The Gurgling Ghost of Pocahontas

 

When an article is entitled "A Genuine Ghost Story," you've got to believe it, right? 

The tiny, but historic town of Pocahontas, Virginia has its roots as a mining community, a fact that seems to lend itself naturally to a strong sense of superstition. Pocahontas ran rampant with ghosts in the early 1900's (see my blog about the Ghost That Caused a Man to Faint), which in some cases, led to a disruption in the mines. 

According to a newspaper article, around 1900, the West Mine in Pocahontas had a section it called 'Bluefield.' This particular section was abandoned due to a water seepage that resulted in a fairly sizeable lake---200 feet in length, apparently. However, by November of 1907, the mine operators wished to cash in on this lucrative coal vein, and re-open Bluefield. To do so, the lake had to be drained. Pipes were laid and pumps were installed, but there was a problem. Workmen kept experiencing "strange and unseemly noises emanating from the lake." These noises consisted mainly of a furious and violent churning of the water. Despite investigation, no satisfactory cause was ever found for the eerie lake noises, and the company couldn't find men willing to stay on the job. The article concludes with the idea that further investigation would be held into the cause of the noises. 

Unfortunately, I couldn't find any follow-up as to whether or not the mystery of the gurgling ghost of Pocahontas was ever solved. I will, say, though, that I've been to Pocahontas a few times for an investigation of the Pocahontas Fuel Company's office building (blog for that coming soon!) and I don't remember seeing any lake. So, hopefully, they got that all worked out!

Bluefield Evening Leader
05 November 1907

Hinton UFO (April 1950)

The little railroad town of Hinton, WV is no stranger to the strange. Not only is the town known for quite a number of haunted locations throughout...it has also seen quite a few flying saucers over the years! Significant sightings of UFOs over Hinton and surrounding areas took place in 1947 and 1952. Now, we have an article from a local newspaper showing that once again, Hinton was included in a series of nation-wide sightings, this time in the spring of 1950!

Mrs. R.W. Rossen and a visitor, Mrs. C.C. Honaker, were at the Rossen home on Ninth Avenue on Saturday, April 22, 1950 when they saw a low-flying, metallic colored disc flying up and down over the side of Corporation Hill in the west end of town. The sighting, which happened around 3:10pm, ended when the craft disappeared into the foliage, possibly landing or crashing along the hillside.  

To my knowledge, no other reports of this particular flying saucer were reported...or at least, published in the local newspapers. The women were adamant that it wasn't a kite that was seen, but were hesitant to come forward for fear of being accused of trying to start another flying saucer story. 

What is it the draws these flying saucers to the area in and around Hinton? For what we'd now consider a fairly small town, the area has seen more than its fair share of unexplained aerial phenomenon. Hinton continues to be a location of great paranormal interest to me and I'll continue to document and explore its many mysteries. Stay spooky, ya'll....and as always, keep your eyes to the skies! 

The Leader
27 April 1950

Carnegie Hall Haunts

Source: Budget Travel

Lewisburg, West Virginia was once voted 'The Coolest Small Town in America' by Budget Travel Magazine. I would absolutely agree with that---but I would also like to nominate Lewisburg for MOST HAUNTED Small Town in America! With locations such as the General Lewis Inn, the John North House, and the Confederate Cemetery, plus legends such as the Angel of Death statue, the town of Lewisburg is steeped in haunted history. Another site to add to this list is the Carnegie Hall Building, located directly across from the Old Stone Presbyterian Church and burial yard!

Dating back before the War Between the States, the Lewisburg Female Institute was a top tier institution of learning for the young ladies of not only the surrounding areas, but from places as far away as Canada. Unfortunately, tragedy would strike the L.F.I. on December 16, 1901. A fire started in one of the academy's two main buildings. Believed to be caused by overheated furnace pipes, the building burned for hours and was a total and complete loss. Luckily none of the staff, nor any of the 115 students were killed in the blaze, but it left the school in a tough spot. 

Other buildings in the area lent space for students to continue their studies, and by March of 1902, a newer and more elaborate building was in the works! Pleas for funding were answered by both the infamous philanthropist, Andrew Carnegie, who donated $26,750, and the townsfolk, who contributed another $10,000. The building was fully completed in time for the 1903 graduation ceremonies, with an official dedication ceremony occurring on Monday, June 8, 1903. 

The four-story building offered a gymnasium in the basement, ample auditorium space, and classrooms, toilets, an art room, and many other amenities. It was heated by steam, fully plumbed, and boasted electrical lighting. The new Carnegie Hall was a showplace for the entire town and served the L.F.I. (later the Greenbrier College for Women and then Greenbrier College) for many years, up until it closed in 1972. The following year, the property was bought by the state for use as the Greenbrier Center, a learning space for those with special needs.

In the early 1980's, however, the building was at risk of being torn down. Luckily, a local non-profit was formed called Carnegie Hall, Inc. Carnegie Hall, Inc. purchased the building and restored it to its original purpose---a showplace of education and the arts. Today, you can visit Carnegie Hall to take a class or workshop, see a variety of different types of performances, or peruse the gallery space.  

You should also keep your eyes and ears open for any potential paranormal activity! Over the years, visitors and staff have reported numerous incidents of ghostly goings-on. "Unexplained footsteps, flickering lights, and spectral whispers" are commonly reported, and earned Carnegie Hall a spot on West Virginia's 2025 Paranormal Trail---a fun project ran by WV Tourism that takes visitors to haunted locations throughout the state and lets them earn prizes for checking in to these locations. 

View of Carnegie Hall to the Left and
Old Stone Presbyterian Church to the Right
Photo by Theresa (October 2025)

Further spooky sightings that have been reported are seeing the full-bodied apparition of a woman in white. This phantom lady simply disappears before the stunned eyes of those who see her. The rattling of doorknobs may also be observed, only to realize there is no living person on the other side. 

