Click for video Residents of the city of Luque witnessed a strange luminous object late at night. It was soon reported as a UFO. Startled, they described the event and displayed the recording.
inexplicata - According to their story, the sighting involved a large object with several lights whose colors changed constantly.
Raul Torres explained that his sister informed him of the object's manifestation. He went outside for a look and realized that it was an object moving slowly across the skies, with lights that changed colors.
"It wasn't your ordinary star. It moved and then remained still," added Selva Torres. "Its bright flashes, and its colors, impressed us all. Many of us here were watching."
NOTE: I just wish people would stop using the 'X-Files' theme on these videos. Anyway, it's not the best quality video but depicts some interesting movement from this object. Luque is near the national capital Asuncion in central Paraguay...Lon
NOTW - Terrified Jordan is selling off her mansion...because a pair of ghosts are putting the willies up her.
The glamour queen has told pals she's had enough of the spooky woman who appears upstairs and a scary ghoul that hogs her sunbed.
But she's not thinking of calling Ghostbusters.
Instead the reality TV star - real name Katie Price - is phoning her estate agent to put the £2.5 million home on the market. She currently shares the "haunted house" with her very own Slimer, Alex Reid.
Last night, a close friend of the reality TV star revealed: "Katie wants out of there quickly as she's convinced it's haunted by a pair of ghosts.
"She feels like she's being driven out of her own home by spirits - she's had enough."
Jordan, 31, reckons the first ghoul is an old lady who lives on the upper floors of the Surrey estate in Woldingham, which she previously shared with ex-husband Peter Andre.
The pal went on: "Even Alex has told her he's seen the ghost. They're convinced there's an old lady upstairs. You can't tell them otherwise."
The second ghost, who they think is a man, haunts the sunbed Jordan had installed to keep her looking bronzed. The source added: "Katie has a sunbed room near the bottom of the house and she believes it's haunted by a ghost.
"She's seen shadows on a regular basis. A few weeks ago she thought the ghoul had tampered with the sunbed and she can't get that out of her head."
And as a result, the star of What Katie Did Next is desperate to leave the house, despite redecorating recently.
She even called in psychic Sally Morgan to investigate to goulish goings-on.
The friend said: "Katie's put up with them for as long as she could and now the time has come to move out.
"The house was once the site of a retirement home so there may have been a lot of deaths.
"In her head she's absolutely certain what's going on and she doesn't care what people have to say about it."
Jordan bought the house in June 2008. It is set in 1.5 acres of land and includes a swimming pool, triple garage, gym, and a marble staircase. But pals believe Jordan is really being haunted by her former flame Peter Andre and doesn't like to be reminded of his presence at the house.
One said: "Deep down she hates being reminded of Pete on a daily basis. Despite what she says, she misses him.
"It's sad really. She keeps talking about these ghosts, but it's as if she's haunted by the memory of her and Peter."
MUFON witness report - Kisbey, Saskatchewan, Canada - (unedited except for spelling corrections): I need to be taken seriously right now I am not crazy or a liar just because people did not see it does not mean it did not happen..
It was May 3 2008 I'm pretty sure. It was about 2:00 in the morning I was at my fiances moms farm near Kisbey in south east Saskatchewan. I was out late with a buddy sitting on the deck it was a nice warm clear night a good night to just sit back and look at the stars while we talked about our alien theories and what not..Anyways at around 2:00 we noticed a set of lights out in the field behind the house they were about 600 700 yards away and very low to the ground from what we could see. We stared at them for about 10 mins trying to figure out what they were they appeared to be moving in a circular motion and flashing in a pattern from left to right. We decided to get a better view so we walked up to a near by hill and crouched down but when we did all other lights around faded out of sight except for the rotating lights, At first we thought it was a semi on a dirt road but It just sat there and was far to long to be a semi at such a far distance. So we decided to walk back to the house as we got back onto the deck we saw a bright flash of light shoot off into the sky the light looked like it came from the object in the field, The light looked kinda like a flare but it was in the shape of what looked like Pac-Man it only lasted a few seconds and then faded and at about that time we started to hear twigs snapping in the trees all around the house and what sounded like light foot steps in the tall grass we went inside and grabbed a flashlight, when we got outside we walked close to the treeline looking for whatever was in the bushes and then out of nowhere our flashlight died but we kept going I didn't want to but I didn't want to seem like a baby in front of my buddy anyways every time we got close to the tree line we would hear a sound on the opposite side of us when we went towards the sound it would move to another part of the tree line almost like there was multiple creatures in the bush and they would make noise anytime we got close to one so that we couldn't see it. we did this for about a half hour by the time we got back to the deck it was almost 3:30am we were already scared. My buddy came up with a little test to see if we were alone he is very smart and clever in his mind but what he would do is yell out "If you can understand me snap a twig" and sure enough we heard a loud snap come from the trees I jumped and said a few bad words. Then we decided to try another test we went to one side of the yard and ran to the other side as we did we heard something crash through the bushes toward us as if it was eager to follow us but it stayed in the bushes We were so scared that in mid run we turned on a dime and ran towards the house in fear we went back on to the deck and sat for a min to catch our breath and analyze in our heads what we just heard after a few mins we decided to walk down the ramp behind the house that led around the house to the driveway as we got to the corner of the house we saw something standing in the driveway we could not see its face but it just stood there. We stared at it for about 30 seconds or so when we heard a low whine noise come from behind us we turned to look but found nothing when we looked back to see the creature standing in the driveway it was gone. (the creature was about 6 foot 3 or so it had long arms and a round head but had no clothing from what we could see.)anyways as I was saying I was scared I really wanted to go inside so we decided to go inside. We walked towards the house we had our backs toward the house staring at the driveway when out of nowhere we heard what sounded like a loud gust of wind that slammed a bush near the front door right up against the house and it was loud I did a full 360 jump when we looked at the bush it was pretty much pressed up against the house I was shaking so bad I had to sit down. When I was on the ground my buddy was in front of me talking to me as I looked up at him I saw a large black shadow on the roof looking down at us as I told him to look it darted away it was really fast, I got up and we ran to the back of the house to see what it was but there was nothing at about that time we noticed a large object in the shape of a triangle move across the sky above the house it had 3 lights on it one on each corner but there was no sound we could feel a slight vibration on the ground but yet no sound, It moved very slow about 10 miles an hour then all of a sudden a bright light illuminated the yard and it sped of heading south at an incredible speed then it was gone. A strong sulpher smell filled the air In total shock we went inside and down to my buddy room so that we could regroup and get our minds straight so we could figure out what just happened we did not sleep for the rest of the night we were to scared. About 3 nights later my buddy woke up gasping for air and it was loud enough to wake me and I was in another room I went to see if he was okay he said he could not remember his dream but it felt like something was pressing really hard on his chest and then once again the strong sulpher smell filled the room but only for about 2 mins. After that for about 3 weeks we had weird dreams constantly smelled sulpher and seen weird lights in the sky almost every night.. I had one dream that was exactly the same for 2 nights in a row I dreamed that I was abducted and taken to a strange place where I was stuck with a needle like object in the corner of my eye I could not speak, scream, or move then everything would go black and Id wake up. When I would wake up it would be morning but it felt like I only slept for a few mins.
To this day we still see strange lights in the sky others have witnessed it as well but I will never forget that night ever It was the most frightening thing I have ever gone through....
ironsky - Photographs leaked to the Internet last week taken by the Cassiopeia probe on the so-called dark side of the Moon have stirred up considerable controversy among both astronomers and conspiracy theorists. The photos reveal a structure in the Schroedinger crater near the southern lunar polar region; official sources have failed to provide an explanation for it. Scientists are baffled by the discovery, and numerous UFO and conspiracy researchers have interpreted it to prove the existence of extraterrestrial intelligence.
The photographs in question are indistinct, due in part to the orbital distance of the probe and interference from ionised moon dust hanging in clouds above the crater floor, but a regular shape can be discerned in them, located slightly to the side of a circular crater approximately 1.5 kilometres in diameter, itself situated inside a larger, irregular depression. This is not the first time that regular objects have been visible on pictures taken in space. Indeed, parallels have already been drawn to the infamous face and pyramids found in the Cydonia region of Mars. Astronomers disagree, however, whether the Lunar Swastika is an actual structure or an optical illusion.
Hindus, Aliens or Nazis?
