Portsmouth man says ‘Titanic’ replica could be haunted

by Holly Henry

It’s been 100 years since the RMS Titantic struck an iceberg and sent more than 1,500 souls to their watery graves.

In 2004, a Portsmouth man completed a replica of the ship – nine feet long, weighing more than 200 pounds.

But according to the builder — the museum quality replica has recently acquired something that may now qualify it as a ‘ghost ship’. Who knows what lurks inside this replica of the ill fated RMS Titanic?

The builder told Barbara Ciara that you can’t see it with the naked eye, but he took a photograph of the boat that revealed what he thinks are two ghostly images.

Wyatt Jason Moore, better known as Chuck, says he discovered the spooky images just recently.

“I couldn’t make it out until I looked at it very carefully and I found it was a bald headed man with a handle bar mustache, and I said to myself, what’s he doing there? Maybe it was someone that was aboard the Titanic that found a new home for himself.”

It took 17,368 hours and over nine years to build the replica. Chuck took on the project after seeing the old black and white 1958 movie ‘A Night to Remember.’

Chuck, a retired architectural draftsman, studied old photographs of the Titantic and began his quest to build a spitting image of the vessel.

“I got so engrossed in it I didn’t realize how much time goes by each day,” said Chuck.

With painstaking detail, Chuck, wearing a special magnified glass attached to his glasses, used his special tools to freeze a moment in time on the replica.

He re-created life on the ship. Crewmen loading up an old Model-T. Children playing on the deck. Ladies in period clothing, socializing. Chuck even captured an image of a crewman walking dogs on the deck. History indicates that two of those dogs made on board life boats and survived the sinking.

But it wasn’t until Chuck shot a series of photographs of the replica to create a large photo composite, that he noticed something in the photos that couldn’t be seen with the naked eye.

An unexplained image in the portholes just above the life boats – on the port side of the vessel. According to Chuck, it looks like a bald headed man with a handle bar mustache looking out. And he just recently identified a woman in one of the portholes appearing to lean forward to see the view.

Chuck doesn’t fear the images; he says, “I leave them alone and they leave me alone.” As for the skeptics who don’t quite see the image as a ghostly image: “suit yourself” says Chuck.

The builder of the replica isn’t trying to convert anyone to buy into his ghostly tale, but he is interested in partnering with a musuem to display his replica so that more people can enjoy the ship he worked so hard to complete. It is a fascinating view, not to mention, his wife of 31 years would like to get that boat out of their living room.

Investigation 9. Esterbrook Cemetary

This article is from myspace.com/wisconsinhunters blog
Date: May 9th 2009
Team Members:

• Branden Kennedy
• Corbet Franzen
• Mike Grahl
• Dani Marquard
• Mike Toshner

Location: Fond du lac, Wisconsin
Equipment used:

• Digital Camera
• Digital Voice Recorder

Time Arrived: 01:30 a.m
Time Departed 03:00 a.m
Results: This investigation was a bit different than anything we'd ever done before. We went there in an attempt to make contact with a departed family member of a team member, not to prove weather or not the location was haunted. No verdict can be reached from an investigation of this sort as to weather or not Esterbrook Cemetery is haunted or not because that was not the purpose of the investigation.
But for all investigative purposes I'd call it a success based on personal experiences alone. Having 2 teams in different areas, we both heard sounds/voices that coincided with the others. Also Nick and myself (Branden) were able to see what we believe to be Shadow People on two different occasions, but in the same area (though, it could have been a shadow from a living source, and shouldn't be credited fully). The voices consisted of wailing cries varying in length from a short sob to a full on wail lasting for about 2-3 seconds. All of the investigators heard these periodically throughout the night. The only way to disprove this as something paranormal is to say that it was an animal, because one investigator reported hearing an owl earlier in the night. The grand finale happened right as we were leaving, when I distinctly heard a female voice from my left say the name "Danielle." No one else heard this, and the recorder was off.
But, as I stated before I would call our investigation a success. The team member who suggested we go here was happy with the way the investigation went, and we enjoyed ourselves during the experience, so that’s really all that matters.
Video evidence has yet to be gone over and results will be posted soon.

