Ghosthunting Virginia. Michael J. Varhola
rel="nofollow" href="#litres_trial_promo">CHAPTER 13 Assateague Lighthouse (Assateague Island)
Assateague Island’s rich history, rugged coastline, and population of wild horses is interesting enough, but the lighthouse, which was originally constructed in 1867 and later rebuilt, is said to be haunted by its former keeper and perhaps Spanish sailors who drowned near the islands’s shores.
CHAPTER 14 1848 Island Manor House (Chincoteague Island)
Built by two affluent professionals in 1848 as an impressive manor house, this home played an important role during the Civil War and is today the most historic B&B on Chincoteague. No fewer than three ghosts are believed to haunt its chambers.
CHAPTER 15 Colonial Williamsburg (Williamsburg)
One of the oldest municipalities in the United States, Colonial Williamsburg is the site of numerous 18th-century buildings said to be haunted by ghosts—a female ghost who fled a party, losing one shoe along the way, another female ghost who was hit by a speeding carriage, and even George Washington himself (or is that just another man in a wig and frock coat?).
CHAPTER 16 Fort Monroe (Hampton)
In continuous usage by U.S. military forces for more than 170 years, this coastal redoubt is the site of several hauntings and could be the inspiration for Edgar Allan Poe’s story, “The Cask of Amontillado.”
CHAPTER 17 Barter Theatre (Abingdon)
Opened during the Great Depression, this theatre allowed people in the isolated town of Abingdon to trade homegrown produce for tickets to live entertainment. It is believed by some to be home to the ghost of its founder, and has a “Scary Room” that puts actors on edge to this day.
CHAPTER 18 Carroll County Courthouse (Hillsville)
In 1912, a murderous spree at the conclusion of a trial claimed the lives of five people, including the sheriff and presiding judge. The site of those attacks, the Carroll County Courthouse, is believed by some to be haunted by the spirits of the slain, forever searching for justice.
CHAPTER 19 Devil’s Den (Fancy Gap)
This cold, damp cave in the Blue Ridge Mountains has a history as a hiding place—perhaps for the Underground Railway and also for some of the gunmen in the 1912 shooting at the nearby Carroll County Courthouse. It is also definitely the site of multiple unquiet spirits.
CHAPTER 20 Octagon House (Marion)
This crumbling brick edifice, built in the shape of an octagon, was home to slave-owner Abijah Thomas, who is said to haunt the place every December 1; and many say the spirits of his tortured slaves haunt it too.
CHAPTER 21 U.S. Route 58 (Lee, Scott, Washington, Grayson, Carroll, and Patrick Counties)
While it may not be actually haunted itself, the western stretch of Route 58—a mountainous road that runs along Virginia’s southern boundary—goes through numerous ghost hamlets and is a useful thoroughfare for those hunting for haunted sites in this most isolated part of the Old Dominion.
CHAPTER 22 Belle Grove Plantation (Middletown)
Once a grain and livestock farm, today Belle Grove Plantation is a tourist site. But watch out for the ghost of Hetty Cooley, who was reportedly brutally murdered by one of her husband’s slaves.
CHAPTER 23 Cedar Creek Battlefield (Frederick, Shenandoah, and Warren Counties)
This battlefield has been the site of numerous apparitions in the years since one of the Civil War’s bloodiest battles was fought on it.
CHAPTER 24 Poor House Road Tunnel (Rockbridge County)
Local legends have branded this out-of-the-way tunnel as the site of horrible events in the past. Various ghosthunting expeditions have collected evidence that it might, indeed, be haunted by troubled spirits.
CHAPTER 25 Virginia Military Institute (Lexington)
Often called the West Point of the South, VMI has a wealth of ghost lore associated with it, including a weeping statue, a mural with moving figures, and the sounds of ghostly cannon fire.
CHAPTER 26 Ghosts of the Valley (Winchester)
This town at the northern end of the Shenandoah Valley may very well be the state’s most haunted city, and includes numerous sites with haunted histories. These include the Fuller House Inn, the Union Bank, the Cork Street Tavern, Mount Hebron Cemetery, and virtually every historic building along its pedestrian mall.
CHAPTER 27 Wayside Inn (Middletown)
For more than 210 years, this inn in the heart of Virginia has catered to the needs of travelers. Visitors and staff members alike have had numerous experiences with the ghosts that have remained behind in its storied rooms.
CHAPTER 28 America’s Greatest Haunted City (Washington, D.C.)
An overview of haunted sites in the nation’s capital reveals it to be a city rife with ghosts and places where inexplicable events have been known to occur.
CHAPTER 29 Decatur House (Washington, D.C.)
Located near the White House on Lafayette Square, this two-hundred-year-old house was tainted by slavery and untimely death and is reputed to be one of the most haunted places in the capital city.
CHAPTER 30 Ford’s Theatre (Washington, D.C.)
Ever since President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated here by actor John Wilkes Booth while attending a showing of Our American Cousin, this small, historic theatre has been the site of strange sightings and occurrences.
Welcome to America’s Haunted Road Trip
DO YOU BELIEVE IN GHOSTS?
If you’re like 52 percent of Americans (according to a recent Harris Poll), you do believe that ghosts walk among us. Perhaps you’ve heard your name called in a dark and empty house. It could be that you have awoken to the sound of footsteps outside your bedroom door, only to find no one there. It is possible that you saw your grandmother sitting in her favorite rocking chair, the same grandmother who passed away several years before. Maybe you