Haunted Johnstown

[WDVE]

When I lived in Gettysburg about 12 years ago  I had a neighbor who was a Battlefield Tour Guide and he would just go on these rants about how all of the local ghost stories were nothing but BS generated to attract a larger veriety of tourists to the area. Now I know that lots of folks enjoy going on those Gettyburg ghost tours but for many battlefield purists/ civil war buffs it is all perceived as nothing more than a mockery and a desecration of sacred ground.

In the past I have worked with Gettysburg Battlefield Tour Guides; However, I do not share your enthusiam that all Tour Guides discount "Ghost Stories". The free enterprise system and yes, overly commercialized town does resonate into over abundance of souvenir shops, ghost tours and the provincial Gettysburg battlefield t-shirt.
Do I think this makes a mockery of the bloody battle, lives lost and sacrifices? In my opinion it does not. Sure kids and adults alike are their for many reasons and a high percentage of them could care less about the historical significance of the 3 day battle in July 1863. I would suggest books written by former Gettysburg National Military Park Ranger Mark Nesbitt before you form your negitive opinion regarding Ghost Tours and the people taking them.


From the Ghosts of Gettysburg Website:
Mark Nesbitt is a former National Park Service Ranger/Historian. He started his own research and writing company in 1977 and did research and advertising copy for some of America's best historical artists. Beginning in 1978 he began writing books, including If the South Won Gettysburg (1980), 35 Days to Gettysburg (1992), Rebel Rivers (1993), Saber and Scapegoat: J.E.B. Stuart and the Gettysburg Controversy (1994), Through Blood and Fire (1996), and the best selling Ghosts of Gettysburg Series (1991- present). Many of his stories have been seen, and/or heard, on The History Channel, A&E, The Travel Channel, Unsolved Mysteries, Coast to Coast AM, and numerous other local television programs and specials. In July of 2004, his Ghosts of Gettysburg Series received the National Paranormal Award for “Best True Hauntings Collection” and “Best ‘Local Haunt’ Guidebook”.

[Citizen X]

In the past I have worked with Gettysburg Battlefield Tour Guides; However, I do not share your enthusiam that all Tour Guides discount "Ghost Stories". The free enterprise system and yes, overly commercialized town does resonate into over abundance of souvenir shops, ghost tours and the provincial Gettysburg battlefield t-shirt.
Do I think this makes a mockery of the bloody battle, lives lost and sacrifices? In my opinion it does not. Sure kids and adults alike are their for many reasons and a high percentage of them could care less about the historical significance of the 3 day battle in July 1863. I would suggest books written by former Gettysburg National Military Park Ranger Mark Nesbitt before you form your negitive opinion regarding Ghost Tours and the people taking them.


From the Ghosts of Gettysburg Website:
Mark Nesbitt is a former National Park Service Ranger/Historian. He started his own research and writing company in 1977 and did research and advertising copy for some of America's best historical artists. Beginning in 1978 he began writing books, including If the South Won Gettysburg (1980), 35 Days to Gettysburg (1992), Rebel Rivers (1993), Saber and Scapegoat: J.E.B. Stuart and the Gettysburg Controversy (1994), Through Blood and Fire (1996), and the best selling Ghosts of Gettysburg Series (1991- present). Many of his stories have been seen, and/or heard, on The History Channel, A&E, The Travel Channel, Unsolved Mysteries, Coast to Coast AM, and numerous other local television programs and specials. In July of 2004, his Ghosts of Gettysburg Series received the National Paranormal Award for “Best True Hauntings Collection” and “Best ‘Local Haunt’ Guidebook”.

I never said "all tourguides", just referencing one in particular. Anyhow I've done the ghost tours and even met Mark Nesbitt so I have no problem with it personally. As far as ghosts go I had an Emmittsburg Road addresss for about 4 years so I lived pretty close to the battlefield and I've visited it hundreds of times over the years but I've never seen any ghosts on it so when someone comes out to Gettysburg for a weekend visit and says they saw a ghost I have to be skeptical.

[WDVE]

Ok, Citizen X gotcha.
I too have never seen a ghost ,but I have heard many stories over the years. Quite frankly though I'm not skeptical of the para-normal not occurring.
I've always heard, if you're looking to see a ghost it probably won't happen.
However, I am in possession of a pic that was taken on Little Round Top where Gen. Warren is standing. There is something else in the picture, it looks like a silhouette of another person. Interesting.

