Haunted Lighthouses of Maine

Ghostly forms, loud voices, ethereal whispers, phantom lights, the cries of drowning men on a cold still night are all part of haunted lighthouse legends. Maine holds the title for the most haunted lighthouses in New England.

We start our tour at Nubble Light on Cape Neddick where the legend of the ghost ship Isadore, is a favorite among the locals.

Capt. Joseph Smith, petitioned Congress for a lighthouse at York Ledge where mariners were constantly lost to the treacherous Bald Head Cliffs. Congress allocated the money, but the cliffs remained dark, causing more loss of life. Nubble Light, built in 1879, came too late to save Leander Foss, Captain of the Isadore and his crew.

Thomas King, a seaman on the Isadore had a vivid nightmare of the ship and crew crashing on the cliff rocks and perishing. The captain, hearing his story was suspicious and scornful, and refused to relieve him of duty. King was not aware that a shipmate had a similar dream and saw seven coffins including his wash up on shore.

In spite of the crew's fears, they sailed on a bitterly cold November day with wind driven heavy snow swirling about, greatly reducing visibility. Shortly after leaving port, the Isadore, crashed against Bald Head Cliffs, killing everyone except Thomas King, who escaped to Kennebunkport.

Many fishermen reportedly have seen the ghostly shadow of the Isadore and her crew sailing along the coastline.

Suicide Light
Mantinicus Lighthouse

Lighthouse keeping, a lonely life at best, saw several keepers unable to deal with the constant danger and loneliness commit suicide.

The new keeper of the Mantinicus Rock Lighthouse, unaware that his predecessor killed himself, decided to open a portion of the lighthouse he found closed. Suddenly, doors angrily slammed open and shut, light bulbs died when placed in their sockets, cups and dished flew off the table in a rage and cupboard doors refused to remain closed.

Peace returned when the new keeper re-closed that area. During a scheduled inspection, the area was re-opened and everything broke loose, however the inspectors reported "nothing unusual" to their superiors.

Division of Labor
Owl's Head Light

Two ghosts haunt this lighthouse off the coast of Rockland.

The first, keeper hated the daily task of polishing the brass, and when finished walked outside to relieve his stress and boredom. Several successors reported seeing his footprints in the snow after a storm. According to legend, a three-year-old girl, awakened from her sleep, urged her parents to ring the fog bell, to warn approaching ships of danger. When questioned, she told them her invisible friend who looked suspiciously like the keeper's portrait, told her to warn them.

The keeper still polishes the brass each day and saves energy by lowering the thermostat.
The second ghost, or "the little lady," is a pleasant peaceful presence who is sometimes seen performing various kitchen duties. People report hearing rattling silverware, and doors opening and closing.

Play It Again...and Again
Seguin Lighthouse

Seguin Light, off the coast of Boothbay Harbor is the highest above sea level and home to one of the most grisly haunting legends.

Lighthouse keeping was not for the faint of heart. While men kept busy with required duties, wives often found the loneliness, boredom and isolation nearly impossible.

One newlywed keeper brought his bride with him to Seguin Light. Her complaints of loneliness and boredom prompted him to order a piano to help occupy her time.

Although delighted with the gift, she found the piano came with just one piece of sheet music, which she repeatedly played throughout the long, isolating winter, driving her husband mad. When spring arrived, her husband purchased new sheet music, but she insisted on playing only the original tune. Driven insane, he took an ax to the piano, and then turned the ax on her, nearly decapitating her before killing himself.

Locals say that on a still, cold night, they can hear the tinkle of the piano, and see the keeper performing his duties.

The Lady in White
Ram Island Light

Before a lighthouse appeared on Ram Island, a fisherman started the tradition of hanging a light on his dory, warning mariners of impending danger. Other fishermen soon followed his example.

When the light was not bright enough for sailors to see, a woman in white reportedly appeared waving a brightly lit torch. Several fishermen reported seeing her just in time, avoiding disaster.

Some reportedly still see her waving her torch and saving lives.

What Beauty Walks Here?
Hendrick's Head Lighthouse

A beautiful ghost whose identity and fate sparked much speculation walks on the beach near Hendrick's Head Light.

During a March gale, a ship crashed on the ledge a half mile from the lighthouse. The keeper, unable to rescue the passengers watched helplessly as the ship, its passengers and cargo disappeared under the waves.

The next day, while searching through the debris, the keeper and his wife found two feather mattresses tied together, and heard a strange noise coming from inside. When they untied the mattresses, they found an infant girl snuggled inside a wood box. Believing the mother placed the baby in the box to save her life, they took the child home and raised her as their own.

