04 Friday May 2018
Posted in Crimes, Famous Locations, Famous People, Haunt Jaunts, True Crime, Uncategorized
≈ Comments Off on #FunFactFriday
Tags
#FunFactFriday, Al Capone, Atlanta Penitentiary, James "Jimmy" Clark, St. Valentine's Day Massacre
Head on over to HauntJaunts.net to read my latest blog. On this day in 1932, one of America’s most notorious mobsters entered the Atlanta Penitentiary along with a ghost.
Read the blog here: https://www.hauntjaunts.net/haunted-al-capone-goes-to-the-atlanta-penitentiary/.
06 Friday Apr 2018
Posted in Abandoned America, Famous Locations, Hospitals, Uncategorized
Tags
alpha concepts llc, black mold, diane hayes, gary stephen hayes, gene vess, klinge brothers, osph closed, osph ghost hunts llc, unpaid taxes
Old South Pittsburg Hospital Shut Down
Old South Pittsburg Hospital (OSPH) has been shut down by the City of South Pittsburg, Tennessee. The shuttered hospital is a favorite location for paranormal enthusiasts as it provides unlimited access to three levels, sits in a quiet residential neighborhood, and is easily accessible off the interstate. OSPH will remain closed for an indefinite time.
The hospital was operational from 1959-1998 until a modern hospital was built in the next town. Physician Gary Stephen Hayes and Diane D. Hayes purchased the abandoned facility in March 2000 for $202,500. At some point, the property was re-deeded in the name of Alpha Concepts, LLC, an administratively dissolved company. State records indicate the LLC was administratively dissolved in 2007. [Dissolution is not fatal for a company. It means that a company has not remained current in paying state fees; however, a company can pay late fees and become current in most states.] Early reports stated that the property was deeded to OSPH Ghost Hunts, LLC, another administratively dissolved company (2016); however, I could not confirm. Either way, the address for Alpha Concepts leads back to Dr. Hayes. It’s his Alfa Romeo tucked in one of the hallways.
An anonymous caller contacted the city complaining about black mold and possible unsafe conditions. City Administrator Gene Vess told media outlets that black mold was found, causing an environmental hazard. Coupled with the zoning violations and the lack of proper city and state business licenses, the owners face a large hurdle to clear before events may resume; however, unsuspecting travelers may not know.
According to the OSPH website, the hospital is open for business. Nothing on the site indicates problems. Their Facebook page is more candid, although overly optimistic about how long the renovations will take, let alone the cost. A quick online calculator shows that the clean-up on the black mold will run from $30,000-54,000. Ouch. The price increases if other environmental hazards, like asbestos, are discovered. Word of caution: I’m concerned with the language used on the FB page stating that their employees are removing the black mold. At no time should inexperienced employees, family, or volunteers attempt to remove black mold. Black mold is dangerous.
Additional events are actively promoted tonight. The ticketing site appeared to let me purchase a $139 ticket to investigate with the Klinge Brothers. At no time did the site alert me to the closure. Troubling.
The March 2018 closure was not the first problem OSPH has experienced. The federal government filed a lawsuit on the 1100 Holly Avenue property last September (2017). The suit alleges that the Hayes failed to pay $506,036 in unpaid taxes, plus an additional $46,679 in employment taxes from another location. To date, the suit has not been settled or come before the Court.
This week’s news of the facility being closed indefinitely highlights the problems with abandoned properties. When I investigated OSPH, I was not informed that black mold was present. I was warned not to step on the tiles in the basement chapel as they would release asbestos but nothing on black mold. [I was extremely careful in the chapel—just saying.] What happens when property owners fail to inspect the grounds for environmental hazards? Or after inspecting the property, they decide to withhold information? Deeply troubling. I will be following up over the summer with answers and comments. Stay tuned.
30 Friday Mar 2018
Posted in Camps, Cemeteries, Famous Locations, Florida Mysteries, Hauntings, Historic Places, Road Trip, Roadside Attractions, Uncategorized
≈ Comments Off on Spring Break Road Trip: Cassadaga, Florida
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carl hiaasen, cassadaga hotel, devils chair, george p colby, lake helen cemetery, lily dale ny, psychic center of the south, tom petty casa dega
Spring Break Road Trip: Cassadaga, Florida
Spring Break is in full swing, and there are some off-the-beaten-path places worth exploring. One of them is Cassadaga, Florida. Cassadaga is 40 minutes north of Orlando, off I-4 or an hour and ½ southeast of Ocala. Here are 10 things to know before you go:
Happy Travels!
