Ghost Tales

But Tammy has gone beyond just telling these stories. She and her husband and others often go to these "haunted" locations - and even stay overnight in so-called "haunted" rooms in order to understand and explain as much as possible of the unusual sounds and sights and happenings that are alleged to occur there.

So, how much of these occurences can be explained and how much can't be readily explained? That's what this "Full Moon Series" is about. We think our readers will enjoy it. Whenever the moon is full you can expect to find another story in this series.

Tammy is a native of Anderson County and will focus on stories and events from this part of Tennessee - but you never know what surprise she might come up with next ...

Her web site at www.ParanormalSpectrum.com provides a lot of background information - and information on how to buy her books.

"A Ghostly Slumber"
Full Moon Series by Tammy J. Poore

March 8, 2012

Researching haunted legends has been very interesting, especially when the "ghosts" are practically in your back door. Tennessee has many ghostly legends and one of our first "encounters" with Tennessee spirits took place in a hotel. If you've ever wanted to sleep in a "haunted Tennessee hotel" you won't have to travel far from home, you can zip over to Chattanooga and stay at The Read House Sheraton Inn, formerly known as The Crutchfield House. The original hotel was built in 1847. The history of the hotel endorses the possibility of a haunting. Consider that the main lobby was once used as a temporary hospital for wounded soldiers, many of whom succumbed to death supporting a definite possibility that some guests may have checked in but never checked out.

There is also the notorious story of the unfortunate "lady of the night" who was killed in the bathroom of room 311 in the late 1800's, practically beheaded by a civil war soldier. Her spirit has been encountered by many guests, or so the story goes. Some ponder the theory that the murder itself cursed the room, or is it mere coincidence that in the 1930's a lady known as Analise Wetterly was brought to the room by a gentleman friend with whom she quarreled and she suddenly ended up dead? It appeared that Analise took her own life in infamous room 311, yet many believe her male friend murdered her and staged it to look like suicide.

Numerous visitors have been awakened by a female specter in this room and even some other rooms on the third floor. Which ghostly lady haunts the place? Could it be both specters randomly appear to unaware guests?

Not only has the Read House earned a reputation for the female ghosts but staff has seen shadowy apparitions, guests have been awakened in the night by phantom hands and witnesses have captured odd anomalies in photographs and videos. In fact, a lot of guests leave early due to the haunting presence of spiritual activity.

During our stay at the hotel we captured by camera dark manly shapes in two mirrors of the Silver Ballroom when no one was there to cast a reflection. In the hotel kitchen we captured a spectacular white orb- without the use of a flash with all natural lighting. Not enough to convince you? Then consider the few oddities we experienced while staying overnight in room 311.

The first mysterious occurrence happened after I deliberately turned on the desk lamp just inside the entry and I staged the items on the desk so that I would know if anything was moved. I took a photograph before leaving for a tour of the area. When we returned, the desk lamp was off and the light in the kitchenette was on instead. I had to prove to the family with the photo on the camera that someone had messed with the lights after we left. Could it have been staff? Certainly, but bear in mind before we retired for the night we tried to call room service to request extra linens for our children to sleep on the foldout bed, the phone in the room wouldn't work so my hubby went to the lobby to request these things and was told it would be brought to the room. While we waited, my husband and daughter called out on his cell phone. Within minutes someone knocked. I went to the door expecting room service, but there was no one there. I looked up and down the hallway there was no one in sight. That was spooky. It was about another ten minutes before room service did bring the linens. Could it have been pranksters? Yes, of course.

Respectfully, the plumbing in this old part of the hotel made a lot of noise even when we weren't using the toilet facilities. Banging and bumping was frequently heard behind the bathroom walls. By the time we actually went to bed my kids had become rather fearful after hearing the noises that I attributed to the plumbing. We all had a feeling of being "watched". Needless to say they didn't stay on the sleeper sofa, they came to our bed. I didn't sleep well and though I didn't see anything in particular, I heard voices (which isn't uncommon in a hotel), I heard noises like a small animal's toenails catching in the carpet. A few times I "thought" I saw shadowy movements, but when I investigated there was nothing. I never could determine if the shadowy movement was from my imagination or if I had witnessed what many others also claim to have seen. It stands to reason that the spirit in room 311 would not disturb me or my children, it seems she is most interested in men and especially has a discord for men who smoke. That is when she touches or awakens guests from their sleep.

Finally we drifted off to sleep to awaken a few hours later from heat. This is where it gets odd. Yes, there were 4 of us in this bed and yes, that could have contributed to the heat, but my husband woke up feeling the same way within a minute of my discomfort, so he got up to check the air conditioner and turn it to a cooler setting; he checked the wall thermostat and it read 69 degrees. There was no way it was accurate, because we were sweating. He put the setting on 66 and returned to bed. Instead of getting cooler it got hotter and my kids woke up sweating. We all felt uncomfortable, it's any wonder we stayed the rest of the night. But let me explain a certain phenomena I am familiar with. (I lived in a haunted house for a few years which had burned and was built on the same foundation with some of the same bricks and I know from experience that when a place has burned and is haunted, it can get very "hot" just the same as the "cold" spots that accompany most hauntings.) The Read House had burned back in 1867, so I really feel that our experience with the heat was a paranormal phenomenon in itself. So we waited it out and retired again.

When morning came, my family and I were very grateful to see daylight, the only noise we all heard that didn't have an explanation was the sound similar to a woman moaning and it seemed to rise right up from the bed. It made 3 of us startle and ask each other who made the moaning noise.

Maybe the personal experiences aren't enough to convince skeptics. Maybe the photo of the orb isn't too convincing, but the picture with the dark shadowy figures convinced me. I believe the Read House to be haunted. I believe it is haunted by more than 1 spirit. In fact, I believe the photo of the dark shadowy figure we captured to resemble a soldier, and it seems others have encountered him, too.

Considering the fact that there are many instances where others have seen shadowy figures and experienced strange things, personal accounts from staff and guests, I think if you are interested in haunted hotels, maybe you should drop by and the spend the night in room 311 of The Read House Hotel. Please extend a greeting from me to the female spirit who resides there. We enjoyed our stay and hope you enjoy yours.

