Most Haunted Places in America: Roundhouse Railroad Museum

The Roundhouse Railroad Museum in Savannah, Ga., began construction in the 1830’s as the Central of Georgia Railway and is now a National Historic site and home to the largest and the oldest 19th century railroad complex in the nation still in existence. It was abandoned in the 1960’s and after 12 locals saved the complex from being demolished, the city of Savannah stepped in to stabilize the buildings. Today it is the non-profit group Coastal Heritage Society that is preserving and sharing this place in history with all of us.

There are still 13 original buildings still in existence and 5 of those buildings have permanent exhibits in them. Those that visit can see the Tender Frame Shop and Master Mechanics Office built in 1855 and was used to build frames for steam engine tenders and of course an office.

It was here a staff member told us a story of a current CFO that when into the office and found a check on his desk. The check was numbered 1234567 and dated in the 1950’s. Seeing that it was an odd check number he went out to see who had put this on his desk. When he came back a few seconds later, the check was gone.

Another building available to see is the Blacksmith Shop. Currently it still has a lot of the tools and machines displayed that were being used during that period. During that time blacksmiths had to not only master their tools of the trade but make them as well. It was here that several staff members told stories of hearing machines running when there were locking up, an apparition of a black man in work clothes and voices coming from the building.

The Print Shop is one of the most complete exhibits on the site. The shop was responsible for printing all sorts of forms for the complex as well as an employee newsletter. This building gives some people a real uneasy feeling when walking inside and some report that they can still hear the print press running when inside this building.

The other two buildings would be the boiler room which pumped steam and heat throughout the complex providing all the power. Workers would feed the boiler with either wood chips from the carpenters shop or with coal. The other building is the Colored Shopmen’s Locker and Lavatory when the railroad provided separate washroom facilities for whites and African-American.

This complex is not the only reason there is strong history here. The land that the complex was built on was the site of the October 9th, 1779 Battle of Savannah, the second bloodiest battle of the Revolutionary War. The American and French forces had a plan consisting of a simultaneous attack and overwhelming the British forces entrenched there.

Due to bad communication and some columns arriving late, the attack was disorganized. The American and French forces were soundly defeated which resulted in the British keeping Savannah until 1782. Approximately 800 American and French soldiers were wounded or killed compared to 55 for the British. Before their withdrawal a mass grave was dug and the bodies were hastily buried. There are reports by visitors and staff that a man in a British uniform, a “Red Coat” has been seen wondering around the grounds.

Today there are 800 square slabs in a well groomed field between the roundhouse and the museum commemorating those that died there. You can join the over 40,000 yearly visitors that come see this as well as the Roundhouse and the museum every day. There hours are 9:00 am – 5:00pm daily and they are located at 601 Harris Street Savannah, Georgia. (912) 651-6823.

Most Haunted Places in America: Moon River Brewery

Savannah, Georgia is one of the oldest cities in America and with that long history comes thousands of haunted tales about ghosts. Situated on W. Bay Street is one of the oldest buildings in Savannah and one which many considered the most haunted as well. Nestled inside what was once the old City Hotel, the Moon River Brewery is also considered one of the most haunted places in America.

The City Hotel was built in 1821 and at the time was a one stop shop for the area. It was not only the first hotel in Savannah but also housed the first United States Post Office, the first bank in the city and of course a place to get a drink if one so desired.

According to folklore which we are trying to verify there was a fire in the building sometime before the Civil War. The fire itself we can verify because we saw the charred wood lying in the attic space upstairs. The story is that during this time the slave labor was given hay to sleep on and kept locked up in the attic and basement. It was the hay that fed the fire and unfortunately no one came to unlock the areas that the slaves were kept in. Since records for slaves were not keep well, we may never know the true count of how many that were left behind that dreadful night.

In 1851 Peter Wiltberger (Who set in motion the Bonaventure Cemetery) bought the City Hotel. He renovated it and it served the community up until the last check out in 1864 just before the arrival of the Union Army and General Sherman.

The building was used as a coal and lumber warehouse in the early 1900’s and eventually was used as a general storage house until the 1960’s. It was then that it was turned into an office supply store and served as this until Hurricane David ripped the roof off in 1979. It sat empty until 1995 and the Moon River Brewery opened up its space in 1999.

The paranormal activity abounds at the Moon River and is even blamed for the stoppage of all the renovation work that was attempted. In 1832 Dr. Phillip Minus got in a fight with a local man named James Stark and shot him as he was headed down the steps in the hotel. It is claimed that James Stark is still seen coming down those stairs to meet his fate.

Bottle’s have been thrown off shelves according to staff there as well as shadows being seen to numerous times to count and little kids being heard playing and of course, no kids are there. There is a ghost by the name of Toby that appears in the basement that has been known to push people out of the way and claims of people being touched while sitting at the bar.

