Gadsby's Tavern, Alexandria, VA

NOVA

Sandy

February 22, 2012

            Gadsby’s Tavern was established in 1785 and its accompanying hotel opened in 1792.  The tavern in steeped in history.  It played host to many of the power players of the revolution and our founding fathers, such as John Adams, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe.

            The tavern is the location of a particularly mysterious occurrence that is the stuff of local legend.  In 1816, a man and his wife sailed into Alexandria.  The woman was very sick, and so her husband took her to Gadsby’s Tavern.  They booked the room above the ballroom and called for medical attention.  Though her doctor and his nurse worked hard to restore her to health, she did not recover.  Before the woman passed away, she requested that everyone swear to keep her identity a secret.  She was buried in St. Paul’s Cemetery, and even her headstone does not bear her name.  It simply states, “In Memory of the Female Stranger, died October 14, 1816, age 23 years, 8 months.”  It is told that her husband left the tavern quickly, leaving behind all the bills for the woman’s medical care, their room and board, and the cost of the woman’s burial.  Though they were left with the husband’s debt, the people who knew the woman’s identity upheld her last wish.

            There are reports of some ghostly activity at Gadsby’s Tavern.  These occurrences are attributed to the unknown woman.  Witnesses say they see the female stranger in the window upstairs.  She holds a candle.  Others report hearing footsteps that cannot be credited to a living person.  The woman has also been seen carrying her candle in the ballroom and on the staircase.

Works Cited:

http://www.ghostinmysuitcase.com/places/gadsby/index.htm

http://hauntin.gs/Virginia/Alexandria/Gadsby's%20Tavern%20%7C%20Gadsby's%20Tavern%20Museum/8626/

The Lost Colony: Roanoke Island

Unexplained Events

Sandy

February 22, 2012

            In 1587, a group of 117 people travelled from England to America.  The goal was to begin the first settlement in America.  Three years later, their whereabouts would be completely unknown.  The mystery of the Lost Colony of Roanoke Island is one that still plagues America’s history.  There are many theories as to what became of these men and women, but we will probably never have a certain answer.

            Two explorers were the first to visit the island three years before the Roanoke Colony was established.  Philip Amadas and Arthur Barlowe were sent by Sir Walter Raleigh to investigate possible locations to start settlements in America.  They returned to England with favorable reports of the island, as well as two Native Americans from the area, Manteo and Wanchese.  In 1585, a collective of 100 men, including soldiers and craftsmen, were sent to the island.  This expedition was very unsuccessful for many reasons, such as ill-fated agriculture and tensions with the local Native Americans.  By 1586, the men had abandoned the settlement.  Raleigh proceeded to gather a group of 117 individuals to go to Roanoke Island for a second attempt at a settlement.            

John White was the designated governor of this new colony.  His then pregnant daughter, Eleanor Dare, as well as her husband, Annanias Dare, accompanied him on this journey.  Eleanor gave birth to the first English child born in America, Virginia Dare, on August 18, 1587.  Just ten days after Virginia was born, White had to return to England to gather more supplies.

Returning to Roanoke Island would become a more difficult endeavor then he expected, however.  No one was willing to spare a ship when the English were prepared for an attack from the Spanish Armada.  He was finally able to secure a ship and go back to the island in August of 1590.  Though White was undoubtedly looking forward to reunification with his family, that was not what awaited him.  White found the colony completely deserted, the only clue being the word “CROATOAN” carved into one of the surrounding trees.  “CRO” was also carved into a tree near the settlement.  White believed it was a message from the people of the colony, left there to help him find them.  However, he was never afforded the chance to look further.  The advent of a treacherous hurricane sent him back to England.  Though he tried to return many more times, he could not accumulate enough money or resources to journey back to the settlement.

There are many theories regarding the fate of these colonists.  Though the outlandish and improbable are numerous, some seem to be valid possibilities.  In 1709, an explorer named John Lawson reported that in his time spent with the Hatteras Indians in North Carolina, he noted some who had white ancestors and could speak English.  A few even had gray eyes, a feature not found in many Native Americans.  The Hatteras Indians were descendants of the Croatoan Indians who resided near Roanoke Colony.  This suggests that the colonists may have gone to live with the Croatoan Tribe after White’s departure.  Other Native Americans who claimed to be descendent of the Roanoke colonists were the Pembrokes of North Carolina in the 1880s.  Some of these Indians also displayed features like light eyes and hair.

