The “triangle” phenomena are interesting to study.  The most famous of these locations is, of course, the Bermuda Triangle.

However, the trouble with the [...]]]> Vermont’s Bennington Triangle has a fascinating history.  It’s a lovely place to hike, but it’s not without significant dangers. Like the Bermuda Triangle, people vanish without explanation in the Bennington Triangle.

The “triangle” phenomena are interesting to study.  The most famous of these locations is, of course, the Bermuda Triangle.

However, the trouble with the Bermuda Triangle is (a) that location is huge and mostly over the water, and (b) it has been so frequently researched, there’s a massive amount of information to sift through to find any patterns… or any angle or explanation that’s been overlooked.  All we can say is: We don’t know why it’s so strange.

Another triangle, the Bridgewater Triangle (MA), offers some interesting quirks that haven’t been fully explored, but the area is densely populated. That’s both a plus (lots of eyewitnesses) and a minus (many locations are difficult to access or on private property).  In addition, sensational headlines and a lurid history sometime attract thrill-seekers and people who think it’s funny to terrify others.

We have enough challenges in paranormal research.  Frankly, we don’t need stupid people making our work more difficult.  Personally, I’m not impressed enough with the Bridgewater Triangle to explore it after dark.

The Bennington Triangle (VT) has remained under the radar for many people.  I’ve deliberately avoided saying much about it, but as ghost hunting is becoming less trendy, I’m more comfortable talking about it now.  Bennington’s relative isolation also makes it a less-accessible location for thrill seekers.  In addition, it’s not really a ghost hunters’ kind of site; a ghostly encounter might be possible, but that’s not the main reason paranormal researchers quietly study Bennington and vicinity.

For the original, most intriguing article about the Bennington Triangle,  view this archived link.

Wikipedia gives more geographic information, at Bennington Triangle.

Also check the Virtual Vermonter stories about the Bennington Triangle.

It was no surprise when I learned that author Shirley Jackson (author of “The Haunting of Hill House,” the basis of my favorite fiction-based ghost movie) chose to live there.  I’m not sure that I would.  If real gateways to other dimensions exist, the Bennington Triangle is probably one of them.  I’m happy to do most of my Bennington Triangle research off-site.

The links I’ve listed are the tip of the iceberg. The stories that come out of the Bennington Triangle… they’re not like any other stories I’ve heard in the New England area.  Some of them are terrifying, simply because they make no sense.  Even more strange: The people who share their first-person Bennington and Glastenbury stories are as credible as any I’ve met.  These aren’t the kinds of people you can dismiss as over imaginative, delusional, pathological liars, attention-seekers, or substance abusers.

Most of them seem uncomfortable describing their encounters.  Then, once they start sharing the details, it’s like they’re reliving the experience.  They get pale, break out in perspiration, and tremble a little.  Part-way into the story, they go silent, shrug, and say, “I’ve said enough.”  After that, you can’t get another word out of them… not about the Bennington Triangle, anyway.

At a later date, I may post more of my own research.  The deeper you look into this strange phenomenon, the weirder it gets.

In the previous podcast, Fiona Broome discussed these locations:

1. Hall Memorial Library, Northfield-Tilton, NH.

2. Tilton Mystery Tunnel, Tilton, NH.

3. [...]]]> Laconia, New Hampshire is a gold mine of haunted locations.  This is Part 2 (of 2) about haunted places around Tilton, Franklin, and Laconia, New Hampshire.

In the previous podcast, Fiona Broome discussed these locations:

1. Hall Memorial Library, Northfield-Tilton, NH.

2. Tilton Mystery Tunnel, Tilton, NH.

3. Two buildings and a cemetery at Webster Place, Franklin, NH.

4. Daniel Webster birthplace, Franklin, NH.

In this 27-minute podcast, Fiona talks about visiting Laconia, NH with a neighbor.  He remembered a house from his childhood; the house had “ghost stories” and a legend about a hidden Underground Railroad room.

Fiona describes what happened when they visited the house, including evidence of its Colonial history, the Underground RR room, and hash marks on the attic staircase walls and the inside of the door.

However, the owners of the home assured Fiona and her neighbor that there were no ghosts there.

The next day, Fiona returned to that area and found several other sites worth investigating:

Tavern 27 at the Mystic Meadows, 2075 Parade Road, Laconia, NH, and the gift shop behind it.

The former site of the Anti-Pedo Baptist Church of Meredith, NH, which was burned to the ground on behalf of a neighbor, Mrs. Morgan.

Mead Cemetery (433427N / 0712936W) and Round Bay Cemetery, Laconia, NH.

Fiona also recommends looking for the Folsom graves at Laconia’s Union Cemetery (between Garfield St. and Academy St.), where the petrified bodies were reburied.

How to find similar haunted locations where you are:

1. Ask people if they know any local, haunted places.

2. Follow your instincts.  Drive around, look at maps, and — psychic or not — pay attention to your “gut feelings.”

3. Research history! Look for patterns — geographical or historical — that connect the locations.

4. Ask more questions.  Collect more stories and look for “odd” comments and history.

5. Investigate, then ask more questions, and conduct more historical research.

After its years as an early American residence (owned by the Haddock and Webster families, among [...]]]> The Franklin Historical Society is located at Webster Place in Franklin, New Hampshire.  The building is a Colonial-era home — once the residence of Daniel Webster — with a large Victorian addition.

