Morgan County's Haunted Police Barracks

Morgan County State Police Barracks
Source: Google Maps

Way back on Halloween of 1992, the Associated Press picked up a story out of West Virginia's eastern panhandle. In an area of the state that is already known for more than its fair share of paranormal activity, local state police officers shared their stories of what it was like to work amongst a ghost!

According to the Morgan County iAS Property Search website, a beautiful, large brick home was built around 1960 at 1750 Valley Rd, in Berkeley Springs. This was the home of Ercel Luther Michael, a retired carpenter. Ercel was born in Morgan County on 8 February 1897. While living in the house, it was noted that Ercel LOVED his garden and his garage. He was meticulous about the care and upkeep of such, and as his niece would later say, he had a mantra of 'everything in its place.' 

Unfortunately, Ercel passed away on 13 January 1973 at the age of 75. His wife, Della, passed away three months later.  Both were buried in the Greenway Cemetery in Berkeley Springs. The following year, their beautiful brick home was sold to the state, and became the local WV State Police Barracks. With the transition from a private home to a state facility, Ercel's beloved gardens were paved over to make room for a parking lot. 

Ercel's Grave at Greenway Cemetery
Find-a-Grave (uploaded by GraveRobber)

That's when the paranormal activity allegedly started!

Police officers stationed at the barracks would often claim that they would turn off all the lights before leaving on patrol, only to come back to a completely lit up building. Slamming doors and creaking stairs are a few of the other spooky reports made by officers, including Sgt. Jim Riffle, who was stationed there in 1977. According to Riffle, "some awfully strange things happened in those barracks."

Apparently, the ghost of Ercel was common knowledge, and more than a few troopers actually refused to sleep in the barracks overnight. But, in recent years, it seems as if activity has pretty much died down. It is believed that as long as the grounds around the barracks are kept neatly trimmed and maintained, Ercel remains happy. Let the grass get a little too long, however, and you're bound to get a visit from the former owner. 

I've included a copy of the 1992 article. The clipping below is from the 02 November 1992 edition of the Standard-Speaker (Hazleton, PA), but you can also access the AP article online for free via the AP website. This story re-appeared this past Halloween season in a article by Lisa Schauer in The Morgan Messenger.

Happy New Year from Theresa's Haunted History!

 

It's finally 2022, and the last two years have been one helluva ride! This is the time of year when I'd normally make some resolutions and plans for Theresa's Haunted History, but this year, I'm just gonna invite you along on the journey to see where 2022 takes us! But, that's not to say there are NO big plans coming up. 2021 was a big year for both me personally, and my team, Spectral Research and Investigation. 

Over the past year, SRI has grown in many ways. We've got a solid group of dedicated researchers and have been lucky enough to investigate some of West Virginia's most interesting haunted locations, including The Haymond House in Sutton, The Old Hospital on College Hill in Williamson, and Deep End Antiques in Beckley. We've attended festivals and conventions, networked with other investigators, and appeared on a handful of awesome podcasts. 

We will continue on in the new year with many more exciting locations to share with you, more public appearances, and more spooky yet educational content on our various social media platforms. Speaking of spooky yet educational content...

Once again I've joined the Ultimate Blog Challenge and have committed to bringing you 31 straight days of new content here on Theresa's Haunted History blog! I've spent most of December researching and scheduling posts for January, so I think there's a good shot that I might actually complete this challenge. At the very least, I've got quite a few new haunted locations in West Virginia, especially around the Charleston area, to share with you, along with cryptids, UFO's, Spiritualism, and other random weirdness. I can't wait to see what y'all think.

I hope 2022 is your best year ever and that your New Year's is a safe and happy one. Thank you so much for supporting Theresa's Haunted History and keeping things spooky in the Tri-State. 

Uncle Wiley Returns Home: WV Penitentiary Christmas Pardon

The old West Virginia State Penitentiary in Moundsville is one of the most haunted locations in the state, if not the country. I love sharing ghost stories from this imposing and downright creepy building, but sometimes in order to really understand WHY a place is haunted, we have to look deeper at the people who left their mark there. The WV State Penitentiary is not a place where many good things happened. It was filled with death, violence, and the despair of men and women who had lost their freedom, often in exchange for the unspeakable horrors they committed against their fellow man. But, as you'll see from today's blog post, this was HOME to some. For some, it may have been the only real home they'd ever known. 

