West Virginia Road Trip 2026: Part One

Every summer, my family and I like to spend a long weekend exploring all the strange and historic places West Virginia has to offer. Last year, we visited the Cass Scenic Railroad and the Greenbank Observatory, taking about a million little side quests along the way. This year, we decided to spend the weekend in Helvetia, the little Swiss mountain town in Randolph County, and hitting the Rail Explorers Lantern Tour on our way home. 

The weekend didn't go exactly as planned, but we had an awesome time full of even MORE side quests than last year's adventure. Join me for Part 1 of our epic West Virginia road trip!

After a sleepless night, we packed up the car on a Friday morning and left Hurricane pretty early, heading north up I-79. Our first stop was in Jane Lew for some breakfast. Whenever we travel, there's no chain restaurants for us. We like to experience locally owned places that we can't get back home. On this day, our choice was Lightburn's Family Diner. I knew we were in the right place when we walked in and there was a large group of older guys taking up the entire back dining room. 

Lightburn's Family Diner

We were warmly welcomed by staff and quickly served. I ordered the Monte Cristo and home fries. My son ordered the chicken and waffles but substituted pancakes for the waffles. Aaron also had the pancake breakfast. When I tell you those were the best home fries I've ever had, I'm not exaggerating. I don't know if it was the seasoning or the cut or a combination, but they were awesome. My sandwich was delicious, too. Aaron thoroughly enjoyed his meal, and I'm pretty sure my son's breakfast was his favorite part of the trip. I didn't realize he was such a foodie! 

Not only was the food tasty, but the portions were huge. With full bellies--maybe too full--we continued on our journey. Since we were served so quickly, we had a few extra minutes to explore the town of Jane Lew. I'm embarrassed to admit that I had never really been to downtown Jane Lew before, nor did I realize how historic the little town was. I just thought it was a motel and gas station off the interstate. 

Monte Cristo

Jane Lew only covers .25 square miles, but its history goes all the way back to 1835 when U.S. Congressman Lewis Maxwell mapped out the town. However, it wouldn't be incorporated until May 27, 1907. The name is a tribute to Maxwell's mother, Jane Lewis. One of the town's most famous citizens was General Joseph Andrew Jackson Lightburn, who served with the Union during the Civil War and returned to the area afterwards to preach. 

Although there was more to see, we literally only had a few minutes to snap some pictures downtown. I was bummed to see that the local museum, known as the Old Harness Shop, was not open to the public that day. This would be a trend on this trip, but more on that later. Our goal was to make it to Weston by 11 am so that we could purchase our tickets and look around a little before the 12pm Paranormal Daytime Tour at the iconic Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. 

Jane Lew Town Hall

I had been a little nervous on the short drive between Jane Lew and Weston. That area of the state had recently suffered some major flood damage, and I was concerned that it would affect our tour. Fortunately, the asylum had received minimal damage, which was cleaned up by the time we arrived. It's always a surreal experience to pull into town and see the hospital looming in the distance. It's even wilder to make the drive through the gate, realizing that for many, that same drive meant months or even years of misery. Too many would never make the drive out while alive. And some would never truly leave. 

That's why we were there. I've been on the overnight public investigations. As a family, we've taken the historical daytime tours. This time, we were combining the history with the paranormal for a daytime paranormal tour. I had wanted to take this tour LAST year when we made a quick stop at TALA on our way to Cass, but I was afraid my body couldn't handle it. 

Hydrotherapy

I guess we probably should have looked at the website a little closer, because the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum opened its doors at 11:30am, NOT 11 like we thought. So, we filled out our waivers online, took some outdoor photos, and waited patiently for the doors to open.

The cost of your tour ticket also includes access to the extensive museum on the first floor. Over the years, we have watched these museum exhibits expand to really become an unrivaled resource into the history of mental health. While such a topic will always be controversial when it comes to exploitation vs. education, I truly believe that TALA does a wonderful job. The history of mental illness and its treatments aren't sugar coated. Patients are remembered with dignity. You could spend hours and not truly see all the exhibits. But, we saw a lot of it!

TALA Ward

We browsed the museum for a bit before our tour started. It started right on time and was led by Kaylee, who was an awesome tour guide. She was knowledgeable and personable and a wonderful storyteller. As a paranormal investigator and tour guide, she has had plenty of experiences herself, and noted that activity could happen any time. In fact, there had been plenty of guests on daytime tours that have had experiences.

The tour lasted 90 minutes and covered all four floors. Therefore, we got a sampling of the most famous ghosts of the asylum, but unfortunately, there wasn't a lot of time to really get too in-depth. Still, it was a good introduction. I don't want to give too many spoilers, but we heard the stories about Jane Harvey, Lily, Dean Metheny, Frank and Larry, and others. We walked outside and briefly talked about the infamous grotesques and some of the hauntings associated with the other buildings on the property.

Dean's Room

On some floors, we were given a few extra minutes to roam around on our own, which was an especially nice bonus. We got TONS of pictures (you can find them on my Theresa's Haunted History FB page). On several occasions, I'm pretty sure I saw someone or something shadowy darting in and out of rooms. The best part was that my son was super interested and has requested that I bring him back for an overnight investigation! 