But what makes Carnegie Hall so haunted? And who is the Woman in White? I can't answer that with any certainty, but I'd imagine that the buildings many years serving young women has a lot to do with the paranormal activity. When you have a large number of young people all in one place, that tends to create quite a bit of energy, which can leave behind an imprint that many people can pick up on.  You have a large group of students who are transitioning from adolescence into adulthood, many of whom are away from their parents and their homes for the first time. There are friendships being made, hearts being broken, and just a whole host of emotions getting stirred around, creating a psychic soup that is just right for fostering a haunting.

And obviously, when you have an institution that has run for that long, especially during the time period that L.F.I. and the Greenbrier College did, you're going to have students who pass away, either due to illness or accident, or occasionally by their own hand. Sometimes that death comes at the hand of another...

When researching this location, I came upon a frustrating lack of information regarding an incident that happened in 1904. A young Dr. Sandy Arbuckle was the on-site physician for the girls at L.F.I. and in the early part of the year, a few girls had taken ill with what seemed like a very treatable cough. The girls were given a codeine cough medicine and apparently became extremely ill. In the very few articles I found, the reports varied about how many girls actually took sick, and how many actually died. Only one name was ever given for a girl who passed away, and that was 21-year-old Maud Telford, who passed away on March 1, 1904, from what originally was listed as Angina Pectoris, or a reduced blood flow to the heart. 

Dr. Arbuckle was accused of mixing up the cough medicine with strychnine that sources hotly debated whether or not he stored on the same shelf. The blame shifted to the local pharmacy with the same accusations---they had accidentally sold Dr. Arbuckle strychnine instead of codeine tablets. I never did find a conclusion to these accusations, nor found the names of any additional victims, so I'll continue to look into this case. But could the Lady in White be Maud, or another student who suffered a tragic end? Hopefully, one day we'll have an answer. 

Sources and Further Reading:

Carnegie Hall Official Website and Facebook Page

Lewisburg Living History

Carnegie Hall, Inc Wikipedia

WV Paranormal Trail

Weird and Wonderful YouTube Channel: A Ghost Followed Us at a Cemetery!

Hinton Daily News
5 June 1903

Richmond Dispatch
17 December 1901

The Independent Herald (Hinton, WV)
07 April 1904

Rainelle UFO (May 1950)

Beckley Post-Herald
3 May 1950

The spring of 1950 was a big season for flying saucers in West Virginia! In February, a UFO was seen over Fairmont. In March, multiple witnesses reported a craft in Bluefield. In Charleston, a rectangular UFO was observed in April. Continuing with this trend, the town of Rainelle would have its own flying saucer report in May!

On May 2, 1950, two young men had a sighting on a rainy, spring afternoon. D.L. "Dave" Fleshman and Robert "Hank" Webb reported a brown disc streaked with silver, flying low over the town in a southerly direction. The object was about the size of a No. 3 washtub, and was moving very rapidly....so rapidly, that it had disappeared before the boys could alert anyone else to come observe the craft. 

Rainelle is located in the southern part of the state, in Greenbrier County. There doesn't seem to be much in the way of patterns with these 1950 sightings. They come from different parts of the state, and don't necessarily share many physical traits as well. So what was invading the skies over the Mountain State in 1950? 

#3 Washtub

Phantoms at the Pfister Hotel

Early Postcard View
Pfister Hotel

Today's blog takes us all the way to Milwaukee, Wisconsin for an overnight stay at one of the most interesting haunted hotels in the midwest. What makes the phantoms of the Pfister Hotel, located just blocks away from Lake Michigan at 424 E. Wisconsin Avenue, stand out is their apparent love of the local Major League Baseball team. Yes, the ghosts at the Pfister seem to do everything in their power to give the Brewers as much of a home team advantage as possible. But, more on that in a minute...

The Pfister Hotel is a stunning, 307 room luxury hotel built in 1893 by Charles Pfister. Charles Pfister, known affectionately as "Charlie" was born in Milwaukee on June 17, 1859. At the age of 11, he was adopted by Guido Pfister, a German immigrant. Guido, who originally operated a shoe shop, teamed up with his cousin Frederick Vogel who operated a tannery, to establish a hugely successful leather business. A successful business meant money---lots and lots of money---and therefore, Guido diversified his business interests. One dream of Guido's was to build an opulent hotel that would become a showplace of wealth and prestige in the Milwaukee area. 

Unfortunately, Guido passed away on February 2, 1889. With work on the hotel just beginning, Charles, who inherited an estimated $1 million and held stock in the Milwaukee Hotel Company, decided to finish the hotel in remembrance of his father. The Hotel Pfister was completed and opened for business in May of 1893, at an estimated cost of $1 million. Charles Koch was hired as the architect, and the hotel featured many state-of-the-art and luxury amenities.

Guido Pfister
Source: Find-a-Grave user, Anthony S.

Every US president since William McKinley stayed at the hotel at one point or another, as well as a host of celebrities, many who have had their own paranormal experiences staying there. Even Elvis Presley was a guest in 1977, a few months before his untimely death. For many years, Charles, who never married and never had children of his own, lived in the hotel to oversee its daily operations. For the first year it was opened, the hotel actually LOST money, sometimes hundreds of dollars a day. But, when the 1894 state Republican Convention was held there, all rooms were filled to capacity, and the hotel became a base of political operations for Milwaukee and Wisconsin as a whole. 

In 1927, Charles suffered a paralytic stroke and sold the hotel to long-time employee, Ray Smith. Charles had acted as a mentor to Smith, so he was the perfect candidate to take over the hotel. But, as times changed and the country went through the turmoil of a Great Depression and a second World War, the hotel suffered a period of decline, lasting through the 1950s and 1960s. Ben Mercer stepped in to purchase the hotel and completed extensive renovations to return the Hotel Pfister to its former splendor. He even added on the 23-guest room tower at this time. 