After its years as an early American residence (owned by the Haddock and Webster families, among others), the home was used as an orphanage from 1871 through 1958.

Then, from 1960 through 2005, the site was the property of the Sisters of the Holy Cross.

More recently, the building was acquired for the historical society.

In the photo at left, taken on 7 October 2010, you can see just part of the older side of the building. Most of the picture shows the 1860 Victorian addition.  (Yes, that is a large orb near one window on the middle floor.  Some photos of the front of the building included orbs; most didn’t.)

I was attending a talk by EPNE.  They described their experiences during a preliminary ghost investigation at the site, and shared some stories plus video and EVP recordings.

It was a relaxing evening, and a chance to see what’s going on in the field, in general.

After EPNE’s demonstration and a break for refreshments, I explored the building with friends (and fellow researchers) Sean Paradis and Lesley Marden.

Ground Floor: Warm Spot

First, we focused on a ground floor room with school desks stored in it.  (From the front entrance, the room is immediately on your left.)

This is part of the Victorian addition to the Haddock-Webster mansion.  The two-story addition was constructed in 1860 by Rufus L. Tay, who’d purchased the house and property from Daniel Webster’s son and heir.

(Daguerreotype at left shows Daniel Webster in 1847.)

One rocking chair seemed to have an odd warm spot while the chair next to it was as chilly as we expected, in that unheated room.

However, we hadn’t planned to investigate anything, so we didn’t have a thermometer to verify the effects.

Note: Some researchers believe that a cold spot indicates ghostly energy, but a warm spot suggests more dangerous energy.  I haven’t explored either from a good/bad viewpoint.

Nearby, all three of us felt that one spot in the room had unusual energy, but those were merely odd sensations. Those are difficult to document.  We detected no unusual EMF with a K-II meter or a hiking compass, at any part of that room.

Lesley and Sean checked the floor immediately upstairs, but the door to the room overhead — and all doors along that side of the house — were locked.  They appeared to be used as offices.

The Mezuzah Room

When we explored the rooms that were open upstairs, one room was odd. We’re fairly certain it’s the room where EPNE thought a flashlight had responded to yes/no questions.

What seemed especially strange in Franklin, NH — particularly since it was a home for nuns for 40 years — was the mezuzah at the doorway.

According to Wikipedia:

A mezuzah is affixed to the doorframe in Jewish homes to fulfill the mitzvah (Biblical commandment) to inscribe the words of the Shema “on the doorposts of your house” (Deuteronomy 6:9).

Some interpret Jewish law to require a mezuzah on every doorway in the home apart from bathrooms, and closets too small to qualify as rooms; others view it as necessary only to place one in the front doorway.

I’ve seen many homes that feature a mezuzah at the front door.  Others have additional mezuzahs throughout the home.

However, until last night, I’d never seen a home with a mezuzah placed at just one, interior doorway… and none anywhere else. There were no marks where other mezuzahs might have been, either.

So, why would a mezuzah mark the one, apparently most-haunted room in the building?  Was it an attempt to keep something out… or something in?

It’s possible that, when the building was divided into apartments or rooms, that room was the residence of someone Jewish, or someone who respected related traditions.

Further investigation might clarify whether or not that room is actually haunted, and why a mezuzah is at that doorframe and no other.

Nevertheless, in a town like Franklin — and particularly in a building where nuns lived — it’s odd.

After getting our general bearings at a site that we’re investigating, the first thing we look for is what’s odd.

The Attic

Among other, lesser architectural anomalies, the attic level stood out as a floor with dark and foreboding energy.

The glow-in-the-dark crucifix on one wall was charming.  The row of clothing hooks — at a height used by toddlers or small children — was a little disturbing.  I’m not sure what small children would be doing in the attic, particularly with the steep, semi-finished stairway leading to it.

A storage feature in the attic also seemed unusually repellent.  A further investigation of the site’s history might reveal more.

All in all, we concluded that the Franklin Historical Society has some odd features worth exploring.

However, it didn’t seem as if the society welcomed additional investigations; EPNE was allowed in as preparation for the historical society’s October presentation.

So, I can’t recommend the Franklin Historical Society’s building as a general research location.

The Window at the Front

After the event concluded, Sean, Lesley and I chatted outside the building.  We were startled because we thought we saw a curtain open for a moment at an attic window.

Then, when I was taking pictures, the flash highlighted the actual scene.  We realized that it was one of the windows that doesn’t have a curtain; it’s shuttered or otherwise blocked from the inside.

We’re not sure what we thought we saw, but each of us saw it, independently.

That’s the kind of anecdotal evidence that makes ghost hunting interesting, but, as scientific evidence, it has no merit.

The Window at the Back – Who Closed the Curtain?

Sean had parked his car at the back of the building, and Lesley and I felt that we should escort him to it.  I’m still not sure why.  At the time, it seemed kind of funny, both in an odd and in a ha-ha way.

As we studied the mixed architecture at the back of the building, all of us commented on another attic window.

It’s indicated by the red arrow in my photo at the right.  That side of the attic has curtains, and one was open.

As we chatted, I took a few photos.

Most of my pictures, like the one at the right, aren’t noteworthy.  It’s a typical New England house from the Victorian era.

However, as I studied the photos when I returned home, I kept looking at the window that troubled us.

Most of the pictures look like the following two.

(All of the following photos were adjusted to increase contrast and detail.)

