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The Haunted Post Cemetery on Mackinac Island

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The cemeteries on Mackinac Island are said to be haunted, some more than others. After her children died from illness, a grieving mother is said to be haunting the Post Cemetery on the island.

In the glistening waters of Lake Huron between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, Mackinac Island is a serene retreat known for its picturesque beauty, historic charm, and an eerie reputation for the supernatural. In fact, Mackinac Island was called the most haunted town in America in 2021, with many stories having been covered over the years. And with only a full time population of around 583 people, the ghosts perhaps even outnumber the living. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

With no cars allowed and transportation limited to bicycles and horse-drawn carriages, the island offers a unique step back in time. Some come to enjoy the quiet seaside and enjoy the famous fudge. The island has become a perfect summer destination for Americans, but after the tourists leave in the fall, the fog from the Straits comes rolling in, and the leaves turn color, the ghost of the island remains to haunt it. 

Fort Mackinac Post Cemetery: Located a half mile north of Fort Mackinac, near Skull Cave, a burial site for American Indians. The earliest interments in the post cemetery likely date to the mid-1820’s and is considered haunted. The military occupation of Fort Mackinac throughout the 18th century suggests there was an earlier post cemetery, yet the location of pre-1820’s burials remains elusive.// Source

A Brief History of Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island’s history stretches back thousands of years, with indigenous peoples such as the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Huron considering it a sacred place long before European settlers arrived. The island’s name itself, derived from the Ojibwe word “Michilimackinac,” means “big turtle,” referring to the island’s shape when viewed from above.

Read more: Check out all ghost stories from Mackinac Island

The French established a fur trading post here in the 17th century, and the island later became a strategic military outpost during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. In the late 19th century, it became more of a summer colony and a tourist destination that it still is. 

The Haunted Post Cemetery

Mackinac Island is also home to several cemeteries, each with its own ghostly legends. One of them is the Mackinac Island’s Post Cemetery, the oldest cemetery on the island. It was built in the early 1800s to house both British and American soldiers who were killed in the War of 1812. After this, civilians and veterans of the American Civil War were also buried here. The cemetery’s history is closely knit together with the reportedly haunted Fort Mackinac.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from haunted cemeteries

Many have been buried here, not many are named. The wooden crosses marked with their name have long since decayed and only 39 of the 108 souls under the ground are identified with headstones. A lot of mystery lingers over the cemetery as a lot of its history is forgotten because of how bad they were at keeping records at the fort. 

The Graves: The story told about the Post Cemetery is that a grieving mother can be seen mourning over the graves. Here, the grave of Isabel Cowles and her brother, thought to be the graves the ghost mother is visiting. //Source

Visitors have reported seeing ghostly apparitions among the gravestones and hearing the faint sound of weeping, believed to be the spirits of those who met tragic ends during the island’s tumultuous history. One such story tells of the ghost of a weeping mother. She is seen over the 19th century graves of her two young children. 

The Cowles Siblings Haunting Fort Mackinac

There were a lot of children staying at the fort who died, including Josiah and Isabel Cowles who died in infancy. Could these be the children behind the haunting happening at the Stone Quarter? Could the ghost of their mother be the one said to haunt the Post Cemetery?

Mary Ella Cowles who buried her children at the Post Cemetery. Could she be the one said to haunt it?

The family had moved from post to post the last ten years and came to Fort Mackinac in 1884, a booming tourist town. Mary Ella Hitchcock was born in 1855 in Rochester New York and married Calvin Duvall Cowles six months after they met. They had children and were known to be caring and loving parents, the opposite Victorian stereotype of a strict and not very affectionate upbringing model.

The move to the island was supposed to be a fresh start, but shortly after they arrived, Josiah died, only five months old. They moved away for a while, but came back with their daughter, Isabel, born in New York. Just before her first birthday, she died as well on the island in 1887. 

Their mother never recovered and deeply mourned their passing. Although she spent the rest of her life traveling from post to post, taking care of her family, she never forgot or got over the children she lost on the island and buried next to each other. 

She died in 1906 after watching both the Spanish-American war and the Philippine-American wars from the posts. She was buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia.

It is also said she is haunting the fort, often seen in the Officer Hills Apartment Quarters, standing helpless and watching her babies die of a sickness she no one could cure. 

Thirteen other children died at the fort over the years and were all buried at the Fort Mackinac Post Cemetery, and if the haunting is real, there could be plenty of mothers coming to mourn for their little ones for all eternity. 

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References:

Mary Ella Cowles – Mackinac State Historic Parks 

Josiah Hamilton Cowles – Find a Grave Memorial 

Isabel Hitchcock Cowles (1887-1888) – Find a Grave Memorial

Historic Cemeteries – Mackinac Island

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The Violent Ghost Inside of Sallie House in Kansas

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The infamous haunted Sallie House is said to be one of the more haunted places in Kansas. What happened inside the house where it is said that the life of a young girl ended after a botched operation. Is she really lingering and haunting the house to the point of hurting people? 

One fateful day, a terrified mother arrived with her six-year-old girl to the house of Dr. Finney in Atchison, Kansas. Sallie, as the little girl was named, was suffering from a severe case of appendicitis and had collapsed from the terrible pain. In a desperate bid to save her life, as the appendix would burst at any moment, Dr. Finney attempted emergency surgery. 

But the anesthesia failed, or perhaps he didn’t have time to wait until it took effect before cutting into her. As the scalpel sliced into her abdomen, she awoke to searing pain, her screams piercing the walls before she succumbed to shock and blood loss.

Her screams suddenly stopped as she died, her last memory being in excruciating pain and the image of a man cutting into and torturing her. 

Sallie House: Said to be haunted by a little girl who died on an operating table after an operation, the Sallie House is now a popular haunted house destination to stay and explore for a fee. What really happened that day, is it really Sallie haunting the place, or is it actually something more demonic s some people claim. // Source

The Haunted Town of Atchison

In the heart of Atchison, Kansas, 50 miles northwest from Kansas City along the Missouri River. It’s a town known for its famous female pilot, Amelia Earhart, it is also known for its ghostly lore. Some believe Sallies restless spirit remained behind, forever tethered to the place of her suffering. Left of her is only the infamous residence of where she died—the Sallie House on 508 N. Second Street, right up the street from Amelia Earhart’s birthplace. 

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A place where shadows move of their own accord, unseen hands scratch the skin, and the air hums with a presence both tragic and malevolent. Some say it is the most haunted place in Kansas, if not in the country! Many have dared to step inside, but few leave without an unsettling story to tell.

A House with a Dark Past

The Sallie House, built in the mid-1800s or perhaps at the turn of the century or perhaps somewhere in the middle like 1871, the sources vary by Michael Finney who had a son, Charles in 1865. 

Building a Haunted House: Michael Finney, the father of Dr. Finney, came from Ireland and married Kate Kathryns and moved to Atchison in 1856. Michael and Kate bought several properties on N 2nd Street and Sallie House is thought to have been built for Charles and his family. Some are saying that in addition to the little girl, Michael is also one of the ghosts haunting this place.

By 1903, Dr. Charles Finney and his family are listed as the city directory as residents. The Sallie House is a basic two-story home built in the mid-1800’s with a basement. The front served as office space and examination rooms, while the doctor and his family lived upstairs. In the early 1900s, operating from one’s private home was still common in the U.S. 

Some believe that the home doubled as his medical practice, where he examined and treated patients in the lower rooms while his family occupied the upstairs. 

Though architectural details have led some to question whether the house was ever used as a clinic, the legend persists, fueling the eerie reputation that shrouds the building. The operation of Sallie has never been confirmed but it is mostly stated to have happened around 1905 and according to stories, Charles moved out from the house in 1906 after the surgery. 

His family are said to have lived in the house until 1947 and more than one member of the family died in the house. Michael C. Finney in 1872, James Finney in 1900 and Kate Finney in 1918., all of natural causes though. 

So what happened to Charles though? He actually ended up as mayor for a while, although he had to step down after an alcohol scandal. When he was elected mayor in 1913, the Globe’s headline said that the mothers of Atchison had elected him, as he had officiated at so many births

The Haunting Begins to get Violent

Although the locals had already deemed the house haunted, it wasn’t until 1993 when the legend about it took full effect. When the tragedy of Sallie is said to have happened, the house had already passed through many hands. On 2nd Street in December of 1992, a young couple moved into it and they started to notice strange things happening after a month or so. 

Debra and Tony Pickman moved into the place with their little baby and dog, thinking to live a peaceful life, but the house had other plans. 

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Their dog started to growl at nothing, especially in the upstairs rooms they used as a nursery. Around the place where the operating table had been, it started to grow cold and objects would move. Mold started to grow out of nowhere after their son was born and the activity increased. Voices started to seep from the walls without a source. This was said to only happen to the man in the house, never his wife or his baby. 

