The Conjuring House Has Sold!

We have all spent months wondering what was going to happen to Andrea Perron's beloved former home when it was listed on the market for $1.2 million, and we now know the answer: the property known as the "Conjuring House" has sold for more than its asking price, for a whopping $1.5 million!

The historic three-bedroom farmhouse at 1677 Round Top Road, built in 1736, was the home of the Perron family for a decade starting in 1971. While there, they experienced a series of manifestations, haunting activity, and most unsettling, the mother of the family was attacked by a spirit. Andrea is fond of saying "It's a portal cleverly disguised as a farmhouse." The home and the events therein became the basis for the first movie in The Conjuring movie franchise, loosely based on the events as told in Andrea Perron's trilogy, House of Darkness, House of Light.

The new owner, Jaqueline Nunez, intends to continue running it as a paranormal business. She will be honoring the existing bookings through the end of 2022 and will be adding day tours and other events as well. She has the Perron family's blessing, too, as you can see in Andrea's interview with the new owner on her radio show/YouTube channel, linked below.

The paranormal world has made a collective sigh of relief, if reactions I've seen online are anything to go by. All I know is that if my friend Andrea is happy with it, then it's a good thing, and I congratulate the Heinzens on the sale, the new owner on her purchase, and I wish everyone the best for the future of the property.

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Can the Queen Mary Be Saved?

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Breaking news out of the LA Times yesterday:

“After decades of rocky seas in Long Beach, Queen Mary in danger of sinking. Can it be saved?” 

(byline: Hayley Smith, June 1, 2021)

According to the article, the famed ship, which has been docked in the Port of Long Beach since 1967, is suffering from lack of maintenance over the time of various owners, and is now in need of emergency repairs to the tune of $23 million. There is legitimate concern the ship is in danger of capsizing or sinking, with aging steel, a faulty bilge system, and a corroded and leaking hull at the top of the list.

Before becoming a tourist attraction, the RMS Queen Mary took its maiden voyage on May 27, 1936 (85 years ago) from Southampton, England as a passenger liner. During WWII, it was recommissioned to a troop ship, then reconverted to a passenger liner after the war. 

Queen Mary was retired from official cruise ship duty in 1967 when she was thirty years old, taking her final cross-Atlantic voyage on Halloween of that year, and she has been docked in the Port of Long Beach since, serving as a hotel, tourist attraction, and (most notably for the purposes of this blog) a haunted location. Time magazine dubbed it one of the Top 10 Haunted Places. [1]

What hauntings have been reported on the Queen Mary? 

• Cabin B340 is allegedly haunted by someone who was murdered there and has been heavily advertised for its hauntedness. [2]  Prior to the pandemic, booking an overnight in that room would cost $500. Reports include lights turning on and off by themselves, knocking sounds, faucets turning on and off without human intervention, and bed covers being pulled off sleeping guests, among other things. [1]
• The children’s nursery is reported to have the sounds of phantom children playing. [2]
• The first- and second-class swimming pools are reputed to be haunted. The first-class swimming pool has been closed for thirty years, yet guests have reported seeing wet footprints leading to the pool and hearing the sounds of splashing. The second-class swimming pool is said to host the spirit of a little girl called Jackie who reportedly drowned in the pool. [3]

I’m barely scratching the surface with this list. Just google “Haunted Queen Mary” and you’ll find reports on places like Trip Advisor, hotel websites, major news sites, and enthusiast blogs like mine. 

I know the Queen Mary is really important to those of us who are interested in paranormal investigation and history (often the two interests go hand in hand). What do you think is going to happen? The LA Times article sounds quite dire, listing a long history of maintenance and ownership disputes and failures, and then with the pandemic stopping all tourism, I imagine needed funds just dried up. I truly hope they are able to save this beautiful, historic ship!

Are you interested in learning more about the Queen Mary and its hauntings? Check out some links below for more information. 

In the meantime, have you had an experience there? We’d love to hear it. Submit your paranormal encounter here.

 

Episode 4 features the Queen Mary

Season 2, Episode 1 features Queen Mary

Article Sources:

[1] https://www.queenmary.com/hotel/rooms/b340/

[2] https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/2012/oct/30/travel-haunted-queen-mary-ship-long-beach-ca/

[3] https://ocghostsandlegends.com/queen-mary-real-ghost-photo-captured/

Seeing the Humor in the Haunted Edinburgh Vaults

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Have you ever been to Edinburgh, Scotland? 

There are lots of opportunities to get creeped out there, what with Edinburgh Castle, Greyfriars Kirkyard, and the Edinburgh Vaults, to name a few.

My dad took us on a trip in the summer of 2001, and it was like a dream come true. I had always wanted to go to Scotland!  

