 |
| Photo from the Archive of the Afterlife Facebook Page |
I have visited the Archive of the Afterlife twice now, and each time I've been blown away the sheer quality and quantity of exhibits. Haunted objects, funerary history, military history, and a host of memorabilia from haunted locations are just a sampling of what you'll find here. There are several exhibits that I have felt a really strong fascination for, and one of those is the infamous 666 Bible.
According to the museum's website, this mysterious artifact was donated by an anonymous urban explorer from Glen Dale, WV. This person and his friend were visiting the abandoned Morris Memorial Hospital for Crippled Children in Milton, WV. The current Morris Memorial building was originally built between 1935 and 1936 and treated over 10,000 children, most of who were suffering from polio, up until the hospital closed in 1960. With advances in medicine, including a polio vaccine, the great need for a hospital of this type was no longer needed, and the next year, Morris Memorial became a nursing home under the direction of John and Rose Greene. It operated as a nursing home until it was completely turned over to the city and used as storage about ten years ago.
At first, security wasn't exactly tight at this location, and many amateur ghost hunters, urban explorers, and just plain curious folks ventured onto the property. Even the grounds gave off a spooky feel and peering into windows, one could easily see a mixture of old nursing home furniture and the city's Christmas decorations. Unfortunately, vandalism was a big issue, with some people going as far as to breaking windows and doors and tearing apart the inside of the old hospital. At any given time, access to the hospital was easily obtained through one of these busted windows or doors.
With a change in local government came a change in how the property was maintained. No Trespassing signs flooded the property, and security cameras were installed. Those caught breaking in were punished, and the vandalism began to curb. Today, there are plans being implemented to turn the former hospital into a high-end hotel and resort facility. All that's quite fascinating...but what about this Bible?
The person who donated the Bible to the museum noted that it was found in an otherwise empty room. The rather large book was opened up to pages 666-667, and the pages were being held in place by a small angel figurine. Even creepier, the top of page 667 appeared to have been scorched! As a souvenir, our donor took the Bible home, and his friend took the angel.
In my investigation group, we didn't have too many rules, but one thing that was highly encouraged was leaving things alone. Ghost lore is filled with many tales illustrating the idea that taking an object from a haunted location is never a good idea. Unfortunately for this urban explorer, he would find that out the hard way.
Upon returning home, he put the Bible on his fireplace mantle. Within three days, the family cat died. His mother and pet dog became gravely ill. He heard his name being whispered, only to find no living person anywhere in ear shot. Things reached a spooky crescendo when three full-bodied shadow people were observed in the back yard.
Presumably, the streak of bad luck and paranormal activity ended when the Bible was donated to the museum. And if you're brave enough, YOU can visit this seemingly cursed holy book for yourself! The museum, which has recently expanded, can be found in Moundsville's Sanford Community Center, just a short drive from the WV State Penitentiary at Moundsville! The museum is a great deal at $3 per person, or $5 per couple and you could spend hours browsing just the collection itself. But, if you're a little more eager, there are investigation opportunities and paranormal conventions/events held throughout the year. Now...I wonder if anything similar ever happened with that angel figurine!
More Reading:
Archive of the Afterlife Website
Archive of the Afterlife Facebook
Excellent article by James E. Casto in the Herald Dispatch about the history of Morris Memorial
Theresa's Visit to the Archive of the Afterlife
No comments:
Post a Comment