I’ve included two of them, almost identical, so you can clearly see that the curtain is open.

(This is typical when I take photos.  I try to take two pictures in a row, without moving.  That way, if something is just a reflection or something normal, it’ll be in both photos.  If it’s an anomaly, it’s more likely to show up in just one of them.)

Then, I looked at one of the next pictures.  I’d walked a few feet to the right of where I stood for the previous photos.  This one was taken with a slower shutter setting.  It’s a little blurred, but the details remain fairly clear.  (I’m testing the idea that the additional image content might give the spirits something extra to work with.)

As you can see, the curtain is closed.

There would be nothing unusual about that, except that the building was empty. Everyone had left and locked up, at least 15 or 20 minutes earlier… before I started taking pictures.

In addition, the window had appeared open. If I’d analyzed my photos on the spot, we might have been able to verify that.  (Yes, we can see the vertical line.  That may be from a window, but it could be a screen support or something else.)

Could it be a very odd reflection?  It’s possible, but unlikely.  As you can see from the contrast in the previous photos — even the first one that wasn’t adjusted for clarity — the opening at the window looked very black.  I’m not certain that a reflection could completely offset that darkness.

Though I can’t recommend this exact location for investigations, it’s an interesting site in a town with many reminders of the past.

The Franklin Historical Society is at 21 Holy Cross Rd.  That street is off Route 3, about 3 miles south of the intersection of Routes 3 South/3A North/11 and Route 127.  Signs near the entrance indicate Webster Place Center and Webster Place Cemetery.

The cemetery is at the end of the road.  It’s on private land, but the owners give permission to visit the cemetery, under certain terms.  Please read the sign and follow their rules.

The road to the cemetery is a deeply rutted dirt road.  I recommend parking at the side of the paved road, to hike in to the cemetery.  It’s not a long distance, but cars with low clearance could sustain damage or get stuck, unless you drive very carefully on the dirt road.

Additional History

Webster Place Cemetery was previously known as Salisbury Cemetery, from an era before the town of Salisbury (NH) was incorporated as part of Franklin.

According to Wikipedia: While still part of Massachusetts, the town was granted as Baker’s Town after Captain Thomas Baker in 1736. After New Hampshire became a separate colony, the town was re-granted with the name Stevenstown. Additionally known as Gerrishtown and New Salisbury, the name Salisbury was taken when the town incorporated in 1768.

In 1746, this site was part of the northernmost fort of the Merrimack River, when Salisbury was called Stevenstown. The fort was built after the 1745 attack on the Call family, near the current location of the Franklin Historical Society.

The following excerpt is from The History of Manchester, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. It describes an attack by “savages in the interests of the French,” a band of about 30 Abenaki.

On the 15th day of August [1745], they made a successful attack on our frontier, on the house of Mr. Phillip Call, in Stevenstown. This town was subsequently known as Salisbury and the attack was made in that part of Salisbury, west of, and upon the Merrimack, now included in the town of, Franklin.

Mrs. Call [Sarah Trussell Call], her daughter-in-law, wife of Phillip Call, Jr. and an infant of the latter, were alone in the house, while the Calls, father and son, and Timothy Cook their hired man, were at work in the field.

Upon the approach of the Indians, Mrs. Call the elder, met them at the door, and was immediately killed with a blow from a tomahawk, her body falling near the door, and her blood drenching her own threashold! [sic]

The younger Mrs. Call, with her infant in her arms, crawled into a hole behind the chimney, where she succeeded in keeping her child quiet, and thus escaped from sure destruction.

The Calls, father and son, and Cook, saw the Indians, and attempted to get into the house before them, but could not succeed. They were so near the house, as to hear the blow with which Mrs. Call was killed.

Seeing however the number of the Indians, they fled to the woods and the Calls escaped.

Cook ran to the river and plunged in, but was pursued, shot in the water, and his scalp taken.

The Indians, some thirty in number, rifled the house, took Mrs. Call’s scalp, and then retreated up the river.

The Calls soon notified the garrison at Contoocook of the attack, and a party of eight men followed in pursuit.

The Indians waited in ambush for them, but showed themselves too soon, and the English party taking to the woods escaped, with the exception of Enos Bishop, who after firing upon the Indians several times was at length taken and carried to Canada as a captive. “

According to the Rich History of Webster Place, “…Many of his [Webster's] family, together with members of the pioneering Call family, are buried in the cemetery east of the house.”

If you’re researching the Call family and their graves, note that the Call surname was sometimes spelled Cole.

As you can see, a colorful history makes this general area worth investigating.

Recommended

If you’re researching haunts in this part of New Hampshire, stay at the 1875 Inn in Tilton, New Hampshire.  It was featured on the Ghost Hunters TV show, Season Six, Episode 13 (aired 8 Sep 2010).  It’s about 20 minutes from the Franklin Historical Society, on Route 3 in downtown Tilton.

Or, if you’re willing to drive another hour and a half north on Route 93, you can stay at the haunted Spalding Inn, owned by Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson (stars of the Ghost Hunters TV show) and their families.

References

The Rich History of Webster Place

Franklin Historical Society, Franklin, NH

Daniel Webster Farm, SeacoastNH.com

The History of Manchester, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire

The History of Salisbury, New Hampshire

Koasek Traditional Abenaki Band

Phillip Call of Franklin, NH (genealogy notes)

Wikipedia: Salisbury, New Hampshire

The old families of Salisbury and Amesbury, Massachusetts

Has someone complained about a ghost on a staircase?  Ghost hunters need to respond quickly to [...]]]> Haunted Stairways – or a good job for a carpenter?