The following newspaper article comes from the 04 December 1914 edition of the Raleigh Herald. It discusses the life of that year's recipient to the annual Christmas pardon. 

The Christmas Pardon

"Uncle Wiley" Lewis to Return to Home and Friends

Tottering with age, gray and bent, Wiley Lewis, who is known as convict No. 3257 in the state penitentiary, and who was sent from Charleston in 1897 for slaying another negro in a drunken brawl will receive the annual Christmas pardon from the penal institution. It has long been the custom to pardon from the penitentiary the oldest convict in point of servitude at Christmas time every year, and the old Charleston darkey is the one selected this time.

So attached has Uncle Wiley become to many of the officials of the penitentiary and so accustomed to prison life, that he considers listlessly his approaching pardon and at times seems even fearful of leaving the grim old structure.

Lewis is probably the most picturesque convict ever confined in the institution. He was born a slave in Fayette County, which at that time was a portion of Virginia. As nearly as Wiley can remember, though he doesn't pretend that is memory on the subject is perfect, he was born some time in 1846. He does remember, though, that he was named by a man named Jim Montgomery at the time the war broke out. Wiley took no part in the war, but wandered about from place to place during the war and settled in Kanawha County on a farm and moved into Charleston where he became a laborer. 

Lewis was tried, found guilty of murder and sentenced to serve a life term in the state penitentiary on July 15, 1897. Two days later he entered the institution and has been there ever since. 

Every phase of prison life has been experienced by the old negro slave. He has worked in every department of the penitentiary, in every shop and done everything else but operate the telephone exchange. He has been a model prisoner during his entire confinement and is trusted by all who know him. Several years after his arrival at the penitentiary he was given the name "Uncle," and has been "Uncle" to the officials and the convicts alike ever since. 

Although Lewis knows that he is the oldest man in the institution in point of service and that he is to receive the Christmas pardon unless something unforeseen develops he does not seem at all enthusiastic. He admits he is glad, but does not show it in his actions. As the time draws closer, he seems to be melancholy rather than joyous at times, according to officials of the pen, as though he is fearful of leaving the old institution.  

When received at the penitentiary Lewis could neither read nor write, but has mastered both arts and executes both as well as the average of his race. Although gray and somewhat feeble, his health is good and he may live for many years in freedom.

His wife died about three years ago, but he has one daughter still living in Charleston, with whom he intends to make his home after his pardon. Two sisters, both younger than himself, are also still living in Kanawha County. 

*Last year, I blogged about the 1910 Christmas pardon of Joe Battle, a man who swears he was innocent, and unlike Lewis, was more than happy to get the heck out of the penitentiary!*

Spreading Spooky Cheer!

This is the season of giving. Christmas is right around the corner, and yesterday was #GivingTuesday, a day for you to donate to your favorite charities and nonprofit organizations. This year, I'm even lower on cash and energy than usual, but I still wanted to do something to give back. I might not have much money or time to donate...but what I do have is books!

Valley Park

I've actually been toying with this idea for a couple of months. I LOVE to collect paranormal nonfiction, and over the years, I've amassed a pretty huge library. I love scouring thrift stores, yard sales, and second-hand bookstores for great deals on used books...and of course, most of my family and friends know that if they're going to buy me a present, they can never go wrong with a ghost book!

But, occasionally I'll find myself with duplicates. Sometimes I'll be gifted a book I already own. Other times, I'll buy myself a book, not realizing that I already have it on my shelf. And, occasionally, I'll purposefully buy books I know I own if I find them cheap enough! For less than a dollar a book, it doesn't matter whether I own it or not...if it's paranormal nonfiction, it's coming home with me! 

Sherwood Circle

I enjoy having a few extra copies of books lying around so I can share them with friends, family, and even clients. But, sometimes I amass a few too many, and it's time to purge. So, today I gathered up my extra copies and decided to hit some area Little Free Libraries! If you're unfamiliar with the concept of Little Free Libraries, click on the link for more info. In short, these are awesome little structures that pop up in neighborhoods, parks, churches, and all sorts of other places. The idea is to 'give a book, take a book.' It's completely FREE, and you're more than welcome to help yourself with no obligation. When you're done reading, you may keep the book, return it to the Little Free Library, pass it on, or donate another in its place.  There are several in the Hurricane area, but the link has a map of all the registered libraries in YOUR area. Definitely check it out.

