On July 1st 1863, one of the bloodiest battles of the US Civil war took place at Gettysburg. This historic battle is often considered the turning point of the war. General Lee led the Confederate Army and Major General George G. Meade led the north.

Do Gettysburg Ghosts Haunt the Battlefields?

After three long days of fighting, the North succeeded in stopping the advance of Lee’s Army. The human cost was astounding. The South suffered 4,708 casualties, 12,693 men were injured and 5,830 were either captured or listed as missing. The North, despite its victory, did not fare much better. They had 3,155 killed in battle, 14,531 wounded and 5,369 men were missing or taken prisoner.

The Ghosts of Gettysburg

After seeing the numbers of people that were killed suddenly, and the fact that many of them are buried in the local cemeteries, it is not surprising that this is the place to be if you are hoping to spot a ghost. Ghost sightings in and around the city have been going on for hundreds of years.

The ghosts that are most often seen in this area are either recurring, or non-interactive or both. There are numerous claims of people seeing a group of what appears to be soldiers dressed in grey walking in a line into the trees. These ghosts appear regularly, but do not seem to have any awareness of where they are or what is occurring around them. They return each time and repeat the same actions.

Many of the places in and around Gettysburg are considered to be historical landmarks so if you do plan to go and explore for Gettysburg Ghosts, do so with care and respect.

Gettysburg Ghosts – Most authentic video to date? Let me know what you think.

His strange tale involves murder, theft, revenge and mystery. In life the Dr. was a resident of Ironton, Ohio. His strange tale begins with the death of his wife Sarah. When Sarah died the Dr. went to the local undertaker and ordered a very expensive casket. However, when the coffin arrived, Lowry changed his mind and said he did not want the item, refusing to pay He stated that the reason for his change of heart was that the coffin was not perfect; it had a very small chip.

The story continues about two years later when the Dr. Was found dead in his home, and although the weather was very hot, the heat was on in the house. The official cause of his death was a stroke, but many did not believe this and thought that the Dr. had met with foul play. Some thought that the heirs of the Doctor had, in fact, poisoned him.

Woodland Cemetery

In a strange twist of fate the Doctor’s body was taken to the same undertaker that he had offended years earlier. The undertaker in a moment of revenge decided to bury the Dr. In the very coffin that he had spurned. The Dr. was too tall and heavy to fit in the casket so the undertaker took it upon himself to make the Doctor Fit. He broke the Dr. Legs and folded them in and the cut open the Doctor’s stomach removing all of his vital organs.

The tale does not end there. In time the authorities were persuaded to re-open the investigation into the Doctor’s death. They received a permit to exhume the body but when they dug up the remains to examine them for traces of toxins, they were shocked to find that there were no internal organs for them to check. The undertaker was questioned and did confess to what he had done. He even took the investigators to the place where he had disposed of the missing parts. Sadly, for the Doctor, the organs had decayed beyond the point of being useful to the investigators. With no evidence, there was no possible way of determining if Lowry had been poisoned. The case would remain open.

Ever since the time of the Lowry’s death people have been claiming to have seen his ghost moving about the Woodland cemetery and the town library which was built on the site of the Doctor’s old home. It is no wonder that the spirit of the Doctor is said to be restless. Some believe that he remains earth bound trying to find his missing body parts while other believe that he remains to see justice done.

Historical Ghost Walk, Woodland Cemetery

The ghost of Sukie the bride is said to roam in these dark caverns. Whether she is searching for her lover, or for those that killed her, nobody knows for certain. What is known about the ghost bride is her sad life story.

Sukie was a girl who worked in the nearby town. When Sukie was of age to be married, she turned her attention away from all the local young men and set her sights on marrying someone in the upper class.

Sukie did eventually find a man, but the local young men were jealous and felt that they needed to teach her a lesson. One day they sent Sukie a note, on behave of her fiance, saying that he wanted to meet with her later that night in the caves beneath the old abbey. Sukie was to go there by herself and was to be wearing her wedding dress. Somewhat mystified but excited, Sukie arrived at the caves at the appointed time only to discover that she had, in fact, been duped.

