Phantasmagoria Photography

Classics from the Crypt and Haunted Tours

2011-10-29T11:53:00.000-05:00

Looking at the past few weeks on our blog and Facebook page I noticed we've had fewer posts the past month because we have been very busy. Earlier this month we had the opportunity to work with a museum near my hometown in northern Illinois. Our good friends at The Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum in Rockford asked us if they could sell some of our pictures for their upcoming paranormal tours, photos we had taken during our spring trip earlier this year. They also asked us to design a graphic for t-shirts to sell during the event. Of course we jumped at the chance and worked hard to design something they would be proud of. If you are ever in the Rockford area you MUST stop at the Tinker Swiss Cottage and take a tour of this beautiful home. Steve and the staff are very knowledgeable and passionate for the history of the place, plus they are truly wonderful people to talk to. Don't forget to take their Paranormal Tour in the fall...just the thing to get into the Hallowe'en spirit!

http://www.tinkercottage.com

During the past few weeks we also designed a poster and program cover for an upcoming concert "Classics from the Crypt". The Wausau Symphony and Band will play music from movies like Jaws and Harry Potter. During the performance we will also have an exclusive art exhibit featuring photographs from our collection. If you are in the Wausau, Wisconsin area Saturday, October 29th, visit the Grand Theatre at 7:30 to enjoy the haunting music and visit us in the Great Hall next door to view our display or just to hello.

800-year-old Remains of a Witch Discovered

2011-09-27T20:43:00.000-05:00

By Nick Pisa

Macabre: Archaelogists believe this is the skeleton of a woman who was thought to be a witch

These are the 800 year old remains of what archaeologists believe was a witch from the Middle Ages after seven nails were found driven through her jaw bone.

The grim discovery was made during a dig on what is thought to be a 'witches graveyard' after another woman's skeleton was found surrounded by 17 dice - a game which women were forbidden from playing 800 years ago.

Experts say they believe the women are aged around 25 - 30 years old and were found buried in a simple shallow grave in the ground with no coffin or shroud.

The macabre remains were found during a dig close to the sea at Piombino near Lucca in Italy's Tuscany region and the woman had seven nails through her jaw as well as another 13 nails surrounding her skeleton.

Archaeologist Alfonso Forgione, from L'Aquila University, who is leading the dig, is convinced that the women were suspected witches because of the circumstances in which they were buried.

He said: 'It's a very unusual discovery and at the same time fascinating. I have never seen anything like this before. I'm convinced because of the nails found in the jaw and around the skeleton the woman was a witch.

'She was buried in bare earth, not in a coffin and she had no shroud around her either, intriguingly other nails were hammered around her to pin down her clothes.

'This indicates to me that it was an attempt to make sure the woman even though she was dead did not rise from the dead and unnerve the locals who were no doubt convinced she was a witch with evil powers.

'The second skeleton we have found was buried in a similar fashion but this time we found 17 dice around her - 17 is an unlucky number in Italy and also dice was a game that women were forbidden to play.

'The way the bodies were buried would seem to indicate some form of exorcist ritual and the remains will be examined to see if we can establish a cause of death for them.'

One puzzle that the archaeologists have been unable to explain is why the women if they were evil witches were buried in consecrated ground as the area is the site of an 800 year old church.

He said: 'The only possible explanation is that perhaps both women came from influential families and were not peasant class and so because of their class and connections were able to secure burial in consecrated Christian ground.'

The team is trying to find the burial place of the St Cerbonius, a bishop who died more than 1,500 years ago and who is the local patron saint of the area.

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The team is trying to find the burial place of the St Cerbonius, a bishop who died more than 1,500 years ago and who is the local patron saint of the area.

Pictures traditionally show him having his feet licked by a bear after legend has it the animal refused to eat him after he was condemned to death for sheltering Roman soldiers by the Barbarians who had invaded Tuscany.

Two years ago a Medieval woman's skull was found near Venice with a stone driven through its mouth - which experts said was the traditional way of dealing with vampires and preventing them from rising from the dead.

Number's up: The skeletons were found with dice, which women were not allowed to play

Dig: Skeletons scattered around the site in Tuscany

It comes a day after the skeleton of a Maya Queen - with her head mysteriously placed between two bowls - was found among treasures in a 2,000-year-old rodent-infested tomb.

Priceless jade gorgets, beads, and ceremonial knives were also discovered in the cavern - which was found underneath a younger 1,300-year-old tomb which also contained a body - in the Guatemalan ruins of Nakum.

The two royal burials are the first to be discovered at the site, which was once a densely packed Maya centre.

Piombino in Italy: Where the graves were found

Featured photos in Wisconsin Trails Magazine

2011-09-02T13:38:00.001-05:00

We are excited to finally announce news we've been waiting to share: Phantasmagoria Photography has a few photos PUBLISHED! Check out Wisconsin Trails magazine September/October page 25,with text by paranormal researcher and author for Unexplained Research Chad Lewis.

Extremely Rare 100-year-old Fortune Teller Found

2011-09-01T21:01:00.000-05:00

VIRGINIA CITY, Mont. (AP) — The Gypsy sat for decades in a restaurant amid the Old West kitsch that fills this former gold rush town, her unblinking gaze greeting the tourists who shuffled in from the creaking wooden sidewalk outside.

Some mistook her for Zoltar, the fortune-telling machine featured in the Tom Hanks movie "Big." Others took one look at those piercing eyes and got the heebie-jeebies so bad they couldn't get away fast enough.

But until a few years ago, nobody, not even her owner, knew the nonfunctioning machine gathering dust in Bob's Place was an undiscovered treasure sitting in plain sight in this ghost town-turned-themed tourist attraction.

The 100-year-old fortune teller was an extremely rare find. Instead of dispensing a card like Zoltar, the Gypsy would actually speak your fortune from a hidden record player. When you dropped a nickel in the slot, her eyes would flash, her teeth would chatter and her voice would come floating from a tube extending out of the eight-foot-tall box.

Word got out when the Montana Heritage Commission began restoring the Gypsy more than five years ago, and collectors realized the machine was one of two or three "verbal" fortune tellers left in the world.

One of those collectors, magician David Copperfield, said he thinks she is even rarer than that.

"I think it's only one of one," Copperfield said in a recent telephone interview with The Associated Press.

Copperfield wanted the Gypsy to be the crown jewel in his collection of turn-of the century penny arcade games. It would occupy a place of pride among the magician's mechanized Yacht Race, Temple of Mystery and various machines that tested a person's strength.

Copperfield acknowledged approaching the curators about buying the Gypsy a few years ago but declined to say what he offered. Janna Norby, the Montana Heritage Commission curator who received the call from Copperfield's assistant, said it was in the ballpark of $2 million, along with a proposal to replace it with another fortune-telling machine. On top of that, he pledged to promote Virginia City in advertisements.

But Heritage commission curators, representing the Gypsy's owner — the state of Montana — rejected the idea, saying cashing in on this piece of history would be akin to selling their soul.

"If we start selling our collection for money, what do we have?" said Norby, the commission's former curator of collections.

The commission's acting director, Marilyn Ross echoed Norby's sentiments: "That is not something we would ever consider, selling off these antiques."

That dismissal has set collectors grumbling. Theo Holstein, a California collector and renovator of such machines, said he thinks the Gypsy is wasted in Virginia City and should be placed in a private collection for proper care. He said he is trying to gather investors to make a $3 million bid that would top Copperfield's offer.

"They don't have any idea what they have. It's like they have the world's best diamond and they just pulled it out of their mineshaft," Holstein said. "It's good that it's there and it survived, but now it really needs to be part of the world."

Holstein said he wouldn't be surprised in the machine ultimately sold for $10 million or more. Copperfield also said he is still interested in purchasing it.

That could put pressure on the state, which, like the rest of the nation, is facing hard fiscal times. Montana's budget is in the black, but keeping the effects of the recession at arm's length has meant deep budget cuts.

Those cuts have hit the Montana Heritage Commission particularly hard. Just weeks after Norby spoke to the AP, her position and three others were eliminated as part of a larger reorganization to cut $400,000 from the commission's budget, Ross said.

The state agency that oversees the commission, meanwhile, is not so quick to reject the idea of selling the Gypsy. Department of Commerce deputy director Andrew Poole said he has not seen any offers in writing, and if one were made, it would go through a bid process that includes the scrutiny of the commission and input from the public.

The state inherited the Gypsy in 1998 when it paid $6.5 million to buy nearly 250 buildings and their contents in Virginia City and nearby Nevada City from the son of Charles Bovey. The Montana collector spent years buying up the buildings to preserve the two crumbling ghost towns and he stocked them with his ever-growing collection of antique games, music machines and oddities.

Bill Peterson, the heritage commission's former curator of interpretation, said the collection includes hundreds of thousands of items, so many that curators are still discovering them.

The Gypsy was made sometime around 1906 by the Mills Novelty Co. In restoring her, the curators either replaced or repaired frayed, worn or broken parts with exact replicas. When they couldn't find replicas or period materials, they didn't replace the parts.

"We don't want to make her anything that she wasn't," Norby said.

In 2008, they installed the Gypsy as the centerpiece of the Gypsy Arcade amid the ancient wooden buildings of Virginia City's main street. Calliope music spills out into the street, beckoning the tens of thousands of visitors to enter and view the stereoscopes, shock tests, tests of strength, fortune telling machines and love letter machines. The Gypsy presides over the menagerie in the rear, ropes keeping visitors at a distance.

All of that care in restoring, preserving and displaying the Gypsy causes state curators to reject Holstein's argument that the machine should be removed from Virginia City and placed in a private collection.

"A lot of these collectors, they come and say the same thing: 'Why is this out in the public? Why don't you just take the money and have a collector restore it the way it should be restored and have it in his private collection?' Well, nobody would ever see it," said Peterson, whose position also was eliminated in the cutbacks.

Stowaway bat forces Atlanta-bound plane to return to Madison

2011-08-11T10:35:00.000-05:00

(Story form Wisconsin State Journal)
A problem passenger fitting a new profile — winged, blind and potentially rabid — caused a shriek-out moment for 49 passengers on a Madison flight bound for Atlanta early Friday morning before being sequestered in the lavatory, drawing cheers but causing the plane to turn around.

The Atlantic Southeast Airlines flight departed Madison at 6:45 a.m. At 7:08 a.m., pilots notified air traffic controllers that a winged animal was on board, saying the flight would reverse course and land back in Madison, said airport spokesman Brent McHenry.

A video posted to CNN's website by an unnamed Kansas City man shows the creature, which appears to be a bat, making at least five trips up and down the cabin, encountering plenty of turbulence as screaming passengers swatted at it with newspapers.

The end came when a man at the back of the plane shooed it into the only lavatory and quickly shut the door. Other passengers cheered. One gave the thumbs-up.

When the plane landed back in Madison, the human passengers deplaned and airport staff got on to help root out the critter, McHenry said. Initial batfinding efforts failed but eventually the elusive flyer took flight — through the plane and out the door into the terminal, where about three dozen people were seated, McHenry said.

A maintenance staffer coaxed it out the terminal door and back into the open air, he said.

The plane was again cleared for takeoff, said airline spokesman Jarek Beem, and the passengers reboarded after a delay of a few hours, he said.

No injuries were reported.

New Website Up and Running

2011-08-04T21:19:00.000-05:00

We just finished our new website! Feel free to stop by and have a look and tell us what you you think.

http://caphotostudio.com

Killer Granny? You can help her out!

2011-07-26T16:51:00.000-05:00

We were recently contacted by one of the writers of a Short Film project, Taylor Jackson. We read the synopsis of the story and were intrigued by the premise of the film: Grandma does not relish the fam's secret plan to put her in a home, so she makes her opinion known...violently.

Interesting, no?

A video short of their idea: http://kck.st/pt7twA

Please look at the fundraising site if you'd like to be a part of the proposed project:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/killergranny/killer-granny-based-on-our-award-winning-script

The Tragic Story of Murderous Mary, Erwin, Tennessee

2011-07-15T08:49:00.001-05:00

Like so many other abused elephants during the late 18 and early1900s, the five ton Asian elephant Mary was also abused by her handlers of the Sparks World Famous Shows circus. But one day she had had enough. That day would haunt the small Tennessee town of Erwin forever.