Anyway, I also threw in some shameless self-promotion and stuck a business card into each book. I figured that anyone who would be interested in the subject matter of the donated books would probably be interested in checking out Spectral Research and Investigation's website! It was a fun little outing, and I hope it inspires you to give what you can this holiday season, even if its something as simple as a battered old paperback about ancient aliens! Stay spooky my friends. 

Sable Point Apartments

Fashion with the Flatwoods Monster: A Friday Funny!

 Happy Friday from the Flatwoods Monster! I think that anyone who wears dresses can absolutely relate to this. I know I can, lol. Anyway, this adorable image is from the Cryptid Club. Follow their work on Facebook for more cartoons about Mothman, ghosts, the Flatwoods Monster, and all the spooky, fun creatures that either visit or call this planet home. 

The Southside Bridge Hanging Man

Photo by Michelle Krone--Source

It's been a loooong time since I did a Weird West Virginia Wednesday, but thanks to this past Saturday's ghost tour/hunt with the Charleston Ghost Tour Company, I was inspired to bring it back! Way back in 2012, I was introduced to a very strange piece of Charleston's public art. I was taking a Historic Preservation class through WVSU, which met at the haunted Capitol Theater and was taught by Dr. Billy Joe Peyton. One class meeting involved taking a historic walking tour throughout downtown Charleston, and as we were talking about the Southside Bridge, it was pointed out to us that there was a creepy little addition to the building beside the bridge: The Southside Bridge Hanging Man!

The building in question, One Bridge Place, was originally built in the 1890's and served as the warehouse for the Lewis, Hubbard, and Company Wholesale Grocery. Today, the building is home to various offices, but has also become an integral part of Charleston's art community. Back in the early 1980's, the building went through renovations, which involved the painting of a large mural on the south side of the building, facing the bridge.

Can you see him up top?

Known locally as the 'San Francisco Mural,' the side of One Bridge Place resembles a row of colorful Victorian houses. The work is by artist Bart Davies, a graduate of Penn State's Fine Arts program. The project, which employs the use of trompel'oeil (to trick or deceive the eye) was started in 1983 and took about two years to complete.  

You have to look closely, but if you do, you can see that some of the windows are painted on and some are actual, functional windows. And if you look REALLY closely, you'll see that one of the faux windows holds a rather dark and macabre surprise. At the very top left, you can see what appears to be the shadowy figure of a person in the window. Look a little closer, and you'll see that there is a rope or noose coming from this figure's neck. As of this date, no one has publicly come out with a reason as to why such a creepy image was added to this otherwise bright and cheery mural. Of course, plenty of conspiracy theories abound. At the very least, the Southside Bridge Hanging Man is right up there with Mortar Man as a well-loved (albeit strange and kinda dark) piece of hidden public art, which has found a home in West Virginia's capital city! 

Close-up of the Hanging Man

Halloween with the Charleston Ghost Tour Company!

The last month or so has been super busy! Between my personal life and SRI/Theresa's Haunted History commitments, I've been booked solid. Because of my crazy schedule and overall exhaustion, I was afraid that I would miss out on the Charleston Ghost Tour Company's October schedule. But, as they tend to do, the pieces fell into place, and I was able to grab a pretty last-minute ticket to Saturday night's Midnight Mischief Halloween tour/ghost hunt. 

When my husband and I took the tour in September, we had an awesome time, walking around downtown Charleston and hearing the wonderfully told stories of the city's haunted history. Unfortunately, my husband had to work this weekend, but I still had a ton of fun as April, owner of the Charleston Ghost Tour Company, shook things up a bit with this special Halloween edition. Instead of just hearing about the ghosts of Charleston, tour guests were given the opportunity to actually try to interact with them and capture proof of their existence!

Our ghost tour/investigation began at 11:30pm at the United Bank Courtyard, where we checked in, and were given glow sticks and a choice of light-up crown or light up sunglasses. That was a fun little surprise and definitely put everyone in the mood for some Halloween party fun. The big surprise, however, was that April had gone all out and purchased a ton of ghost hunting equipment to use on the tour. 

Brawley Walkway. Tour guests have captured alleged photos 
of a ghost in this doorway! This is also where we contacted the spirit
of 'Darren.'