Many believe the beautiful, grief stricken woman seen walking on the beach is the child's mother.

Dark Shadows
Wood Island Light

Murder and mayhem stalk this lighthouse. Sheriff Fred Milliken rented a chicken coop on Wood Island to a drifter named Howard Hobbs.

When he threatened to arrest Hobbs for fighting with Mrs. Milliken, Hobbs shot him. Witnesses helped carry the mortally wounded sheriff to his house where he died. A distraught Hobbs raced to the keeper's house, and despite Keeper Orcutt's attempt to calm him shot himself.

Locals believe the strange noises heard coming from the chicken coop belong to Milliken and Hobbs. They also reported seeing dark shadows roaming the grounds and hearing locked doors mysteriously flying open.

Keeper Orcutt's terrified successor, fled to a mainland boarding house one night, and jumped to his death the next day.

There are many seemingly haunted American lighthouses, and each has its own chilling tale. Several are open to the public.

Marianne L. Kelly
Marianne L. Kelly a former chef is a journalist, editor, web content writer and lighthouse enthusiast. Marianne has written three themed main stream cookbooks, including one featuring lighthouses. She is currently working on a third that follows each season with stories, poems, thoughts and sayings along with healthy recipes from the bounty of each season. Marianne works with a web designer writing original content and re-writes, and is available for hire. For more information visit http://www.safeharbourpress.com or http://www.strawintogold.weebly.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Marianne_Kelly

Real Ghosts - Were They Summoned by the Curse of Savannah to Haunt the City?

Real ghosts, haunted places and paranormal activity make the sleepy southern town of Savannah, Georgia "America's Most Haunted City." Is there really a "Curse of Savannah" to explain all of this?

Is it Hoodoo or something more sinister?

There are many mysterious happenings and ghost stories related to the Curse of Savannah. It seems like a haunted house with real ghosts is lurking around almost every shadowy corner. There are countless true scary stories that the locals will swear by.

Ghostly shrouds of Spanish moss cascading from mighty oaks everywhere and the balmy southern air create an eerie atmosphere in Savannah. Here the tales of mystery seem larger than life (death?).

Stories of the Curse of Savannah date to initial settlement and perhaps farther back to a time when missionaries, buccaneers, and American natives inhabited the coast. A number of the nation's bloodiest battles were fought on Savannah soil, including the Siege of Savannah during the American Revolution. 1,200 men were killed in one hour - only Bunker Hill had more casualties.

Plague, fire, and hurricanes have devastated the city, leaving in their wake a legacy of death and dismay. Stories of real ghosts are woven into the history of Savannah to such an extent that it is difficult to separate the real from the surreal.

A City Built On The Dead

Savannah was founded in 1733 by General James Oglethorpe and is Georgia's oldest city. The City was built initially on an Indian burial ground known as Yamacraw Bluffs. As settlers were struck down by Yellow Fever or other unfortunate events, the cemeteries filled rapidly.

Businesses and homes were forced to expand onto the ground where the dead lay resting, as the city grew. Some bodies were disinterred and buried elsewhere, but many were not. Could it be these restless spirits that haunt the city?

The Hoodoo Doctor

The story is told of a former slave and alleged Hoodoo doctor called Mathias. Having obtained his freedom, Mathias planned to infiltrate an estate posing as a slave in order to guide the slaves north to freedom via the Underground Railroad.

On a cool November night in 1859 Mathias made his move. To protect their escape he provided each slave with a mojo bag. However, one slave refused the offer and threatened to expose the plan, so Mathias killed him. Twelve slaves escaped, but Mathias was caught and thrown in jail.

Witnesses claimed Matthias was hung in his cell, but the sheriff swore he was killed in the act of attempted escape. Many believe that Matthias cursed the city in revenge and summoned the many real ghosts that have haunted Savannah ever since.

For More Information

Learn more about the Curse of Savannah and the "7 Greatest Mysteries" of Savannah-Hilton Head Island at [http://www.best-hilton-head-vacations.com/ghost-stories.html] Follow this link for an expose of the real ghosts on Hilton Head Island, the No. 1 vacation destination in the Continental United States.

Who needs Hawaii, when we've got Hilton Head? Author Dennis Woods invites you to use the handy vacation planner worksheet at [http://www.best-hilton-head-vacations.com/trip-planner.html] for discounts on meals, accommodations, and much more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dennis_Woods

11 Signs That Your House Is Haunted

This is an guide to help anybody who needs to know if there house is truly haunted, remember there is help available if you need it.

