells have now been removed. Heavy metal chains hang from stanchions to keep visitors from stepping into the cells.
Once again, I was lagging behind the group with a couple others and noticed that the chains at one of the cells started swinging slowly back and forth. Again, no strings attached. Others saw this as well. Unfortunately, I was too transfixed to shoot video, but here’s a photo of the chain after it stopped moving.
There are other ghostly encounters I will save for another time. I don’t expect everyone to believe these stories, but they happened to me. Consider it an early Halloween gift. MUUUAHAHAHA!