Only a few days after being hired, September 12, 1916, Red Eldridge, a hotel worker hired as assistant elephant handler, lead Mary to a pond to for a drink and to splash around. On the way to the pond Mary bent down to eat part of a watermelon. Eldridge, being impatient, prodded Mary behind the ear with a hook. Mary went into a rage. With her trunk she grabbed Eldridge, tossed him against a drink stand, and stepped on his head.

According to reports at that time, after crushing Eldridge's head Mary, calmed down and didn't threaten anyone. But with all the commotion everyone began to chat "Kill the elephant"! A blacksmith tried to kill her by shooting over a dozen rounds into Mary which had no effect.

Word quickly grew of the incident, nearby towns wouldn't allow the circus in to perform if Mary was part of the show. Some reports indicate that Mary had killed trainers in the past and that made communities even more hesitant.

After much pressure, circus owner Charlie Sparks reluctantly decided to squelch public fear and save the reputation of the circus by publicly executing Mary.

On a foggy and rainy September day in the nearby town of Erwin, Tennessee, a crowd of over 2,500 people gathered at the Clinchfield Railroad yard to watch the execution of Mary. The elephant was strung up by her neck with the use of a chain connected to a railcar-mounted industrial crane. As she was hoisted up the chain snapped and Mary fell, breaking her hip. Many children watching the spectacle ran in terror. Finally with a heaver chain the second attempt was successful in killing Mary. She hung for half an hour until she was declared dead. After the execution Mary was buried next to the tracks and she was known as "Murderous Mary".

95 years later the residents of Erwin, Tennessee would like to move past the strange event that has haunted their town. But many are still intrigued and keep this historic event alive. An antique shop named "Hanging Elephant Antique Shop" opened in Erwin memorializing the event. There you can purchase tee-shirts with the image of Murderous Mary hanging from the railcar crane.

The Sweetin Mansion and its Lost Treasure, Greene County, IL

2011-06-29T10:25:00.006-05:00

Engulfed by encroaching vines, trees and brush from the nearby woods, the Sweetin Mansion feels as if it's hiding a dark secret from the world. Built in 1848 by English immigrant Azariah Sweetin, the house is a shadow of its former glory. The ruin sits in a remote part of the countryside in western Illinois. The crumbed limestone walls and broken timbers slowly destroyed by time only hint at its dark past.

Also known as Hartwell Ranch House and “the old stone house,” the manor was constructed with three floors, walnut woodwork, a grand ballroom, three foot thick walls, and the unsual feature of a natural stream running through the basement for a water supply and to keep the house cool. For some strange reason the Sweetin family didn't move into the house until fourteen years after construction began.

History has it that on July 4th, 1862, a party was held for two farmhands Henson and Isham who had recently enlisted in the Union army. The two began to quarrel. During the argument Isham thought Henson was going to throw something at him so he pulled out a knife and stabbed Henson in the back. As Henson lay bleeding to death in front of the third floor fireplace, a large stain of blood seeped into the stone floor forming a shape of his body. Many years after the event the blood stain could never be removed. The ghost of the young Henson would often be seen in this area when the house was still intact.

With the country in the middle of the Civil War in the 1860's many farmers suffered financial hardship but Sweetin prospered during this time trading cattle. Sweetin had a distrust of banks so he began stashing jars of gold coins throughout the property. After a horse riding accident in 1871 Sweetin's mind was so damaged from being thrown from the horse, he couldn't remember where he buried his tresaure; his ghost is said to be still searching for it.

Family members had tried in vain to find the gold but where unsuccessful. Treasure hunters have also tried searching, but turned up nothing. There is another legend that two Sweetin farmhands had found the gold and disappeared shortly after Azariah Sweetin had died.

On our journey to this location in June of 2011 the air was hot and muggy when we found the ruin off the main road. We almost drove past the mansion because the vines and trees had hidden much of the outer walls. With a change of clothes we walked through chest-high grass to reach the ruin. (I worried that we could encounter poisonous snakes hiding in the grass.) Large pieces of the wall had fallen and the overgrown trees had made entering the heart of the structure very difficult and precarious. We felt like explorers entering an ancient castle. Inside the structure we saw the stream that still flows through the basement. Large pieces of the wall had disrupted the naturall flow, causing a large pool to form at the inside base of the structure. The large wooden beams that once held the second floor were still set inside their footings. The site was incredible to see but difficult to photograph, with much of the outside structure covered over and mature trees growing on the inside. These obstacles made photographing an exterior and interior overview shot impossible. I was able to obtain only portions of the overall impression this old house ruin made.

We left the Sweetin Mansion very satisfied. The house was well worth the long trip. We can see how legends of haunted ruins have captivated people for years. The sad feeling of a once grand home now destitute makes one wonder what happened to allow its owners to let such a property fade away…

The Haunted Castle of Chicago, Irish castle, Beverly Unitarian Fellowship

2011-06-20T17:19:00.000-05:00

Robert C. Givins, a successful real estate developer, drew the Irish Castle in Chicago entirely from memory. The three-story castle was built in 1886, designed with nothing more then a hand sketch of a castle from the designer's ancestral home of Ireland, the building was constructed out of limestone from a nearby quarry and was situated on a hill overlooking Longwood Drive. Three crenellated towers pay homage to the medieval castle on the River Dee, between Dublin and Belfast in Ireland. The house's fifteen rooms were decorated with tapestries, ornate chandeliers, copper gaslights, tiled fireplaces and stained glass windows.

The Givins family lived periodically in the house until 1909. During that time the Chicago Female College rented the castle from 1895 to 1896. After the Givins left, John B. Burdett and his wife Jessie bought the house and added electricity and installed additional amenities of that time. They lived there until 1921. Later Dr. Miroslaw Siemens, a prominent physician, lived in the house until 1942, after which time the house was purchased by Beverly Unitarian Fellowship and extensive remolding began changing the look of the interior.

The first sightings and strange activity began in the 1960s when a church custodian making her cleaning rounds noticed a young girl in a long dress standing in one of the rooms. The custodian approached and the girl remarked how the place had looked so different since she had lived there. The custodian left the room, then realizing how strange the remark was because no one lived in the castle in over 20 years. The custodian returned to the room finding the girl had vanished.

The phantom is believed to be a girl who died in the early 1930s from a serious case of influenza during the time that house was the Chicago Female College.

There are other more recent occurrences. Late at night a light from a candle has been seen floating across windows and up the staircase when the castle is unoccupied. The church's pastor was even touched by unseen arms. Strange sounds of clinking of flatware and glasses like sounds from a party have been heard despite no one having such an event.

When we found that Chicago had its own haunted castle we became very excited and immediately wanted to go visit to get some photographs. As we were in Chicago during a family vacation in late spring, we decided to make a quick drive over and take a look at the castle.

Late in the day we finally found the church after driving through some very interesting (!) neighborhoods. As we looked up we admired the imposing structure that was set back from the road, its dark windows felt like eyes staring at us. We remained taking pictures until the light faded, happy that we had chosen to make our stop to explore this fascinating location and its legends.

The Most Haunted Cemetery in the Midwest, Bachelors Grove Cemetery

2011-06-12T11:23:00.000-05:00

Bachelors Grove Cemetery is one of the most haunted places I know, a mysterious and foreboding land steeped in legend and myth. This abandoned cemetery has long been a source of intrigue by many who have entered its twisted metal gates. One of the oldest cemeteries in south Cook County, Bachelors Grove Cemetery, has developed a reputation as the most haunted cemetery in the Midwest.

On a chilly spring day I found the overgrown trail leading to the cemetery entrance. The road was covered with leaves from last year's autumn season; the trees seemed to arch over the road, engulfing the trail and hiding it from the world. The trail was once a section of the Midlothian Turnpike but was closed in 1960s.

Named for the large number of bachelors buried in the cemetery, Bachelors Grove has been neglected even before the Midlothian Turnpike closed. Teenagers would frequent the area for drinking and other activities. Chicago mobsters often dumped the bodies from their murders into the adjacent pond. Satanists used the place for conjuring during their rituals, grave robbing, desecration and vandalism has been a part of the cemetery's long sad history.

As I walked along the trail with my cameras the spring day I visited, I began to feel anticipation of the unknown. The trees seem to tighten around me as I traveled deeper into the woods. This is where tales of a phantom farm house in the woods have been seen. Descriptions of the house have been consistent through the years, a white house with porch pillars, a swing and a soft light burning in the window. When anyone approaches, the house is said to vanish. Legend has it if you reach the porch of the house you will never return. For years records and explorations of the area have given little proof of a house ever being built in the woods near the cemetery until recently. Indeed, two foundations of a house were uncovered, adding a mysterious validity to the legend.

Deep in my thoughts about the many stories of this notorious cemetery, I was startled by the unexpected appearance of the entrance to Bachelors Grove Cemetery. The winter snow that receded only a few weeks previous had weighted down the long overgrown weeds and grass exposing a handful of broken tombstones. I also noticed that no birds were singing around the cemetery.

I looked at the various tombstones, many leaning and broken, as I walked through the cemetery. One particular tombstone jarred my memory; the tombstone had an unusual checked pattern and was the very tombstone from the famous photograph, taken by Mari Huff ,of the White Lady of Bachelors Grove ghost sitting on the tombstone.

So many haunted and bizarre experiences have accrued here its hard not to believe something very strange is happening in this isolated place. Many have seen the phantom of the farmer who was pulled into the water by his plow horse and both drowned by the weight of the plow in the 1870's. Strange colored ghost lights have been seen darting around the tombstones and in and out the surrounding trees. A two-headed creature has been seen several times rising from the muck of the pond. On nights of the full moon the White Lady of Bachelors Grove has been spotted wandering among the tombstones carrying her baby in her arms. Apparitions of monks in long black robes have been observed. Ghostly cars have appeared and disappeared on the road that bridge over the pond.

While I was taking pictures I constantly felt I was being watched. Often times I looked over my shoulder thinking someone or something was standing near by. Once my pictures where shot and my equipment packed up, I was happy to leave. I felt relief as I gained distance walking on the trail from the cemetery. When I reached the edge of the woods I noticed the birds were singing once again.

John Zaffis in new SyFy series Haunted Collector

2011-06-05T16:23:00.000-05:00

Last week with the lights dimmed down we enjoyed watching the premiere of SyFy's new paranormal TV series Haunted Collector. The show features John Zaffis, eminent paranormal investigator and demonologist, along with members of his family and team as they investigate paranormal activity and look for items that may be causing a haunting. Zaffis will later remove the item at the owner's request. It's really great to see such a well- known and seasoned investigator working a case. Zaffis portrays a relaxed and gentle personality that is highly knowledgeable about the paranormal field. He gives creditability to his evidence and how he obtains it. I was surprised how little equipment he carries; most of the time he just uses a digital tape recorder.

With over 35 years of experience Zaffis has worked on cases like the case in Connecticut on which the movie "A Haunting in Connecticut" is based on. Zaffis runs the Paranormal and Demonology Research Society of New England which he founded in 1998. He began his supernatural study under the guidance of his uncle and aunt Ed and Lorraine Warren, who are also well known in the field from their work on the Amityville house case. He continued his studies under prominent exorcists in that field like Bishop Robert McKenna, Malachi Martin, and Reverend Jun.

Over the years Zaffis began collecting souvenirs from cases and stored them in a barn in the back of his Connecticut home. At over a 1000 items, he wondered what he could do with all the items he amassed. Zaffis decided to set up a museum to tell the stories about the items that interfered with people's lives and how the individuals were affected. Named the Paranormal Museum, items included are as diverse as the places they are from. The collection features dolls, guns, clocks, musical instruments, carved items, clothing and even paintings. Zaffis, upon removing the object after finding them in clients' homes, often experiences car trouble as he drives the item to the museum. As quoted on his own website, Zaffis reports, that "before items are brought into the museum, binding rituals are performed over each item by clergy. The goal of these rituals is to cease any spiritual phenomenon associated with the item. Items that are particularly active are kept in cases. Each time the item is removed from the case, another ritual is performed on the item".

