The winds cut deeper and make progressively louder noises as the days shorten. Fog creeps in from the sea more often. And then Halloween shows up, as if to really remind us about things otherworldly. It’s no wonder Oregon’s northern coast has a load of ghostly tales swirling about. It’s no wonder the remake of “The Fog” currently in release is set in a fictional North Oregon Coast town. From flying pots and specters who’ve moved from one building to another in Seaside, the ghostly legends of a hotel in the Nehalem Bay, to the myriad of hauntings in ancient Astoria - there’s plenty for the ghost-hunting tourist in this pristine and stunning area.

SLEEPLESS IN SEASIDE

Tales of things creepy abound in Seaside - but they’re hard to find. It’s almost as if they’ve been swept under the carpet.

For almost 100 years, the old Hotel Seaside (later named The Seasider) was a grandiose, beautiful building that was a sort of centerpiece to Seaside, at the Turnaround. So it’s no surprise that place acquired tales of apparitions and otherworldly guests over the years. There were numerous spirits that purportedly haunted it.

These days, the Shilo Inn sits in that spot. But when the old hotel was torn down, the spooks moved to Girtle’s Restaurant, just down the street on Broadway, according to owner Bob Girtle. He recounted numerous stories of otherworldly happenings in the restaurant, having seen them himself or coming from various employees who tell their own tales. They talk of seeing the mysterious shadows of feet walking behind the door of a closed-off area of the kitchen, visible from the small space between the floor and the door. This happens when it’s not possible anyone else is in there, say Bob and his crew. They don’t even check that room anymore when they see the shadows.

Then there is the notorious flying coffee pot in the galley area between the kitchen and the main dining room. Bob and others on his staff have experienced this more than once. Sometimes it moves a bit, others it literally flies across the hallway.

Bob said he inherited some employees of the old Seasider back in the 80’s, and at least one said they saw some of the same ghosts.

John Sowa, owner of the New Orleans-style eatery Lil’ Bayou, also related tales of moving objects in the kitchen and a strange sense of someone being near him while alone in his office. Kitchen utensils are found in different places than employees have left them, or an object suddenly falls off a hook or a shelf.

Lil’ Bayou lies in the historic Gilbert District of Seaside, which is filled with old buildings, almost all with upstairs areas that are often unused. The charming, atmospheric area has gone through a rebirth in recent years, and often there are whispers of ghosts coinciding with many of the renewed buildings.

The Seaside Aquarium may have a closet containing something - or rather, an upstairs that could be haunted. When the building was a natatorium back about 80 years ago, there were apartments at the top floor. That area isn’t used much at all now, but manager Keith Chandler says he’s heard whispers over the years the top floor is haunted. Various stories have been handed down over the years about noises coming from there.

EERIE AND NOT-SO-EERIE ON THE BAY

Manzanita, which caps the north end of the Nehalem Bay, is shrouded in mists and mystery, with Neahkahnie Mountain looming overhead and legends of a galleon and its buried treasures. Some versions of that tale contain atrocities, like purportedly burying their African slaves alive with the treasure to keep the natives away.

On its beaches, there are mysterious piles of rocks that have appeared over the years, apparently overnight. Sometimes they appear as single piles or stacks. No one has ever figured out who is responsible, creating speculation of an otherworldly artist.

In nearby Wheeler, facing the Nehalem Bay, Old Wheeler Hotel owner Winston Laszlo says he’s encountered several things in that old building he couldn’t really explain. Sometimes, he said, he believes he sees someone in the corner of his eye, only to discover there’s no one there.

Once, Winston was looking in a mirror in the hotel’s public area and saw the reflection of a man sitting in a chair behind him. Winston says he turned around to look at the man, whom he didn’t recognize as a guest, and there was no one there.

A pair of ghost hunters even came to the visit the place and took photos of what they believed could be “spirit orbs” just outside the basement area. Winston still has copies of these.

Winston and wife Maranne Doyle-Laszlo say the entire building seemed to be against them during the process of remodeling the ragged old construct into the first-rate hotel it is now. They had a nagging feeling a presence seemed to arrange one disaster and setback after another, such as when a window blew out in a storm. Then, one day, they say the building seemed to accept them, and reconstruction proceeded smoothly thereafter. ( www.oldwheelerhotel.com )

In an email just before her visit, ghost hunter Martina DeLude told Winston that made sense. “Ghosts that haunt residential and business locations become very threatened when someone starts changing things that they are accustomed to. Some spirits actually become incensed when furniture is moved around. Just like the living, most spirits do not like change. Possibly, as soon as they realized that it was once again going to become a hotel - perhaps something they may remember - they decided to help you along instead of stifling your efforts.” There’s more on their investigation of the Old Wheeler Hotel at http://www.nwpprs.com/Investigations/Places02/OldWheeler.html 

In other tales, Wheeler Antiques owner Garry Gitzen says a Wheeler woman, descended from local tribes, actually burned down her own house in recent years because disturbing spirits haunted it. She did this in lieu of tearing the thing down, never rebuilding it, with rumors floating about that Native American children had died in a fire in that spot in ancient times.