The only people at the caves were Sukie and three of the local lads which laughed at the humiliated young woman. In retaliation, the story says that Sukie threw a rock at one of the lads. Things then quickly got out of hand, and they began tossing rocks back at Sukie. Unfortunately, Sukie was hit on the head and, as a result, died in the caves wearing her wedding dress.

Today Sukie is often seen in the Hellfire Caves by numerous visitors. People who have seen the apparition say she appears to be lost and forlorn as she slowly wanders through the dark chambers.

Hell Fire Caves – Various Paranormal Phenomena

The other resident ghost said to be in the caves is Paul Whitehead. In life, Paul was one of the original members of the Hellfire Club.

In the early part of the 1700’s, Sir Francis Dashwood, the 15th Baron le Despencer, leased a parcel of land just outside of London near the small town of West Wycombe. Features of the land included the old Madmenham Abbey and the caves. The entrance to caves was very close to the abbey. In fact, portions of the caves actually run right beneath the old structure.

In 1740, the local farmers had experienced a number of bad harvests, and they needed work. The Area was also experiencing a small building boom due to few of the gentry building estates in the area. To help alleviate the farmers economic situation, and to provide materials for the necessary road building, Sir Francis opened the caves to chalk excavation. The work within the caves continued until almost 1750.

When the excavation did cease, it is said that, Sir Francis moved the location of his secret club to the cave’s depths. The Sir Francis club, which during its day, went by a number of different names, had been meeting in the old abbey. Shortly after moving to the caves, the club was named the Hellfire club.

All of the original 12 members of the club were men. Many of the men had political aspirations, and it would not have been in their best interest to be seen doing anything that might offend members of polite society. To counter the many restrictions placed upon them, they formed the Hellfire club.

The club whose motto was “Do what you will“ certainly tried to live up to this. It is said that drinking and orgies were not uncommon events at these gatherings. Members called each other brothers and wore hoods and cloaks to keep their identity concealed from the locals.

Paul Whitehead was not only a member of the club, but was also its steward and secretary. Upon his death, he requested that his heart be placed in an urn in the old abbey. The rest of his body was to be buried on consecrated church ground some miles away.

As per his request, his heart was placed in an urn and remained in the abbey for about fifty years. In 1829 the heart disappeared. It is rumored that the heart was actually stolen out of the abbey by an Austrian.

Paul’s ghost is said to have been seen by numerous people in the caverns. He appears as a gentleman with a beard and a mustache wearing out dated clothes. His movements are said to be those of one who is searching. Many believe that the ghost of Paul has returned and will continue to roam the caves until his missing heart is found.

Hell Fire Caves – Man’s Face in Wall

Hell Fire Caves – Orbs

Throughout its early history, the lighthouse employed up to three lightkeepers at a time. There was a head keeper and two assistants. In 1955, when the lighthouse was automated, there was no longer a need for lightkeepers and the last one left at that time. The lightkeepers, who would actually live on site, were replaced by lamplighters, who would tend the light but didn’t actually live there.

According to the lighthouse’s official website, there have been seven people who have died on the lighthouse grounds: three lightkeepers, a keeper’s wife and three young girls. Several of these are said to have died of natural causes. One man fell to his death from the original lighthouse in 1859, and the three girls died in a tragic drowning accident.

St. Augustine Lighthouse Tour in Pictures

The lighthouse and its surrounding buildings have a long history of paranormal activity and stories of the hautings have been passed on and have been featured in popular television shows, books, and local lore for decades. Visitors and workers say they have seen moving shadows and heard voices along with unexplained sounds. Some tour guides claim they hear someone climbing the tower steps, but the footfalls fade away, and no one is ever there at the top of the tower. There is also said to be a little girl who likes to play pranks residing in the keeper’s house, a tall man in the basement, and a spirit who likes to play with the merchandise in the gift shop. One former keeper was infamous for enjoying his cigars. Today, the scent of his cigar can still be detected several times a week.