How black magic can cause paranormal phenomena

This article was found on http://www.helium.com

It was written by Chung Yuen Keong

Created on: January 14, 2012 Last Updated: January 20, 2012

When we mention ‘black magic’, a familiar scene pops up in our mind: An evil witch-doctor, wearing a grotesque mask, is dancing in a trance. As he trots around the leaping flames, he is swinging his staff wildly in the air and chanting some incoherent gibberish. His body shakes vigorously; he draws a dagger; he screams; all those who are in the ceremony shout loudly. When the beating of the drums stops, the shouting stops and the evil witch-doctor pushes the dagger into a straw doll.

Even today the practice of black magic is still found in Africa, Haiti, South America and South East Asia. Many people fear this evil sorcery; however, others regard it as mere superstition and doubt the existence of it.

Black magic is practiced not only by primitive tribesmen but also by modern Chinese living in Malaysia. The Malaysian Chinese are greatly influenced by their long-standing tradition and their legendary lore. Even the Chinese themselves cannot define what their real religion is. The ordinary Chinese worship the Buddha, the Taoist deities and their ancestors. They believe all supernatural beings have the mysterious power to help them and give them the needs and wants. Nevertheless, the term “black magic” is not used by the Chinese in their beliefs even though such sorcery is being practiced in their community.

In China black magic is known as ‘ku”. However, the ordinary Malaysian Chinese know little or have no knowledge about ‘ku’. Some evil Taoist priests, therefore, start their own Taoist sect practicing ‘ku’ in the rough-and-ready Chinese community for their own benefits. These Taoist priests, address themselves as ‘Si-Fu’ or ‘master of the religion’, claim to have the transcendental power to communicate with their gods and their goddesses. They say that they can remedy the irrecoverable loss of wealth by their supernatural power granted by their deities. They also advertise in the newspapers that they are able to reconcile a broken marriage by the use of spells and talismans. The street-level Chinese are completely mystified; they will worship the gods that can protect them. So those who are in great desperation will resort to getting help from these Taoist Priests.

Believers are willing to pay whatever price for the help they receive if it is effective. A believer expecting miracles should make a generous donation to the Taoist deities. The Taoist priests always belabor the point to believers that their generosity shows their sincerity and respect to the gods and goddesses; the more one gives, the more help he will receive.

A jealous wife is also getting help from the evil Taoist priest. Casting a curse on the hair or finger nail cut from the husband's mistress will put her under a spell. Insects, worms and poisonous snakes are often used in evil charms. Those making such an evil request are always asked to make a solemn vow to the deities; breaking the vow means death.

The practice of black magic or ‘ku’ is bizarre; it is against the laws of nature. These evil Taoist priests are bribing the divinities for help. The believers are, of course, satisfied with the help given and they reward the evil Taoist priests and their gods.

Despite the punishment for their evil acts, people turn to black magic for miracles, overnight success and instant wealth. They are overwhelmed by black magic because it can cause paranormal phenomena.

Paranormal phenomena of the Philadelphia Zoo

This article was found on http://www.helium.com

It was written by Shannon Farlouis

Created on: January 13, 2012 Last Updated: January 14, 2012

The Philidelphia Zoo is known to be one of America's oldest zoos. This zoo was built on an Indian burial ground. The oldest building on the site is called the Solitude. This building has a long history that dates back to 1784. The basement of this building has an old tunnel. The Treehouse is another building that has kid exhibits. There are two more buildings at this zoo and they are just office spaces and the buildings are the Shelley and the Penrose. Investigators who have used audio technology have recorded voices and footsteps in these buildings. Many investigators also claim they have felt cold spots, seen lights turning on and off, and apparitions.

