Hollow Hill

Haunted Bear Creek Bridge – May 2006 Report

Bear Creek Bridge on Houston’s Patterson Road is haunted.

It may not be as haunted as nearby Langham Creek Bridge, but it’s worth investigating anyway.

At Bear Creek Bridge, we’ve heard the tapping on the outside of the car.

During several other visits, we’ve seen the “sparkle” effect when we’ve taken flash photos. Psychic members of our team sensed energy there, as well. (See our May 2005 reports.)

With the Texas Paranormal Society, we visited Bear Creek Bridge in May 2006. We did not hear the tapping sound this time.

However, the visual anomalies were stronger.

In fact, we felt that the park was far more haunted than during our previous investigations at Patterson Road. More recent reports suggest that’s been a trend over many years.

In May 2006, most of our photos showed minor orbs on the south side of the bridge, and a few other anomalies. All of them had to be discounted due to fleeting mists that night, as well as flying insects.

The sparkles were extraordinary on this evening. The effect was probably enhanced by the bugs, but it’s easy to tell the difference between bugs in real life, and in photos.

Moth in photo at Bear Creek Park For example, that’s definitely a bug – probably a moth – in the Bear Creek photo at right.

Because there were bugs when we were researching, we discount any orbs that look questionable.

(If the orb isn’t a perfect circle, or if it seems to have a solid mass near the center, it’s probably not paranormal.)

In this case, it’s clearly an insect.

Tip: If you’re ghost hunting after dark and any street lights are near, study them for a few minutes. Many insects are drawn to light, and you’ll be able to see them in front of any lamp or street light.

Not sure? Turn on a flashlight and prop it, pointing slightly up, on the ground. Then, walk away, at least a dozen feet. After that, wait and see if the light attracts bugs.

If you see bugs there, they’re probably in your photos, as well.

Orbs at a ‘hanging tree’?

Tree with orbs, at Bear Creek Park, Houston, TX In this next photo, minor orbs seemed to linger around one tree. It’s the wrong shape to be a ‘hanging tree’, but it had that kind of energy around it.

Though the nearest Civil War battles occurred at Sabine Pass and in Galveston Bay, soldiers did march in this area.

Something happened near this tree. The orb isn’t much, but the other, related psychic evidence was compelling.

Our EVP indicated activity, as well.

Most legends related to ghosts in that area describe soldiers who deserted their comrades and were caught… and then hung as traitors.

The area deliberately flooded after the Galveston Flood has its own ghostly history, and those spirits may lurk in the wooded areas of Bear Creek Park.

Nearby, “blue light cemetery” is famous, as well, but not as accessible.

I recommend investigating around Bear Creek Bridge, especially near this tree. It’s on the south side of Patterson Road in Houston, and on the Eldridge side of the Bear Creek Bridge, not the Highway 6 side.

The side of the road slopes steeply, but there is room to park parallel to the road, just off the pavement.

Houston, TX – Ghosts at Langham Creek Bridge (update)

Langham Creek Bridge is far more haunted than we’d guessed during our May 2005 investigation.

During our previous investigation, we’d noted anomalous compass swings (indicating elevated EMF) on the south side of the bridge.

We’d also taken an odd photo during the afternoon.

In May 2006, we visited Langham Creek Bridge with the Texas Paranormal group, organized by Elmo Johnson.

When we arrived, Elmo and Jill (another Texas Paranormal investigator) had already noted EMF surges in the field on the north side of Langham Creek Bridge.

In the photo above, the tiny white spot is an insect; it looks nothing like an orb. The others are ‘ghost orbs’ that show up in some photos, but not in others.

(In settings with flying insects and near water, it’s vital to take two photos in a row, as close together as possible. Insects, moisture, and anything else creating false orbs will usually show up in both photos. Also, orbs reflected from insects are usually oval or not-quite circular.)

All of the pictures in this article — and others about Patterson Road sites — have been authenticated against other photos.

Another orb at Langham Creek Bridge, Houston, TX

At right, another photo shows a crisp orb as well as another insect.

However, what really interests me are the more subtle orbs at the lower left side of the tree, and about halfway up, on the right side. To me, they seem to have more substance than typical orbs.

There’s clearly far more to investigate at Langham Creek Bridge. It’s a difficult spot to stop at, with minimal parking nearby.

However, especially in light of our earlier investigations at Patterson Road, it’s clear that Langham Creek is an active haunting.

That is, it’s not residual energy on a repeating loop. Instead, it can seem very haunted some days, and not very haunted on others.

Ghost Orbs in a 1910 Photo – Paranormal Proof?

Ghost orbs in photos… could a 1910 photo provide evidence they’re real?

We can learn a lot from an early 20th century photo of the Custer Battlefield cemetery.