But sometimes "unhaunting" proves to be difficult. Says Zaffis: "Some items are so strong that the binding rituals performed over them are not completely effective. Although the specific phenomenon associated with the items stop for the most part, many people describe a distinct feeling upon entering the museum". A few items are unable to respond at all. "There have been some items which carry with it such a strong spirit that a cleansing ritual will not be effective". When Zaffis comes across an item that seems unable to fully respond to the binding rituals it is either disposed of, buried in the ground, or thrown into a body of water. Destroying such an object would cause more harm then good; according to Zaffis, the spirit attached to that object will often gravitate towards the individual who destroyed it.

Zaffis is no stranger to TV. He is often seen on paranormal shows like Ghost Hunters and Ghost Adventures. A documentary film was recently made of the museum, written by and starred in by Zaffis himself. The film talks about his experiences and the stories behind the creepy items. Fans of paranormal TV shows can see Zaffis in action on Wednesday nights after the SyFy channel's highly popular Ghost Hunters with Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson.

Ships' Logs and Sea Monsters

2011-05-07T19:10:00.000-05:00

From Fortean Times Magazine By David Clarke
The Ministry of Defence does not keep any secret files on sea monsters reported by Royal Navy personnel, but crews of ships and submarines who make unusual sightings can record their experiences in official logbooks that are public records. This emerged as a result of a Freedom of Information request made to the MoD by marine biologist Sebastian Darby in February. Darby’s request asked the MoD if there were “any abnormally large, or dangerous sea monsters hundreds of metres under the sea that haven’t been revealed to the public”. If such creatures did exist, he argued, it would be in the public interest to publish the facts as marine biologists’ lives could be at risk.

Navy FOI officer Heather Godfrey’s response admitted neither the Navy nor the MoD maintained “any form of central repository of information purely devoted to sea monsters”. Although there was no formal requirement, the Navy did encourage personnel to record sightings of marine mammals “and it’s possible this could include unusual sightings”. All such reports were sent to the UK Hydrographic Office in Somerset, while individual ship’s logs are retained until they are deposited at The National Archives after 30 years. But a search of thousands of ship’s logs for entries on sea monster sightings would exceed the cost limits allowed for a FOI request.

Nautical folklore is replete with such stories and first-hand accounts of sightings have been recorded in Atlantic waters since the Middle Ages. In more recent centuries, one of the most celebrated sea serpent reports was made by the captain and officers of the frigate HMS Daedalus off the Cape of Good Hope in the South Atlantic on 6 August 1848 (see 'The Golden Age of Sea Serpents'). On arrival in England, the captain, Peter M’Quhae, sent details to the Admiralty and to The Times. He supervised a detailed drawing of the 60ft-long creature that was visible for 20 minutes. But his story was rejected by palæontologist Professor Richard Owen, who insisted the crew had seen a giant seal.

A number of other 19th-century accounts have emerged in British Admiralty files deposited at The National Archives in Kew. One contains an account of a sea serpent written by Captain James Stockdale in May 1830. Stockdale and the crew of the barque Rob Roy were near the island of St Helena when they heard a scuffling noise in the water. As they turned to the port bow, they were amazed to see the head of “a great thundering sea snake” whose head rose six feet out of the water “as square with our topsail [and] his tail was square with the foremast”. Stockdale said his ship was 171ft long with the foremast 42ft from the stern, which would make the monster 129ft long. He reported to his masters in London: “If I had not seen it I could not have believed it but there was no mistake or doubt of its length – for the brute was so close I could even smell his nasty fishy smell.”

A Board of Trade file from 1857 contains an account from Commander George Henry Harrington of the 1,063-ton merchant ship Castilan, again near the same South Atlantic island. On 13 December of that year, he and two officers saw “a huge marine animal” which suddenly reared out of the water just 20ft from the ship. For a few moments, its long neck and dark head, shaped “like a long buoy” and covered with white spots, were clearly visible “with a kind of scroll or ruff encircling it”. The creature was submerged for a moment and then reappeared, leaving the crew in no doubt they were watching a sea monster “of extraordinary length [which] appeared to be moving slowly towards the land”. The boatswain, who watched it for some time, said that it was more than double the length of the ship, which made it 500ft long.

Both reports appear to have been filed away without comment by the Admiralty, in much the same way that the Air Ministry dealt with reports of flying saucers and UFOs from RAF crews during the 20th century. Unless a clear threat was identified, either from sea monsters or aliens, unusual sightings like these were classified as interesting but of “no defence significance”.
[PA] D.Telegraph, 16 May 2010; Rickard & Michell: “The Rough Guide to Unexplained Phenomena”, 2007

The Most Haunted House in America, McPike Mansion, Alton IL

2011-05-07T16:58:00.000-05:00

The McPike Mansion in Alton, IL sits atop a hill surrounded by large gnarled oak trees, giving the derelict house a foreboding sinister feel. When I arrived one early morning I was taken aback by its presence. The house seems to be sitting, brooding over its former glory. It has the look and feel of every image a haunted mansion should be: iron fence around the property, broken windows, a graveyard in the back, and plenty of ghosts. No wonder McPike has been given the unique distinction of being one of the most haunted houses in the Midwest, if not the country.

Built in 1869 by architect Lucas Pfeiffenberger for Henry Guest McPike and his family, the house was built in the Italianate-Victorian style, featuring 16 rooms, 11 marble fireplaces, beautifully carved stairway banisters and a vaulted wine cellar. Many of the wonderful architectural features vanished when it sat abandoned for years. The only hint to its golden years is an intricate carved trim that still borders the ceiling in one of the front rooms.

Originally on a country estate of fifteen acres of land called Mount Lookout Park, the mansion was the perfect place for Henry McPike to practice his love of horticulture. Trees, shrubs, orchards, flowers and extensive vineyards made the home one of the most beautiful in the area. During his time at the mansion Henry McPike perfected his McPike Grape, which became well-known all over the country. Some of the vineyards still exist today. McPike and his family lived in the house until 1936.

Paul A. Laichinger, purchased the house around that time and owned it until his death. It's unclear whether Laichinger lived in the house or rented it out to tenants. The house became abandoned and has remained that way since.

In 1994, Sharyn and George Luedke purchased the house during an auction. Their dream has been to restore the mansion to its former glory and turn it into a Bed and Breakfast. With extensive repairs and upkeep the restoration has been long and expensive. To help finance the restoration the Luedke's hold regular ghost tours and overnight campouts in the front yard.

When the Luedke's first purchased the mansion they never imagined that the place was haunted. Six weeks after purchasing the house Sharyn was tending plants in the front yard and looked up to see a man standing in the window looking back at her. The man disappeared but she noticed he was wearing a striped shirt and a tie. After researching the history of the building, Sharyn came across a photograph of Paul Laichinger wearing the same outfit.

Visitors have seen figures throughout the house. Many have had the sensation of being touched yet no one else is there. Sounds of footsteps are heard pacing up and down hallways and down the staircases. Objects vanish only to materialize in other odd places of the house.

The wine cellar is the most active place in the mansion, where footsteps and voices are heard. Several times a strange mist has materialized from nowhere and follows visitors around to the many rooms in the basement. The large heavy metal door that leads into the basement opens and closes by itself as it scrapes across the floor. Many people think that Henry McPike, members of his family, former owner Paul Laichinger, and a domestic servant haunt the mansion.

The Luedkes' love for the mansion shows by how much attention they give to investigating and learning about the history of the house. They have welcomed visitors from all over the country and are eager to share what they have learned with those who are brave enough to venture inside.

On my visit, Sharyn Luedke walked with me talking about the history of the mansion and the many strange events that have happened, while a black cat followed us around adding to the mystique. As I walked through the abandoned mansion, I noticed the wooden slats exposed from the fallen plaster. Many areas are too dangerous to walk through due to large holes in the floors. A large crack can be seen running from the bottom of the foundation to the roof of the house. Seeing this reminded me of Edgar Allan Poe's classic story "Fall of the House of Usher".
Sharyn told me of again seeing a figure standing in the upper part of the home with the window swung opened to the outside except the windows on that floor only open to the inside of the house.

Outside magnolias from a nearby bush were in bloom, giving the air a sweet scent in contrast to the melancholy atmosphere of the mansion. As we ventured out Sharyn mentioned that an unknown child's grave can still be seen on the grounds. The lid of the exposed vault is broken and has been overgrown by the surrounding vegetation.

Unfortunately I didn't experience anything unusual that day, but my wife and I would love to return and hopefully feel and see what the most haunted house in the country has waiting for us.

Book Review "The Perfect Medium Photography and the Occult"

2011-04-24T14:54:00.000-05:00

Photographs are like ghosts of the past, they can show us where we have been and show us who we are. Pictures speck to us, we can view a passed-on loved one's face and remember the time we spent with them. We can enjoy a laugh with friends viewing vacation photographs of days gone by. Photography has always been a record of the past but in some ways it may show us where we should go for our future.

Doing researching on haunted places has led us to many fascinating and unusual avenues, such as Castle Frankenstein and the most notorious haunted house in Wisconsin called Summerwind Mansion. We have a passion for history which plays a big part in what we do.

Being a photographer I love pictures especially vintage photographs and the history of the early days of photography. We enjoy finding unusual books about the paranormal and learning about its legends from its early forms to modern day hauntings. One book I came across the blended both of the passions was "The Perfect Medium Photography and the Occult" by Cheroux, Fischer, Apraxine, Canguilhem, and Schmit, published by Yale University Press. Written in 2004, this large book discuses a topic that is virtually obscure and has been taken for granted.

The book has three parts, Photographs of Spirits, Photographs of Fluids, and Photographs of Mediums. The book begins with the early days of Spiritualism in the Victorian era and the spirit photographs that came about during that time. Photographers like William Mumler gave rise to spirit photography and in Europe began with Frederick Hudson. The reproductions of the photographs and collection of cartes de visites are amazing. The images are clear and well reproduced. Some spirit photographs are obvious fakes but the information on the photographers is very interesting, thorough, and well researched.

The second part, Photographs of Fluids, chronicles photography's use in providing evidence of the invisible world like the aura of a human hand or the life force of a freshly plucked leaf. The universal fluid was a theory developed by German doctor Franz Anton Mesmer, who suggested that every living thing has a universal fluid, a magnetic field that governs the body and its surroundings. The photographs of the "fluids" are both strange and fascinating. I found myself staring at them for long periods of time trying to make sense of them all.

The final part of the book, Photographs of Mediums, shows mediums at work levitating, levitating tables, producing ghosts at will, vomiting ectoplasm and other various phenomenons. The photographs in their time may have been used as a tool for debunking. They are a treasure trove of various occult images, along with a well researched narrative and historical context for the contents..

The only complaints I can really come up with that the book is a bit pricey at $45. I also wish they would have included modern ghost hunting photographs. I think this is an important part in the larger scope of photography and the occult. The book appeals to anyone with an interest in ghosts, photography and history, I find myself referencing it often and find it highly recommendable.

Built for the Dead, Stickney Mansion - Bull Valley, Illinois

2011-04-22T20:33:00.000-05:00

Since I was a child I've heard legends about the "mansion with no corners." For years I thought it was all a myth, until I researched for this project and found that the mansion does exist and the legends are true. When we found and stood on the grounds of the mansion a few years ago, a chill ran up my spine as I thought about the story associated with this mysterious house.

Both accomplished mediums and devout practitioners of Spiritualism, George and Sylvia Stickney built this unusual two-story house in 1836 on an isolated country highway in Bull Valley, Illinois, thinking this corner-less design would assist them when holding séances and gatherings at the property. The couple had twelve children but only three survived to adulthood; they would often try to contact their nine dead children during their séances.

The Stickneys' believed that spirits have an inclination of getting stuck in the corners of houses, producing terrible results. They also felt that having a 90 degree angle corner would attract evil spirits. Therefore, all the rooms in their mansion have round smooth corners except one. For some unknown reason this room accidentally ended up with a 90-degree measurement.

