Bulloch Hall- A Hidden Haunt Within Roswell, Georgia

Bulloch Hall- A Hidden Haunt Within Roswell, Georgia

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Georgia’s rich history, beautiful landscape and inviting southern charm make it an excellent pick for anyone wanting to visit. And if you’re looking for historical haunted landmarks, you won’t be disappointed. From graveyards to museums and civil war battlefields, the local haunts around the state are plenty, some of which are hidden right in the middle of a city.

Bulloch Hall lays nestled within the busy town of Roswell. Hidden amongst the dense trees, it was a plantation home that produced cotton. Built by slave labor, it was constructed in 1839 by Major James Stephens Bulloch, one of Roswell’s first settlers.

Haunted Plantation

Perched on a small hill, the expansive green lawn and massive Greek Revival-style pillars beckon visitors to its entrance. The great Oak trees that line the property have witnessed the antebellum South, war, and slavery. Adding to its deep roots, it was home to President Theodore Roosevelt’s mother, Martha ‘Mittie’ Bullock Roosevelt, and has played host to many events throughout its time. Mittie Bullock married Theodore Roosevelt Sr. on the property in 1853 and when the Bulloch family fled the home during the Civil War, it became a barracks for the Union Army.

haunted bulloch hall
Bulloch Hall

Bulloch Hall is magnificent. The road leading to the estate, now paved for modern-day transportation, gives visitors a glimpse of what the elegant home looked like in the nineteenth century. It’s easy to forget you are in a large city while walking amongst the tall trees (some of which have been there since before the Hall’s construction) or relaxing by Malon’s Pond. The historic site has been restored to look as it once did when first built, including a reconstruction of the slave quarters in the service yard. Guests can walk through and gain a sense of what slave life was like on this particular property. A plaque on the cabin lists the names of all known slaves who served at Bulloch Hall. The exhibit is dedicated to all of them.

haunted bulloch hall
Bulloch Hall Slave Quarters Cabin – Reconstruction.

Though it sits only a few hundred feet from a major city road, the lush greenery and gardens bask visitors in quiet serenity, instantly transporting them back in time. But one shouldn’t be fooled by its beauty. The moss-laden paths, calm pond and shade cover trees have a story to tell.

Grounds at Bulloch Hall

As with many locations in the South, this one is no different when it comes to the history of slavery and war. The site was once a cotton plantation and was home to over thirty slaves, one of whom is said to have been a young girl, around 14 years old.

There are two wells located on the property, the first being in the front yard, which was used as the Bullock family’s primary source of drinking water. The second is located in the rear behind the home and the story goes that the young girl fell to her death in that well.

haunted bulloch hall well
Bulloch Hall. Well behind home.

Soon after her death, weeping could be heard coming from the well. Some visitors still report that they can hear sobbing echoing from the now boarded up well. It is believed that her apparition has been seen inside the Hall by visitors over the years and there have also been reports of lights flickering on and off within the Hall. According to stories, the young girl's responsibility was to maintain the lighting within the home. Could this strange occurrence be the young slave girl still tending to her duties on the property?

Some witnesses have reported seeing men in civil war dress peering out of the second-floor windows and there have been sightings of a young boy running through the front yard. Even as the Hall sat abandoned for a time, there have been eyewitness accounts of shadows walking the grounds and many photos have been captured over the years of strange apparitions in the front yard and windows. Guests of the local ghost tour often capture these pictures, along with unexplained thermal images.

You’ll find Bulloch Hall on the itinerary for the local ghost tour that is held each week. But whether you visit on your own, or with a tour, or see a ghostly sighting or not, you're sure to leave with Bulloch Hall's iconic and majestic image forever etched on your mind.

Watseka Wonder

The Watseka Wonder Possession

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We’ve all heard tales of spiritual possession. Most of the time, the stories we hear are of malicious, demonic entities hell-bent on controlling the living. Frightening and ghastly visions come to mind when we think of them. But what if some spirits are only looking for a way to communicate. In the form of a living person, a vessel to help them find closure to a life cut short? Or, to help bring peace to their own family, whose grief is so deep, they’ve taken to rituals to communicate with the other side? So was the story in the historical, haunting case of the Watseka Wonder.

The Watseka Wonder is credited as the first well-documented case of possession in the United States. It has inspired a movie, and it was so profound that the physician, Dr. E. Winchester Stevens, who witnessed the phenomenon first hand, wrote a book documenting the case.

watseka wonder
Photograph from newsbug.info

To understand this mysterious story, we must first visit the heartland of America, Watseka, Illinois. Here, an ominous-looking home stands. Built, in 1868, the long, narrow, arched windows and brick exterior give this Victorian, Italianate style home a Gothic mood. Known today as the Roff House, it was constructed by Asa Roff, a prominent member of the Watseka community in the mid-eighteen hundreds, and has remained a mystery in the paranormal world since the Roff’s occupied it.