Visiting the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum is always an emotional experience for me. I had one aunt who worked there as a hairdresser. I also had a great-aunt who was a patient multiple times and even received electroshock therapy. Dealing with my own issues with severe depression and anxiety, I realize that if I was born a few decades earlier, I would have likely been a patient there myself. The whole place is more than just a haunted building to me. Obviously, I love the haunted history, but I'm so glad we have this preserved building and a whole team of professionals dedicated to keeping its story alive so that we never make the same mistakes again. 

Stay tuned for Part 2 when I cover the rest of Day 1 of our epic West Virginia Road Trip! 

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!

Theresa Travels...to Helvetia, WV for Fasnacht 2024!

I have always wanted to attend Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Heck, I just always wanted to visit New Orleans at any time of the year, as it was a Bucket List item for me. I was able to finally cross that one off  late last year. And, while we do plan on returning to the Crescent City at some point, it was a little too soon to go back for Mardi Gras. So, I compromised...and managed to knock ANOTHER Bucket List item off in the process: Fasnacht in Helvetia, WV!

Helvetia is a really unique little community nestled in the mountains of Randolph County. It was founded in 1869 by a group of Swiss/German immigrants. These immigrants, part of a society called the Grütliverein, were living in Brooklyn, NY after the Civil War and had made a decision to move together to a new part of the country when the time was right.  

When a newspaper notice advertising cheap plots of land in the newly formed state of West Virginia popped up on their radar, a committee of men boarded a train and headed down south to explore. The train could only take them as far as Clarksburg.  However, the extremely cheap price of the land won over the extreme ruggedness and isolation of the plot, and by 1871, 32 people called Helvetia home.  

 While the town was a busy and fairly prosperous little hamlet, it never reached a population of much over 300 people. And, well into the 21st century, it remains an extremely isolated community. That isolation has had some interesting advantages, however. It has allowed the community to largely preserve much of its Swiss and German heritage. One such tradition it has managed to keep alive is a pre-Lenten celebration, similar to Mardi Gras, called Fasnacht!

Fasnacht is quite the fun and unique little festival. It is a both a celebration with fatty foods, lively music, and good-old fashioned partying (with lots of alcohol, we observed, lol) before Lent begins, as well as a farewell to Old Man Winter, as participants don homemade masks to scare him away, and then burn his effigy in a massive bonfire. 

Old Man Winter
awaits his fate.

That's a pretty wild ride, especially for such a small, isolated mountain community. But, for at least one day...the Saturday before Ash Wednesday...that little town isn't so isolated. In fact, the number of people descending upon Helvetia to help celebrate Fasnacht is well over the town's peak population of 300+.  The push to bring in outside tourism to Fasnacht dates back to the 1960's, but definitely had a surge when Fallout 76 came out, actually featuring the festival in the game. 

 For Fasnacht 2024, we managed to buy our tickets online just hours before the pre-sale tickets sold out. A set number of pre-sale tickets are sold online, followed by a limited amount of tickets that are sold day-of. However, what is important to note, is that buying a ticket/wristband only means that you get a free little baked good, and entry to certain buildings. Most activities and even entry to different buildings were free and open to the public. 

Mari Llywd!

The festival officially began at 3:00pm, but my husband wanted to sleep in, so we didn't arrive in town until about 2 pm. That was a big mistake, as everyone else wanted to get their early, and with good reason. We had to park about 3/4 of mile outside of town on the side of the road. By the time we walked into town, I was in so much pain that I really couldn't do much more that day. It didn't help that it was SOOO crowded. Don't get me wrong, I am so happy that people from all over the United States and beyond appreciate our West Virginia history and culture. I'm sure it's a great economic boom to the people in the area, and overall, it is just a really fun time. But, we couldn't really do much. We couldn't get a good look at the museum, store, or archives because it was just shoulder to shoulder people, many of whom were really invested in getting their own pictures and video. I wanted to take the historic walking tour, but again, I was in so much pain by that point, I couldn't. 

I held out, though, because I really wanted to see the masks and the Lampion Parade, and the Burning of Old Man Winter. When it was time for the mask judging, everyone was supposed to circle out, but people jumped directly in front of us, so I couldn't see anything. We did get a nice view of part of the Lampion Parade, but again, someone jumped directly in front of me, blocking my view. So, we decided to just hop on into the parade and head down to the community center where the bonfire was set up. We didn't make it halfway there before we heard the cheering and yelling, denoting that they had already thrown Old Man Winter onto the fire. As we arrived, people were shoulder to shoulder all across the roadway. I could see the top of the fire, but that was it. Since it was so crowded, and I was tired, we just went home without staying for the dance. 

I can't say I had a bad time, but I just didn't have a GOOD time, either. We should have gotten there earlier, and it was no one's fault but my own that I was in so much pain that day. I will say, however, that one could easily tell who was a local and who was not. I won't go as far as to say that anyone was maliciously rude, but there certainly were more than a few young out-of-staters who had too much to drink and thought it would be cool to pretend to be a hillbilly for a day. 

