SEARCH RESULTS

Legend of Black Eyed Children The legend of Black Eyed Children is heard from all around the world. Reports of children of the ages 6-16 with black filling the iris and whites of their eyes. The reports usually state that the children knock on doors and bang on car windows, begging to be let inside. But when people see their eyes, terror shoots through them. These ghoulish children was first known in 1996, when a Texas man named Brian Bethel had finished a late shift at his job at his local newspaper. he was sitting in his car at a local mall when he noticed a small group of teenagers standing by his vehicle. They asked Bethel to give them a ride to their mother's house to get ticket money for a movie showing at the local theater. What struck Bethel as odd, however, was that the specific movie screening they mentioned had already started more than a half hour ago. Then in the dim light of the parking lot he saw their pitch black eyes, and put his car in reverse and drove away. Bethel later wrote about his experience for the "Abilene News-Reporter". Decades since there have been stories of these black eyed children across the globe. All the reports vary a bit and their appearance usually varies except for the pale skin and deep black eyes. It is widely agreed that these malevolent spirits of the night take on the personification of a child and are typically up to no good. Some reports of people letting in these creatures result in chaotic outcomes such as natural disasters, debt, and even terminal illness diagnoses. It's commonly found that they speak in monotoned voices and sounding more mature than they physically appear. They will seem desperate for help, begging to be let inside your home or vehicle and can become quite tempered if refused. So. the next time you're sitting home alone and see a random child knocking on your door, don't answer.

In the city Hida, located in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, is a pretty place. If you’re going to explore the streets of Hida at night, I suggest you don’t. “Why?” You may ask. My answer: Kuchisake-onna. Also commonly called ‘Slit-Mouth Woman’. She’s an onryō, an evil spirit of a woman, commonly wearing a surgical mask or a fan in front of her face, who asks a lone passerby if she is beautiful. Be careful how you answer. She will take off her mask, revealing long, terrifying slits on her mouth curving upward, almost in a smile. A deadly smile. I have done some research and have not found an absolute answer of what she does exactly if you answer in a way she does not approve of, but in some stories she is carrying scissors in her hand…we might have a few ideas of why she clutches onto that sharp tool.        There is more than one theory of her gruesome death. The sightings of Kuchisake-onna are said to be as old as Japan’s Edo period, which was the 17th-19th centuries. But some reports date back to the Heian period (794-1185 C.E.). One of the theories is that she was the wife of a samurai who had slashed her face after finding out about an affair. Another version proposes that a woman, jealous of Kuchisake-onna’s beauty, had mutilated her mouth with a blade. And the last theory I had heard was an accidental disfiguration during a medical procedure.        The legend of the Slit-Mouth Woman had gotten revived and gained attention in the 1970’s. There have even been sporadic reports to this day. Rumors and reports of sightings spread across Japan. Many people claimed to have seen her at night, especially near dark alleys and schools which were closed for the night. Parents were scared to let their children walk alone home from school, so they were often accompanied by an adult for safety.        If you ever find yourself in the presence of Kuchisake-onna, it is said that there are ways to evade her. The first (and most obvious) way is to avoid walking alone at night in dark and isolated places. Plus, regardless of the possibility of encountering the Slit-Mouth Woman, there’s safety in numbers, especially at night. If she does ask you the dreaded question, “Am I beautiful?”, avoid answering directly. Use replies such as, “I don’t know” or “So-so”. This will confuse her for a bit and you might be able to run away. This method is a bit strange but offering candy might distract her and will help you escape unharmed. And lastly you can carry a sharp object like a small blade (like a self-defense one, I don’t think you should be carrying around a kitchen knife) as it is said to deter her.       So, if you’re visiting Hida and are planning on walking at night, remember this article and all I have shared with you about Kuchisake-onna. Or just don’t go out at night alone to a dark alleyway.