Edinburgh 2001

We traipsed through the city like happy little beans, seeing all the castles, parades, churches, cemeteries, and ghost tours we could fit in before we then went on excursions through the countryside, such as to Loch Ness and Oban. I absolutely loved the city, the atmosphere, and the time with my folks. I'd love to do a further write-up of some of the spooky places we visited, but for now, I'll focus on the Edinburgh Vaults.

The Edinburgh Vaults were built sometime in the late 1700s as chambers beneath the South Bridge that were used for storage, workshops, and space for businesses in the South Bridge district. At one point cobblers, smelters, cutlers, milliners and other legitimate trades all operated businesses there.  But the vaults weren't impervious to water and were eventually abandoned by those businesses. After they cleared out, certain sections of the vaults had become like a slum, inhabited by the city's shadier side. Robbers, murderers, and brothels all plied their trade in the vaults. It is said even body snatchers operated there! 

There was poor sanitation and airflow, making it a hotbed of disease. Eventually, water seepage meant this barely habitable area became completely uninhabitable, and the vaults were abandoned to time until one day in 1985 when excavation of the area brought their existence to the public eye once again. And in 2001, my Dad bought us tickets for the ghost tour of the Edinburgh Vaults.

Back to the present day...

I saw the following bit of comedy come up on my newsfeed last week and just about died laughing because it brought my memories of our tour of the vaults right back: Scottish comedian Eleanor Morton has done a send-up of a bored tour guide in the Edinburgh Vaults. Check it out (with apologies for the language):

Edinburgh Ghost Tour Guide Doesn't Give a Fuck pic.twitter.com/KLfZ7igAi4

— Eleanor Morton (@EleanorMorton) May 7, 2021

If you've ever been to the vaults, then I bet you howled! Thankfully, our tour guide was not anything like "Craig," but I can appreciate the joke.

All joking aside, if you can ever get to Edinburgh and tour the vaults, I highly recommend it for creep factor. I remember feeling quite claustrophobic down there, which added to the eerie experience. They are like horrible labyrinths, dank and damp and musty, the kind of place your imagination can grow wild with fear as you tour with a hopefully less disinterested tour guide than the one portrayed by Ms. Morton. 

Our tour guide did a spectacular job keeping the suspense going. I remember in one of the vaults, I got a sickly feeling that made the hairs on my arms stand up on end, and I'm not sure if it was just the tour guide's influence when she mentioned that in one of the rooms, women in particular were attacked, seemingly by a nasty, male spirit, or if something else caused Dad and I to get our hackles up, but my Dad got pretty protective, like he wasn't taking any chances letting me be last out of that room. 

The sickly feeling continued, and I had to do a clearing afterwards. And by "clearing," I mean that when we got to the end of the tour, I told my dad we needed to find the nearest pub for a beer and some fresh air. 🍻

I will probably never go down there again if I get to Edinburgh in the future (once was enough, thank you very much!) but if you haven't been, I recommend you check out the Edinburgh Vaults. Let us know your experiences in Edinburgh, in the vaults or otherwise, in the comments — or better yet, submit a spooky report here! 

A Fun Day at the Southwest Pennsylvania Haunted Con!

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I had a great time at the SW PA HauntedCon! 

This past weekend I hopped into my little car and tootled down to Waynesburg, PA, a town I hadn’t been to since the 2010 Sheep & Fiber Festival....and I can’t believe how quickly time flies now I say that. It was an absolutely gorgeous day for an indoor/outdoor event. This was the second SW PA HauntedCon, and I hope this will be an annual event for many years to come. It's worth the trip!

HauntedCon was hosted at the Greene County Historical Society Museum, which is located at the site of the old county poor house and has a lot of history and hauntings associated with it. 

The museum is situated on grounds with many outbuildings. There is the main house, originally under private ownership, then it was sold to the county and expanded to become the poor house in the mid-1800s. Then there are several cabins and outbuildings behind that, a large barn, and another cabin to the front of the barn. There is even a railroad restoration workshop of some kind, but I didn’t have time to explore that. 

The event featured speakers in the barn area, vendors in the main house, and refreshments were served in the cabin in front of the barn. 

Greene County Historical Society Museum – original house

There was also a Native American cultural interpreter — Todd Johnson of Ghost in the Head — reenacting in the cabins behind the main house. The gentleman told me he is Huron and spends his days as a living history educator and actor who demonstrates what living in a particular period would have been like, and everything on display in the cabin was made by him. For instance, he showed me a pump drill, which I’d never seen before. And because I’m a crafter, I really enjoyed looking at the beadwork on display as well. 

The cabins where Todd Johnson of Ghost in the Head was stationed.