One day however, they returned home and entered the nursery room. There, they found all of their son’s stuffed animals in a circle on the floor. 

Drawing of Sallie: Although Debra Pickams has gone out and said that the ghost of Sallie was actually a demon possessing her to gain her trust, apparitions of a little girl is said to have happened still. This is a sketch that Tony Pickham drew of what he saw. Source

The strange things escalated until it turned violent after that day, leaving scratches on his chest and across his abdomen. Even fires were said to break out when candles lit themselves. During the birthday party of their child, a doll was said to have caught fire for no reason as well. 

Scratches left on Tony Pickham

When they reached out to Past owners Kelly Elias and Les Smith said that they also had some experiences while they lived in the house. Two years in, the Pickams moved out.  

A Haunting Unlike Any Other

The echoes of Sallie’s agony are said to reverberate through the house to this day. Male visitors have reported the most violent encounters—deep scratches appearing out of nowhere, burning sensations crawling across their backs, and unseen forces pushing them. This has led to the chilling moniker “The Man-Hating Ghost.” Some theorize that, in her final moments, the young girl associated all men with pain, her spirit now lashing out at any male presence in the house. People have stated that they have seen the apparition of a young girl as well.

Electric equipment stops working, battery drains are only some of the things that paranormal investigators claim to experience. But is Sallie the only ghost haunting the place? According to some, the house seems to be a magnet for supernatural activity, drawing in forces that may be far more sinister than a child’s lingering spirit.

Some simply don’t believe that young Sallie would be behind the violent attacks and there are reports of a middle-aged woman who is said to be behind the frightening attacks. She is said to have been seen standing in the windows when people are passing by. 

The Haunted House Next Door

In addition to Sallie, the story gets intermingled with the tragic story of Frank Jr. He was a child who died in Kansas City a year after Sallie died when his mom botched a suicide attempt that killed him but that she survived.

James Finney, the older brother of Charles built a house next door in 1889 and deeded it to the child’s mother. Joanna Barnes who was his mother was divorced, had three previous children and had also been sent to an asylum for being violently insane. She gave birth to Frank Jr at the institution.

She was then discharged, believed to be cured of her affliction. On September 24 in 1906, she turned the gas stove on and laid down with her five year old who died of the fumes. She survived, but is still haunting the place according the stories.

Johanna is also said to haunt the place, appearing as a “dominant female” who lived next door to Sallie House until 1906 and whose ghostly voice was allegedly captured on audio.

source

A Manufactured Myth or a Real Nightmare?

Despite the compelling stories, no historical record confirms the existence of a young girl named Sallie who died in the house. There are many theories and versions of the legend now. Was Sallie the result of an affair with Dr. Finney and her mother were black maids and because of this, they couldn’t go to the hospital. 

Some skeptics argue that the legend was concocted as a tourism stunt to put Atchison on the map as one of America’s most haunted towns.

Ethel Anderson owned and lived in this home from 1958 to 1990. Until her death in 2000, she insisted that the home was not haunted. Debra Pickam published a book about their experiences, so they certainly had monetary motives for fabricating a story like this. 

After the Pickman’s moved out Gloria Fish and her family moved in. They claimed nothing paranormal occurred when they lived there.Paranormal investigators said that the ghost must have moved on or followed the Pickman’s as they had experienced scratches after moving into their new home. 

A Destination for the Brave

Today, the Sallie House stands as both a curiosity and a challenge to the boldest of ghost hunters. Public tours, overnight investigations, and eerie personal accounts continue to cement its reputation as one of the most haunted locations in the United States. They keep finding strange things about this house. 

In the early 2000s it was said that a pentagram was drawn on the basement floor of the home and that satanic things for a ritual have been found. When doing a luminol test, blood splatter was discovered in the closet of the master bedroom and a bloody sweater was said to be found in the attic. 

Some believe that both the mother and Sallie is not found, because they are still on the property after the doctor buried them there, or perhaps even in the basement.

Whether the haunting is the tortured soul of a little girl or something far more malevolent, one thing is certain—the Sallie House does not rest. And although you must sign a waiver before entering, there hasn’t been a reported incident since the last tenants left in 1993. 

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References:

Sallie House – Visit Atchison 

Beat the Winter Blues by Exploring Rural Kansas, the Perfect Snowy Escape 

Sallie House: The History of This Atchison Kansas Haunted House

Sallie House Investigation 

Sallie House – Wikipedia 

The Sallie House – The Most Haunted House in Kansas? 

The Sallie House – Clio 

Dr Charles C Finney (1865-1947) – Find a Grave Memorial 

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Fort Mackinac and the Ghosts of War

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Built to hold the British away, Fort Mackinac has seen its fair share of death, both in war times and times of peace. Soldiers dying in wars, children taken by diseases are only some of the many ghosts said to haunt the old fort on Mackinac Island. 

In the pristine waters of Lake Huron, situated between Michigan’s Upper and Lower Peninsulas, Mackinac Island stands as a tranquil retreat renowned for its striking beauty, rich history, and a notable reputation for paranormal occurrences.In fact, Mackinac Island was called the most haunted town in America in 2021, with many stories having been covered over the years. And with only a full time population of around 583 people, the ghosts perhaps even outnumber the living. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

With no cars allowed and transportation limited to bicycles and horse-drawn carriages, the island offers a unique step back in time. Some come to enjoy the quiet seaside and enjoy the famous fudge. The island has become a perfect summer destination for Americans, but after the tourists leave in the fall, the fog from the Straits comes rolling in, and the leaves turn color, the ghost of the island remains to haunt it. 

Mackinac Island: Cars were banned at the end of the nineteenth century due to health and safety concerns for the island’s residents and horses, as local carriage drivers said it scared their horses. This, together with the old historic houses and lush nature makes you feel like stepping back in time and welcoming old ghosts to linger.

A Brief History of Mackinac Island

Mackinac Island’s history stretches back thousands of years, with indigenous peoples such as the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Huron considering it a sacred place long before European settlers arrived. The island’s name itself, derived from the Ojibwe word “Michilimackinac,” means “big turtle,” referring to the island’s shape when viewed from above.

Read more: Check out all ghost stories from Mackinac Island

The French established a fur trading post here in the 17th century, and the island later became a strategic military outpost during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812. In the late 19th century, it became more of a summer colony and a tourist destination that it still is. 

Fort Mackinac and the Echoes of War

Fort Mackinac, perched atop a bluff overlooking the island, is not just a historical site from the Revolutionary War era, but also one of its most haunted. As most haunted places in America, they believe the fort was built on top of a native burial ground.

The military fort dates back to 1779 founded by Patrick Sinclair, a British commander. Three years after its construction it was supposed to be handed over to the Americans, but Captain Robinson refused to. It was in the end handed over in 1796, but the fight of the fort was not over yet. 

Read More: check out all ghost stories from haunted forts

During the war in 1812 it was known as Fort Michilimackinac and the British returned. They came back for the fort with the help of the natives and Canadians. It was a surprise attack with cannons, and the sixty American soldiers stationed at the fort were easily defeated. 13 died during the attack and 51 injured. 

In 1814 however, it was given back to the Americans via a treaty, remaining with them without any more fights before being decommissioned in 1895. 

Fort Mackinac: The Straits of Mackinac quickly became an important French fur trading location. The British took control of the Straits after the French and Indian War and built Fort Mackinac to protect their settlement from attack by French-Canadians and native tribes.//Source: Wikimedia

Soldiers and civilians alike have reported unexplained phenomena, including disembodied footsteps, sudden cold spots, and the spectral figures of soldiers in 18th-century uniforms. There are mysterious orbs showing up in tourists’ holiday pictures. And it seems like the haunting is not only confined to one of the 14 historic buildings of the fort. 

At War: Today the Fort Mackinac is used as a museum and reenactments of the battles it used to be a part of and has shaped the many ghost stories around the island. //Source: Wikimedia

The Hospital Haunting

There used to be a hospital now operating as an exhibit within the fort, showing how it was done back in the 19th century. A doctor known as the father of gastric physiology worked here and studied in detail the digestive system after a fur trader shot a hole in his stomach and survived. Dating back to 1828, it’s the oldest hospital building in Michigan. As many who died in battle, even more died from diseases like typhoid fever outbreaks and other illnesses.

In the hospital, many visitors have felt an overwhelming feeling of sadness overcome them, thinking it has to have a paranormal source. It is also said that the sound of crying babies can be heard. Furniture is mysteriously moving around and the motion detectors in place keep going off, even when no one is there. 

There is also the mysterious case of the people claiming to have seen floating phantom limbs in the air and them showing up in pictures. 