February 7, 2012

Every paranormal investigator seeks to visit 'legendary haunted' locations. Two years ago our team was able to tour and investigate one of the more infamous haunted hospitals in the South: Waverly Hills Sanatorium. With more than 6,000 deaths attributed to tuberculosis; patient abuse disguised as attempts to eradicate the disease; multiple suicides and rumors of murder - the walls of Waverly could tell more stories than the most popular horror novel.

There are so many 'apparitions' inside the ruined remains of the structure that it's difficult to choose which ones to speak about. So let's start at the beginning: the haggard old woman specter who greets you at the main entrance. If you are lucky (or unlucky) enough to be one of the few to glimpse her she will briefly float past and exit the front door, chains and blood dripping from her wrists and ankles as she screams "Help Me!" and "Somebody save me!" before disappearing into thin air, her vision so fleeting that you wonder if you really saw her. Surprisingly there are numerous accounts of visitors who recount catching sight of the blood-spattered door greeter. If the aforementioned 'ghost' doesn't frighten you hang around Waverly Hill, something will eventually make your skin crawl.

You might be surprised to learn that many innocent children were victims of the dreaded TB disease dating back to 1924, (note that the hospital was completed in 1926, when TB was gravely misunderstood.) On the third floor witnesses have seen the spirit of a little girl known as 'Mary' who doesn't "look quite right", described as having no eyes. There is also an apparition of a young boy known as 'Bobby' by some, known to us as 'Timmy' as depicted by our tour guide on the night we stayed. Let me assure you the sight of an unearthly child would bring feelings of discomfort. Though we 'sensed' a spiritual presence our eyes were not quick enough to see him, yet our camera captured a shape that appears to be "Timmy's ghostly image" kneeling on a window ledge on the third floor. It was in this specific room where we took notice of a temperature change, a feeling of heaviness and caught a brief glimpse of something that seemed to dart by and that's when we took the photograph. Ghost hunters and thrill seekers have heard the sounds of bouncing balls on the third floor of Waverly Hills enticing some televised ghost hunting shows and amateur hunters to challenge this 'haunt' by taking a toy ball in hopes of encouraging the children spirits to play. Others have heard the distant, disembodied voices of children chanting rhymes like "Ring around the Rosie." Words can't describe the remorseful feelings associated with that sound.

One of the most infamous spirits - and rooms - inside the building belongs to the spirit of the pregnant nurse who hung herself from a light or plumbing fixture in room 502. In 1928 the head nurse killed herself, believed to be pregnant and unmarried. This was shameful enough in that era but many believe she may have been pregnant by one of the married doctors, most people believe she had also contracted TB and feared for her unborn child since she knew the horrible outcome in those days of having the disease known as the "white plague."

This room is where, according to rumors people have jumped to their deaths even after the building was closed as a TB hospital. (It was later used as a geriatric hospital). It is here that people commonly feel a sense of deep despair when entering the room and thoughts of suicide emerge, especially (but not exclusively) for depressed women and children when they visit this part of the sanatorium. To support this claim we were told by our guide about a nurse who committed suicide in 1932 by jumping from the window of 502. Why she decided to kill herself remains a mystery. Another tale floats around, almost like the ghosts of Waverly, suggesting the 5th floor was reserved for the dangerous, mentally disturbed TB patients and that is why only a few rooms were at each end of two nurse's stations. It is here that some claim an insane patient stabbed one of the nurses to death while running around screaming at the top of his lungs. There is no proof that this stabbing took place, yet the rumors persist as visitors have seen her ghostly apparition covered in blood. Such enormous stories seem common at this old sanatorium - did these tales start as simple yarns? Or are they seasoned with an indelible truth?

On the night we toured Waverly we had a few experiences that stand out vividly such as the moment my daughter became alarmed as we stood outside of room 502 very near the spot where the nurse hung herself, her body suspended inanimately in death until the next shift… It was there that my daughter whispered for me to look behind her to see if anyone was there. I looked and told her no one was behind her and she said in a shaky voice, "Someone just touched me." I put my arm around her for comfort, but she was so shaken that she would not enter the actual room. She elected to stay back with our tour guide until we all went inside room 502 where a perturbed feeling overcame us.

When we toured the old structure we were allowed to take pictures on every floor except the fourth floor. On this floor we couldn't have flashlights or cell phones or anything with light. That's because this is considered to be the most "active" floor with frequent sightings of shadow people and one very large, aggressive entity known as "Big Blackie." Our tour guide claims that he was attacked on this floor and scratched after Big Blackie suddenly appeared blocking all light from the hallway before attacking. It seems any light or noise from visitors ignites this entity's temper. While we were there we all saw what appeared to be shadow people crossing the hallways, but I'm not convinced it wasn't a trick of the eye as moonlight seeped through the window panes in the adjoined rooms and the walls blocked all incoming light between the rooms, creating a dark/ light contrast that may contribute to such imaging.

Throughout Waverly doors will slam for no apparent reason and we were told by one of the volunteer staff about doors that close and sometimes lock tight. When the current owners first bought the building people had trespassed and vandalized for years. After installing security cameras and alarms the owners and volunteers were alerted when anyone crossed the fence which happened frequently for awhile. One scene involved several young men/teens who broke in wielding an axe. They made it to the fourth floor without incident but suddenly something dark and large intercepted their pathway blocking all visibility, when they turned to run back down the stairs the heavy, metal door suddenly slammed shut locking them inside with the 'shadows' and things that lurk only in the darkest recesses of our imaginations. The alarms alerted the owners and security personnel to the intruders' presence and by the time volunteers and authorities reached the site they could hear the screams for help coming from inside. When they reached the fourth floor the boys were screaming and pounding against the door which the police were able to open with ease, the boys practically fell onto the floor in a heap since they had been jammed together against the door beating, screaming and shoving to break free, they even chopped into the metal door with the axe in an attempt to escape. What had frightened them to the point that the vandals were grateful the police arrived? Was it the dark, hulking shadow figure that would become known as "Big Blackie" or was it the chilling spider-like advancement of shadow people, crawling along the walls and floors, hanging from the doorways as they closed in on their 'prey'?

Can you believe that the institution has been closed for decades yet the smells of cooking sometimes wafts through the halls at Waverly Hills? On our visit I would have much preferred the smell of fresh baked break to the scent we endured in what was once the laundry room: the horrid stench of sickness and death permeated the room making several of our members nauseated. Coincidentally feelings of sickness seem to be common among visitors inside this historical building along with the feeling of suffocation, especially in the death tunnel or body chute as it is known.

