This story comes from Iceland. Its a land rich in folklore, tradition, ghosts, and tales of magical creatures. This is the land of the "Sendings". People who practice the Dark Arts, are said to be able to make their own ghosts from human bones. Sendings are only created to commit murder. They are seen as dark shadowy figures, and they usually have a white spot on them. This is where their bones are located and this area is their only weakness. If you can find a way to hurt them or have them blessed by a Holy man, they will flee or collapse back into bones.
This story takes place when America was still a young country. We were attacked by England again in a war known as the War of 1812. On Sept 13, 1814, a young attorney named Francis Scott Key boarded a British ship to free a friend who had been arrested by the British. Key got his friend released. Unfortunately, because the British were about to bombard Ft McHenry in Baltimore, they had to watch in horror as the Ft was attacked. They battle lasted until well in the night, and Francis Scott Key waited anxiously until first light to see the outcome. As the sun first rose, he saw our flag still waving. Overcome with pride, he wrote a poem called "The Defense of Ft McHenry". Years later, it was set to music and became "The Star-Spangled Banner". In 1931, it became our National Anthem. Now Fort McHenry is one of the most haunted forts in the United States. Park Rangers hear the sounds of foot steps in empty rooms. They see soldiers dressed in uniform still carrying guns. One black soldier was killed during the bombardment and his ghost is still witnessed patrolling the fort. Men crying, the smell of gunpowder and the sound of fife and drum have also been reported. It seems like our past still steals moments of our present. In the past, life in Norway could be very hard. Children who were born deformed or whose family couldn't support them, would be abandoned in shallow graves in the snow on the lonely fields. These children would of course pass away.
When they returned, they would try to hurt the living. Angry at their own short, wasted lives. These ghosts were called "utburd". This is a Norse word meaning "a child carried outside". The child would attack his family first, and then any living person until they were destroyed. They could turn into wisps of smoke and go into any home. There they would turn into their true form - a withered frozen child. They would then crush or beat a person to death. The only way to stop them was iron or a proper burial. Never Forget. I know we try to make sense of events like this, but there is no sense to mad men who murder innocent women and children. On this day, we saw Evil, and we answered with renewed brotherhood. That is the greatest weapon we have.
United, we shall never be defeated. I would like to share this video someone made to the song by Mary Fahl - The Dawning of the Day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecyQwVQhFzc My anger is still very real about this event. I think it always will be. Never Forget. Never Again. Several years ago, I had a radio show called Southern Ghosts Radio. I loved doing radio, and if I can find the time, I would love to do it again. One of my favorite parts of the show was to take calls about callers' personal ghost stories. One of my favorite stories was given to me by a caller who managed a local hotel here in Orlando. I called him to verify his story and I am confident he was telling the truth. I won't mention the hotel because I promised I wouldn't, but I will share what he shared with us publicly. This gentleman managed a hotel that became very popular with families here in Orlando with the Make a Wish program. If you don't know about this great program, Make a Wish grants ill children a wish. Usually its the child's dying wish. The family is taken to some city, like Orlando and given the week of their lives. Every moment is filled with theme parks, water parks, fantastic dinners, costumed characters, etc.
Well, this hotel has had quite a few of the families stay with them, and some of those children have already passed. Now, people including managers, security and guests, hear children running through the halls and giggling and laughing. We believe that these children have returned to the place where they and their families had such a great time. So many celebrities, theme parks, cooks, business people and regular people have donated their time and energy to make these wishes come true. If you would like more information, follow the link. http://www.wish.org/ Hitchhiking Ghosts are one of the most famous types of ghost stories. The story goes that you are driving down a lonely road and you see someone at the side of the road. Something compels you to pull over and offer them a ride. They get into the car, and something seems off, but you let it pass. They give you an address and usually they disappear from your car as you arrive at the location. Usually leaving their seat belt buckled. Sometimes they get out as normal, but disappear as they walk to the location. Either way, you are left with tons of questions. Do these types of ghosts exist? I believe so. These stories actually predate cars. I also know that these types of stories are often repeated and the locations changed to be closer to our home, and that makes them fall into the folklore category. This however doesn't make stories like the dancing girl in Kentucky or Resurrection Mary of Chicago any less compelling. I think there are so many hitchhiking ghosts because roads represent transition and ghosts can be a tad heavy handed with the analogies. This is there way of representing unfinished business and their own transitions both literally and figuratively. So, we see them and tell their story, but we also unknowingly share the fact that death i If you are an investigator or part of a team, I hope you are using the enticement technique. This technique has the investigator setting a "scene" or putting out objects that would be familiar to the ghost you are trying to get to communicate with you.
Here's an example, people who are killed by being shot in the stomach area always beg for water as they die. Next to men begging for their mommas or wives, water is the most common cry heard coming from a battlefield. So, if you are investigating a haunting at a battlefield or field hospital, you could put out a pitcher of water. (For some reason, we get the best results from clear glass pitchers.) Then set up your cameras and recorders and ask if anyone would like some cold water. We have caught an old soldier saying "Yes". We have also set up a poker table with old looking cards and chips. We have also used glasses of whiskey. Mark Nesbitt of Ghosts of Gettysburg has used a method where he finds a list of soldiers from a certain division and calls out for them to line up for payroll. He gets a lot of results from this method on Civil War battlefields. To properly use enticements, you don't have to wear costumes, but some researchers do. You do just have to use common sense. Figure out who you want to speak with and try to think up something that would be familiar to them. Set out recorders and relax. The most important thing in any investigation is to try out new methods. Being too stuck in a system could hinder your investigations. Hope this helps. Located in Tombstone, Big Nose Kate's Saloon is named after Doc Holliday's lady friend. She ran the place back in the 1880's as the first saloon and brothel in the city. Doc Holliday occupied room 201.
The place is full of ghosts. A bartender was closing up one night, and poured himself a drink. He was distracted for a second, and when he looked back, the glass was empty. A woman was sitting in the bar one day, and a man dressed as a cowboy sat down next to her. She got up to move, and the cowboy disappeared. Photos have been taken of butcher knives floating in the air and cowboys who weren't there at the time. Two employees were talking about ghosts one night and two mannequins they had in the balcony moved. A female mannequin was pushed off of the balcony and a male cowboy mannequin moved its head to look at the group. If you're a fan of westerns or western history, Big Nose Kate's is a place where the past literally comes alive. http://www.bignosekates.info/ |
Southern Ghosts Daily DoseSGDD will collect daily tidbits of the paranormal and share them with you. Some will be historical, some will be informative. We hope all will be enjoyable. Got an idea for a Daily Dose or wanna share your own daily dose, share it here.
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