The lunar discovery is especially intriguing thanks to its extraordinary shape. The anomaly is clearly shaped like the swastika, a symbol used, among others, by the National Socialists in the 1930’s and 1940’s, leading to numerous conclusions that the structure is attributable to Nazis who fled to the Moon after the Second World War. At the same time, in India where the swastika is still in use as the symbol of prosperity, happiness and good luck, hundreds of thousands of Hindus have embarked on pilgrimages all over the country. The internationally famous UFO researcher Martin Krauss disagrees. “It is a sign from Alfa Centaurians who brought life to Earth four million years ago,” he said, “which they left on the Moon to remind us of their visit.”
NASA: Weather Balloon
In an official NASA announcement, NASA spokesperson Roslyn Villacorta stated that the alleged observations were due to a signal disturbance resulting from a weather balloon aligned between the satellite Cassiopeia and the groundside receiver. “Weather balloons are known to mess with probe signals,” she said in a press conference held at the Houston space center yesterday. “It is a freak coincidence that the erroneous signal formed a swastika shape, known all over the world as a strongly controversial symbol.”
Nazis on the Moon Already in 1945?
The Romanian scientist Radovan Tomovici, who has studied conspiracy theories for decades, disagrees. “For over 70 years, it has been common knowledge that the Nazis had a research programme overseen by Hans Kammler during the war, with the goal of conquest and control of orbital space,” he says. “It seems that Kammler, who mysteriously vanished shortly before the end of the war, and his team were successful. We’re in trouble now,” Tomovici adds.
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news-tribune - Joellen Bye admits she was not the best student growing up. But, after accepting a job at the Culbertson Mansion in 1977, she read everything she could get her hands on about New Albany’s most famous landmark and those who occupied it.
“It sparked my interest,” she said of spending her days in the mansion. “It turned on my switch. I’ve learned more here than I could ever learn in school.”
The history lessons can be found on every floor of the Culbertson Mansion, which was built in 1867 by William S. Culbertson for $120,000.
The house has seen many owners and changes since Culbertson and his family roamed the hallways. The house sold at auction in 1899 for $7,100. During the course of the past century, it belonged to the American Legion, was almost torn down in favor of a gas station and eventually became a state historic site in 1976.
Bye has been working at the mansion for 33 years and knows it as if it was one of her children. She became site manager of the facility in 1995.
The house will open April 1 for public tours. Recently Bye spoke about the mansion, its history and the ongoing restoration.
QUESTION: What do you love about the Culbertson Mansion?
JOELLEN BYE: It’s hard to explain. I’ve seen it change over the years and have been part of that. Before the restoration, everything was really plain. There is something about this place. It has its own personality. It’s more than a house. It gets to you.
Q: Do people take this place for granted?
BYE: I hear it from people who visit the house. I would say 90 percent of them say they have lived here all of their life and this is the first time they have toured the home. They don’t think about it.
Q: What do you love about your job?
BYE: There is so much ... but I would say the ongoing restoration project. Some things we kind of stumbled into. We had no idea the painted design was under all of that wallpaper. Just to be part of it and see it happen, that’s been exciting.
Q: What frustrates you about the job?
BYE: I guess lack of funds. If it wasn’t for the friends’ group, none of the interior restoration would be done. All the money they raise with the haunted house and other projects goes right back into the house. The friends’ group is so important.
Q: What is left to renovate in the mansion?
BYE: The first floor is completely finished. We are currently on the second floor and it is partially complete. We haven’t started the third floor yet. I think the worst part is behind us. The state recently paid for a new copper roof, repainted the exterior and put in new walkways. In 2000, they put in a new climate control system.
Q: What is it that people might not know about the mansion?
BYE: If they came as third-graders, the ceiling was painted white, and the restoration project had not got going. The house has changed through the years.
Q: OK, is the house haunted?
BYE: That has always been a hot topic. I have seen and heard things that I cannot explain. We are not ghost hunters or ghost crazy people. We have ghost hunters who approach us about setting up cameras at night and doing their thing, but we always have to tell them no for insurance and liability reasons.
Q: So, you have seen things you can’t explain?
BYE: Yes. There are the typical things ... maybe you hear a door shut or it may sound like someone is walking upstairs when there is no one up there. My office is in the basement and at night, if I am here alone, I can hear things. We know something is here, but we have never confirmed it.
Q: What about the future of the home?
BYE: I hope we can start being open year-round. Last year we were scheduled to, but had funding cut at the last minute. We hope all third-graders continue to come to tour the mansion [as part of studying Indiana history]. And we will continue to focus on the ongoing restoration. ________________________
THE CULBERTSON MANSION & CARRIAGE HOUSE
Culbertson Mansion State Historic Site is located in New Albany, Indiana by the Ohio River. It was the home of William Culbertson, who was once the richest man in Indiana. Built in 1867 at a cost of $120,000, this French Second Empire-style mansion has 25-rooms within 20,000 square feet (1,900 m2), and was completed in November 1869. It was designed by James T. Banes, a local architect. Features within the three-story edifice include hand-painted ceilings and walls, frescoed ceilings, carved rosewood cantilevered staircase, marble fireplaces, wallpaper of fabric-quality, and crystal chandeliers. The tin roof was imported from Scotland. The displays within the mansion feature the Culbertson family and the restoration of the building. The rooms on the tour are the formal parlors, dining rooms, bedrooms, kitchen, and laundry room.
In its heyday, a railroad ran behind the house (Culbertson had sold land to the railroad), and a streetcar ran from his house towards downtown New Albany.
The Culbertson Mansion’s Carriage House originally served a dual purpose in the 1800’s: to house the Culbertson’s horse and buggy below and servants in the quarters above. One autumn night in 1888 lightning struck the Carriage House, causing a fire that torched most of the interior and killed all living things inside.
The new servants refused to live in the Carriage House, claiming the place was haunted by the souls of those who perished in the fire. The tragic building remained an empty shell until the early 1930’s when it was reconstructed and transformed into a rental property by the McDonalds. The Webb family moved into the house in the spring of 1933. Dr. Harold Webb, a well established doctor and dentist from out of state wanted to settle down in a smaller town and start his own in-house practice, using the Carriage House as his home and office.
Business was great and life had returned to the once unfortunate building. Little did they know something dark and sinister lurked below. The Webb children started to tell stories of a dark man entering their rooms at night through the walls.
Noises were heard underneath the house. Sounds of clanging chains, screams and horrible smells would come up through the floor. Dr. Webb and his wife dismissed the children’s stories at first, but they could not dispute the sounds and smells coming from the rooms downstairs.
Although Dr. Webb investigated the lower level repeatedly, he claimed to find no evidence of anything unusual, assuring the family everything was as it should be. But the children’s stories of a nightly visitor continued, as did the horrible sounds and odors. During this time the strange goings-on began to take their toll on the good doctor’s mental state. Webb became increasingly agitated and angry, losing most of his patients because of the unpleasant experiences they had in the office. Several of Dr. Webb’s patients went missing and an investigation of the Webb office was initiated by the local police.
On September 29th, 1934, one of Dr. Webb’s few remaining patients arrived for an appointment but found the doors locked and the place abandoned. After a few days of no activity a police warrant was issued to investigate. What the police found was horrendous; the Webb family had been slaughtered.
Each room of the house was littered with the remains of victims who suffered unspeakable deaths; a daughter was found repeatedly stabbed, his son was skinned, and his wife brutally beaten. Perhaps, the most shocking of all was what lied beneath the living quarters. A full search of the house revealed an even more macabre and mysterious scene.
The basement level of the house held secret passages and hidden rooms. Webb used these areas for his own evil practices, torturing patients and using them for his twisted experiments. The bones and remains of the patients were everywhere, some so disfigured the police began to question if they were even human.
After the investigation the house was boarded up and remained vacant for nearly three decades.
During the days of the American Legion ownership from 1946 to 1964, the Carriage house was restored then reopened for parties and musical events. The staff and attendees reported several unusual occurrences: electrical problems, missing items, strange sounds after hours and mysterious figures moving from room to room.
Even current staff and volunteers of the Mansion have reported strange happenings in the Carriage House over the years. A few have even refused to work in the building.
In 1987 the Friends of the Culbertson Mansion started using the Carriage House for an annual haunted attraction. Every year thousands of visitors pass through those ill-fated doors. Some never make it to the end.
southcoasttoday - It's midnight, and Christopher Moon is hunched over his laptop computer in the cold, dark basement of the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast.
He says he is listening to the voices of the dead.
Initially, there are no surprises. Moon first heard the voices earlier that night, two floors up, in the bedroom where Abigail Durfee Gray Borden was hacked to death with a hatchet in August of 1892. Now, he is playing back the audio of that session so he and a room of paranormal investigators can hone in on not only what was said, but who said it.
