Have You Ever . . . ?

Have you ever awakened to the sound of boots thumping up stairs or a piercing sliver of light creeping underneath your door? Is it true that you are just "scaring yourself" because the home in which you are staying is rumored to be "haunted"? There will be plenty of people who will tell you either way; half will say it's all in your imagination, that there is nothing a little reasonable science won't explain. But the other half will go so far as to suggest the paranormal, and that creepy feeling may go up and down your spine. So what is it that makes places "haunted" and why do so many people believe in this phenomenon?

Get Ready For A Thrill Ride

Houses are not the only things that are classified as haunted. In some cases whole towns and cities are thought to be under the grip of some otherworldly power unexplainable by the human mind. America has hundreds of destinations, some well-known, others mere dots on a map, that bring ghost-hunters by the dozens. Get a map, an open mind and a whole lot of room for doubt and see some American cities that have far more ghostly reputation than they will ever need. You will be traveling to the East Coast, starting in the icy breath of Massachusetts and ending in the sunny tropical pleasure of Florida.

Where We'll Be Going

• First, you will open your compass and head to Massachusetts for the first stop on your tour of the bizarre. Salem, Massachusetts is known to be one of the most haunted places in America, and once you discover the story behind the shocking historical event, you'll understand why many people believe souls are in jeopardy.
• Our next stop will be Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, once a bleak and desolate field of death. The beauty and serenity of the park now bears no resemblance to the horror of 1863. You will hear some of the most entrancing stories and sense the encounters in your mind's eye as though you stood where countless men once faced their doom.
• St. Augustine, Florida is the oldest city to be inhabited by Europeans (settled 1565) that survived over the centuries. In those four hundred years, there have been many opportunities for the former residents to show up in unexpected places and startle us among the living. Many times, tourists have the "pleasure" of being selected for these sightings, too.

SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS

The Story

In 1692, most people living in the far North of what is now the United States were English Puritans. The Puritans were a Protestant sect that placed right behavior, extremely strict living, and high moral standards at the head of their faith-based communities. Even small offenses were punished and bemoaned to such a degree that the people lived in fear of spiritual evil in their day-to-day lives. When a group of teenage girls began seeing "witches," the elders, who usually ignored advice from adolescents, took notice. Without proper trial, they condemned the men and women that the girls accused. It is thought in this modern age that the girls may have been playing upon the religious notions of the day to get the attention they felt they deserved, and that the people chosen, usually women, may have been predominantly bullied because of family feuds or "unacceptable" financial status.

Men and women were put to death for months in 1692, until a high official's wife was accused, and only then did the killings end. Most of the accused "witches" were hanged until dead, but a choice few were selected for more malicious endings. Giles Cory, an aged husband and father, was accused and bore his death with fortitude as heavy stones were piled over his body periodically. Even to this day a feeling of death, of sorrow and evil intent, is said by some to hang over the city.

The Hauntings

Try visiting Salem's jail for some thrilling times. The jail itself isn't of note, but the field behind it, where Howard Cemetery was recently placed, is where a grisly event took place. Giles Cory, the man crushed with stones because he refused to plead guilty and thus lose his property for his future heirs, met his fate here. It is rumored that he singled out George Corwin, the sheriff of Salem village in 1692, not only because he was the mastermind behind Giles' death but because Sheriff Corwin received the land Giles Cory had worked so hard to maintain. He is said to have cursed Corwin and even the very village where he had lived for many years.

Fast forward many centuries to more recent days. Whenever something occurs that seriously affects Salem's citizens, such as natural disasters, it is attributed to Giles Cory and his curse. Also, records say that every sheriff that has inhabited the jail since Corwin was sheriff has been diagnosed with the same ailment, resulting in either passing away on the job or becoming too ill to work at the station. You decide. Is it coincidence? One has to wonder if the people of Salem are still too eager to pin disasters on a malevolent force, just as they were in the black days of 1692.

Old Burial Point is to some a historical attraction by way of its claim to fame. It is one of America's oldest cemeteries. To thrill-seekers, the place is much more. This is where, long after the suspected "witches" were hanged by the Puritan hierarchy, a monument was placed to pay homage to the victims who many believe were wrongly accused. Walking in this misty ancient cemetery at night brings chills, and there are not just because of the chilly Northern evenings. Few cemeteries of such infamous repute are accessible in the whole of the United States.

GETTYSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA

The Story

By the year 1863, Gettysburg's over 2,000 civilians had a good year ahead of them. Their farms and businesses were booming, with promise of a wonderful summer. However, as the month of June 1863 crept to a close, an ominous whisper came on the wind. Rebel soldiers, Confederates from Robert E. Lee's huge Southern army, were drifting closer. Before citizens had time to contemplate the destruction of an invasion force, the "rebs" were here.

