Hollis, NH – Eerie, Misty Photograph on a Bright Sunny Day

I’m not sure what to think of this eerie photograph.

In an earlier post about Blood Cemetery, I described an unusual daytime photo with a ‘ghost orb’ in it.

On that same day, at least one other photo was odd.

It’s not necessarily ghostly.

It is anomalous.

misty photo at Blood Cemetery
Misty, eerie photo on a crisp, sunny day. (Blood Cemetery, Hollis, NH)

The black-and-white photo above looks like it was taken on a dreary, misty New England day.

However, our photographer shot it at about 3 p.m.  The sun was still bright and the sky was nearly cloudless.

There was no fog or mist at the graveyard. Most of the trees were leafless, so this wasn’t taken in a shadow.

The cemetery was grassy, with no dusty areas to create a hazy image. It was a warm day (60 degrees F), so there was no mist from the photographer’s breath, and no ground fog.

The photo below — from the same roll of film in the same camera — shows the contrast of the light and the depth-of-field from this camera. This crisp photo was taken within three minutes of the misty-looking one, and no more than thirty feet away in identical lighting conditions.

This is a slightly baffling anomaly. It’s not enough evidence to call Blood Cemetery ‘haunted’, not even close. But still, this eerie photograph is intriguing. It makes me want to return for further research, and more daytime photos.

contrast1

If you’ve taken similar eerie photographs at Blood Cemetery, and can suggest what causes them (aside from spectral energy), let me know in comments, below.

The Real Ghost of Ocean-Born Mary – podcast

If you’re intrigued by real-life ghost stories, here’s my podcast about Ocean-Born Mary, the famous ghost of Henniker, New Hampshire, USA.

For my longer article about her legend – and the ghost – see Ocean-Born Mary – Her Ghost in Henniker, NH.

And, to find out what’s true about this ghost story, see Ocean-Born Mary – The Truth – Henniker, NH.

A snarky version of the story – not entirely reliable – is at Seacoast NH. Another version of the story is at the site of the New England Historical Society. The latter suggests other locations that investigators may want to explore.

If you’re going to visit the area where Ocean-Born Mary actually lived, learn more about the town at the Henniker, NH website.

Other graves – related to Mary  Wallace – might be worth visiting and investigating. Here’s a useful FindAGrave list.

However, the actual house where she lived (and might haunt) is privately owned. Do NOT bother the owners! But, if you want to see what the house looked like, click here for the Library of Congress site’s larger photo.

 

Gilson Road Cemetery, Nashua, NH – Driving Directions and Legends

Gilson Road Cemetery is one of America’s most haunted cemeteries.

Once an isolated and rural location, it  features apparitions, cold spots, compass and EMF anomalies, EVP, and visual anomalies that show up in photos and videos.

In other words, it’s like a theme park for ghost hunters.

Except that these are real ghosts.

Driving directions to Gilson Road Cemetery

Blue flowers at Gilson Road Cemetery, Nashua, NHGilson Road Cemetery is on Gilson Road, on the west side of Nashua, NH (USA).

From the south (Massachusetts), take Rte 3 (Daniel Webster Highway) to Exit 1 in NH (Spit Brook Road).

Turn left at the end of the exit ramp. Follow that road – despite how it weaves and how often the name changes – until you reach the T-style intersection at the end of it.

Then, turn right and look for the four corners intersection (convenience store and other retail) at Gilson Road.

Turn left onto Gilson Road and look for the gate and stone wall on the right, shielding the cemetery from view.

A brief history of Gilson Road Cemetery

Ghost orb at Gilson Road Cemetery, Nashua, NHGilson Road Cemetery probably started as a family cemetery in colonial times.

According to legend, the stone wall enclosed a farmhouse.

Then, the house burned and some of the fire victims were buried in a small plot near the charred remains of the house.

Another house was built on the site, but it burned to the ground, as well.

Like the previous fire, its victims were buried close to the home.

After that, people gave up on the location and turned it into a rural cemetery.

Early records suggest that the Gilson Road area was the site of at least two large Native American battles. Nations from the north (Penobscots, among others) and from the south (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and beyond) met near Gilson Road and engaged in bloody warfare.

This was before many contemporary records existed, so those stories are largely from oral tradition. Details aren’t clear.