The words are choppy and abrasive to the ear as they are blasted from a set of speakers, but everyone is in rapt attention. The group hears static, white noise and occasional fragments from local radio stations, all picked up by a wooden, cigar box-like machine adorned with knobs and packed with wires — a device Moon calls the Telephone to the Dead.
But every few seconds, between and over all the noise, throaty voices, almost urgent in their clarity and speed, spout specific answers to direct questions. The voices are distinct, consistent and almost jolting in the way they stand out from the clatter.
A few minutes into the playback, Moon picks up on something no one heard during the real-time recording: a woman's voice, seemingly soaked in fear and desperation, making a plea.
Moon widens his eyes and scratches his red beard, realizing what he has captured. Then he rewinds the tape a few seconds back and plays the voice again. A couple of people gasp and nod their heads; one woman covers her mouth. By the time Moon plays the clip for the fifth time, the message is clear to all in the room.
"Help me," the voice implores. "Help me."
'DON'T TURN YOUR BACK'
Moon — editor of "Haunted Times," a widely read paranormal magazine — and his Colorado-based team have amassed a rich collection of photos, videos and audio recordings during dozens of investigations that they say prove the historic Borden home is filled with spirits.
Ranked by the Travel Channel as the world's creepiest destination, the Borden home continues to attract ghost seekers and history buffs more than a century after the gruesome ax-murders of Andrew Borden, a wealthy city businessman, and his wife, Abigail. Lizzie Borden, Andrew's daughter and Abigail's step-daughter, was brought to trial for the killings. She was promptly acquitted and the case was never solved.
Out of all the supposedly haunted locations Moon says he has investigated in recent years, 92 Second St. ranks "easily in the top three." The 36-year-old former heavy metal musician uses technology to prove, as he puts it, the existence of ghosts, including electromagnetic field detectors, white noise machines, digital cameras and voice recorders.
Like many people who work or have stayed overnight at the house, Moon also claims he has experienced other unexplainable things without the aid of electronic equipment.
His first night as a guest, Moon was resting in a second-floor bedroom when he says he heard a voice warn, "Don't turn your back." Several hours later, he was jarred awake by a choking feeling, as if someone was trying to strangle him. In the morning, he discovered what appeared to be a rope burn around his neck. Moon attributes the attack unequivocally to Andrew Borden. And although he still investigates regularly at the house, he goes elsewhere when it's time to sleep.
"I believe he died not only angry, bitter and evil, but so brutally, that when he was released from his body, he attracted more negativity," Moon says of Andrew Borden, who sustained 11 blows to the head.
Andrew Borden, the miserly, affluent patriarch of the Borden family, is the dominant spirit in the house, Moon says. His energy turns up in photos of the sitting room sofa, an exact replica of the one on which his body was found. And his deep, stern voice, tinged with a slight Fall River accent, frequently interrupts Telephone to the Dead sessions, often with swears and warnings to "get out."
Moon says his evidence suggests that Andrew Borden was not only tightfisted, but cold and abusive to his daughters.
"Andrew Borden was one of the most sick, disgusting men who ever lived," Moon tells a group gathered in the home's basement for Ghost Hunter's University, a two-day crash course into the world of paranormal investigations.
Moon and his crew — including his parents, Dennis and Paulette Huff — return to the Borden home several times a year. The seasoned investigators claim the strength of Andrew Borden's spirit is unmatched by any other they know. They are drawn to the home.
"It's rare that a spirit has that much energy and ability," Moon tells The Fall River Spirit. "Aside from the obvious question, which is why, the bigger question is how does Andrew have the power when 99 percent of the spirits we encounter don't?"
CRACKING THE CASE
Lizzie Borden didn't do it. At least, she wasn't directly responsible for the deaths of her father and step-mother, according to the "Haunted Times" group. Moon claims he learned that with help from his telephone to the spirit world, which souls on the "other side" speak through by manipulating radio waves. Thomas Edison started work on such a device before his death, Moon says.
Investigations at the house have led Moon's team to conclude that William Borden, believed by some to be Andrew Borden's illegitimate son, committed the crime. Fall River native Lewis Peterson, who knew Lizzie Borden in his childhood, professed the spinster's innocence to Hathaway Publishing in 1997, suggesting that William Borden was not only related to Andrew Borden, but guilty of his murder. The story was later reprinted in "The Hatchet: Journal of Lizzie Borden Studies."
"One of the advantages of our technology is that we can hear out of their own mouths what took place," Moon says. "Some of that information is cryptic in ways, but we have found out that Lizzie never swung the ax."
Lizzie Borden wasn't entirely innocent, Moon says. She planned the killings, securing her freedom by having someone else do the dirty work. She was determined to seek an end to the "hateful things that had happened to her."
Other conclusions the "Haunted Times" crew has drawn raise more questions than answers. Evidence collected from the spirits suggests that Andrew Borden might have been killed outside the home and that his body was later moved to the sofa, says Dina Everling, director of marketing for "Haunted Times."
Andrew Borden still forcefully stands watch over his home, but Moon claims to have found evidence of other spirits in the dwelling, including Abby Borden, Bridget Sullivan — the Bordens' maid — and a few children who are believed to have died in a well down the street.
Lizzie Borden has "moved on," Moon says.
"She comes back from time to time, though." SKEPTICS WELCOME
While on a break from the most recent investigation at the Borden house, someone shows Lee-Ann Wilber a photo he took in the room where Abby Borden was slain. The photo is filled with orbs — little white circles that some believe are the energy of spirits.
"OK, I know that's not dust because I just Dysoned in there," says Wilber, owner of the bed and breakfast.
Sometimes, orbs simply are dust or moisture and nothing more. Moon says he encourages people to think sensibly when they delve into the paranormal and rule out all possible explanations before assuming something is of another world.
"The only thing worse than a hard-headed skeptic is the true believer," he tells the Ghost Hunter's University class crowded in the basement one recent March evening. "Be rational."
Moon knows that paranormal investigations can be hard for some people to grasp. Skeptics regularly attend his seminars and investigations, and he's fine with that, so long as they are open-minded.
Wilber, who believes there has been legitimate spirit activity at the house, enjoys hosting the "Haunted Times" crew every few months. "I wouldn't invite them back if I didn't," she says as Max, her black cat, darts under the dining room table.
As for the team's conclusions about what really happened 118 years ago?
"Everyone who comes in seems to find something different," Wilber says, acknowledging with a smile that she has heard some "out there" theories. "I always stick with the facts. If people do ask for experiences, I can only offer my personal ones."
NATIONAL ATTENTION
Lizzie Dickson wasn't named after Lizzie Borden, but she is reminded of Fall River's most infamous woman quite often.
"There's a guy at work who sings the song to me every week," Dickson says with a groan.
By song, Dickson means the well-known rhyme that pins Lizzie Borden down as the killer.
After arriving at the Borden home for the first time on a Friday afternoon, Dickson and her boyfriend, Joe Samalis, both of Shrewsbury, wait in the sitting room, not knowing what to expect from Ghost Hunter's University, which they have heard so much about. Their spur-of-the-moment trip has landed them in the John Morse bedroom, where Abby Borden was killed. Visitors usually book rooms well in advance, but there happened to be an unexpected vacancy when the couple called earlier in the week.
"It was something we always wanted to do," Samalis says.
Dickson's thoughts turn to spending the night in a purportedly haunted bedroom and she says she is nervous.
"She's going to stick to me like white on rice," Samalis says of his girlfriend.
"No, like super glue," Dickson clarifies. She breathes in, smiles and shakes her head, motioning to Samalis. "I hope nobody tries to poke me tonight — except him."
Later that night, Dickson volunteers to stand in the spot where Abby Borden was killed. Moon stands in front of her, asking her to breathe deep, close her eyes and tell him how she feels.
"Anxious," Dickson says, before becoming light-headed and stumbling backward. Huff, Moon's mother and a psychic, comforts Dickson and tells her to "let go" of the energy.
Samalis, an electrical engineer, says he is skeptical, but after receiving what he calls a sign from his late father several years ago, he believes in something more. He contends that the afterlife probably isn't as spooky or outrageous as Hollywood portrays it, though.
Other investigation attendees come from farther afield. Two men and two women from Saratoga, N.Y., on a return trip, say they have no doubts that the house is haunted. And Kris Bronson of Chicago brought along a pink suitcase full of her own investigative equipment, having experienced activity in the house before.