For three days, July 1-3, 1863, the pallor of death covered the small Pennsylvania borough. Many thousands fell, never to awaken again, and thousands more were wounded, returning home torn and broken, with horrible haunting memories of the place called Gettysburg. It is a known fact that the things happening at Gettysburg don't seem to be what people call "normal," and too many visitors and locals have documented "sensing" things for it to be mere coincidence.

The Hauntings

Ask anyone to share what they think is the most haunted place on the Gettysburg battlefield, and many will say Devil's Den. Its name alone is enough to chill the spine, but the story is even more ominous. Soldiers hid among the huge boulders created by natural upheavals under the earth, waiting for death to seek them out. When the fight of the second day was over, men lay in among the rocks, their spirits long departed. To this day, various people from different states and different walks of life have claimed to see a "Texan," a wide-eyed man with disheveled clothing and hair, wandering around the boulders. To make the story stranger, it is a documented fact that Texas soldiers did have a huge part in claiming the rock pile for the Confederacy.

Jennie Wade is one of Gettysburg's civilian celebrities, but she has a sorrowful claim to fame. Jennie, whose birth name was Mary Virginia Wade, was the only civilian to be killed in Gettysburg during the three days of battle. It is surprising that there were not more serious casualties among the townsfolk, because Confederate sharpshooters took up residence in the town's homes and aimed at Union men on Cemetery Hill. Jennie was soon to be married to a Union soldier whom she loved very deeply, when a bullet took her life as she did her baking. Some who tour the quaint brick double-family home (actually Jennie's sister's home) can sense her presence. Jennie's father James Wade Sr., who died estranged from the family, may also have taken up residence there. Visitors have mentioned feeling sorrow and desperation in the house, and wonder if it is Jennie's father trying to communicate his apologies to his daughter.

For those who want a hotspot for haunting that many Gettysburg tourists seem to find effective for finding "evidence," try Sachs Bridge. It is located mere miles from the sacred beauty of the battlefield. In 1863, both armies trod this 1850s red covered bridge, and gruesome tales have cemented the idea of its spiritual link. Rumor tells that three soldiers were hanged here, apparently for desertion, and whether or not this is true, there is evidence that there was a field hospital here along the riverbank. Perhaps the bridge itself was used for surgeons' work. Encounters vary, but taking pictures in the gloom of night has brought many surprising results to curious ghost-hunters.

ST. AUGUSTINE, FLORIDA

The Story

St. Augustine, Florida combines the Spanish colonial charm of Santa Fe with the tropical beauty of northeastern Florida, and for centuries people seeking asylum and health have flocked to its venerable shores. Whether or not the "fountain of youth" cured those who sought its powers, St. Augustine did indeed provide a place to convalesce and help others feel young again. However, some people drawn to St. Augustine over the years never did return home again ...

With over four hundred years of history, it is expected that St. Augustine should possess many of its own spirits. After all, the city was founded on violence; in October 1565, Spanish conquerors found French soldiers and settlers on Florida's shores. The Frenchmen were martyred just fifteen miles from where the grand, charming city now stands. If there was ever a place to sense strange happenings, this marshy inlet is it. Over the years, St. Augustine grew, changed, and went through many disasters that some believe left many unhappy spirits to relive their sorrowful ends.

The Hauntings

Castillo de San Marcos, built by the Spanish over a period of twenty years, is a great gray beacon at the edge of the city. It looms like a formidable castle on top of a grassy hill, and has become connected to quite a few local rumors. Few souls venture into the narrow abysmal rooms at night, and the tiny dungeon off the main guardrooms gives some visitors an uneasy feeling of despair and apprehension. No one knows when the spirits are from (if there are indeed any) because soldiers guarded the Castillo for three hundred years. The raid of 1740 by English soldiers may have propelled some into the spirit world; the transaction of St. Augustine to the British might have created some unwelcome vibes. No one knows why they are there, but most agree there is something about the damp rooms that invites further exploration.

The St. Augustine Lighthouse is located on Anastasia Island and is easily accessible to tourists. Unfortunately, it also seems to be easily accessible to whomever or whatever may linger there. Tales of drowning victims, captains who refuse to leave their posts, and unfortunate accidents abound. The original buildings were torn apart by fire in the middle of the 20th century and the lighthouse was reconstructed; does residue of the original structure and its inhabitants still remain?

St. Augustine offers many ghost tours from hearse rides to ghost walks that allow you to experience the underbelly of the city's vivid history. These eerie tours make you feel like you are stepping inside the grave with Judge Stickney, who reputedly wanders the 19th century Huguenot cemetery, or like you are searching an old Spanish colonial home for your lover, like Lily of the St. Francis Inn. Perhaps they will give you a lot more familiarly with the spirits than you are willing to endure.

External Links:

• Salem, Massachusetts Witch Trials - Informative site about the trials and life in 1692
• Ghost Tours of St. Augustine - Details what you'll be seeing and a few choice tales
• Ghosts of Gettysburg - Tours connected with Mark Nesbitt's series of books