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My True Ghost Stories pt2: History of a Haunting

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By RooBee


Walk On By

Last I left you, we had established that the house in which I spent my teen years is totally haunted.

Not long after my neighbor enlightened and frightened me with her own ghostly encounters (which had occurred in my room, of course), I again caught a glimpse beyond the veil as I snoozed on the couch one night.

I had fallen asleep in the living room after watching way too many stupid sitcoms one night & awoke at about 3:00 a.m. I realized that I was still downstairs as my sleepy eyes focused in on the perky soccer-mom Barbie professing her undying love for the new and improved Juicemaster on the TV screen. My limbs were still heavy with sleep and I had no intention of waking them up just to carry me upstairs so I reached over to the coffe table for the remote. I'll just turn the TV off and finish my slumber down here, I thought. I will admit to you that by now it was not uncommon for me to 'accidentally' fall asleep in the living room, right next to my dad's room - far from the creepy hole-in-the-ceiling bedroom I had once loved for its 'unique dimensions'. I had no idea.

Anyway, in leaning over to grab the remote, my eyes became level with the doorway leading into the kitchen. Just then, a woman wearing a dress or nightgown of some sort walked directly through my frame of vision - crossing from one side of the kitchen to the next. The most awful thing was not that there would be no explanation for a woman to be in our kitchen at this hour (my mom did not live there at this time). The most terrible part of it was that she, apparently oblivious to my prescence, continued her steady stride right through the washing machine and on through the very wall itself!!

Then she was gone. Later of course, I would wonder whether this was the same 'woman' I had seen that night with Jimi a couple of years earlier. But I am not ashamed to tell you that right then, I shut my eyes as tight as I could and refused to open them until I wakened from sleep the next day.

I do not care to see into the other side or whatever. I will find out soon enough what's going on over there and - call me a chicken- would die a happy lady if I never saw another one of its residents until then!


A Short Intermission, Starring Caroline

"Caroline" - one of many supposedly haunted dolls in existence. Yikes!
"Caroline" - one of many supposedly haunted dolls in existence. Yikes!

Polygamist Past

Now that I'm older and more courageous (i.e. I don't live there anymore), I have felt compelled to dig a bit into the house's history to see if there are any clues about the eerie incidents. The place is really old, as I mentioned in pt.1 - 134 years old, to be exact so I figured there had to be some information available.

It's been a little tougher than I thought, getting a definitive backstory on the house - I had pictured myself as the heroine in a typical 80's-90's ghost movie, scrolling through some file of microfilm until I found on a front page: "Man Goes Crazy, Murders Party Guests at House on ### Temple Street." Man, movies are so misleading. Much like real murder cases are much more boring and grueling than CSI would have us believe, finding historical information on a piece of property is not as cool as I thought it would be.

This is what I've gotten so far. The place was originally the main house in a group of polygamist houses! So, basically, one guy who lived in my place with his first wife and their children also had some other wives living in the surrounding houses with their children. I imagine him flitting about from one house to the next, impregnating these poor women as flippantly as one might toss a penny into a fountain.

As polygamy had been declared totally uncool by the local church several years earlier, this guy went to great measures to keep his lifestyle on the down low. Each house on the property was fenced off so as to appear like a normal residence since the "spiritual-wives" (all the wives the guy took on after his first one) could never appear in public with their super-secret husband. Since this created an obvious problem for Johnny Seedspreader, tunnels were dug under the houses to connect them with each other so that everyone could come and go without raising society's eyebrows.

Ladies, I know this sounds like a Utopian life to be sure. But, tragedy apparently marred this family's enviable existence when - and this part is not confirmed (yet)- one of those tunnels collapsed on the original wife as she scurried through one night. Supposedly, she was the most beloved wife and the most beautiful and all this jazz, but that's where I wonder if the whole thing didn't get a little dramatized.

Anyhow, we've established that there was at least one death that occurred on the property and that the place has some interesting history to be sure!

So, if what we've been seeing through the years are the ghosts of this polygamist brood, is the woman I've seen the woman who died in the tunnel? Who is the man in the attic? Are portions of the tunnels still intact? These are the questions I can ask from the luxury of my 30 year old apartment, where the only spirits are in my glass and no self-respecting beasty would dwell - with its synthetic countertops and artificial wood cabinets.

I promise I'll share the answers with you when and if I find them...

Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife Shattered Dreams: My Life as a Polygamist's Wife
Price: $5.00
List Price: $13.99
Colorado City Polygamists: An Inside Look for the Outsider Colorado City Polygamists: An Inside Look for the Outsider
Price: $11.95
List Price: $18.95
ABC News Primetime Polygamists (The Outsiders) ABC News Primetime Polygamists (The Outsiders)
Price: $19.95
List Price: $19.95
Escape Escape
Price: $6.30
List Price: $24.95

Would You Stay Living In a Haunted House?

  • You bet, it's my house!
  • What? I can't hear you, I'm too busy running away!
  • Depends on the degree of scariness.
See results without voting

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trish1048 profile image

trish1048  says:
8 months ago

Ohhhhhh, this is great!  I can't wait to hear what you uncover.  My guess is that the lady you saw was one of the wives.  I'm so sorry I never researched the history on my old house.

I'll check out Caroline. She really does look haunted!

Great writing!  Thanks for sharing :)

RooBee profile image

RooBee  says:
8 months ago

trish, thanks for your compliment - means alot!

I probably never would have researched the history either, had this stuff not happened.

VioletSun profile image

VioletSun  says:
7 months ago

I am like you, see ghosts and do not like it very much, wish I could get used to it.

Enjoyed reading your story and have become your fan. :)

RooBee profile image

RooBee  says:
7 months ago

VioletSun, thanks for reading and complimenting!! Yes, not something I enjoy either - I've been known to just shut my eyes very tightly and refuse to open them until all feels well again (this can work in all kinds of situations). :)

Cynnmcg  says:
7 months ago

R - Wow. That is very scary! Has your dad seen them at all?

I think there are some ghosts that are classified as Residual haun tings. Meaning they are just a recording in time. I think some things that happened over and over get recorded in our environment. Something triggers it to play back and they are not really a ghost but a recording. They don't know you are there because they aren't really there. Then there are the scary ones.......Not sure about them.

Cyn

RooBee profile image

RooBee  says:
7 months ago

Yeah, I have heard the same - that it's essentially an imprint of something that occurred in the past. It seems that is the case at Dad's. I don't think he has seen them, but to be honest everything seems to have died down since he has been in charge around there.

Maybe they're scared of him.. :)

lumberjack profile image

lumberjack  says:
7 months ago

Ghost in my house??? It's more common than you think

RooBee profile image

RooBee  says:
7 months ago

I believe it, lumberjack. Thanks for reading!

mythbuster profile image

mythbuster  says:
7 months ago

Wow, this hub is creepy! Love it...I feel a myth-hunt coming on... I gotta check out the haunted doll site! Maybe tomorrow when it is daytime tho' lol

RooBee profile image

RooBee  says:
7 months ago

mythbuster- flattered, can't wait for it! Do wait till its light out, though- don't wanna read it in the dark!!

Guardian1 profile image

Guardian1  says:
7 months ago

Wow, what a story. I don't see ghosts; just hear and sometimes feel them. I only get scared when my energy levels are low, like when I'm kind of depressed. It occurs to me that when your defenses are down like that, the ghosts may be able to get inside. I believe possession can happen.

I really like the way you tell a story. Great hub.

RooBee profile image

RooBee  says:
7 months ago

Guardian1- thanks for stopping by & for the compliment!

I do believe that if our sensibilities are weakened, be it from substance or depression or exhaustion or whatever, we are certainly more succeptible to influences of all kinds!!

At least I use that excuse to explain some past behavior. ;)

I'mmabookworm! profile image

I'mmabookworm!  says:
7 months ago

So freaking scary...my heart was like boom...Boom...BOom...BOOm...BOOM!!!!!!!!!

So scary, very good. You have such a good style of writing, I'm going to have huge nightmares tonight...

A scary thing that happened let me think:

When I was in Year 5 of my Primary there was a rumour about a ghost in the girl's bathroom, she was called Bloody Mary, They said if you turned off the lights, put on all the taps, turn around three times with your eyes closed you would see her in the mirror. I never tried it, I was too chicken.

But one day I had to go to the loo during lessons, as I stepped in one of the door slammed shut and it was wide apart when I had first seen it. I checked to see if anyone was there, there was no one. Later I dismissed it as the wind but I was lying,

1. It was in the Summer and not a windy day

2.Our toilets are inside and no wind strong enough could have slammed the door shut.

I'm still freakin scared to this day...