If you lived on the Emmitsburg Road I'm sure I've passed your home many times; in fact I might be familiar with the particular structure. As I said, I worked at the park a number of years ago with access to many artifacts that the public has never seen.
Kudos

[escapeman]

About 10 years or so ago my daughter who was 9 or 10 at the time came flying from her bedroom around 11:00 one night saying there were lights flying around her room. So  me being the macho dad told her to sleep with mom and I would stay in her bedroom that night. You know what?    There were lights flying around her bedroom!!!  I slept wth my wife and daughter in my bedroom. A few years ago (maybe 2) my daughter said she woke one morning and could not get out of bed, she said it was like someone was holding her down. She didn't panick but instead relaxed and fell back to sleep and said she had the most restful sleep after that. We think the ghost is my dad who died in 1999. He's checking up on us.

[Boo]

About 10 years or so ago my daughter who was 9 or 10 at the time came flying from her bedroom around 11:00 one night saying there were lights flying around her room. So  me being the macho dad told her to sleep with mom and I would stay in her bedroom that night. You know what?    There were lights flying around her bedroom!!!  I slept wth my wife and daughter in my bedroom. A few years ago (maybe 2) my daughter said she woke one morning and could not get out of bed, she said it was like someone was holding her down. She didn't panick but instead relaxed and fell back to sleep and said she had the most restful sleep after that. We think the ghost is my dad who died in 1999. He's checking up on us.

Probably is your father escapeman! My Grandmother loved carnations, especially pink ones. She wore a powder that smelled like carnations as well. After she passed on, which was many years ago, I was sitting at my kitchen table after I had been married, and I was writing a card out to my Aunt (her daughter) when all of the sudden I got a huge scent of carnations around me that only lasted for about 15 seconds then it disappeared. I thought to myself well that was strange, it's the dead of winter, no windows open, where did that come from? Then I remembered it was the same scent of powder my Grandmother wore! Since that day, I get the same scent about 2 times a year come and go just as fast. I know it's my Grandmother looking over me, so now when I get the scent, I just say out loud Hi Grandma, I love you!

[Wiener]

I think I may have posted this before.  When I sometimes am about to make a dumb mistake, I hear my Mother yelling at me, "Tina!"    She died in 95, so needless to say she has been yelling at me more since she died then she ever did at me when she was living. 

[Boo]

I think I may have posted this before.  When I sometimes am about to make a dumb mistake, I hear my Mother yelling at me, "Tina!"    She died in 95, so needless to say she has been yelling at me more since she died then she ever did at me when she was living. 

My mother is alive and well and does the same! I can imagine her doing it when she has passed as well!

[WDVE]

Probably is your father escapeman! My Grandmother loved carnations, especially pink ones. She wore a powder that smelled like carnations as well. After she passed on, which was many years ago, I was sitting at my kitchen table after I had been married, and I was writing a card out to my Aunt (her daughter) when all of the sudden I got a huge scent of carnations around me that only lasted for about 15 seconds then it disappeared. I thought to myself well that was strange, it's the dead of winter, no windows open, where did that come from? Then I remembered it was the same scent of powder my Grandmother wore! Since that day, I get the same scent about 2 times a year come and go just as fast. I know it's my Grandmother looking over me, so now when I get the scent, I just say out loud Hi Grandma, I love you!

Let us know Boo when that scent comes back...I find this very interesting.

[BadBird_Squared]

A side note on this thread ... in the fall, Ebensburg used to have a historic Ghost Tour of the town ... a very fun evening with tons of histoiric stuff they tell you about.
I don't know if anyone knew about this, and I am not even sure if they still do it, but it is something with the historical society out there and it is a really fun evening.

[millcreek]

Ya want to see something scary you should see all the dog shiiit I cleaned up in my yard!

[Terry Kath]

Ya want to see something scary you should see all the dog shiiit I cleaned up in my yard!

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Thanks for the unexpected belly laugh tonight 

[Boo]

Let us know Boo when that scent comes back...I find this very interesting.

Thanks DVE, I'll let you know.

[Boo]

Ya want to see something scary you should see all the dog shiiit I cleaned up in my yard!

You know what would really be scary about this? If it came from your neighbors dog that had died 5 years ago! 

[abaldish]

Anyone ever wants to go ghost hunting let me know. I have a EMF meter, Digital Recorder and a digital cam that also can do video.

[millcreek]

Anyone ever wants to go ghost hunting let me know. I have a EMF meter, Digital Recorder and a digital cam that also can do video.

Did you get them at Lowes?