It was fun, however, seeing all the artistry involved. There were some fantastic homemade masks and costumes. Lots of West Virginia monsters were represented, as well as plenty of Fallout 76 inspired masks. There was even a guy dressed up as the Welsh Mari Llywd.  The music was fun to listen to, and it was just really awesome to see the town itself, much of it unchanged in over 100 years. When it comes down to it, I'm glad I checked this celebration off the Bucket List...but it will probably be the last Fasnacht that I celebrate in Helvetia. I would, however, like to visit the town during any other time of year, so that I can get a good look at everything, explore at my own pace, and have dinner at the Hutte House restaurant! However, if I would go back....

Lampion Parade

Things I'd Do Differently:

1. I'd absolutely take the time to create a mask. I just didn't have the energy this year, but it was so fun seeing everyone else's creation that I'll definitely make it a priority next time to join in.

2. Get there EARLY...like super early. I cannot physically go through that parking situation again, plus, I'd like to get a chance to eat at the Hutte House.

3. NOT buy a wristband, especially in advance. The wristband was required to enter certain buildings, but during the day, no one was checking, and we didn't stay around for the dance at the community center, so it really didn't do us any good. 

4. Run down to the community center BEFORE the parade. We totally missed the burning of Old Man Winter because we were in the back of the parade. When we did arrive, we couldn't get anywhere near the fire pit anyway. 

To learn more about Helvetia and Fasnacht:

Official Town Website

Wikipedia

Helvetia: The Swiss of West Virginia, a video by the Augusta Heritage Center

Theresa's Travels: Sutton, WV 2023

On Wednesday, February 15th, my husband and I had to make a trip to Elkins for family business. It's been a hot minute since I've found myself headed north up Interstate 79, so I insisted that we make a quick stop in one of my favorite unique, spooky lil' WV towns---Sutton!

Located in Braxton County, right in the center of the state, Sutton is quickly becoming the paranormal heart of the Mountain State. It's home to one of SRI's top haunted locations (The Haunted Haymond House), as well as the haunted Elk Hostel, which I hope we'll get to explore one day soon. It's also home to not one, but TWO really cool museums featuring the paranormal: The Flatwoods Monsters Museum and the West Virginia Bigfoot Museum. These two museums were the focus of our little impromptu stop. 

Up first was the Flatwoods Monster Museum to browse around and check out any new acquisitions. As many times as I've been there, it seems like there's always something new and interesting to see and discover. I think my favorite exhibit is still the original mold and information on the creation of the Flatwoods Monster lanterns. There's a great little documentary about the lanterns which you can watch HERE, as well as a little How It's Made clip on the actual process. The How It's Made clip was actually playing on the museum's television while we were there, much to my husband's delight. He's a sucker for that kinda thing. Luckily, I already own a lantern, or else I think we would have been walking out of there with another one that day. This visit was actually only my husband's second visit to the museum. Although he supports my weirdness, he's just not as in to the spooky stuff as I am, so I'm thrilled whenever he finds something (like the lantern making process) that he finds especially interesting and can enjoy.

I also love seeing the reactions of other visitors, especially those who have never been there before, as they experience the story of the Flatwoods Monster for themselves through an awesome collection of memorabilia related to the sighting, as well as depictions of the creature in art and in pop culture. Even on a Wednesday afternoon, there were a good number of visitors there that day, which warms my heart!

It was also a pleasure getting to chat with the curator of the museum, Andrew Smith, who has worked tirelessly and has done so much in promoting and sharing the story of the Flatwoods Monster, as well as the history of the area as a whole. If you're new to the area or unfamiliar with the Flatwoods Monster incident of 1952, Andrew is your go-to guy. He's a wealth of information, and has always been super accommodating to the countless bloggers, vloggers, podcasters, etc. that are eager to showcase Braxxie and the Flatwoods Monster Museum. 

Including all the wonderful displays, articles/print media, videos, and chatting, you could easily spend a couple hours just in the Flatwoods Monster Museum alone. Unfortunately, we did have to be in Elkins at a certain time, and had another stop we wanted to make. But, I couldn't leave without adding a new Braxxie t-shirt to my wardrobe and picking up some postcards. 

Upon leaving the Flatwoods Monster Museum, it was a beautifully warm and sunny day, so we made the short walk a block or so down to the Mountain Laurel Country Store, home to the West Virginia Bigfoot Museum.  The store itself is a cute little shop full of handmade and unique gift items, jewelry, books, primitives, home goods, and more. They've also recently added a little cafe-type area, called Main Street Coffee, serving coffee, sandwiches, and other goodies. We looked around a bit, and I got a bit sad, thinking about how much my mom would have loved this shop, but never got the chance to visit. 

Anyway, the shop is great, but I was ready for the main attraction: The WV Bigfoot Museum! The Flatwoods/Sutton area has a long history of Bigfoot sightings, beginning as early as 1919 and continuing to this day, largely around Sutton Lake. So, this is the perfect spot for a museum dedicated to our Appalachian hairy man. 

The museum showcases an impressive collection of plaster casts made throughout WV and beyond, information on sightings around the state (largely collected and researched by the awesome Les O'Dell of WV Cryptids and Strange Encounters), and a general overview of the Bigfoot phenomenon, with some Yeti information as well. There's also wood carvings, wall murals featuring hidden Bigfoots, and an EXTENSIVE gift shop, where you can pick up books, toys, novelties, clothing/accessories, and seriously...anything you can think of Bigfoot-related. Again, I couldn't leave without adding a new book by Doug Waller to my library and a few Bigfoot stickers. 