Here are some low-tech ways to investigate haunted stairways, plus some extra footage at the wonderfully haunted hotel, The Spalding Inn, at Whitefield, NH.

Has someone complained about a ghost on a staircase?  Ghost hunters need to respond quickly to this kind of complaint.  It might be a normal — but dangerous — problem.  Finding a normal reason why someone feels disoriented on the stairs could save lives.

To investigate a haunted stairway, you’ll need:

• A carpenter’s level (under $2.50 at most hardware and DIY stores).
• A ruler or tape measure, or both.
• An EMF detector (to check for leaking EMF, usually from wiring concealed under the staircase).

Here’s how to test the staircase to see if the problem is normal, not paranormal:

The show’s three ghost enthusiasts visited Bonito Lake in Lincoln County, New Mexico. However, their version of Bonito City’s past was very different from actual history, and they may have missed the real ghosts of Lincoln [...]]]> Bonito City and its ghosts — if there are any — were featured in a recent ghost-related TV show.

The show’s three ghost enthusiasts visited Bonito Lake in Lincoln County, New Mexico. However, their version of Bonito City’s past was very different from actual history, and they may have missed the real ghosts of Lincoln County.

The TV Version

Bonito City was a thriving town until the night Martin Nelson shot and killed seven innocent people at the Mayberry Hotel for no apparent reason. After that tragedy, people began to move away.  It’s as if Martin Nelson killed the town, not just some of its citizens.

Some years later, a dam was built that flooded the ghost town — and all of its buildings — to create Bonito Lake.  Soon, people reported ghosts at the lake, including the dangerous spirit of Martin Nelson.  Today, people avoid the site and whatever haunts beneath its waters.

The Truth

Bonito City was one of many western towns that sprung up briefly when people were looking for gold.

Martin Nelson came to Bonito City to strike it rich as a miner, but soon realized that there wasn’t much gold.  He could do better with petty crime… and so he did.

One night, Martin Nelson was interrupted while robbing the hotel room of Dr. William H. Flynn who had recently arrived from Boston.

After a loud fight over the watch that Nelson planned to steal, Nelson shot everyone who stood between him and a quick escape… including the doctor, five members of the family that owned the hotel, and two neighbors.

Then, Nelson was shot and killed by Charlie Barry, the local Justice of the Peace.

In the years that followed, people gradually moved away from the town.  Mining near Bonito City required hard work for few results.  A few people stayed to farm, but most figured they could do better elsewhere.

By the early 20th century, Bonito City was a ghost town and conveniently located near the Rio Bonito… an ideal water source for the Southern Pacific Railroad.

After negotiating with the remaining landowners, the railroad began building a dam to store water in the newly-created Bonito Lake.

However, since they needed clean water, every building, sidewalk and fence in Bonito was torn down and removed before the city was flooded.  The graves were also moved to nearby Angus, New Mexico.

Today, Bonito Lake is a favorite vacation spot for campers, mountain bikers, fishermen, and rock hounds.

HERE’S THE COMPLETE STORY…

Bonito City and Gold Fever

When gold was discovered in California, many people dreamed of becoming rich overnight.  All an area had to do was hint that their rivers, streams or hills contained gold, and mining towns would spring up overnight.

At right: This is a typical newspaper article from 1883, suggesting easy money for anyone willing to join the gold rush.

Bonito City — not far from Santa Fe, New Mexico — was a cluster of tents in 1882 when “gold fever” brought aspiring miners from states such as Texas and Virginia.  For a very short time, Lincoln County was the most populated place in New Mexico.

At its peak — around the mid-1880s — Bonito City seems to have included a schoolhouse, three general stores, a saloon, a post office, a boarding house or hotel, one blacksmith and one lawyer.

(Most people agree that there was no church in Bonito City.  The local minister, Rev. John Henry Skinner, was also a farmer and later a grain store merchant.  He and his wife built a church… but not in Bonito City.)

Martin Nelson, Amateur Thief

The “ghost story” of Bonito City had its roots in 1885.  In a nutshell, it was a robbery that went sour.

Martin Nelson was like many young men who dreamed about getting rich overnight.  He claimed to be a miner, but no one recalls him actually working.

Some said that he’d been in Bonito City for four years.  Others claimed he’d drifted into town the night of the murders.  The truth is probably somewhere in between, and Nelson seems to have boarded with a couple of families including the Mayberrys.

Soon after Martin Nelson came to town, robberies were reported.  No one was sure who was responsible, and the thefts were generally small.

However, at about 3 a.m. on Tuesday morning, May 5th, 1885, the thief — Martin Nelson — made a fatal error.  He decided to steal a watch belonging to Dr. R. E. Flynn, who’d recently arrived from Boston and was staying with the Mayberrys.

Dr. Flynn woke up and raised the alarm, bringing the Mayberry family to his room.  Panicking, Nelson shot and killed the doctor, and then began shooting the Mayberry family.

John Mayberry, Sr. and his two sons, John Jr. and Eddie (alternately referred to as Robert), died instantly.

At first, Mrs. Mayberry was only wounded. She and her daughter, Nellie (about 14 years old), ran down the stairs of the boarding house, attempting to escape.  Nelson shot Mrs. Mayberry a second time, killing her, and the bullet also struck Nellie.