Several employees have reportedly seen a hazy male figure walking through the lighthouse. Footsteps from an unseen presence can be heard shuffling on the gravel and the steps outside the lighthouse. Other reports are of a woman seen on the lighthouse stairway or walking in the yard outside the buildings.

Perhaps the most famous tragic story is that of three young girls who died during the construction of the second lighthouse. The story says that there was a rail car or some type of vehicle that went from the light station to the ocean. The children liked to play on it and ride on it for fun. On July 10, 1873, the cart somehow ended up in the water. Five children fell into the water and some of the Workers managed to save a boy and a girl. Two of the construction superintendent’s daughters, Mary and Eliza, and a young black girl, either a servant or the daughter of a worker, drowned.

It’s said that today, the girls can be heard laughing in the tower late at night. The eldest of the construction superintendent’s daughters, Mary, has also been spotted wearing the same blue velvet dress and blue hair bow she was wearing when she died. Reports also say that the the figures of two little girls can sometimes be seen standing on the lighthouse catwalk.

St. Augustine Lighthouse Ghost Hunt

For years there have been reports of a large dark, male spirit that hangs around the water collecting cisterns in the basement. Supposedly he was a sailor or a former lightkeeper who hung himself in the lighthouse in the 1930′s. According to the lighthouse’s website, there isn’t any proof or evidence that anyone ever hung him/herself there.

History says that the original owner of the lighthouse was forced to sell it to the government in 1865 because it was believed that the land under the lighthouse was receding and the ocean would eventually swallow it. The state offered to buy the lighthouse for alot less than it was worth and he refused to sell. The government then threatened to take the lighthouse via eminent domain and give him nothing. At this point, the former owner was outraged and vowed never to leave the lighthouse. Lighthouse staff say he seems to have kept his vow as his spirit is sometimes seen late at night walking in and around the property.

One of my favorite episodes of Ghost Hunters was filmed at the St. Augustine Lighthouse. The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) stopped by to see if they could prove or disprove any of the hauntings. During the episode, they caught a few interesting things on both video and audio. There was a female voice that seemed to say “help me” a few times on the audio recording. The video camera captured a dark figure moving really quickly up the circular staircase and then stopping to look over the railing down at the camera crew from the top floor. The figure then disappeared. When Jason and Grant went to investigate, they realized the door at the top which would be the only exit was padlocked from the inside. There was also a motion detection light that never came on until the TAPS guys got up there. Overall, with the evidence they captured, the guys determined that they really couldn’t prove the place wasn’t haunted.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse is currently owned and maintained by the St. Augustine Lighthouse & Museum, Inc. The lighthouse is operational and is is an official, privately-owned, active aid to navigation. The museum is open to the public and the admission price funds preservation of the lighthouse and programs in maritime archeology and education. The lighthouse offers night tours of the site, though they don’t promise any ghosts.

Author: Denise Villani is an author and the webmaster of several websites and article directories. Find more articles and information on haunted stuff by visiting HauntedStuff.net.

No matter how creepy they are they all seem to find a home on eBay. Haunted dolls are very popular with the online auction crowd. They can be delicate antiques or Barbies from just a few years ago, but what they all have in common is a good story.

This doll is certified by HauntedBox.com and a rating of B+ haunting. and is for sale at eBay

The story usually involves a child who passed on much too soon. The doll may have been a favorite possession or possibly the child’s new home in the after life. Imagine spending eternity inside a plastic doll.

It doesn’t even have to be a doll, I’ve seen teddy bears, bunnies and especially clowns all haunted and all selling on eBay. Although the dolls are usually harmless and gentle, the other toys can be down right scary.

Teddy bears and other stuffed animals usually have claws and teeth that only come out at night. This makes them interesting companions for the believers out there.

