Seven Foot Tall Shadow Man at Fairfield County Infirmary

Fairfield County Infirmary
'Dungeon' Area

Hey, hey, it's time for another installment of my deep-dive into the haunted history of the Fairfield County Infirmary, located in Lancaster, Ohio! Since SRI will be returning their soon, I wanted to delve into some of the reported paranormal activity and just see what type of historical documentation I could find that may help back up those claims. 

There's really no 'dead' (pun intended) area of the old infirmary; activity takes places on all four floors, and everything from full-body apparitions to phantom voices has been witnessed. Shadow people are extremely common, popping in and out of doorways and blocking the light at the end of long corridors. But, there's a shadow being at FCI that's a little out of the ordinary. In the attic of the old county home, there has been reported a dark, towering figure standing at least SEVEN FEET TALL! 

By some accounts, this super tall shadowy being can grow to 8 or 9 feet, but generally he's clocked in at around 7 feet. Now, humans are notoriously bad at estimating size, but there does seem to be a very consistent flow of people witnessing a shadow that is at least much taller than the average person. Let's take a look at some possible explanations for this phenomenon.

Firstly, though, let's get some background on the area. The fourth floor attic space has been used for quite a few things over the years. Before a proper orphanage could be built in the latter part of the 1800's, one whole side was dedicated to housing the children of the poor farm. In later years, the attic was where transients could 'rent' a space to stay by working the fields. More disturbingly, though, is the fact that the attic was where the 'dungeon' was located. The dungeon was an area where the most incorrigible 'inmates' were chained to the wall for an indeterminate time. If the 'jail cells' on the lower floor didn't straighten you out after 24 hours, you were sent to the attic for punishment. There's also a small section of the attic now called the 'Chicken Coop,' denoted by a space with a chicken wire door, that the most mentally ill patients were said to have been kept. 

With that sort of history, it's easy to see how this area could gain a haunted reputation. SRI has personally had some interesting activity recorded in the attic, including having a REM pod's batteries removed and thrown on the floor in the orphanage area. And while we did see several shadowy 'things,' we unfortunately didn't experience the 7 foot tall Shadow Man. So what could cause an entity of this size to haunt the Fairfield County Infirmary? Here are a few theories:

1. The IR Shadow

Before we even consider the idea that there's a 7 foot tall shadow being, we have to rule out the idea of natural causes. Are witnesses just seeing the shadow of a living person that looks larger due to the placement of the light source? Are they seeing the shadow of some inanimate object that just appears human-like under the right circumstances? Or, are they experiencing an IR shadow witnessed through the lens of their camera? An IR shadow is simply a shadow where the light source is an infrared light. It is not visible with the naked eye, but will show up on your camera in pictures/video. And, like a regular shadow, depending on the angle and placement of the light source, can cause the subject to appear taller than it actually is. 

2. Ghost of a Really Tall Dude

If we are dealing with an actual paranormal entity, specifically a deceased human entity, is it possible that there could be a ghost who was actually 7+ feet tall in life? As stated earlier, humans are notoriously bad at estimating height, especially when only catching a fleeting glimpse. Still, with the average male only being around 5'6'' to 5'7'' in 1900, you wouldn't think that so many people would be overestimating by so much. However, I was able to find an interesting article about Benjamin "Toppy" Parot, who lived at the county infirmary, and unfortunately died there as well. Toppy was cited as being over 6 feet, 4 inches tall in his stocking feet. It was said that his casket was among the largest ever furnished by the county home. 

Lancaster Eagle-Gazette
30 January 1915

Source: Find-a-Grave

3. Ghost of a Not-So-Tall Dude

While Toppy Parot was considered rather tall for his time, there are plenty of other 'inmates' of the infirmary who passed away, some of which who would inevitably make that transition after spending a significant amount of time in the attic...or who actually did die in that space. One gentleman who attempted to take his life in that space was Seward Wagner. Wagner climbed out a skylight and jumped off the room, injuring himself. He passed shortly after. But why would Wagner, or any other potential ghost show up so tall? I found an interesting explanation given by Patience, one of the tour guides at FCI. Patience explains that the attic area isn't exactly on one consistent floor level, especially around the cupola area. What if the shadow person only LOOKS like its taller...but is in fact, 'standing' on flooring that is 18 inches taller than surrounding areas?