Charles Pfister
Source: Wisconsin Historical Society Collections

It is said that renovations are often the catalyst for paranormal activity, but it wouldn't be until the 2010's that the hotel would really hit the paranormal mainstream as a haunted location. That's because numerous stories of ghostly encounters began circulating from players of visiting baseball teams! When an out-of-town team came to play the Milwaukee Brewers, they were generally put up at the Pfister. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has a running tab of players' experiences (READ ARTICLE HERE), but just a few examples are:

2018: Carlos Martinez, pitcher for the Cardinals hopped on Instagram in the middle of the night to alert his fans that he had been touched by the Pfister ghost. He played really bad the next day and blamed the performance on the ghost. 

2001: Adrian Belte of the LA Dodgers told Sports Illustrated in an interview that he had heard knocking on his door in the middle of the night, but no one was there. He watched as both the AC and the TV switched themselves on. But it was the knocking coming from his headboard that led him to sleep with his bat, in fear. He said out of a total of three nights stay at the hotel, he probably only slept for about 2 hours. 

Carlos Gomez of the Minnesota Twins heard disembodied voices and experienced his iPod turning itself on. Michael Young of the Rangers heard stomping inside his room. To this day, Mookie Betts of the Dodgers won't stay at the Pfister---he books his own lodging while in town. And it's not just baseball players experiencing things, although they certainly seem to be the number one targets. When actor Joey Lawrence stayed in 2006, he was awakened by his daughter's toys going off on their own. Megan Thee Stallion and her entourage even did a little ghost hunting while staying there for Summerfest one year. 

There's no question that there's some spooky stuff going on here, but who actually haunts the Hotel Pfister? Multiple theories abound. Some believe it's Guido, sticking around to experience the hotel that he dreamed of, but never got to experience in life. Others believe that Charles is the obvious culprit. He built the hotel, lived in the hotel, and used the hotel as the center of his business and social life. Both men may have a vested interested in seeing their local baseball team dominate...or at least, may have a little fun messing with visiting teams the night before the big game. 

Another theory is that the land itself was haunted, way before the hotel was built. In a Milwaukee Daily Sentinel newspaper article from May 5, 1893, a man named Charles "Milwaukee" Sivyer was interviewed. Sivyer is recognized as being the first white male born in Milwaukee and was often sought out to give a history of the area in its early days. He remembered living in a log cabin where the Hotel Pfister now stands and says the area around it was once a burial ground. And, as anyone who has seen the movie Poltergeist knows, the one thing you don't want to do is build atop a burial ground! 

Sources and Further Reading:

Pfister Hotel Website

Charles Pfister Wikipedia

The Legend of the Pfister Hotel Ghost, by Becky Mortensen for WUWM Radio. 31 October 2022

Dodgers' Mookie Betts, Other MLB Players Say They've Been Haunted by Milwaukee's Pfister Hotel, by JR Radcliffe. 13 August 2024 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Tormented by the Devil

Ennis, WV ca 1910
Source

Ennis, West Virginia was once a thriving coal community, located in McDowell County. Established in 1888 by William McQuail and James McCormick, the town served as the base of operations for the Turkey Gap Coal and Coke Company, and later, the Ennis Coal Company. It was named for the family of McQuail's wife, Joanna Ennis McQuail. Today, not much exists of the original town, and the location is now a part of the Switchback community along US Route 52. But, at one time it was home to a sensational ghost story!

Various newspapers throughout southern West Virginia ran the story of the Ennis Specter in late August of 1917. One early Friday morning, just after the midnight hour, the residents of a local boarding house were awakened by the awful screams of a female in distress. All 8-10 persons heard the screams, which upon investigation, turned into the disembodied voice of a woman, calling herself Smith. Ms. Smith related that she was the sister of Frank Smith, who lived in Columbus, OH. She had been visiting Ennis some 14 years prior and was staying at the boarding house when she was murdered. The assailants, three men, stole $143 from her. The ghost was even said to accurately name the family who was living in the home at the time of the alleged murder. 

By the next morning, word of the ghostly voice spread far and wide, and visitors from miles around came to hear it for themselves. It is estimated that at least 3000 people visited the town of Ennis in search of the ghost. Local miners even refused to go underground that Saturday. 

Ennis, WV ca 1910
Source

On Sunday morning around 9am, the ghostly voice again spoke, telling the crowd her tragic story. When one curious on-looker asked her why she had waited fourteen years to come back, she stated that she had been in torment these past years and the devil just now released her long enough to come back and share the secret of her murder. 

The boarders packed their bags and left, and it was said that the owners themselves were packed up and moved out by Monday, not wanting to deal with the ghost of a murdered woman and the scores of on-lookers she brought to town. The building in question isn't really specified, other than it being a frame dwelling on the north end of the railway, nearly opposite the post office.  While looking into the history of the town, I found mention of a boarding house beside the old high school that was specifically for the use of teachers, but as the high school wasn't built until the 1920's, this probably wasn't the house. There was also the Ennis Hotel, but that wouldn't have fit the description, either. Unfortunately, it really doesn't matter now, as none of these buildings are left. The town of Ennis is as forgotten as the phantom Ms. Smith who once visited and ended up staying an eternity. We can only hope that while forgotten to history, her murderers were one day brought to justice. 

For more about the history of Ennis, and an excellent collection of local photographs, make sure to check out the Bramwell WV Website! 

The Hinton Daily News
18 September 1917

The McDowell Times
31 August 1917

Theresa Travels: To the Greenbrier Valley

It's French!
(Click HERE for my Alderson Lion Blog)

Last Saturday, I made the trek down to Alderson, WV to help represent Appalachian Ghost Tours at the annual Alderson Fall Festival! Alderson is such a cool little town; once home to both Martha Stewart (during her incarceration in a federal prison facility) AND a pet lion named French, the town boasts a thriving little downtown historic district and a population that is proud of its unique history.

