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Our haunted hotel neighbor

Photo of the Driskill Hotel
The amazing Driskill Hotel is just a few blocks up the street from the Museum of the Weird
Photo by Nika Vee [cc-by 2.0] via flickr

A few blocks west of the Museum of the Weird lies a beautiful, old hotel called the Driskill. It was built in 1885 by cattle baron Colonel Jesse Driskill and designed to be the finest hotel this side of the Mississippi in its day. The hotel has been fully restored to its original glory and is one of those places where time disappears once you enter. It’s also very haunted.

Celebrities Annie Lennox and Johnette Napolitano both are reported to have had experiences in the hotel. Napolitano was inspired by hers to write the song Ghost of a Texas Ladies Man (see the video).

The ghost of a suicide bride haunts the corridors and is occasionally encountered by guests.

The ghost of a young girl, daughter of a U.S. Senator, who was killed after a fall down a marble staircase, is said to bounce a ball and disturb the doors and fixtures in the upstairs bathroom.

Some have reported a strange disturbance in their room. The bathroom mirrors are fogged as though someone had a shower and mysterious scribbling is found on the pad between the beds. The first occurance was discovered when the couple returned to their room one afternoon. The second was discovered when the people awoke that morning!

Staff in the hotel have told me about touches and pinches they have received working in parts of the building, especially on the top floor. In some cases it seems that the spirits will haze the new people a little by giving them some special attention until they show respect.

Several years ago, a colleague and I had our own encounters. We took a digital camera to the 5th floor to take pictures around the legendary room 525. As we stepped down from the elevators into the old part of the hotel my camera ran out of battery. I had thought they were good, but apparently not. We satisfied ourselves with simply walking around and taking the place in. Later, on the street, I activated the camera again to see if it had enough juice to pull the motorized lens back in so I could put it away. It came up with full charge and worked fine for several hours. It just didn’t want to work on that floor.

My colleague reported strolling around on that hallway and hearing a woman’s voice singing what sounded like an old tune in the vicinity of 525. There was work being done on the rooms and they appeared to be unoccupied at the time. He said it sounded “old” to him, not like modern singing, and that I would know what he meant if I’d heard it.  He was with two other people who heard the same thing and could not determine a source for the singing.

Photo of LBJ and his family watching television
LBJ watches the 1964 election results from his suite at the Driskill Hotel in Austin, Texas.

The Driskill is a delightful place. It’s housed many wealthy and powerful people. During the time that the Texas State Capitol was built, the legislature held meetings at the Driskill. LBJ watched his election results there. Many other politicians have made it their center while in Austin.

The next time you are by the Museum, take some time to walk up the street and visit our neighbor. You are guaranteed an experience, though it may not necessarily be a ghostly one. Of course, if you do encounter something otherworldy, please let us know!

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Haunted mirrors

photo of an Asian woman brushing her teeth in a mirror with a ghostly figure of a Victorian woman reflected behind her
Are mirrors gateways into other worlds?

Mirrors are creepy. They show us a backwards view of our own world, suggesting that there is another realm just beyond. Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass gave us that image of what it might be like to pass into that world. Of course, he’s not the only one.

Jewish tradition dictates that mirrors should be draped when someone dies, a tradition that was adopted by the formal traditions of Victorian mourning. Reasons for this vary with the source. Some say it’s more about peace for the mourners. Others say it’s about the dangers of these spirit doorways which are more vulnerable at the time of someone’s passing.

Some of us have played Bloody Mary and similar games, actually daring something to reveal itself in the mirror. Is this childish or unwise? Are these just silly, spooky thrills or do we actually risk opening the door to let something nasty in?

Photo of a Victorian mirror hanging over a table with a bust statue of a woman
Does this mirror on the Myrtle Plantation contain the spirit of tortured souls?
Photo by Corey Balazowich [CC BY-ND 2.0] via flickr
There are many instances of haunted mirrors. One famous legend involves a mirror on the Myrtles Plantation in Louisiana. It is said that this mirror holds the spirit of Sara Woodruff. After Sara died this mirror was accidentally left uncovered and she will appear or leave handprints here.