In the tunnel area, voices and music were heard. One investigator was using an athermal camera to record events and it was knocked over by an unseen force. This happened on the stairwell that lead to the attic. The investigation team did have EVPs as evidence that there were spirits. Many workers at this zoo state that they have seen spirits that hang in and around the zoo pretty often. The attic of Solitude House has things that move around on their own. One zoo board member admitted to seeing a strange, misty figure in the tunnel that is under Solitude House. The workers at the zoo continue to report many weird happenings. The Philadelphia Zoo opened the gates for the first time in 1874. This zoo is now a Philadelphia landmark that has over 1.1 million visitors per year that come to see over 1300 animals. Some of these animals are rare and endangered species that roam the grounds. If you ask any of the staff that work at this zoo if it is haunted, then you will get a definite yes.

The investigation team arrived to help the staff better understand the zoo hauntings. When staff are giving tours to visitors, they claim that they often see a woman in a long dress standing at the top of the staircase. The tunnel that use to lead to under the house is now closed off. Orbs are often in pictures that are taken. These orbs have been seen in the room that the tunnel leads to in the house. The tunnel was built so during the cold winter months the owner did not have to go outside in the cold to feed the animals.

Last day of The First Ward School House Fund Raiser 9-14-2012

Thanks to the event held by the W.I.P.S. Team who own The First Ward School House, I had the chance to meet the Booth Brothers, and have now had the chance to become friends via Facebook, with Ben Hansen from SYFY Channel's TV Show "Fact Or Faked".

During our Investigation on 9-14-2012, the Booth Brothers were at the School House, filming. They are making another one of their famous and popular DVD's about the School. :-( sadly I did not get in any of the film, at least not that I am aware of. But I was there at the exact time they were there filming, so that's good enough for me :-)

An interview with Christopher Booth will be airing on Storytime on October 6th, on SEPIA RVP Radio, and an interview with Ben will be airing in December 2012 or Janurary 2013.

The W.I.P.S. Team invite other paranormal teams to come investigate the School House. For a fee of $50.00 per person, you can spend from dusk till dawn investigating every floor of the school house.

Please note that money collected from the fund raiser and from the investigation fees, go towards repairing the School House; as Justin (Lead Investigator of W.I.P.S.) and his wife & Children live in the School house. And when they bought it, it was in very very rough shape.

If your team is interested in seeing what you can find at the School, call them @ 1-(847)-867-6037 or email them @ relativelyhaunted@live.com (Please in your email put in the subject line "Requesting investigation of School House).

I can tell you from personal experience that Justin and his entire family are wonderful people, who are very kind & generous.

Pictures from the First Ward School House Fright Night Fund Raiser

9-13-2012

Me & The Booth Brothers

To see a larger copy, go to my Facebook Page. I also have an autographed copy of this same photo which I will get scanned in and uploaded A.S.A.P.

9-14-2012

The First Ward School House, in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin.

Picture One

This picture was taken during a protection ceremony, before our investigation of the School began. Notice on the upper left corner, behind the woman is a large mist, and then next to her (between her and the man) is a face.

Picture 2

In this picture, which was taken in what was once the 3rd Grade Classroom, notice the Orbs going from floor to ceiling in front of the photo. In an attempt to debunk that it was perhaps a reflection off of the picture frame, please refer to picture 3.

Picture 3

In this photo, an investigator set up a laser grid, and as you can see, to gentlemen stood in front of the painting. But if you look closely, the Orbs from Picture too (see above photo) are still there, appearing in front of the men.

Picture 4

Please notice in this picture, which was taken in what was once the Kindergarden Classroom, on the left side of the photo you see a shadow that resembles a child, wearing a hat, that is is like bending backward.

Also notice on the right, just in front of the flowers, if you look carefully, you can see what looks like a little face, like a little child or doll laying it's head on the table, while the rest of it's body hangs off the edge of the table.

Final Picture

In this picture, also taken in what was once the Kindergarden Classroom; if you look towards the upper left corner you can see the outline of a face, with what to me, appears to have "fang" like teeth in the mouth area.

To see a larger copies of all of these investigation photos, please go to my Facebook Page.

Also be on the look out for E.V.P.'s captured during our investigation at the school house.