"The whole place makes me feel kind of nervous," she says.
The Borden home certainly isn't the only place to find spirits, says Moon, who spends most of the year on the road, conducting similar investigations at homes and historic sites.
"Everyone has a ghost story," Moon says. "There's paranormal activity throughout the country and the world. As long as people have been alive, there have been ghosts."
thedailystar - Cooperstown....normal or paranormal?
That is the question investigators are asking about mysterious activities reported at the Otesaga Hotel in Cooperstown.
Members of The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) are staying at the resort hotel on Otsego Lake for two weeks and filming an episode for ``Ghost Hunters,'' Britt Griffith, tech manager, said Wednesday.
KJ McCormick, an investigator, agreed that being on the TAPS team is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
``I'm just passionate about the paranormal,'' he said. McCormick, a wood and steel worker who lives in Boulder, Colo., said he joined TAPS about a month ago, and this visit is his first to Cooperstown.
``We're trying to bring some validity to the reports of activity in the hotel,'' McCormick said. ``I love the Otesaga _ this is a great hotel. ... I love the creaking floors and the large rooms with tall ceilings.''
The team and crews arrived Monday, Griffith said, and some residents have noticed their van with ``TAPS'' lettered on the black exterior and inquired about their visit.
``Everybody has a ghost story in this town,'' Griffith said.
Griffith said the production process involves setting up recording equipment at ``hot spots'' where activities have been reported.
Jim Johnson, of Fly Creek, who helped organized a ghost hunters' symposium at the Otesaga in January, said he has been visiting the TAPS team this week.
``It's very exciting,'' said Johnson, a member of the Otsego County Board of Representatives. ``It's great for the community. It's great for the Otesaga _ it's going to be fun to find out what they end up finding.'' ______________________
BRIEF HISTORY OF COOPERSTOWN, NY
William Cooper, father of the American novelist, settled Cooperstown in the late eighteenth century. Then as now the area's main industry was agriculture, an activity residents of the area would like to preserve.
Many of James Fenimore Cooper's novels were set in and around Cooperstown and celebrate its magnificent wooded hills surrounding the aesthetic centerpiece, Lake Otsego, which Cooper dubbed the "Glimmerglass." Due to its very special attributes, the Otsego area evolved into a summer retreat by the middle of the 19th century. Various estates and houses were built and many still exist today. It was during this time that the Clark family began its ongoing philanthropic interest in the Cooperstown community. Their commitment and foresight provided much of the foundation of the current economy.
The Otesaga Hotel was built on the shore of beautiful Otsego Lake in 1911. Now recognized as a "Historic Hotel of America," the Otesaga is the gracious keystone of tourism in the area.
Cooperstown is central quarters for the New York State Historical Association, with thousands of members across the state and country. The offices of the Association, a non-governmental educational organization, are in Fenimore House Museum, a mile from the center of town. The Association operates school-based statewide educational programs, and produces publications, including two quarterlies, New York History and Heritage. It hosts the Cooperstown Graduate Program in Museum Studies, with alumni in museums around the country and abroad. It also administers two separate museums, The Farmers' Museum, established in 1943, and Fenimore House Museum, which opened its doors in 1945, built on the site of a James Fenimore Cooper residence, Fenimore Farm. The Museums attract over 100,000 visitors annually.
In addition, the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum currently attracts 300,000 visitors each year. Arguably Cooperstown's most famous icon, The Hall of Fame, established in 1939, is located on Main Street as is the equally famous Doubleday Field. _____________________
HAUNTING EXPERIENCES AT THE OTESAGA HOTEL AND COOPERSTOWN, NY
Legend has it that sounds of ghostly children have been heard running up and down the third floor hallway of the Otesaga Resort Hotel.
This is just one story that has been told about the historic landmark. According to Cooperstown Candlelight Ghost Tour guide Bruce Markusen, the Otesaga has a long history of hauntings.
Markusen says there has been paranormal activity on the ground floor, first floor, third floor and fifth floor of the hotel. Some people believe the phenomenon is connected to the history of the hotel, says Markusen.
From 1920 until 1954, the hotel was also a private girl’s school known as the Knox School for Girls.
According to a former cocktail waitress, she would sometimes hear a low monotone voice slowly calling her name while working in the Glimmerglass Room. She said other staff would hear their names called as well. A security officer says he can hear people walking above him on the second and third floors. He says he also hears a music box between the second and third floors.
Ghostly sightings have also taken place at the Farmers’ Museum, where several tales are told during the ``Things that go Bump in the Night’’ guided, lantern- lit tours held in October.
The Christ Episcopal Church Graveyard
No account of haunted happenings in a small town would be complete without the inclusion of the local cemetery. At the corner of Church and River streets lies the Christ Episcopal Church cemetery, which houses the remains of many of the famous members of the acclaimed Cooper and Pomeroy families. The historic burial site includes tombs for the two most famed members of the Cooper family—legendary American author James Fenimore Cooper and town founder William Cooper. One of the saddest elements of the graveyard is the presence of a cluster of smaller gravestones; they indicate the burial plots of the Pomeroy children, many of whom who died at young ages. There is also a sinister element to the graveyard. The cemetery features a headstone for the infamous Ann Low Cary Cooper Clarke, who once placed a curse on nearby Hyde Hall.
According to a ghostly story associated with the graveyard, one of the men in the Cooper clan found an eerie way to interact with a 20th century resident of Cooperstown. The incident occurred in the late 1980s, when a young girl and her friends paid a social visit to the Christ Church cemetery. One of the girl’s friends, showing a lack of respect for the sacred nature of the burial ground, decided to lean up against one of the gravestones. Sure enough, the aging, loosened gravestone toppled over, falling directly on top of one of the girl’s legs.
Given the weight of the gravestone, her friends were unable to lift it from her leg and quickly ran to seek help. With extra manpower successfully found, the group finally succeeded in extricating the stone and enabling the girl to sit up. Relieved that the weight had been lifted, the girl took notice of the epitaph etched into the stone. The name featured on the stone was that of a Cooper family member, the oddly named Marmaduke Cooper. The girl then took note of the birth date engraved on the stone. The date startled the girl. It was not only Marmaduke Cooper’s birth date, but hers as well! Was this a case of ghostly intervention or merely an eerie coincidence? Either way, the episode left the girl more than a little chilled.
The strange incident took place in a section of the graveyard that is regarded as the focal point of the Christ Church cemetery. In fact, a metal banister sets the Cooper-Pomeroy tract of the graveyard apart from the rest of the cemetery; all of the graves and above-ground tombs in this parcel belong to members of the two families, with one notable and strange exception.
The deviation in graveyard rules came about, at least indirectly, because of the virtuous life lived by Hannah Cooper. One of the daughters of Judge William Cooper, Hannah was a beloved member of the Cooperstown community. The young Hannah earned a reputation as so innocent and wholesome that she became favored by all generations of Cooperstown’s social hierarchy. Tragically, Hannah did not survive past her early twenties. In 1800, she suffered a severe fall while riding on horseback; the injuries resulted in her death at the age of 23.
Hannah’s many admirers included Richard Cary, a colonel in the United States Army who once served as an aide to George Washington during the Revolutionary War. Despite the difference in their ages, the older Cary became a close friend to Hannah. Several years after her death, Cary himself became seriously ill. On his deathbed, Cary made a special request of the Cooper family. He asked that his burial plot be included in the partitioned segment of the Christ Church graveyard, right next to the tomb that housed Hannah’s remains. A religious man with feelings of guilt, Cary had a very specific reason for the request. By being buried next to someone as pure and exemplary as Hannah, Colonel Cary believed that he could literally ride her spirit’s skirt tails into heaven. "She was the best woman I ever knew," said Cary, according to James Fenimore Cooper’s grandson in his book, Legends and Traditions of a Northern County, "and my only chance of getting into heaven is on her skirts." So impressed by the sincerity of the request and his respect for Hannah, the Cooper family decided to make an exception for a non-family member. They allowed Cary to be buried directly to the right of Hannah, presumably (or at least hopefully) facilitating his entrance into heaven.
Other members of the Cooperstown community were not afforded the same privilege as Colonel Cary. The vast majority of Cooperstown citizens, even those respected as doctors or community leaders, were not permitted inclusion in the specially enclosed section of the cemetery, unless they were born or married into the Cooper and Pomeroy clans. In addition, no black members of local society, whether free or slave, could be included in the preferred burial location. African Americans who had lived in Cooperstown were relegated to the less desirable parcel of ground located in the southeast corner of the graveyard, along with the other "commoners" who once resided in the village.