Clowns are the worst type of doll. They can be scary in the most ordinary circumstances, but once you get the idea that they’re haunted they can be terrifying.

The evidence of doll hauntings can differ widely, but they do seem to have some qualities in common. The eyes are said to move in almost every doll haunting, sometimes the head twirls too. The doll often changes expression and can move from room to room. Household pets can be scared of or drawn to the doll or stuffed animal.

Children who come in contact with these dolls report that the dolls can talk to them. Adults sometimes hear these conversations too.

Although haunted dolls are harmless and even protective most of the time, some of them like the clowns, can be sinister and even dangerous.

The story behind your haunted doll is very important. Be sure you understand everything about a doll before you buy one. Most importantly don’t buy a haunted doll just because it’s haunted. Buy it because you love it and want to have it in your home as a companion. This way you can be sure that no matter what type of activity you experience or don’t experience you will still be happy with your purchase and your new friend.

Top Ten Weirdest Things Sold on eBay

I’ve been selling things on eBay for almost 10 years now. Everything from toys to aquariums and there are some things I’ve learned. The most important is that you can choose to do things the easy way. And the easy way can be the most profitable way. If you’re ready to take the plunge join me at http://haunted-ebay-auctions.blogspot.com/

As a matter of fact, it is considered one of the most haunted locations in the United States. There are numerous reports from credible people who have visited or worked at the museum. There are cold spots; there are things that move and several places where people become extremely nauseous. Music has been heard, things are moved and a huge Buddha is found lying on its side. From time to time visitors report the smell of a smoky fire and hear crying and whimpering sounds.

To understand the haunting, a little history is in order. This spectacular construct with its’ unique Moorish revival design was built in 1887 by William G. Warden. A business partner of Henry Flagler and John D Rockefeller at Standard Oil, Mr. Warden was enamored by St. Augustine and although he did not participate in the ventures of Henry Flagler, he built this notable structure as a summer home for his family. The home was used by the family until 1925, after which it sat idle for nearly 16 years.

In 1941, it was purchased by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and her second husband, a hotelier named Norton Baskin. Ms Rawlings was a Pulitzer Prize winning author and a well established Florida author who wrote The Yearling and Cross Creek (both considered classics today). They converted the home into a hotel called the Castle Warden Inn.

So where is the ghostly connection? Many believe the haunting began in April of 1944 with a fire that brought a horrifying end to the lives of two beautiful women – Ruth Hopkins Pickerman, 49, and Betty Neville Richardson, a young woman in her twenties.

A Tour of Ripleys

Ms. Richardson had just checked in to the Castle Warden Inn. She had apparently driven from Jacksonville, where she owned a dress shop. She was in her room less than two hours when she rang for the Bell Boy, Bernard Young, around 11:00 AM and reported a fire in her room. Bernard and the Maid, Ann McGill, tried to put out the fire; but, after using a second fire extinguisher they could not put out the flames or get Ms. Richardson out of the room. The fire department was called at 11:25 AM. By the time they arrived, it was too late for Ms. Richardson.

Ms. Pickerman’s screams could be heard from the fourth floor penthouse, but the fire blocked any path to reach her – she retreated from the window and was never heard again. Both women were found in their bathrooms – their bodies indicating heat exposure. The fire had spread rapidly and the coroner’s inquest concluded the two women died from asphyxiation as a result of a fire from an unknown cause.

Rumors abound to this day about the women and the fire. Some say Ms. Pickerman was hiding from an abusive husband. According to my research, she was divorced from Jack Pickering – a newspaper man she met in Paris when he was working for the Chicago Sun. I was unable to discover why she was staying at the Castle Warden Inn. Evidently, she was a good friend of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings. However she also had a home at the corner of Nelmar and Magnolia. Maybe she was staying there while her home was being built. I found Information about her home featured in a National Geographic article about the homes of St. Augustine. The home was designed by a famous architect she knew in California who gave it a unique look for St. Augustine. The architect, Wallace Neff also designed homes for Darryl Zanuck, Mary Pickford, Cary Grant and three of the Marx brothers.