During the festival, we were set up near the old train station, and over the course of the day, met so many great people! We got a few leads for upcoming investigations and events, and chatted with our fellow vendors, making some new friends and some new contacts. And, we had so much fun sharing information about our organization with those who were just as excited about the paranormal as we are. We had some great conversations and heard some wild personal experiences and stories. A huge thank you to everyone who attended the festival and who made the festival possible in the first place is in order. It really was a fun, productive day.

I didn't get many photos from Alderson, unfortunately. After a really hard week, I was already exhausted before the event even started and was having a really high pain and brain fog day. However, that didn't stop me from heading straight home after event ended! Since I don't make it down to that part of the state very often, and it was still early, I decided that I was going to make the most of the trip and take a little side journey into nearby Lewisburg. 

My goal for visiting Lewisburg was to mark off a few locations on the 2025 West Virginia Paranormal Trail, a fun challenge issued by the WV Tourism office. The WV Paranormal Trail consists of 21 spooky locations, spread throughout the state. There are haunted locations, paranormal-themed museums, ghost tours, and just any place that has ties to WV's haunted history. Participants can visit these locations, 'check in' at them on the app, and earn prizes for how many spots they visit. 

Lewisburg has two locations on the WV Paranormal Trail: 1. The Greenbrier Valley Theatre and 2. Carnegie Hall. 

Greenbrier Valley Theatre

After stopping for lunch and to charge my phone, I headed straight for the Greenbrier Valley Theatre. Located at 1038 Washington Street E., this is a somewhat unconventional spot on the trail. Although not publicly known to be haunted, the location instead is home to The Greenbrier Ghost musical production, penned by Cathy Crowell Sawyer and Joe Buttram. In this eerie stage performance, actors tell the story of Zona Heaster Shue, the Greenbrier Ghost, who was murdered by her husband. Zona's ghost came to her mother in a series of dreams to tell her of the murder, which was finally taken seriously by authorities. As part of the theater's lobby decor, the beautiful costumes worn by the actress portraying Zona's ghost are on display. 

The theater is a really beautiful little gem in downtown Lewisburg, and the box office employee was super sweet and helpful when I explained why I was there, poking around the lobby and not purchasing tickets to an upcoming show. I was able to sit for a few minutes in the comfortable, spacious lobby area, which also had bathrooms for anyone checking out the trail and needing to stop for those facilities! The Greenbrier Ghost is currently not being performed, but I'll definitely be watching for the next production date and buying tickets!

Greenbrier Ghost Costumes
Greenbrier Valley Theatre

My next stop led me to Carnegie Hall. Well kind of---I got as close to Carnegie Hall as I could. On the day of my visit, the local high school must have been celebrating homecoming, because there were no less than 50 students in formal attire, accompanied by their families, taking photographs and milling around the Carnegie Hall property. There was nowhere to even park anywhere on Church Street!

Luckily, I was able to find a spot a street down and cut through the graveyard of the Old Stone Presbyterian Church. I didn't really get a picture of Carnegie Hall because I didn't want any of the dozens of families thinking I was some graveyard creeper photographing their kids.... but I got close enough so that the app could pick up that I was in range. 

Partial View of Carnegie Hall and
Old Stone Presbyterian Church

Carnegie Hall was built in 1902 with funds from Andrew Carnegie and local citizens. It served for many years as the Greenbrier College for Women. Today, it hosts performances, classes, workshops, art shows, and much more. It is a centerpiece of art and culture for southern West Virginia and apparently, it's very haunted. Phantom footsteps, shadows lurking the halls, lights flickering, and ghostly whispers are all reported within the old building.  Hopefully, I'll get a chance to investigate this awesome location one day!

Anyway, since I was already in the graveyard I decided to visit a very special grave, and source of a local urban legend: The Angel of Death. The Angel of Death (click HERE for my blog post) is a marble statue adorning the final resting place of Maud Mathews, who died of pneumonia in 1888, and her little sister Florence, who passed a year later. Legend states that two sisters, cousins of Maud, visited the grave and each kissed a cheek of the angel statue. Within a year, both sisters were dead---one from illness, and one from an unfortunate carriage accident. It is said that anyone foolish enough to kiss the angel's cheek would meet their own demise within the year. 

"Angel of Death"

The first time I visited the grave, the statue was always covered with lipstick marks. However, a few years ago, the tombstone was moved slightly and put behind a locked fence. You can still see and photograph the grave, but you can't get close enough to touch it.... preserving the integrity of the stone and perhaps, even saving a few lives. I sat for a bit and chatted with the girls, but again, there were a lot of people milling about nearby, and I didn't want to seem TOO creepy, so I stayed just a short while and left. 

I had all intentions of making one final stop on my trip, but I just didn't have the energy. The grave of Zona Heaster Shue, the Greenbrier Ghost is located just a short distance off the interstate at the Sam Black Church exit. I try to visit her once every few years, but I wanted to make it home to Charleston before. So, I put off a visit to her for now, but hopefully, our contacts with several locations in Alderson will play out and I'll soon get the opportunity to head back down that way. 

Overall, it was a really fun day and a perfect way to kick off October! We had a lot of networking success in Alderson, so absolutely follow Appalachian Ghost Tours on social media to keep track of upcoming events in the area, as well as throughout southern West Virginia. Also, continue to follow Theresa's Haunted History on Facebook for more spooky history, ghost hunting adventures, and much, much more! Stay spooky and have a safe and happy Haunt Season!

The Feathered Monster of Lincoln County

"Don't shoot me, bro."
The stare of the Shoebill Stork

Between February and October of 1896, newspapers around the country (except any in West Virginia that I have access to) ran an interesting story of a large, unknown "feathered monster." These cookie-cutter articles claim that Elias Midkiff of Hamlin had visited Charleston in hopes of convincing the State Historical and Antiquarian Society that if they'd send a taxidermist to Lincoln County, he'd ensure they'd be adding a bird specimen that no one had ever seen before...at least not here in West Virginia!