Investigation 1. Fond du Lac Conservation Center A.K.A School Farm

This article is from myspace.com/wisconsinhunters blog
Date: Spring 2008
Team Members:

• Branden Kennedy
• Corbet Franzen
• Mike Toshner
• Dani Marquard
• Mike Grahl

Location: Highway 23 near Rosendale, WI
Equipment used:

• Digital Camera
• Video Camera
• Digital Voice Recorder

Results: This is actually our second investigation of this location, the audio of the first was interrupted constantly by wind, as a thunderstorm whipped up in the middle of our investigation. So we went back the following week to conduct another investigation.
The personal experiences throughout the night were astounding. Nearly everyone experienced something. Mike Grahl experienced a pain in his chest that he could not explain. Mike Toshner and Dani both heard stone being moved around as if being piled on top of each other. And Corbet took a picture of what could possibly have been "ecto-mist." Also, while near the grave of a young girl, Dani heard the laugh of a girl in her ear.
Photos taken here had some orbs in them, and possibly ecto-mist, nothing turned up on video, but the voice recorder was the most surprising. Two crystal clear voices unlike any of the team members appeared on the recordings. One while Mike Toshner was doing an EVP session, a voice responded to him asking "is anyone here?" The voice replied "thanks for coming over here." The second voice was recorded by Branden on accident.
The recorder was on while the team was discussing what they would do next and a loud female voice was recorded saying "Don't toy with me!" or "Don't go away!" the voice sounded distraught and was much louder than any of the recorded voices of the team members.
Verdict: Judging by both personal experiences and evidence taken, we believe the School Farm Cemetery to be Haunted.

Signs of a possible haunting

Article from CPS Paranormal

The first step is to determine, as best you can, whether or not you truly have a legitimate case of a haunting. Not all hauntings are alike, and they may exhibit a variety of phenomena. Some hauntings feature a single phenomenon - such as a particular door slamming shut that occurs repeatedly - while others consist of many different phenomena, ranging from odd noises to full-blown apparitions.

Here's a partial list of phenomena that might indicate that your house is haunted:

Unexplained noises: Footsteps; knocks, banging, rapping; scratching sounds; sounds of something being dropped. Sometimes these noises can be subtle and other times they can be quite loud.

Doors, cabinets and cupboards opening and closing:
Most often, these phenomena are not seen directly. The experiencer either hears the distinct sounds of the doors opening and closing (homeowners get to know quite well the distinctive sounds their houses make) or the experiencer will return to a room to find a door open or closed when they are certain that it was left in the opposite position. Sometimes furniture, like kitchen chairs, are perceived to have been moved. Very rarely will the experiencer actually witness the phenomenon taking place.

Lights turning off and on:
Likewise, these events are seldom seen actually occurring, but the lights are switched on or off when the experiencer knows they were not left that way. This can also happen with TVs, radios and other electrically powered items.

Items disappearing and reappearing:
This phenomenon, which we have dubbed "the DOPler Effect" (DOP = Disappearing Object Phenomenon), has been examined in the article "The DOPler Effect." Others have called this "the borrowers" phenomenon, and it's the familiar experience of not being able to find a regularly used item - say, your set of car keys - which you believe you placed in a spot you routinely place them. But they're gone and you look high and low for them with no success. Some time later, the keys are found - in exactly the place you normally put them. It's as if the object was borrowed by someone or something for a short time, then returned. Sometimes they are not returned for days or even weeks, but when they are, it's in an obvious place that could not have been missed by even a casual search.

Unexplained shadows:
The sighting of fleeting shapes and shadows, usually seen out of the corner of the eye. This phenomenon has also been discussed in some detail in "Shadow People." Many times, the shadows have vaguely human forms, while other times they are less distinguishable or smaller.

Strange animal behavior:
A dog, cat or other pet behaves strangely. Dogs may bark at something unseen, cower without apparent reason or refuse to enter a room they normally do. Cats may seem to be "watching" something cross a room. Animals have sharper senses than humans, and many researchers think their psychic abilities might be more finely tuned also.