Some historians now believe that the Roanoke colonists split up into two groups.  They assert that the larger group went to the Chesapeake Bay, maybe even using maps that White made before leaving.  John Smith spoke to Chief Powhatan at Jamestown and was given an account that supports this hypothesis.  The Chief told him that some white people were living with the Chesapeake Indians nearby.  Chief Powhatan did not enjoy the idea of white men encroaching in the area and so had the colonists murdered.  He presented certain artifacts to back this account.  Though some reports found their way to the Jamestown Colony that some of the Roanoke colonists were still living in surrounding areas, they were never able to find them.

The fate of these colonists remains, and may always remain, a mystery.  Whether they were massacred, lived peacefully with neighboring Native Americans, or were the object of some other fate, the one thing that is certain is that scholars and history buffs will continue to search for answers that may never present themselves.

Works Cited:

Coastal Guide <http://www.coastalguide.com/packet/lostcolony-croatan.shtml>

Youtube “In Search Of…” part 1

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o99Y4Brq-GY>

Youtube “In Search Of...” part 2

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYb7P7wDvxI&feature=related>

Greek Origins of Demons

Demonology

Hollywood

February 22, 2012

The word Demon itself comes from Ancient Greece. In Greek mythology a daemon was actually a benevolent spirit. The belief was that if a mortal did particularly well in their lifetimes then the god Zeus would honor them by making them an immortal spirit called a daemon. Daemons were believed to be a sort of guardian angel of the ancient world. It got to the point where there were actually cults that formed on the worship of persons daemons. Alexander the Great was one individual that was said to have a particularly affluent daemon. Instead of worshipping Alexander himself they would worship his daemon. This is where the modern day cult of personality appears to have started. The Ancient civilizations actually built shrines to house hero’s daemons so that they would not wander restlessly. It was said that good luck would come if one paid respect to the statues of the daemons.

Aristotle actually wrote eudaimonia, a state of the highest human good. It’s a combination of the Greek words for good and demon. This is just another example of how a demon was not always what we believe; the Greeks actually believed that being possessed by a demon could lead to a sense of transcendentalism.

Some people attribute demons to the evils that Pandora released from her jar (Yes that’s right; Pandora in classical Greek mythology actually had a jar, not a box. A sixteenth century writer actually mistranslated the Greek word pithos, a large storage jar, to the Latin word pyxis, meaning box and the misconception has stuck ever since). However, the spirits released from Pandora’s jar were actually keres, female deaths spirits birthed of the Greek god of Night Nyx, not daemons like is commonly believed.

Daemons were considered supernatural and immortal, yet not precisely god-like. Homer used the word theoi to represent god, and daimones for daemons. The Hellenistic Greeks later classified daemons into groups; agathodaimōn ("noble spirit"), from the word agathós ("good, brave, noble, moral, lucky, useful"), and kakódaimōn ("malevolent spirit"), from the word kakós ("bad, evil"). This is where the Greek concept of the daemon started to resemble Judeo-Christian angles and demons. Form this classification, Xenocrates, a student of Plato; he came to define daemons as a potentially dangerous, perhaps not evil though, lesser-god.

Daemons are a large part of Greek mythology, and later under the name of genius in Roman mythology, however they are rarely ever depicted in Greek mythology or artwork as they are said to be felt but hardly ever seen and can only be assumed (a concept shared today). The Ancients would conduct festivals in their honor, usually at sanctuaries of the Greek god of madness and wine Dionysus. Daemons were usually represented by a serpent of the underworld.

From all this, the word daemon actually attained its negative connotations through the New Testament, which when written in Greek and used the word daemon to describe the Christian idea of a demon instead of the benevolent guardians of Ancient Greece. This is another example of how simple mistranslation can entirely change the meaning of words and concepts that lead to severe misconceptions of what we see today.