According to legend, George Stickney was one day discovered slumped to the floor, dead from an apparent heart failure next to the only corner in the house located in that very mysterious room.

Reports claim Sylvia Stickney continued to live in the house as an accomplished spirit medium. People from all over the world come to take part in séances upstairs in the converted ballroom.

In the 1970s, Rodrick Smith moved in and began to hear strange noises and his dog began to exhibit strange behavior. After awhile Smith became more and more uncomfortable in the house and decided to research the home. According to Smith's findings, satanic worship took place in the mansion during the sixties and the black magic rituals conjured up an evil presence which resides in the house. Other researchers feel it was hippies during that time that changed the atmosphere of the house with drug use and painting the rooms dark colors, spray painting messages and leaving their abandoned drugs after they left.

The mansion was later sold and the Village of Bull Valley police department moved in as their headquarters. The police have reported hearing footsteps in the ballroom area, formally the séance chamber. Disembodied voices and strange noises have been heard on the stairwell and through out the house several times. Objects have moved on their own, door knobs have been seen turning on their own. Lone workers have seen and heard doors opening and closing on their own when no one else was in the building. One police officer saw the apparition of what he later described as Stickney's father-in-law. Two police officers have quit due to the disturbances that take place in this bizarre house.

Further research into town cemetery records often yield different facts to the dates in this story, but little else is recorded of this time. We have the old legends and the stories from the mansion's modern-day occupants to work from on our journey. Most important of the details, is the fact that the reputation of the house is firmly based in the Stickneys' practice Spiritualism and the regular attempts to commune with the spirits who have passed on into the beyond.

The day we arrived to visit the mansion two springs ago was bright, warm, and friendly. On the grounds of the mansion, however, the air was still and tense. The home felt isolated on its road winding off of the main road through town. Walking around the mansion, we felt uneasy staring into the black windows as if the house was watching us. The very look of this odd house makes one feel uncomfortable, which shouldn't be a surprise since it was built specifically to talk to the dead. Perhaps the spirits still wander freely through its rooms and corridors waiting to make their presence known.

Fan Request...

2011-04-11T12:14:00.000-05:00

Hi Blog and Facebook Fans,
We recently received a blog comment from Marisela about her dream wedding at one of our possible haunted destinations, the Jacob Henry Mansion in Joliet, IL.
She and her fiance would like to have a dream wedding there, since her fiance Chris is into haunted happenings, and are part of a Crate and Barrel Dream Wedding contest: Marisela and Chris
Click on their VOTE button, login to the Facebook link that pops up on the left and, viola! You have helped a sweet couple get closer to their dream.
By the way, if any of you are interested in a more imaginative photography duo for weddings, we'd LOVE to put Corey's infrared and our color photo skills to work to give your event a flair that reflects your interests. There aren't a lot of edgy photogs out there in the wedding world. We could change that!

Spring Haunted Road Trip

2011-04-01T07:56:00.000-05:00

During the winter months we spend much of our time researching and looking for new ideas and places to photograph. We find inspiration from many sources from music, movies, stories and converstions we have with others. So when the snow starts to melt, weather begins to warm-up and the grass begins to turn green we get very excited because another season of photographing haunted places begins. At the beginning of the year our trip had taken on many forms and not until recently we decided on certain places that would work for our schedule. We have found some new and wonderful mansions to photograph they are just beautiful and mysterious from the pictures we have seen. I don't want to revel to much detail on where we will go, but you will not be disappointed by them I assure you. Here is a few place we are wanting to go to. If any one has suggestions of places that would be great for us to photograph feel free to send us an email with a picture and a bit of the history (if you know it) behind the place. We would love to see it and included in it in upcoming trips.

Lincoln-Tallman House, Janesville - WI

Jacob Henry Mansion, Joliet - IL

Hegeler-Carus Mansion, LaSalle - IL

Premature Burial at Rosedale Cemetery, WI

2011-03-27T21:57:00.000-05:00

Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849) himself like many others of his time feared being buried alive, which inspired the author to write one of his greatest short stories in 1850, “The Premature Burial”.

“Fearful indeed the suspicion–but more fearful the doom! It may be asserted, without hesitation, that no event is so terribly well adapted to inspire the supremeness of bodily and of mental distress, as is burial before death”.

"I was lost in reveries of death, and the idea of premature burial held continual possession of my brain. The ghastly danger to which I was subjected haunted me day and night. In the former, the torture of meditation was excessive–in the latter, supreme. When the grim Darkness overspread the Earth, then, with every horror of thought, I shook–shook as the quivering plumes upon the hearse”.

On March 30, 1898, The Pardeeville Crank newspaper reported a gruesome discovery at Rosedale Cemetery, which is next to the Rosedale Presbyterian Church a few miles east of Pardeeville. The grave of Julia Sarah Smith daughter-in-law of John Smith was opened for the purpose of removing the remains to an adjacent lot. Upon opening the coffin, it was found that she had been buried while in a trance, she must have come to after being interred. There where signs she had partly turned over and the right hand was drawn up the face and the fingers indicated having been bitten in agony of finding herself interred alive. She had been buried thirteen years.

There is no doubt the suffering that many have experienced being buried alive. The strain of mind that the victim surely must possess laying in complete darkness with muffled cries of agonized “help” being unheeded. Many have been known to have lain in a trance for the period of six weeks and then revived.

The fear of being buried alive was so real that it led many inventors to find a variety of ways to allow the interred to signal up to the service that they are still alive and needed to be rescued.

In 1897 Count Karnice-Karnicki of Belgium patented a rescue device, which mechanically detected chest movements to trigger a flag, lamp, bell, and fresh air. Along similar lines, in Great Britain various systems were developed to save those buried alive, including breakable glass panels in the coffin lid and pulley systems which would raise flags on the surface.

Facebook Visitors Get Free Things

2011-03-26T22:56:00.000-05:00

Hello to both new and faithful blog followers.

Please be sure to occasionally drift over to our Facebook page from time to time. We are prone to frequent print giveaways as we gain more and more followers. We'd love to see you there now and again. ~C&A

Castle Frankenstein, Germany

2011-01-16T22:54:00.000-06:00

“It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils. With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony, I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet. It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs.” These are the horrific words that describe the creation of the monster in the classic gothic novel, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus written by 19 year-old Mary Shelley.

The story was created on a dismal rainy summer vacation in Switzerland, where Mary Shelley and her soon to be husband Percy Bysshe Shelley, and friend Lord Byron amused themselves with opium, alcohol, and the telling of German ghost stories. They whiled away the hours discussing topics of galvanism and the occult while writing their own supernatural stories to help pass the time. One night during a terrifying nightmare Mary had a vision which began the seed of inspiration for the classic novel. "I saw—with shut eyes, but acute mental vision—I saw the pale student of unhallowed arts kneeling beside the thing he had put together. I saw the hideous phantasm of a man stretched out, and then, on the working of some powerful engine, show signs of life and stir with an uneasy, half-vital motion. Frightful must it be, for supremely frightful would be the effect of any human endeavor to mock the stupendous mechanism of the Creator of the world."

The next morning Shelley began writing the short story and was later persuaded by Percy Shelley to expand the idea into a full novel, which became her greatest and most influential story that still resonates today.

The mystery still remains to where Mary Shelley came up with the name Frankenstein. Mary may have visited the Darmstadt region during her travels and heard the local folklore of Burg Frankenstein and the German alchemist Johann Konrad Dippel, whose life has a has a close parallel with Victor Frankenstein in the novel.

Built in 1250 by Konrad Reiz von Breuberg, Burg Frankenstein sits on a hilltop about 5 km south of Darmstadt, Germany. The once large fortress was the part of territorial and religious disputes between the Catholic Frankensteins and the Lutheran landgraves of Hesse-Darmstadt, the family in 1662 eventually sold their possessions around the Castle to the landgraves and retired to their possessions in the Wetterau. The Frankenstein family died out in 1602. The castle fell into ruin in the 19th century and, along with many ruined castles of Germany, became inspiration for poets, authors, and artists traveling through the country during the Romantic area. Today only two towers, the chapel, and fortress walls remain.

Several legends are connected to the castle and the Frankenstein dynasty. One is of a vampire that frequented the castle in medieval times, roaming abroad at night to drink the blood of the villagers, and a young Frankenstein bride who was said to have been found, pale and lifeless in one of the castle’s many towers. The other tells of Georg von Frankenstein, the Dragon Killer, who liberated the people of the valley from the terror of a giant reptilian monster in the 16th century. He was mortally wounded in the battle and his sepulchral effigy can still be seen in a nearby church, the monster beneath his feet.

The most well-known legend is that of Johann Konrad Dippel. With no relation to the Frankenstein family, Dippel (1673-1734) was born and lived at Castle Frankenstein. For school purposes 'Frankensteinensis' was known to be twice added for administrative purposes to his signature, indicating his birth place. Dippel studied theology, alchemy, and philosophy. Folklore of the region accuses him of body snatching in an attempt to bring the dead to life. In a secret laboratory Dippel was said to conduct his experiments for the search of the secret of life by boiling bones and hair with iron flecks and blood clots. He also attempted to create an “elixir of life” which he claimed would keep him alive to 135 years of age, and which upon taking it, killed him.

This colorful history has lead to many supposed supernatural occurrences on the castle grounds. The place is said to be haunted by several ghosts including Dippel and those he exhumed for his experiments. Dippel is said to haunt the roof of the chapel. The chapel is also said to be haunted by the last knight of Frankenstein, Philipp Ludwig who died at the age of 20. The knight was on his way to see his girlfriend while riding his coach too fast and was thrown out and broke his neck. The one of the two remaining towers was where Dippel was said to have had his secret laboratory and is where the ghost of Anne Marie, a figure associated with a Knight George legend, settles down to cry and pray hoping for her boyfriend to come back and be with her in the tower. Two ghosts who don’t want the castle disturbed are said to throw stones from top of the tower at visitors. Shadows and disembodied voices have been seen and heard in the chapel and tower. Another legend tells of a series of labyrinth vaults that store the Frankenstein families treasure beneath the castle.

Most of these stories about the castle’s history and the haunted legends are highly contested. Mary Shelly’s own connection to the castle and her Frankenstein figure’s parallel to Dippel’s life have come under scrutiny in recent history, as well. Fact and fiction have become difficult to separate. In recent years the owners of the land and restaurant have given in to the legends, running a year-round Horror-Mystery theater and ultimate haunted house for the month of October http://www.frankenstein-halloween.de/content/e566/index_ger.html. No matter what the true story is, the legends make this destination an even more interesting destination for those intrigued by the potential for supernatural comings and goings.

We began our own journey in the morning after breakfast at a hotel in Darmstadt. We took a train as far as we could and walked the rest of the way up a very steep hill through the town of Malchen. Carrying a pack full of camera equipment we wove our way through the paths and roads of the Odenwald Forest that lay beneath the castle. In Germany most locals can find where they need to go so many destinations are not well marked for tourists. The walk seemed to last forever, especially knowing the overcast skies could open up on us at any time. Once we found signs leading to the castle we both felt relieved...plus the sun started peeking out behind the clouds.

The incredible journey came to an end 35 minutes after we began the hike up the hill. We made it! After a short rest enjoying the view from the overlook frequented by locals on the north end of the grounds, we entered the courtyard and were taken aback by the size of the ruin, which must have been impressive in its day. We walked around taking photographs and enjoying the more impressive view that can be seen from the tower where Dippel setup his secret laboratory. The room inside the tower was small and dark. It must have been very cold and lonely those hundreds of years ago, if Dippel truly did frequent that tower for his experiments. It was a chilling thought while standing in that space.

The sounds of swords clashing together from medieval re-enactors were heard during our visit. We also visited the chapel that looks nearly the same since medieval times, and studied the wonderful figurative effigy of Philipp Ludwig, made of alabaster and sandstone.

We stayed as long as we could, then we began our walk down hill to the small village of Malchen where we had started. As we walked through the village we passed a very old church which featured a tree in the courtyard that was reported to be 500 years old.

