Mothman 2012 Re-Cap

I'm a little late in posting, but this year's Mothman Festival went really well!  For the first time in 2 years, HPIR returned to Vendor's Row and set up an information table for the group, as well as the tours.  We talked to a TON of people, including some from the Huntington area, and made some great contacts.  We also heard plenty of interesting, and sometimes horrifying, paranormal tales experienced by those who came to talk to us.  One of my personal highlights was learning the sign for "ghost" from a hearing impaired lady who we had a delightful chat with.

We also sold a lot of cool stuff!  Thanks to the awesomeness of ThinkTwice Buttons, are HPIR logo buttons came in early, and made a perfect promotional item.  Melissa, HPIR Founder/President, made the coolest chocolate Mothman suckers you've EVER seen, which sold like crazy...and also made a great snack for those of us working the table, lol!  I even managed to sell some Mothman candles I had made, and two remaining Haunted Huntington Preview books I found in my trunk.

The weather was beautiful, the crowds were plentiful, and as always, Jeff Wamsley was right on top of things, helpful and as kind as always.  Still, it felt like something was missing.  This is WV's biggest paranormal event of the year!  We talked to people who literally come in from every corner of the continental United States to attend this festival, yet the representation from the WV paranormal community was few and far between.  Also, as much as I LOVE the speakers that attend, I don't feel bad about not getting to go listen to them while working the table because they are the same speakers year after year, lol.  I've already heard all of them, and some even use the same basic presentation year after year, mixing things up only slightly.

Still...if you love anything that has to do with history, mysterious, WV, or the paranormal, this is THE event to attend.  The tours of downtown Pt. Pleasant and the TNT area are chocked full of exciting information.  There are great bands and great food to enjoy, and plenty of shopping for books, movies, jewelry, art, and the most outrageous Mothman souvenirs you can imagine.  The Lowe Hotel opens up for haunted history tours, and the speakers, while tedious to some of us, are extremely knowledgeable and cover a vast array of interesting information.  FREE movie screenings of Mothman related movies and documentaries shown at the historic (and haunted) State Theater cannot be missed.  Also cannot be missed:  a photo op with the Mothman statue...or the BACK of the Mothman statue, which features a well-formed, muscular metal buttocks, which was much to the delight of two pre-teen boys whose mother was busy at our table!

Next year, I'd LOVE to see the West Virginia paranormal community come out a little stronger and really let the world see the diversity and scope of  what we have to offer.  In a sense, this is OUR event, too, and it is a great opportunity to talk to a lot of interesting people.

Special shout-out to Bryna Butler of the Gallipolis area!  Bryna sat across from us at the festival, and is the author of a wonderful YA paranormal romance series.  The Midnight Guardian Series, set in Southern Ohio, looks REALLY awesome from what I've seen so far, and I'll be ordering my copy of the first book from Amazon shortly!  Thanks, Bryna, for your hospitality and for wearing our HPIR button!  Good luck with your book series!

Purchase Info for the Midnight Guardian Series

(Photos property of Melissa Stanley)

Book Review for Really Mysterious Pennsylvania

Title:  Really Mysterious Pennsylvania:  UFOs, Bigfoot, and Other Weird Encounters Casebook One

Author:  Stan Gordon

Copyright 2010

Author's Website 


Every year at the Mothman Festival, I try to pick up at least one non-fiction book from an author or speaker attending the event.  This year, that book was Stan Gordon's Really Mysterious Pennsylvania.  I was drawn to this book for several reasons...

Firstly, my boyfriend and I had just recently watched a documentary on the Kecksburg, PA UFO incident, and I recognized Mr. Gordon as one of the experts that worked on the film.  Secondly, I'm STILL feebly attempting my goal of becoming more informed on the topic of UFOs and thought this book, which deals with such, was a good fit.  Lastly, my collection of paranormal literature from the Pennsylvania region was lacking, lol.

Luckily, this book held up to my high expectations.  It's a fun look at not only UFO case files from Gordon's own work as a researcher, but it also delves into Bigfoot sightings, sightings of black panthers (sometimes referred to as alien big cats or ABCs in this field) and even things such as mysterious ice falls over the region.  It was well-organized and a very quick, interesting read.  While reading through it, I couldn't help but notice the dates of the reported UFO sightings, and began formulating a hypothesis about how February and August are the best months to view a UFO.  Unfortunately, a quick google search did not confirm this, but its something that, due to this book, I'm going to look into further and compile some data!

Overall, this was a really nicely laid out book featuring years of Pennsylvania sightings.  The only thing I would change is the fact that I'd like to see some of these entries fleshed out a little more.  As it stands, each entry is just a brief overview of the events.  I'd like to see more follow-up and more data collected from the cases that were investigated by Gordon and his colleagues.  But for a quick intro into the field of Pennyslvania Ufology/Cryptozoology, this is a great place to start!