As with the Flatwoods Monster Museum, it was a pleasure having a nice lil' chat with the owner. Every time I've visited, she has been so sweet and welcoming, making sure that everyone who steps foot through the door feels at home and enjoys the museum experience. This was my husband's first visit to the Bigfoot Museum, and again, even though he's not super into the strange and unusual side of history, he really enjoyed the novelty of the experience. I also think he was a little shocked that in one little West Virginia town, we had stopped at a museum dedicated to arguably the weirdest and wildest UFO/monster cases in the WORLD, then made a two minute walk to another museum, this one dedicated to arguably the most famous cryptid in the world. 

I'd bet a lot of people feel that way, but I'm thrilled! As a whole, West Virginia is such a cool place to explore, especially for anyone interested in the paranormal, be it ghosts/hauntings, UFOs, or cryptozoology. As more and more locations around the state open up, catering to WV's weird history, it's wonderful to see downtown Sutton becoming a premier mecca for those wanting a truly unique tourist experience. I could have stayed in the area a week or more, checking out all the cool stuff to see and do, but alas, we had to get back on the road. But, not before grabbing a late lunch!

Normally a trip to the Sutton/Flatwoods area means a trip to The Spot, a cute little restaurant in Flatwoods, located close to the original 1952 sighting of the Flatwoods Monster. You can grab a sandwich, chicken strips, calzone, hot dog, ice cream, etc, many with fun, monster-themed names. You can also pick up some souvenirs, take advantage of some neat photo ops, and of course, visit one of the five monster chairs located just across the road from the restaurant. I highly recommend adding a stop at The Spot to your Sutton/Flatwoods itinerary. But, as we were walking back to the car, discussing exactly what to do about food, we passed by a new-to-me business and noticed it was open. A split decision later, and we were seated at a table in the Bad Axe Bistro!

The Bad Axe Bistro is open for lunch and dinner, serving up a variety of sandwiches and appetizers during the lunch hour, and a more extensive menu for dinner. They also offer lanes for axe throwing, which we didn't take advantage of on this trip, but definitely next time!

My husband and I both had a grilled chicken sandwich and fries, and ordered the Bad Axe spiral loaded potato for an appetizer. The restaurant was clean, the service was great, and the food came out quickly. I really enjoyed my chicken sandwich, but my favorite was absolutely the appetizer. It was a spiral-cut potato on a stick, smothered in cheese and bacon and served on a wooden skewer. I love an opportunity to support small, local businesses and am happy to have another restaurant, located right in town, to add to my food options for when I'm in town. 

By the time we paid the check, we really did have to get back on the road, so I had to say goodbye to Sutton. Fortunately, I'll be back again! SRI is planning an event at the Haunted Haymond House for April, so make sure you follow our page for information on that as it comes available. I'll also be sure to visit for two upcoming festivals, showcasing the area's strange history!  The West Virginia Bigfoot Festival will be held in Sutton June 23-24, 2023 and the Flatwoods Monster Convention will be held in Flatwoods on September 9th, 2023. 

I hope you get the chance to visit the Flatwoods Monster Museum and/or WV Bigfoot Museum soon! If you do, tell 'em that Theresa's Haunted History sent ya! And until then, follow me over on Facebook for MORE pictures of my trip to Sutton, as well as my other paranormal adventures around West Virginia and beyond. Stay spooky, ya'll. 

Theresa's Travels: Williamson, WV and the Coal House

Last month, the Spectral Research and Investigation team made our third trip to Williamson, WV. Our goal was to once again explore the mysteries of the former Williamson Memorial Hospital, now known on the paranormal circuit as The Old Hospital on College Hill! The Old Hospital on College Hill is an awesome location, full of history and hauntings, and I often tell people that it is quickly becoming one of those super-sites when it comes to paranormal destinations! In addition to offering private investigation opportunities for a VERY reasonable fee, the Old Hospital routinely offers a variety of fun and spooky public events throughout the year! Starting as a Halloween haunted house attraction, under its current ownership, the hospital now offers public investigations/tours, horror-themed weddings with actual horror celebrities, spooky holiday dinners, escape rooms, and much, much more! 

The Old Hospital on College Hill is quickly becoming one of MY favorite haunted locations. Each time we've been there it has been an excellent experience all-around. The owners, Tonya and Charlie, are so welcoming and accommodating. They really go out of their way to make sure that you feel comfortable and have everything you need...including a most awesome addition of indoor plumbing! Yes, you heard that right! No more port-a-potties...there are two very clean, well-stocked, and comfortable bathrooms now located on the first floor.  

We've also had plenty of really strange experiences that we cannot debunk, including two of our members seeing a creepy, pinkish-orangish FACE peek around the corner at them. I've personally had sightings of a little shadow figure with white eyes, heard a lady's voice humming, heard a child crying for her daddy, and have had some full-on two-way conversations via various spirit box/Ovilus technology. But...those blogs are for another day. I've already written a little about the Old Hospital on College Hill (The Nurse Who Never Clocked Out and The Haunting of Mose Blackburn) and I'll be writing even MORE about some of the stories and our investigative experiences in the near future...but for today's blog, I wanted to highlight some other areas of my latest trip!