28 Wednesday Mar 2018
Posted in Abandoned America, Famous Locations, Hospitals, Road Trip, Uncategorized
Tags
hawkinsville state hospital, old hawkinsville state hospital, taunton state hospital, trans-allegheny lunatic asylum
Hawkinsville State Hospital, Georgia Archives.
Why Hospitals Are Haunted
Ghosts haunt hospitals. Paranormal teams can investigate a lot of shuttered hospitals; however, very few have access to those that are open. Unlike cemeteries where the dead don’t have a strong connection, hospitals across the nation are the perfect locations for residual hauntings.
Prior to 1885, sick people were cared for at home by their family. According to Wendy Cage, author of Paging God: Religion in the Halls of Medicine, early American hospitals “provided lodging for the homeless, the poor, and travelers.” While some cities operated hospitals, a large number were established by religious organizations, specifically Protestant, Catholic, and Jewish organizations. Volunteer chaplains in many of these hospitals visited nearly every patient who died while admitted. Religious beliefs, prayer, and spirituality played a large role in the hospital ministry, even in an unofficial capacity. God and the afterlife may have been contemplated.
The pre-1920 hospital was where people went to die, not heal. These facilities were the place of last resort; staff were compassionate and helped ease death. For some, it was the last positive human experience; therefore, it would make sense that some dead would remain.
Modern US hospitals emerged after the Civil War. By 1920, people went to the hospital to be cured—not die. However, those who died in these hospitals may still have had a connection to the better service they received and may linger long after death.
Taunton State Hospital, Taunton, Mass.
Not all spirits who haunt hospitals are malevolent. In fact, there are numerous stories of helpful spirits or friendly spirits in closed hospitals. Nurses are commonly identified as haunting hospitals. Patients, too, linger. Few spirits are truly evil. Of these evil spirits, many may have not died at the hospital but are drawn there. However, abandoned asylums may be a different story.
Most of the facilities featured on Top Haunted Hospital lists were actually asylums. Further, a lot of these asylums and sanatoriums were horrible places. Cruelty prevailed. Understandably, these locations have a lot of negative energy and evil spirits attached. These abandoned facilities are dangerous. Anyone contemplating investigating an asylum or sanatorium should protect herself in body and mind. Say your prayers. Call on your spirit guides for protection. And when leaving, make sure that nothing or no one follows you home.
Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, West Virginia
If you find yourself in a hospital, look for these identify factors to see if the hospital is haunted:
Crisis and death happen at hospitals. Staff are employed over long periods of time and are attached to hospitals. Paranormal teams should head out to rural hospitals that have been closed and abandoned to investigate. These facilities present an opportunity to test new equipment, practice techniques, and discover new stories. Hit me up; I may tag along!
27 Tuesday Feb 2018
Posted in Camps, Famous Locations, Famous People, friday the 13th, In the News, ParaNews, Reviews, TV Reviews, Uncategorized
≈ Comments Off on ParaNews for the Week of February 26, 2018
Paranormal News for the Week of February 26th, 2018
ParaNews for the Week of February 26, 2018
Three take-aways to begin your week:
24 Saturday Feb 2018
Posted in Camps, Famous Locations, friday the 13th, Uncategorized
≈ Comments Off on Welcome to Camp Crystal Lake*
Welcome to Camp Crystal Lake*
Love the Friday the 13th franchise? Looking for a camp to pitch your tent and to experience a semi-Jason Voorhees experience? The real-life Camp No-Be-Bo-Sco is opening its doors for public overnight stays this April 13-14. Book early to enter the lottery for a chance to dine with actress Adrienne King, “Alice” in Friday the 13th (1980). The minimum age is 21 years old. Ticket prices range from $135-$175 for the tours; the special VIP experience pricing will be determined by auction. For more information, visit https://www.crystallaketours.com/news/.
*Camp Crystal Lake is the fictitious camp for first installment of the F13 franchise. The Boy Scouts own and operate the camp, which is predominantly closed to the public.
23 Friday Feb 2018
Posted in Famous Locations, Ghost Hunting, Haunted Houses, Hauntings, Historic Places, Hospitals, Uncategorized
≈ Comments Off on Old South Pittsburg Hospital Offering Daytime Ghost Hunts
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Old South Pittsburg Hospital Offering Daytime Ghost Hunts
Beginning on February 12, 2018, the people who run Old South Pittsburg Hospital (OSPH) will begin holding daytime ghost hunts. The price is $25 per person. Contact Stacey at 423.362.0089 to book your tickets.