Nellie pleaded for her life, and Nelson agreed not to shoot her, as long as she promised to attend his hanging.  She promised, and he let her live.

(In another version of the story, Martin Nelson was secretly engaged to Nellie, and he was stealing the doctor’s watch so the young couple could afford to elope.)

Meanwhile, saloon owner Pete Nelson (no relation to Martin) heard the shots as he was cleaning up for the night.  As he entered Mayberry House, Martin Nelson killed him, too.

By then, a large number of people had gathered outside Mayberry House.  Nelson was trapped, and remained there until about 7 a.m. when he tried to escape out the back door of the building.

Unfortunately, grocer Herman Beck (reported as Herman Breck in some stories) was waiting for him.  Beck was killed instantly by a single shot from Martin Nelson’s rifle.

Martin Nelson got as far as the street when Charlie Berry, a Justice of the Peace, shot and killed the thief.

(Other versions of the story include a posse chasing Nelson to Littleton Canyon, where he was shot.  That seems more credible.  In 1933, the bodies were dug up and moved to another cemetery when the city was flooded.  Those who saw the remains of Martin Nelson said that his green felt hat was still preserved, and it had several bullet holes in it.)

Martin Nelson’s victims were buried in the town’s cemetery, atop a hill.  Nelson was buried outside the cemetery, in a flat area near where Bonito Lake is, today.

Nelson’s body was thrown into a rough pine box, face down, and buried with his body pointing to the west.  Some said that this was so he’d never rest.  Others said that it prevented him from haunting the town.

(The idea that he’d never rest is more likely.  In that era, bodies were usually buried facing up, and pointing toward the east so they could rise and join Christ at the Second Coming.)

Bonito City’s Decline

Bonito City’s population boom lasted less than about 20 years.  Some miners turned to farming or other work.  The majority rushed to find “easy money” in California and elsewhere.

By 1900, Bonito’s ore — what little there was — had played out.  The entire population of Lincoln County was just 1,065, and most of them were farmers and merchants building communities in towns like Carrizoza and Runnels.  Others worked for the railroad, which brought new people to New Mexico every day.

Bonito’s location was beautiful, but isolated.  Some records suggest that just two people lived in Bonito City (sometimes called Bonita City, or just Bonito) by 1910.  The town’s post office formally closed in 1911, and by 1920, Bonito City was just a store and seven or eight houses.

In the late 1920s, the Southern Pacific Railroad sought permission to dam Bonito Creek to create a reservoir.

Bonito City was the ideal location for the new lake.  Once the railroad negotiated ownership of the land, it hired workers to remove everything that remained of Bonito City.

One Final Journey for Martin Nelson

By 1933, the lake had filled and the water level was approaching the graves of Nelson and his victims.

Members of the Pfingsten family — long-time residents of Bonito City — helped to dig up the bodies for reinterment.

Dr. Flynn’s casket was moved to Texas, where his family lived.  The rest of Nelson’s victims were given new caskets and placed in a common grave in Angus, New Mexico, not far from Bonito Lake.

Martin Nelson was also reburied, east of the Angus Cemetery.  His body is in a grave at a hill, about 50 feet above the road.  The plot is overgrown, but it’s marked with a concrete tombstone.

…

By the 1950s, steam engines were dinosaurs in the railroad world.  Bonito Lake was sold and it is now a popular recreational site described in one travel guide as “a fisherman’s paradise.”

If You Go There

Bonito Lake covers about 60 acres at an elevation of 7300 feet.  According to the book, Fly Fishing in Southern New Mexico, it’s “one of the most heavily stocked lakes in the state,” and has “very high use by bait fishermen.”

The Rockhounds Guide to New Mexico recommends panning for gold along the nearby Rio Bonito.  You probably won’t find any gold nuggets, but most New Mexico rivers contain at least some gold dust, and the Bonito is one of the best for that.

If you’re interested in mountain biking, you’ll like Forest Road 107 near Bonito Lake.

Camping is available at the lake from April 1st through November 30th.  For more information, or to make reservations, call 575.336.4157.

The lake is open for fishing — but only from the shore — from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.  You can expect to catch rainbow and brook trout, as well as carp.

Remember that swimming, wading, and boating are not allowed in or on the lake.

For additional information about Bonito Lake and vicinity, check your library for books such as 100 Hikes in New Mexico, Frommer’s New Mexico, and New Mexico’s Wilderness Areas.

Tips for Ghost Hunting

Bonito Lake is about 12 miles northwest of Ruidoso.  Take NM highway 48 north to Angus, and turn left on NM 37.  After a mile, turn left again onto Forest Road (FR) 107 (County Rd. C-9). The lake is ahead about three miles.

You can camp at or near the lake; as of late 2009, campsite fees are $14/night, but there are no electrical hookups at campsites.  [Link] If you prefer a motel, you’ll find several around Ruidoso and Capitan.