The Children Haunting the fort

The Fort Mackinac was not only a military outpost, but also served as a home for those stationed there. At the Officer’s Stone Quarters the families of those deployed at the fort lived, including the children. It is now a tea room, and has toys for children that seem to constantly be played with after hours.

This building is said to be Michigan’s oldest building from 1780, and no wonder that ghost stories have formed inside. It’s said that a group of ghost children is playing around, leaving toys for people to find on the floor in the morning. It is believed that the children used to have a father stationed there, but do we know their names?

The Cowles Siblings Haunting the fort

Mary Ella Cowles

There were a lot of children staying at the fort who died, including Josiah and Isabel Cowles who died in infancy. Could these be the children behind the haunting happening at the Stone Quarter? 

The family had moved from post to post the last ten years and came to Fort Mackinac in 1884, a booming tourist town. It was supposed to be a fresh start, but shortly after they arrived, Josiah died. They moved away for a while, but came back with their daughter, Isabel, born in New York. Just before her first birthday, she died as well on the island. The two children were buried next to each other in the Post Cemetery.

Their mother, Mary Ella Cowles never recovered and deeply mourned their passing. It is also said she is haunting the fort, often seen in the Officer Hills Apartment Quarters, standing helpless and watching her babies die of a sickness she no one could cure. She is also said to be haunting their graves at the Fort Mackinac Post Cemetery. 

The Fort After Hours

Thirteen other children died at the fort over the years and were all buried at the Fort Mackinac Post Cemetery, so there is not really known which one of them who is thought to be playing at the fort during the night. 

As the sun sets on Mackinac Island, casting long shadows over its historic buildings, the past continues to linger in the cool evening air. The tales of Fort Mackinac and its spectral inhabitants serve as a reminder of the island’s rich, albeit haunting, history.

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References:

Fort Mackinac – Haunted Houses

Fort Mackinac

Fort Mackinac – Wikipedia

Haunted Ghost Tour – Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau 

I Was a Ghost-Tour Guide on Mackinac Island

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Ghostly Encounters in Moonville Tunnel in Ohio

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Moonville Tunnel is some of the few remains of the mining community that used to be there. Now, the railroad tracks are gone, but it is said the ghosts of those who died along the tracks are still there, warning everyone for the oncoming train. 

Tucked deep within the dense, shadowy expanse of Zaleski State Forest lies Moonville, an abandoned railroad community whose eerie tales and spectral residents have remained, even though the living moved away. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from USA

While the town itself is long gone with only foundations of a few buildings, a cemetery as well as the railroad tunnel where the ghost stories come from. Its haunted legacy endures, centered around the infamous Moonville Tunnel—a foreboding passageway that continues to stir the imaginations of those who dare to visit.

Moonville Tunnel: Graffiti now covers the tunnel with no rail road tracks running through it anymore. It has become a local hot spot for local lore and ghost stories, many fueled by actual deaths that occurred along the dangerous railroad tracks. Source: Wikimedia

The Birth and Death of Moonville

Founded in the mid-19th century, Moonville was a modest mining community that sprang to life thanks to the railroad cutting through the rugged landscape. Its location, remote and isolated, made it an ideal spot for transporting coal and clay, but a dangerous one for the people who lived there. A small cluster of homes, a general store, a post office, and a cemetery where the heart of this tiny settlement of a few families.

However, Moonville was destined for an early grave. By the late 1940s, with the decline of the mining industry and the advent of more accessible transport routes, the town’s population dwindled. Eventually, the last remnants of the community faded into obscurity, leaving behind only whispers of its haunted past and the enduring structure of the Moonville Tunnel.

The Moonville Tunnel: A Portal to the Past

Today, the Moonville Tunnel stands as one of the few physical reminders of the town’s existence. The Moonville tunnel was also used as a footpath of the miners and their family walking along the tracks. This together with trains coming from both east and west on a single track caused a lot of deaths over the years, some say at least 27 deaths around the station and the tracks.

The tracks that once carried freight trains through this lonely stretch of forest have been removed, leaving a rugged path that winds through the trees, leading curious adventurers to the tunnel’s yawning mouth. Graffiti marks its ancient walls, and the tunnel’s darkness beckons with the promise of the unknown.

But it’s not just the tunnel’s history that draws visitors—it’s the ghosts that reportedly haunt its shadowy depths.

Moonville Tunnel: No railroad tracks run through the old tunnel anymore and the place is started to be reclaimed by nature. Even so, there are those who claim to see the ghosts of those trying to warn about oncoming trains. //Source: Wikimedia

The Ghosts of Moonville Tunnel

Since the late 1800s, stories of ghostly encounters in and around the Moonville Tunnel have been passed down through generations. The most famous of these spectral sightings is that of the Lantern Man. Described as a towering figure, close to eight feet tall, with a long white beard and glowing eyes, the Lantern Man is said to appear from the darkness swinging a luminous lantern. Clad in dirty overalls and a miner’s hat, he releases a terrifying scream that echoes through the tunnel, sending chills down the spines of those who hear it.

Legend has it that the Lantern Man was a brakeman who met a gruesome end beneath the wheels of a train. He fell asleep around 1859 according to some sources at work. Some say he had been drinking and just laid down to sleep on the tracks. It was a stormy night and he woke up when the sound of the train left the depot. Stumbling to the tracks, he fell and died.  

There is a newspaper article from the McArthur Democrat from MArch 31 in 1959. It says: “A brakesman on the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad fell from the cars near Cincinnati Furnace, on last Tuesday March 29, 1859 and was fatally injured, when the wheels passing over and grinding to a shapeless mass the greater part of one of his legs. He was taken on the train to Hamden and Doctors Wolf and Rannells sent for to perform amputation, but the prostration of the vital energies was too great to attempt it. The man is probably dead ere this. The accident resulted from a too free use of liquor.”

His ghost now wanders the tracks, eternally searching for the lantern he lost in life, warning trespassers of impending doom as he tries to catch his train.

The Ghost from the Trainwrecks

There is also a story about the man being an engineer called Frank Lawhead, or sometimes called Theodore, who was driving his train along the tracks around 1880. The dispatch forgot to tell him about an oncoming train and they collided. Both he and a fireman onboard were killed.

“Cincinnati, Ohio, Nov. 5. – Two freight trains ran together on the Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad, near Moonville, on the eastern end of the road, yesterday. Engineer Frank Lawhead and Fireman Charles Krick were killed and six of the crew wounded, none fatally. The cause of the collision is said to have been the failure of the train dispatcher to notify the east-bound train of an order to the west-bound train to run on its time.”
– Chicago Tribune – Saturday, November 6th, 1880

His ghost is now haunting the tracks and the tunnel, and was said to be spotted by other engineers traveling the route, said to hold his lantern in his hand, still trying to stop the trains. These sightings are said to have happened all the way up to the 1980s until the railroad came to an end and the tracks were removed. 

The Lavender Lady

Another haunting figure is the Lavender Lady, an elderly woman whose presence is often accompanied by the faint scent of lavender. Sometimes she is called Mary Shea. According to local lore, she was gathering lavender near the tracks when she was tragically struck by a train. Others say that she was looking for her fiance who worked on the rail line when she was struck by the train and died.

When this is said to have happened is rarely mentioned, some citing it around 1905. Visitors to the tunnel have reported seeing her ghostly figure, dressed in old-fashioned clothing, gliding silently through the mist, smelling of lavender.

The Bully on the Tunnel

There is also the story of the ghost of Baldie Keeton being told. He was a resident of Moonville they say and a mean drunk who liked to fight, often bear hugging his opponent. One day he was kicked out from the Saloon and was found dead on the tracks, many believing it was murder. The legend says he throws pebbles from above the tunnel at those visiting, staring at you. 

It seems that this legend is a more recent one and not as often told as the other ones. The story of The Bully is often told by mothers to their children, telling them not to stay out after dark as The Bully would get them. 

Beyond these apparitions, there are tales of formless spirits—shadows that flicker just beyond the range of vision—and an unseen entity that hurls pebbles at those brave enough to enter the tunnel. These playful yet unsettling encounters leave visitors questioning the reality of what they’ve experienced.

A Pilgrimage to the Paranormal

Despite its chilling reputation, Moonville has become a popular destination for ghost hunters and those intrigued by the paranormal. The hike along Raccoon Creek to the tunnel offers a serene, if eerie, journey through nature, where the line between the living and the dead seems to blur.

In recent years, local efforts have worked to preserve the history and mystique of Moonville. Guided tours, ghost walks, and Halloween events invite the curious to explore the tunnel and surrounding areas, offering a glimpse into the town’s haunted legacy..