A number of photo’s, video, and EVP’s captured by recent guests

Prior to the fire, Marjory Rawlings and Norton Baskin used the penthouse as a residence until Marjorie moved back to Central Florida and Norton went to Burma. Rumors persist that the fire was set to cover up a double murder, although no charges were ever made.

During the 1940′s Robert Ripley was a frequent guest at the Inn. He enjoyed the place a great deal and wanted very much to buy it. He thought it would be the perfect place to create a museum for his collection of oddities assembled from his world-wide travels. He was never able to close the deal during his lifetime. After his death in 1949, his heirs bought it in his memory and fulfilled his dream. St. Augustine, Florida is the home of The Original Ripley’s Believe It or Not Museum where it still operates as a major attraction today. Is it haunted? Maybe Mr. Ripley is finally enjoying his museum. Come and see for yourself. We recommend the museum’s Ghost Train Adventure – then you can decide to – believe it or not!

Author: Timothy Smith is an entrepreneur and a Florida Real Estate Broker. He and his wife Dee own Casa Yallaha – a hostel in Downtown St. Augustine. If you have never stayed in a hostel, you will have lots of fun. Check out Casa Yallaha for your stay. http://www.casayallaha.com

Robert, the possessed doll, is now on display in the East Marello Museum where he continues to spook those who visit. The doll is housed within a display case and yet the doll’s toy lion mysteriously moves from one knee to the other. Knocks can be heard from behind the glass where he sits. It is also said that cameras stop working only when near Robert – some believing the doll itself prevents pictures from being taken.

Robert the Haunted Doll Videos

Robert The Haunted Doll

Author Heather Graham talks about the real-life doll that inspired the “Chucky” horror movies.

The Queen Mary sailed her maiden voyage on May 27, 1936. Built in Scotland to be used as part of a two-ship express service from Southampton to Cherbourg to New York, the Queen Mary is 1,000 feet long, and in her day was said to be bigger, faster and more powerful than the Titanic. She also held the record for the fastest-ever North Atlantic crossing. The historic ocean liner’s passengers included the most celebrated people of the time, including royalty, top entertainment figures and important world leaders.

At the start of World War II in 1939, luxury travel stopped and the ship was turned into a carrier ship that was used by allied forces to carry troops from March of 1940 to September of 1946. It was during this time that she would become known as “The Grey Ghost”. By the end of World War II, the ship had carried more than 700,000 troops, traveled over 500,000 miles and played a significant role in almost every major Allied campaign. She also survived a collision at sea, set the record for carrying the most people ever on a floating vessel (16,683), and participated in the D-Day invasion.

When the war ended, the Queen Mary was refurbished and started up her elegant cruises again in July, 1947, with weekly service between Southampton, Cherbourg, and New York. By the early 1960′s, the popularity of transatlantic cruises greatly decreased due to the increasing affordability of air travel. The ship attempted to revive its popularity, but without central air conditioning, outdoor pools, or other amenities offered on most other cruise ships, the attempt was unsuccessful.

In 1967, the Queen Mary was pulled from service and was sold to the city of Long Beach, California, to be used as a maritime museum and hotel. On December 9, 1967, she made her final voyage to Long Beach.

During her 60-year history, the Queen Mary was the site of 49 reported deaths, opening the doorway for potential spirits to haunt her. Reported hauntings include a young crewman in the engine room, swimmers in the first-class pool, a man in black, and a woman in blue. Some of the Queen Mary’s most haunted places include the propeller box, engine room, boiler room, cargo hold and first class swimming pool.

Ghosts on the Queen Mary

One of these hauntings is thought to be the spirit of John Pedder, a fireman in his late teens who was crushed to death by a watertight door in 1966 during a routine drill. Unexplained knocking has been heard around the door, and a tour guide reported she saw a figure dressed in dark clothing as she was leaving the area where the young man had been killed. She saw his face and recognized him from his photographs. He was dressed in blue coveralls and sporting a beard. The young man has often been seen walking along Shaft Alley before disappearing by door number 13. This famous door was used in the filming of the Posiedon Adventure and has reportedly crushed at least two men during the ship’s history.