But first, this is important if you’re taking photos at haunted sites…

Test Your Own Cameras

When anyone (including me) assures you that something is true, fact-check it yourself.

In the 1990s and early 21st century, I claimed that most “ghost orbs” were actually dust, insects, and reflections.

Later, facing a wave of angry arguments, I decided to prove my point.

I tested – and studied – dust, insects, reflections and more. I did my best to create photos with fake ghost orbs in them.

What I learned during those 5+ years of extensive testing was…

I Was Wrong

It’s incredibly difficult to confuse insects, reflections, etc., with actual ghost orbs.

They just look different.

Today, I urge people to test their own cameras. See what dust, pollen, rain, fog, reflections, breath, and insects look like in those photos.

I’m mean it: Test every camera you use for ghost hunting. Deliberately stage “false orb” conditions.

Then, analyze those photos. Could you confuse them with truly anomalous orbs?

You’ll save yourself a lot of confusion – and perhaps embarrassment – when you can glance at your own photos and know when a ghost orb is real.

A 1910 Photo Features Most Problems

Recently, I stumbled onto a great, old photo that shows some easily identified issues, as well as orbs that might be ghostly.

It’s a photo of the Custer Battlefield National Cemetery.

The picture was taken in 1910, when photography was very different from now. But, the “ghost orb’ issues remain the same.

I’ve enlarged some of the orbs to show what might be an anomaly – also called a “ghost orb” – and what’s probably a glitch in the photo.

Processing Mistakes

First, an obvious glitch. In the photo above, the following area is in the lower right part of the picture, to the left of the white writing.

That photo was processed in a lab. Chemical splashes and spatters could happen. That’s the most likely explanation for those irregular, somewhat circular areas.

Even in the 1990s, when I was taking film photos at haunted sites, I still had to examine the negatives for splashes and lab errors.

False Orbs – Dust and Insects?

The next enlargement shows what could be pollen and insects, as well as some possible anomalies. In the original photo, this area is in the lower half of the picture, and just left of the center.

Orb #1 includes a clear dot. In a color photo, it might be yellow or orange. When it is, the orb is almost always caused by pollen.

But, I see other similar, small dots nearby. So, the orb might be real and the dots might be a glitch from the developing or printing process, or damage to the print during storage.

Solution: When you’re taking photos, ask a friend to stand to one side and in front of you. He or she can tell you if anything in the air looked highlighted by your flash.

Orb #2 is an odd shape, and part of it is more solid looking. That’s often a flying insect.

Solution: When you’re ghost hunting outdoors, regularly look up at streetlights, or have a friend leave a flashlight on for several minutes. Many insects are attracted to light.

If you see bugs flying in front of a light, keep them in mind when you’re analyzing your photos, later.

Miscellaneous Items

The next enlargement is from the sky area in the Custer photo. It’s near the top and to the right of the middle.

Irregular shape #1 is probably damage to the print or something that spilled on the negative.

Shape #2 could be almost anything, including an insect or two, or a printing glitch.

Possible Ghost Orbs

After ruling out things that look like false anomalies, I still see several orbs I can’t explain. Not entirely, anyway. (I am mindful that sunlight may have been streaming directly towards the camera.)

I’ve indicated a few possible orbs from the sky area of the photo. But, a closer examination of the original photo may reveal more.

Of course, they could be processing errors from the darkroom. They could be insects or pollen, or something else that’s perfectly normal.

I have no idea and, frankly, no one can be sure whether anything I’ve said is accurate about this photo.

We’d need to test the camera the photographer used.

That’s my point.

Testing each camera is essential.

Then, we can tell whether our photos may include ghostly anomalies… or if we’re looking at something normal (and annoying).

This is important, as well: Even after those tests, we’ll have unanswered questions.

One Question Lingers

Despite what I’ve said here, never assume that the logical, normal explanation is the only explanation.

Something that “looks like dust” could still be an anomaly.

And, even if it is dust, you may have another mystery: What causes dust in that area, but nowhere else at that location or nearby?

In other words, the orb may not be the anomaly.

Maybe the weird dust is.

Photographing Ghost Orbs

The following is an edited excerpt from the first edition of Ghost Photography 101, by Fiona Broome. (That edition is now out of print.)

Orbs are probably the most popular evidence of ghosts and hauntings.

Orbs are the easiest for beginners to capture in photos. They can be confused with dust, bugs, pollen, reflections and moisture… but not as often as you might think.

This photo at the lower right shows a typical orb at Pine Hill Cemetery (also called “Blood cemetery”) in Hollis, New Hampshire. The picture was taken near some of the cemetery’s oldest graves. This orb is unusual because it was photographed without a flash.