Lancaster Eagle-Gazette
11 February 1950

Lancaster Eagle-Gazette
17 February 1950

4. Ghost/Energy Manifesting in a Way We Don't Understand

One last thing to consider is that perhaps we're just dealing with a matter of our understanding of OUR physical world doesn't quite mesh up with the physics of 'their' world. Perhaps a human entity can choose how it manifests, and this particular being chooses to manifest in a way that appears intimidating and large. Maybe it's more symbolic; maybe there is no actual 'ghost,' but something more elemental, or even a collection of energy that represents a large, angry, oppressive entity. It's these types of questions that keep me in this field, always trying to find another piece of the puzzle. As Spectral Research and Investigations return to the Fairfield County Infirmary this month, we'll be working to answer these questions and inevitably, uncovering additional questions to ponder as well.  Stay spooky, ya'll...and keep an eye out for more FCI articles being posted on Theresa's Haunted History!

Fun Cat Activities: Paranormal Edition

It's time for a Friday Funny!  Does your cute little kitty or doggie seem to commune with something only it can see?  Either my house is the least haunted house in the world, or I have two cats who absolutely don't care about things that go bump in the night.  Six years of sharing space with those two, and I've never seen them act like they could see beyond the veil. 

But, speaking of shadow people...with all the craziness going on in the world over the past few months, I've been trying to keep an eye on paranormal trends.  What I've noticed is that quite a few people have reported a recent increase in paranormal activity, mainly experiences with shadow beings.  I hope to explore that topic a little deeper within the next few weeks, but if YOU have noticed an uptick in activity or have had a recent experience with a shadow being, I'd love to hear from you!  Please let me know your story below, or feel free to contact me via Facebook or Twitter to share your story.  Stay safe and stay spooky everyone, and have a wonderful weekend! 

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Shadows of Ghent

West Virginians are no strangers to tragedy.  As a state, we were born out of the chaos of the Civil War, and throughout our 150+ years of statehood, have seen numerous mine accidents, train crashes and other violent acts of nature and man.  Nevertheless, its never easy when such tragedies strike, taking the lives of our fellow citizens far too soon.  West Virginia saw one of these tragedies on the morning of January 30, 2007.

Photo by W. Dayton Whittle, via NYTimes

It was a little before 11 a.m. when employees at the popular Flat Top Little General Store (a gas and convenience store) located near Ghent, WV called 911 to report a suspected propane gas leak. First responders, including members of the Ghent Volunteer Fire Department, along with at least two propane technicians responded to the issue.  To several of these first responders, it would be the last call they would ever respond to.  Something ignited the propane leak, destroying the Little General store and tossing the fire truck parked outside over like a toy.  It was said that homes up to a mile away experienced windows being blown out, and one resident even claims the force threw her from her couch.

The explosion rocked the small community, both literally and figuratively.  Four people were killed instantly, and another five were injured.  The first reports that came out about the explosion stated that the deceased included a volunteer firefighter, a county building inspector, and an EMT.  Later, the names of the victims were released.  They were:

Ghent Fire Chief, Fred Burroughs
Craig 'Toad' Dorsey, Jr.
Glenn Bennett and Jeffrey Lee Treadway, both listed as propane technicians.

Three years later, volunteer firefighter, Donnie Caldwell, would pass away from complications associated with the injuries he suffered during the explosion.  The devastation from this event was immeasurable.  Many in the community lost a friend, a co-worker, a neighbor, or a relative.  A popular store serving both locals and visitors to nearby Winterplace Ski Resort was leveled.  Over ten years later, the scars from that cold, winter day run deep.

This is still a fresh tragedy, with the victims' families and friends still alive and living in the area.  Because of that, it was hard for a witness to come forward with quite an unnerving story associated with the site of the former Little General Store.

Back in 2015, someone with the username, wvseller, posted a personal experience on the Your Ghost Stories website. Definitely go check out the website to read the complete story in the author's own words, as it is a really interesting experience.  In short, however, the author had to drive by the Little General location one evening in August 2014.  A black, shadowy human figure, described as being darker than dark, was spotted on the Little General side of the road.  As it ran towards the road, the author slammed on the brakes, and the figure crossed in front of the car.  Before the author could make sense of what had just been seen, three more shadowy figures ran across the road from the Little General side, disappearing into the woods opposite.

