Paranormal Bucket List

When it comes to the paranormal, I refer to myself as an “agnostic skeptic.”  This means that I don’t know if it’s real because I’ve never had any experience with it, but I would love to put in the work to find out. I love stories about people in history, especially those that might still be trying to be heard years after passing away.  For example, my husband took me to Salem, MA and proposed to me at Hammond Castle in Gloucester, which I actually saw on an episode of Ghost Hunters.  The following are the top 5 “haunted” places I’d love to check out.

The Stanley Hotel- Estes Park, Colorado

“Heerrrrrreeee’ss Johnnnyyyy!” Yep, this place inspired Stephen King to write The Shining. The building has had tons of reported paranormal activity, including apparitions of children, former owners, and even a piano playing on its own in the Concert Hall.

Pretty much anywhere in New Orleans

I have always wanted to go to New Orleans. I love the way that it can be carefree and creepy all at once. While there are plenty who would disagree with me, I think American Horror Story: Coven was one of their best seasons. I loved that they added real historical figures, so while watching the show, I did some research into Delphine Lalaurie and Marie Leveaux.  Which makes me think I would LOVE to go to the Lalaurie’s house and the cemetery where Leveaux is buried. There have been multiple sightings of apparitions in both places, so I’d love to see for myself.

Eastern State Penitentiary- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

With Al Capone as a former inmate, Eastern State is high up on the list of paranormal must-sees. This place is almost as bad as Pennhurst. The prison was in operation for 142 years, and during that time, the Eighth Amendment did not apply. The cruel and unusual punishments inflicted here included:

·         dunking men in water and chaining them up outside in the winter until ice formed on their skin

·         tying inmates so tightly in the “mad chair,” cutting off circulation and requiring limbs to be amputated

·         an “iron gag” which was a metal collar in the mouth which was then chained to the inmate’s hands and feet, so that if they moved even slightly, their tongue would be torn out

There were also many who committed suicide within the walls of the prison rather than subject themselves to torture by the guards. So sad… and not to mention gross. But also perfect conditions for paranormal activity.

Pennhurst State School and Hospital- Spring City, Pennsylvania

Being a former teacher and coming from a family with a history of mental health issues, the history of this place is disgusting to me. Pennhurst opened in 1908 as a school for the “mentally and physically handicapped.” This place ran for over 50 years before NBC ran a five-part expose of the cruel treatment of patients there. The place was so short staffed, patients were found filthy, malnourished, and abused in the cruelest of ways. One worker interviewed there said he was being “bullied” by one of the patients, and asked a doctor which injection to give him that would cause him the most pain but not permanently injure him. If it’s to be believed that negative energy sticks around, this place is pretty much ground zero. 

Winchester Mystery House- San Jose, California

I’ve already done a post about this place, so go check that one out. I would love to see it not only for the supposed paranormal activity, but also just that crazy effing architecture.

Since I'm always the one trying to figure out how it's possible to fake this supposed "evidence" that makes it all over the internet, I would LOVE to find some for myself.  Although I've never had any experience to warrant a belief in paranormal activity, give me a video camera and an EMF detector and we'll see if I change my tune...