If you watched the Extreme Paranormal episode at Bonito Lake, keep these points in mind:

• Despite what you saw on TV, swimming, boating and wading are not permitted at Bonito Lake.  The water is a source of drinking water for nearby communities.
• Never go diving alone in unfamiliar waters.  (Though it looked like the investigator was alone, at least one underwater cameraman was probably filming him.)  It’s particularly stupid to dive in unfamiliar waters, alone and after dark.
• If you feel as if something might be pulling you underwater, it’s probably a plant, an old fishing line or other debris.  Get out of the water.  Don’t risk getting further entangled in it.  (And always carry a knife to cut yourself loose, if necessary.)
• If you’re on the water and you see lightning, get to shore immediately.
• The floating “circle” of candles looked like a Christmas display in Florida (without Mickey), but it had nothing to do with genuine ghost research.
• Provoking the ghost of a murderer is not a good idea, especially in an isolated location.

The Real Ghosts of Lincoln County

If I was in Lincoln County, New Mexico, these are the potential haunts that I’d research.

• The Bonito City area (not the lake) – Some or all of the town’s land belonged to the Mescalero Indian Reservation.  A former resident, Mrs. Pinkie Bourne Skinner, talked about Indians peering into her house.  I’d check to see if there had been a Native settlement somewhere near the lake; stolen lands are often very good for paranormal research.

• The Lincoln County War – I’d check several sites of drama and tragedy, including: the Torreon (shown at right), Blazer’s Mill (including two cemeteries off Rte. 70) where Billy the Kid was among those involved in the shootout, and the site of the Fritz Ranch, which has additional reasons to be haunted.
• Angus Cemetery – Communal graves, such as where Martin Nelson’s victims are buried, are often active.  In addition, there’s an extra name on the group headstone: R. F. Oswald.  (I’m fairly certain that’s the son of Leo & Alice J. Bragg Oswald, a child who died many years later in Bonita City.  His grave was probably moved when the others’ were, but it’s still odd that he’s in the same plot.)  And, of course, if I could find Martin Nelson’s grave, I’d check it for EMF, EVP, and so on.(I’m still amazed that the show didn’t include those locations.)
• Fort Stanton – This is the Lincoln County site that really interests me.  Besides being the first World War II internment camp, the fort — now open to the public — was the site of two lynchings:  In the spring of 1883,  13 men lynched a fellow soldier (an  alleged gunman).  However, according to the newspaper report (at right) just one soldier confessed and stood trial; his 12 accomplices deserted. The lynching of William S. Pearl wasn’t the first at Fort Stanton; on 10 July 1876, outlaw Jose Segura was also lynched at or near the fort.  When history seems to repeat itself, that can indicate residual energy.  It’s worth investigating.

It’s always fun to check locations with rumored ghosts.  The Martin Nelson story — while not especially unusual — is chilling. In addition, the lake setting presented something unusual for TV.

However, the victims’ graves — and the murderer’s — are just five miles away. Billy the Kid‘s two graves (yes, two of them) are just a daytrip from Bonito Lake.  And, since there are numerous other sites of violence and tragedy nearby, there seem to be far richer haunts than one town’s off-limits water supply.

Well… unless you’re filming a really campy, over-the-top TV show, that is.

References (in addition to the links in this article)

• Unbelievable – Extreme Paranormal and Bonita City
• Pioneer Story: Mrs. Pinkie Bourne Skinner
• Angus Cemetery, Lincoln County, NM
• Bonito City – New Mexico Ghost Town
• Killings Began Town’s Slide, by David Bowser / Livestock Weekly
• Mayberry Murder Mystery of Bonita City (Ancestry.com)
• Lincoln County Folktales
• Myth of the Hanging Tree, by Robert J. Torrez
• The Sacramento Daily Record-Union, 10 Oct 1883
• The Sun, New York, 7 May 1885
• The Salt Lake Daily Herald, 7 May 1885
• The Sacramento Daily Record-Union, 14 May 1885 (clipping shown below)
• Photos include pictures by Lauren Burbank , Keely Dugger, and Loretta Humble.

At a fundraiser on Saturday, October 10th, 2009, I was among the investigators invited to Tenney Gatehouse by the Essex County Ghost Project and Pelham Paranormal Research.

The 2009 event sold out almost immediately, and raised [...]]]> Tenney Gatehouse and the Greycourt Castle ruins are among Methuen’s historical treasures… and among that city’s most haunted locations.

At a fundraiser on Saturday, October 10th, 2009, I was among the investigators invited to Tenney Gatehouse by the Essex County Ghost Project and Pelham Paranormal Research.

The 2009 event sold out almost immediately, and raised over $600 for the Methuen Historical Society to restore and maintain Tenney Gatehouse. Thank you to all who participated in this event!

Note: Some people thought that I was the host of the Tenney Gatehouse event… but I wasn’t. The entire event was planned by Tom Spitalere of the Essex County Ghost Project and Deb O’Leary of Pelham Paranormal Research. They deserve all the credit for how the event was organized, and its success. I was merely one of the invited speakers.

Many investigation teams have visited Tenney Gatehouse and documented its ghosts.  This was my second investigation at the house, and my results were similar to my previous visit.  [My earlier article - Report: Tenney Gate House]

Basement

The basement is an odd location.  I don’t sense a lot of history there, though other investigators have reported significant energy.

Mostly, the atmosphere seems to get heavier (or denser) the longer you stay there, as if something is crowding you out. If you’re prone to headaches, especially migraines, stay away from the basement.

Some very hostile energy lingers in one corner of the room where the furnace is.  That’s odd, since I’m fairly sure it’s a recently excavated area. [See the Methuen Historical Society's page that describes the basement work.]

I also sensed a distraught young woman in a maroon dress.  She’s from the second half of the 19th century.  She has very high, elaborate braids and curls, characteristic of the 1860s and later.  (It reminds me of a Swedish woven loaf of bread, but upright.)