What to watch for - and what to do about it.

You hear heavy footsteps in the upstairs hallway when you know no one is up there. Doors slam unaccountably. Commonly used items disappear and reappear without cause. The kitchen light turns on by itself. There's the unmistakable scent of a strange perfume in the air.

These may be indications that your house is haunted. True hauntings are rare occurrences, and it may be difficult to determine whether or not any strange phenomena you are experiencing in your home might be due to a haunting. For one thing, no one really knows what a "real" haunting is - what causes it or why it starts.

The Signs of a Haunting

The first step is to determine, as best you can, whether or not you truly have a legitimate case of a haunting.

Not all hauntings are alike, and they may exhibit a variety of phenomena. Some hauntings feature a single phenomenon - such as a particular door slamming shut that occurs repeatedly - while others consist of many different phenomena, ranging from odd noises to full-blown apparitions.

Here's a partial list of phenomena that might indicate that your house is haunted:

1: Does your home have cold spots...areas where there is no evidence of a draft, but you can feel one anyway? Oftentimes, spiritual activity is accompanied by cold wisps of air and chilling puffs against your skin. They can be a barely-noticeable occurrence, or very strong. Goosebumps can result. Pay attention, these can be very tell-tale.

2: If you hear ghostly footsteps, wait until the phenomenon has stopped (or until daylight, if you're more comfortable) and try to duplicate the sound by walking wherever the footsteps came from. Was it really footsteps, or the house settling or shifting as the temperature dropped at dusk?

3: Do your dogs or cats tend to avoid or obsess about a particular location in your home? Animals are extremely sensitive to paranormal occurrences and "vibes". They will often stare at a particular spot for no specific reason, growl at thin air, flee from nothing and bark at something you can't see. Sooth the animal and get it to calm down. Take notice of when and where these things happen and see what other signs might be going on. Pay heed to your pets. They're innocently psychic.

4: Do you find that friends or family mention feeling a particular way in your home or specific location in the home? Are they spooked at times? Do they talk about nighttime occurrences or feelings they have? Those who don't live full time in the house will often feel more spirit energy than those living there. We can grow "immune" to the feelings in our own house. Pay attention to what visitors say.

5: Very common scents that are not usual to your surroundings can indicate some spirit activity. The sense of smell is extremely strong in relation to memory for human beings. We can smell a particular aroma and be taken instantly back to a strong memory we've stored that is connected to that smell. Perfumes, flower scents, earthy scents and cooking smells are some of the scents detected in relation to ghostly activity.

6: You can try meditation, open yourself to the experience of feeling the atmosphere of your own home. Clear your thoughts and breathe deeply, drawing in the ambiance around your house and filtering it through your senses. Does it feel charged with energy? Does it feel as though you're not alone? Does it feel like there are emotions there that don't belong to your or other inhabitants? These things all can indicate presences of spirit people and ghostly visitors.

7: If you have children, do they seem to have developed a imaginary friend. This is common we know with all children, but sometimes a spirit can attach itself to a child and draw on there energy. Spirits are especially attracted to children as there souls are pure and are very easily manipulated. Children will believe anything.

It is not uncommon for a child's behavior to change dramatically. Signs of this maybe:

Constant Fatigue, this occurs by the spirit drawing on the child's energy.

Increase in aggression

Lack of concentration, this may be their performance at school.

An increase in nightmares.

I realize this just sounds like a normal child.

The best way to tell though is by listening to your child's conversations with so called imaginary friend.

Your child may use particular words or phrases or have knowledge of an event, that they could not possibly know.

Ask your child questions about who he/she may be talking to.

Is this person a boy or girl?

How old is he/she?

Where are he/she from?

What do you talk about? etc!

8: Do you see or hear doors slam shut by themselves.

This is very common and can be miss interpreted for a haunting. Check the surrounding area for any drafts. Put your hand around cracks in doors and windows and try to feel for any drafts that may come through them. You must eliminate any natural causes.

9: If an object seems to move by itself, check the floor or surface with a carpenter's level. You can pick up a cheap one for under $2, and it'll fit in your purse or pocket. If the object is lightweight, check for drafts, too.

10: If windows open themselves, check the hardware. Make certain they're really closed. Try the window to see if the counterweight isn't right, and the window opens too easily.

11: If windows close themselves, try propping them with a piece of pipe or other solid object. Ghosts pop those props out, gravity usually doesn't.