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References:

The Legend of Moonville

Moonville Tunnel

Moonville Tunnel

Moonville Tunnel Rail Trail | History and Ghost Stories | Directions |

https://victoriastravelsandtribulations.com/2023/08/16/moonville-tunnel-hike-scary-stories-told-in-the-dark

https://eu.dispatch.com/story/news/state/2022/12/25/ghost-hunting-visit-southeast-ohio-moonville-tunnel-spooks/69627112007

The Moonville Tunnel 

Moonville, Ohio – Wikipedia 

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Top Ghost Stories for Valentine’s Day from Around the World

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Here are some of the many haunted legends and places where the story centers around love and romance. Enjoy these ghost stories for Valentine’s Day.

“Every love story is a ghost story” said the author, David Foster Wallace once. Ghosts are always lingering in stories, yearning for something, much like the greatest love stories. Although most romance in the haunted places and people is dark, violent and often bloody, there are still ghosts not jaded or turned vengeful of their lover. This is not a list of all the ghost stories that started when the love story ended badly (most often the boyfriend killed the girl), but a collection of where the ghosts are still loving in their afterlife.

And although the story ended in them dying, often horrible deaths, here are some more or less wholesome ghost stories for Valentine’s driven by love… most of them. Happy Valentine’s

The Romantic Ghost Haunting the Castle of Buen Amor | Spain

The Castle of Good Love: Castillo de Buen Amor is said to be haunted by the lady in white, the woman the castle was built for.//Source: El Pantera/ wikimedia

The Castle of Buen Amor, nestled in the countryside of Salamanca, Spain, is a place where love and legend intertwine. Once a fortress, it became the secret retreat of Bishop Alonso de Fonseca Quijada and his mistress, Teresa de las Cuevas. Though their love was forbidden, the bishop transformed the castle into a lavish home for their romance, earning it the name “Castle of Good Love.” However, their story ended in tragedy, and to this day, visitors report seeing the ghostly figure of a Lady in White, believed to be Teresa, wandering the halls in search of her lost love. Now a hotel designed for romantic getaways, the castle continues its legacy as a place of passion—both in life and beyond.

Read the whole story: The Romantic Ghost Haunting the Castle of Buen Amor

The Ghostly Lovers Haunting the Castle of Pedraza | Spain

The Castle of Pedraza: The castillo de Pedraza is thought to be haunted by two lovers the lord of the castle murdered in a fit of jealousy// Source: Wikimedia

The Castle of Pedraza in Spain is a hauntingly beautiful fortress steeped in history and legend. Dating back to the 13th century, this imposing stronghold has witnessed centuries of noble rule, battles, and betrayal. However, its most chilling tale is that of two lovers, Elvira and Roberto, whose tragic fate sealed the castle’s supernatural legacy. According to legend, their forbidden love enraged the jealous lord of the castle, who ordered their execution. Yet, death could not part them, for their spirits are said to still wander the battlements at night. Some claim the vengeful lord vanished upon seeing their ghosts upon his return from war, while others whisper of eerie voices and spectral figures lingering in the shadows.

Read the whole story: The Ghostly Lovers Haunting the Castle of Pedraza

The Hauntings of the Chute de la Dame Blanche | Canada

Chute de la Dame Blanche: The White Lady Waterfall has been pictured many times in both books, stamps and postcards. This shows just how much a part of the culture and history this ghost story has become.

The legend of Chute de la Dame Blanche, or the White Lady Waterfall, tells the tragic tale of Mathilde Robin, a young woman whose love story was cut short by the brutal Battle of Beauport in 1759. As she prepared to marry her beloved Louis Tessier, war intervened, and Louis was killed in the fight to defend New France. Overcome with grief, Mathilde donned her wedding gown and threw herself from the falls where they had once shared stolen moments, her bridal veil blending forever with the cascading waters. To this day, locals and visitors report sightings of her ghost, still clad in white, mourning the lover she lost to war. Whether fact or folklore, the story of the White Lady Waterfall endures, a haunting reminder of love, loss, and the unrelenting power of grief.

Read the whole story: The Hauntings of the Chute de la Dame Blanche

The Courtesan Ghost of Golconda Fort | India

The Start of Golconda Fort: The Kakatiya dynasty was an Indian dynasty that ruled most of eastern Deccan region in present-day India between 12th and 14th centuries. //Source: Photo by Sharath G.

The tragic tale of Taramati, the famed courtesan of the Qutb Shahi dynasty, lingers in the haunted corridors of Golconda Fort. Known for her enchanting dance and song, she captured the heart of Sultan Abdullah Qutb Shah, who adored her performances from his durbar atop the fort. Though history offers little insight into her true fate, legend suggests that she either met a sorrowful end or lived in heartbreak after being separated from her king. Today, her presence is still felt—visitors report hearing the eerie sound of ghunghroos echoing in the night at the baradari where she once performed. Paranormal activity, from moving paintings to unseen forces hurling objects, fuels the belief that Taramati’s spirit still lingers, forever tied to the fort that witnessed her glory and grief.

Read the whole story: The Courtesan Ghost of Golconda Fort

Ross Castle and the Tragic Haunting of a Doomed Love | Ireland

The Doomed Love: To finally be together, Sabrina and Owen tried to escape on a boat over Lough Sheelin, away from Ross Castle and their families. It ended in tragedy. It’s one of those ghost stories for Valentine’s Painting: Lovers by Arthur Georg von Ramberg

Ross Castle, standing on the shores of Lough Sheelin in County Meath, Ireland, is a place where history and the supernatural intertwine. Built in 1536 by the infamous “Black Baron” Richard Nugent, the castle is said to be haunted by both him and his daughter, Sabrina. Sabrina, a gentle soul unlike her cruel father, fell in love with Orwin, the son of her father’s enemy. Their forbidden love led to a tragic attempt to escape across the lake, but their boat capsized, and Orwin drowned. Devastated, Sabrina locked herself in the castle tower and starved to death. Now, her spirit is said to wander Ross Castle, searching for her lost love, while the Black Baron roams in torment, haunted by his past deeds and his daughter’s fate. Visitors report eerie encounters—ghostly whispers, shadowy figures, and sudden chills. Beyond the castle, Lough Sheelin holds its own spectral tale, where a doomed funeral procession is said to replay its tragic fate on the frozen lake every hundred years. Whether drawn by history or ghostly legends, those who visit Ross Castle leave with an undeniable sense of its lingering presence.

Read the whole story: Ross Castle and the Tragic Haunting of a Doomed Love

The Djinns of Jamali Kamali Mosque and Tomb in Mehrauli | India

The City of Djinns: Arches of Jamali Kamali Mosque, Mehrauli, Delhi.// Source: Abhishek Khanna/ Wikimedia

The Jamali Kamali Mosque and Tomb, nestled within Delhi’s Mehrauli Archaeological Park, is shrouded in mystery and tales of the supernatural. Built in the 16th century by the Sufi saint Jamali, the site is believed to be haunted by djinns—mysterious spirits that are said to dwell in the city’s ancient ruins. The tomb, shared by Jamali and an enigmatic figure named Kamali, has sparked speculation about their relationship, with theories ranging from mentor and disciple to lovers. Visitors often report eerie encounters, including shadowy figures, strange laughter, and an unsettling sensation of being watched. Some have even claimed to experience physical attacks, such as slaps that leave lingering handprints.

Read the whole story: The Djinns of Jamali Kamali Mosque and Tomb in Mehrauli

Ghosts Haunting The Castle of Loarre | Spain

Castle of Loarre: Tells one of the heartbreaking ghost stories for Valentine’s

The Castle of Loarre, a medieval fortress in Spain, is steeped in history and ghostly legends. Built in the 11th century, it served as both a military stronghold and an abbey, where tragedy struck during a conflict, leading to the haunting of an imprisoned abbess who is said to appear on the night of San Juan. Another specter said to roam its halls is Count Don Julian, a traitor from Spain’s turbulent past. Most intriguing, however, is the tale of Violante de Luna, a rebellious noblewoman excommunicated by her own uncle, Pope Benedict XIII, for her forbidden love and political defiance. After leading a doomed siege to protect her refuge in the castle, she was captured and vanished from historical records, yet legend claims she still lingers. Some say she appears on the queen’s balcony, awaiting her lover, while others report seeing her wielding a ghostly sword, eternally defending the castle she once called home.

Read the whole story: Ghosts Haunting The Castle of Loarre in Spain

The Haunting of Dona Paula Beach and the Pearl Wearing Ghost | India

Dona Paula Cliff: It is also said that she actually did marry the fisherman, but he went to sea, but never returned. She waited for him at the cliff for the rest of her life, eventually turning into stone. Here from the unrelated statue on Dona Paula Beach that have started to merge with the legend. // Source: Wikimedia

Dona Paula Beach in Goa, India, is a popular tourist destination known for its scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere. However, it is also steeped in a tragic legend of unrequited love. The beach is named after Dona Paula de Menezes, a noblewoman who, in the 18th century, fell in love with a local fisherman, defying societal norms. Her aristocratic family forbade the relationship, and heartbroken, she leapt to her death from the cliffs into the Arabian Sea. Some versions of the story suggest she was pushed off by the wife of a Portuguese governor. Locals claim her ghost, wearing only a pearl necklace, emerges from the ocean on moonlit nights, wandering the shoreline in search of her lost love. The area is still referred to as “Lover’s Paradise,” and is believed to be haunted by her sorrowful spirit.