Our journey was memorable and we could see how Burg Frankenstein inspired such a wonderful timeless novel for Mary Shelley. We felt this place held a sense of foreboding mystery that just resonated with us and our photography. The lure of the Frankenstein legend that captivated generations will continue to be the source of nightmares and monsters.

Wernerkapelle, Bacharach am Rhein, Germany

2010-06-22T06:34:00.000-05:00

Bacharach am Rhein is nestled along the Rhine Valley, where castles appear around every bluff and wineries grow their next harvest on the steep hill faces of the sunny slopes.
The town offers its visitors a walking tour of half-timber houses and Weinstuebchen to sample wines from the local vintners. Situated above the main road is the Burg Stahleck and a strange little Gothic stone structure that is fascinating to look at in its angularity. The structure, the Wernerkapelle, appears detached from anything around it and is fenced off from the curious passers-by on their way up the steep path to the towering castle and the youth hostel within.
The history of the town Bacharach bears telling in the tragic tale of the young Werner, for whom this chapel is named.
Bacharach dates back to the time of the Celts, who also grew wine in the region. Legend has it, a large rock in the Rhine, big enough to hold 25 grown men, would appear at the edge of the river during times of low water. At the end of a good harvest year, the Celts offered human sacrifice to the god Bacchus. The stone, "Baccaracum" in Celtic, and "Bacchi ara" in Latin, no longer appears, as it was removed in 1850.

The castle above the town was built under the Archbishop of Cologne in the 12th century. It was one of the many taxation castles along the Rhine. Sailors wishing for safe passage paid many, many robber barons along the valley. There was little avoiding this route, as the Rhine is one of only a few shipping / transportation rivers in the country. In the 1600's this region saw many battles as different nations and kingdoms vied for control. In 1688 the castle was destroyed by fire and explosion by French troops after being surrendered. The powder inside the castle created such a rumble while exploding that some of the surrounding walls outside the castle crumbled, and rubble rolled downhill, destroying large parts of the Wernerkapelle. In the 20th century the castle and youth hostel, and chapel were rebuilt.

The Wernerkapelle of Bacharach, along with the multitude of castle ruins of the Rhine Valley, inspired artists and poets of the Romantic movement. It was considered a "must" among accomplished artists to travel here. The ruin and decay spoke to the souls of painters, writers like Lord Byron and Victor Hugo, and lithographers. This area harkened to the ideals of the period between the late 18th and 19th centuries.
For all of its Romantic appearances, however, the story of the Wernerkapelle is truly tragic, in both real and legendary terms.

Built around 1290, the chapel was built to honor a young boy, said to have been between the ages of 11 and 16 at the time of his murder. As the story was told, Werner had been a victim of a grisly murder at the hand of Jews in the area. The story rode the wave of a smear campaign prominent in the area during the Middle Ages, now known as "Blood Libel."

At this time terrifying stories circulated concerning Jewish sacrifice ritual requiring young boys on the cusp of puberty. The youth were "tried," bound in crucifix fashion, tortured in a mutitude of agonizing ways, and blood was said to be extracted from various wounds for use in later rituals. The final killing blow was administered from a sword or dagger, and the body either disposed of or used for further Black Magic.

Werner von Oberwesel (Bacharach)'s body was said to have evidence of such sacrifice and to have been recovered floating in the river, undisturbed and emitting a glowing light.

The body did not smell of decomposition; rather, it smelled of violets and was said to have healing properties. This proported miracle was "evidence" enough against local Jews to hunt them down and kill them. 26 in all.

The chapel stands where Werner was said to have been found washed ashore in some stories and he is buried on the grounds. Saint Kunibert's chapel stood at this location before the Wernerkapelle was comissioned in 1293.

Werner was canonized finally, after multiple attempts over time to perpetuate this horrible story, in the 17th century. His Saint's Day, April 19th, had been taken off the Church Calendar in 1963 as recognition of the anti-Semitic nature of his martyrdom and miracle.

Modern legends continue to perpetuate the saga of Werner. A German remembers hearing the following ghost story on his fourth grade visit a number of years ago:

During Werner's time a fellow boy in Bacharach noticed how well Werner was doing in the employ of a local family. He also was very jealous that Werner was allowed to take Communion. One day this boy attacked Werner as he left church and stabbed him in the stomach. Under cover of darkness, the boy tried to throw the body into the Rhine and fell in with the corpse as God's revenge. The people in town discovered Werner, glowing and smelling very pleasant, and the chapel story followed. This version, however, ends with a haunting. After the chapel was erected, an earthquake years later shook it to pieces. The town restored the chapel in recent years, but the young killer's ghost is said to be seen dragging stones, one-by-one, to restore the structure as penance between the hours of midnight and 3 am.

Tourist literature tells of the occurance of 80 miracles on this very site of the Wernerkapelle. Additionally, the city offers a ghost tour book by Wolf Kraemer: „Die GeisterRunde von Bacharach – 13 gruselige Stationen“ (The Ghosttour of Bacharach, 13 grisly stations). According to local ghost lore, Victor Hugo toured the area in 1839 or 1840. At the first station featured in the book, Hugo was quoted to have said the following (translated from the German)...

"Suddenly I felt the earth give out and sink away. I looked down and, in the starlight, recognized that I stood on a freshly shoveled earthen hill. I looked around. Black crosses with white deathheads stood all around me. I confess, I couldn't hold myself back in this moment of shivers that such unexpectedness instills. My little garden of children, birds, doves, butterflies, music, light, life and joy-was a graveyard.

Germany

2010-06-21T16:02:00.000-05:00

There is SO much editing and mental processing of our Germany trip. Castle Frankenstein as a trip unto itself was epic and story-worthy. The legend behind the Werner Kappelle is also sad and spine-chilling. So much to do in the next few weeks. We though we'd leave you with some highlights until we come to a time when we might really be able to give this time a thorough work-over.

Burg Frankenstein:

Summerwind Mansion, Wisconsin

2010-04-29T20:50:00.000-05:00

Considered the most notorious haunted house in the state of Wisconsin, Summerwind mansion is steeped in legend and mystery. Many purchasers reported an unease about the property even though even if they had never experienced any ghostly activity themselves. Now a burned-out ruin among the pines of the Northwoods, the former mansion has gained a cult following, becoming a place for those looking to experience bizarre phenomena themselves.

Built in 1916 by Robert P. Lamont for himself and his family on the shores of West Bay Lake in northeast Wisconsin, the mansion was an escape from the pressures of political life in Washington D.C. during the summer months. The original structure, a fishing lodge, was purchased by Lamont, who employed Chicago architects to remodel the property and convert it into a mansion.

During his 15 years at the mansion Lamont believed the structure was haunted. Lamont suddenly abandoned the mansion in the mid 1930s after one particularly frightening evening. He and his wife had just settled down to an evening meal in the kitchen, when the door to the basement shook itself open and a ghostly form of a man appeared. Lamont grabbed a pistol and fired two shots at the apparition as door swung shut. Holes in the basement door could still be seen many years later after the home came under new ownership.

From the 1940s to the 60s the house was owned by the Keefer family but remained largely unoccupied. When Mr. Keefer died his widow subdivided the land and sold it to purchasers but they experienced financial difficulties in keeping up payments.

When Arnold and Ginger Hinshaw and family moved to the house in the early 1970s many strange occurrences began to unfold and much of the haunting seemed to take place during this time. Shadows would be seen moving down the hallways, whispers would be heard but then stop when the Hinshaws entered the room, unexplained electrical and mechanical problems often occurred at the home, windows and doors would open and close by themselves. One window raised and lowered so often at all hours that Arnold nailed it shut. An apparition of a woman would appear near the dining room.

During this time the Hinshaws tried to renovate their historic home but had trouble keeping workers because Summerwind gained a reputation for being haunted. Workers would not show up for work, usually claiming illness, a few of them simply outright refused to work. The Hinshaws decided to do the work themselves. During the renovation, Arnold was painting a closet in one of the bedrooms and removed a shoe drawer from a closet. He discovered a hidden dark space behind it. When Arnold investigated the space he thought he saw the remains of an animal. The entrance to this space was too small for him to fit into so he sent his daughter Mary with a flashlight to investigate. Moments later Mary let out a scream and claimed discovering a human skull and strands of black hair. For some reason no report was made to the police. The body mysteriously vanished when Ginger's father and brother investigated the space many years later. The discovery of the corpse marked a turning point for the family. Arnold began display strange behavior, staying up late at night playing their Hammond organ that they purchased before moving into the house. The music became a strange mixture of senseless melodies which grew louder during the night. Ginger pleaded for him to stop but Arnold claimed the demons in his head demanded that he continue to play. He often played the bizarre music until dawn as his frightened wife and children took refuge in one of the bedrooms. Six months after moving into the house, Arnold suffered a breakdown and Ginger attempted suicide.

Several years later Ginger's father, Raymond Von Bober, bought Summerwind and wanted to turn the house into a restaurant. The Von Bobers' attempts to renovate the house suffered the same problems as the Hinshaws' years ago. Von Bober's son Karl experienced a variety of unnerving events. While walking through a hallway he heard a voice call his name, but he was the only one in the house. Then he heard what heard what sounded like two pistol shots and ran into the kitchen to find the room filled with smoke and the smell of gunpowder, an apparent supernatural reenactment from the 1930s Lamont incident.

During Von Bober's renovations workmen also began to report uneasiness as tools began to disappear. Furnishings appeared in photographs, which had not been existence since the original owners had possession of the home. Room dimensions appeared to change in these photographs and as draftspeople tried to produce blueprints of rooms.

By the 1980s the mansion was abandoned for good. People visiting during this time reported seeing objects flying around, disappearing and reappearing, and photographs would have odd shadows in them. Some experienced seeing the mansion as it would have appeared in earlier times.

In June 1988 the mansion was struck by lightning and burned to the ground. All that survived was the house's chimney stacks, foundations, and stone staircase.

For us the house seemed to retain its sense of mystery. On our first trip to explore and photograph the house we never found it, despite being within several yards of the ruin. A few days later after further research we decided to try again. This time we found it and we felt a sense of sadness and abandonment contrasting the pleasant sunny day, as we approached the ruin. The chimneys stood like tombstones against the sky, an epitaph to its former glory. The dull buzzing sounds of the spring hatching of flies on the mansion grounds added to the eerie atmosphere. As we walked around the ruin among the weeds and wild growing trees, Anna and I photographed and talked about the house, how sad that such a grand home had become so desolate. In spite of the walls having burned down long ago, the house seemed to retain its sense of volume. The weed-covered foundation and archways that still remain hinted to a grander time. We both wondered why no one has tried since the 1980s to clear the land and rebuilt another home.
This reminded us of TS Eliot:

In my beginning is my end. In succession
Houses rise and fall, crumble, are extended,
Are removed, destroyed, restored, or in their place
Is an open field, or a factory, or a by-pass.
Old stone to new building, old timber to new fires,
Old fires to ashes, and ashes to the earth
Which is already flesh, fur and faeces,
Bone of man and beast, cornstalk and leaf.
Houses live and die: there is a time for building
And a time for living and for generation
And a time for the wind to break the loosened pane
And to shake the wainscot where the field-mouse trots
And to shake the tattered arras woven with a silent motto.
- excerpt from EAST COKER
(No. 2 of 'Four Quartets')
T.S. Eliot

Automata obsession

2010-03-31T13:05:00.000-05:00

Recently I've been interested in, more like obsessed by, mechanical toys or Automata.

An automaton (plural: automata or automatons) is a self-operating machine.

I've always been fascinated by mechanical objects since I was a kid. We own a few animated motionettes of the Universal Studios Monsters that I proudly display in the house year round. What began my recently renewed fascination was a few weeks back I had to travel to Madison WI for my job. Luckily my family was able to come with and we spent the day going to various stops and eating at one of our favorite restaurants. After I fulfilled my obligation to my job, Anna felt we should visit one restaurant she had visited in her high school days.