Here’s the lecture lineup: 

• Ron Murphy spoke about witches and witchcraft, both from a broader historical perspective and a local perspective, including a really spooky encounter he once had with an entity that may related to a local witch story. Ask him to tell you about his scarf if you ever bump into him — it’s a good one! 
• Kevin Paul gave a preview of his upcoming book (full disclosure: I edited it) and while doing so, he let the audience know he didn’t realize he’d written 13 chapters until I pointed it out to him. I will never not notice 13 of anything; it’s in my blood! :) Look for Vol. 2 of Haunted Hills & Hollows soon.
• Stan Gordon spoke about continued anomalies in Pennsylvania. Stan couldn’t attend in person, but I have a lot of respect for how he called in and gave the lecture over the phone, hooked up to the sound system via Google Voice and a laptop.
• Northern Appalachian Paranormal Society (N.A.P.S.) gave a lecture on some of their findings from investigating the museum. I unfortunately missed most of this one due to needing a break for water.
• Joey & Tonya Madia gave a lecture on their experiences investigating the museum and also the Earle W. Webb, Jr., Memorial Library in Morehead, NC, which they spent two years investigating, as well as some time they spent in Point Pleasant, WV (scene of the famous Mothman phenomenon).
• Panel discussion with all the speakers, which was very interactive. Instead of just taking audience questions, the panel treated it like a roundtable discussion that included the room at large. Topics touched on having respect for the subjects and properties in paranormal investigations, including how if an entity makes it known investigators aren’t wanted, they’ll stop investigating that area. (This reminded me of the time an entity escorted me politely out of a building in Gettysburg, but that’s a story for another time). Also discussed were NDEs and “Summerland” (in which I found out my NDE experience is not necessarily unique, so now I’m curious for more info about that—also a story for another time); and general questions/comments from the audience.

The vendors were located inside the main building. Books, candles, luminaries, masks/notebook covers/tea towels, whimsical birdhouses, tarot readings, unique accessories, awesome art, T-shirts, and some really cool soaps. Below are some pictures of the items I bought (because of course I bought a book and a journal and some art for my office), and I'm including some links to books you can check out by authors who were at the event. (I’m an editor, okay? I’m always going to recommend good books. 📚)

The weather was nice and the scenery was breathtaking. Everyone seemed to have fun, too! I think even the ghosts were enjoying it, because until I got upstairs into a particular section of the building, the house itself felt light as a spring breeze — for the most part. There were a few heavy spots here and there — and at least one room I did not want to go into. And at one point I heard footsteps that were not exactly possible—someone was coming up behind me, and there wasn’t anyone there, but I could feel the approach through the floor as well as hear the steps—so I just excused myself to whoever (or whatever) and continued on my way.

Oh, and someone living has a macabre sense of humor: I got a kick out of the private office where a fully-dressed skeleton was sitting in a chair, complete with floral dress and sun hat.

See the skeleton peeking out?

Art from 1331 studios –
Perfect for my office!

Universal Classic Monsters Notebook
by Miss Trixie's Quilty Pleasures 

Ron Murphy gave a great talk
about topics covered in this book

Kevin Paul's book with
Rosemary Ellen Guiley
about Greene County. 
Look for Vol. 2 soon!

The Madias discussed the
investigation covered in this book
        

If SW PA HauntedCon happens again next year, go! And I think I would like to return some day to see the museum when there isn’t an event going on, as I really didn’t have enough time to view the exhibits. The building and grounds have a lot to offer.

Have you been to the Greene County Historical Society? Tell us about your investigation or experience here! 

Apparently I Missed Out on Buying My Dream (Haunted) Home in Ireland

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Would you buy a haunted house if you could?

According to Smithsonian Magazine (byline: Theresa Machemer, July 20, 2020), Loftus Hall in County Wexford was for sale last summer at a listing price of $2.87M. Darn, I missed it!

According to legend, the Tottenham family had a visitor knock on their door on a dark and stormy night in the 1700s. They entertained the visitor with a card game one evening, and when Anne Tottenham bent over to retrieve something she had dropped, she peered under the card table and realized the visitor had cloven hooves for feet. Anne could not contain a scream, at which point the visitor disappeared through the ceiling while a clap of thunder sounded and a smell of sulfur assailed their senses. A shocked Anne never recovered, and after her death, she was said to wander Loftus Hall into eternity.

Did the devil visit Loftus Hall? Or is this just a tall tale? 

Imagine if it all could be yours for a cool three mil!

The hall has a long and colorful history, and it sounds like the legend has been good publicity and perhaps business in the 21st century. The owners at the time of the sale, the Quigleys, performed renovations on the home while maintaining its spooky character, and then they started offering paranormal tours. In 2014, a visitor snapped an image of two ghostly figures in a window, and the home has been featured on Ancient Origins and Ghost Adventures.

Anyway, it sounds like a great story, doesn’t it? I wouldn’t mind visiting Loftus Hall and checking it out for myself! With the COVID-19 pandemic, the hall has been closed to the public, though, but they have a virtual tour for 9,99 euros. I don’t know what its current status is, but if it ever reopens, I’ll report on it here. 

Would you buy a haunted house, or have you been to Loftus Hall or similar haunted historical homes in Ireland? Let us know! If you have an interesting story about living in a haunted house, consider submitting a report.