If you’re interested in live performances and the paranormal then you’ll be intrigued by this story. In San Juan, Puerto Rico, there’s a theater by the name of the Teatro Alejandro Tapia y Rivera (most people just call it the Teatro Tapia). It was built in the early 1830’s and was then named Teatro Municipal. It wasn’t until 1937 that it was named the Teatro Alejandro Tapia y Rivera after a renowned Puerto Rican playwright. In the 1940’s the place started falling apart due to the abandonment of repair. The plan was to demolish the theater but the former mayor, Felsia Rincon, began a campaign to rebuild it and the theater was whole once again. Now, for the haunted part of things. There have been many reports of the sound of footsteps and voices coming from eerie hallways and empty rooms. There are also two spirits inhabiting the theater. One of the entities is a woman in a red dress who might have been a frequent audience member at this theater. She is said to appear standing behind Box 105 and then disappearing out of nowhere. Perhaps she’s trying to enjoy watching performances as she had when she was alive? The other ghost is an actress who had stumbled and fell off stage, and then died of a break in her neck. No-one knows for sure if these stories are true, but if you take a visit to the Teatro Tapia and perhaps you’ll find out.

When you think of a ghost town, do you picture tumbleweeds blowing in the whistling wind and old creepy buildings just sitting there emptily? Well, when you go to Bodie, California it’s just that. It looks like something from a movie. Bodie was a town known for the gold hot spot back in 1876-1891. In 1880 Bodie was considered California’s 3rd largest city and the population was 10,000. Bodie was named after William.S Bodey who had died before the rise and the fall of the town. The town had started losing residents due to the loss of mining profits. In 1915 Bodie was given the title as a “Ghost Town”, even though the population was 120 until 1942. And in 1892 and 1932 there were two devastating fires accidentally started. The first one was a kitchen fire that destroyed most of the town’s main street. Although it was rebuilt, many residents left. Then, disaster struck once more when a little boy was playing with matches and started the fire that eventually ended the once glorious town of Bodie, California. By the time WW2 came around, the population was only 6. Five of the six died tragic deaths. Two murders occurred and three died from strange diseases. You can visit Bodie to this day, but be wary. It is said that if you take anything from Bodie, even the smallest rock, you suffer tragic consequences and bad luck unless you return what you have taken. There are also said to be spirits of the old residents remaining. The J.S Cain House is considered one of the most haunted hot spots in Bodie. The ghost of a maid who loves children but hates the adults with them resides there. The adult visitors are said to have felt being pushed and feelings of suffocation. Some even say they’ve seen doors opening and closing on their own. The Mendocini House is home to many benevolent ghosts. One of them possibly being Mrs.Mendocini herself. Other tourists report hearing children playing and the sound of large gatherings. From outside the Dechambeau House, people tend to see a woman peeking from out the upstairs window. At the Bodie Cemetery there’s the spirit of a three-year old girl who was accidentally killed by the swing of a pickaxe. She’s most commonly called the “Angel of Bodie'' and her grave is marked with a white marble angel. She likes to play with the living children who visit her grave. So, if you’re thinking of visiting a ghost town on your next paranormal investigation or road trip, make Bodie your first stop.

In Gardner, Massachusetts, during the 1880’s there was a wealthy businessman named Sylvester Pierce who wanted to build a mansion for his family. The S.K Pierce Mansion is now one of the most haunted houses in Massachusetts. After Sylvester had died in 1888, he left the home to his sons and second wife, Ellen. After Ellen’s death, years later, the mansion was left to her three sons. The three had constantly bickered about the ownership of the mansion until the great depression, in which the youngest, Edward had obtained the proprietorship. The family’s finances were dwindling, so Edward had turned the mansion into a boarding house. Criminal activities such as, gambling, drinking, prostitution, and even murder had occurred and became typical in the house. There are many stories. And, of course, there are ghosts. There are said to be several ghosts in the mansion and some of the paranormal activity includes, disembodied voices, chanting, apparitions/shadow figures, moving furniture, slamming doors, changes in temperature, acrid odors, footsteps creaking up the stairs, and the sound of a menacing lion’s roar that literally shakes the house. Before the current owner of the mansion, Robert Conti, a woman named Lillian and her husband Edwin had purchased the home. They had experienced all the paranormal happenings there and had hired paranormal investigators and when asked who the owner of the home was, the spirits replied with “Lillian”. Now it is a tourist attraction and you can pay to stay for a week (or even a month!), if you're brave enough. On the mansion’s website, it advises not to provoke the spirits, and you must sign a waiver. The mansion had been purchased in 2015 by Robert Conti for $329,000. The mansion had even been featured on Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures. The owner is working on making it so that visitors can stay overnight. So, if you don’t mind being watched while you sleep or experiencing the paranormal, this is where you can visit.