Cold spots, EVP's and other paranormal phenomena have been captured by many. Our group had several experiences already mentioned, but one incident takes precedence and I save it for last. Two of our members saw a "face" peering from one of the windows of a metal door. I was urged to take a picture, while I did not capture the face after the fact the photograph does show that no one could have walked up and peered at us through the door's window. Back at our motel as we discussed and compared stories Antonio asked Debbie to explain what she had seen before he described what he had witnessed. Before either of them described the face Antonio had "sketched" an image of the face he saw peering at him, not revealing it to any of us until both descriptions were complete and could be compared. The two descriptions matched almost perfectly, all the way to the fact that the face seemed to have no eyes. You can see the sketch at www.paranormalspectrum.com. The 'face' possibly resembles a homeless man who resided at the abandoned structure during the early 1990's. He and his dog were the victims of vandals breaking in and tossing their bodies down the elevator shaft. We didn't know about this phantom at the time but have later learned that the man and his dog have been seen at Waverly Hills in the afterlife.

There are countless stories of ghosts and entities at Waverly Hills Sanatorium. How many are legitimate, one can never be sure. But there is one fact, even though not all of our members agree that Waverly is haunted, I believe in consideration of the legacies and the death toll behind these walls, if this place "ain't haunted" then continue to excuse my bad grammar "no place is haunted." I am thankful the current owners of Waverly Hills Sanatorium offers guided tours and half night/ all night investigations. This way, more people can experience the disturbingly haunted Waverly Hills Tuberculosis Hospital and see for themselves if there are ethereal spirits residing there.

To further research Waverly's history you can go to the source, the current owners have a site that explains how Waverly Hills came to be. After your read our story perhaps you could visit their page at http://www.therealwaverlyhills.com. A condensed version of our experience/this story can be found on my blog www.instantescape.wordpress.com along with other stories and experiences as we research the paranormal.

January 9, 2012

There are many tales of murder, death and haunting along this road, stories that span from a dozen years past to more than a century ago. The wooded area is said to be home to several mythical creatures, I may use the word "mythical" but some folk really believe in these supernatural beasts. Imagine an 8-10 foot tall Goat-man with a pentagram carved in his forehead, it's hard to imagine, isn't it? Rumor would have us believe he was "conjured" to protect "the gated grave" in a specific historic cemetery.

Evidence of occult activity & vandalism deface an old inoperable coal stack; the ruins of a long-standing commissary and a train depot. All three locations are home to unexplainable activities and ghostly sightings. At the coal stack the apparition of a gentlemanly body has been seen falling to his death: a very real tragedy that claimed a worker more than half a century ago. At the old commissary the sounds of ethereal voices can be heard and sometimes the legendary 'hounds of hell' will stalk visitors from the safety of the woods chasing them away if the visitor lingers too long. At the train depot furniture can be heard moving around and something pale and eerie watches from the small window before quickly disappearing from view. There is also the spirit of a young female wandering the train tracks at night; the cries of young children drowned by the hands of their mother; a slender female floating through a cemetery. Some say you can see hovering, blue 'ghost lights'. The hills and valleys of Red Ash are a supernatural haven to hear the locals tell it. I have researched this "haunted location" for more than four years. I've also joined several paranormal groups as we looked for and challenged the myths and legends. You may be surprised by my findings.

Though we've never seen a half-man half-goat we did capture a photograph of a vertical 'form' seemingly emerging from the woods. It isn't human but it stands upright, with a larger than normal head and a stance that isn't natural. On the night we took this picture I was standing outside of my vehicle when four of us heard a distant wail. We were already taking video and photographs to document our trip, then unexpectedly something large moved in the nearby woods and we heard branches breaking! I hurriedly got inside the car and took some pictures from the open car window, that's when I caught this strange shape in the foliage. Do I believe it is a goat-man? Of course not! But I do admit that the wailing noise and hearing something running towards us from the woods made my blood run ice cold. Though it could have been an animal, the form we captured in our photograph bears no resemblance to man or animal.

There are stories about the 'hounds of hell' they are supposed to be large, ferocious black dogs with blazing red eyes with super strength and abilities. On two occasions we encountered feral dogs, black ones running along the road, but they were no hounds of hell by any stretch of the imagination.

As for the apparition at the coal tower, I have to admit that we've had some strange things happen near the inoperative coal stack. Visitors have dialed their radio to a frequency between stations to get white noise and some individuals claim to have heard voices come through the static. On more than one of our investigations members of our groups have witnessed erratic EMF spikes, (when I say erratic I mean we had an hour long session where our group had 4 different EMF meters which either alarmed in unison or took turns alarming in response to our questioning for almost an entire hour with no breaks in the action.) As for the voice I mentioned, we captured a southern tone of voice on digital audio when I asked aloud (directed at the phantom which fell to his death, of course) how old he was… and lo and behold I got an answer! When I reviewed the evidence the two words sounded like a spoken, understandable age. This EVP will be released on our website soon. When I asked some of the locals familiar with the real incident of the fallen worker they confirmed he would have been around that age "uttered" by an unseen speaker. At the train depot I didn't get close enough to hear any furniture moving but from the roadside I took video and photographs, in one picture there was a tan "shape" in the window, with no distinct features, it seemed larger than a human yet was flesh colored. It appeared in one of three photographs.

When we investigated the old commissary, or what was left of it, we had a very chilling experience late at night when a strange mist entered the building, a mist that started out as white and changed to a rusty shade of brown, moved from the doorway and between members of our group before wafting out the open roof creating a cold breeze in its wake at the same moment a voice was captured on our audio device which said, "I'm cold, too." This mist was captured by several different cameras and one video recorder. A mist is just a mist until it acts unusual and leaves behind a noise similar to a voice.

Though we can't declare that any of our "experiences" and "captures" was definitely paranormal we can say that this is one area that provides episode after episode of strange, unsettling happenings. For instance, the first night I visited this area, (the full moon night mentioned at the beginning of this article); there were four family members with me. I had told them about the goat-man and the apparition at the coal tower and the phantom train, but I forgot to mention the hovering, blue ghost lights. This was our first run through Red Ash. After more than an hour traveling the road, stopping to take video footage and pictures and within minutes of having been startled by the wail and sound in the woods we decided to leave. Then my husband suddenly said, "Did you see that?"

"What? I didn't see anything, where was it?"

