I visited a local haunt over the past month and thought I would post the pics for everyone, it was very cool. We found a body cast on the floor near the bottom of the staircase--spooky!
Last summer we took a little trip out to Ashtabula Ohio. While we were there I couldn't help but want to explore the area a little. I got up early one morning and went to see the supposedly haunted Chestnut Grove Cemetery. In the late 1800s an engineer named Charles Collins joined the Owners of the Lake Shore and Michigan Railroad company in designing a new bridge to be used for the railway to pass through Ashtabula. The Railway would bring jobs, money and more people into the area. Many supporters pushed Collins to approve construction design on the bridge even though he and another engineer, Amasa Stone, thought it was more of an experimental design that wasn't yet ready to be used. The bridge was constructed and did bring great changes to the area. On December 29, 1876 a very harsh winter storm occurred in the area causing a great strain on the bridge. Snow and ice were piling up, the wind was blowing hard. The Pacific Express was heading that way with approximately 159 passengers aboard. By the time the first engine hit the other end of the bridge it was collapsing. The train was pulled downward and many passengers were thrown into the river below some dying on impact, others form hypothermia. Others died of severe burns from begin trapped inside cars that were set on fire from the oil lanterns and coal stoves on the train. Due to the severe weather and lack of resource even more people died of exposure. It took more than a week to clean up and victims were buried in the Chestnut Grove Cemetery, 19 unidentified people were buried in one grave. It was said that only 63 passengers made it out alive. The Locals and law Enforcement put Collins and Stone under investigation for the deaths. After Collins was brought to court and held responsible among his peers he committed suicide. His note said he couldn't live with the overwhelming guilt. Almost two weeks later Amasa stone also took his life, the pain to much to bear.
Check out some old pictures I found doing research as well as soem other ones I took while I was there myself http://wendytheexplorer.blogspot.com/2012/11/ashtabula-train-disaster.html
The Boyd Parker torture tree sits along the road in Leicester Ny. I saw the little history marker sign as I drove by so I decided to stop. The tree has braved storms and bad weather for years, marking the place where Lieutenant Thomas Boyd and Sergeant Michael Parker were tortured to death by Native Americans during the revolutionary war. The story goes that a scouting party headed up by an indian guide and the two soldiers was sent to seek out Genesee castle, the villiage where Seneca cheif Little Beard resided. The guide tried to warn Boyd and Parker that they were heading into an ambush but they continued on and were captured on September 13, 1779. The soldiers were repeatedly whipped, the nails were pulled from thier fingers and toes, eyes were gouged out, genitals were mutilated a nd stomachs cut open. The severed end of the intestines was fastened to the tree and the men were driven around the tree, their intestines being pulled out as they went. Their hearts were ripped from their chests and, and they were finally beheaded. Boyd's head was placed on a spear and used to lead a dance around the tree. The night of torture finally ended with the approach of Sullivan's army. Lieutenant Boyd's partially skinned head was found on a log, Sergeant Parker's head was never found. The bodies were buried at the junction of two small creeks near the tree. In 1840 the graves were desecrated by looters and it was decided by officials to move the bodies to Mount Hope Cemetery.
Mount hope is one of my favorite cemeteries, it is said to be haunted by more than one ghost. My kids and I frequent there because we always find something new, some other place that stones were forgotten. My favorite stone is that of Nunzina a 2 year old girl who passed away in 1912. The first time we visited her stone was broke, the next time it was fixed... and sometimes it changes per visit. We always go back to see.
Mount hope is one of my favorite cemeteries, it is said to be haunted by more than one ghost. My kids and I frequent there because we always find something new, some other place that stones were forgotten. My favorite stone is that of Nunzina a 2 year old girl who passed away in 1912. The first time we visited her stone was broke, the next time it was fixed... and sometimes it changes per visit. We always go back to see.
Awesome pics! I liked the figurine the most...wonder what the story is for that one? That looks like a place to wander around and feel the presence and get some inspiration...you truly belong at this forum!!!...anyone who takes their kids to an old cemetary is A-O-K with me! Do you have any pics of the sanitarium?