The exclusion of African Americans from the Cooper-Pomeroy burial lot may account for the ghostly tradition of the Christ Church graveyard. According to the legend, those who find themselves in the graveyard at the midnight hour will encounter the ghosts of one or more of the Cooper family slaves. It may just be that the spirits of the slaves, rejected in death as they were during their human lives by the color of their skin and their lack of social stature, continue to look for a rightful place to call their home in the afterlife.
The Old Stone Wall on River Street
Both local residents and visitors to the village of Cooperstown will notice a stone wall on the west side of River Street. The retaining wall, located near the home known as Greencrest, runs adjacent to the edge of Cooper Park. The wall, thick enough to sit on, occasionally provides tired visitors with a place to rest. It also provides local residents with a most unusual story.
Throughout much of the 20th century, those who walked the path of River Street noticed a strange tendency of the wall. Under normal conditions, the wall appeared to be straight, built flush against the grassy edges of Cooper Park. At other times, the stones of the wall tended to bulge out toward the street, giving the wall an uneven, buckling appearance. On occasion, the stones bulged out so much that they gave passersby the impression that the wall was about to collapse.
In the early 1960s, some Cooperstown residents found their curiosity so roused by the buckling wall that they decided to conduct their own investigation. They broke through the wall, in an attempt to find a structural reason for the flawed tendency of the wall. Expecting to find a logical reason for the problem, the locals instead made a ghastly discovery. Behind the wall, they uncovered a buried skeleton of a Native American—a great Mohawk chief—along with an array of pipes, weapons, and other artifacts.
The residents should have known better about the wall; if they had read some of the local history written by Ralph Birdsall and James Fenimore Cooper—the grandson of the legendary author—they would have heard the stories about how previous, thinner walls on River Street had supposedly been kicked down by the skeleton. After one of the older, flimsier walls had toppled over, residents saw the skeleton sitting behind the remains. The problems with the weaker walls eventually led to the construction of a sturdier one (the one that was investigated in the sixties), which didn’t fall over completely but instead showed the tendency to buckle over time.
The initial discovery of the skeleton, which was made by William Cooper in the late 18th century, led to the determination that the remains were that of a great Mohawk chief. Based upon the writings of more than one historian, local tradition offered the following ghostly theory: the spirit of the buried chief, resentful of the white man’s intrusion on Native American soil, was expressing his anger by furiously kicking at the wall.
Beyond the possibility of paranormal activity, the presence of the Native American skeleton proved unusual for several other reasons. Locals wondered why a Mohawk Indian chief would have been buried behind a wall, instead of a more traditional ground plot? And why he would have been buried on the west side of River Street, instead of toward the east side, closer to the Susquehanna River, where most of the Indian graves were known to exist? In addition, the locals took note of the strange positioning of the skeleton. It was not lying down, or even standing up, as one might expect to find in unearthing the remains of a typical grave. Instead, the locals found the skeleton in a hunched position, with its chin pressed up against its knees and its hands touching his shinbones. It was the most uncomfortable of positions, one that would be difficult to maintain for a live human being. Even for an unfeeling corpse, it seemed like a cruel fate to be buried in such a painful pose for over a century.
Having noticed the unusual squatting position of the skeleton, some local residents adopted another theory that would become part of the Cooperstown legend. According to the legend, the locals speculated that the skeleton was actually pushing the stones of the wall outward in order to achieve a more comfortable place of rest. They believed that the deceased Mohawk chief, unhappy with the way he had been buried, was somehow using his bony thighs and calves to move the stones of the wall, thereby creating a more passable amount of leg room behind the wall.
Another legend also developed. According to this alternate story, the unfortunate manner of burial had motivated the Indian chief to tears. The flow of tears, especially over long periods of time, interacted badly with the mortar located between the stones. The unexpected moisture created by the ghostly tears did not allow the mortar to set properly, thus causing the wall to bulge awkwardly.
Given the emphasis that Cooperstown places on history, it might have seemed logical for the skeleton and the artifacts to make their way to one of the local museums. Yet, that did not happen. In fact, opinions vary as to what actually did happen to the skeleton and the artifacts. Some contend that the local residents either sold or gave the artifacts to another museum, one outside of Cooperstown. Others contend differently. They say that the local residents, feeling fearful over their discovery of a ghostly presence behind the wall and their unintended desecration of sacred ground, decided to return the skeleton and the artifacts to their place of burial and then seal up the disrupted segment of the wall. Given the two contrasting stories, no one seems to know for sure whether the skeleton is still buried behind the wall.
After the 1960s discovery, an unexpected development took place. The wall seemed to return to a state of normalcy. It no longer bulged or buckled as it had in past years, at least not to the point of being visible to the naked eye. This observation has let to still another theory. Some contend that the local residents returned the skeleton to its burial place, but actually changed its positioning so as to make it more comfortable. Perhaps they laid the skeleton on its back, giving it a much more restful posture. If that’s the case, the Mohawk Indian chief would have no reason to push its bones outward.
Whatever the case, this much appears to be true. The walk down the west side of River Street remains a bit uneasy for some folks in Cooperstown—at least those who believe in the power of ghosts and the legends of skeletons that move on their own.
New Moore Island has completely eroded away due to rising seas. This photo is from 2009
bbc - A tiny island claimed for years by India and Bangladesh in the Bay of Bengal has disappeared beneath the rising seas, scientists in India say.
The uninhabited territory south of the Hariabhanga river was known as New Moore Island to the Indians and South Talpatti Island to the Bangladeshis.
Recent satellites images show the whole island under water, says the School of Oceanographic Studies in Calcutta.
Its scientists say other nearby islands could also vanish as sea levels rise.
Beneath the waves
The BBC's Chris Morris in Delhi says there has never been a permanent settlement on the now-vanished island, which even in its heyday was never more than two metres (about six feet) above sea level.
In the past, however, the territorial dispute led to visits by Indian naval vessels and the temporary deployment of a contingent from the country's Border Security Force.
"What these two countries could not achieve from years of talking, has been resolved by global warming," said Professor Sugata Hazra of the School of Oceanographic Studies at Jadavpur University in Calcutta.
Anyone wishing to visit now, he observed, would have to think of travelling by submarine.
Professor Hazra said his studies revealed that sea levels in this part of the Bay of Bengal have risen much faster over the past decade than they had done in the previous 15 years.
And he predicts that in the coming decade other islands in the Sundarbans delta region will follow New Moore, or South Talpatti, beneath the waves.
"We will have ever larger numbers of people displaced from the Sunderbans as more island areas come under water," Prof Hazra said.
inexplicata - Perú: Woman Inseminated by the “Bufeo Colorado”?
[Stories such are this are often found in the Latin American tabloid press – but in an age when we freely admit the possibility of insemination by “space aliens”, who can deny the likelihood, however slim, that “river elementals” are up to no good? – SC]
This time, the legend comes to us from Mazán.
A woman identified as Reyna Yumbato Huamán, 28, claimed having been made pregnant by a pink dolphin found in the Amazonian rivers and known as the “bufeo” (pronounced: boo-fay-oh) The woman traveled from the region of San Jose in the district of Mazán to the Loreto Regional Hospital, where she was admitted due to complications with the pregnancy. She said that she has three children that caused her no problems during gestation, unlike the current one, which developed with intense pain, accompanied by dreams in which she allegedly sees the “bufeo”.
The staff gynecologist, Beder Camacho, says that this case was a “threatened abortion” and that “bufeo legend” is clinically impossible. The woman, he says, received treatment and no longer has any problems.
It is said that when the Bufeo Colorado falls in love with a girl, it adopts the appearance of a very handsome man and appears at a party where he can find his beloved and woo her. Once the girl has been ensnared, he lavishes attention upon her, visits her every night and leaves before daybreak, giving her presents. Within a short period of time, the girl longs to be by the riverside all the time, to the extent of throwing herself into the water to be with the Bufeo Colorado forever. _________________________
THE LEGEND OF THE PINK DOLPHIN
osita was a young indigenous girl of 18, who lived in a house near the banks of the mighty Amazon River. Every day she went to the river to get water to bring back to her family’s home. One evening at dusk while fetching water, she departed from her usual habit and stood on the river bank watching the river current as the sun set, seemingly hypnotized by the moving water.
Reassured by the calm current and the secluded bank, she undressed, taking off her dress and dove into the river for a refreshing swim. The constant stream of the water flowing round her body distracted hear and she failed to notice another pair of eyes secretly watching her from the river bank.