The bird in question was shot by a Mr. W.W. Adkins while out on a deer-hunting trip, just south of Hamlin in the Ranger area, near Vannater's Creek. According to Adkins' story, the bird had been circling in the sky before alighting on the water, where he was able to get a good shot at it. He got it in the wing, hoping to take it alive, but as it was overly aggressive, he had to finish the job. It took five bullets to finally bring the monster bird down. 

Adkins and Midkiff measured the bird, which was 7 feet, 4 inches from tip to tip (I'm guessing wingspan), and 4 feet from the tip of its bill to the tip of its tail. Its bill was flat, like a duck's and measured 4 inches long and 3 inches wide. It had webbed feet located at the end of its 11-inch legs. The coloring was dark brown, with light blue highlights along the wings and breast.

Adult Shoebill

I couldn't find any follow-up as to whether the creature was ever taxidermized, and if so, where it ended up. There's really not a good date as to when this actually happened, as the story leaves that detail out and the story literally ran in different newspapers over the span of at least 8 months. The newspaper article below is from February 1896, but the same article ran as late as October of that same year. 

Out of curiosity, I searched the physical description given of the bird, and Google's best guess is that it might be a juvenile shoebill stork. While adults are usually a lighter gray color (possibly mistaken for light blue?), the juveniles are brown in color. These would be birds that have a HUGE duck-like bill, long legs, and webbed feet. I can't vouch for how aggressive they are, but if you look at pictures of these things, they just LOOK like they'd mess you up, especially after you SHOT them. The problem is, the shoebill stork is absolutely not native to West Virginia, or even the United States. Could a bird all the way from a limited geographical region in Africa make it to a little West Virginia town, or was this really some mysterious, unknown cryptid? Or...was the whole story simply a tale taller than the bird itself? 

As we enter the final stretch to the annual Mothman Festival and are just a couple months out from the first wave of the 1966-67 Pt. Pleasant sightings, I love sharing additional stories of large, unknown bird-like creatures terrorizing the skies over the Mountain State. West Virginia has no shortage of strange creatures, on land, in water, or in the air. 

The Bay City Times (Michigan)
4 February 1896

The Phillips House: A Hinton Historic Home

Phillips Residence (Hinton, WV)
Currently REACHH Child Advocacy Center
Photo from Google Maps

A white frame home sits at 411 Temple Street in Hinton, WV. Built around 1910-1911, the former residence houses REACHH, a charitable organization aimed at community outreach and youth services. It serves as the Child Advocacy Center, with a playroom for Birth-Age 5 programs, counseling services, intervention services, abuse awareness, and a host of other services for the area's youth. But, it once was just a normal family home in Hinton. 

The home was (most-likely) built by the Phillips Family. George Phillips, like so many other Hinton residents, worked as an engineer for the C&O Railroad. George Hayward Phillips was born on March 16, 1860 in Fayetteville to Mary Elizabeth and James Phillips. He settled in Hinton in the early 1890's, where he married Amanda Lowry Bailey, a widow with a young daughter of her own. They were married on October 23, 1893.

Amanda Hallie Lowry was born near Salt Sulphur Springs on February 14, 1864 to Samuel and Sarah Lowry. Her family arrived in Hinton in the early 1880s, where she married her first husband, James Henry Bailey, who passed away in 1890. Together, they had a daughter named Clara.

It doesn't appear that Amanda and George had any additional children. George continued to work as an engineer for C&O, and to pass the time, Amanda operated a floral shop out of the home for many years. Each holiday season, the local newspaper was filled with ads for the women of Hinton to come to Mrs. Philllips' home at 411 Temple Street to purchase their Easter lilies, Christmas wreaths, and any other decorative and/or exotic plants they could want for their homes. 

Death would come for Amanda Phillips on Halloween morning at 8 am, 1942. She had been ill for over two years and had recently taken a turn for the worse, but the doctors thought she was improving. Unfortunately, they were wrong. Amanda passed away in her Temple Street home from complications due to diabetes. Within a few months, the home was listed in the newspaper for sale, and George went to live with the Hedricks family on Tunnel Hill.

Photo from REACHH Child Advocacy Center FaceBook

George's own health had been in decline since his retirement in 1938. He would pass away at the Hedrick home on May 16, 1946 from pneumonia. Both George and Amanda were buried in Hinton's Greenbrier Burial Park. Despite the couple being well-known and respected citizens, involved in many civic and church activities (he was a Mason, she was an Eastern Star, for example), George had very little family left upon his death. He was survived by a sister, and his step-daughter, Clara, and her husband Allen Hill. 

Over the years, several additional families called the old house home, both the main living area and the attached above-garage apartment. In 1956, there was a near-fatal fire at this apartment that almost took the lives of a father and two small children. While Mrs. Morgan was at her nursing job at the local hospital, her husband, Homer and their two children (Cecil, 3 and Susie, 18 months) napped. Cecil woke his father up to tell him that the apartment was filled with smoke. Homer was able to safely exit the blaze with his two children, singing his hair and eyebrows in the process. 1956 was not a great year for the Morgan family, as that year Mrs. Morgan's sister, Jennie Lester passed away. Her body was brought to the home on 411 Temple for the funeral. 

In 1951, there was another near-fatal accident in the home. E.D. Fredeking, a C&O fireman, took a nasty fall down the stairs before bedtime, around 10:30pm. He tumbled down 15 steps and was bruised severely. He was also bleeding profusely from several cuts on his head. The doctors believed he had fractured his skull, but luckily, the hospital checked him out and he suffered no broken bones. 

The REACHH House/Phillips House is one of the featured locations on Hinton's Haunt Fest 2025 Creepy Crawl! Come join Appalachian Ghost Tours for a rare chance to investigate the potential paranormal activity! Can we capture on audio the residual "thump, thump, thump" and the unfortunate Mr. Fredeking takes a nasty tumble down the stairs? Does the aroma of violets and roses still permeate the air as a testament to the love and devotion by Mrs. Phillips to her craft? Or, do the spirits of those who lived and died in the home still walk its halls?

