ORBS OF DEVIL'S DEN

I went to Gettysburg again this weekend, this time with my sister, Lynn, and friend, Cat. We drove around the battlefield and went to Devil's Den after dark. After Cat captured some impressive orb photos (I will post them in a later entry), we started aiming and shooting, and got some orbs of light.

First, a little history of the place from HauntedHouses.com:

Devil's Den can be found west of Little Round Top, in the Triangular Field, called the valley of death, as it became a "slaughter field." It is considered the most haunted spot in the Park. It is no wonder as not only are Phantom soldiers and apparitions often seen here, but Indian Warriors as well.

Devil's Den, besides being a hot spot in this battle, also was the scene years before of the huge Battle of the Crows. War Hoops and apparitions of dead warriors had been seen in this area years before this Civil War Battle. The creepiness and strangeness of this huge piling of boulders which create deep crevices and mazes already had an infamous reputation before the Union and Confederate troops used it as a position.

Devil's Den is a pile of rocks that long-haired confederate calvarymen from Georgia and Texas fought fiercely for and finally drove the Union forces out, after suffering many casualties, as they fought their way across Triangular Field to Devil's Den.

After the 3 day Battle of Gettysburg ended and the lucky ones who survived the fight for Devil's Den, retreated with Lee, the Union forces found the seemingly endless numbers of bodies in the valley and on the boulders. Many were not buried but thrown down the deep crevices of the rocks, as they were already rotting. The lucky ones were buried days / weeks later.

Visitors and Park Rangers have seen the apparitions of sharpshooters among the tree line of Triangular Field and have heard phantom sounds of gunshots and drum rolls coming from the wooded area of this field.

Read more here.

Our orb shots at Devil's Den:

Dust? It's possible, but we were pointing and shooting repeatedly getting nothing in one shot and dots of light in the next frame, then nothing again in the subsequent shot.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY REVIEW

I finally got to see the much-anticipated Paranormal Activity this weekend and in a word: WOW.

PA is a brilliant horror film for many reasons. Like The Blair Witch Project, as the viewer, you are immediately drawn into the film, seeing what the character Mika sees as the action takes place in he and his girlfriend Kate's house. As Mika swings his camera around, you are kept waiting for what might jump out at you.

By using little more than light, shadow, sound, and excellent acting, director Oren Peli captures a mood so dark and closterphobic that I found myself completely engrossed and gripping the armrest of the theater seat.


There is no gore, no fireworks, chase scenes, or even music. The film's subtlety is what makes it so hair-raising. What happens in our imaginations, after all, is always more frightening than what a director can show us.

There are plenty of screamer moments, however. Peli's pacing is impecible, turning tense moments into jaw-dropping gasps in the flick of an eye. The audience screamed, myself included, more than a couple times.

As my friend put it, the film is a "slow burn." The sinister presence lurking in the house starts out slowly, tip-toeing into the film, gradually getting more intrusive as the days in the story go by, finally stirring up terror that's breathtaking.

Definitely worth the hype.

HAND IN THE WINDOW: EBAY LISTING OF THE WEEK

There's a creepy photo on Ebay of a hand in the window of an abandoned mental asylum. The listing description is as follows:

A Black & White photograph of a first floor window in a building near the main Kirkbride administration building at Taunton State Hospital in Taunton MA. I photographed this window in 2004 while on a photo shoot for a show and an edition of my magazine called "Asylum Architecture" The vision of Thomas Story Kirkbride.

This shot was photographed with high speed black and white film. During the shoot I photographed using mostly infrared film so I pretty much disregarded this roll of high speed B&W film. However months later in reviewing the contact sheets, I discovered some very odd and disturbing images on this roll of film.

There was nothing in this window when I looked in, but upon re examining the negatives I discovered several frames contained some very disturbing images. In this photo is what appears to be an old hand.

I have re visted this window several times since and have never seen the hand again. I have researched the Hospital and have found this hospital at Taunton housed some very notorious patients including serial murderer Honora Kelley a.k.a. Jane Toppan and has been the sight of many bizzare happenings! The Hospital is the 2nd oldest Kirkbride complex in Massachusetts.

The print is up for $2,499.00 right now, but I'm pretty sure that's a misprint since this seller's other photos are going for $24.99. She has some pretty cool photos for sale.

Taunton State Mental Hospital by Cyril Place Photography

DISNEYLAND HAUNTED?

A video has been added to Youtube depicting the "ghost of Disneyland." Video of the being walking through the park was captured by four security cameras after the park was closed.

For years, people have been saying that the theme park has been haunted, some saying it's visited by the spirit of Walt Disney himself. Many employees have attested to witnessing the ghost, especially in the past six months.

I watched the video and have to say it's interesting. Ghost? Who knows. Eerie? Yes, indeed.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY TICKETS!

New theaters have been added for Paranormal Activity screenings. My friend found it playing in a Maryland theater not even listed on the main movie page. Thanks to her, we'll be seeing it next Saturday night in Silver Spring, MD!

GETTYSBURG REPORT

Gettysburg is apparently filled with ghosts. Approximately 58,000 men lost their lives there on the battlefields during the three-day battle that lasted between July 1 -July 3 1863. Hence, there are tons of paraphernalia pertaining to the spirit world all over the small town.

There are loads of ghost tours advertised, some that even include seances and walks through some of the notoriously haunted buildings in town. Since I have a cranky two year old, I wasn't able to partake in the spookery. Luckily I live nearby and can do it another time.


One of these haunted places, named the "most haunted house in Gettysburg", is the Jenny Wade House. Jenny Wade was baking bread for Union soldiers in her house when a stray bullet came through the window and killed her. She is the only civilian killed in the battle of Gettysburg. During some of the ghost tours, the guides bring people into the house after dark.


Another haunted house, which is also a bed and breakfast, is The Tillie Pierce House. I just watched an old episode of Paranormal State that focused on the activity taking place in this house. The in-keepers claim that at 3:02 every night the house shakes (this was documented by the Paranormal State team). The woman that runs the place was reluctant to even walk up to the second floor of the house where most of the activity takes place. One interesting piece of footage that the team got was a bottle of hand soap that switched sides on the sink.

Tillie Pierce was a fifteen-year-old girl who volunteered as a nurse during the war. She cared for the soldiers, witnessing some grisly things that she eventually wrote about in a book that made her famous. It's said that her spirit still lingers in the house along with some of the soldiers who lost their lives there.

“The horrors of war are fully known only to those who have seen and heard them. It was my lot to see and hear only part, but it was sufficient.” - Matilda “Tillie” Pierce -

The in-keepers have a black lab named Sam who feels right at home with the ghosts - check it out here.


What impressed me the most about Gettysburg were the battlefields. They are truly awe-inspiring when considering just how much history took place on them. I felt the hairs stand up on the backs of my arms in some spots. There were so many lives lost, it's incredible to consider. In addition to the history that saturates them, the fields are also gorgeous, decorated with the split-rail fences of the era.
The bloodiest battle of Gettysburg took place on Wheatfield. Legend says that after the fighting, it was impossible to walk on the field without stepping on bodies and that the wheat was crushed and red with blood.

Wheatfield today.

Understandably, the battle fields are considered haunted and some of the ghosts tours take patrons onto the fields after dark. I talked to one of the tour guides who informed me that The Travel Channel's Most Haunted also visited the fields last year.

AWAY IN GETTYSBURG

Off to Gettysburg, land of Civil War ghosts and major history. I'll have a report and pictures when I return. . .