Clairvoyance Brought On By Illness?

Asa and Dorothy Roff’s daughter, Mary Roff, suffered from epilepsy and had frequent seizures. As she grew older, Mary claimed that spirits were around and spoke to her. These episodes became more violent as years passed. During one of her last and most violent spells, she became so fierce that it took several adults to restrain her while she calmed down. By this point, Mary was incredibly weak from a suicide attempt and blood loss, yet she exhibited a tremendous amount of strength.

She eventually settled down and remained delirious for five days and slept for many hours. When she awoke, it is said that Mary gained supernatural gifts. Her senses seemed to be heightened and, supposedly, could read while blindfolded.

Witnesses stated that she accurately read a letter in the pocket of A.J. Smith, editor of the Danville Times. The letter was supposedly sealed and in his pocket, but Mary read it aloud.

Because doctors could not find a cure or proper diagnosis of her strange symptoms, it was assumed she was afflicted with insanity. She was placed in an asylum for treatment in Peoria, Illinois, but died there in July 1865.

Séances And Secret Societies

After her death, The Roff family home was constructed in 1868. Being devout spiritualists and a common practice during the nineteenth century, the family immediately began holding séances inside the house. In addition to the family séances, Asa Roff was a known member of the Odd Fellows. A secret society who were known for partaking in mysterious rituals surrounding the dead during that time.

Some have speculated that the Roff’s involvement with the spiritual word may have been the catalyst that awoke the spirits which plagued Mary.

Watseka Wonder Under Spiritual Possession

Lurancy Vennum

In 1878, over a decade after Mary’s death, a young girl named Lurancy Vennum, who was thirteen years old at the time, lived in Watseka. One day, she suddenly became ill and began suffering epileptic seizures, stomach pains and said she saw angels around her. Her illness soon worsened; she spoke in different voices, taking on personalities not her own, and, at times, became violent.

This was during the height of the spiritual movement and gained rapid popularity amongst those practicing spiritualism. Instead of following doctors’ suggestions of placing Lurancy in an asylum, her parents sought help from local spiritualists to investigate.

Asa Roff was interested in Lurancy’s case because her symptoms so closely resembled his daughter, Mary’s. He had been convinced that Mary’s illness was not caused by insanity, as doctors tried to explain. But that she had been touched by the spiritual world, and he carried a tremendous amount of guilt over what happened to his daughter.

Good Spirits vs. Bad

Lurancy claimed evil spirits possessed her, and that was the cause of her violent outbursts. One of the doctors treating Lurancy asked her to seek a more pleasant spirit surrounding her to possess her body. When she stated that Mary Roff was present and wanted to help, the witnesses were astounded. Lurancy then invited Mary to take control of her physical body.

Immediately after the possession, Lurancy became calm and polite. A sharp contradiction to her previous behavior, and took on the personality of Mary Roff. Though Lurancy had never met Mary and had no knowledge of what Mary had gone through, she seemed to have intimate details of the Roff family. She was able to recognize them and knew the names of the Roff family relatives. She was even able to recall personal possessions that the family had owned.

Lurancy no longer recognized her own family and asked to be taken to the Roff home. Convinced that Lurancy was under the possession of his daughter, Asa asked if he could take Lurancy with him, believing that his daughter was asking from the spiritual world to be brought back to her family.

The Vennum’s agreed, and Lurancy accompanied Asa back to his home, where she lived for 15 weeks. At the end of that time, she bid the family goodbye in a tearful departure that she had prophesied and promised the return of Lurancy once she departed her body.

As promised, Lurancy returned. Seeming to be back to her old self and without any further episodes of spiritual possession, she went back to live with her parents. She eventually married, had a family of her own, and lived a normal, long life with no other illnesses.

Summoned Spirits Left Behind

Today, the Roff House still stands and is owned by John Whitman, who has worked to restore the home and turn it into a Bed & Breakfast. However, the Watseka Wonder possession story is not the only haunting tale attached to this property. Over the years, the owner and guests at the house have reported ghostly activity—some sinister.

Whispering is often heard from empty rooms. Black shadows have been spotted. Even reports of demons have been made. The owner stated in an interview that while staying the night, he awoke to a figure in his bedroom which appeared to have been burned, was wearing a black hooded cloak, and an evil grin curled its lips. Some visitors have also said that spirits have taken over their bodies, in a temporary possession.

Many believe that the ghostly sightings and dark presence that roam the property were invited through the portals opened during the many séances that the Roff family held. And that over the years, investigation groups who were inexperienced could have unknowingly exacerbated the haunted property by inviting more unfriendly spirits into the home.

Conclusion

As alluring as it is to make contact with the other side, one must always be cautious. Opening doors could very well let the person you are seeking to communicate with in, but there is no guarantee that others spirits, friendly or malicious, won’t follow them.