Around St.Louis, Missouri is one of the most haunted roads in America. Its original name is Lawler Ford Road, but in the 1950s its name was changed to, and now is known as, Zombie Road. So, how did this creepy road get its name? Well, there are many stories, but I will tell you two. One is inaccurate and the other is more reasonable. The more unreasonable story is that a zombie had escaped a nearby hospital, and lived in the woods. Obviously sounds like a Hollywood movie idea. The most rational story (in my opinion, I’m not invalidating yours) is that of a creepy solitudinarian, the so-called “Zombie-Killer'' that lived in a small home in the nearby woods and would assault young lovers who would go to the spot for ‘alone time’. However there is no evidence of either of these stories. But there have been many reports of ghostly sightings, vanishings and strange noises. There are even sights of shadow people, which is what Zombie Road is most famous for. There is much photo evidence of these shadow people, said to be the souls of Native American orphans who were tortured in 1913, in a nearby orphanage. They are usually seen standing in the woods by the side of Zombie Road. There's another story of the wife of a past local judge, Della Hamilton McCullough, who died in 1876 when she was struck by a train and is said to haunt Zombie Road as well. So, beware of all that lurks within this place.

The Island of the Dead Dolls, or Isla de las Munecas, is an island in Xochimilco, Mexico that has four thousand (possibly more) dolls amongst the island. So, what’s the reason for all the creepy, old dolls? Well, it all starts with the history of the island. In 1950, a man named Julian Santana Barrera moved onto the island. There he found a drowning girl in which he tried to save. He had failed in doing so, however. Shortly after she had died, he found a doll floating down the canal towards him. In honor and respect for the little girl, he had hung the doll on a tree. He had been haunted by the ghost of the little girl and had hung up more dolls to keep her spirit happy. Soon they were all over the island. In 2001 Julian had died of a heart attack, being found in the same spot the girl had died. Now visitors can come to the island and bring dolls and hang them on trees. Some even say they can see the dolls watching them. Beware, though it’s said that if you take a doll from the island, you’ll be cursed. None of the dolls are named except for one. Her name is Augustina and she wears glasses and a turquoise dress. She was one of Julian’s favorites and is said to have gifts, such as performing miracles and and would heal/cure Julian and would protect him. Augustina would even walk around the island at night. If you go to visit, there are plates to leave small offerings for her. It costs $100 in USD (2,000 pesos) to get a boat ride to Isla de las Munecas and the entry fee is $2.34 USD (40 pesos). To get to Xochimilco, Mexico from Massachusetts (just using Massachusetts as an example), it’s a 46 hour drive (without traffic or stopping). And make sure to go to the real Island of the Dolls, because there is a fake one on google maps and many people will scam you for your money and take you to the fake one. The address is: Parque Ecológico de Xochimilco, 16043 Xochimilco, CDMX, Mexico.

In 1886, a woman named Sarah Winchester had inherited 20 million dollars after her husband’s death. After inheriting this money, she moved from her home in New Haven, Connecticut to San Jose, California and had bought a small farmhouse with eight rooms. She started a 36 year long renovation project that had cost 5.5 million dollars. The renovations only stopped when her death came in 1922. There are over 160 rooms, including 40 bedrooms, an astounding 10,000 windows, 2,000 doors, two basements, and not to mention secret passages. But not all doors can be walked through. They lead to surprising—and almost deadly—places. One has an eight-foot fall to a kitchen sink. Another door leading you have to look out for is a 15-foot drop to the garden. There was a reason for all this renovation, though. She had been making all these rooms for the spirits of those who were killed with a Winchester Rifle (Her father-in-law had owned and founded the company that invented these weapons). After Sarah’s husband had died, she was haunted by spirits of those who died of the Winchester Rifle, so she had consulted a medium which gave her the advice to move to the west and buy a home and build continuously. There are two different stories on why Sarah had rooms constantly added to the estate. One of them is that once the construction was completed, she would die. The other stated that she built the house to confuse the spirits and some say that she slept in different rooms every night and took secret paths throughout the house. All in all, if you’re planning on touring this mysterious house, be cautious and make sure not to get lost. Or you may not find your way back.

