Guinea Pigs, Not Ghosts

 

Source: Office of Laboratory Services

Back during the summer of 1937, children in Charleston's East End were convinced they had a haunted building in their neighborhood. While playing near the West Virginia Department of Health's laboratory building, located at the end of McClung Street, near the statehouse, the children heard terrifying noises. Emitting from the lab were "frightful squeals" and "awesome thumps." Further, the children noticed an eerie light that would turn itself off and on throughout the night. 

The kids eagerly told their parents all about these spooky goings-on, and to their credit, the concerned parents believed them, and sought answers as to who, or what, could be haunting the laboratory. And then, in stepped the voice of reason. Mrs. Katherine Cox, head of the laboratory, offered an explanation. The squeals were not squeals of tortured spirits---they were the squeals of guinea pigs. The weird thumping? That was the rabbits thumping their hind legs within their cages. But what about the light that turned itself on and off? Well, that was an incubator light that flashed in regular intervals. 

Both children and parents seemed appeased by this explanation, and the matter of a haunted health department was dropped. The health department, which was established in 1881 by an act of legislature, was housed at 1812 McClung St. from 1928 until 1954, with an adjoining seven-room residential home providing additional laboratory space, starting in 1936. Mrs. Katherine Cox was head of the laboratory from 1934 until 1940. It was under her directorship that the animals in question were probably used for both rabies and tuberculosis inoculation research. 

Today, the location of the former laboratory is a parking lot for state capitol employees. I have to wonder whether those leaving their cars in the lot ever hear an unexplained squeal or thump....and simply chalk it up to traffic noises coming from the nearby interstate.

Source: Office of Laboratory Services

Bluefield Daily Telegraph
24 August 1937

Charleston's Haunted East End

Charleston Ghost Tour Company FB Page

Last November, my husband and I moved into an apartment on Charleston's historic East End. My dad has worked and lived in the area for quite a few years now, and often tells me about the ghost stories and reports of hauntings HE has heard, many from some of the buildings where he works. Hell, we've even experienced a few unexplained things in our own apartment, including the sensation of being touched, and seeing a man standing in our hallway. So, when the Charleston Ghost Tour Company announced that it would be offering a Ghost Walk of the Historic East End as part of the annual Sternwheel Regatta festivities, I signed my husband and me up!

Despite living in the area, life has always seemed to get in the way, so this was only the third tour I've gotten to take with Charleston Ghost Tour Company---the first two being focused on downtown haunts. Those were awesome, but I REALLY enjoyed the East End tour as we meandered about this historic district, learning about the haunted history of my new home.

April and Scott start the tour

It was hotter than Hades as my husband and met the rest of the tour participants in front of the Governor's Mansion. We had signed up for the 9pm tour on June 30th (I had an investigation on the 1st!) hoping that the later time would be a little cooler. It wasn't, and the humidity was oppressive, but thankfully the tour was conducted at an easy walking pace with the opportunity to sit down in a few spots. 

As stated, we started off at the Governor's Mansion and learned why employees are no longer allowed to enter by themselves. I'd like to think that Governor Jim Justice is just terrified by the ghosts, and that's why he refuses to follow state protocol and actually LIVE there...but the Greenbriar also is said to have it's fair share of ghosts, so I guess he can't use that as an excuse!  Following the Governor's Mansion, we moved onto another building on the state capitol grounds, Holly Grove Mansion. Holly Grove is Charleston's oldest home, being built in 1815 by Daniel Ruffner. From the legends and lore, even during the Ruffner's tenure there, a servant had an unfortunate run-in with an alleged ghost...a run-in that would prove fatal. 

The Ruffner family, who at one point owned all the land in the current East End (and pretty much all of the land between Malden and the Elk River, too), would make a couple of appearances on this tour. We also made stops at Ruffner Park, which once served as the town's burial grounds, and where several members of the Ruffner Family are still said to be buried. Dogs tend to avoid this area (except for my beagle, who when we tried it, was far more fascinated by the squirrels and new places to pee, rather than any potential ghosts) and strange temperature fluctuations are common. 

Holly Grove Mansion

We also stopped at a private home along Kanawha Boulevard that also once belonged to Ruffner heirs. According to a famous psychic medium of the late 19th/early 20th century, this home was a portal to connecting with deceased Ruffner ancestors and she would occasionally hold seances there. A modern owner of the property also had some paranormal activity, and contributed the less-than-friendly atmosphere of the ghosts to him NOT being a Ruffner relative. 

Two more houses along the boulevard were near-identical copies of each other, or at least they were when they were built in 1923 by Albert Schwabe for his two daughters. The daughters, Claire and Hedwig, were giving matching EVERYTHING, and it is said that even in death, the two girls' spirits are still in the homes, copying each other. If one turns a light on, the other will turn a light on in the reciprocating room. This must be quite the spectacle for anyone happening to pass by at night, or watching from across the river.

Speaking of the river...

April Morgan, owner of the Charleston Ghost Tour Company was accompanied by Scott Worley of Beckley Ghosts, a tour company, offering tours in the southern part of the state. One of the stories Scott added to the tour was the tale of a strange giant leech creature that lived in the Kanawha River, luring people, especially small children, to their demise. That's a pretty horrific aquatic cryptid to lay claim to, but being the Kanawha River, nothing surprises me.

Capito Mansion

Another stop on the tour, and my favorite home we visited, was the Capito Mansion on Virginia Street. I drive by this location all the time on my way to my dad's place. Now, I'll make sure to slow down a little and try to catch a glimpse of either the shadow man, who struts across the front porch, still acting as a guard for Mr. Capito's perfectly legal wholesale liquor business *coughcough*, or the angelic image in the stained glass, depicting a woman who passed away while giving blood during the home's time as a Red Cross donation site. 

The evening was wrapped up back at the West Virginia State Capitol, which is full of enough legends and lore for its own tour, probably. Both guides shared some personal experiences from the building, and also shared some of the more famous tales, such as the Suicide Stain and the phantom maintenance man. Overall, I had a great time. It was certainly worth the $10 admission fee, and (mostly) worth the mini fibro flare up due to the heat and being so outta shape, lol. I had a great time learning more about the haunted history of the state's capital city and will be waiting patiently for more tours held during slightly cooler months!

Both the Charleston Ghost Tour Company and Haunted Beckley offer a variety of tours throughout the year, so please follow them both for more updates! 

Ending at the State Capitol