Ghost Tourism

[Scott]

Ghost Tourism is up across the country. Have you done any Ghost Tours or Investigations?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20071029/sc_livescience/frighteningtrendghosttourismbooms

[Mr. DS]

I don't know if this counts but I've been to Lizzie Borden's house which is literally 15 minutes away from where I live.  The house is rumoured to be haunted. It was really interesting to be in the house and being there really makes you wonder more about the mystery involving the murders.  The house is big but the rooms are so close together.  I'd highly recommend anyone to take the tour if they are in the area. 

[Scott]

That definitely counts Darksider.

I went to one in Strasburg, Pa near Lancaster, Pa. and it was pretty good and very historical as well. Liked both aspects of the tour.

[Mr. DS]

Down in Newport RI, they have a tour of several haunted areas.  All of the mansions are supposedly haunted in that area.  My brother frequents New Orleans and takes tours there all the time.

[Mr_Vindictive]

I've taken a few tours around the area and most are just there to take your money.  I live on the coast of NC and we actually have the home of Blackbeard here which is supposedly VERY haunted.  I've never done any type of investigations there though.

As I've said before, in the past year or two, I've done a few audio recordings at graveyards in the area.  Quite a few of the graves are from the 1700s and some do not even have any markings or dates which are extremely old.  You would be surprised the things that I've been able to find.  If I get around to it someday, I'll post some of the recordings here.

[Shadow]

I've been all through the Winchester Mystery House, which was featured on Ghost Hunters once (and Most Haunted recently). Does that count? The wife and I went there on our honeymoon, if that tells you anything about us.

Now that I think about it, I really need to get those pictures we took in the house out of the camera.

[Mr. DS]

Actually come to think of it, about a half hour from me is the grave of Mercy Brown who was supposedly a vampire.  If you're not familiar with the story here you go.  I've seen it on a few shows.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercy_Brown_vampire_incident

Another MAJOR one I totally forgot to mention was my visit to Salem.  I have to admit I was a bit let down by it although I would say everyone should check it out once.  It is an interesting place of history. 

[RapscallionJones]

Another MAJOR one I totally forgot to mention was my visit to Salem.  I have to admit I was a bit let down by it although I would say everyone should check it out once.  It is an interesting place of history. 

My place of birth, dude.  I was just there yesterday for the annual Haunted Happenings mob scene.  I really just go down there for Harrison's Comics which is like Mecca to me, but I love the whole place this time of year.  It's totally honky tonk and in spite of what you've heard, the place doesn't really have any documented hauntings in places that they're supposed to.  All of the witch hangings took place in nearby Danvers, anyway.  The tales are all perpetuated by the locals because it's great for their local economy.

If you want to really get down to it, the grounds of the old Danvers State Mental Hospital, basis for Lovecraft's Arkham Asylum, was a hotbed of bad, bad energy and a lot of totally sweet investigations. The main building, the most intimidating part of the property is still there but the old expansion wings have been torn down to build apartments.  I'd hate to live in those places given the history of that land.

One town over, in Marblehead, there are tons of ghost stories that are much more true than anything happening in Salem, but still that town is pretty cool and cobblestone museum walkway is a very nice area.  Just stay away from Beverly.

A friend of mine actually does investigations.  I'd love to go out for one of those some time.  She's been out to Vale End in Wilton, NH, which is the source of some harrowing ghost stories.
http://www.hollowhill.com/nh/nh.htm

There are also stories about a house in Hudson that was the location of a suicide in the driveway.  Ever since then, deer line up nightly in the driveway and look at the spot where it happened.  She has photos of this over the course of several nights spaced apart by weeks.  It's creepy.

[Trevor]

  My parents tell me that I was apparently born with a caul on my face (supposedly indicating the presence of second sight) so I don't think a 'sensitive' would be a good person to be on a tour like this, I would probably freak.

South Africa has its' own ghost tourism site which can be found at www.mysteryghostbus.co.za. We have quite a number of hair-raising tales of ghosts and wandering spirits right here in Africa.

The most hairraising one for me is the story of the Uniondale Ghost, a car accident victim, the story of which can be found here: www.uniondale.co.za/ghost.htm 

[Scott]

I've been all through the Winchester Mystery House, which was featured on Ghost Hunters once (and Most Haunted recently). Does that count? The wife and I went there on our honeymoon, if that tells you anything about us.

Oh yea, WINCHESTER MYSTERY HOUSE counts. I went there about 5 years ago. Neat place and stories.

http://www.winchestermysteryhouse.com/story.html

I've taken a few tours around the area and most are just there to take your money.  I live on the coast of NC and we actually have the home of Blackbeard here which is supposedly VERY haunted.  I've never done any type of investigations there though.

As I've said before, in the past year or two, I've done a few audio recordings at graveyards in the area.  Quite a few of the graves are from the 1700s and some do not even have any markings or dates which are extremely old.  You would be surprised the things that I've been able to find.  If I get around to it someday, I'll post some of the recordings here.

I know Skaboi has really been into this subject. Odinn7 was another. He actually was or is doing investigations with a group in his area.

Some of the places I've been are:

Winchester Mystery House
Alcatraz
Eastern State Penitentiary
Fort Mifflin
Gettysburg
Salem
Tombstone
Old Town San Diego
Strasburg

Most historical places have lots of history including ghost stories.

[Mr. DS]

If you want to really get down to it, the grounds of the old Danvers State Mental Hospital, basis for Lovecraft's Arkham Asylum, was a hotbed of bad, bad energy and a lot of totally sweet investigations. The main building, the most intimidating part of the property is still there but the old expansion wings have been torn down to build apartments.  I'd hate to live in those places given the history of that land.

Wasn't that the setting for the movie Session 9?

[Mr_Vindictive]

Darksider,

Yep, Danves was the setting for Session 9.  Fascinating location for a film.

[Mr. DS]

The Assylum actually kind of took presidence in that movie over the actors if memory serves me correct. 

Side note, theres a book series out there called Wierd US that are fun reads.  I have the "Wierd New England" edition.  Check them out if you folks are into this kind of thing.

[raj]

I did a ghost tour of Charleston, SC years ago:

http://www.charlestonwalks.com/ghosts.html

They also had a pretty interesting tour on the, ah, adult side of Charleston
http://www.bulldogtours.com/charleston-sc-walking-tours.html

It is a very nice town.

[RapscallionJones]

The Assylum actually kind of took presidence in that movie over the actors if memory serves me correct. 

Side note, theres a book series out there called Wierd US that are fun reads.  I have the "Wierd New England" edition.  Check them out if you folks are into this kind of thing.

I can never remember which channel it's on, History I think, but those guys have a show that's kind of like Ripley's Believe It Or Not meets Mythbusters.  It's pretty cool and they visit some really strange places around the country.  I love it.  I never know when its on but when I see it listed I'll stop and watch every time.