Not all is creepy here. According to Winston and Garry, there is a host of well-meaning spirits there known as the “Good Spirits of Wheeler,” and Ekahni Books owner Peg Miller says the place is a sort of “spiritual vortex lite.” They all point to something they call a “Wheeler Moment,” where serendipity seems to suddenly rear its head. Locals talk of numerous circumstances where pleasant, happy coincidences popped up, assisting folks in some way. They all note various incidents where someone is discussing wanting to do something, and someone or some opportunity arises that helps things along - like the time the Garry and Winston were talking about creating a film festival, and they discovered a documentary filmmaker was staying in town.

ASTORIA - OR GHOSTORIA?

At the very tip of Oregon, Astoria is full of major ghost stories of one sort or another. That’s no surprise, considering it’s the oldest settlement west of the Mississippi.

The Liberty Theater is widely regarded as haunted. It was once a haven for the likes of Duke Ellington, Jack Benny, Guy Lombardo and supposedly even gangster Al Capone. Purportedly, it’s also occupied by someone named Paul. One employee was quoted as saying that Paul is “quite handsome,” giving him the nickname Handsome Paul. He apparently wears a “white tuxedo and a panama hat,” according to the Clatsop County Historical Society.

Cast and crews over the years have talked about spotting him. While mostly just an apparition, he’s been known to slam doors and make other unruly noises. Other tales from the theater include objects gliding through the air, knobs unscrewing themselves from appliances and utilities, as well as two or three other inhabitants from beyond.

Also famous for being haunted is the firehouse there, plus the town has a brutal history of men being “shanghaied” in the early part of the century.

For more on the Oregon Coast, including extensive virtual tours, see www.beachconnection.net.

About The Author

Andre’ Hagestedt is editor of Beach Connection, a tourism publication covering the upper half of Oregon’s coast - some 180 miles.

The Bell Witch is based on true events that will send a cold chill down your spine and make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. When you try to sleep tonight, just remember that I warned you about the Bell Witch.

Just like in the movie “The Ring”, once you look into the darkness, it looks back at you. Your life will never be the same once you know about the Bell Witch and your thirst to know more is never quenched. Are you ready for a “True Ghost Story”?

According to the Legend, John Bell was the only person recognized by any state to have been killed by a spirit. The Legend dates back to the time of General Andrew Jackson, in the early 1800s. The story has a special interest for me, because I live in Tennessee. Nice to know the Bell Witch is not too far away!

How would you like to visit the Bell Witch location in Tennessee? Bring your camera, because you never know what you will see. You can even visit the hidden Bell Witch cave, which lies on the property of the ill-fated Bell family.

Imagine being home alone at night and the lights have been dimmed. Your relaxing and all of a sudden you hear a rapping noise. Next, you hear knocks and scratching sounds, and no one is there. Have you ever heard unusual noises while you where sleeping? Maybe some breathing in the corner of your room and no one was there?

You look into the darkness and see what you think is a human figure, or is it? It gets very cold and you feel this dark forceful presence upon you. You know your not alone; You begin to think your mind is playing tricks on you. Is it all in your head?

You see a shadow out of the corner of your eye, and you know not to be so curious. It realizes you are afraid and it can smell your fear. You want to run, but there is no where to run. You want to scream, but it is too late.

The Bell family knew what terror was and even Mr. Bell tried to keep it a secret. It was to be exposed by the Bell Witch! She had to make her voice heard and physically attacked a family to make her point!

According to the Bell Witch Legend, The spirit of Kate Batts terrorized the Bell family. Sticking the daughter with pins and pulling her hair. There were physical manifestations and bed sheets flying off the beds. Again, whats makes this chilling, is that it is not some fictional story or one of Stephen Kings best sellers, it is a “True Ghost Story”.

The Bell Witch legend is a part of history and if you are as curious as I am, you will seek more answers to this “True Ghost Story”. Perhaps a visit to Adams, Tennessee, why not see if you can touch the presence of the Bell Witch’s eerie past, and if fate allows maybe more.

The new owners have reported strange ghostly shapes and have heard unexplained sounds. Imagine taking a tour and hearing eerie sounds coming from the hidden corners of the cave. Picture yourself with a camera taking pictures and you just happen to capture a shadowy figure on your camera.

Just think, you could experience the past of this “True Ghost Story”. Imagine the look on your friends’ faces, when you tell this story around a camp fire.

There is a road sign about the hauntings located on Highway 41. This scary tale has tours and a Bellwood cemetery, all of it located in Adams, Tennessee.

“Will you visit Adams, Tennessee. Or are you too scared!”

This amazing story continues to grow stronger then ever. Are you fascinated by scary fiction (Stephen King)? A “True Ghost Story”, will keep your interest and compels you to know more! The Bell Witch is waiting. Will you be next?

Copyright 2006 DeWayne Strickland

About The Author

DeWayne H. Strickland has been a Film Freak since the time he could walk. He is a webdesigner and is the crazy movie review critic at: http://www.moviedownloadmatrix.com

You have read volumes about ghosts and have browsed hundreds of websites to devour more information on ghosts, but have you ever wondered how many types of ghosts there are? The fact is that there are various types of ghosts out there and all these are minutely described and documented by the Spiritual Science Research Foundation (SSRF).