Ella's Deli is a full kosher deli and ice cream shop with an amazing display of whimsical animated displays that fill the entire restaurant. Every table has some sort of interesting feature from working model trains to marble maze races built into a recessed glass-covered box as the tabletop. Mechanical figures move and rotate above your head. There is something to see and do everywhere. During the spring, summer and fall months a restored 1927 Parker Carousel complete with organ music is available for rides outside. The amazement and wonder in the kids' faces upon our visit that day was priceless. I felt the same way and wondered if I could do something similar with the mechanical figures but with a more macabre touch to it.

Over the past few weeks I found a few websites about Automata and mechanical toys. We posted a few on the blog that are the most interesting. I began to dive deeper and we will be ordering a book in a few days about how to make them. The whimsical nature, the craftsmanship, the simplicity of the machine, and wonder that they evoke is the fascination I just adore. I want to begin reading a few books about the subject, then I want to purchase a few kits before I begin designing and building an original machine.

Here is the link to Ella's Deli : http://www.ellas-deli.com

Terrariums of Horror

2010-03-30T12:52:00.000-05:00

Here's a project that has been in the works for a few months. Corey's love of things creepy and dark motivated me to look into cultivating carnivorous plants for him. I promised to make him these.

We found the figurines at a favorite Madison, WI store Pop Deluxe. We put off purchasing them until we knew how to use them in an interesting application. Corey brought me back the "Glow-in the Dark Zombies," from this store last week. They are just as easy to find online, where we purchased the "B-Movie Victims." The figurines became the spring-board for the entire project. We decided that they would be most entertaining paired with Venus fly-traps.

The glass dispensers are a pleasing shape and I knew that they needed to have a special treatment. Corey owned one already and had kept laundry powder in it but clogging issues forced him to abandon it on a shelf. The other jar came from a second-hand store, one of my favorite places to find materials. I dislike how much we buy new and enjoy repurposing thrift items whenever possible. After the figures became the inspiration it seemed logical to put the jars to use for the terrarium project.

We finally gathered all the plant materials last week and I had time to put the project together in time for Corey's birthday. If these two terrariums thrive, we'll look into adding plants and doing this on a larger scale. I have plans to comb garage sales for used aquariums and utilize Corey's photos as possible backgrounds for even more diverse plants.

For the curious, here are a few resources we found useful:
California Carnivores: A greenhouse specializing in these unusual plants.
Horrified B-Movie Victims, and other sets.
The New Terrarium on Amazon

Leaving winter hibernation

2010-03-27T16:07:00.000-05:00

We have remained busy during the winter months, scheduling a trip to Germany and other places in the US, as well as designing a few new items that we will be presenting for purchase in the coming months. We are ready to emerge from winter's hibernation and venture to a few haunted places for more images and stories in the coming weeks.

For us the spring and fall months are ideal for our haunted project. The grass remains green but the leaves are gone leaving only the bare trees. The weather can be very cooperative with warm and cool days. Just perfect for Infrared photography.

Here are a few images of just some of the designs that will be available for purchase at Zazzle very soon as tote bags and shirts.

Nevermore? No mystery visitor on Poe birthday

2010-01-19T14:19:00.000-06:00

BALTIMORE - Is this tradition "nevermore"?

A mysterious visitor who each year leaves roses and cognac at the grave of Edgar Allan Poe on the writer's birthday failed to show early Tuesday, breaking with a ritual that began more than 60 years ago.

"I'm confused, befuddled," said Jeff Jerome, curator of the Poe House and Museum. "I don't know what's going on."

The tradition dates back to at least 1949, according to newspaper accounts from the era, Jerome said. Since then, an unidentified person has come every year on Jan. 19 to leave three roses and a half-bottle of cognac at Poe's grave in a church cemetery in downtown Baltimore.

The event has become a pilgrimage for die-hard Poe fans, some of whom travel hundreds of miles. About three dozen stood huddled in blankets during the overnight cold Tuesday, peering through the churchyard's iron gates hoping to catch a glimpse of the figure known only as the "Poe toaster."

At 5:30 a.m., Jerome emerged from inside the church, where he and a select group of Poe enthusiasts keep watch over the graveyard, and announced to the crowd that the visitor never arrived. He allowed an Associated Press reporter inside the gates to view both of Poe's grave sites, the original one and a newer site where the body was moved in 1875. There was no sign of roses or cognac at either tombstone.

"I'm very disappointed, to the point where I want to cry," said Cynthia Pelayo, 29, who had stood riveted to her prime viewing spot at the gate for about six hours. "I flew in from Chicago to see him. I'm just really sad. I hope that he's OK."

Pelayo and Poe fans from as far away as Texas and Massachusetts had passed the overnight hours reading aloud from Poe's works, including the poem "The Raven," with its haunting repetition of the word "nevermore." Soon they were speculating, along with Jerome, about what might have caused the visitor not to appear.

"You've got so many possibilities," said Jerome, who has attended the ritual every year since 1977. "The guy had the flu, accident, too many people."

Tuesday marked the 201st anniversary of Poe's birth, and Jerome speculated that perhaps the visitor considered last year's bicentennial an appropriate stopping point.

"People will be asking me, 'Why do you think he stopped?'" Jerome said. "Or did he stop? We don't know if he stopped. He just didn't come this year."

Jerome said he will continue the vigil for at least the next two or three years in case the visits resume.

"So for me it's not over with," he said.

Story by The Associated Press 2010

Fairlawn Mansion, Superior WI

2010-01-17T21:47:00.001-06:00

In early October, 2009, Anna and I drove to the northern part of the state for a competitive run. Ashland, a small former fishing and shipping hub on Lake Superior, was about two hours away and made for a long but enjoyable drive to a part of the state that I hadn't seen much of.

With the race's popularity, we were unable to gain a hotel close to the race area so we had to stay in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. For dinner we took part in a regional tradition, a fish boil, afterward caught Zombieland at a local 80's era movie house, then went to bed.

We woke to two inches of snow and a frantic drive back into Wisconsin along the lakeshore to the race staging area. Anna ran and she did a fantastic job, her fastest and best time yet, despite the very cold weather. After two hours standing in the cold to cheer her on, I warmed up while we got her metal engraved. We loaded into the car and continued northwest along the coastline to Bayfield, another small town along Lake Superior, known for the Apostle Islands and its history as an important fishing and shipping village, similar to Ashland. Between the two towns we stopped in an artist town, to pick up two very flaky turnovers from a small bakery and browse an interesting second-hand store. There we picked through the costumes and vintage clothes, coming away with two plastic dime-store Halloween masks from the 70's, which now hang in our kitchen. We visited the local shops and artist studios after arriving in Bayfield. Then as the light outside grew dim we decided to take a Ghost tour. We hoped to find some information about other haunted places to photograph. The guide had a knack for story-telling, which helped us forget about the biting lake-wind tearing through the town as we wandered from street to street hearing the tales of haunted Bayfield. Disappointingly, the tour guide made vague references to each place to protect homeowners who frowned upon ghost-seekers.

After the bitter-cold walk on the hour and a half tour we headed in the car towards Superior, just east of Minnesota exactly on the border, to meet up with friends and find our hotel. On the way we both talked about photographing the Victorian mansion, rumored to be haunted, in town the next morning. We arrived and settled in for the night. Upon waking, we asked the hotel staff for directions to coffeehouses or Starbucks to help start our day. The person at the front desk of the hotel suggested the Red Mug Espresso. We drove off into Superior.

Finding the place was a bit tricky since it was located on a lower level of the Trade and Commerce Marketplace, formerly the police station and jail. The Red Mug was wonderful, filled with artwork by local artists and a stage for music on certain nights. We both ordered a drink and talked about the events of the weekend. The coffee was so well brewed Anna ordered a second. After the coffee kicked in, we headed towards the mansion we wanted to see and photograph.

We arrived at the mansion and were immediately impressed by its size and Queen Anne style of architecture. We could not enter the house due to a tour at the time so we were unable to view the 42 rooms feature in the home. We walked around the lawn taking pictures, trying to include the four-story turret that loomed overhead. With the prominent porch, steeply gabled roof, and use of contrasting colors and textures the beauty of the house struck us.

Built in 1891 for wealthy lumber and mining baron Martin Pattison and family, Fairlawn sits on the shore overlooking Lake Superior. After Martin’s death in 1918, wife Grace Pattison donated the mansion to the Superior Children’s Home and Refuge Association and was turned into an orphanage. The mansion served as an orphanage for about 42 years, after which the City of Superior purchased Fairlawn in 1963 for demolition in accordance with Grace Pattison’s will. Fortunately civic leaders and members of the Pattison family were able to save the mansion due to a legal loophole and turned it into a city owned museum.

Visitors taking tours of the house have reported seeing a woman dressed in period clothing guiding them to specific displays then vanishing, leaving a cold damp chill in the air. Many believe it’s a servant girl that was murdered by her husband shortly after leaving the mansion. Some feel she haunts Fairlawn Mansion because it was the one place she felt happiest in her life. The ghosts of two children have been seen and heard in the basement. No records indicate that any children died in the house; some feel they may have accidentally drowned during the time the mansion served as an orphanage. Records have remained sealed by the county.

Lifting the Veil page

2009-10-29T20:43:00.000-05:00

The newspaper I work for is running a full news page and online gallery featuring my photographs just in time for Hallowe'en. Anna and I have been very busy during our vacation getting ready for the annual Halloween Party. I'm so excited we have new items to display and have fun with. We hope every one has a very scary Hallowe'en.

Here is the link to the online gallery:

http://www.wausaudailyherald.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=U0&Dato=20091029&Kategori=CWS01&Lopenr=910290808&Ref=PH

Mad Scientist Laboratory video

2009-10-19T22:03:00.000-05:00

After a bit of a late start we are finally doing some hardcore Hallowe'ening of the house. I purchased a animatronic spider and modified a bit more to make it look spookier. I also over the years have collected a few old looking bottles and lab glass to help add to my mad scientist laboratory. I finally added a few new items and have a short video of my accomplishments. I hope you enjoy. Have a happy Hallowe'en.

IT'S ALIVE!

2009-08-11T22:40:00.000-05:00

I've had a few days off and I've wanted to finish a project that I have been thinking about doing for about eight years. Today I finally finished it and I'm very happy.

The project is an addition to one I had finished years ago. Both projects are my reanimation machines (or at least props that look like machines that are similar to ones that Dr. Frankenstein would use). The first one from years ago was an old radio I purchased from an antique store. I gutted the radio and set aside the tubes. I cut a large hole in the top and inserted a plasma ball to give it life and add some movement.

Then shortly after completing that machine I found an old glass jar with a wooden top I felt was perfect for the next project that would work in conjunction with the first. The machine I envisioned was something that wouldn't have lights or sounds with it; a prop set inside of it, like a heart, would provide the interest. The inspiration was from the movie Bride of Frankenstein, when Dr. Henry Frankenstein uses a machine to keep a heart beating.

After much recent scrounging around for various odds and ends to add to the second project from craft stores and items I've had laying around the house (like the tubes from the radio in the earlier project), I'm finally finished with the second creation. I feel they complete each other.

What do you think?

Haunted Inspiration

2009-08-03T10:11:00.000-05:00

With the weather being so cold for most of the summer. Its gotten me in the mood thinking more about fall and new ideas for Halloween. I often watch these videos many times looking for inspiration with my own photography and Halloween decorating. I hope you enjoy these as well.

Haunted House

Lonesome Ghosts

Skeleton Dance

Mad Doctor

Betty Boop Halloween Party

Three Stooges "The Ghost Talks"

Watch Creeps.divx in Entertainment Videos | View More Free Videos Online at Veoh.com Buster Keaton in "The Haunted House" 1 of 2 Buster Keaton in "The Haunted House" 2 of 2 Bugs Bunny Transylvania 6-5000

Daffy Duck A haunting we will go

Bugs Bunny Bewitched Bunny

Bugs Bunny Broomstick Bunny

Porky Pig Jeepers Creepers

Bugs Bunny Water, Water, Every Hare Donald Duck Trick Or Treat

Wot a Night (1931)

Skeleton Frolic (1937)

Flip The Frog in Spooks (1932)

The Headless Horseman (1934)

Drooker's American Ruins

2009-06-25T22:43:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the long lapse in posting, I’ve been incredibly busy with my job and with life in general. So much has happened since my last post I’m still trying to take it all in. So I will start with my most recent outing.

