The 6 Most Haunted Places in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia

1. Peyton Randolph House

The Peyton Randolph House

The Peyton Randolph house is reportedly one of the most haunted places in Williamsburg. At night, the home is shrouded in blackness. It’s one of the few houses that doesn’t have a single candle in the window, no light on the front porch, and no street lights in front.  The darkness lends to the eerie effect of the home.

Some of the history behind the ghost stories associated with this house originate with a slave named Eve. In 1775, the Royal Governor of Virginia, Lord Dunmore issued a decree stating that any slave who ran away from his or her colonial owner to join the British Army would be granted freedom. One day Eve, desperate for a taste of freedom, chose to leave her son behind to join the British. However, it wasn’t long before she was caught and brought back to the home. She suffered a beating as punishment, and in the days that followed she became very insubordinate according to her owner. Unable to control her any longer, her owner decided to sell her, and she was pried from her son's arms and, in a very crude manner, thrown on a horse with her hands and feet bound. As the horse rode away, she shouted a curse upon anyone who lived in the house from that point forward. Those who lived in the house after her departure experienced sudden death, tragedy, or committed suicide.

 As far back as 1824 Lafayette believed the house was haunted. One night, as he was in one of the rooms, he felt a hand upon his shoulder; he turned suddenly to find no one there.

 Legend has it, that if you are daring enough to knock on the door of the Peyton Randolph house at night, you will hear something knocking back. We personally witnessed a similar occurrence. Late one night we approached the Peyton Randolph house. As we drew nearer to the house an eerie feeling overcame us. Maybe it was the fact that the house sat in complete darkness, or maybe it was something else. Nevertheless, one of the members of our group walked up to the door. As we watched and listened, he knocked three times. We didn’t hear a knocking response. However, we did hear the creaking of old floor boards as if someone were walking around inside.

2. The Indian School at William and Mary

The Indian School at William and Mary

Established in 1697, this school was created to educate young Indian men in reading, writing, English, arithmetic, and religion. The school was funded by the estate of Robert Boyle. Legend has it that one of the Native American boys enjoyed running the halls of the school and the grounds of the campus at night. One night he climbed out of his window and disappeared into the darkness, never to be seen again. The school closed shortly after the start of the American revolution however, some of the spirits of the former students remain. 

To this day, people who pass the school at night have reported seeing the apparition of the boy making his nightly run around the campus. Also, many have reported seeing the ghosts of several Native American children running across the sunken gardens late at night, as if they are attempting to run away from the old school.

3. The Governor's Palace

The Governor's Palace

Built in 1722, the Governor’s Palace in Williamsburg is perhaps one of the grandest structures in the state of Virginia. Many of Virginia’s governors including Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson called the palace home. The palace set the perfect scene for many extravagant balls and social gatherings in Williamsburg. 

During the Revolutionary War, the palace became the headquarters for General Charles Lee of the Continental Army, and was later used as a field hospital. On December 22, 1781, the Palace, currently being used as a hospital for over one hundred ill continental soldiers, caught fire. All but one of the patients were evacuated as a magnificent structure burned to the ground. 

In the 1930's, archaeologists discovered one hundred thirty-seven skeletons buried in the palace garden. Two of the skeletons were female, the rest appeared to be male British soldiers who died in bed, most likely during the time that the palace was being used as a hospital. It is speculated that the two females were nurses who cared for the soldiers while they were ill. 

Since then the governor’s palace has been rebuilt to resemble the magnificent structure it once was. It is said that if you sit on the palace green at night you will see a candle light passing in front of the windows of the palace. It’s believed that this candle is being carried by the ghosts of the nurses who were found buried in the gardens, still tending to their patients as an echo in time long after the war has ended.

4. George Wythe House

The Wythe House

This was the home of George Wythe, first signer of the Declaration of Independence and teacher/mentor to Thomas Jefferson. The home, thought to be built in the mid-1750s, was constructed by George Wythe’s father-in-law, Richard Taliaferro. It also served as General George Washington’s headquarters just before the siege of Yorktown.