I look forward to more of your Hubs,

Bookworm

RooBee profile image

RooBee  says:
7 months ago

Yikes, worm! I also remember Bloody Mary from school days - I would have hi-tailed it right on out of that potty! :)

Thanks so much for reading.

I'mmabookworm! profile image

I'mmabookworm!  says:
7 months ago

I did exactly that, not exactly caring that my bladder was bursting. Our headteacher called an assembly the next day about Bloody Mary, ah how so very wrong he was...

No problem, I love reading Hubs. I find it good reading material when I'm out of books, (That's very rare since I borrow many from the library!)

Your friend,

Worm (Whose scared of Bloody Mary and Spiders!)

RooBee profile image

RooBee  says:
7 months ago

Lucky me - I had better get some more out so you'll keep coming back :) Happy to have a fellow bookworm as a friend! :D :D

I'mmabookworm! profile image

I'mmabookworm!  says:
7 months ago

I will always keep comin back, as a bookworm it is my duty and my food to devour knowledge! So no worries! I think I've had overnight popularity, it's amazing! I plan on more! :)

Your friend for a long long long long time,

Worm

RooBee profile image

RooBee  says:
7 months ago

MMM, yummy words....*gobble, crunch*

I have no doubt that you will continue to gain popularity on HP - good writers with good personalities such as yourself shouldn't have any problems there.

You have certainly gained a fan & friend in me!

I'mmabookworm! profile image

I'mmabookworm!  says:
7 months ago

Thank you, it's good to know! It's getting late over here so I'm off to Bedfordshire...*yawn* See you soon!

Worm

Whikat profile image

Whikat  says:
7 months ago

Hey RooBee, If you ever find out anymore I would love to find out what the outcome is. My neighbor across the street has ghosts in her building. I am not sure if they are evil or just plain a nuisance but I do know she has called the ghost busters in order to take pics and recordings. Thanks for the good read. :-)

RooBee profile image

RooBee  says:
7 months ago

Ooh, Whikat, maybe you can find out and write on it! I will definitely continue the story if I find out more.

And its my pleasure, since good ones like you enjoy it - I'll keep going! :D

lumberjack profile image

lumberjack  says:
7 months ago

have you considered shooting the ghost

RooBee profile image

RooBee  says:
7 months ago

No, lumberjack, but bookworm and I were thinking of getting one of those Ghostbuster guns to suck them into. Let me know if you see one on Ebay or something. :)

Pearldiver profile image

Pearldiver  says:
6 months ago

Were the screws in the attic cover screwed from the bedroom or the attic side RooBee? Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrh ... I'm outahere.................byyyyyyyyyye

RooBee profile image

RooBee  says:
6 months ago

Hahaha bedroom side, pd. Wait, pd? Hey, where did he go??!

manlypoetryman profile image

manlypoetryman  says:
5 months ago

Two great stories relating to the "Ghost" at your old house. Too wild that when you went looking into the history...you found an event which would be a very plausible explanation to anyone checking into paranormal activity. CSI and Ghostbusters be wary...Something isn't right at ### Temple Street! Thanks for sharing these two stories with us, Roobee.

Bryan Robertson profile image

Bryan Robertson  says:
5 months ago

Loved the Juicemaster bit! Although I enjoyed this story (as well as the first story - both had a good "creepy factor") it is also well written. What an incredibly wild history for a house! You have inspired me to put finger to key and draft my only paranormal experience.

Luciendasky profile image

Luciendasky  says:
4 months ago

Johnny Seedspredder! What a name! Very well written. Thank you.

ralwus profile image

ralwus  says:
4 months ago

Maybe the guy/spirit upstairs was a loony son of Johnny Seedspreader. LOL Did anyone ever confirm the tunnels? Great ghost story. Now, about Caroline.....must write about her.

RooBee profile image

RooBee  says:
3 months ago

Cool, Brian! I'll have to go check and see if you went on to hub about your scary situations. (Seeing as your comment is from 2 months back and I am only now responding...sorry 'bout that). Thanks for your compliments!

Hi Luciendasky~ be careful, or Johnny may come for you next! :o Thanks so much for the nice compliment!

Hey ralwus, tunnels still unconfirmed and as for that upstairs fella, he coulda been little Timmy Seedspreader - or Johnny Jr. even! *gasp!* Hee Hee. Caroline is quite the intriguing lass, indeed. So glad to have you by.

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