Anna and I recently enjoyed a photography exhibit at Leigh Yawkey Woodson Art Museum in Wausau. The photographs were by photographer Arthur Drooker and from his book American Ruins. The photos where shot in infrared and taken across the US. It was a treat to see these prints up close instead of in a book.

The photos themselves had a bit of a sepia tint to them that added to the warmth they evoked. The infrared added a sense of mystery, but not in a macabre way that Simon Marsden portrays. I got to talk with Drooker about his work and working with IR and could have talked much longer if it were not for other interested visitors to the museum wanting to talk with him also. We talked f-stops, researching subjects and places to visit. The only thing I felt was missing for the evening was a good glass of wine. They served sparkling grape juice.

While researching how to photograph with IR and looking for inspiration I did come across his work and found his work wonderful but not exactly what I truly wanted to accomplish.

After talking with Drooker I felt I was heading in the right direction with my technical skills and vision for my own personal project. If anyone has the chance to see his work in person or purchase his book you will not be disappointed. Of course we had a photo postcard autographed by him to remember that wonderful evening.

Here are a few links to enjoy:

http://www.americanruinsbook.com/

http://http://www.arthurdrooker.com/

Since my last post we haven’t traveled often for my haunted project. I have taken a few pictures on other trips not relating to the haunted subjects themselves and have come away with some great images. More on those in the near future.

First Award

2009-05-16T18:24:00.000-05:00

I'm so pleased to be givin an award from Lyn at Two Ghosts blog. She has a verity of unique posts which I have enjoyed reading. Many of the posts have a bit of macabre feel to them.

Thanx so much for taking the time to read and look at my stories and photographs I know I haven't posted in awahile but I hope to have a few new post up soon.

Traveling through the depths of darkness Part 2

2009-04-17T09:33:00.000-05:00

The haunted road trip last week went extremely well. I had such a wonderful time traveling to all these haunted places and being creative with my photography. This has been a dream come true for me and after looking over some of the pictures I have captured I’m very pleased with the results.

Over the course of the week I shot about a place a day. Depending how near to other places I was, I shot two. The weather worked well to my advantage despite the two inches of snow that fell Monday morning. The weather was cold for the most part which added to feeling of autumn.

My girlfriend came down half way through and she was able to go to few places for the rest of the trip. We went to a cemetery in Chicago and a haunted house in Woodstock. We took back roads and along the way stopped at a few antique places and talked with local residents.

I shot a ton of images! I wanted to cover every angle and ideas that flowed through me. I wasn’t sure when I would have the chance to return so I needed to get what I could.

Depending on our schedule I want to take another haunted trip in the very near future, maybe in the fall, hopefully next year but we will have to see since a trip to Germany is planned for next year. I’m excited to see what we can get from there.

Traveling through the depths of darkness Part 1

2009-04-06T18:09:00.000-05:00

The weather in Illinois has been just as strange as this trip. I left a day early due to weather reports that a storm was going to move in to the Alton area on Sunday. That was the day I wanted to originally shoot down there. So I made a few calls and was able to be in Alton on Saturday when it was expected to be sunny.

The mansion was worth all the hassle. It was a truly amazing place. I don’t want to reveal too much at this moment because I want to give a full account of the history and activity that has taken place there when I have a chance to polish the work.

I had to leave Bloomington around 5 a.m. Saturday to be there

by 8 a.m. Of course I woke up an hour before I needed to so I had very little sleep.

Sunday was exactly what the weatherman said it would do. Lots of rain, hail, and snow so I spend all day Sunday watching hockey and planning the next days trip.

I’m currently in Decatur IL. Looking at my photos after spending a cold day shooting at Greenwood Cemetery and various mansions around the town. I’ll be staying overnight because if the weather turns better I hope to go back and see if the previous places are worth reshooting with sunnier light.

Here are a few images I have enjoyed so far. I hope they give a sense of melancholy and foreboding.

The next few days I’ll be going towards Chicago. I’m excited to see what those places hold for me there.

(re)Vamped

2009-03-29T21:52:00.000-05:00

"The Ghost in man, the ghost that once was man But cannot wholly free itself from Man, Are calling to each other thro' a dawn Stranger than earth has ever seen; the veil Is rending, and the voices of the day Are heard across the Voices of the dark".ALFRED LORD TENNYSON (1809-1892)

This post marks a bit of a change in the direction I’m taking this blog. My GFAnna suggested I should make this blog more personal. Sharing my experiences and feelings I have when visiting these places alongside the history would make for a more interesting blog. I felt she was right. I felt the postings where a bit stale. I decided from here on out I will add a bit more personal touch to my haunted blog. I’ve had a few experiences while at these haunted places and I would love to tell what has happened.

The whole idea of describing some of the things I’ve experienced and taking photographs at haunted places using the medium of black and white Infrared film was a project I’ve wanted to accomplish since 1995.

During my work as a newspaper photographer in Illinois I wanted to use my idea to do a yearly photo page around Halloween about haunted places in the area. Hearing nothing in the way of stories, I posted a small ad asking readers if they knew of any places that were haunted. I got no response. I tried to keep the page alive for about another year, then gave up. I eventually revived the page when I moved to another paper in the state when I heard about a local ghost hunter that was ready to publish a book. I contacted her and we went to a few places that she said were haunted. The page was not exactly what I originally envisioned but was an interesting story nevertheless.

Shooting with Infrared film back in those days was a very difficult process. The camera had to be completely light tight; only a manual controlled camera could be used. Since the new auto-focus cameras used IR itself as a mechanism to focus and keep track of the film moving inside, the camera would fog the infrared film. The ultra sensitive film had to be handled in a special way and the developing was equally as challenging. Thinking back, what really kept me from shooting with IR film was the price, which ran about $15 per roll for 36 exposures and had to be special ordered. Not very practical for a photographer on a mere reporters’ wage. Just to buy 4 rolls would have cost me about $60.

In 2007 I read an article in a photo magazine about shooting IR with a digital camera and how easy it was to accomplish using just a filter. While reading the article I also discovered photographers where sending their cameras in to a company to get switched over to infrared. The company removes the glass filter that covers the sensor and replaces it with dark filter that blocks all visible light except infrared. This makes shooting IR much easier and is necessary for serious IR work. This renewed my interest in that long abandoned idea. Coincidently I discovered the work of Simon Marsden, http://www.simonmarsden.co.uk/ a British photographer doing the very thing I wanted to do except he still uses IR film. I began searching Amazon for his books and I ended up buying about four books of his and studying each of them cover to cover.

Last year I decided I wanted to make this project a reality. To begin I first bought a Canon 30D, for the sole propose of getting it IR converted. I would later purchase another camera, the Canon 50D to be used as a normal picture-taking camera. Then I began the process of compiling information on places I would like to visit. The state where I live first, then surrounding states, and so on. Last year I purchased an IR filter to learn how that type of light works. I took the camera along with the filter to various spots and was mostly pleased with the results. But since the filter covers the front of the lens and blocks out all visible light I had to compose and focus with the filter off, then once I has everything set the way I wanted it I had to attach the filter and make the exposure. The exposures where very long consisting of about 30 seconds or more. So a tripod was needed for every shot. Having such a long set up time I had to think about every picture which made for a long process and often times frustrating. During that experience I gained more respect for the Civil War photographers that had to do the same sort of process every time.

I purchased a Canon 50D when I got my taxes back this year and sent the Canon 30D in to Life Pixel http://www.lifepixel.com/ for IR conversion. After a month long wait I finally got it back last Friday. I took a few photos of some Victorian homes in town.

So far I’m pleased but the real test will come next weekend when I head to my home state IL to shoot a few haunted houses and cemeteries. I will post as many photos as I feel necessary along with a bit of history, the experiences of others and my own. During my travels I will try to post daily updates on my progress at these places. Over the course of this mysterious journey I hope to take readers through sinister mansions, decrepit cemeteries, and forsaken roads. When I return and have chosen the right photos and used my notes to create a story, I will post the full details of the experience. I hope you find what I have to say will keep you up at night.

Lake Park-Milwaukee, WI

2009-03-21T00:21:00.000-05:00

For centuries the Indian burial mounds of North America have long been a mysterious and otherworldly place. The mounds were mostly constructed near water for funerary or ceremonial use. Native Americans believed themselves to be of the land and that their souls became one with it in the afterlife. Upon death, the departed did not go to heaven but lingered upon the earth.

From a bluff overlooking the break waters of Lake Michigan, Lake Park in the city of Milwaukee was once home to a series of prehistoric conical mounds. Destroyed by development of the land, most of the mounds have disappeared except for one, the last known remaining within the city. Discovered in l905 by the Wisconsin Archeological Society, the mound lies north of North Point Lighthouse and Lion bridges. It remains a mystery who built the mound. Some believe the builders to have been the ancestors of Menominee Indians. Documents show that Menominee Indians had possession of the land at Lake Park until 1835, after which government surveyors began parceling off sections to settlers seeking timber lands.

In l889 the city developed a Parks Commission, after realizing many years earlier that the poor could not afford manicured gardens in which to seek refuge from oppressive city life. Intense work in the park followed the Commission’s formation. The park's famous "Lion Bridges" spanning the lighthouse ravines were completed in l896-7. Oscar Sanne designed the bridges with lion sculptures carved by Paul Kupper. By 1964, the bridges were narrowed and closed to vehicles.

During this same time period the lighthouse in the northern section of Lake Park was in its conception. In l854, the U.S. Lighthouse Service acquired 2 acres on which to build North Point Lighthouse and Keeper's Quarters on the grounds. Erected in l855, by l888 these structures had to be reassembled 100 feet to the west to avoid creeping bluff erosion

The lighthouse guided ships on Lake Michigan for 139 years until its decommissioning in l994 by the U. S. Coast Guard. Both the lighthouse and park are listed on the National Registry of Historic Places.

When settlers came into area looking for a place to live they unknowingly built their homes near or on the mounds themselves. Many believe that the homes built on these sites experience heightened paranormal activity due to the disrupted flow of energy that was a part of the land centuries ago.

The faint sounds of laughter along with the overall feeling of malaise are induced with icy cold spots felt on hot summer days. Several witnesses have seen children standing by the lions, behaving almost as sentinels or guards. Activity at the lighthouse is closely associated with these bridges and the surrounding portions of Lake Park. The occurrences cannot be attributed to any known stories or legends associated with these locations. It remains a mystery as to why the ghostly sights and sounds of children have been heard and seen near the lions and lighthouse.

Brumder Mansion-Milwaukee, WI

2009-03-09T23:44:00.000-05:00

Walking down Grand Avenue in Milwaukee a century ago would have taken you through a neighborhood of Victorian mansions situated a convenient distance from the shore of Lake Michigan. Most of the homes have long since vanished, giving way to the sprawl of the city, with little evidence to the history of how Milwaukee began. Only a few homes remain of this era; the Brumder Mansion is one such home where history still resides and sometimes interacts with visitors.

Standing gracefully on its corner serving visitors to Milwaukee as a Bed and Breakfast the Brumder Mansion is on what is now known as West Wisconsin Avenue. This stately, 4 story brick Victorian, English Arts and Crafts style mansion, has survived years of indifference and neglect.

Far more imposing than the exterior is the opulent renovated interior. The first floor dining room features a stunning, handcrafted stained glass tile fireplace, designed by Neideken, a Frank Lloyd Wright protégé. The oak Gothic style main staircase leads to the second floor that features 3 bedrooms, and to another staircase. This secondary staircase leads to the third floor to an additional 3 rooms used as servant’s quarters and innkeeper's apartment. Mr. Brumder placed the requisite ballroom in the large basement instead of on the customary third floor.

The suites have beautifully wood-carved fireplaces, marble in the bathrooms, intricate woodwork and antiques. One such room, The Gold Suite on the second floor, is named for its gold and yellow decor. The suite has a Victorian parlor set of furniture, an antique Queen-sized bed, elegant draperies and an oak ornamental fireplace with fluted columns.

