Bradford College – now Northpoint Bible College – has an eerie reputation.
From well-known ghosts in places like the college theatre and tunnels beneath the college, to the connection with Lovecraft’s Necronomicon, it’s a mysterious site.
It’s also private property, since Bradford College closed, and was sold to a new owner.
However, the legends remain. Those who’ve lived at Bradford, and those who’ve investigated its ghosts… we won’t forget what a strange, sometimes creepy place it was.
The following photos show one of the tunnels beneath what was then Bradford College, near Denworth Hall.
First photo, enhanced & annotated:
First photo (original):
It was not especially damp in this tunnel, and there were no shiny surfaces to reflect the flash. Dust is a possibility, but the question is: Why do we have lots of orbs in some photos – but not in others – when those photos were taken seconds apart from each other?
In the original photo, I can see at least ten orbs. I’ve indicated many of them in the smaller photo, above. Some are clearer than others.
This is not proof that Bradford College is haunted. Orbs are not necessarily ghosts.
However, unexplained orbs usually indicate a location where we’ll hear many ghost stories.
With or without orb photos, the intense first-person stories — including those of our investigators and the students we interviewed — suggest that Bradford College (no longer at that location) — is truly haunted.
I’ve investigated several Haverhill cemeteries, multiple times.
My most memorable investigations were during dramatic tour of three Haverhill sites, thanks to the Essex Ghost Project.
Here are my notes from that eerie and fascinating tour:
Walnut Cemetery, Haverhill, MA
Located at: Kenoza Street, Haverhill, MA
Walnut Cemetery is large and has some very harsh, ghostly energy, especially around the Victorian-era graves. I was immediately drawn to the large, crypt-style embankment, where bodies were once stored during the winter, until the ground was soft enough in the spring to dig their graves.
Check it for EVP, and the usual EMF spikes, of course.
Next on that tour, psychic Gavin Cromwell was drawn to an area with a large tree… and an odd marker of cement and stone, left resting against the tree. In that area, Gavin perceived the spirit of a woman in black. She was pointing towards the area where the flagpole is. She’s connected with something maritime, perhaps a sea captain.
Then, I was drawn to a hilly area with some of the oldest graves in the cemetery. Some of the best photos of the night were taken in that area. So, be sure to use the flash on your camera or phone when you’re taking pictures… and take lots of them in that part of the cemetery.
A local historian and paranormal researcher – who asked to be unnamed due to his day job – accompanied us in this cemetery. He directed us to another set of graves, bearing the surname Ela.
We attempted to record EVP, but Gavin & I felt that male energy (either living or ghostly) was suppressing efforts by some spirits to communicate. We came up with the word “sin” in connection with this.
Several investigators – including me – saw the little angel figure move, and both Gavin and I felt that at least one child (perhaps disabled, who died young) is not with his or her mother, Effie Ela.
In general, that cemetery is too large to visit after dark without a preliminary visit to see where the “hot spots” are. Also, the energy is generally muted at first. You’ll need patience – and at least an hour – to get the most from your investigation.
However, once the activity starts surging, it’s worth the wait.
Pentucket Burial Ground
Location: off Groveland St., Haverhill
This burial ground includes a memorial to victims of a Native raid, and the grave of a Salem “Witch Trials” judge.
In general, it’s a chilling cemetery, even on a sultry summer night.
And yes, I mean “chilling” in more ways than one.
When we stood in a circle, holding hands, and asked Judge Saltonstall to make his presence known, the blast of icy air was astonishing.
Gavin felt certain that the judge won’t “cross over” because he’s sure that his destination will be Hell. However, the judge was asking us to save Mary or help Mary… perhaps his wife or daughter. (We didn’t think that Mary was still there.)
Nearby, a few graves set apart from the others – often indicating that they died “in sin” – are worth further research.
Before leaving, we searched for the grave of Polly Winters.
Gavin had felt the presence of Polly Winters during a Haverhill investigation in 2008, and – even before we saw the grave – he was certain that she was in this cemetery.
When Gavin said it, his voice was different. He didn’t have his usual introspective manner; it was like he was reporting the name on cue, not sensing it.
It’s still something that troubles me. In retrospect, the Polly Winters “psychic connection” didn’t seem authentic. I’m not sure where that came from, or why.
Haunted Hilldale Cemetery
Location: Hilldale Ave., Haverhill
Hilldale grave with two orbs. (The white at right is an insect.)
This cemetery is a gem for research, with apparitions and very clear spectral energy. (That may sound dramatic, but the site is definitely unusual.)