The Betty Gilson Legend

Gilson Road is also famous for a local, urban legend. According to stories, if you walk farther up the road (heading slightly northwest) just a short distance, and shout, “Betty Gilson, I have your baby,” she will appear.

She’s described as appearing around age 30, in Colonial clothing, and some say she’s in the middle of the road. (A couple of people talked about the danger of seeing her, and steering the car to avoid hitting what they thought was a real  person.)

More people report her hiding behind a tree, occasionally peering out to see who’s calling her name. The first thing they see is her white “mob cap” (hat), and sometimes part of her face, as well as a hand grasping the tree.

The most complete, expert guide to haunted cemeteries.
Click here for this book

— While this site is being updated, the following articles may not be available —

More information about Gilson Road Cemetery

Click here for a brief selection of photos from haunted Gilson Road Cemetery.

OR, visit Gilson Road Cemetery – Investigations for information from many of my past Gilson Road investigations.

humorous ghost divider

 

Spalding Inn Ghosts, Revisited (2013)

Return to the Spalding Inn - ghosts 2013In April 2013, I visited the Spalding Inn for a ghost hunting event hosted by Jason Hawes.

It had been about two years since I’d last investigated the hotel.

Frankly, my earliest overnight visit to the hotel – in 2008, before the hotel opened – was alarming.

Whatever I encountered there, it wasn’t just ghosts.

I’m in my comfort zone with ghostly phenomena.

BUT… when weird things happen, I get anxious.

So, I generally visited Jason & Grant and their families during the daytime.

I liked sitting on the hotel porch, laughing and chatting about our adventures.

Then, in 2013, I knew that my husband and I were moving soon. So, when invited, I went back to the Spalding Inn for one of Jason’s ghost hunting events.

Things had changed… really changed.

The ghostly energy confirmed what I’d discovered with my NH ley line map, shown later in this article.

But before I explain the ley line map, here’s what happened during my 2013 investigation.

My April 2013 report

The upper floor of the Spalding Inn’s carriage house seemed just as strange, but more had focused energy.

That is, many of us (including me) didn’t encounter the usual off-the-wall weird energy there.

It was… well, the word I’d use is “tidier.”

It was as if whatever’s there had a purpose for being there. 

If you weren’t useful to the ghost, and whatever his or her goal was, the ghost wasn’t around.

However, some investigators experienced profound encounters and spiritual confirmations.

Those seemed to be very quirky – and somewhat conflicted – experiences.

The “hottest” areas were in and near rooms 15 and 17.

Also, the spirits (ghosts, energy, whatever) at the main level (ground floor) of the Spalding Inn’s carriage house were far more responsive to the various electronic devices in use.

Kris was eager to talk about the ghosts

During that 2013 visit, Jason Hawes’ wife, Kris, shared many stories.  They were fascinating, because she was describing encounters that complemented mine.

Generally, Kris seemed more eager to talk about the hotel’s ghosts than Jason was.

But, I appreciated Jason’s decision to say less. As a high-profile ghost hunter, he needed to remain as objective as possible. Or perhaps he didn’t want to prompt visitors, but let them make their own ghostly discoveries.

What happened in 2008

I’d visited the hotel late in 2008. That was immediately after the Ghost Hunters International team investigated, but before the hotel was officially opened.

At the time, I preferred to keep a low profile. Another guest at the hotel was eager to claim the spotlight, and I was happy to let him do so.

In general, I’m fairly shy, especially in a predominantly male setting.

Also, unless asked for details, I usually keep many of my observations to myself. I like to think about them for a few days.

That gives me time to evaluate my experiences, away from the turbulence of the hauntings.

So, I didn’t talk much about what I’d seen and felt at the hotel. It included:

    • An apparition in the coach house
    • An astonishing collection of dead flies in another room in that building
    • And a voice – heard aloud – that mimicked me.

Then there was the figure that was dragging itself along the floor in the main building.

And the haunted mirror on the first floor.

And finally – back in the coach house – the completely unplugged old-school phone with the “call waiting” light blinking.

So, yes, what I’d witnessed in 2008 was very weird. I just didn’t say much about it at the time.

I may write more about this, later.

Oh, I slept soundly at the hotel. But what I witnessed during my investigations…? It was one of the strangest combination of phenomena I’ve ever encountered.

