Ghosts

Lingering Spirits at The Ellis Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia?

The Ellis Hotel on Peachtree Street in Atlanta, Georgia is a luxury boutique hotel. There is nothing creepy inside, nothing whatsoever that would give a guest any inclination of what happened here on December 7, 1946. In fact, the commemorative plaque is actually hidden away behind a Marta entrance on the side of the hotel. A place where few people would happen upon it, in my opinion.

Winecoff Plaque — ***Winecoff Fire Plaque in Front of The Ellis Hotel***

In The Winecoff Fire: The Untold Story of America’s Deadliest Hotel Fire, Sam Heys and Allen B. Goodwin call the hotel Atlanta’s Titanic. The Winecoff was built in 1913 and had been boasted about as being fireproof (even though it lacked fire alarms, sprinklers, and fire escapes), just as the Titanic was said to be unsinkable. But on December 7, 1946, a mysterious fire broke out on the fifth floor and claimed 119 lives. Technically, the building was fireproof. The people inside the building, however, of course were not.

Within days of the tragedy, building and fire codes were changed all over the country to prevent something like this from ever happening again. So many things went wrong. In addition to the failures mentioned above, the Winecoff only had one central staircase (which essentially turned into a chimney during the fire). The Atlanta Fire Department only had ladders that reached to the eighth floor (of a fifteen story building).

To date, this is the worst hotel fire in North America.

Before visiting, I thought a place that had seen such tragedy would surely have some lingering effects. I felt nothing here. For the first time in a long time (on a ghost hunt that failed to produce evidence of the other side), I was glad. I told myself that these fire victims were not trapped here re-living that horrible night over and over again. They were finally able to escape the Winecoff. I gave them an internal cheer and paused to reflect upon all of our fleeting lives.

A Night at The Myrtles Plantation

Last month, Bob and I had the chance to investigate The Myrtles Plantation on a private overnight stay (this was complete chance, as it was a Sunday night just after the New Year’s holiday). We were booked in the General Bradford Suite for the night, and had the run of the upstairs as well for the entire night. I was surprised to see that the entire house was covered in Haint Blue paint!

The first thing we did after we checked into the room was take the Mel Meter out for a walk around to see if we could get any hits or changes in temperature. Right off the bat, Bob watched the Mel Meter jump to a 6.8 when he held the device against the door leading into our room off the front porch. When we completed our circle of the property, we checked the meter against the door once more. No changes occurred. Also during our walk around the property, my phone went from 60% to completely shutting down. When we got back to the room, I was able to plug the phone in and power it back up. It was immediately at 61% power!

Porch views – day and night shots:

The stay included a tour of the house, and some of the ghost stories are told during this tour. I have read a lot of criticism about these stories, but I am going to reserve comment on all of that for now. I will share our personal experiences for what they are worth.

We spent some time investigating the upper floor, in particular, this creepy blue doll room that I was drawn to. But nothing happened. Not one blip on a meter, not one strange noise, not even a weird feeling to speak of.

Bob speculated that maybe these highfalutin aristocratic ghosts might not be impressed with my requests to “turn on the flashlight.” He makes an interesting point. Asylums and prisons seemed to be filled to the ceiling with entities anxious to make contact. But here, well, we were in someone else’s home. Maybe there were different rules. We cooled it with the ghost hunter schtick and returned to the General Bradford Suite.

Besides sleeping in a real life haunted mansion, all alone, without a living soul in sight and no snacks to speak of, the night passed uneventfully, or so I thought. Bob would report otherwise.

My first strange experience was being awakened around 5:00 a.m. to the sound of clothing rustling near the bed (specifically – rustling skirts), followed by heavy boot steps approaching the room to the door via the front porch. I then heard what sounded like about four wild cats just losing their minds, howling like they were facing death itself out there, while at the same time maintaining a constant run away from whatever was on the porch. By this time I was realizing just how cold the room was. It was down to around 55 degrees but the heat was still running. The front parlor was down to the mid-sixties. The heat was just fine at 72 degrees when we arrived and the time we went to bed. People hear weird stuff when they think they are awake, but really dreaming. Old wooden houses get cold and old heaters break. But why in my almost 33 years on this planet can I not recall a dream where I have had auditory hallucinations? Do I only hallucinate while sleeping in haunted mansions, or was something really going on FOR REAL? Who can say. The mind is a powerful thing (especially mine – I just inserted that to check and see if you are still reading this post, Bob).