Daytime orb - Pine Hill 'Blood' Cemetery - Hollis, NH — Arrow points at daytime orb – no flash, no reflection, no lens flare.

About 90% of orbs are photographed using the camera’s flash, which suggests that they have some physical content that reflects the flash’s light.

However, if orbs have a physical form, more people should see them in real life.

In fact, most people don’t see orbs, except in their photos.

Orbs are usually white or pale blue, but they can appear in a variety of colors, both pastels and vivid shades. Some are very faint. Others are bright and almost opaque.

Orbs sometimes seem to include faces, but most are simply translucent circular (or spherical) shapes.

Sometimes, the face closely resembles the person whose ghost is supposed to haunt the site. This is eerily reminiscent of the fake ghost photos of the late 19th century, and it’s baffling.

Some “face” orbs are reported in locations more associated with faeries than with ghosts.

For now, orbs are a mystery and deserve more study. We don’t have many answers, yet.

Orbs often appear close to people. I’ve seen hundreds of orb photos in which the orb is near a baby or a bride. It’s difficult to dismiss them as mere coincidence. Many people are comforted by an orb that represents a loved one who’s crossed over and is visiting our world to celebrate a happy event with his or her family.

Ghost orb over historic home in Katy, TX — Orb over a historic home in Katy, Texas.

Other orbs seem to manifest near haunted objects or specific locations.

The photo on the left shows a solitary orb over a house in Katy, Texas. It’s one of just a few homes that survived the famous Galveston Flood of 1900. The night was cool and dry with no insects and no breezes.

Many people think that the Galveston Flood affected the island of Galveston, and that’s all.

If you research that famous flood, you’ll see that the flood extended into Houston and surrounding areas. (It was comparable to Hurricane Harvey in 2007.)

As a result, there are many rich stories and tragedies from that disaster, some of which may indicate haunted locations.

In the photo at the lower right, orbs hover near the haunted Houmas House in Louisiana. It’s an extraordinary location for ghost photos. Houmas House may look familiar because it’s been featured in movies and TV shows. It was also the home of the man who designed the famous “Stars and Bars” flag of the Civil War. Ghosts of Confederate soldiers have been reported near the house.

I’ve seen two full apparitions at Houmas House. One was in the bedroom where Bette Davis slept while filming “Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlotte” at the house.

The other was at the front gate, where I saw an unusually tall black man pacing. At first, I saw him from the “widow’s walk” on top of Houmas House. The apparition looked only slightly translucent. It was a sunny morning, and I saw him very clearly.

Ghost orbs at Houmas House (Louisiana) — Orbs hover at historic (and haunted) Houmas House, LA

I wanted a closer look, so I dashed downstairs and out the front door. The figure was clearly visible until I was about 30 feet from him. He faded quickly. It probably took less than half a second.

After the apparition vanished from sight, I asked Kevin Kelly, the owner of Houmas House, about the ghost. I described the figure in detail, and Mr. Kelly knew exactly which man I was describing.

Mr. Kelly showed me a photograph of the former slave, taken during the man’s lifetime. I recognized the man in the photo right away. His apparition looks almost exactly the same today.

I wish I’d been able to capture his ghostly image in a photo. However, these kinds of encounters indicate locations—such as Louisiana’s Houmas House —where ghost photos are likely.

This is important: Credible ghost photos rarely occur unless other ghostly phenomena are reported, too.

Gilson Road Cemetery, NH – 9. Afterthoughts (2008)

2008 was a turning point for haunted Gilson Road Cemetery.

Except for a notable number of new houses and subdivisions in the area, little has changed… with one big exception.

The denser wooded area in back of the cemetery seems to provide the illusion of cover for the spirits who visit during daytime hours.

While we were there, we noted several figures moving stealthily in the woods. Most of them were about 20 or 25 feet behind the back cemetery wall.

I also saw a momentary flash (residual energy?) of a Native gentleman. He’d appeared to us in the same place – the back left corner (where there’s a break in the wall) – during a 2003 visit to Gilson.

The Lawrence headstones have remained among the most active in the cemetery. Many of our photos showed orbs. Here are two photos taken within seconds of each other:

This is a good reminder of the importance of always taking two photos, as close together as you can. (If that orb looks familiar, it’s because we’ve photographed it before. From a slightly different angle, it’s in the photo in my article, Gilson Road Cemetery – ghost orbs return 6/02.)

Who Were These People…?

Rufus Lawrence – like many people interred in this isolated cemetery – has been difficult to find in any records of the era. Despite numerous records for other members of the Lawrence (or Laurence) family, and generally good census records (at least for adult males), Rufus and several others in Gilson remain elusive.

At first glance, it seems like Gilson’s Rufus Lawrence was probably related to Samuel Laurence who married Betsy Thyng (or Tyng) and named a son Rufus in 1815. In the Nashua/Tyngsborough area, that seems likely.