Read the whole story: The Haunting of Dona Paula Beach and the Pearl Wearing Ghost

The White Lady of Kinsale Haunting Charles Fort

The Star Shaped Fort: Charles Fort was built on the site of the ruins of an earlier stronghold known as Barry Óg Castle, at Rincurran. The Ringcurran defences had featured prominently during the Siege of Kinsale in 1601. Now the fort is in ruins and only ghost story remains. //Source: Dieglop/Wikimedia

Charles Fort in Kinsale, Ireland, is steeped in history and haunted by tragedy. Built in the 17th century as a strategic stronghold, the fort witnessed countless battles, but its most famous tale is that of the White Lady of Kinsale. According to legend, Wilful Warrender married her beloved, Sir Trevor Ashurt, only to have her father, Colonel Warrender, mistakenly kill him on their wedding night, believing him to be a sleeping guard. Overcome with grief, Wilful threw herself from the battlements, and her father took his own life soon after. Now, her ghost, dressed in a wedding gown, is said to haunt the ruins of Charles Fort, appearing in rooms, walking through walls, and even terrorizing visitors. Some claim she watches over sleeping children, while others tell of encounters where she turns vengeful, dragging the unsuspecting down staircases. Her spirit is also rumored to wander the streets of Kinsale and a nearby hotel named in her honor, ensuring that her tragic story lives on.

Read the whole story: The White Lady of Kinsale Haunting Charles Fort

The Haunted Face in the Rocks Under Santa Barbara Castle | Spain

Ghost stories for Valentine’s: Santa Barbara Castle have a tragic love tale ending in a haunting.

Perched atop a rocky hill overlooking the white sands of Alicante, Santa Barbara Castle has stood for centuries, witnessing battles, conquests, and whispers of the supernatural. Built by the Moors in the 9th century, the fortress later fell into Christian hands and became a key military stronghold. However, beyond its historic walls lies a tragic legend that shaped the city’s name. The Arab princess Cantara was caught between two suitors—Ali, her true love, and Almanzor, a wealthy warrior chosen by her father. To win her hand, the men were given tasks: Almanzor sailed to India to bring back riches, while Ali toiled to build a water channel for the city. Despite Ali winning her heart, Almanzor returned first, securing victory. Heartbroken, Ali leaped from the castle, leaving an imprint of his face on the mountain. Unable to bear the loss, Cantara followed him, and their love became eternal in Alicante’s name. Today, visitors report eerie whispers and ghostly apparitions, said to be the restless spirits of the ill-fated lovers and other lost souls that haunt the castle’s ancient halls.

Read the whole story: The Haunted Face in the Rocks Under Santa Barbara Castle

The Texan Hauntings of Cameron Park | USA

Lovers Leap: Among other stories, it holds a ghost stories for Valentine’s .Source/Flickr

Nestled in the heart of Waco, Texas, Cameron Park is known for its natural beauty, but beneath its scenic trails and towering trees lies a world of ghostly legends. Among its most haunting tales is that of Lovers’ Leap, where a Native American princess from the Wah-Wah-Tee tribe and her forbidden Apache lover chose to embrace eternity together by leaping from a cliff into the river below. Their tragic love story, first documented in 1912, has endured through time, with visitors claiming to see their ghostly figures dancing above the water on full moon nights. Alongside this sorrowful legend, the eerie ruins of the Witch’s Castle and the perilous climb of Jacob’s Ladder add to the park’s mysterious allure, making Cameron Park a place where history and the supernatural intertwine.

Read the whole story The Texan Hauntings of Cameron Park

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The Haunting of Room 428 at Wilson Hall at Ohio University

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It is said that room 428 was forever sealed off at Wilson Hall dormitory after several bizarre deaths with ties to the occult in the 1970s. Now, the University of Ohio is considered one of the most haunted all these years later. 

In the rolling hills of southeastern Ohio, Ohio University in Athens boasts a rich history that dates back to its founding in 1804. However, it’s not just academic accolades that have put this university on the map—it’s also one of the most haunted campuses in the United States. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

At Brown House, ghostly children are splashing around in the long-gone swimming pool, in Jefferson Hall there is a “marble sound,” which happens most often on the top floor of the building as if someone’s dropping hundreds of marbles on the floor above. At Washington Hall the entire girl basketball team is haunting, while the men’s team is haunting the attic. 

Many locations at one University with many stories, but at the center of these spine-chilling tales stands Wilson Hall, a dormitory that has gained a notorious reputation for its eerie and unsettling paranormal activity.

The University of Ohio: A very old university, the place have gotten a reputation for being one of the most haunted universities that are. One of the more famous story talks about the sealed off room at Wilson Hall dormitory, supposedly built on top of a very spiritual plasce. //Source

A Brief History of Wilson Hall

The Wilson Hall is the building most people talk about when they talk about the haunted legends of the University. The red brick building is towering on the green grass, looking quaint and peaceful from the outside. However, on the inside, the legend says it’s anything but. The most infamous aspect of Wilson Hall is room 428, a space that has become synonymous with ghostly encounters and unexplained phenomena.

Wilson Hall: Source

Wilson Hall, located on the university’s West Green was built in 1964, named after the former student, Hiram Wilson and it has housed generations of students. However, beneath its unassuming exterior lies a darker, more mysterious past. 

The building is said to be built in the middle of five cemeteries in the region. When you look at it on a map, you can draw out a pentagram, the symbol of power and magic in pagan lore. Just a myth? After all, anything within five points can make a pentagram. But this origin lore comes with a legend that tells of its consequences. 

There is also the persistent myth about the hall being built on top of an Indian burial ground, as many supposed haunted spots in America claim. There is a fairly large tribe from the Shawnee natives in Athens, even today. Who knows if this is true, but they did find out in the 1980s that the hall is built on top of the early cemetery of the Athens Mental Institute. Although, also this is something that they say is not really true. There is, however, worth to note that there are in fact two Wilson Halls, one being a historic building with closer ties to the tuberculosis hospital and asylum with its own ghost stories. 

The Legend of Room 428

Hall of the Pentagram: source

The legend of Wilson Hall centers on room 428, which has been sealed off and is no longer used for student housing. The room’s haunted reputation dates back to the 1970s, when a female student reportedly died by suicide under mysterious circumstances. Or was it in fact a male student as some former student pointed out that the 4th floor was for boys back in the late 70s? The true identity has been lost over the years, if it even happened. Some say it was in fact two deaths, one being the tragic suicide of the male student, and then a female student moved in and started to dabble with the occult. 

According to campus lore, the student was deeply involved in the occult and had been conducting rituals in her room. It is said that she experienced a powerful spiritual encounter that drove her to take her own life. According to the lore, the student was practicing astral projection, a technique for the spirit to travel without its body. In addition there were several attempts to contact the dead. 

Following her death, subsequent residents of room 428 began to report strange occurrences—disembodied voices, objects moving on their own, and inexplicable cold spots. The disturbances were so persistent and unsettling that university officials eventually decided to lock the room permanently, preventing anyone from entering.

Paranormal Activity in Wilson Hall

The hauntings in Wilson Hall are not confined to room 428. Students living in the building have reported a wide range of supernatural experiences, particularly in the hallways and other nearby rooms. The comment sections in forums flood with people’s experiences staying at the dorm. 

Students have frequently heard faint, whispering voices emanating from the walls, especially near room 428. Some have claimed to see shadowy figures lurking in the hallways or standing at the end of their beds. These apparitions are often described as indistinct and fleeting, vanishing as quickly as they appear. Objects have been known to move on their own—books flying off shelves, doors slamming shut, and lights flickering without explanation. Sudden drops in temperature are a frequent occurrence, with some rooms feeling unnaturally cold despite the heating being on full blast. 

Theories Behind the Hauntings

While the legend of the student’s suicide provides a compelling backstory, some believe that Wilson Hall’s paranormal activity could have deeper roots. Athens itself is steeped in folklore, with numerous reports of hauntings and ghostly encounters throughout the town. The university is built near the site of an old mental asylum, and many locals believe that the area is a hotspot for supernatural activity due to its history of suffering and tragedy.

Read More: Check out the stories about The Old Maternity Hospital Haunts the Building of Cordoba University, The Braided Girl on the Train Tracks for more university hauntings.

Additionally, the alleged pentagram shape formed by the university’s buildings has led to theories that the campus was designed with occult purposes in mind, further fueling the idea that Wilson Hall is a focal point for paranormal energy.