There have been recent reports of visitors having personal communications come through the spirit box from what appears to be an intelligent haunting connected with the home. From hearing one's name called to having confirmation that yes, the spirit DID know the person 'since they were a little girl' definitely indicates that the property is still home to at least one former resident. 

To find out for yourself, come see me on Saturday, September 13th at 411 Temple Street! From 7pm to 12am, the building will be open for paranormal investigation and exploration. Bring your own equipment, or borrow ours---we'll guide you through the building and ghost hunting process. The cost is only $25, which includes full access to all speakers and workshops during the day. You may stay in one location the entire evening, or you can Creepy Crawl to a total of five locations throughout town, including the Poe Haus, the Campbell-Flanagan-Murrell Museum, the Summers County Library, and the old Wilson Warehouse. More information on Hinton Haunt Fest can be found at our Facebook Event Page, or on the flyer below!

The Independent Herald (Hinton, WV)
4 November 1942

Beckley Post Herald
17 May 1946

The Haunted Halloran Home (Hinton's Poe Haus)

Poe Haus (formerly the Halloran Home)
Hinton, WV
Photo by Rachel Weaver

On the corner of Summers Street and Fourth Avenue in Hinton sits a beautiful and well-loved Queen Ann Victorian home. Now known as the Poe Haus, this magnificent piece of history and architecture dates back to 1896 when it became the family home of Dan Halloran, his wife Emma, and their seven (I think!) children. 

Dan was born in Washington, D.C. on July 4th, 1864, to parents John and Ellen, who hailed from Ireland. At the age of sixteen, he moved to Montgomery, WV where he got a job with the C&O Railroad as a car repairman. He was promoted to fireman in 1886, and then to engineer in 1887. The following year, he married Emma Humphreys, and within a few more years, the couple moved to Hinton and built their home.

Emma, who was born on March 23, 1872, near Montgomery to Thomas and Melissa Humphreys, raised seven children at the Summers Street home. Known for her skill at baking, the Halloran home was a popular party spot and after-school hangout for the local kids and teens. Mrs. Halloran made sure no one went away hungry; donuts, walnut fudge, cakes, candies, and other pastries were always in abundance. So was popular music. The Halloran family was a musically inclined one, with several of the children becoming proficient at the piano and son, Earl, taking up the banjo and the sax. Those who weren't playing an instrument sang and hummed along to favorite tunes of the day. 

But, the children would grow up and the parties would wind down. Two of the sons, Linville and R. Overt, went to medical school and became well-known physicians. Daughter Vera, married Dr. R.G. Broaddus. Earl, the banjo/saxophone playing son, was incredibly mechanically inclined. He enjoyed ham radio and aviation. In a controversial move, he piloted a plane 'rented' by coal operators during the mine wars to spy on miners' activities. On a return trip to Hinton from Logan in 1921, the plane crashed, and Earl narrowly escaped with his life. After settling in the Hinton area, he opened up an Oldsmobile dealership and garage with a partner, and later operated the Victory Bus Lines in town. 

Throughout it all, Dan Halloran continued to work as an engineer for the C&O Railroad, as did many men who lived in Hinton at the time. That almost all ended in 1909 when Mr. Halloran was involved in a major accident. A train derailment left him pinned under the fire box of the engine. When he was pulled out, he was unconscious with no pulse and had been vomiting blood. He had severe head and internal injuries and was burned severely on the back. It was assumed he would not make it when he was brought to the local hospital. However, miraculously, Halloran slowly recovered. He was able to go back to work and remained with the C&O until his retirement in 1933.

Dan Halloran's Tombstone
Greenbrier Cemetery
Photo by Find-a-Grave user (D. Mack)

Death would eventually find Mr. Halloran. After suffering from paralysis for several months, he passed away on July 16, 1942, at Raleigh General Hospital. He died around 3 am, with the official cause of death being pneumonia, a complication from the paralysis. He was buried in Greenbrier Cemetery in Hinton. 

After living in the home on Summers Street for 40 years, Emma moved to another beautiful home in the Bellepoint area. It is there that she died on November 23, 1960 at the age of 88. She was buried alongside her husband in Greenbrier Cemetery. 

Beginning in 1935, the Dillon Family became associated with the old Halloran home. In 1951, they were mentioned in the local paper for completed EXTENSIVE apartment renovations on the house. In fact, since 1931, rooms were being offered for rent at the 401 Summers Street address. A few of the names who were mentioned as living at this address over the years are as follows: 1935--S.B. Coleman and family (who welcomed a baby daughter), 1945--Mary Carden, 1945---Edna Hall (husband still on deployment at the time), 1947--Robert Sims (who also welcomed a daughter born in the house), 1947---Claude Scott, 1950---Mrs. Minnie Farr, who had taken in a Korean refugee (16 year old Insoo "Skippy" Kwak) after her son and the boy's guardian, Guss Farr, was killed in action, 1954---Sadie Steele, 1959---W.A. Womack, 1960---Dewey Ranson who complained of chest pains before heading to bed and died of a massive heart attack on arrival at the hospital, and 1973---Katherine Redden who started the Restlawn Cemetery with her husband and was a member of multiple civic organizations such as the Eastern Star, the Silver Leaf, and the White Shrine. 

In the early 2000s, ownership was under Larry and Sue Carmichael. However, in September of 2010, Mike and Alisha Segars opened up the Chestnut Revival. The coffee shop/tea room would have made Emma Halloran proud, as fresh-baked goodies were available each day, along with an extensive tea menu. Guests could enjoy the fare in a beautifully renovated sitting space and on occasion, experience live music and other events.  Services were expanded to renovate the upper areas of the building into a B&B space. 