Well, maybe.

The problem is, here’s another Rufus Lawrence, courtesy of Ancestry.com’s records:

Rufus Lawrence

That Rufus Lawrence may have been the second Rufus born to Henry Lawrence and Sally (or Salley) Simonds Lawrence. (The first was born in August 1813.)

But… that’s not a perfect match for the grave, and I suspect Gilson’s Rufus Lawrence was from Epping, NH, and the son of – or closely related to – David & Anna Lawrence.

Here are other Rufus Lawrences that might help us identify the correct one, also courtesy of Ancestry.com:

For now, I’m adding this research to my “to-do” list. Rufus is intriguing, but – at the moment – other research projects are a higher priority for me.

But this is important: We’re not sure why the people in Gilson Cemetery were buried there rather than in the old burial ground in the middle of town. (Today, that’s by the shopping center at Daniel Webster Highway near Spit Brook Road. That cemetery is nicknamed “Schoolhouse Cemetery.”)

Haunted Cemetery Walls?

Another note about Gilson: One of our group noticed that the back wall of the cemetery appears to include pieces of broken headstones. When you visit, take a close look at the shapes of the stones, and – amid the usual round-ish rocks and boulders – you’ll see several slabs of stone.

If those really are pieces of headstone, I’m not surprised that the back wall of this cemetery is one of the most haunted areas in a profoundly eerie graveyard.

Book - Ghost Hunting in Haunted Cemeteries

Also, outside the wall just south of the gate, we noticed several pieces of headstones, as well. I’m not sure why these suddenly became obvious, but they indicate another area for research.

As a guideline, any time you see graves, monuments, or pieces of headstones near (but outside) a cemetery, check it for anomalies.

Those are often the graves of “sinners” who couldn’t be buried in hallowed ground.

Whether or not they were unjustly accused of crimes and mortal sins, these spirits often return to haunt their remains.

Perhaps to them, being shunned after death isn’t the final word, after all.

Portland, Maine – Bailey Cemetery’s Ghosts

Bailey Cemetery - daytime Bailey Cemetery in Portland, Maine, has all the ingredients of a good, haunted cemetery. It has a Colonial history, unmarked graves, and some neglected plots.

The location is great for Portland ghost enthusiasts who prefer sites that can be reached on foot or via Metro, local public transportation.)

Unfortunately, the cemetery’s location also makes it less desirable for research: It’s on a busy street and next to an active fire station.

All in all, I recommend this site for casual, repeated research. It’s the kind of location that tends to become more clearly haunted with repeated visits.

Sites like these tend to respond well to familiar visitors. In my opinion, the energy appears to organize itself and increase when the spirits realize that they’re getting attention.

[The area around Bailey Cemetery was recommended by Danielle of Portland, Maine.]

AT DUSK

A couple of us investigated this site. Our first visit was at dusk. The site has a slightly eerie feeling, but nothing truly scary.

Two gravestones with pointing fingers reminded us of the legendary grave of Abel Blood, so we took a few photos. The results were surprising.

The first photo revealed no orbs, just a few reflections.

The second photo included several.

Bailey Cemetery - orbs

I usually dismiss orbs in photos with obvious lights in the background. When we see so many orbs, I’d also check humidity levels to rule out moisture, but it was a very dry evening.

Despite those factors, these two photos—taken just seconds apart—show such dramatic anomalies that I’m intrigued.

DAYTIME RESEARCH

We returned the next day for additional research. These were our results:

Unmarked graves – Numerous irregularities in the cemetery suggest unmarked graves (depressions) and unmarked plots (raised beds) throughout the cemetery.

For further study: Burial records for Bailey Cemetery are maintained at Evergreen Cemetery, 672 Stevens Avenue, Portland, Maine 04101 – 207-797-4597

Compass anomalies – Needle swings in excess of 20 degrees throughout the cemetery.

Charles Howard headstone Dowsing rods – Several areas indicate energy surges. One followed a line, suggesting an underground spring. (Buried power lines are also possible, and indicated by a sign at the cemetery, but unlikely less than a foot from older graves.)

We noted the most consistent reaction about six feet north of Charles Howard’s small headstone. (That stone is more than halfway back in the cemetery, towards the middle.)

Charles Howard headstone - details

Location

Bailey Cemetery on Forest Avenue (Rte. 302) between Newton Street and Farnham Street (East of I-95)
Portland, Maine

Nearest parking: About half a block east on Forest Avenue.

Location, for GPS

Degrees Minutes Seconds:
Latitude: 434149N
Longitude: 0701831W

Decimal Degrees:
Latitude: 43.69694
Longitude: -70.30861