            One prominent report of the home being haunted involves Lady Anne Skipwith, who often came to visit the family. One evening, while attending a party at the Governors Palace, Lady Anne got into a fight with her husband. In a fit of anger, she rushed out of the palace and down the palace green, back to the Wythe house where she was staying. On the way, she lost one of the shoes she was wearing. The sound of her flight down the cobblestone path leading back to the house is often heard by witnesses. Lady Anne has also been seen in the home coming out of the closet in the room where she stayed. In addition, an odd clicking rhythm has been heard ascending the staircase in the home. The sound is thought to come from Lady Anne as she returned from the party at the Governor’s palace wearing only a single shoe.

            Other reports include the sounds of a woman’s melodious singing and of furniture being moved around. An employee also reported being tapped on the shoulder by an unseen presence.

5. Eastern State Hospital

Old Public Hospital

Williamsburg, Virginia is home to the first lunatic asylum in North America, The Public Hospital for Persons of Insane and Disordered Minds. This asylum saw its first patient on October 12, 1773.

            In 1841, then known as the Eastern Lunatic Asylum, its one hundred twenty-five inmates were supervised by a physician named Doctor John Gault. John Gault remained the superintendent of the facility until it became devastated by the Civil War in 1862. During this time, the Union Army assumed control of the facility, neglecting many of the patients. Dr. Gault, disheartened by the poor treatment of the patients, fell into a state of depression. He went to his home, which stood on the grounds of the hospital, and overdosed on Laudanum, causing the blood vessels in his head to rupture. He was found lying in a pool of blood. 

          The house has long since been demolished. However, Dr. Gault’s ghost remains. It is said that his spirit roams the grounds of the hospital at night and echoes through the hallways in search of his distraught patients.

6. The Capitol Building

The Capitol Building

Sitting at the end of the Duke of Gloucester street, you will find Williamsburg’s Capitol building, where many significant historical events took place. In 1698, the Jamestown State House was destroyed by fire and the decision was made to move the colony’s government to WIlliamsburg, then known as Middle Plantation. It was built by Henry Cary, who also built the Wren Building at the College of WIlliam and Mary. It was here that Patrick Henry spoke against the Stamp Act on May 29, 1765, and in 1776 patriots assembled here to speak for American independence. Also, the first floor of the West building housed the General Court.

            Today, you can play one of the jurors during a candlelit reenacted trial of Grace Sherwood, who was tried for witchcraft in 1776. This event is called Cry Witch. Many tourists who attended this mock trial reported seeing a well-played female reenactor in the audience. Upon rendering their compliments to the other reenactors, they were informed that there was no woman fitting that description in attendance. It became rumored that this colonial-clad woman was the ghost of the Witch of Pungo, Grace Sherwood. Sightings of this woman continued until 2006, around the same time that Grace Sherwood was pardoned by Governor Timothy Kaine.


Watch the video: Colonial Williamsburg History and Haunts for more info and more haunted locations in Williamsburg, VA.