Today, the Halloran house has resorted once again to a private family home and is being lovingly cared for, inside and out by Les Haas and family. Bursting with unique pieces of art, Victorian furnishings, plants, family, friends, and some adorable kitties, the home is the perfect combination of historical living space and museum. And, with many of Hinton's historic homes, the newly minted 'Poe Haus' may have a few ghosts lingering about.

In preparation for the upcoming Hinton Haunt Fest Creepy Crawl on September 13, 2025 (Facebook Event Page Link HERE), members of Appalachian Ghost Tours were graciously invited to explore the home in search of paranormal activity. We were not disappointed! Outside the home, shadow figures had been seen, lurking around the surrounding streets, that were once part of a bustling railroad town. Inside, phantom scents came and went, shadows moved under doorways, and some pretty strange stuff came across the spirit box. At one point, a member even got locked in the restroom! Some of our more intuitive members also picked up on several different entities that call the Poe Haus home, including Emma, who is the lady of the house, and possibly Dan. What was interesting is that several of us picked up on Mr. Flanagan, who lived at the other end of the block in what is now the Campbell-Flanagan-Murrell House Museum! Through cursory newspaper archive research, there is definitely a family connection between the two families, and the two men did work on the C&O together. Mr. Flanagan has not once attempted to speak or make his presence known to me over the multiple times I've investigated the CFM House Museum, so it was exceptionally weird that I tended to pick up on him down the street. 

As the new owners have not lived in the house long, and our investigation wasn't a full one, there are still many more mysteries to uncover and (hopefully!) many more spooky experiences to share at the Poe Haus! And, on September 13th, you'll have your own opportunity! As part of Hinton Haunt Fest, AGT will be hosting a city-wide paranormal investigation at FIVE different locations. Between 8pm and midnight, you may stop at our locations, listed below, and join us in an investigation. Pick one favorite to stay at the entire time, or "crawl" to each location when you're ready. The cost is $25, which also gets you access to all speakers and workshops being held throughout the day. 

CREEPY CRAWL DESTINATIONS:

1. Campbell-Flanagan-Murrell House Museum (422 Summers Street)

2. The Poe Haus (401 Summers Street)

3. Summers County Library (201 Temple Street)

4. The Reachh House (411 Temple Street)

5. Historic Wilson Warehouse (501 Commercial Street)

Forest Dale Cemetery's Not-So-Ghostly Ghost

Entrance to Forest Dale Cemetery
Malden, Mass
Photo by Find-a-Grave user (LMJ)

The Forest Dale or Forestdale Cemetery in Malden, Massachusetts is picturesque tribute to the city's former residents. Laid out in 1884 by Boston surveyor, F.R. Page, the cemetery was formally dedicated on Memorial Day of 1885. For many years, the cemetery was also adjacent to property operated by the county alms house and 'Contagious Hospital'. It was one of the patients at this hospital that gave one passerby quite a fright back in 1915!

It was early in the morning when milk dealer, Isaac Cohen, passed by the cemetery on his route. What he saw, however, shocked him awake. Rushing through the cemetery at break-neck speed was a white figure. After rubbing his eyes and assuring himself that he wasn't just seeing things, Cohen made a hasty decision to follow the fleeing figure. 

As he caught up to the figure, he was probably pretty relieved to see that he hadn't been chasing a ghost at all. Rather, he had caught up with 14 year old Ivan Clark. Clark was a patient at the nearby Contagious Hospital and had escaped out a second-story window around 3 am when a nurse woke him up to give him some medicine. Cohen turned the kid over to authorities, and he was returned to the hospital to continue treatment for his diphtheria. 

Clark has to be commended for his extreme elusive action as he definitely didn't want to be confined any longer to the hospital, which is completely understandable. However, I think if I was Cohen, I'd have much rather had a run-in with a ghost than a living person with a presumed highly contagious and potentially fatal disease! 

The Sunday Telegram (Clarksburg, WV)
4 July 1915

Haunted Hinton: The Campbell-Flanagan-Murrell House

Campbell-Flanagan-Murrell House Museum
Hinton, WV

The Campbell-Flanagan-Murrell House Museum will be a featured location for Appalachian Ghost Tours' Hinton Haunt Fest, Saturday, September 13, 2025! Beginning at noon and throughout the day, we'll have various workshops going on at the museum. Later that evening, the house will be a featured investigation location on our Creepy Crawl! Come investigate the mysteries of the Campbell-Flanagan-Murrell House with AGT and support a wonderful piece of Hinton's history!

(Haunt Fest Hinton Event Page)

It is said that without the C&O Railroad, the town of Hinton, located in Summers County, West Virginia, would not have existed. At the very least, it would not have been the bustling city it once was at its peak. The area that is now Hinton was originally settled in the 1700's, with the Ballangee Family arriving around 1778 and owning most of the land. However, after the Civil War, with the country's railway system in shambles, the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad company had big plans. With the help of Collis P. Huntington, they were intent of establishing major rail lines up and down the east coast. Here in the mountainous region of the newly minted state of West Virginia, these rail lines would largely follow the rivers. And in the soon-to-be town of Hinton, that meant construction of a railroad system along the mighty New River.

In 1871, the C&O Railroad purchased the Isaac Ballangee property, deeding the excess land not needed for the rail line to Collis P. Huntington's Central Land Company. In January of 1873, Huntington hired engineer Bennett R. Dunn to parcel out the land into lots, and thus, the town of Hinton was officially born. 

One such family that saw opportunity in this new railroad town was the Edgar Campbell family. Edgar and his second wife Elizabeth, came to Hinton and by 1875 had built what would become the Campbell-Flanagan-Murrell House Museum. Edgar and Elizabeth had three children (Mary, Alice, and Thomas) and Edgar had another daughter from a previous marriage (Caroline). Located at 422 Summers Street, the Campbells ran a general store out of the lower level of the home. 