"In the road, you didn't see the blue lights?"

My pulse raced, I had forgotten all about the hovering, blue lights which are a part of the haunting legend in this area. To be sure though, I asked, "Did it look like police lights traveling up ahead?"Of course the roadway was black, illuminated a short distance by our car's head lamps, I didn't see anything ahead, but I didn't want to jump to conclusions and get too excited.

"No, they just appeared in front of our car, a few feet off the ground and then it was like we passed through and I caught a glimpse of them in the mirrors! None of you saw that?"

What could we say? He was the only one. I had been busy looking at the images on the digital camera, my son was playing a video game and the teens in the back seat were talking. "What did they look like?" I prompted.

"Round, faint blue lights, a larger one and a smaller one, they were very pale but I saw them. I know what I saw."

This is unusual coming from my husband, he prefers scientific concept to superstition and paranormal theories. I then explained the part of the legend about blue ghost lights readily seen traveling the winding roads and hills in Red Ash off Old Highway 63. My family sat quietly and listened as I spoke, my husband was at a loss for words. Finally, after prolonged silence he said. "I know what I saw. It could have been some weird fog, that's all I can say. But I have never seen anything like it before."

Practically every trip we've made to this remote location in Campbell County has provided some surprises. In fact, this location has more than one chapter devoted to the ghostly legends in my next book which will be available soon. You can see our pictures, video and EVP's from this area on Paranormal Spectrum.com.

In conclusion, admittedly some houses and buildings earn a reputation for being haunted. In this case the entire road, woods, cemeteries and old buildings scattered around this area have somehow become host to numerous accounts of spectral tales, supernatural beasts and somber ghosts. If you haven't taken a country drive in awhile, why not take one this next Full Moon? You'll appreciate the extra light provided by the lunar orb in the sky, because at night this stretch of road can be very dark and intimidating. I suggest you pull over at a safe location and roll down the windows and turn off the vehicle. If you will simply sit and wait, I am certain you will see or hear something that will make your skin shiver!

December 9, 2011

I won't reveal the true identity about my sources, but the establishment which is our subject for this article was built between 1942-1944 it was once a performance hall, later It was converted into a three-screen cinema after the war. It's had many face lifts over the years. For more than half a dozen years it sat vacant until it was recognized for the gem in the rough that it is and was purchased for a higher purpose, so to speak.

This ghostly encounter reaches back to the mid 1970's, a time period when I can recall watching movies at the theater when I was a child. The most memorable movie I saw at this location was titled "Freaky Friday", which was released in 1976. This would be one year after the incident happened which I am about to describe.

Last year a mature gentleman spoke with me about what he experienced while working there when he was a senior in high school working part time at the theater. Jim enjoyed his job, "It was a great place to work. I could get discounts for close family members to see a movie. It was a luxury in my youth to go to a theater." Jim's job entailed whatever was needed from running concessions to cleaning the auditoriums. He had closed the theater many times before and had never seen or heard anything out of the ordinary. On this night, however, that all changed.

"There were only three of us working that night, we were shorthanded from the onset, and soon after the theater closed it was me and one other person, Emily." Jim recounted, "I'm not sure what was special about that night, if it was a full moon or near Halloween, but I remember that it was one of those evenings when nothing went right. We had trouble in theater two, the projector stopped advancing the film and Bill had to fix the trouble, I went in there once when someone complained and we had to rethread the film, but it happened more than twice that night." Jim also recalls having trouble with the popcorn machine, the bulb that keeps the popped popcorn warm repeatedly went out, "When I attempted to replace the bulb it would light up again as soon as I touched it. I tightened the bulb and it worked fine for a few minutes, but then it would go out again. I know it went out five times that night."

After the theater closed he and Emily busily cleaned the lobby. The concession stand had closed an hour prior to the last film ending soon after the ticket box closed. After the last patron was out they locked the doors and all three employees worked diligently to get the theater ready for the next day, Bill left before they did. Jim said, "I made sure the doors were locked after Bill left."

Jim had swept the area around the concession stand earlier and was finishing up his duties in the front lobby. Emily was running a vacuum cleaner on the carpeted areas. Jim kept finding pieces of popcorn on the floor. "I would find a few pieces of popcorn in places where I had already swept." He claims, "I can assure you I was a hard worker and I wouldn't have left food on the floor." Finally, after he re-swept the same area three times he started to think someone was playing a practical joke.

"I looked and saw Emily pushing the vacuum cleaner, I had heard it making noise, but to be sure it wasn't her I checked on her with my own eyes. I wondered if Bill had let himself in and was playing a joke. I searched the bathrooms, movie auditoriums and there was no one anywhere so I checked the exterior doors, they were all locked. Emily saw me prowling around and turned off the vacuum cleaner. She was done anyway so she approached me." Jim recalls, "She asked me why I was acting nervous?" He didn't realize he was, he had made an attempt to find out who was tossing popcorn on the floor, but he wasn't acting nervous. "I asked Emily what she meant."

Emily looked at him and said, "You're up to something. You're throwing popcorn on the floor, making me vacuum over spots I've already done. I would like to go home sometime tonight."

Jim assured her he had nothing to do with it. "The same thing has been happening to me, that's why I was looking in every room and checking doors, I thought Bill had let himself back in to play a joke on us."

Jim said it was then that he started to feel worried. But a ghost was the last thing on his mind; he was more concerned that there might be an intruder. He and Emily covered every inch of the theater and found no one. "That's when I started to feel chilled as the thought of something inhuman popped into my mind. I didn't mention it to Emily, but I decided we needed to leave. So I told Emily we could go, the place looked good enough." But it didn't, Jim says he looked and there was some more popcorn on the floor. He bent down to pick the stray pieces up and when he raised up he saw a movement behind the concessions counter. He rushed around the counter feeling perplexed that there was nobody there.

Emily asked Jim, "What are you doing?"