Ravenswood's Washington Motel

I'm on a Ravenswood kick this week!  Anyway, this tale was originally submitted by a woman named Linda to the WVGhosts website.  Linda's family formerly owned the Washington Motel, so she and her siblings grew up in this once-thriving, haunted establishment.  You can read her story in her own words HERE, or look below for a summary of events!

The Washington Motel, located in Ravenswood, WV, was once a thriving Jackson County business.  The family who owned the establishment spent much time there, and their three children, including Linda, grew up playing, and even sleeping over quite often, in the office's upstairs apartment.  During this time, the family was already aware of paranormal activity in this section of the motel.  The sound of ghostly music coming from the walls and the sounds of doors being slammed were commonplace.  However, it wouldn't be until the late 1980s that a ghost named George became an even bigger part of the family!

In 1988, business in much of Jackson County was waning, and the motel was also affected.  That year, the upstairs apartment over the office was fully renovated to better suit Linda's sister, Julie, and Julie's new husband.  Perhaps those renovations were enough to put George over the top because the new couple soon began having all sorts of activity, including objects flying off walls, doorknobs rattling, and the sound of doors slamming. It was Julie and Linda who at this time named the resident specter George in honor of the "Washington" Motel.  Anyway, in one incident, a new heating/cooling unit broke due to someone...or something...inexplicably stuffing a blanket into it.  However, the most unnerving event may have occurred when both Julie and her husband heard someone call her name.

The apartment had two entrances--a private entrance from outside, and also a staircase that led down into the first floor of the office complex.  One evening Julie's husband heard her mom calling her up the stairs from down in the office.  When she went to check it out, it was discovered no one was there.  A phone call confirmed that Julie's mother had locked up and left for the evening, and was now at the family home across town. 

In 1996, Julie and her husband had already left, and Linda and a boyfriend stopped by the motel after a late-night concert.  The boyfriend heard walking coming from the now-empty apartment overhead, and scoffed at the idea of a ghost...that's until the phantom footsteps were heard walking down the stairs and across the linoleum!  Later, when Linda and this young man married, they had a similar incident as her sister had.  One morning, they heard her mother call her from down in the office, only to find out that no one was there.

The family sold the establishment in 2005 and today it is being maintained as a low-income efficiency apartment complex, as opposed to motel.  It has a rough reputation, but there have been no additional publicized accounts of a haunting as far as I could decipher. 

The photo above is from Google Maps and is from 2007 before the place fell into a state of disrepair. 

Former Ravenswood Theater

This tale is summarized from two different books on WV ghost-lore, Ruth Ann Musick's Coffin Hollow, and A Guide to Haunted West Virginia by Walter Gavenda and Michael Shoemaker:

A young man who worked at the former Ravenswood Theater as a projectionist shared a very eerie tale which happened to him while working at the theater one night.  After the last movie had ended, and the last guest had left, the boy was sweeping up, and getting ready to lock up for the evening.  That's when he saw what he described as something passing behind the screen, carrying what appeared to be a lantern.  Knowing that no one else was in the theater, the boy panicked and called the police, who found the door locked and no evidence of anyone having been there.


The owner of the theater, an older lady, was also alerted, but told the boy he didn't need to worry about someone being there who shouldn't because for the past 30 years, this same person walked the theater on a regular basis...and he was not of this world.  She went on to explain that at one point, there was a lodge for a local fraternal organization located adjacent to the theater, and at one point, there were actually passages between the buildings.  The type of lodge this was has been lost to folklore, but many believe the second floor was used in questionable initiation rites, which were shrouded in secrecy.  One night, a fire broke out in the lodge, gutting the building.  There was allegedly one tragedy--a man believed to have been in the attic at the time was never found, and presumed dead.

The owner believed it was this man who haunted the theater, as she herself had seen the phantom many times.  The boy verified this story with his father, who provided one more fascinating detail:  the man who died in the fire was the HUSBAND of the theater owner.

During the 1960's the theater ceased operations, and would later house Almeda's Clothing Store.  Today, its home to a physical therapy office.  As an interesting side note:  As I was sitting here typing this entry, I had the Guide to Haunted West Virginia book sitting open beside me on the desk to refer to.  I checked a fact, looked away, then looked immediately back at the book to verify what I had just read.  In that split second I looked away, a ladybug took up residence right on the page.  Ladybugs are considered almost universally as a good luck sign!

*There's been a ton of visitors to this post today, and I want to thank you all for stopping by!  If you'd like to hear of another Ravenswood area haunt featured on Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State, please feel free to check out the Washington Motel! *

Hurricane's Rappold House is Haunted!