Works Cited:

Illiad By Homer

Theogony  By Hesiod

Wikipedia: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daemon_%28classical_mythology%29>

Works and Days By Hesiod

Old House Woods, Mathews County, VA

Peninsula
Black Eye
February 20, 2012

No place in all Virginia is thought to be more Haunted than the Old House Woods located in Diggs in Mathews County, northeast of Gloucester. Whether witnesses speak of glowing green orbs, headless ghost dogs, or floating pirate ships- it’s a premier spot for ghost hunters all over Virginia and beyond. Not only are visitors thrilled at the aspect of witnessing the most extreme evidence of paranormal phenomenon, but at the legend of millions of dollars in gold buried off the shores of this haunted place.
  

Old House Woods got its name from a wooden framed house in the late 1700's called the Frannie Knight house. The place was abandoned and fell into ruin. Many people believe a decrepit old house near it to be the namesake of the woods, however they are mistaken. Many years after this the building mysteriously caught fire and oddly enough, put itself out just as fast as it was set ablaze. The house while badly damaged still stood until a few years later when it caught fire once more and burned to its foundation. This foundation is all that remains of the old house.
  

There are multiple hauntings and stories connected to the location. The stories have been passed down from generation to generation for over 200 years making the 50 acre marshland one of the most legendary haunts in Virginia.
   

Many weird incidents are recorded in the woods: floating orbs, glowing yellow eyes, ghost ships and swash-buckling pirates, and headless ghost dogs protecting its territory. The legend goes that in the 1600's a band of pirates docked in the woods to bury their treasure, wishing to later return. However, before they could a storm demolished their ship and the treasure was never recovered. Another version of this story is told with a bit of a twist. Some say that the crew members weren't killed in a storm, but murdered by the infamous Blackbeard, Edward Teach and there really was no storm at all.
   

Interestingly enough, this isn't the only tale of unrequited buried treasure. In the later part of the 17th century when Charles II considered making the voyage to Virginia he sent a crew of his men on a ship with a load of treasure to accompany him. The ship somehow got diverted to White's Creek and when they reached the shore they were attacked by a brigade of renegade indentured servants. In their haste the angry servants left some treasure behind. The king's men left quickly and swore to return for the rest of the treasure, but, much like the last story, their ship capsized in a storm and they never returned. It is said by many witnesses, late at night you can see mysterious figures feverishly digging in the sand. Some also report seeing a thick fog and the definite shape of a pirate ship docking the shores.
  

Another famous story connected to the area involves the "Storm Woman." She has been described as a glowing spirit in a long flowing nightgown, her hair whipping around her shoulders. Her appearance seems to be the omen for an upcoming storm. If seen moving along the trees wailing and screaming, visitors know it’s time to leave or take cover from the coming storm.
      

One of the most fascinating accounts of the activity in Old House Woods comes from a respectable Mathews citizen named Jesse Hudgins in 1926. He said one day while pulling his buggy down Old House Woods Road he noticed a bright light. Many people traveled by lanterns but he described the light as "unearthly." As the light grew closer he noticed it was carried by an apparition. The apparition was covered in armor, but as he drew closer he noticed that inside the armor there was only a skeleton! As he noticed this the woods behind the apparition came to life with dozens of lights and figures crawling from the woods. Some carrying shovels, some digging furiously, others carrying weapons of various types. Immediately frightened he began to shake and attempt to flee the scene. As he did so the skeleton pulled out a sword and stepped towards him aggressively, barring a wicked smile menacingly. Seconds later he passed out. When he came to he was at home in his bed, cared for by friends and family who believed he'd been so tired he passed out in his buggy in the middle of the road. He never could drive the road again without shaking to his very core. His story was corroborated many years later by a Richmond man who had car trouble one evening. While leaning on the hood of his car he heard a voice ask, "Is this the King's Highway? I've lost my ship." When the man turned to look he was confronted once more by a skeleton dressed in armor. The man immediately fled the scene and got lost. He didn't find his car again until the morning.
   