Honoring the Legends

Despite its dark reputation, Wilson Hall remains a popular topic of fascination for students and paranormal enthusiasts alike. Ghost tours and investigations often include the building as a key stop, drawing those eager to experience its eerie atmosphere firsthand.

While Ohio University’s administration maintains a respectful silence regarding the specifics of the haunting, they have acknowledged the building’s notoriety and the interest it generates. Room 428 remains sealed or perhaps turned into a boiler room beyond recognition. Some mentioned that it was reopened for a few years in the 1980s before shutting down for good.

For those who dare to delve into the mysteries of Wilson Hall, the question remains: what truly happened in room 428 all those years ago, and for what reason was it sealed off so no other  student would live in it. And why do its restless spirits said to linger in the dormitory hall refuse to move on?

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Wilson Hall Room 428

Ohio University – FrightFind

Ohio University | Athens Ohio | Real Haunted Place 

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The Haunted Elevators of The Bowery Hotel

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In the middle of the night in the Lower East Side hotel in New York City, the elevators of The Bowery Hotel are said to act in a paranormal manner. Every night at one in the morning, they go up and down of their own will, carrying their ghostly guests.

On Manhattan’s Lower East Side, The Bowery Hotel stands as a beacon of luxury and historical intrigue on 335 Bowery in the East Village. Although the hotel is not really that old, it has already managed to have conjured up a haunted rumour.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from the USA

This iconic hotel, steeped in the charm of New York’s Gilded Age inspired decor, offers more than just opulent decor and sumptuous comfort—it harbors a dark, spectral history that has become part of its allure. Beneath the velvet drapes and within the shadows of its oil-painted hallways, legends of hauntings and paranormal activity have taken root, giving the hotel an eerie reputation.

The Bowery Hotel: Source: Flickr/Phillip Ritz

The Bowery’s Historical Legacy

The Bowery Hotel is more than just a boutique retreat; it’s a window into New York City’s storied past. The neighborhood itself, once a hub of the city’s gritty underbelly, has evolved through the centuries from a bustling thoroughfare for immigrants and artists to a chic destination for travelers and residents alike.

The Bowery: Making a throwback to a cozy time, it sticks out from modern New York City. Is the nostalgic interior something that evokes a haunted vibe? Source: Wikimedia

Opening its doors in the early 2000s, The Bowery Hotel was designed to evoke the grandeur of New York’s Gilded Age. Its interiors, adorned with plush velvet, antique furnishings, and oil paintings reminiscent of the late 19th century, create an atmosphere that is both inviting and haunting. The charm of the hotel’s decor is undeniable, yet many visitors have reported an unsettling undercurrent—a sense that they are not alone.

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from haunted hotels.

Since then big celebrities have partied their way into the night. And if we are to believe the legends, some of the guests checked into the hotel rooms, sitting having a sip at the bar and riding the elevators, are not of the living kind. 

The Haunting Legends of the Bowery Hotel

Perhaps the most famous legend associated with The Bowery Hotel revolves around its elevators. Guests and staff alike have reported strange occurrences involving the lifts, particularly at the stroke of one in the morning. 

According to the tales, the elevators often go haywire—doors opening and closing without cause, buttons lighting up at random, and sometimes even stopping between floors. This phenomenon has been attributed to the hotel’s resident poltergeists, mischievous spirits that seem to revel in the disruption of the hotel’s nightly calm.

One popular theory suggests that these spirits are tied to the hotel’s location, which has a long and storied past. The location wasn’t always so swanky, as the Lower East Side used to be one of the city’s poorest places. The Bowery neighborhood was once home to theaters, flophouses, and speakeasies, places where revelry often ended in tragedy. Even when it was built, it was next to the Salvation Army shelter and methadone clinic. Some believe that the spirits of those who met untimely ends in the area have found a new home in the hotel, bringing with them the chaos and unrest of their former lives.

The hotel is also right next to The New York Marble Cemetery, and many think that the ghostly happenings are from the spirits lingering in the cemetery and having taken a trip into the hotel. 

The New York Marble Cemetery: With its entrance at 41 Second Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, was founded in 1830 and was the first non-sectarian cemetery in the city and is right by the Bowery Hotel. Could this be the source of the haunted rumors? Source: Wikimedia

Ghostly Encounters at the Bowery

Beyond the mischievous elevators, guests have reported other ghostly encounters throughout the hotel. Shadowy figures have been spotted in the dimly lit hallways, disappearing around corners or vanishing into thin air. The hotel’s oil paintings, some depicting somber and mysterious subjects, seem to watch over visitors, their gazes following passersby in a disconcerting manner.

One story passed around the halls, talks about a guest that got his beer spilled over himself, or knocked out of his hand, although he was sitting by himself. The doing of a malevolent spirit, or one too many beers?

Some visitors have even claimed to hear disembodied whispers in their rooms at night, the faint murmur of voices that cannot be traced to any living source. Cold spots, sudden drops in temperature One story in particular talks about one of the guests who was welcomed by the ghost of a woman wearing white as he was checking into his room. 

Room at the Bowery: Some claim to have met the ghost of a woman as they entered the room. Who could this mysterious woman that people claim to have seen, but know nothing of? Source: Wikimedia

This was not the only time the legend of the woman in white at the hotel has been told, and it looks like the legend is spreading. Some sources claim over 700 guests have spotted her, asking for directions before vanishing into thin air. 

Perhaps the worst is the talk about the feeling of being strangled in the bed as you are asleep. Would you dare to check in?

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Most Haunted Hotel In New York: The Bowery Hotel.

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Haunting Music and Cries from Sheffield Island Lighthouse

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On the rocky shores of Connecticut, the Sheffield Island Lighthouse in Norwalk is said to be haunted by mysterious music, a blaring foghorn that doesn’t exist and distant cries for help from the island or worse, the deep dark water. 

On the edge of Long Island Sound, the Sheffield Island Lighthouse in Norwalk, Connecticut, is a beacon of history and mystery. Built in 1868, this Victorian-style lighthouse stands as a reminder of the bygone era of maritime navigation when the light of the lighthouses along the shore guided passing ships supplying oysters safely to shore.

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With its ten rooms and distinct architectural charm, the lighthouse has guided countless ships safely to shore. However, beneath its picturesque facade lies a series of chilling tales and unexplained phenomena that have captured the imaginations of visitors and locals alike.

A Glimpse into History

Sheffield Island Lighthouse was erected to aid navigation through the treacherous waters surrounding the island, a task it performed for over a century. The island itself was initially purchased in the early 1800s by Captain Robert Sheffield, back when the island was known as “White Island”. Sheffield was a war veteran and a man known for his eccentricity and fondness for unusual musical instruments. 

Read More: Check out The Haunted Prospect Harbor Lighthouse, Bass Harbor Head Light’s Murder Mystery Ghost and The Paranormal Activity At The St. Augustine Lighthouse  for more haunted lighthouses.

Over time, the lighthouse became a critical fixture for seafarers, its light a reassuring presence in the dark, fog-laden nights. In the beginning, the lighthouse had a rather unique system with ten lamps with parabolic reflectors turning using a clockwork mechanism, producing alternating red and white flashes. The system was replaced by a fourth-order Fresnel lens in 1857.

Sheffield Island Lighthouse: Source: Wikimedia

The Ghostly Legends of Sheffield Island Lighthouse

In 1972, the keeper of the lighthouse met an untimely and mysterious end. While watching passing ships through his spyglass, he suddenly collapsed and died, with no clear cause of death ever determined. This incident marked the beginning of the lighthouse’s reputation for being a site of unexplained occurrences.

In 1991, an archaeologist working on site preservation experienced a series of unsettling events. Karen Orawsky was working on Sheffield Island. One day she came to the island by boat. She first heard something that she described as a “hypnotic and mystical music” coming from the island, although she was unable to pinpoint the source.

She then reported hearing distant cries for help, although no one was ever found. Even more bizarre was the sound of a foghorn blaring. A foghorn or fog signal is a device that uses sound to warn vehicles of navigational hazards such as rocky coastlines, or boats of the presence of other vessels, in foggy conditions. This would not have been such a weird thing to hear, except, there being no foghorn on the island. These eerie sounds have fueled speculation that the lighthouse and its surroundings are haunted by restless spirits.

Mystical Music and Mysterious Sounds

The reports of mystical music are not isolated incidents around the Sheffield Island Lighthouse. Numerous visitors have described hearing melodies that seem to float on the wind, vanishing as suddenly as they appear. Some have suggested that these tunes are the spectral echoes of Captain Sheffield’s musical past, a ghostly serenade that defies explanation.