Feelings of being watched:
This is not an uncommon feeling and can be attributed to many things, but it could have a paranormal source if the feeling consistently occurs in a particular part of the house at a particular time.

Those are some of the most common experiences of those who think their houses are haunted. Yet even stranger things can happen...

Stronger Evidence

The following phenomena are more rare, but could be stronger evidence of a haunting:

Mild psychokinetic phenomena:
Hearing a door open or close is one thing. Actually seeing it happen is quite another. Similarly, actually seeing a light go on or off by itself is greater proof that something unexplained is happening. Do you see the TV or radio turn on? Or perhaps you're present when a child's powered toy begins to operate on its own. Doors and windows are locked or unlocked. Some people report that when they are in bed they can feel and/or hear something sitting on the bed.

Feelings of being touched:
The feeling of being watched is one thing, and actually feeling like you are being touched is quite another. Some people feel something brush past them, something touching their hair or "a hand" on the shoulder. Some feel a gentle poke, push or nudge.

Cries and whispers:
On occasion, muffled voices, whispering and crying can be heard. Sometimes it's music from some unknown source. People hear their names being said. This phenomenon, as is true for the one above, gains more credibility if more than one person hears or sees the same thing at the same time.

Cold or hot spots:
Cold spots are classic haunting symptoms, but any instance of a noticeable variance in temperature without a discernable cause could be evidence.

Unexplained smells - the distinct fragrance of a perfume or cologne that you do not have in your house. This phenomenon comes and goes without any apparent cause and may accompany other phenomena, such as shadows, voices or psychokinetic phenomena. Foul odors can happen in the same way.

Rarer still are more extreme phenomena, some of which have been called poltergeist phenomena, and can be quite strong evidence of a true haunting:

Moving or Levitating Objects:
(severe psychokinetic phenomena) - dinner plates sliding across the table; pictures flying off walls; doors slamming shut with great force; furniture sliding across the floor.

Physical assault:
Scratches, slaps and hard shoves. This kind of personal assault is extremely rare, but obviously highly disturbing.

Other physical evidence:
Unexplained writing on paper or walls; handprints and footprints.

Apparitions :
Physical manifestation of a spirit or entity. These phenomena are also very rare and can take many forms: human-shaped mists or forming mists of some indistinguishable shape; transparent human forms that disappear quickly; and most rarely, human forms that look as real and solid as any living person, but that disappear into a room or even while being viewed.

Rule Out Rational Explanations
A person who has experienced some of these phenomena might have cause to believe that his or her house is haunted. But maybe not. In fact, according to most experts, probably not. The human mind and human senses (as any magician will tell you) are easily fooled. And people can often mistake explainable (if unusual) occurrences in their homes for the paranormal.

Before you decide there's a ghost in your house or move out from fear, do your best to find rational explanations for what you are experiencing. Virtually all of the phenomena listed on the previous page could have perfectly natural causes:

Of course, the more extreme the phenomena, the harder they are to dismiss. And, as noted above, if multiple witnesses experience the same phenomena, they are likely to be taken more seriously.

Get help in finding rational explanations for the phenomena. A plumber might help you find the cause of that banging. A carpenter can fix that door from closing on its own. A friend or neighbor might be able to look at your particular experience in a different way and offer a reasonable explanation for your "haunting" that you might not have though of. In short, make every possible effort to prove that your house is not haunted.

Keep A Journal

If you feel you have ruled out rational explanations for the phenomena that are taking place in your house, and they are still occurring on a more or less regular basis, document them. Keep a journal of the phenomena as they happen. For example:

June 2, 2002; 10:30 p.m. - Was sitting watch TV when the bathroom light switched on by itself. Went in and turned it off again.

June 10, 2002; 9:14 p.m. - Was in the kitchen and heard the footsteps crossing the upstairs hallway again. No one was up there. Went up to investigate and could find no cause.

A journal such as this could help with any formal investigation of the phenomena by experts.

