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Over a hundred years ago, a woman was locked in the attic of a haunted Laconia (NH) home. She spent years up there, perhaps clawing at the walls and door. She may have died up there, and pieces of her body may still be in the home’s backyard.
These pictures are from a house near Laconia’s Parade Road. It’s a private residence, but in Colonial times, it had been a tavern.
Later, according to stories told by the homeowners, someone was locked in the attic, possibly for years.
I was fortunate enough to be invited – privately – to spend a few hours ghost hunting at this extraordinary site. Even in broad daylight, it was unusual.
And, the ghost stories at that site are credible.
There’s plenty of physical evidence of its turbulent past, including personal belongings from long ago. It’s difficult to tell which had been left there, abandoned by previous homeowners, and which belong to the current residents.
But few attics have so many marks scraped into the walls and door.
I’ve mentioned this house before, including in my review of Rue Cote’s book, Ghost Hunting in Tilton, NH.
The scratch marks in the Laconia home’s attic were among the creepiest things I’ve ever seen, ghost hunting in private homes. Those scratches are reminiscent of hash marks carved into prison walls, and in orphanages and some hospitals.
Here’s the evidence
The first photo shows the wall near the attic door, close to an old-school light switch. I’m not sure if the scratched-in date (near the top of the wall) says 1895 or 1896.
Probably the latter.
Either way, it’s creepy.
Next, here are the marks on the inside of the attic door (by someone inside the attic). Some look like they may have been etched with chalk.
Next is a photo you may have seen before (in my article – Laconia, NH’s Ghostly Places) but this is a larger copy. It hasn’t been adjusted in any way, aside from reducing it to fit on this webpage.
The fourth (next) photo shows an area just to the left of the previous photo. I did adjust the contrast (and I added an arrow) so you can see the date scratched into the wall: 1892.
If the photo at the top of this article shows 1896 scratched into the wood, it’s possible someone was locked in that attic for a very long time. Three or four years, at least. That’s shocking.
You can read more of my Laconia story – and more true, ghostly tales – in Rue’s book.
More ghost hunting opportunities, nearby?
For me, the most chilling part of this Laconia ghost investigation was what people said, afterwards.
I talked about this house with several friends in Tilton.
Every one of them had a story about a relative that had been locked in their family’s attic, years ago.
Or, they knew a neighbor or nearby cousin with a relative locked in the attic.
I understand that in the 18th and 19th centuries, mental health facilities could be barbaric. It may have seemed more humane to keep the person at home.
But, in an attic…? And for years…?
That explains a lot about why Tilton and nearby towns are so very haunted. If you’re ghost hunting in NH’s Lakes Region, Laconia and Tilton should be on your must-see list.
Ghosts are of interest to scientists who want to know what kind of physics and/or chemistry is involved.Also to the philosophers who specialise in existentialism.Occultists on the other hand are concerned with the desired results,not caring whether ghosts or sentient beings or programmers of simulation are involved.Mental energy,whether of an insane person or a sane but passionate person,can possibly cross the threshold of intensity to get permanently bound with artefacts and buildings.
Interesting categorizations, Vivek. I’m not sure I’d call myself an “occultist,” though I’m always interested in the how-and-why of paranormal phenomena. I’d probably define that in science terms, since I’m fascinated by repeating patterns of anomalies.
But, for me, part of that study includes creating/repeating those anomalies, by everyday means (normal, physical efforts, starting with recreating the exact circumstances in which the anomaly was most recently observed). Then, I’m interested in adding the paranormal phenomena (including the presence of psychics, and – in the case of ghost hunting – perhaps limited use of divinatory tools), to see what happens with that aspect involved.
Or, for the Mandela Effect, and in a perfect world, with more time, I’d create a fake Chevron station sign, with the red-blue colors inverted. Then, I’d set it up on a ley line related to the Effect, and see what happens. Is that “occult”? I’m not sure.
Cheerfully, Fiona
Fiona, You’ve laid your cards and i must say,’ i can’t agree’.Finding patterns in pedantic and empirical fashion just doesn’t work with paranormal.Finding patterns in divinity is not passe,it will always govern this world.Synchronicity and specially retrocausal synchronicity,is one such phenomena that holds promise to find patterns in,but not in pedantic attitude either.
Interesting. For me, the patterns are working. Not just ley lines, but dates, times, and so on. I think many other ghost hunters would say the same thing.