Of course, there are haunted mirrors right here in Austin, Texas. The famously bespooked Driskill Hotel, a few blocks from the Museum, has the Maximilian Room. It’s named for the Mexican Emperor Maximilian and contains mirrors that he commissioned for his wife, Carlotta, before he was killed in an uprising. They were beautifully crafted in France, but never delivered. Three years after Carlotta died, The Driskill purchased the mirrors and hung them in an elegant new dining room, often used for weddings.

Legend has it that a mysterious White Lady is sometimes seen reflected in the mirrors. Some suggest that this apparition is the Empress Carlotta.

Do you have any stories of strange things in a mirror? Do you think they really can be doorways to other worlds? Share with us.

In the mean time, we take care with our mirrors, because you just never know.

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The real Annabelle

The Real Annabelle
Ed Warren poses with Annabelle, the haunted doll

Yesterday we told you about Joliet the haunted doll. She is not the most terrifying story we found. In fact, there are many, many reports of haunted dolls. Because of the film depictions, the most famous is probably Annabelle. Demonologists, Ed and Lorraine Warren, were the investigators who encountered this haunted doll.

As you can see, the real doll looks a lot different than what is depicted in the film. It’s an adorable, harmless-looking rag doll. Perhaps that obvious innocence is  what makes the story so much more terrifying. We can understand a creepy doll being possessed. It makes much less sense for something like this.

This video tells you the story of Annabelle, without a lot of extra scares thrown in. Honestly, we think the real story is creepier. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of 29% for the film a lot of people seem to agree.

 

https://youtu.be/kkJW2MU8-Sg

We’ll share more stories about haunted dolls and other artifacts in the future. There is a reason we are so careful with the items that come into the Museum. Share your own haunted artifact story.

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Joliet the haunted doll

People who have never had a paranormal experience cannot imagine it. Employees who were not in the Museum of the Weird when we experienced most of our own activity don’t fully understand the confusion, the anxiety, and the fear that was caused by seemingly innocuous events. In a story there are all kinds of possibilities, even probabilities. When it actually happens to you it’s a singularity.

Among the objects that are reported as haunted, dolls come up again and again. If you’ve ever been in the house of an avid doll collector you can probably understand why. There is something unsettling about being surrounded by a multitude of unblinking faces. But some reports go far beyond just being unnerved. This video tells the story of Joliet, a doll whose haunting is mired in pain and grief.

https://youtu.be/lRGawHQQgXg

Have you every had an experience with a haunted object? Tell us about it.

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Ghosts of Gettysburg

First, the Museum of the Weird and all our staff would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to all those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country. War forever changes all that it touches. Memorial Day was founded to remember soldiers of the U.S. Civil War. It’s observance has been expanded to include soldiers from all U.S. conflicts.

As we honor the fallen, we can’t help but wonder about the spirits that may linger from these conflicts. It is said that some hauntings are caused by sudden and particularly violent deaths. If that is true, the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1-6, 1863, would be a perfect circumstance to create ghosts. Between 46,000 and 51,000 soldiers from both armies were casualties in the three-day battle. The actual fighting occurred over a period of about 24 hours, meaning that a soldier fell about once every 2 seconds!

There are many reports of ghosts in Gettysburg, and it is a popular destination for people looking to have a paranormal experience. Your author poured through a number of videos and sites with everything from TV ghost hunting teams to individuals. There is a lot to see and a quick search will bring it all to you. As a taste, here is an interesting piece of video from an amateur investigator.

According to the notes on YouTube, this video was shot at the Wheatfield, a site of more than 6000 casualties. They did not notice anything at the time of filming, but saw some strange activity at the following marks: 0:44, 0:58, 1:04, 1:30.

This is only one of many pieces of evidence collected around Gettysburg that have convinced people that the spirits of the dead remain. Do you have a personal ghost story related to a war? Share it with us in the comments.

 

 

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TONIGHT: AN EVENING OF CHRISTMAS GHOST STORIES WITH RICHARD WHITTAKER!

An Evening of Christmas Ghost Stories 2013 lo-res

 

Friday, December 27th, 2013 @7:00pm

The Museum of the Weird presents its 3rd Annual:

An Evening of Christmas Ghost Stories
with your host Richard Whittaker

Come warm your bones with some hot chocolate as we gather for an age-old Christmas tradition– listening to spooky tales of days of yore! Featuring two terrifying tales by British master of the macabre, M.R. James, as read by resident Englishman Richard Whittaker.