How to Conduct a Proper EVP Session

Jeff and Linda EVP session at Edgewood Old Mill

EVP sessions can be an essential part of a paranormal investigation. Not only can they provide evidence that an entity is present, but they may also provide answers to help determine who or what the entity is and why it remains at the location. Through a series of questions, we hope to gather as much evidence as possible to help explain the unknown. We at Virginia Paranormal Investigations believe that the methods provided in this article will help investigators to obtain the clearest, uncontaminated EVP's in an effort to gather the most intangible, indisputable evidence of the spiritual realm that lies intertwined with the locations we investigate.
     Let's start with the location. Determining where to conduct an EVP session depends largely on the location you are investigating. It's obviously always a good idea to hit the areas with the most reports of activity. In some cases, however,  you may be walking along when the EMF detector spikes or temperature changes and decide to set up right then and there. Making sure the location is secure is essential. Note any background noise that could be mistaken for an EVP. If there is too much background noise, then it my be useless to conduct the session. This can often occur at outdoor locations when the wind isn't cooperating. We have experimented with windy locations on the theory that wind can provide a type of ambient sound and energy for the spirits to communicate, but have had no success. Setting up for an EVP session also depends largely on the location. We will use a residential investigation as an example in which you can apply these methods to most locations. First, synchronize your watches. In some cases, the spirit may respond better to the homeowner, so it's not a horrible idea to have them sit in on the session and ask some questions, providing they are briefed on the procedures. If the residents are not taking part in the session, then we always have someone monitoring them. This investigator will have a notepad and will jot down any noises they make (coughing, whispering, talking, etc.) along with the exact time of the noise. This will prevent the EVP analyst from mistaking the noise for something paranormal. Another investigator should be posted outside of the house, also with a notepad. It will be this person's job to log any noises he or she hears coming from the exterior of the house (people talking, birds, cars, etc.) for the same reason; to avoid a mistaken EVP.
     Now that your perimeter is well observed, lets talk about the investigators actually sitting around the recorder questioning the entity. The recorder should be placed on a flat, solid surface. You don't want to risk movement of the recorder or vibrations in the surface to contaminate your evidence. EVP sessions are always best with fewer people, as there is less chance of undue sounds. One of the investigators in the room should have a notepad to log any natural or explainable noises that occur. There should be no whispering during the session as whispers can sometimes be mistaken for an EVP. It's ok to talk, however, do so in a regular tone so that the EVP analyst knows it's your voice. At the start of the EVP session, everyone should state their names in an introductory manner. This is both showing courtesy to what ever spirit may be there, and it will allow the EVP analyst to hear your voice and compare it to any possible EVP's and determine if it's one of the investigators or something paranormal.
     Your perimeter is under surveillance and your EVP room is set up, now into the questioning. We prefer to take a conversation tone rather than an interrogation tone during the EVP sessions. What I mean by this is try to approach the spirit more subtly rather than badger him or her with questions. If they feel like they are under the spotlight, they may shy away. It's always a good idea to try and empathize or at least sympathize with the spirit; of course this can only be done if you have some background info on the spirit and/or location. Try to think of good trigger questions such as something that the spirit may have enjoyed in life, or current events from the time they were alive. The world may have progressed, but they may still be living in the past. Just like with people, if you can spark their interest, they may be willing to sit and talk with you. Aside from establishing a connection, feel free to ask any questions that may help provide the answers you are seeking. During the session, remember to vocally tag any noises you hear. this will provide a back up form of verification to coincide with the logs being kept by the other investigators.
     When you're ready to conclude your EVP session, remember to thank the entity who may have been communicating with you. With all of the sounds documented by the investigators with the notepads and the vocal tags, any one of the investigators should be able to analyze the EVP session. If the analyst finds a sound that wasn't heard by the investigator outside the house, the investigator with the residents, or anyone in the room, then quite possibly it's a solid EVP not to be easily debunked.
     We hope these methods prove helpful on your next investigation. As I stated earlier, EVP's can be a crucial part of the evidence you obtain during your investigation. Skeptics will always try to debunk your evidence, which is why it's imperative to obtain the most concrete evidence possible. Any explanation that people can come up with, will be suggested and we want to make sure we can't debunk it before we submit it. Aside from providing evidence of a spiritual presence, the results of your EVP session may also give you answers to help connect some of the pieces of your research. If you implement some of these methods, next time you hear a noise on your recorder that's not logged, you most likely picked up a good EVP.

The Haunted Brandywine Valley

Covered bridge in The Valley

 Stretching out from the Delaware border into Pennsylvania is a series of long windy roads, dense woods, and beautiful farmland known as the Brandywine Valley or simply "The Valley" to many of the locals. During the day, these roads provide a quaint drive through the country. You may drive through a few covered bridges like the one pictured to the left, or alongside a babbling brook, or rolling pastures. At night however, The Valley transforms into a completely different place. As darkness settles in, the roads seem to wander on endlessly into the night. Each turn leads to an unknown stretch of darkness that appears to be a completely different road than it was during the day. The trees seem to move with the vehicle as if you're not even moving forward. Dark shadows dart out in front of you and strange creatures seem to run alongside your vehicle in an attempt to catch you. Many mysterious and strange things lurk in the darkness of The Valley.