Suddenly, she shivered, overcome by the weird feeling that someone was watching her. A young man standing on the muddy bank, smiled and stared brazenly at her naked body. She became embarrassed when she saw he was not averting his eyes but looking into her eyes as if they knew each other. Spontaneously, as if controlled by a sinister force, she stood up from the water exposing her naked body and walked towards him. Her feet moved in small, constant steps, pulling her towards the man whose magnetism she could not resist and whose enchantment forced her to fall into his arms, kissing him.
Rosita whispered to the stranger, “Who are you and where are you from?” The man replied, “I am a fisherman from the river,” all the while maintaining eye contact with her. “I would like to be with you always. What is your answer, my beauty?”
“Yes,” she replied as if hypnotized. They spent the night together, in passionate embrace, making love the entire night.
From that night forward, they met every evening at sunset, and spent the night together under the shinning stars and in the secrecy of the dark night, making love.
Finally, her father confronted her about where she was at night. Although she was a simple and shy girl, she replied bravely to her father, with the force of a woman in love, “I am in love with a fisherman. We are both in love and we are going to get married.”
The father never seeing his young daughter react in such a way, agreed to meet the fisherman and talk with him. Later that night, the young fisherman came to Rosita's home and asked her father for permission to marry his daughter. Knowing that his daughter was in love with the mysterious fisherman, her father reluctantly agreed and allowed the young fisherman to sleep with his daughter in their hut.
As time when on, the young fisherman slept with Rosita every night, but mysteriously left every morning before first light and returned only after dusk. However one morning, Rosita’s lover did not leave before sunrise as he always had previously and remained sleeping in her bed after sunrise. Rosita awoke that fateful morning, feeling a strange wet body at her side. She opened her eyes and was shocked at what she saw in her bed and screamed loudly.
Her father heard her scream and rushed into the room with his shotgun to help his daughter. Incredibly, there was a pink river dolphin in Rosita's bed and it was trying to get away, but could not. Far from the water, the pink dolphin fell to the floor, helplessly, unable to escape. Shocked, the father reached for his shotgun and shot the pink dolphin in the head, ending the dolphin's life.
After that day, the young fisherman never returned and was never seen again. Rosita was heart-broken that her lover had abandoned her. Worse, she soon realized that he had gotten her pregnant and that she would soon bear the mysterious fisherman's baby.
Tragedy again struck when Rosita died during child birth. Despite her best effort, the midwife that attended Rosita could not save her life. However the baby lived, and to the shock of everyone, the baby was not human, but instead a baby dolphin. It seems that, in reality, the mysterious fisherman was not human, but rather a “Bufeo Colorado,” a pink dolphin who had the ability to transform himself into a human at night and had seduced Rosita.
Native girls be advised! If a mysterious and seductive fisherman appears to you by the river after dusk, do not let yourself be deceived by his appearance. He is the “Bufeo Colorado,” a magical being who can transform himself into a human at night and only wants to steal the heart and soul of an innocent young girl.
MonsterQuest's statement for this evening's broadcast of 'AMERICA’S WOLFMAN'
History says that a large and wolf-like beast is the stuff of legend, but recently uncovered film footage and new witnesses say something frightening is out there. MonsterQuest heads into the dark, isolated forests of the Midwest to search for this creature and analyzes the evidence to finally end this mystery.
Personally, I believe that there is a cryptid wolf-like creature in the northern midwest based on the eyewitness accounts I have seen and investigated. Tonight's presentation did prove one thing....the 'Gable Film' is a hoax. Yes, the truth was finally revealed after all the speculation. Honestly, I don't know what motivates people to create hoaxes and it irritates the hell out if me each time one is uncovered.
Nonetheless, one's person's cheap thrills does not change my feelings about this cryptid. There may not be a 'Michigan Dogman' on film but, IMO, there is an unknown creature roaming somewhere in the area.
Honestly, this MonsterQuest production was one of the best in the entire series. It included fact based evidence (include debunking a hoax) and restrained from using ridiculous conjecture and time filler. I suppose they were saving the best for last...this episode marked the end of the MonsterQuest series.
The producer of MonsterQuest, Doug Hajicek, passed along a statement to Cryptomundo today:
Dear MonsterQuest Fans,
Like many of you, I am a bit saddened by the official cancellation of MonsterQuest. However, we will continue to produce similar programming in the future as opportunities arise.
Cryptozoology will always be passion for me personally.
The official end of MonsterQuest did not happen because of any lack of topics or for lack of viewers. The Network has decided to go another direction to assure their future as a powerful force in television. We are extremely happy to have been part of the successful growth of the History Channel.
I am forever grateful to Loren Coleman and everyone at Cryptomundo. I also thank the hundreds of researchers, scientists and the courageous witnesses we had a chance to work with over the last four years.
It was an amazing run for the topic of Cryptozoology in prime time.
I am sincerely humbled by the opportunity to have created so much programming on this fascinating topic.
Sincerely, Doug Hajicek Producer/ Creator/ MonsterQuest Whitewolf Entertainment Inc.
MonsterQuest did bring cryptozoology into the homes of many people who had little idea what the study of 'perceived nonexistent animals' was. That said and for various reasons, I also feel the series ran it's course. Maybe in the future, more in-depth productions will evolve from the spectre of MonsterQuest...Lon
alcione - A “Veterinary Assistant” featured in the whole Metepec Creature brouhaha, “Ángel Palacios Núñez”, is, according to Alejandro Franz, in fact Urso Moreno Ruíz, nephew of Mario Moreno, and a taxidermist.
More importantly, Urso Ruíz apparently confessed in an Internet forum he indeed hoaxed the creature, which is indeed just a squirrel-monkey:
“It’s just the corpse of a skinned squirrel-monkey. I took its ears out and involved it with all the hair and fluids of all animals I could find, then I dried it. All samples they take of it will come out as being of different animals.”
Of course, we already knew it was a skinned squirrel-monkey:
He goes on:
“Mr Mario quickly sold it to Maussán for 300.000 pesos [U$23,000], as you can see after four years they still can’t realize it’s a hoax.”
And tries to defend himself:
“I must say I didn’t claim it was real. That was Maussán who claimed it was real. He believed it. All the show was a hoax that got out of control, but after four years I’m happy to see one of my creations going around the world and through many scientists and tests and they still haven’t figured out what it is. I may have fooled science! LOL”
Franz warns that, contrary to what Urso Ruíz claims, he did claim in video that the creature was “a strange animal”. Lies. Franz further accuses Maussán, Mario Moreno and Marco Salazar of creating this whole fraud from the beginning. It’s indeed interesting they should go with DNA testing right away, which is not their usual practice with such “finds” at all. It’s as if they knew the results would be inconclusive.
Of course, from the beginning people noticed it looked exactly like a skinned monkey. People also know very well Maussán is part of Ufology’s Hall of Shame.
So people had every reason not to believe the story. Reason, apparently, is something the History Channel’s MonsterQuest team lacks.
But then, reason is something that may be relative. Money and ratings can make everything relative, one would guess. How much money did all those involved, knowingly or not, make from this hoax?
NOTE: once again, we learn the Jaime Maussan is full of shit and 'MonsterQuest' (again) fell for 'less that accurate' information. Honestly, I used to give Maussan some credence but some of his antics in the past few years have completely turned my respect for him 180 degrees. MUFON and other paranormal organizations need to reconsider their use of his 'expertise' and presentations at any future conventions...Lon __________________________
BUZZ ALDRIN DENIES ALIENS ARRIVED ON EARTH
Buzz Aldrin was interviewed on WFAN today (talking about 'Dancing With The Stars' 3/22/10)...later into the interview, he subsequently denied that aliens have every landed on earth. Was this just PR or is he being coy?
poststar - Most people know Fort William Henry is full of history, but some longtime employees believe it's full of paranormal activity, too.
In mid-April, a group of professional ghost hunters will visit the resort and historical site to conduct an investigation and teach workshops on how to become a ghost hunter.
The weekend-long event is geared toward novices interested in learning how to detect the paranormal.
Part of the program will include a boot camp on methodologies led by The Atlantic Paranormal Society, also called TAPS, and an investigation of the site where major battles of the French and Indian War occurred.
This is the first time the resort has organized a special weekend dedicated to ghost hunting, but it's not the first time ghost hunters have visited the property.
Fred Austin, the resident expert on the site's paranormal activity, said the fort, which was the site of a bloody massacre in the mid-1700s, has attracted many paranormal investigation groups over the years.