As the Old Hospital on College Hill continues to grow into a premier paranormal destination, more and more people will find themselves making the pilgrimage to the small, southern WV town. And those people will need to eat, fuel up the car, and possibly spend the night off-site. They'll want to see the sights, both those of historic interest as well as additional paranormal hot-spots, and they may even wanna purchase a few locally made crafts and souvenirs! 

On this most recent trip to Williamson, I got to town pretty early---early enough to make a stop at the famed Coal House! Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Coal House is home to the Tug Valley Chamber of Commerce and is an excellent little place to pick up some books or postcards featuring local history, handmade craft items from West Virginia artisans, t-shirts, and much more. It's also a great place to pick up some information on what else there is to see and do around Williamson. Whether you're looking for some outdoor adventures on the Hatfield and McCoy trails, wanting to travel back in time to the historic Matewan Massacre, or simply need some suggestions for where to eat (Starters on E. 2nd Ave is a great place that's open later) and stay while you're in town, the staff at the Coal House can give you a hand! 

The Coal House itself, however, is a tourist destination all on its own. Located right in downtown Williamson, the Coal House is made up of 65 tons of bituminous coal. The idea originated in 1931 when O.W. Evans, manager of the Norfolk & Western Railroad's fuel department conceived the concept of a structure built entirely of coal as a way of symbolizing Williamson's contribution to the coal industry.

The Coal House was constructed in 1933, designed by Welch, WV architect, H.T. Hicks. Construction was supervised by Williamson resident, David M. Goode. For over 2 decades, it stood as the only structure in West Virginia to be made out of coal, and today is still only one of two such buildings. Historical signage and beautiful landscaping frame the exterior of the Coal House, while the inside wood paneling gives the little shop a comfortable, homey feel. It's just a really cool place to see, and its filled with fun things to take home to yourself or give as gifts. Unfortunately, the Coal House's hours tend to be short. According to their website, they are open Tuesday-Friday 10am to 2pm and Saturday 9am to 1pm. When I visited, it was a weekday, and they were closing at 4pm...so just give them a call or check them out on Facebook to make sure they'll be open when you're in town. But, even if they're closed, it's still a cool, easily accessible spot to take some pictures, read the outdoor signs, then walk around the historic downtown Williamson area. Plus, the website offers an on-line shop, so you can still pick out your favorite local goodies! 

I'm really glad I was able to finally see the Coal House for myself after hearing about it for years. I picked up some postcards and a book about Williamson history and had a nice chat with the staff member working that day. It might seem like there's not a WHOLE lot to do around Williamson, but I'm quickly discovering that there may be too much to do. There's a lot of history packed into this southern corner of West Virginia, but it's a place that I never really made plans to visit before The Old Hospital on College Hill came on the scene. Spectral Research and Investigation has now completed three investigations of the OHOCH, and each time we're in town, we try to eat locally, check out area businesses, and of course, take a peek at other sites of haunted and historical interest, including the nearby Dingess Tunnel. The Tug Valley Area CVB has a section of their website dedicated to area hauntings, so definitely check that out, and make a little time to explore Williamson and surrounding areas. 

The Old Hospital on College Hill is a wonderful location, full of activity and very accessible to the serious paranormal investigator, or just someone wanting a fun, spooky night out. It's a great destination all on its own, but it has given me the opportunity to get to know the town better. It has inspired me to check out what else is in the area, and every trip to the old hospital gives me another chance to see something new. 

Theresa and JR Visit Pt. Pleasant!

As difficult as my October proved to be, I still tried to have as much fun and cram in as many Halloween and spooky events as possible, and I think I did okay!  I never get to do everything that I want around the Halloween season, as there is just so much to do and I'm usually so busy...this year more than ever.  But, as long as I get in a few events and try something new, I'm happy!  October 2019 was a somewhat special year for me as it was mine and my husband's first October together as a married couple.  He really got a dose of my Halloween and spooky obsessions!  Earlier in the month, I took him to his first visit to the Flatwoods Monster Museum in Sutton.  A couple of weeks later, we took a spur of the moment trip to Point Pleasant----home of the Mothman!

Same as with the Flatwoods Monster Museum, JR had never been to the Mothman Museum, seen the Mothman statue, or visited the notorious TNT bunker area!  I was determined that a sunny, temperate afternoon to ourselves was the perfect time to remedy that.  We had eaten a late lunch at Steak N Shake in Barboursville, so we hopped on over to Route 2 for a scenic drive into Pt. Pleasant. 

I love seeing people experience things for the first time, which is one reason why I LOVE blogging about my son's haunted travels with me.  It's the same way with my husband. Before meeting me, he wasn't really into ghosts, cryptids, and all things spooky.  However, he is a wonderful husband, and is always willing to indulge me of my interests.  As an added bonus, I think my ghostly tastes are starting to rub off on him a little...