If you hear unexplained noises, attempt to record them with a portable tape recorder. If there are physical phenomena of any kind, photograph or videotape them. Keep your journal, recording and camera equipment readily available so you can document the phenomena as it happens.

Call the Experts
When should you call a paranormal investigator? Only when you have ruled out any rational explanations for the phenomena you are experiencing and are thoroughly convinced that your house is truly haunted should you contact CPS. Of course, if the phenomena are extreme and you feel that you and your family are in any kind of physical or psychological danger, you should call for help right away

Top 10 Hottest Ghosts in Illinois

This article was found on True Illinois Haunts through a link on Paranormal News

10. The Greenwood Ghost Bride

Located in Decatur, Greenwood Cemetery is rumored to be one of the most haunted locations in central Illinois. One of the most interesting stories at Greenwood concerns the so-called “Greenwood Bride,” who wanders the grounds in her wedding dress searching for her fiancé, who was murdered by bootleggers. The story begins during the era of Prohibition, when many who were down and out sought to make their living in the lucrative but illicit alcohol trade. One young Decatur man was a whiskey runner with a beautiful fiancé. One evening, the young man and his bride-to-be decided to elope, but he wanted to make one last whiskey run before the wedding. Unfortunately, some of his business rivals caught up with him and murdered him, leaving his body in the Sangamon River. When his fiancé found out, she was so grief-stricken that she drowned herself in the same spot in the river. Her parents buried her in Greenwood Cemetery in her wedding dress. She now floats among the tombstones, wiping tears from her angelic face.

9. Melody Mill Ballroom’s “Flapper Ghost”

There are several vanishing hitchhikers in Illinois, but few are as alluring as the “flapper” ghost of North Riverside’s Melody Mill Ballroom and Jewish Waldheim Cemetery. Like Archer Avenue’s Resurrection Mary, this young woman died in the 1920s or the early ‘30s, and her ghost dances the night away with strangers, only to vanish during the ride home. Unlike Mary, however, Melody Mill’s “Flapper Ghost” is much more vibrant and colorful, and is described as having brunette, “bobbed” hair. According to author Jo-Anne Christensen, she “wears a gaily colored sheath and shows plenty of shapely leg.” Melody Mill Ballroom was eventually demolished, but sightings of the flapper continued into the ‘90s.

8. The White Lady of Bachelor’s Grove

Bachelor’s Grove has been a south side enigma for over three decades and is one of the most famous haunted cemeteries in America. It is said to be home to many phantoms, including strange lights, a two-headed monster, and a vanishing house. Another popular ghost is the White Lady (or Madonna) of Bachelor’s Grove, who is said to be seen cradling her infant son. This ghost, or one very much like it, was supposedly captured on a now famous photograph taken using infrared film. Forlorn and enigmatic, she sits on a fallen headstone, her flowing, ivory gown teased by the passing breeze. In an area first settled by bachelors, it is no wonder that such a phantom appears there time and time again, desperate to be reunited with a lost love.

7. “Sarah” of McPike Mansion

Built in 1869 by Henry Guest McPike and designed in the Italianate-Victorian style, the McPike Mansion has long captured the imaginations of Alton residents. Although it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, it has sat abandoned for decades—attracting vandals and the curious alike. There are two known entities here. The mansion’s new owners named one of them Sarah, because, according to Troy Taylor, an old book found in the mansion had been inscribed with the name “Sarah Wells.” Sarah is thought to have been a hired hand in life, and teases visitors with a spectral touch or hug. She also makes her presence known with a hint of lilac perfume.

6. Elvira of the Woodstock Opera House

The Woodstock Opera House was constructed in 1889 and is almost as famous for its glamorous ghost as it is for its beauty. A Honda commercial during the Super Bowl in 1992 even played off the notoriety of the Woodstock’s ghost. The theater’s interior was designed to look like a glimmering showboat, and its exterior is an eclectic combination of styles. In the late 1940s, an actor named Shelley Berman witnessed a chair (DD113) that popped up and down during rehearsals, as if someone had been sitting there. After a number of years, the thespians began to refer to their ghost as Elvira. Actresses are warned to stay away from the theater’s tower, for fear that its sultry siren will fill them with a strange compulsion to jump. According to author Jo-Anne Christensen, Elvira has been described as “very attractive, with long, golden hair and a flattering, flowing gown.”

