Top 5 Spooky Posts of 2020

2020 was a crap year for a lot of reasons, and it was a crap year for Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State blog. Not counting this submission, I've only managed to knock out 50 new blogs over the course of the entire year. Therefore, I thought it would be fun (and EASY) to take a look back over those 50 posts and share with you which ones did the best!

5. Bellaire's Sheeted Apparition: (Published January 2, 2020) Bellaire's Sheeted Apparition was a short, vintage newspaper article from 1892, discussing a spook that was terrorizing the people of Bellaire, Ohio, just across the river from Wheeling, WV. 

4. Cold Hands-My Experience at the Ridges: (Published January 3, 2020) What started off as a funny lil' spooky photo turned into an opportunity to share one of my personal ghost experiences. Back in my early days of investigating, I visited the Ridges, an old asylum in Athens, Ohio, and actually got to feel what felt like a small, ghostly hand slip into mine. 

3. Pressing Questions-Familiars: (Published January 17, 2020) This was another Friday Funny, featuring one of my favorite woodcut artworks of a witch and her familiar. It is suggested that perhaps in olden times, witches spoke to their familiars, no matter how grotesque, in the same sweet, soothing, coddling tones that we use on our pets today. 

2. 1952 Louisville Poltergeist: (Published May 2, 2020) The Louisville Poltergeist story was my personal favorite blog to write in 2020. I had stumbled across a newspaper article mentioning it, did a little additional research, and came to the conclusion that what was deemed a hoax, was to me much more complex. Shortly after this blog was posted, I was contacted by a family member, letting me know that the little girl in question had recently passed away...but not before making a successful, loving life for herself and others. There was a lot more to the story than published in the newspapers, and it seems that paranormal activity followed the young woman her entire life. 

1. Fresh Seafood Company: (Published April 28, 2020) Behind the Louisville Poltergeist story, this one was probably my second favorite. I LOVE finding new-to-me haunted locations in West Virginia, and this one is actually VERY close to me! The Fresh Seafood Company is a modern restaurant located in Jefferson, WV...but was once a private residence. It's now haunted by the apparition of a man in a plaid suit.

So there ya have it.  These five blogs were the best performing posts written in 2020. There were a few posts written in previous years that did better than these five this year, so I hope that in years to come, these five will continue to be read and enjoyed by readers of Theresa's Haunted History. I look forward to stepping up my game in 2021 and producing many more quality works for ya'll.  If you have a moment, look over in the sidebar at what I've published in 2020 and let me know in the comments below or over at Theresa's Haunted History's Facebook page what YOUR favorite blog post of 2020 was.

Have a safe and happy New Year's Eve and I'll see ya in 2021! Stay spooky!

Goodbye, 2019....Hello 2020!

Happy New Year!  It's time to say goodbye to 2019...and hello to 2020.  This has been a crazy year. I met my husband in January and got married in March.  My mom battled (and won!) against breast cancer. My tiny boy turned DOUBLE DIGITS! I've spent many a day traveling between Hurricane and Grafton, and many a night sitting in hospital rooms. 

With all the craziness going on, this blog has suffered, and to my regular readers, I apologize.  As life is settling back into a routine, I'm ready to get back to bringing you all the coolest ghost stories, haunted locations, urban legends, and just anything and everything spooky related to West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and beyond!  To kick start a new year of new content, I'll once again be doing the Ultimate Blog Challenge.  That means there will be a new blog post every day throughout January.  I have failed miserably during the last few challenges, so I'm hoping the motivation of a new year will give me the boost I need to make it through this time. 

If you don't already, please follow me on Facebook for lots of fun and spooky articles, photos, and much more!  It's also the best place to contact me with your questions, comments, and suggestions for haunted locations. Pop on over and let me know if you have any paranormal-related New Year's resolutions, or if you have any awesome investigations, trips to haunted locations, conferences/events, books, podcasts, or anything else spooky coming up in 2020 that'd you'd like to share! You can also find me on Twitter and on Instagram. 

I hope you and yours have a safe and happy New Year, and that 2020 is a great year for you.  Thank you so much for continuing this journey with me as my blog and my involvement in the paranormal community has evolved, shifted, be put on hold, etc.!  I appreciate all the support and kind words you've shown me over the years.  In a few weeks, this blog will be celebrating its NINTH anniversary!  

BONUS

Curious as to what the Top 3 blog posts of 2019 were?  Here's what people were reading and sharing the most this year!

3. David Morgan's Vision---Early West Virginia pioneer, David Morgan, had a sickbed vision that saved the lives of his children from an Indian attack. This tale of supernatural intervention has been passed down from generation to generation, and there is even a historical marker documenting the prophetic dream.

2. Mason County's Mysterious Skeletons---A newspaper from 1821 shares the news of four giant skeletons found in a burial mound, located on a Mason County, WV farm. Folklore is full of claims that West Virginia's Adena burial mounds contain giant skeletal remains of a race of people long forgotten.

1. The Sistersville Stocking Lady---There's a tombstone in Sistersville, WV with a highly damaged carving of an angelic woman atop.  Local legend states than anyone foolish enough to touch the 'Stocking Lady' will meet a horrible fate.