Now, I have been to the wonderful Mothman Museum many times, but I still enjoy seeing the new stuff, reading the articles, and browsing around the gift shop For a relatively small space, there's a LOT to see and do.  I was thrilled that JR seemed so impressed with the museum, especially the movie props. He asked me a ton of questions, which I was happy to answer and eagerly took in all that the museum had to offer.  I'm pretty sure he even went straight to Reddit with his newfound knowledge of one of West Virginia's most unique museums.  My favorite part, however, was snuggling up in the Harris' Steakhouse Diner room, watching part of a Mothman documentary together.  I almost didn't want to leave, but I wanted to make sure that he experienced ALL the Mothman goodness in Pt. Pleasant!

Obviously, that included the requisite photos with the Mothman statue.  Of course, I being the 10 year old boy that I am, made sure that JR got to see back side of the statue, featuring a well-formed metal buttocks!  He was bemused, but not nearly as delighted as I always am at Mothman's rump. He was, however, much more interested in the TNT area.

The weather was perfect for the walk out to the open igloos of the TNT area, once believed to be Mothman's stomping grounds. JR probably thought I was taking him out in the woods to kill him, especially as I led him through a thicket of branches and vines and past a heavy metal door into darkness.  As our eyes adjusted, I couldn't help but sneak in a kiss, because you know...there's no place more romantic than the TNT igloos, lol.  We talked about the graffiti on the walls, how the TNT area was significant to the Mothman story, took some pictures, and played with the unique acoustics of the igloo.  Again, I almost didn't want to leave.  Sharing one of my favorite spooky locations and my passion for the paranormal for the first time with the person I love is a memory I want to live on as long as the story of Mothman himself!

Theresa and JR Visit The Flatwoods Monster Museum!

If you follow Theresa's Haunted History of the Tri-State regularly, you probably saw where, once again, I signed up for the Ultimate Blog Challenge!  And, once again, I failed miserably before I really even got started.  I had full intentions of bringing you a NEW, exciting paranormal blog EVERY DAY for the month of October, along with daily topics on Facebook.  Unfortunately, life got in the way.  My mother-in-law had a medical emergency and has been hospitalized for the last week.  So, we've been dealing with that, and I've been away from my laptop quite a bit.

Things are starting to settle back down a little bit, so I'm trying to get back on track, and filling in with a few 'bonus blogs' to make up for the days I missed.  And today's bonus blog is another installment of Theresa's Travels!

Now, I've been married since March.  My husband grew up in a very religious family and just never cultivated an interest in the paranormal.  Luckily, he loves me and generally tries to show an interest in my passions.  But, despite the fact that he lives in Grafton and we travel past the area frequently, he had NEVER been to the Flatwoods Monster Museum in Braxton County!

So, on Tuesday we were making the drive back up I-79 after visiting my mom in Winfield and I made an impromptu decision.  TODAY was gonna be the day that shared this really cool piece of West Virginia's strange history with the man I love.  He was a little hesitant at first, but that quickly changed!

After having a nice little chat with Andrew Smith who runs the museum, JR and I perused the collection.  I think he was able to walk away with a better understanding of the Flatwoods Monster story, and asked me plenty of questions afterward.  My heart melted to see him take a bunch of photos, which he promptly shared on Reddit, lol.  I think he was most pleased with his shiny new Mothman/Flatwoods Monster pressed penny that I made for him! 

It was a really brief trip, as we had to get back to the hospital to see his mom, but it was the perfect little stop.  I love the Flatwoods Monster Museum and have been multiple times over the past couple of years, but it was really special to share that with my husband.  I think the Flatwoods Monster kind of holds a special place in our relationship since I inadvertently ended up wearing a Flatwoods Monster t-shirt to my own wedding! But, the Flatwoods Monster is also special in that it is such a fascinating example of West Virginia's weird history.  Andrew does such an awesome job running the museum and promoting the Flatwoods Monster that this once-obscure little story has really turned into an entity known all over the world.  If you find yourself cruising up Interstate 79, take a quick detour and see this unique tourist spot...admission to the museum is free, a variety of affordable souvenirs are available, and the place is chock full of photos, documents, memorabilia, and much more related to one of West Virginia's favorite monsters! 

Follow the Flatwoods Monster Museum on Facebook to stay up to date on information concerning the monster and upcoming events at the museum!  Author Sherri Brake will be on-site October 26th!

The Flatwoods Monster Museum's Bazaare!

What's a Bazaare? Bazaare = Bazaar + Bizarre, and its what happens when you bring together a bunch of paranormal authors and researchers specializing in UFOlogy and cryptozoology for a FREE meet and greet event and merch sale!  The Bazaare was put on by the Flatwoods Monster Museum, and was another great opportunity to bring attention to the Flatwoods Green Monster as well as the paranormal field in general.  It was also a great way to bring paranormal enthusiasts and others to the Sutton/Flatwoods area for an up-close look at the little town that made history in 1952.