Check out these stories and more in Michael Kleen’s Haunting Illinois: A Tourist’s Guide to the Weird and Wild Places of the Prairie State!

5. The Mysterious Woman of Original Springs Hotel

During the late 1800s, Okawville was widely known for its mineral springs, which were believed to have an invigorating effect on a man’s vitality. After this particular quality of the springs was discovered in 1867, a local businessman and a farmer established the first bathhouse and spa at the location. That burnt down in 1891, and the current building, which became the Original Springs Hotel, opened in the spring of 1893. The hotel is still in operation today. Guests at the hotel have reported seeing a mysterious woman wearing a white dress in the fashion of the early 1900s sitting on the second floor balcony. Her face is always hidden beneath her hat. This voyeuristic phantom is certainly not shy. One guest reported seeing her standing near his bed, and another saw her staring out the window of a locked storage room in the men’s bathhouse.

4. Pemberton Hall’s Legendary Mary

Eastern Illinois University’s Pemberton Hall is the oldest all-female dormitory in the state of Illinois, and its ivy covered walls and old-English look and feel was well suited for its first full time matron, Mary Hawkins. Mary emigrated from Great Britain in 1901 and assumed the position of dorm director of Pemberton Hall in August 1910, when she was 33 years old. Sometime after her death, the girls of Pemberton began to believe her ghost returned to haunt the hall. The Roommate’s Death, a common folklore motif in which a student is murdered by a crazed janitor, has merged with the story of Mary Hawkins to create a unique tale. Sometimes Mary manifests herself as a prankster; a young woman who scratches at doors, leaves bloody footprints, or wanders up to the fourth floor to play the piano dressed in nothing but a thin white gown. Other times, Mary has been flirtatious. One former resident director claimed that her fiancé felt an invisible hand smack him on the behind!

3. Drake Hotel’s “Woman in Red”

Opening night at the Drake Hotel was both magnificent and tragic. It was magnificent because the Drake was to be one of Chicago’s most beautiful hotels; it was tragic because it was the night the “Woman in Red” ended her life. According to legend, on New Year’s Eve in 1920, a wealthy venture capitalist and his fiancé attended the gala held in the Drake’s Gold Coast Room on opening night. The man stepped away and did not return, so his fiancé went looking for him. She found him, enthralled by another woman, in the Palm Court parlor. Devastated, the Woman in Red climbed to the roof and jumped to her death. Since then, guests at the Drake have reported seeing her ghost in the Gold Coast Room, Palm Court, and on the top floor and the roof. She is called the “Woman in Red” because of the gleaming, crimson silk gown she wears, which compliments her long black hair and emerald eyes.

2. The Phantom Lady of Kennedy Hill Road

Between mid-December 1980 and early January 1981, dozens of people reported seeing a young woman in various stages of dress walking down Kennedy Hill Road outside of Byron. Despite the icy wind and cold, she was sometimes wearing attire more suitable for the beach, and was said to be very athletic and slender, at one point leaping over a nearby fence with ease. By January 20, 1981, the sightings had reached a fevered pitch. Motorists parked their cars in the frigid temperatures along the narrow rural road to catch a glimpse of what became known as “The Phantom Lady of Kennedy Hill Road.” It was said that the scantily-clad phantom was searching for her lost grave, which had been plowed over by a nearby farmer. Newspaper reports reached as far away as Chicago, and the Rockford Register Star ran five consecutive articles on the sightings. The phantom lady disappeared after the snow thawed that spring and was never seen again.