Then, Kris Hawes described what she’d seen

Five years later – in 2013 – Kris Hawes confirmed many of my experiences, without knowing about them ahead of time. After all, I’d never said much about them.

I was delighted. (And a little creeped-out, if I’m honest, especially about the unattractive figure crawling on the floor.)

As of 2013, it seemed like the ghosts were learning from visitors. The ghosts’ responses were more specific, more consistent, and involve more senses.

In other words, the Spalding Inn had become a more useful research location.

Paranormal “hot spots” at the Spalding Inn

In 2013, in the main building, the dining room felt like more of a “safe haven” from intrusive ghosts.

That was a relief. We could get away from the entities… whatever they were.

But, the perimeter of the dining room was odd. It was like walking through spiritual jello, if that makes sense.

The extended corridor (where the sleeping rooms are) was far more active than it had been.

Previously, I’d categorized most of the activity there as fae and perhaps Native American, not ghostly.

Now, several ghosts in that hallway – and sleeping rooms along it – seemed interested in contacting us.

(I’m not sure what words to use for that. Maybe those ghosts were there all along, but fairly silent. Maybe they’d migrated to that part of the hotel, where they had a bigger audience. I have no idea.)

It was time to sell the hotel

As we chatted in 2013, Kris confided that Jason and Grant were thinking of selling the hotel.

The hotel’s massive repairs had cost far more than Grant and Jason had expected. Competing with neighboring hotels – that offered more amenities for seasonal tourists – was a challenge.

And, I think Jason and Grant had started out with a different vision for the hotel.

I told Kris that selling the hotel was a good idea.

I did not tell her that – during that 2013 investigation – the energy at the hotel seemed angry.

It was a somewhat nasty, drain-everything-from-you kind of energy.

This wasn’t just a spiritual attack.

I had no doubt the malicious energy wanted to destroy the hotel’s business, crush morale, and generally tear things up.

I was happy not to spend another night there.

Why did the energy change?

Maybe the ghosts didn’t like the idea of dealing with yet another set of owners.

Or maybe the ghosts had enjoyed the attention of Jason & Grant’s ghost hunting overnights.

I’m glad Jason & Grant and their families sold the hotel. I wish the new owners very good luck with it.

And yes, I’d cheerfully return there, out of curiosity. I’d love to see if the ghosts and other entities remained there.

My northern New Hampshire ley lines map

NH ley lines mapFor the 2013 event, I’d created a special information sheet that featured ley lines at and near the Spalding Inn.

It also showed “hot spots” in northern New Hampshire in general.

The illustration on this page is just part of that map.

If you draw these lines on a larger map, you’ll see where they extend into other states. All locations along these lines are worth exploring.

The ghost figures indicate locations where ghosts have been reported. The star-in-circle marks indicate other paranormal reports (UFOs, etc.) and anomalies.

If you’re researching in NH, check sites on either line.

Choose the northern one if you’re interested in ghosts. Choose the southern one if you’re eager to find Bigfoot (yes, there are reports along that line) or want to see UFOs.

Two different ley lines. Two different kinds of phenomena.

The Spalding Inn is on the more ghostly line.

And, in my opinion, it’s still haunted… and perhaps by more than just ghosts.

Book Review: Haunted Hikes of New Hampshire

Haunted Hikes of New Hampshire is a true delight.

It reveals little-known haunted sites that can only be accessed on foot.  They’re often “in the middle of nowhere” along some of New Hampshire’s most magnificent trails.

As I said when the book was first published:

Get ready for fun… and a good scare!  This is one of the most interesting, unusual books for ghost hunters, and it’s something different for hikers, too.  This is one of the best regional ghost hunting books I’ve ever read. It’s filled with great, haunted hikes along some of New England’s most beautiful – and eeriest – trails.

I still feel that way about this book, and recommend it to anyone who’s both a ghost enthusiast and a hiker. The new edition includes even more fun (and eerie) hikes.

If you’re looking for truly off-the-beaten-path haunted locations in New England, this book is a must-read.

Rating: 4-stars

Spalding Inn Ghosts, Whitefield, NH (2009 Report)

Ghosts of the Spalding InnThe Spalding Inn in Whitefield, New Hampshire is the kind of location that every ghost hunter dreams of.

For several years, the hotel was owned by ghost hunters Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson (famous for TAPS and the Ghost Hunters TV show) and their families.