After Luke's jiu-jitsu class, we jumped into the Jeep and made the journey north to Braxton County.  The last time Aaron and I were in Braxton County, we visited the Flatwoods Monster Museum, took pictures with all 5 of the Monster Chairs, and concluded the evening with the world premier showing of Small Town Monsters' movie, The Flatwoods Monster: A Legacy of Fear.  It was a lot of fun, but we didn't have Luke with us!  We thought the Bazaare would be a great opportunity to introduce him to the legends and lore of the Flatwoods Monster without him getting bored and cranky, lol.

We were right!  The event ran from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and we arrived around 12:30 p.m. with things already in full swing.  The center floor of the museum was set up with several large tables packed with merchandise from Seth Breedlove, Stan Gordon, Dave Spinks, George Dudding, Eric Altman and Les O'Dell from WV Cryptids and Strange Encounters.  Each featured guest was available and eager to chat with---sharing their knowledge and hearing visitor stories.  

Paranormal investigator, Dave Spinks was there with his new book, West Virginia Bigfoot.  I had to pick up a signed copy for myself and have a quick talk with Dave, who is a really nice and genuine kinda guy.  George Dudding was there with his wide array of books on all things spooky in West Virginia, and Stan Gordon had some of his work available as well.  Seth Breedlove was selling DVDs of his Small Town Monsters productions, including his Flatwoods movie.  Luke, however, was more interested in his movie on the Beast of Bray Road, lol.  Funny side note:  When Luke was about 3 years old, we took him to the French Creek Wildlife Center.  We were both fascinated by the wolves---lying in the sun they just looked like a cute, happy domestic dog.  However, when they stood up and walked, there was something powerful and a little creepy about their movements.  Later on, when we asked Luke what his favorite animal was that he saw that day, he replied with, 'the werewolves.' For YEARS after that, whenever you'd ask him what his favorite animal was, he'd say it was a werewolf. 

Anyway, Eric Altman, who is a Bigfoot researcher, was also in attendance with some cool merch and information. Les from WV Cryptids and Strange Encounters was there as well, and its always a pleasure to see him and talk with him about his current research.  We first met Les at the museum back in April, so it was fitting that we got to go see him again at the museum.  He even had a really awesome gift for me:  an Ouija t-shirt that he made!  Speaking of the museum, it was up and running as usual during the event and the staff was awesome as usual---very friendly, chatty, knowledgeable and helpful.  Luke had a fun time checking out the displays, and it always amazes me how interested he actually is in this stuff, asking follow-up questions and talking about what he saw for days afterwards.  We bought some really cool souvenirs, some for us and some to send to friends in Australia, including postcards, magnets, and guitar picks.  Luke was thrilled to see the pressed penny machine, as he absolutely loves those things and honestly, there were some really cool designs!

We wrapped up our visit to the museum, but we weren't done with Braxton County yet! We had planned on grabbing lunch and then starting the journey to photograph all five of the Monster Chairs. We wanted to take Luke to The Spot, the little restaurant decorated with monster memorabilia and featuring menu items named after various creatures.  Unfortunately, The Spot was closed for the season!  That was a huge disappointment, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise.  Not only does it give us an excuse (as if we needed one!) to return in the Spring/Summer, but it led Luke to the finest dessert known to man.  We ended up having lunch at Shoney's, which was actually sort of a treat since most of the Shoney's restaurants around us have closed.  The meal was good, but Luke and Aaron decided to order the chocolate cake/sundae monstrosity you'll see in the photo.  I'm pretty sure my son now has diabetes, but it was sweet to see him so excited about a dessert and hear Aaron share his childhood memories about eating the same thing.  I'm pretty sure that made the whole trip worth it---at least to Luke!  But, we still had the chairs to conquer!

Since Aaron and I had found all five chairs back in April, we had no problems quickly locating the first four in the series.  Luke wasn't all that into it at first, but by the time we pulled up to the park for the third chair, he was excited.  Unfortunately, as we pulled into the Gassaway Dairy Queen for the last stop on our trip, we noticed a spot of dead grass, tons of No Trespassing signs, and NO CHAIR. What the hell?  We couldn't find any information online, so we drove around Gassaway a little bit to see if it had been moved.  We finally pulled into the drive-thru at Dairy Queen and asked the employee what was going on.  He told us that the property the chair sat on had been recently sold to a private buyer and the chair removed. He didn't know where it had been taken or if there were plans to reinstall it.  If you have any information, please let me know what's going on!

It was a disappointing way to end the day, but we had fun, nonetheless! As my son is getting older, he's getting more into West Virginia's monsters and the paranormal side of our state's history.  It's quite rewarding to have the opportunity to share stuff like this with him, and see his reaction.  And I gotta say, we are so lucky to live in an area that is embracing this spooky history more and more.  The Flatwoods Museum does such a great job in preserving and sharing information on the Flatwoods Monster.  This Bazarre was just one more way to bring awareness, have fun, and get people excited about an interesting piece of our state's history.  Please visit the links to the guests' websites/social media and show them some love...and be sure to check out the Flatwoods Monster Museum's page as well for updates on upcoming events and information on everything you've ever wanted to know about the Flatwoods/Braxton County/Green Monster! 

