Growing up, we hear many stories about ghosts and things that go bump in the night. As small children, we find these stories frightening and often we request our parents to, 'leave the lights on' when we go to bed. Television and the movies enforce our fear of the dark and the unknown. In time, we generally shed our apprehensiveness and accept that entities such as the boogyman are nothing more than childhood fantasies. But what of the countless stories of haunted houses, voices heard when no one else is present, or a vision of someone heard or seen walking down a hallway? Our imaginations tend to be less productive as we get older, and most of the fears we had as children disappear - until something happens, something unexplainable to the logical mind that causes us to stand up and take notice - an incident that awakens that childhood mentality.

In 1974 I was 22 years old, and my childhood fears were awakened with little warning. I was introduced to a family who lived in a supposed haunted house nestled in the hills of Western New York. A family, not unlike most ordinary families with children and pets; a family with all the same aspirations about the future as most any other family. But this family had a problem, several problems actually, and all were related to those worries and fears we all experienced as children - they were sharing their home with what they believed were those from the spirit world. My first visit to their home was fairly uneventful until I was leaving and passed by what they, the family members, referred to as the 'hanging tree.' My vehicle, a newer model car in excellent mechanical shape, suddenly, and without warning, not only stalled, but the entire electrical system shut down. My fiance who was with me was 'creeped' out by this, especially after hearing it told that many vehicles had similar problems. It wasn't long before I shared in her emotional upset. The car was totally drained, not even a click was heard from the battery when I turned the key in the ignition. Only when a friend of the family, Father Alphonsus Trabold, who was visiting that same evening, did the engine come to life after he pulled up behind us. Coincidence? I thought so - at the time.

Over the next year, I spent as much time at this 'troubled' house as I did at home, and the incidents that transpired not only opened my mind to the paranormal, it made me a believer that energies are indeed left behind after one passes on. As time passed, I became aware that I was very sensitive and was able to predict with reasonable certainty when the energy within the house was building. One particular entity, believed to be that of a woman, was an energy experienced many times which was the cause of my visits to the house to cease for a period of time. I had no trouble admitting that this energy frightened me.

Shortly after an unsuccessful exorcisim peformed by Father Al, aided by world renowned psychic, Alex Tanous, the family was forced to move from their home. Several others took up residence in the home, most leaving in a short period of time. One, a school teacher, who was so disturbed by the problems of the house, left, leaving all of her belongings and never returned to retreive them.

There have been two books written about the experiences of this house. "Echoes of a Haunting" written by Clara Miller is available from Xlibris publishing, and "You Know They're Here," a novel written by myself which will be available soon. Come back often to check on publishing information.

So, where do you stand on the paranormal? Are you a skeptic, do you have an open mind, or are you a believer that there is something yet to be explained?

The following Youtube video was produced by Mason Winfield, author, researcher and "supernatural historian." He visited the infamous haunted house in Hinsdale, New York and produced a video depicting the history of the house and its area. This video offers the account of a former occupant as well as a synopsis given by Father Alphonsus Trabold (1925-2005) who was a dear friend who perfomed a 'simple' exorcism with the assistance of world renowned psychic, Alex Tanous (1926-1990). Alex and a film crew of seven NYU students visited the house on April 13, 1975 when Alex conducted his second investigation of the house.

Below is the story about the House near Hinsdale, produced by The Discovery Channel's series, "A Haunting." This video is the first in a series of 8 links depicting the entire story. Interviews of Clara Miller, (owner during the 70's), her son, Mike Dandy, and family friend, Randy Carr. The storyline is a bit sensationalized in many ways. The house depicted is a large, rambling home - the original house is small, They speak of a crawl space which is shown to be below the stairs - the crawl space in the original house is 'above' the stairs and is barely big enough for one person. The family had four children, the story only cast two. There are many other discrepancies, but these are the most important to point out. Overall, the incidents are very close to what transpired during the family's troubled years in their country home.