Since we’ve been friends for many years, I’ve spent happy days and nights at that hotel.

Parts of the Spalding Inn were – and possibly still are – delightfully haunted.

During my informal visits, I concluded that the Spalding is similar to Louisiana’s Myrtles Plantation… but perhaps differently haunted.

Similar to the Myrtles Plantation, the Spalding Inn seems to transform after dark.

nh-spalding-ch2The carriage house at the Spalding Inn

From my investigations, the Spalding Inn’s most active area is the carriage house, shown in the photo at left.

It’s not heated, so that part of the hotel is opened seasonally.

Each guest room in that building has its own odd energy.

Upstairs may be more haunted than the ground floor.  Room 17 is especially active, but Rooms 15 and 16 are also interesting for ghost hunters.

(I detected intense male energy in Room 16, and later discovered that my uncle and his wife had stayed in that room in 1978.  So, I might have been hypersensitive to his residual energy.)

Even when the building is empty, apparitions and odd shadow figures have been seen in the upstairs windows… in broad daylight.

After seeing the shadowy figure of a woman in one of the carriage house windows, I commented that all I could see clearly were the pearls in her necklace.  They seemed to catch the light, though the rest of the figure was a vague shadow.  I later learned that a former owner of the Spalding Inn – who may haunt Room 17 – always wore pearls.

To encounter something paranormal, spend the night in the carriage house.   The rooms are very comfortable, and vintage decor adds to their charm.  Each room is “en suite” (has its own bathroom) and offers a view of the hotel, the surrounding mountains, or both.

If you stay in the carriage house, be sure to ask about the haunted telephone and the ghostly message that seems lost between the worlds.

The main building

If the carriage house isn’t open, or if all of its rooms are full, you can still encounter spirits in the Spalding Inn’s main building.

Several (but not all) guest rooms are haunted.  One of them is Room 33 where other guests have described eerie activity that woke them up.

I’ve spent the night there and enjoyed the room.  Perhaps it was the clean, mountain air or the luxurious bed, but I slept very soundly and woke refreshed in the morning.

In fact, Room 33 is my favorite, since it’s far from any noise around the lobby and it adjoins a sitting area with its own ghostly energy.

The sitting area

At the west end of the main building you’ll find a group of comfortable chairs, and windows on three sides.

Spend some time sitting there, quietly, after dark.  Watch the corridor that leads to it.  Several of us noted visual anomalies.  One was similar to the distortions above pavement on a hot day, or the mostly-invisible creature in the Predator movies.

It’s an unusual phenomenon.  I’ve seen it before, in just a few locations such as the upstairs hallway at Brennan’s restaurant in New Orleans’ French Quarter.

Ghosts… and faeries?

While most of the paranormal energy at the Spalding Inn seems to be residual, some of what I encountered may not be ghostly.

In the first floor corridor of the main building – where the sleeping rooms are – I saw an odd, hunched figure moving slowly across the floor.  It reminded me of Caliban, a character in Shakespeare’s play, The Tempest.

It was there… and then it wasn’t.  It didn’t look like a ghost.

I’ve discussed this with a few other paranormal researchers, some of whom have been to the Spalding Inn.  They agree that I may have seen one of the traditional faeries; they’re larger entities (and sometimes very dark beings) recorded in early folklore and legends.

It’s too early to say if the Spalding Inn is a good location for studying fae entities and ghosts, but that may explain some of the unusual energy at the hotel.

A bonus

If you’re interested in – or at least amused by – a wide range of paranormal mysteries, be sure to stop at Exit 33 (off Route 93) on your way to or from the Spalding Inn.

Fill your gas tank or buy some munchies at the Irving gas station and convenience store, close to Route 93.

While you’re there, visit their rest room.

You’ll see one of the most impressive displays of information about America’s first documented alien abduction, the Betty and Barney Hill story.  Apparently, the abduction took place just a few hundred yards from the gas station.

So, when you stay at the Spalding Inn, don’t just look for ghosts… look for spaceships, too.

In general, the Spalding Inn is a wonderful hotel whether you’re there for a good night’s sleep… or a “good scare.”

UPDATE: Since it’s under new ownership, the hotel’s name may change. If it does, ask anyone in Whitefield; they’re sure to know what you’re talking about, and how to get to the hotel.