Her skirt is fairly narrow, also suggesting a time from the late 19th century.  She’s pacing and very unhappy, but also seems to enjoy the drama of it, as well as the attention she gets.

There’s also the energy of a little boy, but my “gut feeling” is: this is phantom energy.  I’m not sure that there was actually a tragedy at the staircase where he seems to linger, and I wonder if he’s the created energy of several imaginative researchers.

Whether he’s a real ghost or not, the energy remains there.

Between the amount of running electrical equipment, fuse boxes, and pipes, the basement is unreliable for EMF studies.

Ground floor

In the parlor, the doll and the sofa she was on have been replaced by a lovely organ from Greycourt Castle.  The wooden organ belonged to the Tenneys and not only survived its years when the mansion was a drug rehab center, but it’s also one of the few items to survive the fire as well.

We found a “cold spot” on top of the organ, and a couple of variable cold spots on either side of it.

Because of the organ’s surprising energy, it’s an item to research in more detail, especially in light of the Searles family’s connection with organ making.

Several items in the museum area seem to hold residual energy, in addition to fascinating history.  In light of the history I’ve learned since this investigation, many of the museum’s objects are worth closer study.

In the far room in the museum area, several people saw dramatic dowsing rod activity in one corner.  We also saw baffling EMF meter readings.

At one point, it was as if the EMF meters were dueling; one would beep and flash three times, and then the other would, and so on.

I took a picture while this was going on, and there’s a very faint orb over the EMF meter on the right. As you can see from the light, that EMF meter was signaling when I took the photo.

(I wish I’d taken more photos, to see if the orb bounced back and forth between the meters as they beeped.)

Immediately beneath that floor, a large electrical box emits high levels of EMF.  Though that would explain continuous, high EMF levels, it doesn’t explain the intermittent surges.  (In fact, at one point the EMF meter closest to the floor showed no unusual readings, while another meter — about four feet above it — was surging off the scale.)

Several people felt very strong energy in that area as well, and some thought they were being gently pushed or otherwise in physical contact with a ghost, perhaps a ghostly dog.

However, when researching in areas of high EMF, normal disorientation is possible.  So, we looked in other, low-EMF areas for additional and supporting information about the house’s ghosts.

In another room, a 19th-century dresser holds the residual energy of a grandmother who often laced her corset too tightly, and collected small figurines.  I also detected the energy of two priests around that dresser, but not the priests (or monks) who lived at Tenney Gatehouse.

Upper floor

The upper floor continues to be my favorite.  In one room, both mirrors — but one in particular — seems to have anomalous energy.  It’s worth far more study than I’ve had time for.

That’s the same room where we previously used a K-II meter to communicate with a spirit that wanted the lights turned out.

I did not investigate the room next to it, where refreshments were served to event attendees.

The largest room on that floor had seating for about 30 people, and it was used for “Shack Hack” sessions presented by Chris G., another invited psychic and paranormal researcher.  The Shack Hack indicated several spirits in the room, including two or three men and perhaps one young woman and a little boy.

Turret

The turret room may be the most famous haunted area in Tenney Gatehouse, and it’s also the part of the house that will be restored with the help of the funds raised at this event.

According to legend, but no historical evidence that I know of, a monk hung himself in that room.  The stories say that he continues to haunt that room.

Whether that’s a true tale or not, the energy in the turret area is powerful and almost disorienting.  I look forward to researching it further when it’s more fully restored and I can rule out normal EMF (from electrical wiring) as a factor.

Summary

Tenney Gatehouse (or Gate House) is a light, easy haunting for first-time investigators.

However, due to the large amount of traffic through the house, nothing truly scary is likely to happen during a casual investigation or event.

This site is ideal for in-depth investigations by small teams who’ll focus on specific areas and objects that may reveal far more than they do during a brief walk-through.

Next, see my notes and photos: Investigation – Ghosts at Greycourt Castle ruins

You may also enjoy my very detailed report, Investigation – History of Tenney Gatehouse, and my recording, Ghost Hunting without High-Tech Equipment (MP3).

The castle-style mansion was built in the 1880s and used as a summer home by the Tenney family.

In the 1950s, it was sold and used as a drug rehabilitation facility in [...]]]> Greycourt Castle (or Grey Court Castle) was the estate home of Charles H. Tenney, his wife Fanny, and their son Daniel G. Tenney.

The castle-style mansion was built in the 1880s and used as a summer home by the Tenney family.

In the 1950s, it was sold and used as a drug rehabilitation facility in the mid-20th century, and largely destroyed by fires from 1974 through 1978.  The 1978 fire was the result of arson.

As I explain in my book, Ghost Hunting in Haunted Cemeteries, we’re always looking for any of four characteristics of most hauntings:

• Money
• Power
• Drama
• Tragedy (sudden or extended)

If I see more than one of these elements, it’s a red flag that suggests the site is worth investigating.

In my earlier article, Investigation – History of Tenney Gatehouse, I described Greycourt Castle’s intriguing and tragic past.

From the land’s connections to a Colonial blockhouse, to the fire that destroyed Greycourt in the 1970s, the site’s history contains all four elements — money, power, drama and tragedy — that make it a prime location for paranormal investigations.

My “gut feeling” is that we’ve barely scratched the surface on the energy and ghosts around the Greycourt Castle ruins.