Jim wouldn't admit he had seen a shadowy movement, so he told her he was double checking things. He pulled the keys out and said, "Let's go. This has been a long enough night." He and Emily exited the building, as he turned to lock the door he thought he saw another shadowy movement. Jim hesitated, at that moment he was thinking about dismissing what he had just seen. But he couldn't do that, it didn't feel right. If someone was inside he couldn't lock them in and leave them all night. "We always left a light on, although it was dark outside the inside of the theater was dimly lit and I know I saw a full sized shadow move away from the lobby. So I told Emily to stand at the door while I looked one more time inside." Jim went back in and searched the theater a final time. "I was completely alone in that building. But by this time the hairs on the back of my neck were standing up. I didn't believe in ghosts until that night,"

This wouldn't be Jim's only encounter with the ghost but it was his first. After that night he admits he was more alert to peculiar happenings. It seemed odd noises and unexplainable equipment malfunctions were happening more often. A few weeks later he was closing again, this time he was operating the vacuum cleaner and a gal named Audrey was cleaning the restroom.

Jim explained, "I could smell fresh popcorn. That isn't unusual in a theater but we had emptied the popcorn machine nearly two hours earlier. This smelled like freshly made popcorn. The familiar smell wafted right up to me so I turned off the cleaner and walked over to the concession stand. The popcorn machine was empty, silent and dark and the smell was no longer viable." Jim said he chalked it up to his imagination and walked back to resume cleaning the carpet. "That's when I heard a bump behind me. I turned around, expecting to see Audrey but instead I saw an older male standing beside the popcorn machine dressed in something akin to a tuxedo and he looked just like he was about to reach in to get popcorn. But he vanished right before my eyes!" Jim said he was so stunned he couldn't think of running, he stood there motionless and that's when Audrey came from the restroom and stopped walking in her tracks. She looked at Jim and asked, "You're as white as a ghost. Are you feeling sick, Jim?"

Jim said he couldn't utter a word he simply nodded confirmation that he felt sick. Audrey volunteered to finish his duties so he could leave, but Jim wouldn't leave. It took awhile for him to compose himself but he did and he finished his job that night.

After that night whenever he was in the theater he caught himself looking over his shoulder and watching out for shadows or apparitions. Jim said he always felt the presence of someone watching him but never saw the ghostly man again. "I don't know why the man chose me to show him-self to, but I wish he hadn't. When I mentioned hearing odd noises and seeing shadows to the manager, he reminded me it was an old building with good acoustics and any small noise would be amplified and you couldn't really tell where it was coming from. He also said that shadows were common in dimly lit places. But I couldn't tell him about the man I saw, he would never believe me." Jim didn't share his experience with anyone for many years. He changed jobs that same year, citing a better opportunity, not the ghost as being the reason he left the theater.

Jim didn't visit the theater, not even to see a movie until he had children of his own and he took them there one time. Jim explains, "Even though there had been some remodeling the layout was basically the same and when I walked in a more mature, wiser man I still caught myself looking around a bit, wondering if he was still there. Fortunately I turned my attention to the family night out and the movie. I didn't see anything or feel anything unexplainable. Still, as we were leaving I looked over my shoulder, half expecting to see him standing there, waving goodbye to an old friend, but I never saw him or anything like him again in my life. Nor do I want to."

Naturally this experience intrigued me as a paranormal researcher and author of ghost tales so I approached many people, finally finding someone who had been inside the recently remodeled building. This man didn't believe in ghosts or spirits but he was kind enough to speak with me at length about a story he had heard from a lady he knew well and respected. It was eerily similar to Jim's experience: an older, well dressed male had been seen by someone she knew who swore to be alone in the building. Upon investigation they confirmed that they were locked inside the building totally alone. My contact person whom I will call Seth claims he has been in the building many times alone, but has never seen or heard anything unexplainable. When I asked Seth to allow our team to investigate he politely refused, but he did encourage me to ask around for the purpose of adding the location to a book or blog in the future. He told me, "I wouldn't see a ghost if there was one since I am a firm disbeliever. That's not to disrespect what you do. If you can find someone who has had a ghostly experience here you're welcome to use the story, but I can't allow you to investigate this place. It would go against everything I believe in." His honesty was appreciated.

Still, whenever I am driving in that area and pass this building I pause and gaze upon it, thinking about the feisty, well dressed man who made an appearance for Jim. It seemed he liked to get attention by messing with equipment and tossing popcorn on the floor. I can imagine him working there long ago when it was a performance hall. Maybe he had been a jokester even then, accustomed to receiving attention and applause. I hope one day to get my group inside to spend some time alone with the building that offered entertainment, laughter, tears and more - and perhaps holds a secret to who the man at the concession stand in the tuxedo once was.

November 10, 2011

Not too far from this cemetery is another historic landmark where some visitors claim to hear old slave songs in the distance while others sense they are being watched by mistrustful eyes. Is this another case of local lore and hype, or could there be spirits roaming the hillsides of the old Wheat community?

Allow me to bring you up to date on the tales that surround this area. As mentioned above many have heard the soulful sounds of hard working slaves as they unite in vocal renditions of the past. "Sometimes it's not what you hear as much as what you feel." A person said, describing the burdened sensation of being watched, and feeling the accumulated suspicion of unseen presence when she visits this small cemetery with many unmarked graves. "I felt a deep sadness along with great respect when I saw the tokens left behind on the marker of this historically significant burial site. Not sure if my mind was playing tricks on me but I could hear the slaves singin' and I could feel their presence." This account vastly differs from the stories that surround a nearby graveyard also in the former Wheat community which often presents disembodied voices and unexplained "ghost lights" as well as something darker and more sinister according to a few.

Naturally I had to visit this area to see if anything "supernatural" might happen while my group was there. First, I pondered why there might be spirits at this location. The dead are dead, aren't they? I don't think for a moment that anyone buried there is roaming around in the afterlife especially in a cold, dark desolate place where there is not a source of thriving energy. But what if something tragic had happened there or nearby? One rumor is about an unsolved murder near the site many, many years ago. I have heard that a body was found not too far from the cemetery. Could such misfortune explain why a shadowy entity manifests when trespassers ignore the warning signs? Perhaps the specter simply wants justice. Alas, most people prefer to believe that the spirit belongs to one of the people forced from the land when the government stepped in and took this rural community, a spirit that is still angry and scornful.

I work closely with the public and I'm privy to many tales and legends and I've been told of firsthand accounts of peculiar experiences in this particular graveyard near a vacant church. Many have heard the sound of something approaching in the gravels alerting the person(s) to an unknown presence. We can be certain that wild animals would roam the area, yet these accounts deny that the noises result from an animal because everyone who shared these experiences with me said they looked for the source of the noise. Then there are the "ghost lights" that people have seen hovering and bouncing above the graves. No one can explain this phenomenon accurately, though some speculate that an odorless gas generated from decomposing masses could rise from the soil and cast a ghostly glow if ignited by static electricity, but after all these years it is highly improbable. Then there are the voices that carry across the knoll, whispery sounds from whence no one knows.

