HAUNTED Ghost Stories Across America
By: Lorraine Warren
HAU TE
D N
Ghost Stories Across America
By: Lorraine Warren
Find Your Ghost Story
Alcatraz Island Waverly Hills Eastern State Pen West Virginia State Penitentary
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Lincoln Theater Winchester House Arnold Estate The Stanley Hotel Myrtles Plantation
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Gettysburg Battlefield 27 St. Augustine 28 Lighthouse 31 The Hollywood Sign
Alcatraz Island Waverly Hills Eastern State Pen West Virginia State Penitentary
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ALCATRAZ ISLAND San Fransisco, California From the time it became a federal prison in 1934 until it was closed down in 1963, the steel doors clanged shut behind more than 1,000 hardened convicts and criminals. Alcatraz was not conceived as a facility for rehabilitation. It was a place of total punishment and minimum privilege. And those who survived it often did so at the cost of their sanity and some believe their souls. Alcatraz Island, its name in 1775 when the Spanish explorers charted San Francisco bay. They named the rocky piece of land La Isla de los Alcatraces. In 1847, Alcatraz was taken over by the United States military. The Rock had extreme strategic value, especially during these times of tension between the United States and the Mexican government. A few years later, a military fort was erected
on the island and in 1859, Alcatraz saw its first prisoners, a contingent of court-martialed, military convicts. Then in 1861, Alcatraz started to receive Confederate prisoners, thanks to its natural isolation created by the surrounding waters. They were confined in the dark basement of the guardhouse and conditions were fairly grim. The men slept side-by-side, head to toe, lying on the stone floor of the basement. There was no running water, no heat and no latrines. Disease and lice spread and overcrowding became a problem. They were often bound by six-foot chains attached to iron balls, fed bread and water and confined in “sweatboxes� as punishment.
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WaverLy
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HILL
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Louisville, Kentucky The majority of patients left through what was known as the “body chute”
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uring the 1800s and early 1900s, America was ravaged by a deadly disease known by many as the “white death” tuberculosis. This terrifying and very contagious plague, however no cure existed, claimed families and towns. In 1900, Louisville, Kentucky had one of the highest tuberculosis death rates in America. Waverly Hills opened two years later in 1926. It was considered the most advanced tuberculosis sanatorium in the country, but most of the patients succumbed to the disease. In those days before medicine was available to treat the disease, it was thought that the best treatment for tuberculosis was fresh air, plenty of nutritious food and lots of rest. Many patients survived their stay at Waverly Hills but it is estimated that hundreds died here due to the epidemic. In many cases, the treatment was as bad as the disease
itself. Patient’s lungs were exposed to ultraviolet light to try and stop the spread of bacteria. Since fresh air was thought to also be a possible cure, patients were often placed in front of huge windows or on the porches, no matter what the season was. Other treatments were less pleasant and much bloodier. Balloons would be surgically implanted in the lungs and then filled with air to expand them. Needless to say, this often had disastrous results, as did operations where muscles and ribs were removed from a patient’s chest to allow the lungs to expand further and let in more oxygen.
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STATE PEN Philadelphia, Penn
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ith its gloomy high stone walls, crumbling corridors, and stark cells that once housed thousands of hard-core criminals, Eastern State Penitentiary certainly looks haunted. Its 142-year history is full of suicide, madness, disease, murder and torture, making it easy to imagine the spirits of troubled souls left behind to roam its abandoned halls. The harsh punishments used on prisoners are enough to make you shiver even without seeing a ghost. There was the water bath, in which inmates were dunked then hung out on a wall in winter until ice formed on the skin. The mad chair, which bound an inmate so tightly that circulation was cut off, later necessitating amputations. The iron gag, in which an inmate’s hands were tied behind the back and strapped to an iron collar in the mouth, so that any movement caused
the tongue to tear and bleed profusely. And “The Hole,” underground cell where unfortunate souls had no light, no human contact, no exercise, no toilet and little food and air. The prison, which closed in 1971, is considered by several sources to be one of the most haunted places in America. Dozens of paranormal researchers visit every year and report that it’s a hub of otherworldly activity. Perhaps most convincingly, there are the stories of eerie experiences by visitors, staff, guards and inmates that have corroborated each other since the 1940s.