I’m also certain that the park-like areas of the Tenney grounds hold additional reasons for ghostly activity.

The nearby Searles site is certainly worth investigating, as well.

My October 2009 investigation

I did not spend time at the area where the monks’ graves were rumored to have been. (The graves were moved when the site stopped being used by the order.)

Earlier in the evening, I’d heard that some people had formed a circle to summon the energy or spirits from any remaining graves and… Unless you really know what you’re doing, that can open doors best left closed, and create unhealthy dynamics with the spirits.

So, I didn’t pause there.

Walking up the path from the gatehouse to Greycourt, I immediately took a photo where I feel intense energy from… well, I think it’s the Gorrill brothers.

(For their story, see my article, Tenney ghosts – Gorrill brothers.)

Though my photo shows only a vivid orb (sorry, no landmarks with it), that confirms it as a location for additional on-site research.

The orb may be something entirely normal… but it might not.  Either way, I’m interested in this part of the Tenney property.

As I continued to Greycourt Castle, I felt the familiar sense of entering an area with very different energy, as if it’s a portal to another time.

The castle feels like something incomplete… in our world.  However, I often feel that the stairs leading down from it actually show more than just a great view of Methuen (albeit blocked by trees).  I feel that it may offer something else, if you have patience, suspend disbelief, and use all of your senses to perceive what’s really there.

This is the second time I’ve smelled the vanilla-like aroma of tobacco around the stairway, too.  (I describe it as a little like Swisher Sweet cigars.  Others have made reference to pipe tobacco.)

During this October 2009 investigation, several other people have commented on that aroma as well, not knowing that I was already aware of it.

My photos from nearby showed some great lights, blurred as the camera moved, but nothing paranormal.

However, one of my next pictures caught an odd, colorful mist.  Someone else commented on her mist photo, around the same time.  We both tried to replicate the mist by breathing near the cameras lenses as we took additional photos, but couldn’t duplicate the effect.

Though this still may be mist (it’s not cigarette smoke), it’s more likely an anomaly.

In the photo at right, that’s a tree on the right, surrounded by the mist.  At the lower left, you can see the promontory where the stairs lead, and where I feel that the energy is different from “normal.”

Though city lights interfere with night photos, and there’s nothing obvious there to see… I still feel that’s a location for in-depth investigation.  But, because that could be something frightening, I’d only recommend it for very experienced ghost hunters.

(By “frightening,” I don’t mean that it’s necessarily dangerous. I think that it might be something very different from what we usually encounter at haunted sites like this.  Perhaps “startling” might be a better word, but when something radically different happens at haunted places, beginners can interpret it as scary, frightening or dangerous.)

Next, I walked along the corridor.  None of my photos showed anything unusual.  However, I kept noticing moving shadows on the columns as I stood and took pictures.  The shadows were very crisp and well defined.  It was as if someone was immediately behind me.

Every time I turned to look — at least four or five times — no one was there.  Since there were only about four of us at that part of the ruins at the time, I don’t have any explanation for it.

I wasn’t afraid of the shadows, and I don’t think they indicate anything malicious… just odd.

Nearby, the area around the fountain seems very active, but with happier energy.  Generally, I connect this with the “flower child” energy that may have resonated with earlier, Spiritualist activities at the site.

Or, it may relate to the ritual energy in a nearby wooded area.

Though the woods feel somber and even creepy to me, the energy around the fountain seems joyous.  I wasn’t at all surprised to see an orb in the photo at right.  In fact, I was amazed that I didn’t have more anomalies in the pictures I took there.

On the walk back from the ruins, I was — as usual — intrigued by the Searles’ property and stone buildings.  That location also contains very powerful, paranormal energy.  That’s the only way I can describe it; it doesn’t feel like anything that’s from this world.

However, my “gut feeling” is that it’s not just the ghost of Mr. Searles.  I’d fully expect cryptozoology reports there, because — in addition to something vaguely ghostly — there’s… well, something else.

Nearby, a second photo included some lines that I’m still studying.  The wavy lines aren’t uniform (though they look it in this small version of the picture) so this isn’t one insect (the top, white shape) and a series of lens flares or repetitions.

Also, everything else — full depth of field — is in focus.  If the camera moved enough to create those lines, other objects should be blurry.

So, this may be something, but it might not.  I’m not going to read anything into it, but share it with readers for your input.

I’m about 90% certain that this is an insect or a falling leaf, plus repeated reflected/refracted images, but 90% certainty isn’t 100%.

Of course, it helps that the area by that stone wall feels unsettling.  It’s the kind of site where we often see apparitions.

Yes, this is probably a perfectly normal photo, and the earlier orb picture may be an insect as well.  I’m displaying them because they’re interesting, not necessarily paranormal.

However, I recommend spend time at this part of the property when you’re at Tenney Gatehouse and Greycourt Castle ruins.

Summary

For a first-time or casual ghost hunter, Tenney Gatehouse is the ideal place for an investigation.

For an experienced investigator, I think the rest of the Tenney property offers more intriguing energy and anomalies that haven’t been reported yet.

Tenney Gatehouse is maintained by the Methuen Historical Society, 37 Pleasant Street, Methuen, MA.  The gatehouse and grounds are open to the public.  Please check the Methuen Historical Society’s website for hours and additional information.

Related report: Investigation – Tenney Gatehouse ghosts (October 2009)