Incredibly some of our experiences in the cemetery near the church did seem to fit the reports mentioned above. My group arrived before dark on a summery, full moon night and yes we did notify authorities that we would be there taking photographs and video. We familiarized ourselves with the area. We had EMF meters and infrared devices to validate anything unusual IF we encountered anything out of the ordinary. It seemed like any other cemetery, a peaceful place small enough to feel personal. For hours we waited until darkness permeated the atmosphere, which also allowed any wild animals to begin their nocturnal prowling. As much as we look for "spirit activity" we also look for answers to what may cause some of the events experienced by others who claim to see a ghost or experience something paranormal.

All was quiet and solemn until we were about to call it a night when we all heard the sound of a stone being thrown in the gravel immediately followed by the crunching of gravel beneath someone's - or something's weight. We directed our flashlights towards the sound but saw nothing. The six of us walked towards the spot where we thought we heard the noise. Even as we approached the gravel road we kept our ears on alert for any noises in the adjacent woods. If it was an animal it was very still and silent, our presence never startled it because even as we spoke aloud there was not another noise in the vicinity. We regained our confidence and took some departing photographs capturing plenty of multi colored orbs. Most of the time orbs are the result of environmental contaminants: dust, bugs, pollen or moisture in the air.

"Well since there is obviously nothing here let's get our equipment and leave." One of us announced.

Our group was in agreement so we re-entered the cemetery for the purpose of gathering our duffle bags and check for misplaced equipment, that's when Kathy and I ran into some spider webs, or so we thought. The sticky, fine webbing seemed to ensnare our arms, faces and hair. We simultaneously wiped at the figment cobwebs - I use the word figment because there was nothing on either of us. We trained the flashlight beams on each other and Kathy said, "There are no spider webs. Where would they come from?" After all, we were out in an open area away from trees or objects where spiders normally build.

"You realize that the feeling of spider webs sometimes accompany a paranormal encounter?" I remind.

"Why would that happen?" Kathy challenged, "I've never heard of that."

"Basically it isn't a web or anything tangible, it's similar to static electricity that spreads through your body when you shuffle your feet across carpet, but in this case it is believed an entity passed through or is very, very nearby and the result is the faint sensation of spider webs…or some people experience their hair standing on end." I paused, hesitating to add one detail that might alarm Kathy. This was only our second investigation together, though she would join our team soon after this night and is very knowledgeable about paranormal theories I didn't know how she would react to what I would say, so I dampened the impact with a chuckle, "In other words, if we believe that the sensation of spider webs or cobwebs in the absence of a real web is a paranormal phenomena then what just happened means a spirit violated our space! We were touched or it passed through us!" Even as I finished the explanation I sensed the cold chills on my arms.

Kathy looked at her own arms then back at me. It was a moment that revealed her threshold for anxiety, "That's cool, I never knew that before." She grinned then called out, "Was that you? Is anyone with us?"

I smiled, inwardly thinking 'yes she is right for the team'. For a moment I mentally analyze our group, there are six of us, we are three couples in our thirties to forties and a few in this group have college degrees, of those who do not have degrees we have additional college courses beyond high school so we're not exactly lacking in education. We each have experienced something on a personal level in our lives that propelled our interest in the paranormal. But before I could feel too smug Denise heard something from the upper right corner of the graveyard. "Guys, come here!" She called as softly as she could but with a tone of urgency.

We all joined her, she whispered, "When Kathy asked if anyone was with us I heard a noise… I heard a movement followed by a voice."

"Is anyone there?" Ron called out, not to the spirit world but to the real world we all reside in. "You may want to make your presence known."

We waited silently, watching and listening. Nothing happened.

"Want to try to record something in case it wasn't a person or animal?" I asked.

"My digital recorder is on, let's ask some questions." Tommy had an infrared camcorder in his hands so he began to record, followed by Ron who was ready to catch anything whether paranormal or a natural explanation for what Denise heard.

"Is anyone with us? If you are, you can let us know. We respect you and this cemetery." Now this call was for anything beyond our plane of perception, in other words if there was a spirit nearby we were reaching out to it. Most people would feel foolish speaking out to empty space in an effort to bring spirits forth, but we do this more for our own benefit, how else could we identify what was happening on video or on an audio file months or even years later if we didn't narrate what was happening? It seems silly to a lot of people but it feels instinctive for us and has always been as effortless as breathing for me and most of the members of my group to speak out in this manner, we simply do what feels natural.

"Do you like it when people visit this cemetery?" One of the members asked. We waited patiently, not that we expected a voice to break the silence but it allowed time for anything to happen and sometimes our electronic devices pick up sounds we can't hear. Notably, if an animal or a person caused the noise our presence would scare it away or at the minimum flush it out so that we could identify what startled Denise.

"Do you feel how cold it is?" Kathy asked us.

Indeed she was correct. "Test the temperature. It was seventy two degrees when we checked a couple of hours ago. It could feasibly be a few degrees less after nightfall…"

"Fifty eight degrees!" Tommy announced as he pointed the device near our feet. He directed the digital infrared thermometer in another direction away from where we all stood, "Check that out." He beamed, "Sixty nine degrees over there. There is something going on."

It was a moment when we felt a tinge of excitement, so we spent the next few minutes snapping photographs, recording the sounds and visuals of this small spot in the cemetery. Kathy and Denise captured orbs in their pictures and a few bright specks of light which didn't validate anything, but coupled with what we would find later during review those multi colored orbs might have been more significant than originally thought.

The moment waned after a short time of silence, the chill was gone and our excitement abated, "Ready to go?" I asked. We gathered our belonging one more time, the six of us walking away. As we traveled the gravel road towards our vehicles parked approximately six hundred yards away it sounded as if someone was following us. Denise heard it first so we stopped, remaining calm and silent waiting and watching. We all had flashlights and illuminated the path behind us. Nothing - Again.

