Published by Haunted America
A Division of The History Press
Charleston, SC
www.historypress.net
Copyright 2017 by Jennifer Jones
All rights reserved
Front cover: Photograph in the Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division.
First published 2017
e-book edition 2017
ISBN 978.1.43966.292.2
Library of Congress Control Number: 2017945015
print edition ISBN 978.1.46713.785.0
Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
CONTENTS
FOREWORD
While growing up, one of the greatest lessons for me was the value of questioning the obvious. I soon discovered that most experiences have many layers and that to understand them takes more than a cursory glance. I tend to ponder and research evidence, especially in the field of paranormal phenomena. I am a skeptic.
Ive identified three commonalities in places where Ive personally experienced ghostly activity. The first is some sort of traumatic event. It could be localized to a specific period or generalized as ongoing and painful. Second is an intensely passionate connection between the living individual(s) at some point and the location itself. The third is desecration of a grave or a burial site. I go into every location with no expectations but remain open to whatever experiences I might encounter. Without documentation of any of the aforementioned circumstances, the chances of documenting supernatural events seem to be reduced significantly, no matter how spooky the place might look.
While preparing to hit the road to film the television show Haunted Encounters, my research of one location in Massachusetts was giving me trouble. The prior residents history, albeit tragic, appeared to be heavily recycled; nothing tied back to the structure itself. Needing another set of eyes, I pointed Jennifer Jones in its direction and got out of her way. What she came up with forced me to change my entire approach to the investigation. I can safely say that the result was incredible and extremely emotional. The overlooked individual from the family was the one still haunting the hallways of the impressive mansion. The matriarch, forced to endure more tragedy than most of us could imagine, followed by dying slowly and painfully, isnt necessarily what makes a good ghost story. But she is without a doubt responsible for this one.
Another recent example is a museum here in Utah that the curator asked us to investigate a few months ago. At first glance, the buildings background gave no indication as to why it might be haunted. Jen identified a few key figures that we should focus on. We subsequently identified incredible ghostly interactions and determined that the structure was haunted. We also found out who was haunting it. While recording audio, I asked, How can we be sure its you? The response was a clear and eerie My name is [omitted to preserve the anonymity of the location]. If we want answers, we must ask the right questions. With Jen in my corner, I have the luxury of always knowing what those questions are.
While the media is often overcrowded with the smoke and mirrors of carnival-like entertainment, there is truth to be found. This is where constantly evolving methodology employed in a scientific dynamic is critical. I truly believe documented history is the most valuable and underused resource in the field of paranormal investigation.
This is important because the dead were once the living. Going on location armed with accurate historical information dramatically increases the chances for spirit interaction. Jennifers dedication to historical research and documentation is reflected in this book. From haunted spots to urban legends, she tells the stories that were once forgotten or distorted by various imaginations. As you will see in the following pages, Jennifers writing beautifully marries history with a personal commentary that is a joy to read.
I can say without any doubt that Jennifer Jones is far and away the greatest historian of the haunted that the paranormal community has known. I believe that her unbridled tenacity combined with patience, attention to detail and natural talent give her the ability to find and deliver documented history.
Helmey Kramer
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This book is dedicated to the many souls whose stories I am honored to have researched and been able to share; to my children, who were patient with me over the many hours I spent locked away writing; and finally, to Matthew, without whose help and encouragement this book would have never been written.
INTRODUCTION
Ghosts. The topic always seems to draw two distinct reactions: they definitely exist, or there is no such thing! Some of us are drawn to try to learn as much as we can about the paranormal. In the last few years, paranormal TV shows have exploded in popularity. New paranormal teams are popping up every day, as are annual paranormal conferences and ghost walks. What is it about the paranormal world that some people cant seem to get enough of? If theyre like me, its because theyre fascinated with the possibility of life existing in some form after we die. Or perhaps theyve had their own experiences with something they cant quite explain and theyre looking for answers. Whatever their beliefs or backgrounds, its hard to deny that interest in the paranormal has been around for a very long time. This interest started making front-page news during the spiritualist movement of the Victorian era and steadily gained in popularity with the work of people such as Hans Holzer and Ed and Lorraine Warren. This in turn led to the phenomenon of paranormal TV shows beginning in the late 1990s.
When I was a child, I had an encounter with what I would describe now as a shadow figure. It started me on this path of fascination with ghost stories and tales of haunted places. As an adult, I decided to take my fascination one step further and go out looking for experiences and maybe even some answers. In 2007, I formed a paranormal team and began to investigate reportedly haunted locations. Over the years, I tried to improve the way my team did its work. We tried to investigate locations in such a way as to rule out all natural, explainable causes for things people were reporting. More times than not we could come up with rational explanations for odd sounds, feelings and other complaints people had. But every now and then, we would encounter things that we couldnt explain away. After doing this for a while, you tend to notice that truly haunted places have a certain feel. To me, the best way to explain it is that it feels as if youre walking into a wall of static electricity. The hairs on my arms and the back of my neck stand up, and I often feel a tingly sensation in my hands and fingers.
In 2012, I was in the process of working toward a degree in history and decided to leave the paranormal team; the pursuit of my degree was a priority, and running a very busy paranormal team took up so much of my time. After leaving the group, I had an idea to combine my love for history and for the paranormal. I began to research the true stories behind haunted locations and urban legends. So many times, stories of haunted locations are passed from person to person, and they begin to change and take on a life of their own. Names and dates get changed, and whatever had occurred was often lost to time. I wanted to know how many of the stories behind these haunted places were based in truth.