West Mountain Sanatorium (aka The Scranton Society for the Prevention and Cure of Consumption),opened for business on January 26 1903. It housed many patients suffering from consumption/tuberculosis. The hospital had state of the art equipment for its time and offered a variety of treatments including one where the patients was left outside on a screened porch, even in the freezing cold, to get fresh air. It was thought at that time that the treatment would freeze the germs and heal the patient. Sadly many people never left alive. The hospital closed in 1974. A report I found online gives this information: Total Number of Patients in 1913: 58 Patients Discharged: 4 Cured, 4 dead, 20 Improved, 2 worse. 30 discharges total. Largest Number of Patients at any one time was 29. Smallest Number of Patients at one time was 17. The cost per patient per day for the hospital was $1.06 for the total expense of $8,540.03 for the year. The state only gave $2,500 in state funds to the hospital that year. I decided to look up directions once I found this and you can imagine the horror stories online. Some say the place is haunted by 100 patients who died in a fiery blaze there, and others say that is all rumor. I also read of Satanic cult practices there and people being chased by someone or something. Even other post said the police would chase you out. A good friend, Jan, and I decided to take the adventure and see what it was all about. We went in the winter. When we got there we parked down the road, and walked right up through the open gate. It was almost inviting. In the weeds on the way in was a task force key holder and on the right side were some old concrete foundations. As we neared the main building I could see why the location was chosen, the view of Scranton and beyond is amazing. The main building was partially burnt but enough was there for us to see the side that was left. There were rooms spray painted with art and the fire place was in tact. An old raggedy mattress lay on the floor, springs hanging out. Teh Widows peak was inaccessable but still there. What I would have given to see that view. The next building was the laundry and the incinerator area. A bunch of trash and old bins were down over the bank and snow covered a lot. The laundry room was colorfully spray painted and almost looked like a small skate rink. The 2nd main building had old lockers in it and a dome shaped Porch at the end ( where patients sat outside.) It looked like there might be a spot for a garden and or outside area beyond that. We trudged through the snow careful watching or holes and following the strange shaped foot like marks imprinted in the snow. We figured someone must have went through with snow shoes. No body bothered us the whole time. I took 100's of pictures and we headed for our next adventure after a few hours of exploration.
Fact : In 1931 songwriter Dick Smith entered the Sanatorium as a patient. While being treated there he wrote the now famous song "inter Wonderland" and then later died in 1935 of tuberculosis.
I found this report online : From the Campaign Against TB in the United States -- West Mountain Sanatorium (August 1903): For poor consumptives resident in Scranton: all stages are received. Capacity:24 Rates: There us a maximum charge of $5.00 per week for Scranton patients who are able to pay: patients from outside the city are charged $7.00 per week. Scranton patients who are unable to pay are admitted free. There are no physicians in residence, but there is an attending staff of 6. The institution is located on a 60 acre farm, just outside of the city limits on a mountainside at an elevation of 1600 feet. The land is farmed and furnishes all the milk, eggs, and garden produce needed. Patients able to work are required to do so. The hospital building has two wards of ten beds each, which can be used all winter, a farmhouse, a barn and a laundry. The funds for construction and maintenance are derived mostly from voluntary contribution, the fees from patients being practically a negligible amount. At the last session of the Legislature on appropriation of $5000 was made for maintenance expenses for two years. The sanatorium was established and is maintained by the The Scranton Society for the Prevention and Cure of Consumption. Applications should be addressed to Dr. J.M. Wainwright, 627 Linden Street.
Thank you - My kids enjoy most places I go (unless they might be dangerous then they are mad because they cant go but we specifically love cemeteries because of the history involved. We frequent many of them and are working on a history scrap book. I have tons of the sanatorium photos, I posted this in here by mistake and started a separate thread for it too (oops), let me give you the site address http://wendytheexplorer.blogspot.com/2012/10/west-mount-sanitorium-scranton-pa.html -- As soon as I get enough points I can put my albums on here too.
Thank you - My kids enjoy most places I go (unless they might be dangerous then they are mad because they cant go but we specifically love cemeteries because of the history involved. We frequent many of them and are working on a history scrap book. I have tons of the sanatorium photos, I posted this in here by mistake and started a separate thread for it too (oops), let me give you the site address http://wendytheexplorer.blogspot.com/2012/10/west-mount-sanitorium-scranton-pa.html -- As soon as I get enough points I can put my albums on here too.
Your pictures are fantastic to say the least! You are one talented photographer. Thank you so much for sharing. Your blog has been booked marked into my favorites.
Thank you very much, I always have so much fun when I find something new. I am hoping to get out more now that the snow is on the ground. Winter adventures are best around here because there are no snakes
In my search to find cool places to visit I came across
Centralia Pa. When we drove there it was right along
the road, the first time we missed it and ended up in the
next town. Not many residents are left, and most of the
old homes are torn down. It almost feels deserted. Where
some of the old homes were, sidewalks still line the street
and in some of the yards you can see old gas cans, cars,
and in one yard even a dog house with the name snoopy
on it.
The town has slowly dwindled since a mine fire started
in 1962 and still burns underground today. Due to
the heat and pressure in the ground, Pennsylvania
highway 61 had to be moved. The old highway remains,
cracked. In the winter and sometimes throughout the
year you can see the smoke rise from the ground and
feel the warmth.
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