The Old South Pittsburg Hospital opened in 1959. The 107-bed hospital is comprised of 68,000 square feet. The facility closed in 1980. Paranormal investigation teams are welcomed at the abandoned hospital. Archer Paranormal Investigations participated in a weekend hunt a few years ago. We captured great evidence from the Chapel and the third floor.
The hospital in a short drive from Chattanooga. Check out their website for additional information: http://osphghosthunts.com/.
22 Wednesday Nov 2017
Posted in Famous Locations, Famous People, Lizzie Borden, Uncategorized
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Lizzie Borden’s “Maplecroft” For Sale
Lizzie Borden’s Post-Acquittal home is for sale. “Maplecroft” was placed on the market for $849,900 in September. Failing to entice a buyer, the home has been reduced to $799,000. Although not as salacious as the “Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast,” Maplecroft holds insight into Lizzie’s life after she was acquitted for the murders of her father and stepmother.
Built for Charles Allen in 1889, Maplecroft is a classic Queen Anne Victorian single-family home. Boasting 8 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms, the 3-story home has been partially renovated. Borden and her sister purchased the home in 1894. After her death on June 1, 1927, Borden was laid out in the parlor. The home has changed hands several, though not alarmingly numerous, times.
The current owner is in fact a company, Twilight Enterprises. One of the primary owners, Kristee Bates, initially envisioned turning the home into a bed and breakfast. That did not happen. Three years since acquisition, the company seeks to unload the nearly 4,000 square feet home.
Located at 306 French Street, Fall River, Massachusetts, the home is offered with all the furnishings.
The home has generated several stories; however, the house isn’t noted as having any paranormal activity. It appears to be a typical home in a quiet neighborhood. Indeed, it may be ideal for someone who is fascinated with Lizzie Borden but doesn’t want the paranormal baggage her tragic life carries.
09 Monday Oct 2017
Posted in Famous Locations, Ghost Hunting, Uncategorized, Vandalism
≈ Comments Off on Stop Trashing the Woods!
Stop Trashing the Woods!
Legitimate ghost hunters respect property. They leave the location cleaner than when they arrived. Unfortunately, amateur hunters aren’t as courteous. In 2013, the historic LeBeau Plantation in Old Arabi, Louisiana burned down when stoned adventurers trespassed onto the property. Since 2012, the Woodland Trust for Dering Wood in Smarden, Kent has spent nearly £50,000 in security and trash collection. Ghost hunters are ruining the semi-natural park.
Woods are popular locations for ghost hunting, and Dering Wood is one of the most famous in England. Dering Wood is also known as the “Screaming Woods.” Investigators claim to hear piercing screams day and night. It’s also a favorite for paranormal television shows. People like camping out in the forest; however, they are making a mess.
One way to ruin a paranormal location is by vandalizing it. The trust spends a lot of money on something they shouldn’t have to. Instead, they could re-invest the money into the property that was saved from development. The damage has been deemed “unsustainable.” If that truly is the case, then park management may take drastic measures to keep everyone out. That would ruin the woods for all.
07 Saturday Oct 2017
Posted in Famous Locations, Photography, Uncategorized
≈ Comments Off on “Ghosts” Captured on Film at The Stanley Hotel?
“Ghosts” Captured on Film at The Stanley Hotel?
The Huffington Post reported yesterday of two ghosts appearing in the same photograph taken at the Stanley Hotel. Ben Hansen, former FBI agent and host of Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files, stated there weren’t any obvious signs of trickery. However, that doesn’t mean the images taken with the digital camera are real. In fact, there are several issues with these “ghosts.”
The first “ghost” is obvious. It’s a little girl wearing a nightgown or dress while standing on the top stair before the landing. Her back is turned away from the photographer. She is partially transparent.
The second image is a little bit easier to dismiss. On the left staircase, a figure appears to be walking upstairs. The photographer doesn’t remember a person standing there. That doesn’t mean there wasn’t someone there. The article states that there were 11 in his party on the larger tour. This person on the stairs is moving quickly. The camera shutter speed was slow in taking the photograph. We know that by looking at one of the boys sitting on the bench. He, too, is moving faster than the others. He is blurred just like the image on the staircase. Therefore, this image was created, intentionally or unintentionally, with a slow shutter speed.
Additional photographs taken right before and immediately after would help authenticate this picture. These pictures would serve as baseline images to show whether something or someone was in one photo but not the next one in succession. Unfortunately, this rarely happens. We get only one image to discuss.
The blurry person on the staircase is a person who was moving too quickly for the shutter speed on the camera. Honest mistake. The second semi-transparent image is not a ghost either. Is it trickery on the part of the photographer? Who knows. But it made for an interesting discussion.