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The first building was built by 150 inmates of the prision in 1876
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STATE PEN
Moundsville, West Virginia
In 1866, the idea of building a prison here became a reality when the state legislature authorized funds to buy land in Moundsville for institution. The first phase of West Virginia Penitentiary was finished in 1876, opening for business. Inside the prison, the inmates were involved in areas of work needed to run the prison: Blacksmith, Wagon Shop, Carpentry Shop, Brickyard, Stone Yard, Paint Shop, Tailor, Bakery and Hospital. A prison farm was also started to grow food for the inmates, and a prison coal mine was opened in 1921. The prison was now self-sufficient. In 1929, phase two of a building program to double the size of the prison began, which wasn’t completed until 1959, due to the shortage of steel during WW2. These new cell blocks eventually eased the
horrible overcrowding; which caused triple bunking in the prison’s 5 x 7 foot cells. West Virginia Penitentiary Executions: Began in 1899. Eighty-five men were hung in the prison gallows: 1899-1949. Nine men were electrocuted from 19511959. In 1959, the death penalty was thrown out. The West Virginia Penitentiary reached its peak in population during the 1960s, becoming home to 2000 inmates. last 35 years of the prison, from 1960 1995, had many disturbances including riots and escapes. In 1986, the West Virginia Supreme Court ruled that the 5 X 7 cells at West Virginia Penitentiary were cruel and unusual punishment which was the beginning of the end for this facility. By 1995, The inmate population was around 700 before the prison closed for good.
Lincoln Theater Winchester House Arnold Estate The Stanley Hotel Myrtles Plantation
LICOLN THEATER HAUNTED
Decatur, Illinios
The Lincoln Theater, on North Main Street in Decatur, is one of only two of the city’s grand theaters that remain standing today. It opened in 1916 with a large seating capacity and a sprawling stage. It was a labyrinth, and remains so today, with its mezzanine, high balcony, basements and sub-cellars. The theater holds many secrets, and according to some, many ghosts. The theater was not the first building to stand on the site that it now occupies in downtown Decatur. Aside from frontier construction by the early settlers, the first real building on the site was the Priest Hotel, Although it was completed and operated for many years by Franklin Priest. In 1880, Riley Deming took over the establishment and changed its name to the New Deming. It was later purchased by Augustine Wait and in 1892;
he changed the name to the Arcade Hotel. Eight years later, he would remodel, expand, and call it the Decatur & Arcade Hotel. There was a horrible fire in 1904, which destroyed the building, but it was rebuilt on the same site a short time later. It was in 1915 when disaster struck. On April 21, 1915, a spectacular fire broke out and destroyed the hotel, claiming two lives and damaging several of the surrounding structures. The blaze was believed to have started because of some oily rags that were left near the hotel’s boiler, but was driven back by thick smoke that began churning from the refuse. The blaze quickly spread and while all of the fire equipment in the city arrived on the scene. mi
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WINCHESTER HOUSE
San Jose, California
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he Winchester Mystery House™ is no exception. Since 1923, when the house opened to the public, the people who work in the mansion have described strange experiences. By themselves, these stories of creaking floorboards and rattling doorknobs don’t always seem like much, but over time they paint a portrait of a house with spirits of mischief. One of the mansion’s caretakers related several experiences of hearing footsteps and breathing in the empty house late into the night, long after the mansion emptied out. On one lonely night, he heard the sound of a screw slowly turning, but when he turned on the lights he could find nothing out of place. On another occasion, after conducting a walkthrough of the house at the end of the day, he carefully locked all of the doors and turned off every light, but as he
walked to his car he looked up to discover that all of the lights on the third floor were on. While anyone might forget to switch off a single light, he couldn’t imagine forgetting to turn off an entire floor’s worth. A final bit of mischief occurred in his absence, but it seems clear that he was the target. One morning, he arrived to find his desk drenched with water. All of the paperwork he’d left the night before was soaked through, and his pencil cup was filled to the brim. There had been a light rain the night before, but the walls and ceiling around the desk were bone dry and undamaged.
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OLD ESTAT ARNO
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The house Conjuring was based on. The real case file of Lorraine and Ed Warren.