Another witness, Ben Ferbee, claims to have seen the ghost ship that is said to haunt the marshlands near the Chesapeake Bay. One evening while doing some fishing in a small skiff, he noticed a large mast shipped near the shore line. Surprised by its appearance he noticed the ship was moving dangerously close to his vessel. He noticed there were crew members on the rig staring off beyond him on the deck. He began to shout; worried they would hit his boat. They didn’t notice him once! The boat continued passing a few feet from his boat leaving the sound of beautiful harp and organ music hanging in the air behind it. The ship continued to sail over the shore, on to the beach, and disappeared upon entering the woods. The man scared to his core rushed home to find his wife and children praying. They had seen the ship over the tall pine trees of Old House Woods too. They moved from the area a short time later.
   

Another reputable Mathews County citizen named Henry Forrest reported seeing the Red Coat army that is known to haunt the area. He said one November night he was doing a little duck hunting when he came to a small inlet where he thought he saw a group of black ducks. When he lifted his rifle to shoot he saw them move and turn into full apparitions of Red Coats marching towards him. Immediately frightened he ran to his skiff docked a short ways away. When he reached his boat he noticed there was a Red Coat sitting upright and erect in his stern. Angry, he shouted, "Get outta that skiff or I'll shoot!" The man turned to him and said, "You shoot and the devil's curse to you and your traitors breed." Forrest raised his gun to shoot, pulling the trigger. Nothing happened. He pulled the trigger again, and still no shot was fired. Finally he threw his gun at the man and ran the whole way home. Unfortunately for Forrest, that meant he had to swim through part of the marshlands too.
           

While many believe the stories, there are a few skeptics who have a theory to discount the alleged hauntings of the woods. The area is basically a swamp land and the water is comprised with high amounts of hydrogen sulfide. When people are exposed to this gross smelling gas for long periods of time it can cause: dizziness, sickness, headaches, fatigue, loss of appetite, irritability, and poor memory. They also suggest that historically, most of these accounts were during the summer when rye bread was improperly stored and grew a mold (ergot) that could be responsible for the hallucinogenic sightings.
   

Whether you believe in the hauntings of Old House Woods or not, the site is definitely serious. The owners don't take kindly to trespassing and have a habit of calling the police. For the believers, people have been seriously attacked and injured, some emotionally stunted, and some haunted for a lifetime. Most notably, many go in search of the treasure near the Old Cow Hole and over the years hundreds of people have gone missing within these woods. It seems like everything entering the woods gravitates toward the mysterious hole, where legend has it the treasure is buried along with a pirate to guard the treasure. It is said if you get too close to the buried treasure you will go missing for all eternity.
      

One thing is for sure, tread softly, quietly, and carefully through Old House Woods, or you may never be seen again.



Work Cited:

The Ghosts of Virginia: Volume I by L.B. Taylor Jr

Weird Virginia: Your Travel Guide to Virginia's Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets by Jeff Bahr, Troy Taylor, and Loren Coleman

Symptoms of Psychic Ability

Psychic Ability
Black Eye

                                                                                                            February 21, 2012

            Ever feel like you may be a little different? Knowing things you shouldn’t? Experiencing sounds, touches, feelings that people around you don't seem to notice? In a world and time where everyone wants to know who and what they are, it’s important to seek the answers to these questions. If you’re able to disregard cynicism and all breaches of logic, there’s an important aspect to consider- psychic ability. You may scoff, or laugh at the mere mention of psychics. Your mind fills with images of late night telephone psychics like Miss Cleo, or palm readers in local malls and outlets. However, this is a legitimate unexplained phenomenon. Many famous readers exist helping all walks of people contact with spirits including: Sylvia Browne, Michelle Belanger, and Chip Coffee.

            While reading this you’re probably interested to know what exact symptoms prove you could have a knack for psychic seeing. According to research there are quite a few things to look for. Some of these symptoms include:

            -Knowing who is on the phone, or at your door before it's answered (no checking caller ID, guys!)

            -Knowing when someone is lying to you, or leaving information out. Some experience tingling or a tightening in their abdomen.