Built in 1910 by the prominent businessman George Brumder for his eldest son George Jr., this regal home served a wealthy Milwaukee publishing family as a residence for nearly 10 years. The family’s fortune grew from a number of German language newspapers, bibles, and sheet music, and then later shifted to banking and manufacturing. The mansion was sold in the early 1920's, to Sam Picks, providing refuge from his work in Chicago gangster organizations.

With upkeep on the mansion being excessive, the house served as a boarding house in the late 30's; then in the 1960's the neighboring Lutheran Church bought the Brumder. By 1997, the upkeep and repair work needed for the house presented a major challenge for the church. Carol Hirschi, willing to move into the now derelict neighborhood, bought the Brumder, along with its physical and otherworldly, challenges.With the mansion in a state of disrepair and institutional in appearance, Carol began the painstaking task of transforming the Brumder Mansion into what is seen today. Hirschi generated income for the renovations by converting the building into a Bed and Breakfast in 1998.

Carol Hirschi believed multiple ghosts are haunting the house with most of the activity centered on the Gold Suite. A visiting psychic confirmed Carol's impressions when she reported seeing the ghost of a woman and a child. Several experiences made Hirschi more familiar with these two entities.

The first night Carol spent in the Gold Suite with her dogs in the bed, she felt a presence and heard a stern voice in her head demanding her to remove the dogs immediately. In another instance she dreamt of a face of a woman staring down at her from one of the home's ornate ceiling medallions.

The most frightening of the bizarre experiences in the Gold Suite happened when Carol entered the room several days after someone checked out, to find several drops of fresh blood in the bathtub. Thinking blood was leaking through the ceiling and someone had died in an upstairs room, she went to investigate but found nothing.

Guests staying in The Gold Suite sometimes have intense dreams. If they have a dog in the room, they often dream of a woman sternly lecturing them to remove their pets or harm will come to them. Upon waking, patrons are filled with a strong desire to remove the animals. Guests have been locked out of the room even though the deadbolt of the door locks from the inside of the room. A German marriage certificate in a large frame with a sturdy wire on the back was hung on the wall; it mysteriously lifted itself off the wall and crashed face down onto the floor, cracking the glass. Upon closer inspection nothing was found to be wrong with the wire or the nails it was hung upon.

The woman is thought to be Susan, a maiden aunt, who came to live with the Brumder family when they moved into this mansion. As a young woman, her betrothed stood her up at the altar; something she never quite recovered from. Susan, also known as Aunt Pussy, spent a number of happy years living in the mansion on the second floor, now known as The Gold Suite. She loved simple furnishings, and followed an uncomplicated way of life. The visiting psychic conveyed a message to Hirschi that Aunt Pussy expressed her displeasure about the fancy furnishings in the renovation, and that she had trouble adjusting to the commotion associated with the Bed and Breakfast.

The second phantom sensed by the psychic, the young girl, may perhaps be the victim of disease or accidental death. She is believed to occasionally haunt the third floor and Emma's Room. Hirschi believed the more mischievous activity can be attributed to the ghost of the child. Carol once purchased a mirror and hung it over the sink of Gold Suite's bathroom. One day the mirror lifted itself off its nail, floated over to the bathtub and was shattered into shards.

Other areas in the homes also experience disturbances. In George's Room a staff member felt a cool breeze brush past her face and hair, billow the curtain, as it drafted through the room with no logical explanation. Guests will often hear objects moving in the bathroom. Silverware laid out on the dining room table the night before would be found turned around on the table the next morning. Guests and patrons of the little theater in the basement began seeing the entity of a woman, dressed in early 20th century clothing drifting through. A friend of Carol's saw a woman in a formal black dress float down the main staircase. In The Blue Room lights turn on and off by themselves. Doors have been heard to slam throughout the night, along with phantom footsteps, and breakable objects that fall from walls, but remain unharmed. In Marion's Room some think an entity of the young girl haunts this space. One ongoing occurrence involves a programmable doorbell which refused to operate when Carol set the tune. It only seemed to work when she left it alone, then it will play tunes randomly. "Happy Birthday" is one of the favorites.

During the winter of 2008 Carol resigned her ownership of the mansion to Tom and Julie Carr. As the years continue to pass hopefully the home will remain a fixture to the Milwaukee area and the Carrs keep the Brumder Mansion as a place where visitors can stay and feel a part of history. But if you decide to stay in the Gold Suite just make sure you leave your pets at home.

Forest Home Cemetery-Milwaukee, WI

2009-02-23T20:49:00.000-06:00

Under the unblinking gaze of Victorian Romanesque goddesses, angels and shrouded mourners pondering the death of those whose graves they watch over, visitors to the now 200 acre Forest Home Cemetery, Milwaukee Wisconsin, wind their way through the undulating landscape past reflecting gardens, ornate family crypts, imposing rain-streaked bronze statues and enormous monuments testifying to the rise of a large industrial city. The social elite are buried alongside laborers, radical politicians, beer barons, female anarchists, gangsters, and victims of epidemic and fire, equalized by their common fates in their final resting place.

Established in 1850, a church committee situated the cemetery of the original 72 acres on a known former Indian village and sacred effigy and burial mound site. The first burial, a gentleman of the name Orville Cadwell, occurred on August 5 in the same year of the cemetery’s founding. Cadwell found company shortly thereafter, as a cholera outbreak traced to a riverman from New Orleans via Chicago claimed lives in the newly-chartered city.

Post Civil War saw a boom in industry and with it, a boom in population. The dangers of industrial city life lurked here as in any other city of the time. In 1883 Newhall House Hotel went up in flames as Milwaukee firefighters battled a smaller fire elsewhere in the city. Calls went out for reinforcements from Chicago and Racine with little to no response. Documents of the time report a range of 73-90 deaths from the tragedy. All accounts agree that more than half of those who perished and brought to several area morgues were beyond identification. A mass grave for 64 victims commemorates the unknown with a memorial erected at the one-year anniversary of the fire.

In 1886 another notable tragedy occurred, as 14,000 laborers organized in Bay View to demonstrate discontent with labor conditions. The governor of the time issued a shoot-to-kill order, resulting in a 7 person massacre, including a young 13-year-old boy. The mayor of this time, Emil Wallber, is one of the cemetery’s distinguished guests.

Beer and wheat barons built themselves ornate Flemish-style mansions, theaters, office buildings, hotels, and high-society ballrooms in the late 1800’s into the early 1900’s throughout the downtown Milwaukee area. Political figures emerged from the populace and made themselves known nationally as leaders of the socialist movement. The evocative monuments and family crypts these individuals and families chose for themselves in death reflect their indelible mark on the city’s cultural and political landscape in life. Oppressive, deliberate, imposing, they are testimony of self-importance and a symbol of the competition among the elite.

Construction of the Gothic style Landmark Chapel, using Lake Superior Sandstone, a dark red sandstone found near the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior, started in 1890 and took two years to complete. The cemetery’s area grew to 200 acres by the turn of the century to accommodate the growing demand for bigger and better plots.

Modern improvements within Forest Home Cemetery include two large mausoleums. The Halls of History is an indoor temperature controlled mausoleum and community center. Along with the columbarium and crypts it houses, the center contains a number of permanent and changing exhibits that educate visitors about the history of Milwaukee and over 100 of its people. Adjacent to this is a large terraced outdoor mausoleum called Chapel Gardens. It contains above ground burials in porticos set by ornate colonnades, statues, and rose gardens. The Chapel and cemetery are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

NOTABLES
Forest Home Cemetery is home to over 110,000 burials, including 28 Milwaukee mayors, seven Wisconsin governors, and many noted industrialists.

Byron Kilbourn, Surveyor, railroad executive and co-founder of the City of Milwaukee
George Walker, early settler and co-founder of the City of Milwaukee
Frank Zeidler, three term socialist mayor of Milwaukee
Emil Wallber, Mayor during the Bay View Tragedy
Victor Berger, newspaper editor and founding member of the Socialist Party of America
George Peck, newspaper publisher, mayor of Milwaukee and governor of Wisconsin
Hans Crocker, editor of Milwaukee's first newspaper and politician
Sherman Booth, newspaper editor and abolitionist

Jacob Best, founder of what became the Pabst Brewing Company
Frederick Pabst, brewing magnate of Pabst Brewing Company fame
Joseph Schlitz, brewing magnate of Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company
August Krug, founder of what became the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company
Valentin Blatz, founder of the Valentin Blatz Brewing Company

William Davidson, co-founder of the Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Company
Lynde Bradley, co-founder of the Allen-Bradley corporation
Christopher Sholes, inventor of the first typewriter with QWERTY key layout

Increase Lapham, author, scientist, and early American naturalist, documented the cemetery site as a burial ground before all traces of the past were destroyed.

Alfred Lunt & Lynn Fontanne, famous award winning husband and wife Broadway acting team

Alexander Mitchell, wealthy banking magnate and Mitchell family patriarch
Billy Mitchell, U.S. Army General who is regarded as the father of the U.S. Air Force
Lysander Cutler, politician and Union Army general during the American Civil War
Ole Petersen, founder of Methodism in Norway

Although identified by many resources as one of the most haunted cemeteries in Wisconsin, accounts of paranormal events are elusive.

The hill adjacent to the tranquil, shadowy reflecting pond on the north side of the cemetery downhill from the main offices and mausoleums, has been said to cause strange reactions in some people who walk on it, making them feel sick and fearful.

One visitor reported visions of splintered coffins and shredded corpses, followed by the onset of headaches and bloodshot eyes.

One could suppose that undocumented bitter rivalries many yet extend into the afterlife, especially among the beer barons. One such rivalry might have existed between Valentin Blatz and Johann Braun, both interred in the cemetery. Blatz opened a brewery next to Braun’s in 1850, incorporated Braun’s facilities into his own after Braun’s death in 1852, and finished the deal by marrying Braun’s widowed bride.
A modern brewing club, the Beer Barons, provides an opportunity in October to come out to the grounds to seek the paranormal. The club provides Ghost Tours for interested parties.

Yawkey Mansion-Wausau, WI

2009-02-17T10:52:00.000-06:00

Elegant, sophisticated, refined from all appearances. The hallmarks of a beautifully restored and maintained turn-of-the-century mansion. Dark, brooding, and haunted upon closer inspection.

Built in 1900 to 1901 in the Classical Revival style designed by the Milwaukee architects Henry Van Ryn and Gerrit de Gelleke, the Yawkey Mansion of Wausau, WI, features large columns and a pedimented portico, 16 rooms and 7 fireplaces. Stained glass windows illuminate the staircase. Eight years after the house was built owners Cyrus and his wife AliceYawkey hired George W. Maher to remodel the first floor and add a two- story addition with a sun porch to the east side of the house.
Originally from Michigan, the Yawkeys moved to northern Wisconsin in 1889 when Cyrus joined with his uncle and a business partner from the Yawkey and Lee Lumber Company. A town was founded by the venture and Alice Yawkey named it Hazelhurst due to the abundance of hazelnut trees in the area. Ten years later, in 1899, the Yawkeys moved to Wausau where Cyrus was the uncontested leader of the Wausau Group. The Wausau Group was composed of wealthy lumbermen who pooled their resources in hopes of improving Wausau's economy as the logging industry was dying in the area. After Cyrus’s death in 1943, Alice continued living in the house until her own death in 1953. Their only child, Leigh Yawkey Woodson, and her daughters presented the house to the Marathon County Historical Society in 1954.

Cyrus Yawkey is believed to continue walking the halls of his beloved mansion. Phantom footsteps can be heard in the upstairs hallway and descending the main staircase. Strange odors have been reported in an upstairs room along with the smell of pipe tobacco in the first floor staircase landing. Staff has reported the sound of a telephone ringing in a room that has no phone. A book of poetry has been known to be moved from one exhibit to another by unseen hands. The door alarm often sounds by itself. A member of the staff has heard Mr. Yawkey’s name being called. Alone in the museum at the time, the frightened staffer tried to exit through the basement door and found it to be held shut. Employees on a lunch break in the kitchen once witnessed a soda bottle cap move across a table before falling to the floor.