Harrisville,Rhode Island The Conjuring proclaims that it’s “based on the true case files of the Warrens.” The real-life couple, Ed and Lorraine (played in the film by Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson), were paranormal investigators that founded the New England Society for Psychic Research in 1952. The Warrens’ 10,000-plus career cases include the alleged haunting depicted in The Conjuring. In 1971, Roger and Carolyn Perron moved into a colonial farmhouse with their five daughters, and quickly began experiencing what they described as both haunting and spiritual possessions. They invited the Warrens to the farmhouse to even appearing in some of The Conjuring’s marketing materials. “Because I was the youngest and the most farm,”investigate. Over the nine years they lived in the house, the Perrons described
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spirits, both harmless and angry, that “stunk of rotting flesh” and routinely arrived at 5:15 a.m. to levitate their beds. So how much of that is true? The real-life Perron family swears by their story, throwing their full weight behind the film and even appearing in some of The Conjuring’s marketing. “Because I was the youngest and the most farm,”
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STANLEY HOTEL Estes Park, Colorado Somehow all of the guests narrowly escaped injury as Room 217 fell into their laps. But this account describes a fire that “added to the damage” The accepted true version of Wilson sustaining two broken ankles, but further reported general manager of the hotel, and wife and daughter were having dinner in the room below. “A large steel girder from the second floor crashed down, landing between the three, smashing the table,” stated the News, “The party escaped with bruises.” This report also said that the incident started while testing the acetelyne gas system and a small explosion had occurred about an hour prior to the big one. Then, the door to Room 217 blew off. Reported the results were unknown. Gaslights were not in operation at the time. This report claimed that guests had been saved because “a late dinner was to be served” that evening.
Curiously, the victim is named Lizzie Leitenbergher. None of the reports mentioned a thunderstorm, and all of the reports said victims were taken to Longmont Hospital. All the stories agree the explosion occurred. No employee records from the time period are still at the hotel, and no photograph of Elizabeth/ Lizzie Leitenbergher of Lancaster, PA, can be found. A good ghost story is best told by a good storyteller. Mary Gorton, known as “Scary Mary” has been giving tours at the Stanley for five years and has mastered storytelling. She too was thrilled when the pieces of drywall and carpet were found, 103 years later, from the explosion in the room that is said to be one of the most haunted in the hotel.
“This is the most paranormal story we tell because it’s such a mystery,”
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MYRTLES PLANTATION
St. Fancisville,Louisiana
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xperience antebellum splendor in this circa 1796 National Historic Register plantation home renowned for its mystery, history and intrigue. Surrounded by centuries old live oak trees, the mansion features a 125 foot verandah, exquisite ornamental ironwork, hand painted stained glass, open-pierced frieze work crown molding, Aubusson tapestry, Baccarat crystal chandelier, Carrara marble mantels, gold-leafed French furnishings. At first glimpse, the mansion and its environment envelopes one with a complete sense of peace and tranquility. Guided historic and mystery tours and a self-guided tour of the grounds are offered. Enjoy dining in our Carriage House Restaurant where informal attire is very acceptable but the cuisine is upscale and features many delicacies.
The Myrtles Plantation is located 25 miles from Baton Rouge and 85 miles from New Orleans via interstate roads. You will want to extend your visit in St. Francisville long enough to enjoy some of the 27 unique shops, 14 eateries, 7 plantation homes, and 14 other attractions which all look forward to the pleasure of your company. Be sure to view our section ‘Local Fun’ to get info about Angola Prison Museum, Cat Island Natural Wildlife Refuge, Clark Creek Natural Waterfalls, False River, Feliciana Winery and The Mighty Mississippi River.
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Gettysburg Battlefield St. Augustine Lighthouse The Hollywood Sign
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GETTYSBURG BATTLEFIELD
Gettysburg, Pennslyvania In May 1863, with his army in high spirits, Lee intended to collect supplies in the abundant Pennsylvania farmland and take fighting away from war ravaged Virginia. He wanted to threaten Northern cities, win a major battle on North soil and strengthen the peace movement in the North. Prodded by President Abraham Lincoln, Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade moved northward, keeping his army between Lee and Washington, D.C. When Lee learned that Meade was in Pennsylvania, Lee concentrated his army around Gettysburg. Elements of the two armies collided west and north of the town on July 1,1863. More Confederate reinforcements under generals A.P. Hill and Richard Ewell reached the scene, however, and 30,000 Confederates ultimately defeated 20,000 Yankees, who fell back through Gettysburg to the hills.
On the second day of battle, the Union defended a fishhook-shaped range of hills and ridges south of Gettysburg with around 90,000 soldiers. Confederates essentially wrapped around the Union position with 70,000 soldiers. Lee launched a heavy assault on the Union left flank, and fierce fighting raged at Devil’s Den, Lee led his army on a torturous retreat back to Virginia. As many as 51,000 soldiers from both armies were killed, wounded, captured or missing in the three-day battle. Four months after the battle, President Lincoln used the dedication ceremony for Gettysburg’s Soldiers National Cemetery to honor the fallen Union soldiers and redefine the purpose of the war in his historic Gettysburg Address.