The first-class swimming pool seems to be a hot spot for ghostly encounters. Wet footprints mysteriously appear even though there’s not a drop of water in the pool. These footsteps lead from the deck of the pool to the changing rooms. Women in vintage bathing suits are occasionally seen stopping by for a swim ,even though the pool has been closed for more than 30 years. There have also been reports of seeing the spirit of a young girl carrying her teddy bear along with disembodied voices, laughter and splashing sounds.

In the second class pool area the spirit of another little girl named Jackie is often been seen and heard. The girl drowned in the pool during the ship’s sailing days and doesn’t seem to want to move on. Her voice and the sound of laughter has been captured in this area.

In the room that was used as the third class playroom, there have been reports of the sound of children crying in the nursery room. There is also a report that a single baby’s cry has been heard. This crying is thought to be that of an infant boy who died there shortly after he was born.

In some of the first-class staterooms there have been reports of a tall, dark haired man wearing a 1930′s style suit showing up in various places. In addition to sightings of the man, the faucets and lights get turned on in the middle of the night, and phones ring in the early morning hours but no one is ever on the other end of the line.

There are several other reports of sightings about the ship including a beautiful young woman in an elegant white evening gown who dances alone in a shadowy corner of the salon, which was once used as the ship’s first-class lounge. Another mysterious woman in white has been seen close to the front desk. She will usually disappear behind a pillar.

Other phenomena that has been reported throughout the ship include the sounds of knocking, doors slamming and high pitched squeals, drastic temperature changes, and the recurring smells of another time.

The Queen Mary has been investigated by a number of paranormal professionals, printed publications, television shows like Ghost Hunters and Most Haunted, and several others. In addition to portions of the movie “The Poseidon Adventure” being filmed there, the X-Files filmed a 1998 WWII era episode about a time warp in the Bermuda Triangle aboard the ship. That was a great episode – it was called “Triangle” – you should check it out if you missed it!

On the Ghost Hunters episode, what was thought to be a fantastic paranormal event caught on tape turned out to be not so fantastic as it appeared someone had tampered with the video camera. So is the Queen Mary really haunted or not? The Ghost Hunters are heading back out there in February of 2008 to see if they can find out. Hopefully there won’t be any tampering this time and they can capture some evidence to support all the claims of paranormal activity on the Queen Mary.

Weird Encounter on the Queen Mary

Article by:Denise Villani

Denise Villani is an author and the webmaster of several websites and article directories. Find more articles and information on Haunted Stuff by visiting [http://www.hauntedstuff.net]HauntedStuff.net.

Ghosts are said to haunt places where they have died or places where they experienced a traumatizing event in their lives. If that is the case, then the Athens Hospital would be home to hundreds of ghosts and many people believe that it is.

Construction of the building began in 1868, and the doors of the hospital officially opened in 1874. The hospital remained open until 1993 when it was forced to close its doors. During its many years in operation, the hospital was a place of horrors. Hundreds died while they were patients and the graves outside are testimony to this fact. Many graves have only numbers on the headstones to mark a patients passing.

Among the first of its patients were civil war soldiers who were suffering from ‘shell shock’ or what we would call today post-traumatic stress syndrome. Many of these men would spend the rest of their lives within the confines of the hospital. Other patients were children and woman who were placed in the facility by families that could no longer deal with them. Some of the early patients suffered from epilepsy or depression. How many really needed to be there is unknown, as many of the hospital’s early records are missing.