Seeing that I was awake also, (and freezing), Bob let me in on what happened to him earlier during the night while I was sleeping peacefully. Bob drifted off around 11:30 p.m. and was awakened by a howling wind. He heard the large shutters banging against the house. He felt the room get noticeably colder by the second, so he reached over to the bedside table and switched the Mel Meter on. He watched the temperature drop 6 degrees right before his eyes. He eventually fell back to sleep, but left the meter on. When he next awoke, he looked at the meter and saw that there had been a 6.8 spike some time in the night. RIGHT BY HIS HEAD.

I noticed a large and very fresh scratch on his head (the right side, closest to the table where the meter was kept) and asked him about it. Neither one of us could figure out how he could make a scratch like that in his sleep. I guess it’s possible I did it somehow, although usually my nails are kept proper ghost hunter style (read: bitten to the quick).

An entry from my journal on the morning of our departure: “When I woke up this morning, I felt really sad. All these places we’ve gone to, I’ve never really felt my own death, but it was very much on my mind this morning, and I was concerned about losing Bob. Wonder if I was being an empath to one of the widows – Mary Catherine or Sara Woodruff? We’re both feeling better as we get further and further away from The Myrtles.”

February 9, 2014 0

Rolling Hills Asylum

In East Bethany, New York, there is a former poor farm by the name of Rolling Hills Asylum. This is the place that started it all as far as the inspiration for Haunted Asylums, Prisons, and Sanatoriums. I thought I would share some of my old photos here.

Shadow hallway:

The morgue:

For more about our adventures at Rolling Hills Asylum, please visit: http://listverse.com/2014/01/26/10-creepy-ghost-hunt-venues/

February 2, 2014 0

10 Creepy Ghost Hunt Venues

January 28, 2014 0

Bissman Building – Side Trip for Mansfield Reformatory, Chapter 8

I wish we would have had more time in Mansfield to explore and investigate the Bissman Building. This is a private building, though, and not generally accessible to the public. They have a website up now that would seem to indicate they let teams come in and ghost hunt.

Bissman Building - Mansfield, OH — ***Bissman Building – Mansfield, OH***

Legends talk of a murdered child spirit, and her alleged murderer who was later decapitated by an elevator.

http://www.hauntedbissmanbuilding.com/The_Bissman_Building/Welcome.html

December 28, 2013 0

Major Graham Mansion – Side Trip for St. Albans Sanatorium, Chapter 3

While we were traveling in Virginia for official Haunted Asylums, Prisons, and Sanatoriums business for Chapter 3 – St. Albans, I came across what I swore up and down was the Addams Family House. This is important, because the last time I thought I had found the real house I was five and at Disney World. Fast forward twenty seven years and I am still no further along in my search for those elusive Addamses. According to Sam, there is no REAL Addams Family, no hairy cousin Itt, and decidedly no Thing T. Thing. Right about now is when he likes to compare me to those people who pleaded so passionately to their congressmen when the first episode of Gilligan’s Island aired. “For God’s sake, why don’t we send someone out there to save those people?!”

Major Graham Mansion - Max Meadows, VA — ***Major Graham Mansion – Max Meadows, VA***

Whether or not he’s right about the above, what I saw was actually the Major Graham Mansion, so I will have to continue the search for the Addams Family.

As we were turning around I thought I spotted a sign on the gate. “Beware of the Thing.” That’s what that sign said.