However, until the cemetery has been cleaned up and some holes filled in, it’s not wise to go there… especially after dark when it is closed and patrolled. (You will be arrested if you go there at night. We were there with permission.)
In a circle there, I felt the presence of a spirit saying, “Sheridan, James.” I wasn’t sure if it was actually James Sheridan, saying his name as if reporting for duty.
Later, an Essex County Ghost Project historian told me that someone named James Sheridan is buried in that cemetery.
(Note: I rarely perceive names, and certainly not given and surnames in combination. So, this had to be very intense energy for me to discern the full name with such certainty.)
Also, researcher Chris G. and I both saw an odd, squat figure – too large to be an animal – that vanished, as well as an apparition of a man, crawling along the far edge of the hill.
These Haverhill sites are definitely eerie, and likely to be haunted. If you’re looking for ghosts, start at any of them and see what happens.
I think you’ll be impressed.
Related news stories
Big-name ghost hunters descend on Merrimack Valley (Eagle Tribune, 26 Mar 2009)
“Well-known paranormal investigator Fiona Broome will join the tour of Haverhill graveyards that date back centuries, as well as the walk of the Tenney property in Methuen…”
Haunted in Haverhill (Haverhill Life, October 2017) – Includes details of a Hilldale Cemetery investigation, and a list of other, nearby haunts.
Is this a real ghost at haunted Gilson Road Cemetery, Nashua, NH?
This “ghost photo” was taken at Nashua’s Gilson Road Cemetery when we were researching ghosts and hauntings. It’s one of my favorite “What is this?” pictures.
I took this ghost photo with a $6 disposable Fuji camera. On that night, a group of us were testing inexpensive cameras to see what an amateur could expect when taking photographs at random in a haunted location.
By the time I took this photo, the fog was just starting to roll in. We could see clearly without a flashlight, and many of our cemetery pictures were normal, but the mist became a factor later in the night.
We took two identical shots at every spot, and the photo immediately before this was almost entirely black and crisp. (You can see it at my article about the strange mist that night.)
The photo after this one was also sharp. It looked identical to the first of the three. There was no photographic evidence of humidity or fog, just a few orbs. It’s typical of what we see in photos from Gilson.
No one was smoking. There were no houses nearby when this picture was taken, so there was no risk of wood smoke from a fireplace, either.
(Since then, a subdivision has been built immediately across the street from this cemetery.)
What is this weird, swirly mist…? Is that a gravestone to the right?
It should be, because that’s what the camera was pointing at.
We’ve had dozens of letters from readers, suggesting everything from a ghostly finger to the Virgin Mary. This is our most popular real “ghost photo.”
Whatever it is, it’s weird. And cool. And yes, this is real. It’s not altered from the original film print in any way at all.
I don’t think that it’s scary, but some people do. In fact, it reminds me of an old InfiniteFish background, in a way.
Camera: Fuju disposable Quicksnap, 800 ASA Developed at: One-hour processing, Shaw’s Royal Ridge, Nashua Location: Gilson Road Cemetery, Nashua, NH When: 26 Nov 1999, about 5 p.m.
2012 update: After testing photography techniques, I’ve realized that this might be the result of exhaling while taking the photo.
However, there’s a problem with that theory. The orbs in this photo… they’re not consistent with other false anomalies (with the same camera) from exhaling.
That’s part of debunking: Not just saying “it might be ___,” but also confirming that it’s consistent with the new theory.
A romantic couple haunted the Katy Depot area on the evening of January 2nd, 2006.
I don’t often talk about my psychic perceptions, but this imagery was one of those “clear as day” visual images. Others who’ve visited the depot and stumbled onto this website have been amazed that I sensed the couple, as well.
The impression was so vivid, I could sense the couple as soon as I got out of my car. He’s a man in a brown suit with lapels trimmed in braid. She’s taller than him, especially with the tall, perky hat that she wears. And, she holds his arm as they stroll around the depot.
I’ve sensed this couple before, but — until that particular night — their images weren’t so clear in my mind… or in photos.
I like to think that they’re remembering a time when they took a romantic journey by train, perhaps to some still-wild part of the Southwest, or a second honeymoon in Kansas City or Chicago, during a more genteel era.
Did this couple show up as twin orbs in my photos around the depot? Maybe. It’s a fun thought. Here’s one of several photos of the twin orbs, taken over the rail car by the Katy depot:
Of course, I’d suspect that something was reflecting dual orbs, or perhaps a lens flare. When I see orbs in a straight line, I almost always think, “Lens flare.” However, at the depot building at least 20 feet away, my photos included the same twin orbs. Here’s another photo of them:
(These photos are grainy because — too late — I discovered that I was taking the pictures at a film speed of 100.)