I have this weird knack of coming across really weird information in a variety of sources.  For example, earlier this week I posted a blog about a haunted house in St. Albans that I had learned about not from any paranormal site or book...but from a tour pamphlet published by the local historical society.  Today, while waiting to use the library's ONE working Microfilm reader, I stumbled upon a book on the history of Hurricane, WV.  And I was pleasantly surprised to see a house that I actually have some history with noted, along with its ghost stories, for posterity!  That house is the Oxley-Rappold-Jarvis House.

Here's a transcript of the article as it appears in the 1994 edition of the History of Hurricane. This was written by Phyllis Jarvis, former owner of the home.  I'm leaving this piece in transcript form until I can take the time to properly research this location:

A HOUSE WITH CHARACTER

The large house at 2707 Main Street was purchased by Phyllis Williams Jarvis in October, 1971.  For many years, it had been known as the "Rappold House."  E.F. Rappold purchased the house in 1925, known at that time as the "Oxley House."  He used the porch for his barber shop one summer.

During the years the Oxleys were owners, it is said that Mr. Oxley built the upstairs sun parlor for his son who was ill.

The land where the house stands was originally owned by Collis P. Huntington, the famous railroad tycoon.  The property was sold to the Central Land Company around 1888, but was purchased by M.L. Dunfee in 1903 and sold to John J. Henderson in 1910.  The property sold again around 1911 to Virginia and Robert Robert and then to Leonard Oxley in 1912.

The house has been preserved as near to the original design as possible.  The old fireplaces and mantels are still in the home, and in most cases, the high ceilings and chandeliers still exist.

The original house has had several additions, one win and the sun porch.  There are no records of any deaths within the house when one owner died, her coffin was brought in through a window because the staircase bannister prevented large objects from being brought in through the front door.

Several boards were removed during renovations and revealed a lady's high-top laced shoe, a whiskey bottle, and a small broken amber vase, in need of repair.

AND, the house has GHOSTS!  Strange sounds have been witnessed and sightings of two live-in ghosts, a young woman in white and a small boy.  The small boy has been seen in the children's bedrooms touching various toys.  The presence of these ghosts appear to be more in the second story of the house.  A few strange encounters have included objects thrown down the stairs and a room being locked from the inside with old-fashioned hook locks.  There appears to be no real danger so all live happily ever after.

Joseph and Sarah Jarvis purchased the house in August, 1991.

Long-time readers to Theresa's Haunted History may know that my boyfriend, Aaron, grew up in Hurricane...and just happens to be very good friends with this family!  Several years ago, thanks to these connections, we were invited over to the home and given the full haunted history tour, details of which coincide with those mentioned in the article!  Words cannot describe how truly beautiful this house is on the inside, and unfortunately, the only picture I have doesn't do the outside justice, either.

I've already begun preliminary research onto the former owners of this house, and will update when appropriate.  For those updates, remember you can follow Theresa's Haunted History on Face Book!  

Upcoming Events

With the dawning of the month of September, we at HPIR are entering our busiest time of the year!  Not only is this the season where EVERYONE wants an investigation, its also a season full of wonderful paranormal festivals and events...including our two most popular tours of the year.  Here's a preview of what's to come.  Please join us!

September 15-16
Mothman Festival--Join HPIR in Pt. Pleasant for a weekend full of fun, featuring WV's most famous creature!  We'll have a table set up on Main Street, so amidst the festivities, be sure to drop by and say hi.  There's a great list of speakers and vendors at this year's program, so be sure to check out the website for a full itinerary.

September 22
Memorial Team Toni Poker Run--You don't need a motorcycle or Jeep to join us at this event and have a good time!  This year's run, filled with food, prizes, raffles, etc. is actually going to benefit one of HPIR's own, a wonderful woman in the paranormal field and her family, making this event even more special.  Kickoff in Chesapeake!

September 28-30
Scare Fest--The awesome festival held in Lexington each year will continue in 2012, but unfortunately I won't be there, lol.  However, if YOU are in the area, this is an event not to miss.  Full of speakers, vendors, and tons and tons of celebrities.  Several years ago, Aaron was lucky enough to be in the restroom with TWO big names...one in the horror film industry, and the other in the paranormal field.  So lots of opportunities to get up close and personal with your favorite personalities, lol. 

September 29
ShockaCon--WV's first horror and sci-fi convention will have a myriad of activities in downtown South Charleston.  Seriously, there is something here for everyone!  After being asked by several independent parties about setting up an info table, we mulled it over and decided that with our investigation and personal schedules during this busy time, we are simply going to come as patrons.  But...look for us!  We'll still be available to hand out literature or discuss your paranormal concerns.  In addition to all the awesome guests and speakers at this event, we're looking forward to seeing our colleagues at The Original WV Paranormal, and also hanging out with our buddies from the Cemetery Knights Hearse Club!