Oh, and I also liked this ramshackle, falling in upon itself place:

The Richardson Olmsted Complex

Formerly known as the Buffalo State Asylum, this site is undergoing renovations to become a boutique hotel, conference center, and visitor’s center. This is one of the few Kirkbride buildings still standing in America, and to have it preserved for reuse is nothing short of a miracle. Frederick Law Olmsted designed the grounds. They have been offering tours, but unfortunately I have not gotten to take one yet.

This part of Buffalo is so much fun to me too. Within walking distance you have the Albright-Knox Art Gallery, the Burchfield Penney Art Center, all the antique, funky shops, coffee shops, restaurants and bars of Elmwood Avenue, and Delaware Park. It’s a great cultural getaway from all the touristy Niagara Falls type stuff.
Further Reading:

http://www.richardson-olmsted.com/project.php

http://www.kirkbridebuildings.com/buildings/

http://www.fredericklawolmsted.com/buffalo.html

http://www.albrightknox.org/
http://www.elmwoodvillage.org/

December 27, 2013 0

J.N. Adam Memorial Hospital in Perrysburg, New York

This was a stumble-upon discovery from a Buffalo, New York run. The hospital was not accessible to us, it was completely fenced in and we are too chicken to be any good as urban explorers. Mostly, we’re scared of falling through a ceiling and dying. Also, I would like to point out that it’s very difficult to travel commercially with proper urban explorer tools. Might I point out the obvious fact that security is going to completely freak out when your carryon bag contains the following items: rope, infrared camera, duct tape, and pocket knife. It just isn’t going to work out.

So, alas, we had to photograph from behind the fence and dream of what it would be like to access the hospital and grounds. Maybe one day it will be restored and ghost hunters and photographers will be allowed to come visit. This place is definitely on my dream list of locations to see!

J.N. Adam Memorial Hospital - Perrysburg, New York — ***J.N. Adam Memorial Hospital – Perrysburg, New York***

Ghost Hunt at Old South Pittsburg Hospital

One of the locations that Sam and I rented one weekend back in 2011 for some training prior to traveling for Haunted Asylums, Prisons, and Sanatoriums was Old South Pittsburg Hospital in Tennessee.

Old South Pittsburg Hospital - Tennessee — ***Old South Pittsburg Hospital – Tennessee***

***The Car Inside Old South Pittsburg Hospital in Tennessee***

The place did not disappoint. This is the only place I know of that runs more like a research facility for serious ghost hunters as opposed to a Friday night free for all that some public ghost hunt events can turn into. You can camp inside the hospital for the entire weekend, and if you bring a cooler with food you won’t even have to leave the building. Don’t forget to look for the car.

The Operating Room - Inside Old South Pittsburg Hospital in Tennessee — ***The Operating Room – Inside Old South Pittsburg Hospital in Tennessee***

My favorite part of the hospital was the third floor, although it was also the place that scared me the most. While sitting in an operating room in the pitch black, I was overcome with the feeling of suffocation. Simultaneously, I felt myself getting angry with Sam for no reason. At the time, I just wanted to get out of the operating room. The next morning, as I reflected upon the previous night’s events, it occurred to me that it was very possible that I was feeling someone’s dying energy.

Third Floor, Pysch Ward - Inside Old South Pittsburg Hospital in Tennessee — ***Third Floor, Pysch Ward – Inside Old South Pittsburg Hospital in Tennessee***

Downstairs - Old South Pittsburg Hospital in Tennessee — ***Downstairs – Old South Pittsburg Hospital in Tennessee***

We had a lot of flashlight activity throughout the hallways. So much so, that even Cindy remarked upon it while she was checking up on us via live video feed from her room.

Original Equipment - Old South Pittsburg Hospital in Tennessee — ***Original Equipment – Old South Pittsburg Hospital in Tennessee***

Basement - Old South Pittsburg Hospital in Tennessee — **Basement – Old South Pittsburg Hospital in Tennessee**

The hospital is a perfect setting to try out your new equipment and run experiments.
Gratuitous boiler room shot:
Wish it would have made the book!
Further Reading:

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December 17, 2013 2

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