We resumed with our departure this time trying to be quieter. Soon the sound of gravel crunching opposed to our footsteps could be heard and we all stopped walking. After a moment the provocation prompted Denise to say out loud, "Okay this is enough. If you're trying to frighten us you better move on out of here!" Was this warning intended for a human - Or something else? The men moved towards the sound not away from it. We followed them, I'm still unclear if it's instinct or because we didn't want to be left alone in a dark, isolated area but we all back-tracked our steps venturing past our starting point at the church. There was absolutely nothing on that gravel road other than us. At that point our comfort level had bottomed out and we ignored the sounds of something following us if anything was following, but I readily admit that I heard the sounds until we were more than half way to our cars.

To illustrate our self-reliance we lingered outside of our vehicles for several minutes, discussing what we thought might have made the noises. Basically it could have been anything from well concealed deer to echoes of our own locomotion, who really knew? But I mentioned to my group before we left about the many accounts I had been told, "I know people who have personally came here for various reasons. Some reasons were not exactly harmless. There have been many rituals and experiments on site, occult ceremonies and such that could conceivably attract a negative spirit, I'm not sure if that's what we heard but you know some people report seeing a shadowy figure after hearing footsteps? Others claim they were told by an unseen entity to Get out!" It sounded farfetched in the absence of trepidation but we were still alarmed after what we experienced so the words had impact.

Denise added, "And some people claim the shadowy figure appears inside the car with them and one guy was even attacked!"

"That's what we've heard, too." Kathy confirmed. "So I think we need to say a prayer of protection before we leave."

"It wouldn't hurt." We huddled close together to utter a few sentences in faith.

It turns out that during the review of our pictures, audio and video files the background noise of cicadas was too loud to distinguish what sounded like whispery voices during the moments we thought we heard something at the top of the cemetery. After using ear-buds and amplifying a few segments of our audio files we heard noises similar to distant voices uttering indiscernible sentences, but the insect interference rendered our investigation inconclusive. Regardless of the "voices" that we think we picked up, two of us distinctly felt spider webs encircle us yet there was no webbing anywhere. And all of us heard the imperceptible sound of footsteps in the gravel as we exited the area known for producing such sounds, strange feelings and sometimes eerie sightings of something other than a living, breathing creature identified as man or beast. If this area is not haunted, then it easily earns the title "Spooky", especially after dark, even with the illumination of a full moon we felt watchful eyes from somewhere in the darkness.

*This article is published for entertainment purposes only. The author researched the haunted legends and in fact investigated this location for possible paranormal activity. The entire story and her experiences can be read in an upcoming book titled: Chasing Ghost Tales in Tennessee - by Tammy J. Poore. If you've had experiences or would like to share a local ghost legend with Tammy you can contact her by email: contact@paranormalspectrum.com

---

 

Tammy J. Poore Tammy J. Poore, author of: Ghost Tales & Superstitions of Southern Appalachian Mountains, is a native of Anderson County and now resides in the Powell area. Tammy has seen much of her writing printed in newspapers and business publications but this was her first book. These stories of ghosts, superstition and supernatural occurrences were handed down from Tammy’s mother and grandfather and have been around since before the 1920’s. Tammy is proud to have been able to preserve the family tradition of sharing ghost stories. Tammy’s next book, Chasing Ghost Tales in Tennessee, now in the final editing stage, is about local ghosts and will feature several stories based in Oak Ridge, Harriman, Kingston and surrounding cities.”This time the ghosts and specters return from the beyond and manifest right in your backyard.” Tammy promises.

Tammy J. Poore

Often ghostly legends will encapsulate southern heritage and history, an element that I find fascinating. As long as the audience can distinguish fact from fiction-or imagination- ghost tales are harmless. But sometimes there is the faintest of lines separating tale from truth. Sometimes what can be explained blurs in the presence of the unexplainable. A very good example of this is right here in Anderson County; a historic building proclaimed to be "haunted" in Oak Ridge, I am speaking of the Alexander Inn (aka the Old Guest House). This location will be featured in my next book due this Fall therefore I hesitate to divulge the entire story but let me share some of our experience as we toured the building twice in an effort to challenge the spirit that earned the inn a reputation of being - shall we say "inhabited by ghosts?"

The first time I was allowed inside the Alexander Inn a friendly man gave me the complete history and tour. Immediately I sensed something more frightening than a ghost: The inn had sat empty and forlorn for more than a decade deteriorating to a deplorable condition, with the help of vandals the devastation is exhausting to look at. However I soon lose myself in the past as the gentleman narrates what the inn used to be, I am allowed a glimpse of the many facets of the building's existence for which I am appreciative. I'm there because of the haunted legend so I move through the corridors with senses on alert for any presence or sound other than ours. At once I discover what prompted the most ridiculous rumor in circulation pertaining to the "blood stains" on the walls, it's probably the quickest and easiest "evidence" to debunk, obviously when the building was vacant and trespassers peered through the windows the stains probably looked like blood but in fact resulted from the vandalism bestowed upon the building, the splatters are black ink strewn on the walls from cartridges that were once intact in copiers.

As my guide and I are walking along one of the wings of the building I stop following him, having heard a noise, I ask him if anyone else is working in the building, "No. It's just me most days." He replies. From the moment I identified myself and the purpose of my visit he assured me he didn't believe in ghosts and the inn wasn't haunted. When I heard the distant bumping sound I kept in mind that the building probably makes a lot of noises simply from the state of disrepair, but I'm also listening for the other noises behind the legend that the Alexander Inn is haunted: Footsteps- it has often been reported that even when alone you can hear footsteps on the stairs and sometimes in the halls.

Half way through the tour I mention to my guide, "It certainly is creepy in here I bet it gets very eerie after dark."

He agrees but doesn't take the bait.

"I know you don't believe in ghosts but have you heard any strange noises? Like footsteps or banging type sounds?"

"I have heard strange noises, but there are many animals that make this place their home. In fact, there is one body buried here," he adds with a wry smile, "an old raccoon found under the floor, already mummified. I sealed him in a permanent tomb myself when I floored the room he's under. But I don't think he can make any noises." We both chuckle at his humor.

Later I hear another strange noise and we follow the sound to the area that was once the laundry room, I couldn't know it at that moment but this same room would again fall under scrutiny when I would return a couple of weeks later. "Probably birds." He offers to explain, "There are other flying creatures in here, did you hear about the bat scaring Kim* when the news crew came with the first group of ghost chasers?"