The event is $8 and includes admission to the Museum of the Weird.   Hot cocoa will be served.  Seating is extremely limited, so we recommend buying your tickets now!  We recommend you show up at least 15 minutes early to get your seats and enjoy the museum.

You can order your tickets online now at LuckyLizard.net or, call the Lucky Lizard Curios & Gifts shop @ (512) 476-5493 to reserve your seats early.

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HILARIOUS: FLYING GRIM REAPER TERRORIZES JOGGERS

Halloween Prank

Let’s take a break from my super-important, nail-biting Facebook countdown to gather our composure, sit back, and have a little laugh (at other people’s expense). If you haven’t seen this video yet (it’s gotten over a million hits), stop what you’re doing and take a minute to watch.

 

 

Prankster Tom Mabe sent joggers running for their lives with his latest Halloween-themed contraption.

You’d be forgiven for being more than a little concerned at the sight of the grim reaper wailing and flying towards you, but that’s exactly what happened to several passers-by at an otherwise ideallic park in Louisville, Kentucky.

Taking advantage of the Halloween season as a chance to engage in some paranormal-themed japery, serial prankster Tom Mabe dressed up a remote control helicopter like the grim reaper and filmed people’s reactions as he chased them around with it.

“We have had a lot of fun making this,” he said. “It’s taken some work to make it happen, but it’s great fun. It flies with the help of a remote control helicopter but you rig it up in a really brilliant way. It has to be quiet so people don’t hear it.”

A video of the prank shows joggers and other park visitors fleeing in horror as the contraption flies after them while emitting a wailing noise. “The best bit is when you sneak up on people. We fly it about 200ft in the air and then drop it down so it’s right behind them,” Mabe added.

SOURCE: http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/256797/flying-grim-reaper-chases-people-in-park

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GHOST GIRL SHOWS UP IN PHOTO OF HAUNTED HOUSE

The photo snapped by Ms. Sicuro's son that shows the ghostly girl.
The photo snapped by Ms. Sicuro’s son that shows the ghostly girl.

 

Why do all ghost kids look so creepy?  Couldn’t they ever be playing, laughing or smiling?

 

RAVENNA, Ohio – A local ghost story is getting new attention.

Lu Ann Sicuro has lived in her Ravenna home for 20 years. She says she’s experienced some strange and frightening paranormal activity.

She hears voices, noises in the closets and door knobs jiggling.

She claims the proof is in a photo taken by her son a few years ago. It shows a little girl’s image in the window.

Lu Ann said what was captured on camera is quite disturbing and very bizarre.

“I feel that this image is a very good photo of something paranormal caught on camera,” she said

Lu Ann thinks the girl is roaming her halls at night.

“A very disturbing photo. It appears to be an image of a child. I believe the image in the photograph shows what is in our home,” she said. “I’ve heard giggling, I’ve heard little footsteps.”

Two teams of paranormal investigators checked out the house and have confirmed a presence.

Read more: http://www.newsnet5.com/dpp/news/local_news/oh_portage/ghost-appears-in-window-lu-ann-sicuro-experiences-strange-frightening-activity-in-ravenna-home#ixzz2hcNzw3r4

 

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GHOSTLY IMAGE IN FACEBOOK PHOTO

Ghost shows up in Facebook photo
The ghostly image of a young woman can be seen in the door window.

 

Here’s an interesting and creepy photo.  You can see through the door window what appears to be a young woman peering in. Supposedly taken by the woman’s husband, they claimed there was no one else in the room at the time. So if it isn’t a reflection, what could it be?

A New Hampshire man noticed an unexpected guest in one of his friend’s Facebook photos recently. He posted the odd image of his friend and her dog onReddit last week.

On August 20, 2013, Daniel Tanner noticed a ghostly figure in one of his friend’s Facebook photos. In the photo, Tanner’s friend is seen kneeling with her dog posing for a photo, and in the reflection of the door behind her, a ghost of a young woman is seen peering at them.