What is known about the treatment of the patients in the wards is that they were subjected to many treatments that would now be considered not only cruel and vicious but was actual torture. Treatments included electric shock therapy, water treatment and lobotomies, both normal and the later trans-orbital lobotomies. Dr. Walter Jackson Freeman II, the Doctor who is known for his ‘ice pick’ lobotomy technique practiced at the hospital. He alone preformed more than 200 lobotomies during his time at the hospital. What other experimental or new techniques were practiced at the hospital may never be known.

While these events are truly horrific they are not the only reason, the hospital has become a curiosity. What truly makes this building unique is the number of strange paranormal sightings that have occurred both inside the building and in the surrounding cemeteries.

Among its more colorful ghosts is one Margaret Schilling. Her case is very strange and mysterious. What is known about her is that she was a patient of the hospital who was given a fair amount of freedom to roam. One day, in December 1978 she simply did not return. Although a search was conducted, no trace of her was found. Weeks later in January, her body was discovered in an old closed off section of the hospital.

There are two versions of how she died. One states that she died from starvation, the other that she died of a heart attack. Whatever the cause, there remained on the floor a perfect outline of her body. Many attempts at cleaning the stain have been made but it always returned. This has been scientifically explained by the fact that her decaying tissues were actually absorbed into the concrete. Another part of her mystery lies in the reason why she was never found. There are many stories and accountants of what actually happened. One account claims that she was a deaf mute. There also is some debate about whether or not she was dressed when her body was discovered. Also thrown into the mix is whether or not the door was locked. While these things are mysteries, they are by no means paranormal.

What really makes the story of Margaret interesting is the number of times her ghost has been sighted. Since her strange and unexplained death, many people claim to have seen her wandering the halls. They also claim to have seen orbs and lights in the areas near where she died. There are even rumors that a young girl was haunted by the ghost of Margaret.

Throughout the years, there have been claims of people seeing faces and lights in the windows of the now vacant building. There have also been reports of strange unexplained noises and voices within the building itself. Visitors have also claimed that they feel cold spots and drafts, and have heard footsteps walking the deserted halls.

Many different teams of paranormal explorers have gone into the building to investigate these disturbances. Using a variety of equipment, their findings have included cold spots, unexplained voices and screams. Although none of the teams has reached any absolute conclusions or proof of the paranormal, they have certainly added to the ghostly mysteries that surround this old building.

This is what you can expect to find if you visit the Ridges Graveyard in Athens, Ohio. It is reputed to be one of the most haunted areas in the world. Why would this cemetery be any more haunted than any other cemetery? Perhaps it has to do with the people who are buried here.

These people died within the walls of The Athens Mental Hospital. They were all patients. While they were alive they would have been subjected to numerous treatments that were to help them ‘get well’. Sadly, many of these treatments were not just horrific, many of them rendered the patient worse off than when they started. In fact, some of the treatments were often even deadly. When patients did die and were buried, they simply put a number on the headstone. No name or date, just a number.

Many of the patients who were treated at the hospital were not just insane. Many of them were also criminals. One of the most infamous patients of the hospital was convicted rapist Billy Mulligan. Although Billy is nor buried here, many of his predecessors are. Among the dead are hundreds of civil war soldiers who became residents of the hospital, following the war. These people were tortured souls in life.

The residents of the grave yard are not the only unique thing about this cemetery. There are numerous rumours and legends attached to the site and where the tombstones are placed. All the graves are neatly laid out in rows except for a few off to the side. These graves form a circle. Locals claim that this area was used by witches who were practising spells and magic. Sceptics say that the graves were moved by juveniles wishing to create their own mystery.

Whichever is true, either the witches or the vandals, there are numerous accounts and reports of paranormal activity in the cemetery. These range from strange lights to ghostly beings. Close to this area there is a wooden bridge which allows people to cross over the creek to reach a few isolated graves that are in a wooded area. Over the years there have been numerous reports of screams and noises coming from this section of the cemetery. Investigators of the cemetery have stated that there are high levels of energy in these areas as well.

Whether or not you believe in ghosts or the paranormal, the fact remains that the number of people who claim to have seen things in this cemetery is way above average.