1. Resurrection Mary

Every year, thousands of motorists drive past the gates of Resurrection Cemetery, hoping to catch a glimpse of a girl named Mary and offer her a ride. Resurrection Mary, as she is known, is hands down the most famous legend in the Chicagoland area. She is the subject of a novel, several songs, two films, and is an indispensable part of any book on Chicago hauntings. Folklorists and ghost enthusiasts alike claim that Mary’s story dates back to the 1930s, when the ghost of a burgeoning Polish girl was first seen along Archer Avenue near Resurrection Cemetery. She dances with unsuspecting men at the Willow Brook Ballroom and then asks for a ride home, only to vanish before reaching her destination. Authors Michael Norman and Beth Scott describe her as a “captivating, blue-eyed, flaxen-haired girl in her late teens” who wears a “long, off-white ballgown and dancing shoes.” Rachel Brooks romantically portrays Mary as “an innocent young woman… stranded and alone.” She is “soaked to the bone… with beautiful blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes.” Always virginal, yet slightly dangerous, Resurrection Mary remains one of the most beloved specters of Chicagoland.

Ghost Ships

This article comes from www.examiner.com

May 25, 9:23 AM by Kathie Kessler

Ghost not only lurk in old spooky houses, decaying, abandoned buildings and creepy cemeteries. Wisconsin's Lake Michigan shoreline, and the Great Lakes have their fair share of Ghost Ships!

The waters of the great lakes have always been treacherous travel.. one of the more recent and most famous sinking was of the Edmund Fitzgerald, memorialized in the 1976 song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot, just one year after she went down. She went down, along with her entire crew of 29 men in Lake Superior on November 10, 1975. Witnesses have reported seeing this large hulking ship over a decade after she sank.

But many other ships that have wrecked along the shores of Lake Michigan. Some met the “Witch of November” who's furious gale storms are well known to pull ships to their watery deaths... some of these ships seem to still roam the dark, turbulent waters of the great lakes!

Le Griffon - Le Griffon was owned by Robert Cavelier de La Salle in 1679, and built to take him and his men across the great lakes to the wilderness of Wisconsin. The vessel was 60 feet long and weighed the equivalent of 40 tons. The Iroquois prophet Metiomek thought the ship was out to destroy the great spirit and put a curse on her. Le Griffon set sail on August 7th 1679 headed for Wisconsin. The journey was rough but they made their destination. They loaded the ship with furs and supplies for their return trip, although La Salle did not join them as he took a canoe to search for a passage through to the Mississippi river. This decision would save his life.

Le Griffon was never seen again after it's departure from Washington Island on September 18, 1679, with only a crew of 6 on board. It seems Metiomek's curse came true, since he also said that La Salle's blood would stain those he trusted, and after hearing of the disappearance of Le Griffon, he was killed by his own men.

Washington Island has some of the most treacherous conditions on Lake Michigan. Your passage to the island takes you through Port des Mortes, or "Death's Door". Hundreds of wooden shipwrecks litter the lake bottom in this area.

It is said, if you look out onto Green Bay Harbor, on a foggy night, you can see the outline of the ill fated Le Griffon, right before she disappeared under the waves.

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Paranormal Playground

www.cbs42.com

Reported by: Chris Womack Email: cwomak@cbs42.com

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (WIAT)- Rumors or a haunting? Mystery surrounds one Huntsville playground where some people claim ghosts come out for a little playtime.

Just outside the city sits Maple Hill Cemetery, the oldest and largest graveyard in the city. Nestled behind the cemetery is an interesting lot; a playground. To many, it's known as "Dead Children's Playground." Legend has it that after the sun goes down, interesting things happen.

"We walked down here and we get on the swing, and out of nowhere, you hear someone scream. When I say I ran like the fastest ever in my whole life, it was terrifying," says Rashad Deyampert. Reports of swings moving by themselves and children's voices floating through the air litter internet chatboards. There are many theories as to what causes the occurences. One rumor is after a string of child abductions in the 1960's, many of the kidnapped children's bodies were found on the playground. "I heard some kids fell off a slide, or someone died, a couple kids died in here, and they never leave. At night they'll come out, or whatever," said Deyampert.

So is the playground really haunted? You be the judge.