“My friend has been claiming for months that her house is haunted. Her husband took this pic a few days ago,” Tanner said in the post with the attached image under his MulberryPlacebo screen name.

According to Tanner, the only people in the house at the time the photo was taken was the woman and her husband.

A few Redditors weighed in with opinions. Most of them thought it was fake or edited. Some thought the figure was a reflection in the glass.

“I believe it’s just a reflection, of what, I can’t say, could be a living person, could be a statue, could be a painting. In my opinion, this is not paranormal. Rule of thumb is never trust something seen in a mirror or piece of glass. Reflections can be absolutely anything. If I had to speculate, I’d go with a living person standing to the right of the photographer,” User Jack Shid said.

One Redditor even analyzed the photo for editing by uploading it to FotoForensics. According to him the photo is genuine.

“Other than the bar that was put over the friend’s eyes, the photo doesn’t seem to be edited. Either it’s a reflection or there is indeed a ghost,” User Kyranmat posted after he uploaded the image to FotoForensics.

User Ariandre pointed out that the ghostly woman can still be seen in the inverted image, only the figure was behind the woman instead of a reflection in the window.

“The creepy thing is the second one you did now makes it look like the girl is in front of the door instead of a reflection. You can almost make out an outline of her whole body,” Ariandre said.

An expert photo analyst with over 15 years of experience ran a detailed analysis of the image.

 

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THE MAYAN APOCALYPSE DIDN’T HAPPEN, SO IS THIS THE NEW AGE? IT CAN BE.

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Many people believed the end of the world would come on December 21, 2012, the date that marked the end of the Mayan calendar. That date has come and gone, and I can’t help but wonder what all the die-hard Mayan Apocalypse believers are thinking now.

There were two general ways of thinking about how this end would come: it would either be a horrific doomsday scenario that would be the end of all life as we know it, or it would mark the beginning of a new age of human enlightenment and responsibility.

One idea dwelt on the negative, the other positive.

So since the world didn’t end, where does that leave us now?

Since several days have passed and still no apocalypse in sight, I’d like to make a proposition to you, the person reading this, and to myself as well. I propose that you and I abandon all ideologies that promote fear, anger, hatred, and ridicule. Instead, let’s make a daily, conscious decision to live both our lives as positive and loving as we can be.

And how can we do this?  There are two things that we must remember and embrace with the core of our being.

My high school track coach, Mr. Tintle, instilled in me one of the basic tenets of my being that I hold to this day. That is, one must have PMA, short for Positive Mental Attitude. With a positive mental attitude, you can achieve the impossible.

My other basic tenet is I live by the Golden Rule. I try not to do anything to anyone that I wouldn’t want done to myself. It’s that simple.

Keeping a Positive Mental Attitude and following the Golden Rule.

Adopt it. Embrace it. Teach it to your kids.

And with these two tenets in mind, I’d like to make a call to action to you and myself as well. Let’s do something in the world today, right now, that will make a positive difference. I’m writing an open letter to the world, now it’s your turn. What will you do?

Want to fight global warming and climate change? Plant a tree in your backyard. Can’t stand the partisanship that has taken over politics?  Turn off the news and volunteer in your township.  Upset about kids shooting other kids? Become a Big Brother or Big Sister to a troubled child… or simply a high school track coach.

The point I’m trying to make is, no matter how big the problems of our world seem to be… no matter what the difficulties we face… even the smallest, most seemingly insignificant action we take can make all the difference in the world.

*********************************************************************************

To the Mayans a Baktun was a measurement of time lasting approximately 400 years. December 21, 2012 marked the end of the 13th Baktun on the Mayan calendar, and the beginning of a new one.  Descendants of the Mayans never believed the world was going to end on that date; instead, they look at the 14th Baktun as a period of hope and change.

So as we begin another year and another Baktun, I’d like to propose not just a new year’s resolution, but a “New Baktun Resolution” we all can adopt (after all, the next one won’t be for another 400 years). Let’s take this opportunity to leave all the hatred, negativity and baggage the human race has been carrying around with us for all the millennia we’ve walked this great earth and leave it in the past. Let’s take control of our destiny and stop living in fear. Let us start the new Bakun as a loving, more mature, and enlightened human race.

Not the end of the world, but the beginning of a new one.