The Conjuring House (originally named the Arnold Estate), built in 1736, is said to be the most haunted house in Rhode Island. In 1970, the home was bought and moved into by Roger and Carolyn Perron and their five daughters, Andrea, Nancy, Christine, Cindy, and April. Soon after moving in, the Perrons had experienced paranormal happenings. The mother, Carolyn, would be harmed by an unseen entity who seemed to have a grudge against her. The youngest daughter, April, would have conversations and play with the spirit of a young boy, Henry (thought to be named Oliver) Richardson. The Perrons had gotten noticed nationally from the Annabelle doll case. This had caught the attention of Ed and Lorriane Warren, the notorious paranormal investigators. Upon Carolyn’s pleads, Lorraine had held a seance. During the seance, Carolyn was temporarily possessed, started speaking in an unknown language, and then was flung from her chair into another room. It is believed that Carolyn was possessed by the spirit of Bathsheba Sherman, supposedly a satanic woman who had lived on the property long before.  Although historic records show that Bathsheba was buried on hallowed ground and she did not kill her children as some say. In fact, one of her sons had outlived her and had a family of his own, however, the information on her other children are unclear. The Perron family eventually moved out of the home in the summer of 1980. In present time (2024) the property is owned by Jacqueline Nunez who has turned it into a tourist site. She and others help maintain the estate and give ghost tours. There are many spirits there, and I did some research, yet could not find the names of all the spirits that reside there. However, there are a few that I do know. There’s Abigail Arnold, who was the wife of John Arnold, the original owner of the estate. She is a kind spirit who will warn people when touring the basement by telling the visitors to “get out”. Then there’s the ghost of a little boy named Henry Richardson who will play with the kids visiting and organize the toys after they were played with by the living children. There’s also a spirit who doesn’t live at the house but visits from time to time. His name is Matthew K. Not much is known about Matthew K, but he is said to be a caring and fun spirit who loves the piano and when he was shown how a smartphone works he called it witchcraft. He also jokingly commented how music is weird now and that it’s weird that women wear pants. You can tour the house and even stay for a night (Though staying overnight is a bit pricey)! More information can be found on the website: https://www.theconjuringhouse.com/

If you’re interested in the paranormal and like to go to restaurants, then the Moon River Brewing Company is the place you’d want to be. It’s haunted from top to bottom. Literally. It was established in 1821, and was originally a hotel called City Hotel. In 1851 it was purchased by Peter Wiltberger and renovated to draw tourists and visitors in. Before General Sherman took over Savannah during the Civil War, the City Hotel closed and never reopened as a hotel. Then in 1995 the building was purchased and turned into the brewery we now know. During the Yellow Fever outbreaks of Savannah Georgia, the Moon River Brewing Company’s upper floors had been used as a provisional hospital and many people had died. According to many people who work at the restaurant and those who have investigated the paranormal at the restaurant (ahem, Ghost Adventures) have said that the fourth floor is pervaded with dark energy. The third floor is where the children were kept during the Yellow Fever epidemic, that being said, many of the restaurant workers and customers have heard children talking and playing when on the third floor. Also along the upper floors it is said that people have gotten pushed down the stairs, construction workers being chased out by invisible entities, and then there is the mysterious ‘Lady in White’ whom people have named ‘Mrs.Johnson’. Long ago, on the second floor, there was a man of the name James Stark. He was shot by the town physician, Phillip Minas. Although this happened on the second floor, it is said that Mr.Stark roams the main floor of the Brewery. In the dining area of the Moon River Brewing Company, there have been reports of patrons being touched and messed with during their meals and being locked into the bathroom stalls (particularly the ladies’ room). Lastly, there’s the basement. This is where the brewery’s most famous ghost, nicknamed Toby, resides. Toby is known to brush up against the living and sometimes gets frustrated and pushes them. So, if you’re thinking of going out to dine and have a ghostly encounter at the Moon River Brewing Company, be prepared for a fright.