Leaning trees along Cossart Rd

One of the most spine-tingling roads you will find in the Brandywine Valley is Cossart Road aka Devil's Road. There have been many strange sightings along this road and its said to be so evil that the trees reach away from the road. This was one of the first urban legends that VAPI visited back in 2009, and one that I use to frequent years before that. There is definitely an uneasy feeling the entire time you are on this road, and I have to say, there's no better way to experience it than in the back of a pick up, especially when you are being pursued by a vehicle with the headlights out.

VAPI Jeff with Noah in the pick up bed
patrolling down Devil's Rd 2009

As a teenager, the summer I got my driver's license, my friends and I would spend many nights driving through The Valley. This fueled my passion for urban legends, dark creepy roads, and hauntings. One night as we were exploring the long dark roads, we came upon a dead end. as we were making a U turn, the headlights shown into the woods and lit up a large mound with a woman standing on top of it. There were no cars in sight and no houses around for miles. The woman didn't move, but stood there staring at us with her hands by her side. Needless to say, we didn't stick around (this was 10 years before VAPI). Another night, we were driving down a long road surrounded by farmland, when we passed a woman walking along the road. Startled at first, we discussed where she may have emerged from. We drove further down the road and saw no disabled vehicles or houses that she may have come from. I of course brought up the idea that she may have been a ghost. We decided to turn around and go back to the location where we passed her. As we drove down the road, surrounded by nothing but fields, the woman was no where in sight. It's possible that she cut through one of the fields, but there were no other cars, or houses along the road. Maybe a ghost? It's exciting to consider as a possibility.

along Cossart Road

Quite a few years have passed since my friends and I would spend our nights driving through The Valley. Sights that I would have run from at the time, I now seek out in our search for indisputable evidence of the spiritual realm. The Brandywine Valley still holds the same mystery and allure as it always has. These long roads, twisting through the night, still present unexplainable sights and eerie feelings. Even though we return to The Valley each time I return home, it always seems new and exciting, yet so familiar. I never know what to expect as I look forward to our next venture into the Brandywine Valley.

by Jeff Santos

Cold Harbor Battlefied in Hanover County, VA

Cold Harbor battlefield is a serene and picturesque landmark lying off Route 156 in a residential section of Hanover County, Virginia. A small, brick building serves as the visitor center, and separates the parking lot from the battlefields. The structure is easy to miss if you aren't looking for it.

Between the visitor center and the battlefield, a few trees rise from a blanket of pine needles and look out over the rolling, emerald field to the dense forest beyond. Two solitary cannons remain among the trees, which appear to stand guard over these wrought iron and wooden-wheeled structures as if they are aware of their significance and of the role they played in the battle.

To the far side of the battlefield, a dense forest harbors the remains of trenches and other fortifications where so many soldiers fought and lost their lives. Dirt trails and a paved tour road cut through the shadowy forest and wind around these fortifications, and if you venture onto them, you will find yourself surrounded by a variety of trees, plants, and shrubs. However, a short distance into the forest, you may begin to feel as if someone is standing among the foliage, watching you as you pass. The deeper into the forest you get, the more intense the feeling becomes. Perhaps the soldier spirits that nearby residents see on the battlefields at night are simply curious about the living who have come to walk the trails.

If any battlefield could have the reputation of being haunted, it is Cold Harbor. The Battle of Cold Harbor is described as one of the bloodiest and lopsided battles of the war. Approximately 108,000 Union soldiers and 62,000 Confederates engaged in the thirteen-day battle. Over 1,800 Union troops were killed, while the Confederates suffered significantly less casualties, with only 83 killed. 

The official website for the Civil War Trust, at www.civilwar.org, describes the battle at Cold Harbor in the following way:

          On May 31, Maj. General Sheridan's cavalry seized the vital crossroads of Old Cold
          Harbor. The following morning, Sheridan was able to repulse an attempted reposses-
          sion by Confederate infantry. Confederate reinforcements soon arrived and clashed
          with the Union Sixth and Eighteenth Corps when they reached Cold Harbor that
          evening. By June 2, the armies had formed a seven-mile front that extended from 
          Bethesda Church to the Chickahominy River. General Grant was poised for a major
          assault to General Lee's right flank and cut off the Confederates off from Richmond,
          but when Maj. General Hancock's Second Corps arrived after midnight march, too
          fatigued to support the Union left flank, the operation was postponed until the 
          following day. This fatal delay gave Lee's troops time to build an impressive line of 
          trenches. At dawn June 3, the Union Second, Sixth, and Eighteenth Corps, followed
          later by the Fifth and Ninth Corps, assaulted along the Bethesda Church-Cold Harbor
          line and were slaughtered at all points. Grant pulled out of Cold Harbor after nine
          days of trench warfare and continued to try to flank Lee's army at Petersburg. Grant 
          later expressed remorse for the egregious Union casualties at Cold Harbor, stating,
          "I have always regretted that the last assault at Cold Harbor was ever made [...] no
          advantage whatever was gained to compensate for the heavy loss we sustained."

On the 151st anniversary of the battle, the National Park Service hosted events at the battlefield to provide visitors with information about the battle and its aftermath. Jeff Santos and I were among the visitors at this event. We spent the day walking the trails through the forest, hoping to catch a glimpse of who- or whatever seemed to be watching us as we ventured deep into the forest.

In addition to the unseen onlookers, we also came upon encampments of reenactors. The white, angular forms of their canvas tents were a stark contrast to the emerald forest surrounding them, and the smoke from campfires rose up to the canopy of the trees, filling it with an eerie, blue-gray haze. The reenactors stood cleaning their muskets, or sat upon rough wooden benches as they enjoyed their lunches. They were friendly and informative, and willing to endure our relentless camera flashes and video clips.

The finale of the two-day event was a luminary tour, in which visitors were guided on a walking tour past actors who provided a glimpse into the reality of life as a Civil War soldier. The paved road that stretches from the battlefield and into the forest was lined with white paper bags illuminated by LED lights. The road ended at another field, far more secluded than the first, that was filled with the same white bags. The LEDs and the bags that contained them cast off an unearthly, bluish-white glow in the blackness of the surrounding forest. 

 

We tagged along at the back of our tour group as we made our way along, snapping pictures at anything and everything, even into the shadow-filled forest that flanked the tour road. At the end of the road, the entire group took turns taking pictures of the field full of luminaries with the gibbous moon hanging high above it. 

 

When satisfied with the pictures we'd taken, we turned an made our way back down the road to the visitor center. And as we rounded a gentle curve in the road, I happened to glance off the side of the road to my left. My breath caught in my throat. Standing in the tree line, beyond the reach of the luminary glow, atop a small hill beside a trench, were two grey figures leaning against a tree. They were as silent as death, and simply stared back at us as we passed. I lifted my camera and snapped a picture of them before continuing onward. It's possible that they were reenactors who'd emerged from the forest, as curious about us as the unseen onlooker from the trails earlier in the day. However, it's also possible that they were the spirits of two soldiers killed during the battle, perhaps standing beside the trench where they lost their lives. There's no way to be certain.

One thing is for sure, though. The battlefield of Cold Harbor was the site of both great victory and great tragedy, and the spirit of that battle lingers in the air as thick as the smoke from the reenactors' campfires. It serves as a reminder and as a tribute to those patriots who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

by Linda Cassada
Virginia Paranormal Investigations

Moon River Brewing Company

The Moon River Brewing Company was first used as a hotel in 1821. Named the City Hotel, it was the first hotel in Savannah. In 1851, Peter Wiltberger bought the hotel and put a live lion and lioness on display in order to attract business. in 1864, just before Sherman and his troops arrived, the hotel closed down. In the early 1900's, it was used as a warehouse for lumber and coal. In the 1960's, the building was converted into a printing press and office supply store. In 1979, Hurricane David ripped the roof off the building and the store closed down. There is a report that another brewing company attempted to use the building, but was driven out by paranormal activity. In 1995, Moon River Brewing Company renovated the building.

There have been several reports of hauntings in this building. Bottles have been thrown off the shelves, and there have been reports of a noisy spirit named Toby in the billiard room. Witnesses have seen a woman walk up to the bar around closing time. They say she kind of faded out towards her feet as she walked up to the bar and disappeared.

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