After a paranormal group investigated the island, they also claimed to have met the ghost of a young girl named Abby who has been stuck on the island ever since she died for unknown reasons. Can she be the reason behind the cries for help that visitors have reported on?

The cries for help and the phantom foghorn add to the lighthouse’s spooky reputation. These sounds are often heard during the quiet, still nights, leaving those who hear them with a lingering sense of unease. The lack of any logical source for these noises only deepens the mystery.

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Sheffield Island Light history – NEW ENGLAND LIGHTHOUSES: A VIRTUAL GUIDE 

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San Fernando Cathedral and the Ghosts Haunting it

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The oldest church in San Antonio, Texas is said to be haunted by the spirits of those entombed in it. The San Fernando Cathedral holds many legends and myths, and some of them might be of the paranormal sorts.

Inside of the San Fernando Cathedral, located in the heart of San Antonio, Texas a group of people is renovating the Gothic revival church. When working away, they come across bones entombed inside of the building. The work disturbs the bones’ peace and awakens their spirits. Today, they are still said to haunt the place. 

The church stands as a testament to the city’s rich history and cultural heritage, predating the United State as a nation even. Established in 1738 by a group of 15 families from the Canary Islands, it holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating religious community in Texas. The cathedral’s Gothic Revival architecture, with its imposing spires and intricate stained-glass windows, has long been a focal point for both worshippers and tourists. It even got a visit from Pope John Paul II in 1987. 

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In addition to worshippers, there is also a trail of ghost pilgrims that have started to seek out the ghosts that are said to haunt the church. 

The History of San Fernando Cathedral

The 56 Canary Islanders came to the New World in 1731 wanting a new life with land and the Spanish title of hidalgo. But they had been lied to, the King of Spain only wanted to send some countrymen to the territories before the French came and claimed it instead. 

They had to start from scratch as there was nothing there. That is when they started to build the Cathedral, also known as Cathedral of Our Lady of Candelaria and Guadalupe and named after Spain’s Ferdinand III of Castille. For this reason the interior is an image of the Virgin of Candelaria, the patroness of the Canary Islands.

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Perhaps they thought it would keep them safe from the Lipan Apache, who declared war on the Spaniards that had arrived on their land, even before the Canary Island settlers arrived. 

Throughout its existence, San Fernando Cathedral has witnessed numerous historical events, including the Battle of the Alamo in 1836. 

Remember the Alamo!: The Battle of the Alamo, fought from February 23 to March 6, 1836, was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. A group of Texian defenders, including notable figures like James Bowie and Davy Crockett, fortified the Alamo Mission against Mexican forces led by General Antonio López de Santa Anna. Despite a fierce 13-day siege, the Mexican army ultimately overran the Alamo, resulting in the deaths of almost all Texian defenders. This battle became a symbol of resistance and sacrifice, galvanizing Texians to continue fighting for independence, which they ultimately achieved later that year.

Legend has it that Mexican General Santa Anna raised a flag of “no quarter” from the cathedral’s tower, signaling the commencement of the siege. A sign meaning that there would be no prisoners taken and all would die. Today it is considered a war crime. It is said that the Texans only answered by shooting their cannons. 

Over the centuries, the cathedral has undergone various renovations and expansions, each adding layers to its storied past.

Unearthed Secrets Within the Church Walls

Back to the story of unearthing the bones said to haunt the church. In 1936, during a significant renovation project, construction workers made a chilling discovery near the cathedral’s altar: bones, nails, and fragments of military uniforms. Many believe these remains belonged to soldiers from the Battle of the Alamo, interred hastily during the tumultuous period. Perhaps it was Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie?

If this burial by Colonel Juan Seguin really happened or not is uncertain. There were no survivors of the battle, and the defenders of Alamo were said to not have been given a proper burial by General Santa Ana and simply burned on pyres or tossed in the river. 

This is what has been said was the catalyst for the haunting that has been talked about ever since. But was it only the unearthed bones now haunting the church, or something else that was awakened?

Ghost Stories From the Cathedral

San Fernando Cathedral is reputed to be one of the most haunted locations in the United States. Dark silhouettes have been observed moving silently along the cathedral’s interior, often vanishing when approached. 

San Fernando Cathedral: Although a wonderful thing to look at without the light shows, the lights help chase the shadows away. Source: Wikimedia

Some individuals have reported sudden drops in temperature, the faint scent of incense when none is burning, or even the strong smell of rotten eggs. There are also those speaking of the distant echo of disembodied voices during quiet moments.

Orbs in Photographs

Photographs taken inside the cathedral sometimes reveal unexplained orbs of light, which some interpret as manifestations of spiritual energy. 

A history from 2007 is put forth to showcase this phenomenon, when a tour-goer went on Halloween and got a picture of a shadowy figure, some say, a face kissing a skull. The church was going through renovations at the time, and according to rumors, the workers inside felt a chill and saw three balls of light hover at the entrance.

Although one of the most retold stories, not many sources provide picture evidence though. 

Haunting Legends of the White Horse

Visitors and parishioners have reported a variety of unexplained phenomena, even a white stallion prancing about outside. 

When the Apache tribe tried for peace in the 1730s, they dug a hole in the ground and buried their hatchets, quite literally, as well as their arrows and clubs as a sign of a peace offering. They also buried a white horse, still alive. Horses were significant to their culture after the Europeans brought them over, and the white color symbolized peace. They danced around the hole in the ground and enjoyed their peace, even if it was only for a short time. 

The Ghost of the Monk Haunting the Church

Witnesses have described encounters with spectral figures clad in monk-like robes, silently traversing the aisles with his hood drawn over his face. This is the ghost most reported seeing and it is said to mostly appear in the back of the church and appears as quickly as he vanishes.

The tradition of burying priests and parishioners was common back in the day, and it’s not a stretch to speculate that a monk is one of the people buried within the foundations of the church. Perhaps he was worshipping in the church, or perhaps helped build it even. 

Read Also: The Murder Monk in Franziskaner-Klosterkirche, The Chanting Monks Haunting La Boquería Market, The Ghost Monks at Lyseklosteret and Ghost of the Cathedral — The Bloody Monk in Nidarosdomen for more ghost stories about monks.

One of the strange rumors from demonologists though, is that this is not a monk at all, but a dark spirit acting like one, and say that whatever you do, you should never follow the figure. 

Interior of the Church: San Fernando Cathedral is still a place of worship, even though it has been commercialized through tours, ghost tours being one of those. Perhaps you will see the ghostly monk said to roam there?

The Shadows of a Man

Additionally, the apparition of a man dressed in black has been reported near the back of the church. The story tells of a guest on one of the ghost tours listening to the guide in the church. She felt the stares and when she looked, she saw a man in dark clothes from another time, lurking just behind them, following the tour. In the end, he simply disappeared into thin air. 

A true story, or a good marketing strategy from the many ghost tours moving through the church? We will never really know. But according to the legend, this particular shadow of a man has been witnessed by more than one tour-goer, some sources claim six people saw the same..

A Living Monument

Despite its haunted reputation, San Fernando Cathedral remains a vibrant center of faith and community. It hosts regular masses, including the renowned Mariachi Mass on Sundays, blending traditional liturgy with lively musical accompaniment. 

Whether one is drawn to its architectural grandeur, its pivotal role in Texas history, or the haunting legends that envelop it, the cathedral offers a profound and captivating experience for all who cross its threshold.

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References:

I visited San Antonio’s San Fernando Cathedral, the oldest church in Texas, to meet a ghost

San Antonio Ghost Tours: Ghosts of the San Fernando Cathedral 

https://ghostcitytours.com/san-antonio/haunted-places/san-fernando-cathedral/?srsltid=AfmBOopBMMu5pnCRx1I7LpwM-mXSfH-D9goA5sfrvEyjEjTlFhSXjUZZ

San Fernando Cathedral: A History Of Shadows

Inside The Cathedral Said To Be One Of The Most Haunted Places In Texas – Grunge 

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Zigu (紫姑): The Lady of the Latrine – China’s Most Unsettling Restroom Ghost and Goddess

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Coming with many different names, Zigu or the Lady of the Privy is said to haunt only one place, the toilet! Although her story started and perhaps ended as a ghost story, there was a time she was worshiped like a God. 

If you thought horror stories were confined to haunted houses and cursed forests, think again—because in Chinese folklore, even the bathroom isn’t safe. Meet Zigu (紫姑), also known as Maogu (茅姑), the Lady of the Latrine or the Third Daughter of the Latrine or the Purple Maiden. She’s China’s resident toilet ghost, a tragic spirit lingering in the most unglamorous of places. Calling her a simple ghost is not correct either, as she has been worshiped as a goddess in Chinese folk religion. 

Read More: Check out all ghost stories from China

While some ghosts haunt grand temples and eerie mansions, Zigu took up residence in the latrine—because apparently, even the afterlife has a dark sense of humor.