Before we headed out, the tour group got a quick tutorial on the use of pendulums, dowsing rods, laser grids, EMF meters, spirit boxes, digital recorders for EVP work, and even a FLIR-type thermal camera! Equipment was divided up, and we headed to our first location---Brawley Walkway. 

Brawley Walkway is reported to be haunted by a mischief-causing ghost that at one point, terrorized a homeless man who would sleep in the area, mainly by stealing his possessions and moving them to a different location. On previous tours, patrons had reported finding strange anomalies in their photos, especially in the doorway of one particular storefront. 

As the group spread out to test their equipment and see if they could capture evidence of ghosts, I headed straight for the doorway in question. Joined by two other tours guests, one with a K-2 meter, I attempted to make contact with whatever may be in Brawley through pendulum work. According to the pendulum, we made contact with a homeless man named Darren, who originally didn't want to share his name, but agreed to if I asked nicely, lol. It's important to note that it was cold...and my hands were shaky as a result. But, even if it hadn't been cold, it's important to remember that this type of pendulum work is heavily influenced by the ideomotor effect---tiny, involuntary muscle movements that make it SEEM like the pendulum is moving on its own, but in reality, it's not. Eventually, I wandered away from the doorway, leaving the two other tour guests there to see if they could continue talking with Darren. When I met up with them later, they said that Darren had left, been replaced by a not-so-nice entity, who then left when Darren returned. Darren also lit up the K-2 meter---something he wouldn't do when I asked him to earlier, lol.

Our next location was a double stop---we explored the area of the 1921 capitol building fire, which sits directly across from the old Oddfellows building, both of which are said to be haunted. The Oddfellows building is a favorite spot on the tours, and many tour patrons have submitted photos taken of the building which seem to have human figures or shadow beings in the windows, especially one in particular. This is fairly significant, because the story that is told about the building is that a large, shadowy, humanoid figure actually attacked an unsuspecting cleaning woman one evening! And, of further interest is that when I posted the photos I took to Theresa's Haunted History Facebook page on Sunday, I had someone say they saw something in that exact window! 

Oddfellows Building. Do you see anything?

Despite that particular building's potential, I focused the majority of my time spent in that location trying to contact the ghosts associated with the capitol building fire. It is believed the fire that brought down West Virginia's fourth capitol and killed two people was the result of a poker game gone bad. When an argument erupted and a lantern was knocked over, the night watchmen who was responsible for this secret attic activity felt so bad that he is said to come back to the spot, trying to save the two people who were lost because of him. I chose to do some EVP work, but upon analyzing the recording, haven't found anything of note. 

Further stops on the tour didn't afford much opportunity for ghost hunting, but it was fun to rehash some of the tales we heard on the first tour, such as the mysterious Mortar Man figure, the ghosts of the Capitol Theater, and the firemen still trying to put out the fire at the old Woolworth Building. I was pleasantly surprised to also hear about the ghost that likes to play with the vintage elevator in the old Masonic Lodge building, as well as the 'Southside Bridge hanged man.' I've been meaning to blog about the strange addition to the mural, seen from the Southside Bridge that has a hidden figure of a man hanging himself, since I first learned about it back in 2012, but never had an opportunity to stop and get a photo! So...be looking for that in the near future. 

Anyway, it was well past 1am when we finally wrapped up the tour with one last tale--the strange disappearance of a colony of settlers along the Kanawha River. I was worn out, a little damp from the misty rain that never quite completely cleared up that night, but thrilled to have rang in the Halloween holiday sharing the spooky history of West Virginia's capital city with other ghost enthusiasts. 

Do you see the hanging shadow man? 
More info coming soon!

Obviously, ghost hunting outside in downtown Charleston, especially on the Saturday before Halloween, isn't exactly an ideal set-up for legitimate evidence, but that's not really the point. I had an awesome time hearing the stories of each haunted location and seeing the excitement of other tour guests when they seemingly 'got a hit' on a piece of equipment! It was a really cool introduction to various tools of paranormal investigation and a really fun way for those who don't do this kind of thing regularly to get a taste of what it's like and some hands-on experience in a fun and laid-back setting. I can't say enough good things about this tour and I'm so happy that Charleston has such a fun, spooky activity available. After this weekend, I'm even MORE excited for the November tour route, which will feature haunted locations in Charleston's East End. 

For more information on upcoming tours and events:

Charleston Ghost Tour Company Website

Charleston Ghost Tour Company Facebook page