October 16
A Night To Remember...with the Ohio River Believers Society--Local group ORBS will be hosting this cancer benefit with lots of great activities.  Proceeds go to benefit the American Cancer Society.

October 26-27
Halloween Tours!  Haunted and Historic Guyandotte Tours will be bringing you FREE ghost tours of downtown Guyandotte.  Our Ghostly Encounters Tour is one of our most popular tours of the season, PACKED with history, stories, and plenty of opportunities for you to experience the paranormal first hand.  Join us as we guide you through the history and the haunts of Huntington's oldest neighborhood.  Please see our website for more information.

November 2-3
Guyandotte's Civil War Haunted History Tours!  This is our other most popular tour of the season, and is held in conjunction with Guyandotte Civil War Days, an event commemorating the raid and burning of this former Union Recruitment Camp site.  These tours are also FREE and will cover the many pre-Civil War era homes in the area, most of which are said to be especially haunted during this time of the year.  Please see our website for more information!

There's a ton of other great stuff going on throughout the tri-state during September and October, so if you have an event you'd like to add here, please drop me a line!  Also, be sure to follow Theresa's Haunted History on FaceBook for updates on these and other great events!

Photo above is Aaron and me at ScareFest a few years ago!

A Fire Under the Bridge, St. Albans

As a child, I was terrified of the bridge between Nitro and St. Albans, WV.  This narrow, rickety span over the Kanawha River was destined to be the death of me, I thought!  Whenever we had to cross this bridge, for some reason, I felt I would be safe if I sat in the middle of the backseat and locked both the back doors.

Therefore, it didn't shock me too much when the bridge later developed a haunted reputation.  Various websites featuring listings of haunted locations in WV started sharing a small blurb about a homeless man who died in a fire under the bridge in 2001.  As the story goes, this event happened in January of that year, and resulted in the man's spirit being seen around the area of the bridge to this day.

This story struck a chord with me.  Although I didn't remember this event happening, I knew it was something that if true, could be verified....which as a researcher is gold.  But it also struck a chord on a more personal level because in 2002 I had an experience in that area that I couldn't explain--but more on that later.

Not much about this story was easily found online, but luckily, I had recently subscribed to a newspaper archive service.  I scoured records for an event happening in 2001, but came up empty-handed for that year.  What I DID find, however, were references to an incident that happened two years before.

On March 4, 1999 police were summoned to an incident occurring under the bridge, on the St. Albans side of the river.  That previous night had been a cold one, and it appears that two homeless men were sharing a plywood and cardboard shelter, and had built a fire to stay warm.  The fire got out of hand, killing the two men, and injuring a third.  One body was found at the base of the bridge, but the other was found midway between the street and the river, indicating that one man had tried to crawl for help before succumbing.

In early spring of 2002, I was going through very rough patch in my life, and was severely depressed.  I had skipped class one day, and sought my own refuge at the roadside park in St. Albans, located not far from the site of the bridge.  As I sat at the picnic area, alone, reading a book, I felt the urge to look up.  Sitting VERY close by, on a bench, was a young man.  From his tattered appearance, I felt pretty sure he was homeless.  It wasn't unusual for the homeless to frequent this park, especially during times when it was scarcely being used in colder months.  It struck me that this man did look so young, not like many of the homeless in the area.  His clothes were all black...or what used to be black before fading and dirtying.

I was horrified that I had been so oblivious.  I had not noticed this guy come up and here he was, super close to me.  He could have stabbed or robbed me before I knew what was happening.  I kinda freaked out at that point, and gathered my things to head back to my car and leave.  At that moment, the young man looked up at me, and I remember him just looking so sad and distraught that I was temporarily disoriented.  I looked down to gather my things, looked back up, and he was gone.

Needless to say, I made a swift retreat!  To this day, I cannot rule out that he was simply a very quick, shady drug dealer who managed not only to sneak up on me, but to sneak away undetected, but a part of me at least WANTS to believe that perhaps he was a spirit, whether of one of the men who passed away nearby or otherwise, and that I needed to see him during that time of my life.

For a little on the history of the bridge itself:   The Richard J. "Dick" Henderson Memorial Bridge was built in 1934 by a crew out of Pennsylvania.  Dick Henderson was a legislator who settled in the St. Albans area in 1964.  He died in 1998.

More Bridge History

*Update*  On Friday, March 1, 2013 the bridge itself was finally demolished.  A new bridge will be built atop the original supports.*