And before you write this off as some obscure legend, let’s be clear: toilet ghosts are a whole thing across many Asian cultures. From Japan’s Hanako-san to Korea’s Cheuksin, restrooms seem to be prime real estate for supernatural squatters. But Zigu? She’s one of the oldest, most sorrowful, and eerily venerated toilet ghosts in the game. Perhaps even being the spirit all other toilet ghosts are based on?

The Toilet Goddess of China: Zi gu shen (紫姑神, Chinese Goddess of the toilet) from the “三教源流搜神大全” (Chinese book)

Toilet Gods Across the World

The concept of a toilet god is not as rare as it seems today perhaps. This was a common household deity in both modern and ancient cultures. In Japan it was called Kawaya Kami, often said to be an old man holding a spear. In Korea the toilet god was Cheukshin, known as the young lady of the toilet with a perverse sense of humor. 

In New Zealand you had the atua spirits, focusing on the village latrine as the excrement was seen as the food of the dead. In ancient Rome there was Cloacina, the goddess of Rome’s sewage system, invoking her if the sewers became blocked. 

They are often associated with health, well-being and fertility. This is because of the history and association of human waste and agriculture. The toilets also used to be a dark and unpleasant place to be and there was a high risk of falling in and drowning, therefore a deity that would protect you was nice to have. 

The Legend of Zigu: A Tragic Spirit in the Most Unlikely Place

But unlike many of the other toilet Gods, the Chinese goddess could read like a classic ghost story. Zigu’s story, like many ghostly tales, is steeped in betrayal, suffering, and injustice. Some believe that her cult started in the Shanxi region in North China before spreading during the Tang dynasty (618-907). According to legend, she was a concubine in ancient China, caught in a tragic love triangle that ended in murder.

The Concubine’s Curse

Once upon a time, Zigu was a beautiful and kind-hearted young woman who became a concubine to a high-ranking official or, in some versions, a wealthy nobleman. But as you might expect, his first wife was not amused. The two women lived under the same roof, with Zigu as the younger, more favored companion. Naturally, the wife, seething with jealousy, decided to remove the competition—permanently.

One fateful day, the wife accused Zigu of misconduct, disobedience, or witchcraft, depending on the version of the story. The punishment? She was brutally murdered—but not in a grand hall or a hidden chamber. No, the first wife chose the latrine as the site of her demise, a final act of humiliation meant to degrade Zigu even in death. Her body was either drowned, strangled, or left to rot there, ensuring her restless soul would forever be bound to the filthiest corner of the household. Some versions say that she died of anger. 

And bound she was.

From Tragedy to Worship: The Rise of the Latrine Goddess

But here’s where the story takes a turn. Unlike most vengeful spirits, Zigu didn’t stay confined to whispered ghost stories—she became a deity. Toilet gods have been worshipped since the Six Dynasty Period, from early 3rd century AD to late 6th century AD in China. The toilet gods were very popular during the Tang and Song dynasty but have today almost disappeared. 

She was not the only toilet goddess, but she was certainly the most popular one. Over time, people began to worship her as a toilet goddess, seeking her blessings for cleanliness, good health, and even fortune-telling.

Yes, you read that right—people used to summon Zigu for divination. This was often done through Fu Ji, often called the Chinese Ouija Board. 

On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, women, especially servants and concubines, would perform rituals to contact her spirit, hoping she would answer their questions about the future. She was a relatable goddess for commoners, and women under the patriarchal society. Some believed she had the power to predict misfortune or reveal hidden secrets. 

These rituals often involved lighting incense in the toilet, offering food, and chanting her name. They would make homemade dolls for her and pray to the doll. The motions of the doll were often manifested as automatic writing and used ad fortune telling. 

As far as the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), women were putting faces and skirts on figurines and cleaning the outhouse to welcome here in Beijing. Her rituals died slowly, mostly in the 1930’s in the big cities, then in the 50 and 60s in the more rural areas. 

The Lantern Festival: Also known as Shangyuan Festival and Cap Go Meh, is a traditional Chinese festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunar Chinese calendar, during the full moon. It usually falls in February or early March on the Gregorian calendar and marks the end of the Chinese New Year celebrations. As early as the Western Han dynasty (206 BC–AD 25), it was already a significant festival.

In Search of the Lady of the Privy’s True Story

Some believe that the true identity of Zigu was Consort Qi of the Han dynasty (221-206BC). She was born in Dingtao, Shandong and gave Emperor Gaozu a son, Liu Ruyi, who would become Prince of Zhao. The emperor tried many times to replace Liu Ruyi with the crown prince, Liu Ying unsuccessfully. This made the empress Lü Zhi, her mother, furious. 

Qi was said to be beautiful, a great songwriter and weiqi player, a game she played with the emperor in the bamboo forest on the north side of the palace every year. She would win each time and wish for good fortune for the Han dynasty. 

After the emperor died, Empress Lü Zhi became the dowager and her son took the throne, she had Qi arrested and imprisoned her, dressing her in prison garb, shaving her head and restraining her in stocks. 

She ended up killing both her son and Qi, cutting her limbs off, gouging her eyes, cutting off her tongue, nose, ears and forcing her to drink a poison making her mute and dumb. Then she locked her up in a pigsty and called her a human swine (人彘). 

China’s First Empress: She dominated the political scene for 15 years until her death in August 180 BC, and is often depicted as the first woman to have ruled China. Emperor Hui was shocked by his mother’s cruelty and fell sick for a year, and thereafter no longer became involved in state affairs, and gave more power to his mother. As a result, Empress Dowager Lü held the court, listened to the government, spoke on behalf of the emperor, and did everything .

It’s worth noting that most of the information about her comes from not so historically accurate sources. The tale of Empress Empress Lü Zhi, has often been used as an allegory for the supposed danger when women get power, and therefore Lady Qi could be nothing more than a part of that story. The earliest records of Zigu however is in the 5th volume of Yiyuan, A Garden of Marvels (《异苑》), a book of supernatural tales” by Liu Jingshu or Liu Song of the Southern dynasties (420–479).

Some say that her name was He Mingmei from Laiyang, Shandong.This was said to happen during Empress Wu Setian rule. The governor of Shouyang, Li Jing killed He Mei’s husband and looked at her as his concubine. This made her jealous of his chief wife. On the night of the 15th day of the first lunar month during the lantern Festival, Li Jing’s legitimate wife killed her in the toilet. 

Because He Mei died with resentment in her heart, she became a ghost. Li Jing often heard her crying when he went to the toilet. The Heavenly Court learned about this and established her as the god of toilets, elevating her from a mere ghost to a goddess. 

Who knows what the origin was. Some say that she was not only one person, but a collective of all concubines that had suffered and been maltreated.

Why Bathrooms? The Ghost in the Toilet Trope Across Asia

Zigu isn’t the only supernatural resident lurking around the lavatory—Asian folklore is practically overflowing with bathroom ghosts. There’s something about enclosed spaces, mirrors, and the vulnerability of, well, doing your business, that makes bathrooms the perfect setting for eerie encounters.

Other Famous Toilet Ghosts in Asia:

Japan’s Hanako-san (花子さん) – A little girl ghost who haunts school bathrooms. Knock on the third stall and call her name—if she answers, you might regret it.

South Korea’s Cheuksin (厠神, “Bathroom Goddess”) – A spirit with long hair who lives in the toilet and hates it when you look at her. She’s known to attack people who disturb her.

Japan’s Aka Manto (赤マント) – a malevolent spirit lurking in school bathroom asking if you need red or blue paper. Either choices will leave you dead.

Zigu’s Legacy: The Haunting Echoes of the Past

Zigu’s story is more than just a spooky legend—it reflects the historical oppression of women, particularly concubines and servants, who were often treated as disposable. Her transformation from a murdered woman to a revered deity highlights a shift in how people perceived her suffering. By worshiping her, women acknowledged the injustices she endured and sought her spiritual guidance in a world that rarely gave them power.

Ancient Traditions Dying: Zigu as portrayed in Researches into Chinese Superstitions, a book written by French missionary Henri Doré in 1914 (Fotoe)

Even today, remnants of Zigu’s legacy remain in Chinese culture. While her direct worship has faded, older generations still tell her tale, and echoes of her presence linger in the ghost stories passed down through families.

And who knows? Maybe, late at night, when the wind rattles through an old house and the pipes groan unexpectedly, Zigu is still watching from the shadows of the restroom, waiting for someone to remember her name.

And if you hear a whisper in the stillness, well…

You might not be as alone as you think.

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References:

Consort Qi (Han dynasty) – Wikipedia

Zigu – Wikipedia 

Toilet god – Wikipedia 

On Her Porcelain Throne: How a Little-Known “Toilet Goddess” Became an Icon for Powerless Women