            -Knowing something good or bad is about to happen without really knowing what it is

            -Uneasiness or jitteriness before a major event happens such as earthquakes, or bad storms

            -Knowing when a relative needs you, or is in some kind of trouble

            -Knowing what an animal is trying to communicate

            -Having dreams, or flashes that come true

            -Knowing, seeing, or talking with dead relatives or unknown persons

            -Physically being seen at two different locations at the same time

            -People feelings better around you, comfortable and easy to talk to

            -Hearing or somehow knowing other's thoughts

            -Touching an object or person and knowing information about them or it

            -Knowing how someone else is feeling and feeling it yourself, or extreme empathy

            -Knowing the outcome of a situation before it even happens

            -Seeing or knowing what a place will look like in the future

            -Seeing the past and present at the same time

            -Communicating and hearing information from non-physical beings

            If the reader is experiencing these symptoms often, it may be possible that they have psychic ability. It may answer a few questions you've had about your day to day life even. However, it may just add to more questions piling up. It's important to consider that not everyone will believe you, or even want to support you into your journey of psychic awakening. It's most important to keep calm, and realize you are NOT alone.

Work Cited:

Metaphysical-Studies: Your Tour Guide on This Journey

< http://www.metaphysical-studies.com/>

Bacon's Castle, Surry, VA

Southside

Hollywood

February 21, 2012

History:

            In Surry there is a three story brick mansion that is famous for many accounts of paranormal activity. The mansion is known as Bacon’s Castle in honor of the revolutionary Nathanial Bacon. Bacon was a young plantation owner who became upset over the constant Indian attacks on plantations on the Virginia frontier. So in 1676 he decided to do something about it and attacked the local Indian tribe, without permission of Virginia’s Governor. A governor back then was more on par with a military general of today than what we think of when we see governor. They served as both the voice and the sword of the King of England, so basically their word was law. Well Governor Berkley did not want Bacon and his plantation owner followers to attack the Indians as it could result in a war, which would make Virginia, look bad to the crown, possibly resulting in Berkley losing his job. After Bacon’s slaughter of the Indian tribe Berkley put out a notice for his arrest. Long story short, Bacon took his loyal followers and marched on the capital of Jamestown actually taking the city and exiling Berkley, at one point they actually burned Jamestown to the ground. The only thing that stopped Bacon from becoming the next governor of Virginia was a little tiny parasite. On October 16, at the age of 29, Nathanial Bacon died of dysentery and without their leader, the rebellion crumbled. Many of Bacon’s followers fled rather than face certain execution at the hands of the governor.

Bacon’s Castle was actually built by Arthur Allen, a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses. Contrary to popular belief the property didn’t get its name from Bacon himself as Bacon never lived in the house, and many suspect he never even visited the manor. It was named due to the fact that Bacon’s loyalists captured the manor a couple of months prior to Bacon’s death, and the by definition, the manor was used as a fort or castle.

Paranormal History:

The paranormal occurrences at Bacon’s Castle started long before even Bacon’s Rebellion. In 1644 a comet streaked across the sky of Virginia, not long after, there was a terrible Indian invasion that killed numerous colonists. In 1675 another comet was seen over Virginia and many colonists saw it as a bad omen of things to come. Then in the spring of 1676 a terrible plague of locusts swept the colony, consuming all the vegetation in sight. Needless to say the colonists were not surprised at Bacon’s conquest that ravaged the colony only a few months later.

After Bacon’s Rebellion, there came to be many stories associated with the castle. One story is that a young doctor and his wife lived there and they had a love that was something special. There is actually a window in the house with a poem scratched into it that the doctor wrote for his wife. Legend has it that his wife died a tragic death at a young age, leaving him heartbroken.

Another story goes that a young woman and her family lived in the castle. Well the woman fell in love with this handsome well to do army officer. They quickly fell in love, however the soldier had to leave to fight a war, but he promised that on his return he would marry the girl. They wrote beautiful poetry confessing their love to one another the whole time he was gone. However, the girl’s mother passed away before he could return. So when the soldier returned and good to his word proposed, she refused saying that she had to take care of her brothers and grief-stricken father. Needless to say the soldier was heartbroken. The story goes that although he later remarried, the soldier and the girl still wrote letters and poetry to one another professing their love to one another until their deaths.