The Spiritual Science Research Foundation has undertaken extensive research on ghosts in order to demystify this widespread phenomenon and help people in recognising and treating the adverse effects caused by ghosts through proven methodology according to the science of Spirituality.

At the outset, it is important to note that while we use the phrase ghosts (demons, devils, negative energies, etc.) as a collective noun to cover the entire gamut of negative energies, there is a vast difference between the lower order ghosts and higher order ghosts such as subtle sorcerers (maantriks) from the sixth and seventh region of Hell. They differ according to their spiritual strength. Ghosts primarily use their spiritual strength to harm humanity.

The generic types of ghosts as identified by the Spiritual Science Research Foundation in ascending order of hierarchy as well as power and strength are:

• Common ghost
• Demons
• Black serpent
• Female goblin
• Jaakhin
• Witch
• Spirit
• Subtle sorcerer

The Hierarchy among Ghosts

There is a hierarchy among ghosts which is based on their spiritual power or strength. Ultimately all ghosts are controlled by subtle sorcerers (maantriks).

Basic shape and form of types of ghosts

The spiritual principle that word, touch, form, taste, smell and its associated energy coexist is also true with ghosts. Depending on their type of energy, they take up generic forms. These forms can however change, depending on what the ghost is trying to achieve. For example, if the ghost is trying to intimidate, it will take up an intimidating form, whereas if it is trying to fool a spiritual healer it may take a form of an angel or a positive energy. They can also take the form of our departed ancestors thus misleading psychics and the people who come to psychics to enquire about departed relatives. This is true in almost all cases.

How does one become a Ghost in the first place?

When a person dies only his physical body ceases to exist. His subtle body however continues to exist and moves on to the other regions of the Universe. Some of these subtle bodies become ghosts. Most ghosts have unfulfilled desires such as cravings for sex, alcohol, revenge, etc. or derive pleasure out of exerting control over and tormenting humans and other subtle bodies. The subtle body of a person after physical death is defined as a ghost if their characteristics and intentions match the above. There is no special process as such which they go through to become a ghost.

How does a Ghost become a particular type of Ghost?

The main reason behind a person becoming a certain type of ghost is due to their predominant personality trait and their predominant thought at the time of death. For example people involved in adversely affecting humanity at large are more likely to become subtle sorcerers (maantriks). On the other hand excessive worldly desires and constantly thinking ill about others may culminate in one becoming a Common Ghost (Bhoot) after death.

Summary

The most reliable way of reducing the risk of being affected or possessed by the various types of ghosts, is undertaking spiritual practice as per the 6 basic principles of spirituality. Spiritual practice and spiritual healing remedies, coupled with personality defect removal and eradication of ego are the tools to access supreme protection from God that insulates one from the attack of ghosts as well as helps us proceed to higher regions in the afterlife.

Visit SSRF’s website to explore more on the salient features of the various types of ghosts, view subtle drawings and pictures of various types of ghosts and discover how they can affect our lives:

About The Author

Sean M. Clarke has been studying and practicing Spirituality with the Spiritual Science Research Foundation (SSRF) over the past 9 years. An MBA graduate from Monash-Mt Eliza Business School, Australia. Sean gave up his regular career as a Strategy and Business Analyst in the technology sector to help co-ordinate dissemination of SSRF research material as a full-time volunteer.

Copyright (c) Spiritual Science Research Foundation Inc.
SSRF’s website http://www.spiritualresearchfoundation.org

Once Know As
Long-A-Coming

There are many stories of how Berlin, New Jersey, came to be. The following seems to be the accepted one.

The main travel route between the New Jersey shore and the Delaware River ran through what is now Berlin. It was a Native American trail called Lonaconing Trail. Travelers who walked the path would stop at a stream here. This stream was the head of the Great Egg Harbor River. The weary travelers knowing the trail name would refer to the spot as “long a coming”. The name stuck.

The first man settled here in 1714 and more followed, but the town grew slowly. By the early 1800’s there were several iron forges and glass works (Waterford and Jackson) built in the area and more people started to settle in here. Travel was increasing along the route and 3 taverns and 2 hotels were opened.

It was the Victorian era and folks started traveling for recreation.  Atlantic City, even then, was a popular spot. Long-A-Coming was about halfway between Philadelphia and Atlantic City, so it became a stopping point on the stagecoach routes.

Then,  in 1853, a rail line was laid. Three years later, the Long-A-Coming Railroad Station was built. In February of 1867, the station was renamed “Magnolia”. This caused some confusion because there was a town called Magnolia near by.  So, about three months later, the station’s name was changed to The Berlin Station and the town then became know as Berlin. Still a popular spot since there was the hotel within walking distance of the station.   It’s Funny but nobody knows why the name Berlin was chosen.

Today, the Lonaconing Trail is actually Route 30, or The White Horse Pike. It has shifted here and there but it is still basically the same route and it is still a main route between Philadelphia and Atlantic City. If you look at a map today you can see many roads come into and go through Berlin connecting it to many places.

Barack Obama

GET OUT AND VOTE!!

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