For example, anniversaries – birthdays, battle dates, death dates – seem to produce more reliable paranormal phenomena at related sites. Of course, one could question the observer factor, but does it matter? If we investigate, say, Gettysburg, on the anniversary of a major battle, we seem to get more measurable/recordable anomalies than at other times.
Is it the calendar? I’m not sure. I’ve been intrigued by John Sabol’s results, staging elaborate reconstructions of highly-charged events at “haunted” sites. Regardless of the date (though I suspect an anniversary helps), he seems to get remarkable responses from whatever is behind the hauntings.
And that is a pattern as well: Recreate the initial, emotionally-charged scene, and we seem to see more reliable paranormal activity.
I’m not sure it’s “pedantic” to be open to the possibility of patterns. In my case, I start with a series of reports. All relate to dramatically increased paranormal activity at a particular location.
Then, I see what those reports have in common: people, weather, dates, times of day, equipment in use, and so on. In time, I’d like to expand that to the ancestry of the researchers, to see if there’s a genetic component. Perhaps some researchers are actually related to the people whose ghosts seem to manifest. Is that resonance or something else?
For me, starting with a pattern is better than nothing. Using the strict definition of synchronicity, I would question whether “meaningful coincidences” aren’t so coincidental, after all.
Crystalinks.com suggests, “Synchronicities are patterns that repeat in time.” I’m not sure I agree with that, but I’m not sure synchronicities and patterns are mutually exclusive.
Your thoughts…?
What i mean is that you can’t begin with the premise of empirical patterns that must exist.This very idea puts the whole adventure into the twilight zone realm,you comply with the one insistent requirement of main stream science,a pattern.But you don’t get any further and no one from msm to carry on.And you lose interest for the infrequent but very tangible revelation that is lurking around,just because you are comporting with msm.For me the experience of synchronicity is too fantastic to require any confirmation with academic papers,infact they are overwhelming by every sense of the word.
Ah, now I understand. And I agree.
I look for patterns as shortcuts to identify the times & places we’re most likely to encounter paranormal phenomena and anomalies. For me, it increases the odds. Whether that’s by design or due to some observer effects, or simple synchronicity… it’s anyone’s guess.
My goal is to be at the right place at the right time, with the right equipment to discern whether something (previously reported) is truly paranormal, or just something odd that happens now & then. It could be infrasound. It could be some odd EMF spike of natural or man-made origin. It could be something otherworldly.
For me, the initial victory is being at a location where we can say, “Cool. It happened again.” I believe that’s where the real research starts. (However, the spontaneous, fantastical experiences can be far more fun.)
Mandela effect was enthralling while it lasted,it still is.A simulation theory is also very tempting.Whether ghost hunting patterns lead to either or any other model of physics is a moot puestion.The established metaphysical concepts of spiritism and astral planes,which also define ghosts as entities of lower astral,make people queasy and morbid.ME or Sim or Retrocausal Synchronicity,on the other hand,gives a leeway to hapless mortals.
I’m chuckling over your summaries, Vivek. For me, the “morbid” impression lasted about a week or two, and then fascination – the “Hmm… what IS this?” reaction – took over. I was never queasy, but I’ve witnessed that among some new researchers. Mostly, they’re the ones who are extremely anxious about accidentally stepping on a grave, or offending a ghost.
I’m nearly ready to revisit the Mandela Effect. (I was almost at that point in 2017, and then something else turned up that put me off. But, I’ll talk about that at the ME site, in the near future.)
The “hapless mortals” phrase amuses me. As a child, I was an enthusiastic reader of all things Baum, not just the Wizard of Oz. (So, yes, I know about his naming conventions and file drawers.) I’m also familiar with the Virgil and Whyte (etc.) contexts, and have never ascribed to the idea of us as “hapless beings caught in the grip of forces we can do little about.”
For me, all of this is an adventure. It’s fascinating. It brings extra intrigue and potential meaning to everyday events, especially those that make us pause and say, “Wait… what?”
All of the current theories seem tempting, and no matter which makes the most sense to me at the moment, I’m perfectly happy to be wrong about it, or even all of this. There may be a better, more fitting answer still waiting in the wings.
Usually, I look at each new discovery as another piece of the puzzle, or at least another clue. Thus, I’m delighted to say, everyday, “The game’s afoot,” with a smile and nod to Holmes.
Of course ME is not a mere meme,at the least it would be demeaning and ridicule for the sincere believers,if it’s taken as such,though the current worldliness hardly cares.But there are more aspects to ME,like potential Perry Masons,ME is here to stay one way or other.