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St. Augustine LIGHTHOUSE
St. Augustine, Florida
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t. Augustine was the site of the first lighthouse established in Florida in 1824. A map shows an early wooden watch tower near the Spanish structure, which was described as a “beacon” in Drake’s account. The Spanish used the tower as a lighthouse, but it seems likely, given the levels of maritime trade by that time. The structure was regularly referred to as a “lighthouse” in documents dating to the British Period beginning in 1763. His work provides an important reference to St. Augustine’s geography and landmarks in 1764. Facing erosion and a changing coastline, the old tower crashed into the sea in 1880, but not before a new lighthouse was lit. Today, the tower ruins are a submerged archaeological site whose smooth stones may still be seen at low tide.
Early lamps in the first tower burned lard oil. Multiple lamps with silver reflectors were replaced by a fourth order Fresnel lens in 1855, greatly improving the lighthouse’s range and eliminating some maintenance issues. At the beginning of the Civil War, along with the lightkeeper, a woman named Maria De Los Delores Mestre, removed the lens from the old lighthouse and hid it, in order to block Union shipping lanes. The lens and clock works were recovered was held captive on a ship off-shore and forced to reveal their location. By 1870, beach erosion was threatening the first lighthouse. Construction on a new light tower began in 1871 during Florida’s reconstruction period.
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HOLLYWOOD SIGN Los Angeles, California Peg Entwhistle was an up-and-coming actress on Broadway in the mid-1920s. However, when she tried to make the transition to Hollywood in 1932, she found that she was just another pretty face. After a single film role, her prospects dried up and she was out of work. Around September 16, 1932, Entwhistle told her family she was going for a walk; it would be the last time anyone saw her. She traveled to the Hollywood Hills landmark, the Hollywoodland sign, where she took off her purse, coat, and shoes, before climbing a maintenance ladder to the top of the H (other reports say it was the last letter, “D”). There, she plummeted some 50 feet to the ground below. Her body and belongings including a suicide note were discovered two days later. Since then, “LAND” removed from the sign, but the
spirit of Peg Entwhistle still lingers. Park ranger John Arbogast claimed to have seen her ghost many times, usually in the middle of very foggy nights. He also claimed to smell gardenias in the area, Entwhistle’s favorite scent, even during winter when there are no flowers in bloom. In 1990, a man and his girlfriend were hiking near the sign when their dog suddenly began whining and backing away from the trail ahead. The couple soon saw a blond woman in a white 1930s-style dress walking towards them. She looked confused and disoriented, so the couple tried to steer clear of her, but then she suddenly vanished before their eyes. They claim to have been unaware of Entwhistle’s suicide at the time of the sighting.
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About the Author For over fifty years now, Ed and Lorraine Warren have been considered America’s preeminent experts on the subject of spirits and demonology. Even more important perhaps, is the fact that they have also been the very same people for the past fifty years whom religious authorities have repeatedly called in to control some of the most profane outbreaks of diabolical phenomena in the country. Cases where priests become possessed. Cases where people are physically attacked. Cases where unworldly entities manifest and then preside. Cases where time is violated and the physical environment is completely rearranged. Cases where spirits don’t just haunt a house, they visibly tear it apart. Ed and Lorraine Warren have dedicated their lives to this work, and in this book they share the wisdom they have gained during their extraordinary career in this field. The work they perform is remarkable. And you can be certain, after all this time, they know things that are completely astounding. The cases they divulge will shock you; yet it is the significance of what they say that will actually floor you. Moreover, the Warrens don’t mince words. They know what they’re talking about. They have seen it. They have done it. And in this book they reveal both the methods and the motives behind spirit activity; indeed they reveal what really breaks the peace in haunted houses, and precisely what it means to you. Both now and forever. Ed Warren is a demonologist. Lorraine Warren is a trance medium. But you’d never know it if you met them on the street. They are not occultists. They are not strange. They are essentially ordinary people who happen to do highly extraordinary work. And though the Warrens have no ax to grind, their orientation is distinctly religious. For in reality, that is the only way it is possible to function in this work. Because that which they confront are not vaporous, indistinct phantoms that simply come and go in the night. The forces they confront are religious entities that - by their own admission - exist for the sheer purpose of opposing the works of God. These forces are formidable. They are eternal. And they exist today. In a world that scoffs at ghosts and laughs at the unusual, the Warrens deliver a contrary message. That message is this: The fairy tale is true. The devil exists. God exists. And for us, as people, our very destiny hinges upon which one we elect to follow.