 During the 1800’s a young girl and her family lived in the castle. The girl met and fell in love with the boy that lived across the fields at a nearby manor. However, the girl was forced to meet her sweetheart across the field from her house because her father did not approve. Well one night the girl was returning from meeting her lover late at night. As she ascended the stairs with a candle she slipped and her hair caught on fire. Rather than screaming and waking her father and risking him finding out about her secret trips she ran from the house, across the fields in an attempt to get to her lover. By the time she reached him though she suffered fatal burns and died in her lover’s arms. It is also rumored that the girl’s father saw a comet flash across the sky a few nights before the incident but didn’t tell his family for fear of panicking them.

Paranormal Occurrences:

            Stories and experiences have been passed down from generation to generation for more than 300 years. There are constant complaints about strange noises, feelings, and sightings. There is a story of a Baptist preacher who was staying in the castle sometime in the early 20^th century. He was up late one night reading when he heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Something then opened the door to the first floor parlor he was in and he said he felt a presence. Then a rocking chair in the room started rocking of its own accord. He then shouted “get thee behind me Satan” and immediately the rocking stopped and the presence vanished. This leads some to believe that the presence that haunts the halls of Bacon’s castle is of a demonic nature. However many others believe that these occurrences are nothing more than the spirit echoes of Bacon’s soldiers, still attempting to carry on the rebellion after Bacon’s death.

            Another story is told by that of a former curator of the castle from 1973 to 1981. He said he was awoken around 3am by the sound of his 2 year old son laughing. When he entered the room his son asked “Daddy, where’s the lady.” When he asked what lady his son responded with “the lady with the white hands, she was tickling me.”

            A lot of reports of the paranormal seem to take place in the upstairs portions of the manor. A former owner of the castle said that she would hear footsteps on the stairs late at night. She also mentioned that numerous guests of the castle would complain about horrible moaning in the attic. Loud popping and cracking is also heard frequently throughout the house. Many tour guides say that they will feel a presence or a cold chills.

            However, despite this veritable feast of paranormal activity there is one occurrence that stands above the rest. There is an old graveyard, attached to Old Lawne’s Creek Church, a few hundred yards away from the castle. Eye witnesses say that on occasion  a “pulsating ball of red-fire” will rise up from the graveyard and soar about 30 feet in the air. No one can explain what this ball of fire is, though many have speculated. There have been theories ranging from scientific manifestations to it being the Prince of Darkness himself. Either way, many witnesses have seen this ball of fire over the years, in the 1930’s a whole church congregation even saw the phenomenon.

            There is a story of a young servant boy who would always put off his chores. His mother threatened that the fireball would get him if he didn’t do them in a timely manner. Well the story goes that one day as the boy was coming in from the fields the fireball rose into the sky and chased him. When it caught him the legend says that it touched the top of his head and set it on fire. The boy ran back home on fire and died in his mother’s arms. Shockingly similar to the story of the young lover no?

            Some believe the fireball is a manifestation of the poor star-crossed lover as she runs across the field with her hair on fire, or perhaps the young boy. Yet others see it as homage to the comets that foretold the tragedies of early colonial Virginia.

Future Visits:

            The castle is currently owned and operated by Preservation Virginia. It has been restored and is currently a museum. General Admission is $8.

*****The Preservation Society in charge of the castle has cited some deficiencies and they are currently in the middle of renovations. As of 2011, the castle is closed to visitors and no date of reopening is listed as of yet.

Works Cited:

The Ghosts of Virginia: Volume 1, Baffling Revelations at Bacon’s Castle, By L. B. Taylor, Jr.

Preservation Society Website: <http://www.apva.org/BaconsCastle/>

True Ghost Stories: Fireballs at Bacon’s Castle, VA, By Traci Poole <http://www.network54.com/Forum/4228/message/990454948/Fireballs+at+Bacon%27s+Castle,+VA>

Wikipedia: <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bacon%27s_Castle>