Adam Woog - Haunted Washington: Uncanny Tales and Spooky Spots from the Upper Left-Hand Corner of the United States

HAUNTED WASHINGTON

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Copyright 2013 by Morris Book Publishing, LLC

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Text design: Sheryl P. Kober
Editor: Meredith Dias
Project editor: Lauren Szalkiewicz
Layout: Lisa Reneson, Two Sisters Design

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Woog, Adam, 1953-

Haunted Washington : uncanny tales and spooky spots from the upper left-hand corner of the United States / Retold by Adam Woog.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-0-7627-7186-8

1. Haunted placesWashington (State) I. Title.

BF1472.U6W6665 2013

133.109797dc23

2012050292

Printed in the United States of America

987654321

This ones for Harriet Baskas, my longtime comrade in arms. Harriet, thanks for being spookedby so many commitments and so little timethat I got a chance to write this book.

And for my family. Love and happiness, always, to Karen and Leah.

My thanks to the many people who offered their time and knowledge, in particular: Lisa Barksdale, Ferry County Historical Society; Eirena Birkenfeld, Orcas Island Historical Society and Museum; Patricia Brown, Columbia River Exhibition of History, Science, and Technology; Mary Byrd, Dayton Historical Depot Society; Bruce Cowan and Deb Pedersen, Port Townsend; Susan Daniel, Kitsap County Historical Society and Museum; David George Gordon, Port Townsend; Troy Lugenbill, Lynden Pioneer Museum; JoAnne Matsumura, Black Diamond Historical Society; Steve and Judy Metcalf, Olympia; Gregg Olsen, Olalla; Garry Schalliol, Washington State Historical Society; Margaret Shields, Lewis County Historical Museum; Randy Stilson, Olympia; Milton Wagy, Ellensburg Public Library; Janet Wainwright, Seattle; and Steve Willis, Olympia.

What is it about Washington State that makes this place (or at least parts of it) so very spooky? Its tempting to blame the weather, at least in the western half of the state: That regions rain and overcast skies naturally lend themselves to hunkering down inside shelters for much of the year, and sometimes theres little else to do on long winter nights besides tell entertaining stories. (And whats more entertaining than the supernatural?)

But blaming the rain can be, at best, only a partial explanation. There are plenty of places (even in America) that get more annual rainfall, and in truth Western Washington has far more overcast days than ones with actual rain.

Furthermore, gray skies and cool climates dont explain the abundance of ghostly tales on the other side of the Cascade Curtainthe eastern part of the state, across the Cascade Mountains. There, the weather is starkly different: hot in summer, cold in winter, and almost always dry.

On the other hand, the extremes in temperature in Eastern Washington can drive its residents to stay indoors a lotwith the same storytelling results.

Or could the underlying reason for the wealth of ghost stories here be the relative isolation of the region, both before and after the early days of European settlement? Did that relative isolationthe feeling that youre out there all alone and relatively unprotectedlead to speculation during those long and spooky nights about the existence of unearthly phenomena?

And then theres the related fact of the states extremely varied geography and demographics. Youve got the dark, foreboding rain forests and sparsely populated islands of the states far northwest corner; the blue-collar ports and logging towns that dot the southwest part of the state; the rolling hills, near-deserts, and fertile farm- and ranchlands of Central and Eastern Washington; the rugged and remote mountains, especially the Olympic range on the Olympic Peninsula and the Cascade range that divides the state into western and eastern halves; and the rich heritage of the states Native American tribes. Not to mention the cultural and ethnic diversity of the states overall population, both urban and rural. Could the unique characteristics of each of these factors contribute to the number and variety of the states eerie tales?

Frankly, all these explanations seem like a stretch to me. I think the real underlying reason is much more prosaic, and certainly not unique to the region. Its just that people like a good story, especially one that has the potential to scare them out of their socks.

Furthermore, good stories are much more than just entertainment. They also bind societies and groups of people together in profound ways. This is perhaps especially true in the case of stories about subjects that are beyond the understanding of humankind.

Sandy Strehlou, historic preservation coordinator for the town of Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, knows this well. She notes, Ghost stories, tall tales, and local lore are part of who we are as a community. If nothing else, they are another of the countless shared experiences that make our placethis placeunique. When they are tied to a building or site, they give us another reason to recall history, to wonder about what came before.

And, deep thoughts aside, theyre just good stories.

For whatever reason, Washington State has no shortage of places that nurture legends of ghostly happenings, strange sightings, and stories about inexplicable, possibly otherworldly events. This book, Haunted Washington, takes a shot at surveying a small handful of these stories.

Writing Haunted Washington was way too much fun, but it was not without its frustrations. Specifically, I found it hard to verify a great many of the stories I heard. I have tried to include only material that had a basis in more than just someones overactive imagination.

My working conditions for inclusion were: A story needed to be mentioned in at least one book or article from a reputable media source and/or involve a well-established legend.

The key word here is reputable. I am astonished every time I research a book at how some people accept at face value unsubstantiated or incorrect information. Especially with subjects like haunted places and paranormal events, its too easy to rely on hearsay. So Ive tried to avoid regurgitating all of the countless, repetitive versions of my friend saw something spooky tales that float around so freely.

(Having said that, I hope I didnt make any embarrassing mistakes myself.)

Im aware that many colorful ghost tales are invented or inflated by restaurants, bars, and other businesses. Clearly, its good for business to generate publicity via an otherworldly tale or two. As such, these stories are hardly unbiased. Still, Ive included some tales despite their dubious originssimply because theyre good stories.

I have also avoided any direct mention of the states many paranormal research groups and individuals, because I wanted to avoid any show of favoritism or bias. I appreciate the efforts of these various explorers and wish them only the best.