In addition, the fort museum hosts walking ghost tours on Friday and Saturday nights during the summer season, but the weekend event will entail a thorough investigation by professionals.
While he doesn't put stock in all the ghost hunting groups and shows, Austin said TAPS has a good reputation and takes its work seriously.
"We had heard of them, and they had heard about us at the fort," Austin said of TAPS. "Word gets around."
Austin said there have been many sightings of a little girl near the dining room and a soldier in the tavern, as well as reports of objects moving on their own in unoccupied spaces.
Sam Luciano, a vice president at the Fort William Henry Resort, has been at the hotel for 26 years. A nonbeliever for a long time, Luciano said guest and staff experiences eventually convinced him there is paranormal activity at the fort.
"We are definitely an active site," he said.
According to Luciano, the resort decided to offer the weekend event because there was such high demand for it. But the business has not talked about or promoted its reputation in the paranormal community because it wants to avoid becoming known as a "haunted" hotel.
"It's a quandary for us because, if we share it in the wrong light, you can build up hysteria," he said.
TAPS coordinator Syd Schultz II, who will lead the boot camp in April, said the first goal of any investigation is to "debunk" the phenomenon and rule out any logical explanations for what is occurring.
"If people are hearing knocking (noises), it could be a water pipe in the night," he said. "The biggest misconception (about ghost hunting) is that we just run around in the dark chasing our tails."
Once the normal has been ruled out, Schultz said he looks for the abnormal - an unexplained voice, noise, temperature change or electromagnetic field spike.
He said three or four signs at once are usually a clear indication of something paranormal.
The rarest sight is a full-body apparition, which Schultz said he's only seen twice in his career.
"Seeing them is less common than hearing them," he said of ghosts.
Schultz's class will focus on how to get started in paranormal investigation, standard operating procedures and protocol, terminology, equipment, what kinds of business licenses are involved and how to screen for and use psychics in the field.
"Anybody that's interested in getting into this field, this is a perfect way for them," he said.
Equipment used to detect activity includes voice and video recorders, temperature gauges and devices to detect electromagnetic fields.
Schultz said the hobby has grown in popularity with the advent of shows chronicling it, such as "Ghost Hunters" on Syfy.
The star of the international version of that program, Dustin Pari, and Patrick Burns from "Haunting Evidence" on truTV will attend the Fort William Henry event.
Even the skeptics, Schultz said, generally want to relate some weird experience they had.
"It's opened the door for us so that now it's a watercooler conversation," he said.
Austin agreed. He said the fort has likely had paranormal activity for more than a century, but only in recent years have people felt comfortable relating their stories without worrying they'll be perceived as crazy.
"People don't feel weird about talking about it," he said.
The weekend will take place April 16 and 17. ____________________________
THE HISTORY OF FORT WILLIAM HENRY
Lake George was wilderness. It was the void between two encroaching European frontiers. Just a few miles north of the lake, stood Fort Carillon, the French fortress, designed to guard the area north from any English advance into Canada. Several miles south and east of the lake stood Fort Edward, on the Hudson, the northern terminus of the English foray into this forested area. Between the two stood the 26 mile long Lake George.
Named Lac Du St. Sacrement by the French, the place was renamed Lake George by William Johnson in 1755, shortly before he had defeated a French force there in the Battle of Lake George, to leave no doubt as to English sovereignty in the area. A road, constructed to link Fort Edward to the lake, now needed protection. In addition, a fort at this site could prove to be a launching and resupplying point for assaults against the French outposts and beyond. Thus was born Fort William Henry, designed and situated by Captain William Eyre along with Johnson.
On June 7, 1756 General Daniel Webb arrived to assume command of the fort and lead the upcoming planned offensive. At both ends of the lake, French and English garrisons were increased, entrenchments built, and preparations undergone. Over the course of the next year, a series of raids, counter-raids, and scouting missions occurred leading to some casualties and gathered intelligence.
It soon became apparent that Fort William Henry was becoming a thorn in the side of New France. General Marquis de Montcalm, in command at Fort Carillon, decided to invest and reduce the log structure at the south end of the Lake. Departing from his post on Lake Champlain, Montcalm led a force of 6 French Regular battalions consisting of 2570 soldiers. Augmented by an almost equal number of Canadian militia, 300 volunteers, along with a large contingent of invaluable Indian allies - between 1500 & 1800 from a large number of tribes - this French force became almost invincible, in this situation, by the presence of 200 men of the artillery units firing their 36 cannon and four mortars.
By contrast, the garrison at Fort William Henry, under the able leadership of Lt. Colonel George Monro - once General Webb decided to turn tail and survey matters from Fort Edward - had a total, as the siege began, of 2372 men. Only a maximum of 500 could man the fort. The remainder settled into an entrenched camp just east of the fort. No preparations were undertaken to resist French attempts to make landings on the shore. The English merely waited. Expecting the attack to come from the west - the east side being swampy and fortified by the camp - Monro had the heaviest of the artillery pieces along the west wall.
Montcalm chose the northwest bastion to bear the brunt of the artillery barrage he planned. Arriving during the night of August 2-3, 1757, he immediately set to work building a road and then a series of entrenchments to inch ever-closer to the fort walls. Meanwhile, Indian and militia marksman positioned themselves between the entrenched camp and Fort Edward, straddling the road, and harassed the beleaguered British.
As the days went on, the French artillery moved closer, the British casualties mounted, and hope of reinforcement continued to dwindle. Couriers were routinely dispatched between the British forts, often times being intercepted by the French or their Indian allies. One such message, from Webb, encouraged surrender, as at the time, he felt he could not aid Monro. On August 7, Montcalm ordered his aid-de-camp, Captain Bougainville, forward under a flag of truce to make this intercepted letter known to the garrison. By the next morning, the French trenches were a mere 250 yards outside the fort wall. Within the fort, ammunition was low, spirits were lower. There was little hope.
And so, just after dawn on the 9th of August, following a conference of the fort's officers, a flag of truce was visible flying over Fort William Henry. Montcalm offered generous terms, even for the typically gentlemanly terms of the day ... the entire garrison would be allowed to march off in military parade, colors flying, to Fort Edward. A cannon would even be allowed to accompany the procession. In return, the English would not bear arms against France for the next 18 months. No ammunition would be granted, and the sick and wounded would be returned when well. One British officer would remain as hostage, until the French escort attached to the retreating column, returned safely from Fort Edward. In European terms, all was well. The paid French soldiers had earned their victory. Once burned, there would no longer be a British post on the shores of Lake George. The British, though defeated, had retained their honor. The siege of Fort William Henry was over.
The British evacuated the fort, leaving about 70 sick and wounded to the care of the French. Almost immediately, Indians entered to plunder - their form of payment - what baggage the British had left behind. Cries and screams for help were heard outside the fort. A missionary, Pere Roubaud says of one particular warrior, "[he] carried in his hand a human head, from which trickled streams of blood, and which he displayed as the most splendid prize that he could have secured." Accounts vary, but somewhere between four and seventeen were killed within the fort. In light of upcoming events, it is reasonable to assume that they perhaps resisted. French troops soon restored order.
The tribes were restless. They wanted booty. It was their only reward. Clothing, arms, ammunition, supplies, rum ... many felt deprived. They lingered. Tensions mounted. A proposed march from the entrenched camp to Fort Edward was postponed, at Montcalm's suggestion, until the following morning, as hostile Indians gathered in the vicinity. They pestered the soldiers, wanting their baggage. Montcalm posted French guards. It was a long, tension-filled day and night. Two-thirds of the Indians were not in their camps.