Poltergeist phenomena is its own animal, so to speak. First, try to repeat the incident yourself, using natural means that could have occurred the first time. (A dish can fall off a shelf if the shelf is shaky. A dish cannot fly across the room and smash on the wall unless someone threw it, or rigged it.

For further information please visit the G.A.P.S Discussion Forum At: [http://gaps.net.au]

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shannon_Thomas

What Exactly is a Poltergeist Anyway?

Poltergeist is the German word meaning "noisy ghost". The word comes from the German term poltern which means "to knock" and geist which means "spirit". The best defining mark of a poltergeist is any manipulation of the physical environment such as the movement of objects, physical attacks, spontaneous combustion, etc.

Poltergeist phenomena is usually credited to mischievous spirits or ghosts and is associated with psychokinesis which is the ability to move things by power of the mind alone. This kinetic type of energy remains unexplained, but even some mainstream scientists are starting to explore the idea that it does exist.

Poltergeists are not usually considered to be spirits, but instead some theories state that poltergeists are mass forms of energy that a living person is unknowingly controlling. Poltergeist hauntings may be the most misunderstood, most terrifying, and rarest type of haunting, and some believe that poltergeist hauntings are not even a haunting at all. In some cases, extreme poltergeists activity has even been linked to demons. A key question that comes into play with poltergeist cases is whether the psychokinesis is causing the activity, or if it is actually occurring from an unseen troubled spirit or ghost.

In a typical poltergeist case there is most likely a variety of phenomena taking place. There may be knocking and tapping noises, sounds with no visible cause, disturbance of stationary objects like household items and furniture, doors slamming, lights turning on and off, fires breaking out and much, much more. Chairs have been known to move around by themselves; walls shake from loud, unexplained banging. Water drips from a ceiling. Things like hairbrushes and jewelry disappear, only to reappear at a later time in right where they should have been in the first place.

Usually, after a subtle and somewhat calm start, the activity will become more intense, manifesting itself through voices and even the appearance of full apparitions. Furniture may slide across the room and beds may shake. Sometimes the effects of a poltergeist are more playful than harmful, but sometimes the activity has been known to be downright nasty. Reports of scratches, bites, harmful objects being put in one's way such as glass shards on a pillow or tacks under a bed sheet have been noted, as well as possession.

Poltergeists build over time to a climax, then start over. They can travel anywhere. Most poltergeists nearing the climax of their energy can become dangerous to the living. Inflicting both mental and physical terror in extreme cases. Poltergeist hauntings seem to mysteriously go away as quickly as they began. The most famous and terrible accounts of a poltergeist attacking a family is the Bell Witch.

A common factor of classic poltergeist activity is the presence of a female adolescent in the household or for all of the activity to be centered around one specific person. It is common that none of the activity will take place unless that person is present at the time. In most cases, when that specific person is removed from the location, the events cease. The person causing all of the phenomenon is doing so subconsciously and usually isn't even aware that they're the cause. Ths activity could also be centered around someone who is under an unusual amount of stress. When the stress is relived, sometimes by leaving the location itself, the problems stop. If the stress continues, the "haunting" seems to follow them.

In true poltergeist hauntings, none of the activity will continue after the person is removed from the environment, as they are not there to create it or influence an unseen entity. It has been reported, however, that activity can return later if the "right" person visits or lives in a notably poltergeist-haunted place. This would lead one to believe that it requires a combined psychic energy to manifest such terrible hauntings. In most cases, relieving the inner problems of the individual is the key to stopping the poltergeist activity.

On the other hand, not all cases of supposed poltergeist activity involve disturbed individuals. Not all hauntings can be easily categorized and it's important not to jump quickly to conclusions. In some cases, what appears to be the work of a disturbed person may actually be that of the spirits, and vice versa. In addition, some genuinely haunted spots seem to be so filled with energy that witnesses at the location can even manifest their own phenomena.

Poltergeist activity provides an excellent opportunity for researchers to document strange activity, but these case most likely won't have anything to do with ghosts and there is really no way to help the victims. It's usually best to refer the family to a good counselor or mental health care provider, rather than try to act as a paranormal investigator. A counselor is usually the best person to provide assistance under these circumstances because psychokenesis normally manifests because of emotional disturbance.

Denise Villani an author and the webmaster of several article directories. Find more articles and information on hauntings and the paranormal by visiting HauntedStuff.net and ParanormalStuff.info

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Denise_Villani