"Yes I did, I even spoke with her about that. I guess I would've been frightened by the bat, too." Most of the people I have talked to associated with the revitalization of the inn make it clear that they do not think the building is haunted. For awhile I start to feel disappointment, thinking there may not be a reason for a future investigation. I explain this to my guide, "I was hoping to be able to use The Alexander Inn in my next book. If I could feature the Old Guest House in any way it might help bring awareness to the much needed revitalization efforts. But I have many blogs and social networks where I share the results of my research, I don't have to find evidence of a haunting to justify mentioning the research I've done."

He grins slightly, "Now how often do you find evidence when you go out to these places?"

My smile replaces his, "Not often, but when I do it's worth it." I know he thinks I am kidding so I add, "It's never a waste of time when I visit a place that's rumored to be haunted, especially if the location is historic. Words can't express how proud I feel when I see our history being recognized and preserved. So many places are offering tours and the public is hungry for this. Maybe something fortunate will happen to the Alexander Inn." I look at the walls of the inn as I say this and feel a twinge of sadness at the condition of the building, "It's going to take a lot to fix this place up."

On that day there is very little to support a haunting and I leave the inn wondering if I should return with my group. We are granted permission to investigate though I prefer the term "research" because that's my purpose for bringing my equipment on site, but if investigation better explains how I use the equipment that's fine, too. We return a few weeks later at dusk planning to stay after dark. Again the same man leads us through the building. We set up camcorders and digital voice recorders, I make a notation of the base temperature inside the inn in case there are any fluctuations and we do an E.M.F. (electromagnetic field) sweep of the entire place. As darkness falls the building takes on a different ambience and I am pleased we chose to return.

"This place is creepy." Ron* replies, he is one of our team members.

We take our places in the building two people to an area, there are four in our group on this night. We are accustomed to being rather quiet though we make short, casual conversation because the old adage that a watch pot never boils is true. Soon we hear the dripping of water and two of us check it out. Having toured the facility twice I had never heard the dripping sound before. That's how we ended up in the laundry room as mentioned earlier. I shrug and say, "Probably an old leaky faucet." We shine a flash light into the room and sweep the beam around the mess that clutters the space. It seems nothing out of the ordinary is taking place but Ron is interested in the room and has the night-vision camcorder on his shoulder, he lags behind as he focuses on the darkened corners of the laundry area. Just then there is a loud thump behind him and the sound of his own startled reaction as well as a scurrying noise. He calls for me, "Bring the flashlight!" I give it to him and he says, "It might have been rats or birds but I heard something bump behind me, it sounded like something heavy fell." The sheetrock has holes in it and he points the flashlight inside the hole, shining the light behind the wall.

"Do you see anything?" I ask.

"No but rats probably live in there and I heard some scratching noises. It surprised me all of a sudden it sounded like something heavy fell to the floor."

"Rats aren't exactly heavy." I remind.

"A nest of them would be."

Most of the time noises are explainable if investigated and we think we've explained the noise we heard so we proceed to exit the laundry room cautiously. We enter another hallway, pausing as we look around, then I feel something…I am unsure if it's the night chill coming through the broken windows but I feel a breeze and I stop, "shhh…" I hold one finger up. Ron knows to be still so we stand there, he quietly pans the hallway and adjoining rooms with the camcorder. We hear a bump coming from one of the rooms to our right."What was that?" He asks.

"I don't know but let's check it out." I whisper, moving quietly, if it's an animal we hope to see it not startle it, but there's nothing in the room nothing moving anywhere.

"Could that be the floor popping? You know, settling noises?" I ask.

"This floor?" Ron challenges and taps the floor with his boot, "Too solid. This part of the building is built very well."

I realize if an animal was present his boot tapping would've scared it away. I still feel the chill so I suggest we sit in the hall and wait. "Let's just sit here and record any noises since we keep hearing things." We basically park ourselves on the floor, leaning against the wall. Time can pass slowly when you're waiting for something but nothing happens. Or at least it seems that way.

Several minutes into the quiet time a voice comes over our two way radio, "Tammy, where are you guys?"

I pull the radio from my pocket, wondering how to explain where I am in a building such as this, "We're sitting in one of the halls near the laundry area."

"We heard something." Janet* says.

"We did too, we keep hearing thumps."

"No." Janet breathes and I sense that she is getting excited, "We heard footsteps and we're the only two in this room. I'm checking to see if it's you guys."

I look at Ron, in the darkened hallway we can see each other's eyes widen, "We'll come to you." I'm relieved when we find the other half of our group on the far end of the building, which means our noises didn't contaminate each other's evidence.

Janet shows us where she heard the footsteps or where they sounded like they came from. "Is it possible it was an animal?" Ron asks.

"Walking on two feet?" She feigns offense, we have worked together enough to know we can trust each other.

"Did you check it out?" I ask.

"Yes we did. For the past ten minutes we've been checking it out!" Brian* exclaims, "If they weren't your footsteps then I don't know whose they were but I heard it, too."

"We will review our evidence later. Let's do an EVP session here since you heard the footsteps."

"They were light footsteps," Janet adds, "Like a woman was walking." We couldn't have known how coincidental her statement would be until after we reviewed our evidence.

After we left the Alexander Inn it took days to review the video, audio and pictures. But much to our surprise the noises we heard suggest there was more than an animal present that night. The thumps and water drips could be heard on the electronic devices and the faintest sound of footsteps could also be heard, but an unsettling moment occurred as we sat on the floor, the four of us listening for anything to give us a clue. We didn't know at the time until we reviewed the digital audio recordings - a whispery voice uttered a few words which made all of us get gooseflesh. We eagerly paused and listened to the sound file repeatedly, excited at the discovery of what sounded like a female speaking. Janet had said the footsteps sounded light, as if from a female and the female sounding voice supported this theory, "This is a 'class B' EVP!" Ron chimes.

"I can't believe it." I utter, "It's appears she was communicating with us, like she knew we came looking for evidence." I now refer to the unseen specter as a 'she'.

"Oh wow, you have to look at this!" Janet's voice is thick with emotion. She had been looking at the digital photographs as we listened to the audio files. She turned the laptop around and pointed to the photograph taken outside the Alexander Inn that day and although faint and hardly distinguishable it appears as if someone is standing in one of the windows.

"Zoom up on it." We say in unison and she does. Our collective gasps confirm what we see, there seems to be a shape, a humanly form ambiguously resembling a female in the window. Amazingly this is the other legend surrounding the Alexander Inn.

- The End