At dawn's light on August 10th, the English assembled by companies, Monro on horseback, and attempted to leave from the entrenched camp. A French escort of 200 was on the scene. When the last British regiment had left, Indians fell upon 17 helpless wounded left behind in huts. They were scalped and killed. At the rear of the column was a Massachusetts regiment, some New Hampshire militia, and camp followers. The Indians next fell upon them. "... than the savages fell upon the rear killing and scalping." A "hell whoop" was heard. " ... the Indians pursued tearing the Children from their Mothers Bosoms and their mothers from their Husbands, then Singling out the men and Carrying them in the woods and killing a great many whom we say lying on the road side." Not surprisingly, despite a halt being ordered, many fled, these images indelibly stamped upon their minds. Hundreds, up to 1500, were reported killed by those panic-stricken souls arriving at Fort Edward. It is easy to imagine it as so. The column was unarmed. The Indians fully armed. Eyewitnesses claimed this "slaughter" went on for "three hours". Accounts were typified by this:
...this Day when they Came to march the Savage Indiens Came upon them and Stript them of their Packs and Cloths and the most of their Arms then they Pickt out the negrows Melatows and Indiens and Dragd them Away and we Know not what is Become of them then they fell to killing of our men At A most Dredfull manner they Ravesht the women and then Put them to the Slaughter young Children of the Regular forces had their Brains Dasht out Against the Stones and trees
It is easy to visualize nearly the entire column being slaughtered under these circumstances, much like what one sees in the movie, The Last of the Mohicans. How could it be otherwise? 1600 armed, frenzied warriors falling upon a defenseless, panicked column of some 2400 (including women & children) for nearly three hours. It certainly is very easy to imagine. In reality, however, it just didn't happen. Col. Monro, speaking of his regular troops, gave 129 killed and wounded - including the siege - as his estimates. Regarding the militia, he says, "No Regular Accot Could be got from the Provincials but their Numbers Kill'd Could not be Less than Four Officers & about 40 Men. And very near as many Men Wounded." Roubard stated killed could number "hardly more than forty or fifty." Another man stated, "Near Thirty Carcasses, however, were actually seen ..." There is no doubt some killing occurred, but, by and large, the picture was one of Indians taking, from terrified soldiers, baggage and clothing they felt was due them. It was a scene of pawing, grabbing, poking & touching. When a soldier resisted stiffly, he may have been knocked down, beaten, scalped or killed. Indians had learned from Oswego that a soldier was worth more alive than dead. The French would pay handsomely for the return of prisoners. So, as the soldiers broke and ran, the Indians pursued. They gathered booty, and collected prisoners. It was undoubtedly a scene of utter pandemonium and terror, but the "massacre" as film and some historians have presented it, just never did occur. At some point, the French did help restore some semblance of order. Though hundreds streamed in well before, the remnants of the column, including Col. George Monro, did arrive at Fort Edward, under French guard, on August 14.
These two images are from the recreated set of Fort William Henry from the feature film 'The Last of the Mohicans' starring Daniel Day-Lewis and Madelaine Stowe
According to Ian K. Steele's Betrayals, the most recent and exhaustive study on the subject, of the 2308 soldiers who left Fort William Henry on August 9, 1783 had shown up at Fort Edward by August 31, an additional 217 appearing by year's end. Considering the fact that only 500, including "wives, servants, & sutlers" arrived with Monro, it is obvious that many fled into the woods to make their way alone or in parties over the next weeks. Among those captured, most were paroled at some point. By the new year, only 308 were considered killed or missing. It seems reasonable to assume that of these, many were those who fled but never, for one reason or another, went to Fort Edward. Again, according to Steele's study, the maximum number killed on August 10 "including those who happily or unhappily lived the rest of their lives in the villages and forests of New France's Indian allies, could not have numbered more than 184." His minimum figure is 69.
Fort William Henry's impact on history had been accomplished. The French burned the fort. Today, a reconstruction stands where the original once stood. There is a marker on the site of the entrenched camp, and several other markers and monuments nearby. The ruins of a portion of Fort George, built a couple of years later near where Fort William Henry stood, can still be found. Fort Edward is marked merely by a couple of blue signs. Fortunately, there is excavation work being done in the vicinity, and this may someday change. Fort Carillon (Ticonderoga) stands proudly today, as it did nearly 250 years ago, as a silent reminder to all that once took place. ___________________________ A PERSONAL ACCOUNT AT FORT WILLIAM HENRY
This happened about two years ago. I live in Maine and there are many old forts to visit. On my birthday (July) I went with my mom and husband to Fort William Henry. This fort has a tower and what is left of the old foundation of the fort. Next to the tower are what remains of the foundations of the soldier quarters. My mom and husband went into the tower because there was a little museum in there. And, strange for July, there were no other tourists around.
I was fascinated by the soldier quarters and I just stood there staring at the old foundations and wondering and thinking about what it must have been like to be a soldier back then. Suddenly, a man came over from the direction of the tower and stood near the foundations I was looking at. He stood there until I noticed him. I could not see him with my eyes, but he was definitely there and he was a man. When I noticed him, he went back over to the tower and stood in the doorway with his arms crossed, just standing there. I had the feeling he belonged in the tower. I was freaked out so I decided to go find my mom and husband, and when I started walking toward the tower... the man disappeared. ______________________
EXCAVATION
In 1997, the first professional archaeology in fifty years began at this famous site. For four seasons crews worked in the fort's well, along the road that was the entrance to the fort, and at various sites around the outer moat and the military cemetery.
Workers digging a foundation behind the Holly Tree Inn unearthed the 250-year-old remains of two soldiers this month, and a historian says 100 more still lie in unmarked graves in the area. Skeletal remains that archaeologists believe are those of young men who died in the Battle of Lake George were uncovered when the owners of the Holly Tree, at Route 9 and Birch Street, started preparing the ground for cottages. Gerry Bradfield, curator at the privately owned Fort William Henry, said he has an eyewitness account of a mass burial of 126 men on this site in the shadow of Prospect Mountain. French and British forces clashed here during the French and Indian War. They were fighting for control of the lake, part of a strategic waterway from Canada to Albany. Warren County Sheriff Larry Cleveland said the contractor called his office when the bones were found, but deputies quickly determined the site was not a crime scene. Finding grave sites is really not that unusual around here," Cleveland said. David Klinge of Hartgen Archaeological Associates of Rensselaer said a physical anthropologist reviewed the remains and examined the site for signs of European burial practices. Bradfield has pictures from 1965, when two dozen of the fallen soldiers' brothers-in-arms were uncovered when the motel was built. The men likely were killed during one of the three clashes between French, British and Indian forces on Sept. 8, 1755, the curator said. The current owners of the Holly Tree, where rooms are $50 a night midweek, would not talk about the find. Vinnie Crocitto, whose mother owned the hotel for 30 years, said he remembers builder George Hayward explaining the history of the site. A newspaper report from 1965 shows Hayward holding a skeleton and posing for a photograph with Jim McGee, who at the time was the curator of Fort William Henry. Buttons from French uniforms were discovered in the sandy soil at the time. Crocitto, now the manager of a nearby Super 8, said his mother put a new level on the hotel, adding seven rooms, but "we never touched the ground." Bradfield said such discoveries throughout Lake George were common as hotels were built in the 1950s and '60s. Those who found them gave the bones to Bradfield's uncle, Edwin McEnaney, a co-founder of the fort. Eventually, they were buried under the marker "John Doe" in the fort cemetery. The original fort was razed in 1757, less than two years after it was built. Dozens of remains were unearthed when work began to build a replica in 1953. The bones were on display for 40 years, according to plaques in the cemetery. They were laid to rest in 1993. In 2001, a set of remains, which had been scalped, was found under a sidewalk. The skeleton was reinterred later that year. Although the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation was notified of the bones at the Holly Tree, spokeswoman Kathy Jimenez said she expects the state to have little to do with them. "We don't have direct involvement in this case, we spoke to the owner and encouraged him to hire an archaeologist ... we recommend that if the remains need to be removed, they do so sensitively and rebury them," Jimenez said. She explained that if remains are found on public land or if public money is used for construction work, the state often orders an archaeological survey in historically sensitive areas. Such is the case of the Lake George Forum, a convention center and skating rink under construction across the street from the Holly Tree. No remains were found there, Bradfield said. In the case of an unmarked burial, Jimenez said her department can only make recommendations. Bradfield said he has offered to bury the skeletons with the others in the fort cemetery. He said the owners seem anxious to do so. Jim Anselmo was filling in for his daughter, the regular manager at the Holly Tree, on Wednesday while workers poured concrete in the back. The owners bought the cottages behind the Colonial Manor, which was razed to make way for the Lake George Forum, and they plan to move them across Route 9 to sit on the new concrete. In the meantime, motels and a batting cage mark the anonymous graves of young men who died here before the country was born.
Video: The Battle of Fort William Henry (Siege of Fort William Henry) was conducted by French and Native Indian forces under the command of General Montcalm against the British and settlers who held Fort William Henry in August 1757. Some of Montcalm's Native American allies violated his surrender terms and killed a column of British survivors, making it one of the notorious battles of the French and Indian war. Some scenes from the feature film 'The Last of the Mohicans' (adapted from James Fenimore Cooper's epic story) were used in the video...Lon
Click for video Sources: www.mohicanpress.com www.u-s-history.com www.fortwilliamhenry.com old.hfcsd.org independencetrail.org paranormal.about.com