Theresa Travels to Pt. Pleasant (November 2018)

The Nina and the Pinta

This past weekend, my family and I made plans to visit Gallipolis, Ohio.  Our destination was the riverfront, where we would once again experience The Nina and The Pinta, two recreations of Christopher Columbus' famous ships.  We're kind of like Columbus Groupies...not that we support, you know, the genocide and stuff...but we enjoy history and we enjoy boats.  We've seen the Columbus Foundation's historically accurate replica ships in both Charleston, WV and Ashland, KY and now we can add Gallipolis, OH to our list!  It was really fun, and Luke was finally old enough this year to actually learn and retain some interesting information.  If you get a chance to see these boats in person, I highly recommend doing so!  They tour 11 months out of the year, and make it into our region about every 1-2 years. Anyway, we also got a quick glimpse of the quaint, historic little town of Gallipolis, which was founded in 1790 as a colony of French citizens.  There are a lot of cool places of historical (and even spooky!) interest in town, such as the haunted Our House Museum.  But, being late autumn and on a Sunday, there wasn't a whole lot open...so we headed across the bridge and into Pt. Pleasant, West Virginia.

Ever since my son was little, he has called Pt. Pleasant 'Mothman City.' Obviously, Pt. Pleasant was home to the original 1966-1967 Mothman/UFO flap and is now home to the world's only Mothman Museum, the annual Mothman Festival, and of course, the world-famous Mothman Statue! Since the anniversary of the original sightings is coming up later this month, it seemed fitting that we spend a few hours in one of our favorite little towns. 

Living only about a half hour to 45 minutes away from Pt. Pleasant my entire life, I've been there quite a few times.  I think, though, that being so close, I've taken the area for granted a bit.  It really is a fun little town to spend some time and learn all about West Virginia's most famous mysterious monster.  Our first stop was to the Mothman Museum.

Now, I love everything about the annual Mothman Festival, but during the festival I never get a chance to visit the actual museum.  It is just way too crowded.  And honestly, I had only planned on making a stop into the gift shop during this trip, as I have been to the museum before so, so many times.  However, my son, Luke, really wanted to go into the museum and since admission was cheap, we went for it.  I am SO glad we did.  There is so much stuff to look at in the Mothman Museum that you could spend hours in there and not see every single thing, and every time we go back, there's been something new added or we see something we missed on the previous trip.  There are props, photos and memorabilia from the movie, The Mothman Prophecies.  There are hand-written eye-witness accounts.  There are newspaper clippings, information about the history of the TNT area, costumes and artwork, books and rare documents.  There is even a small 'theater' playing Mothman documentaries. 

Luke is finally at an age where he's getting more into stuff like this.  He wanted to watch a bit of the documentary, and even took the time to read several newspaper articles.  When we asked him questions about what he thought the Mothman was and whether or not it was good or bad, he replied with thoughtful, knowledgeable answers.  As a mom and a lover of all things paranormal, I had never been happier!  After purchasing some souvenirs from the gift shop, we made the mandatory photo stop at the Mothman Statue.  One day, I want to put together a flip book of Luke's Mothman statue photos over the years, starting with one of the pictures of me pregnant with him, standing in front of the iconic silver creature with the glowing red eyes!

After a quick lunch, we rounded out our little afternoon with a trip to the TNT area bunkers.  It had been a long time since we had taken Luke out to see the bunkers and with it being a warm day and the thick foliage starting to die down, we thought this would be the perfect opportunity.  As we entered the first bunker, Luke was VERY hesitant.  In fact, he was close to tears.  He absolutely refused to go any further than the doorway.  So, Aaron and I walked around a bit and took some photos of the newest graffiti.  We had planned on only visiting the first open bunker on the trail, but Luke insisted that we go a little further down to the next open bunker.  I'm not sure what changed, but he found his courage, and proudly marched right into the center of the bunker, experimented with the strange acoustics of the structure, and laughed at a spray-painted penis drawn on the floor.  It was really special seeing him conquer his fear and hear his theories as to whether or not the Mothman actually camped out in these strange, concrete igloos.

We had to pass the first bunker on our way back to the car, and Luke decided that he would go ahead and go into this one as well now, which he bravely did!  Even on a Sunday afternoon with other people in the area, even I have to admit that the area around the bunkers is kind of creepy.  Therefore, I was impressed with his bravery and I have to wonder what he tells his friends at school when they ask about what he does on the weekends, lol.

Anyway, with the sun setting we bid adieu to Point Pleasant, aka 'Mothman City' and headed back home, with plans to visit again soon, and also to spend more time in Gallipolis as well.  For us, Pt. Pleasant is just a short drive, but it really is worth the trip if you're coming from further away.  If you can attend the yearly Mothman Festival in September, check that out---its a whole experience of its own.  But, if you can't make it down for the festival, there really is no bad time to visit.  The Mothman Museum is open year-round, and the statue is located right beside the museum.  The haunted Lowe Hotel can be booked much more easily during non-festival times, and the TNT area bunkers are always accessible as long as the weather isn't terrible. With other local museums and historic sites, you can easily spend an afternoon, a weekend, or maybe even longer exploring the area, and with the release of the new Fallout 76 game, in which the Mothman Museum and ol' Mothman himself appear, I think we'll see a lot more visitors to the area soon!

I picked these up at the Mothman Museum gift shop for $10 each.  They are by LizPavlovicDesign

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