Were these four shadow beings representative of the four men who were taken that January morning...or was it all just an ironic coincidence?

*My thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by this tragedy.  In posting the names of the victims, it is not my intention to exploit their plight, but rather to help preserve their memory.*

Further Reading:
New York Times article by Ian Urbina
Register-Herald article on the 10th anniversary of the explosion

My Haunted Home

I don't think I would ever classify the house I live in now as haunted. Having grown up in my mom's current home in Winfield, where it was a strange day when you DIDN'T see an apparition walking down the hall, pretty much any sort of suspected paranormal activity happening here would pale in comparison.

I can't deny it, though. Over the years since we've owned the house, there have been a few things going on that we were never able to fully explain away.

It first started before we even moved in. My son and I were still at my mom's house, but Aaron was ready to move out of his house in Charleston. Before he could, the house needed some major work. Aside from desperately needing a new roof, we also had to clear out the rest of the previous owners' belongings, tear up all the old carpet, lay a new kitchen and family room floor, and paint. Aaron, often accompanied by my dad, would come over to the house in the evenings after work to get as much done as possible.

On at least one occasion, both Aaron and my dad swear they saw a UFO. They were taking a break out on the front stoop. Our neighborhood is pretty high up on a hill, so we have a fair view of the Hurricane Walmart out our front door. It was in the sky above this area where they noticed the glowing orb. Inside the house, things were a little spookier...

My dad was working alone one evening, after the carpets had been pulled up. He was in one of the bedrooms painting and heard the distinct sounds of kids running through the living room, laughing. He assumed that we had brought Luke over and that it was he who was causing the commotion. However, when he stepped out to meet us, he discovered that he was still alone and had been the entire time. I have yet to hear the sounds of the children in the house, but later on, I'd have my own experiences.

Living Room, where the sounds of phantom children running were heard

After the house was in livable condition, Aaron moved in. Luke and I came about a year and a half later. We moved in the summer before Luke started preschool. That winter, Aaron got a new job. As part of his training, he had to be out of town for a week at a time several times over the course of a few months. That left me and Luke home alone....but not entirely alone.  Around this time, Luke had been having trouble sleeping. He's always had night terrors, but they seemed to have gotten worse. This is also around the time when he started wanting to sleep in our bedroom. Or, he would wake up at night, turn on all the lights, and shut his door. The logical part of me tried to explain his behavior by the changes that were going on. We hadn't lived in this house all that long, plus Aaron was away a lot.

But then I started seeing things. When Aaron was away, I would sleep in my office/bedroom. I usually kept the door partly open so that I could hear Luke if he got up in the night. And, of course, we were keeping the hall light on for Luke as well. Lying in bed on several occasions, I could see movement in the hallway through the crack of my door. It looked as if there was a person standing in the hall, peeking in at me through the crack. Even though this shadowy figure was much taller than Luke, and Aaron was out of town, I'd still always get up and check...never finding anything.

Things reached a peak one weekend while Luke was spending the night at my mom's house and I was alone. As I walked past his room and peeked in, I nearly had a heart attack. I saw what appeared to be a dark, shadowy figure standing beside his bed. That night, I grabbed the sage. As I saged every inch of the bedroom and the hallway, I firmly told whatever it was in there that we were going to come to a compromise. It was welcome to stay in the house if it wished, but under no circumstances would it EVER show itself to my son or invade his personal space (the bedroom) again. If it did, I would do everything in my power to make sure it was banished from here.

That seemed to work, lol. Luke's sleeping habits started to get back to normal, and I never saw the dark figure again. Every now and again I'll hear a noise I can't account for, or something will go missing, only to reappear nearly right in front of me. Many times as I'm sitting on the couch in the family room, I'll swear I'll catch movement coming from the living room in my peripheral vision...but I can never get a close enough glimpse to see if it is anything. I honestly don't know if there is anything in this house and if there is, where it came from. However, I'll be keeping my eyes and ears open and letting you all know of any potential activity that may occur in the future.  Happy Haunting!