The vicinity of Spring, Texas features many wonderful cemeteries, and Old Town Spring has the reputation of being very haunted. On Sunday evening, 22 May 2005, we visited several locations, with interesting results.
Wunsche Cemetery
Wunsche Cemetery is a lovely little cemetery with a big reputation, located between the feeder road and I-45, immediately after the Cypresswood exit, heading north. This can be a challenging place to stop, although there is a small parking area for visitors. (You will be re-entering feeder road traffic, including cars leaving I-45 that may still be driving at interstate speeds.)
We checked Wunsche Cemetery twice, and feel that it may have some low-level hauntings. However, we were there during daytime hours and at dusk; it may be better after dark.
Wunsche Bros. Cafe
Haunted room #5 at the Wunsche Bros. Cafe
This is one of the few sites in Old Town Spring that’s almost sure to be haunted. We have no conclusive outdoor photos yet, but several good indoor pictures.
At the right is a photo of one of the rooms where EVP has been reported. According to legend, it was one of the girl’s rooms when the cafe was a brothel.
When a Wunsche Bros Cafe staff member is available to show guests around, he or she will escorts patrons upstairs and point out a few of the important haunts on that level.
You’ll be climbing steep stairs to see a rocking chair that we’ve observed rocking when no one was nearby. Generally, you can linger as long as you’d like, and take photos and EVP recordings, unless an event or private party is scheduled in one of the upstairs rooms.
Cemetery #1 (our name for the cemetery, not its real name)
This cemetery is in a quiet, residential area and we’re not comfortable sharing the exact location at this time.
Because the cemetery is well-sheltered from breezes, bugs can be a problem. These are our best photos from our second visit there:
The orb in the tree (right photo) is probably a true anomaly. The two orbs in the photo on the left are probably insects. See a closer look at this photo, below.
The orb on the left (Orb #1) has the right translucency, but genuine “ghost orbs” are almost perfectly circular; the irregular shape of this orb suggests that it’s a moving insect captured on film.
Orb #2 on the right is the correct shape, but it is a little too brilliant and the edges are slightly fuzzy. This also suggests an insect or – more likely – moisture, but it’s possible that it’s a very odd “ghost orb.” Because of the insects in the area, we have to discount this second orb as well.
This small cemetery in the Houston area is on private land. We had permission to visit it, and an armed, authorized escort who knew where we should look for ghosts.
From the start, I knew that this site was profoundly haunted. It reminds me of some New England cemeteries that I have visited, where the dead aren’t unhappy… just a bit restless and curious about visitors.
Because this cemetery is not regularly maintained, we walked through tall grass, pushed back shrubs and weeds, and dodged huge spiderwebs to visit the graves.
This cemetery is the home of people who – by choice or circumstances – have graves marked with wooden crosses, handmade cement and plaster “stones,” and are sometimes unmarked. Walking around these graves feels very different from the tidy cemeteries where the headstones were purchased and names were added to stock granite designs.
On this night, I saw many instances of “sparkles” from both my Olympus film camera as well as my Toshiba digital camera.
Many graves – marked and unmarked – displayed dramatic orbs. Because so many graves are unmarked, it did not surprise me to see multiple orbs in many photos. Unfortunately, the location has so little light nearby, the photos are grainy. That’s okay, I think you can see enough to understand why this cemetery impressed me.
One of the more formal graves – shown in the photo at the top of this article – produced consistent orbs. Here’s another photo of it, from another angle:
We continued to wander around the acreage, discovering more graves and many more spirits… as well as orbs. This is the kind of cemetery that must be treated with respect. These people are not “average” and their stories – like their lives – were rich, culturally diverse, and should not be trivialized or forgotten.
The marked graves may be as much as 50 years old. Most of them seem to be far newer, and visited regularly.
In the two pictures above, the left image shows how most of my photos (about 20 of them) at this grave turned out: No orbs. However, in the middle of these many ho-hum pictures, I captured one fairly spectacular orb in the photo on the right. About ten photos later, the wind started to pick up and there were abundant dust orbs. This orb could be one of the early arrivals. I’m not sure.
However, I sensed a very real presence at this grave, as if the person wanted to be noticed. There was a sense of dismay at being “out of the game” so soon. It wasn’t an angry or depressed spirit, just someone who knew that we were there and wanted to be included in the pictures.
Click here to read more about our visit to this eerie, secluded cemetery.
Bradford College – now Northpoint Bible College – has an eerie reputation.
Are you looking for haunted cemeteries in Haverhill, Massachusetts?
orbs in haunted cemetery near Houston, TX