Campbell-Flanagan-Murrell Home
Source: WV History on View

That same year, Alice Campbell married John Flanagan (December 2, 1875). John had come to Hinton a few years prior to work for the C&O Railroad. Described as a "fat little Irishman from a farm outside Charlottesville, Va.", John was actually a very well-liked and prominent citizen, belonging to such organizations as the Free Masons. In 1876, the Campbells deeded the house to Alice and John.

While maintaining the general store, John continued to work for C&O up until his tragic death. Although one of the more elderly employees, John was still considered an extremely capable and competent employee. Unfortunately, that would all come to an end on March 12, 1907. The train he was engineering, the Fast-Flying Virginian, had struck a slide eight miles east of Hinton. Flanagan and his fireman, Mike Quinn, were both gravely injured, but alive when help came. Quinn was taken to the Hinton hospital and died around 1:30pm. Flanagan was taken to his home on Summers Street and passed there at about 11:30am. It is a somewhat strange coincidence that this was the SECOND fatal train wreck that happened in the area that day. An earlier accident took the life of conductor John. B. Lutz and gravely injured brakeman Hugh Ratliff. That wreck had largely been cleared up and the Fast-Flying Virginian was on-time to arrive in Hinton at 9:20am before it also crashed.

Funeral Procession for
John Flanagan, 1907
Source: WV History on View

The funeral for John Flanagan was said to be one of the biggest the town had ever seen and he was laid to rest in nearby Hill Top Cemetery. Shortly thereafter, the family home was deeded to Flanagan's daughter Mary, who had married Robert "Bob" Murrell in 1902.

Bob Murrell was also a C&O man. In fact, he had been brought to Hinton by the company due to his outstanding baseball skills to play on the local team. Bob was also an accomplished painter, and evidence of both hobbies can be found today in the museum. It was also under the Murrell's ownership that the house truly became a hub of civic activity. The Murrells, especially Mary, were constantly hosting church meetings, clubs, and other get-togethers at the home. When Bob passed away, Mary remained in the home until her own death, being cared for by her daughter Mildred in her older years. Mildred never married, nor had children, but she was a beloved teacher who lived in the home until her own death in 1986. Mildred is responsible for preserving quite a bit of family history, in addition to physical artifacts belonging to the Campbell/Flanagan/Murrell families. These items are lovingly shared with the public today, thanks to the Campbell-Flanagan-Murrell House Museum staff. 

Visitors can visit the home at 422 Summers Street, very much in its original state. The general store still makes up the first floor, while the upper floors are home to the history of not just the family, but of the town of Hinton and its significance to the railroad industry. Guided and self-guided tours are available on most weekends throughout the year, and the old general store offers a few souvenirs for sale. It's a great place to see what life in southern WV was like back in the early 20th century...and it's also a great place to have a paranormal experience!

In one story, a museum member was ascending the stairs to the top floor and encountered a group of women in period dress, sitting on the sunporch. These women were discussing how pleased they were with how work on the house was progressing.

Robert Murrell Under a Tree in his Side Yard
Source: WV History on View

In another incident, a mysterious arsonist was setting fires around Hinton, and a fire was set outside of the old, wooden home. However, before help could arrive on scene, the fire had extinguished itself...just as mysteriously as it had been lit. Was the home being protected by members of the Campbell/Flanagan/Murrell families? 

I've been lucky enough to have investigated this historic home three times, once with HPIR, once with SRI, and once with Appalachian Ghost Tours. Each investigation was an excellent opportunity that did not disappoint! While it seems like with many historic locations, our primary ghostly interactions tend to be with the men of the house, it was not that way with the Campbell-Flanagan-Murrell House. There is definitely a strong, female presence that makes itself known. It's interesting to note that throughout the years, the house was continually passed down through the female heirs, and the presumed ghosts seen discussing the home from the porch, were all women. I like to think that there is some sort of divine feminine energy attached to the home, and the ladies who lived their lives here are still watching and protecting their beloved home. 

On my last investigation of the house, we had plenty of strange activity, but one incident sticks out in my mind as being one of the coolest things I've personally experienced. I was with a small group downstairs in the general store, when the main door opened. This isn't that unusual. There is actually a large pole/bar used to barricade the door when not in use to keep it closed, as it has a habit of popping open by itself (actually, that phenomenon seems to affect most of the doors to the outside throughout the house), most likely from wind and/or pressure changes. As we sat around and tried to communicate with the spirits, I picked up on the thermal camera what looked like a human figure standing in front of the door. As I was trying to figure out if anyone in the room could be casting a reflection that would match, someone asked the ghosts to please shut the door. Right on command, the door slowly yet FIRMLY shut. This was not weather related or otherwise a normal, natural occurrence. That door shut with INTENTION. As we had promised to leave the area if the ghost shut the door for us, we packed up and headed back upstairs. 

Mrs. Murrell and a Group of Women Outside the Home
Source: WV History on View

Another really fun interaction I had with the potential ghosts of the museum was with an entity that identified himself as an African-American man named Lester. Lester was a fun-loving guy who just wanted to listen to music, dance, and maybe flirt a little bit with one of the museum volunteers. His voice kept coming over our spirit box until we heard an exasperated woman's voice yell his name. We giggled and asked if that was his wife. The response we immediately got was his voice saying "Gotta go!" And he did go, for the time being. 

There are many more mysteries to unlock at the Campbell-Flanagan-Murrell House. It is one of the oldest buildings in town, and served as the residence of the same family for over 100 years. I've been kind of hesitant to feature this location here at Theresa's Haunted History, because there is just so much information about this family that can't fit nicely into a short blog post. I hope that despite the omissions, I've done justice to this awesome location and those who lived there. More sources are available upon request, but I've included a few links and articles for more information. 

Campbell-Flanagan-Murrell House Museum (website) (Facebook)

WV National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form

Hinton Town Website History Section

John William Flannagan Article by Jamie Wood (Genealogy.com  Posted January24, 2002)

Hinton Daily News
12 March 1907