Two of the most famed ghosts that reside at Moon River Brewery would have to be the woman in white that staff has seen on the third floor and the somewhat belligerent spirit that stands at the top of the steps and doesn’t like it when people come up.

For those that say Moon River Brewery is the most haunted building in the most haunted city in America, we would have to agree. During our investigation on Halloween night we had numerous personal experiences and though we have not concluded with all the evidence we gathered we do have some very interesting and somewhat creepy EVP’s that we will be posting very soon.

Some of the personal experiences our team had was Angela and I both having our head tapped on the fourth floor while standing in the same corner at different times, hearing what sounded like a rock being tossed down the steps in the basement and pinging off the metal door, Angela getting the overwhelming feeling of sadness in the basement that almost brought tears and end part of the attic I felt like someone was rushing at me when no one was there.

We did capture something with the digital camera that I would like to share with everyone. What is it? That is up to you to decide, we think it is something quite unique. This was taking after I got Ray and Angela and headed back in the attic space where I thought someone rushed at me.

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Most Haunted Places in America: Fort Mifflin

It’s common knowledge among paranormal enthusiasts that locations that have witnessed a great deal of emotion or death are prime suspects for a haunting. Imagine, then, what might be walking the halls of a fort that was the recipient of the largest bombardment in North American history when the British Navy peppered it 10,000 cannonballs during a 5 week span of the Revolution.

The fort was built by the British in 1771 on the Delaware River in Philadelphia. By 1777 the Colonists has taken it, and were besieged for five weeks as the British army was attempting to open a supply line through Philadelphia. The fort was home to 400 troops who fought valiantly but eventually had to retreat, losing 150 during the siege.

The real strength of the soldiers of Fort Mifflin is that they held on for as long as they did in the rough winter. Their engagement of the British forces allowed General George Washington to lead his troops to Valley Forge, where they regrouped, and ensured that Philadelphia would not fall. The fort was rebuilt in 1798, and saw action during the War of 1812, the Civil War, and served as a munitions depot during World Wars I and II.

An active history is often a precursor to a paranormal present, and that is definitely the case here. To start off, there are countless experiences all over the grounds of the fort, where over 150 brave Colonists lost their lives, but the people who visit Fort Mifflin are hoping to experience two specific ghosts: “The Screaming Lady” Elizabeth Pratt and “The Man Without A Face” Billy Howe.

Elizabeth Pratt’s story is the type that ghost hunters have heard before, mainly because such horrible tragedies might as well be in the “How-To-Create-A-Haunting” handbook. She lived in the fort with her husband and daughter in the Officer’s Quarters. The daughter fell in love with an enlisted man, which threw her father into a rage, and he subsequently disowned her. The daughter died from typhoid fever before any reconciliation could take place. In a fit of despair, Elizabeth Pratt hanged herself off the second railing of the balcony. It is said that visitors to the fort hear her desperate screaming at night in the Officers’ Quarters.

The above story is the common one you will find, but thanks to Anthony L. Selletti the author of “Fort Mifflin: A Paranormal History” the true story is that Elizabeth Pratt’s husband a US Army Sergeant, her infant son (died 1802), and child daughter, Elizabeth, lived in a shack inside the fort. The daughter, a child, died of yellow fever in 1803.Elizabeth Pratt herself died in 1803, years before the officers quarters were built, also from yellow fever. The desperate screaming of a mother that lost 2 children in 1 year can be heard at night at the Fort.

Billy Howe’s story is a bit more straightforward. He was a prisoner during the Civil War, when Fort Mifflin’s Casemate 5 became a depository for POWs. Howe was convicted of murder and was hanged in the courtyard, and is the only prisoner to be hanged at the fort during the war. Many people report seeing a full-bodied apparition sitting in Casemate 5, who is sewing. There is just blackness where his face should be. This location also has reports of physical attacks, including slaps and punches.

Though people come to see the two famous locations mentioned above, reports of paranormal activity come from all over the fort complex. EVPs are often caught in the casements, and feelings of dread and unease often accompany trips to the powder magazine. Fort Mifflin’s unique history would make it worth a visit on its own, but the near-constant paranormal experiences make this place a must-see for any paranormal enthusiast.

Ghost Eyes Note: George Washington said in 1777, “Fort Mifflin is of the utmost importance to our cause and must be saved at all costs.” Today that cost is an issue and Fort Mifflin, the fort that saved America, needs to be saved. You can make donations and find out more about haunted Fort Mifflin at their website.  You can also join in on a paranormal investigation Sept. 5, 2009 with proceeds going towards the saving of this piece of American history.  Find at more about it at the P.A.R.A. website.