Image References:

https://www.newsbug.info/iroquois_countys_times-republic/roff-house-earns-preservation-award-from-landmarks-illinois/article_66084618-d77d-5464-94c6-f702b580178e.html

Echoes Of Civil War’s Past

Echoes Of Civil War’s Past

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The Roswell Mill sits at the edge of Vickery Creek. A short drive north of Atlanta, it is part of the trail network in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. At its entrance, visitors can cross a covered bridge, leading them deeper into the trail where you are thrust into a forest of lush ferns and greenery.

Roswell Mill Covered Bridge

A Mother’s Day trip to the mill’s location was right up my alley. Like most historical places in Georgia, it’s nestled amongst trees right off of a busy road. A hidden waterfall and scenic trail located right in the center of downtown Roswell, it’s the perfect day trip for an easy hike. And, of course, it’s haunted.

Trail at Roswell Mill/ Vickery Creek

Sounds Of The Past

Over the years, nearby residents have reported hearing clanking noises as if metal were banging against metal. And blood-curdling screams are often reported coming from the area when no one is around. With no occupational safety measures during the days of its operation, workers were often injured, some as severe as having their limbs torn from their bodies. Could these be their sounds of agony echoing through the woods?

The site is stunning, and it was the ideal location to build the mill as the natural water source provided the power needed to operate it. With a waterfall not far from the old machine shop, the soothing ambiance and tropical-like scenery make the sight a fun and relaxing destination for all to visit. And if you're lucky, you may even have a paranormal experience.

Waterfall at Roswell Mill

Built, in 1839, like most places in the metro Atlanta area, it witnessed the horrors and tragedy of the Civil War. Constructed to be a cotton mill, it was one of many mills that lined Vickery Creek. Numerous buildings once sat along the water's edge, where they housed workers of the mill. Today, the only original building standing is the old machine shop.

During the war, all men capable of fighting were sent off to battle, leaving the women and children behind. The women of Roswell took over running the mill in order to earn a living while the men were off fighting. Many of whom brought their children along to work beside them as there were no other options for childcare during that time. The children were used as laborers and put to work just as long and hard as the adults. Because of their small and nimble fingers, the children were used to fix broken pieces of thread when they snapped in the machines. They would run between the working parts of the moving machinery, tie broken threads together and rush back out. You can only imagine the number of injuries that took place.

Roswell Mill Ruins
Roswell Mill Ruins

A Fight For Survival

Union soldiers eventually took the city of Roswell. General William T. Sherman instructed his men to burn the buildings of the mill when it was discovered that the workers were manufacturing the grey uniforms for the Confederate army. In an attempt to claim neutrality, a French worker of the mill flew a French flag above the roof. But the attempt failed, and the Union army burned all of the buildings to the ground. Some residents tried to hide within the buildings when General Sherman charged all remaining workers with treason. Some reports say that it is likely there were fatalities during those fires from people trapped inside. In the end, over 400 women and children were rounded up, arrested, and put on box car trains to the North.

General Sherman received substantial backlash and outrage from the North, and the prisoners were never tried for treason. Though many had already died on the journey, and those who survived were never able to return home to Georgia.

Old Machine Shop of Roswell Mill

Today, it is not uncommon for visitors to glimpse apparitions of women and children roaming the grounds along the water's edge, or to hear screams coming from the boarded-up machine shop. Could these be the lost souls who were forced from their homes, returning to finish their work? Could the flowing waters of the creek be fueling the haunting, providing the energy needed for spirits to manifest? Or are these the residual haunts from wounded mill workers who suffered within its walls?

If you do visit, be sure to look for the signs of old foundations of buildings that once stood. Hidden beneath piles of dirt, moss and vegetation, the fallen bricks hold the stories of what took place. And, take a moment to listen carefully. You many just hear the sounds of the past echoing beside you.

westerfield house

Open Portals To Hell – San Francisco’s Infamous Westerfeld House

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The William Westerfeld House sits on the corner of Fulton and Scott Streets in San Francisco, CA. Anyone heading east up Fulton Street can tell you, as you come to the top of the hill at Alamo Square; this stunning, Gothic home is a sight to behold. It also happens to be one of the cities most haunted locations.

westerfield house

With its multiple metal finials surrounding the roof line, the tower at the top is one of the home’s most interesting features. At the same time, it makes you wonder why such a room was desired. Your interest is further piqued by the building's Gothic “Adams Family” look. The style is unique in its own right, and the building possesses a presence both foreboding and intriguing. It should be no surprise that the house has an interesting and dark past.

Passing The Infamous Westerfeld House

As a native San Franciscan, I grew up passing by the Westerfeld House often. I always wondered about the history of it. It wasn’t until years later that I learned of the haunting tales that took place and its strange connection to the occult.

Constructed in 1889, William Westerfeld, a German baker, commissioned Henry Geilfuss, a well-known German architect (who built many Victorian homes and refined the iconic San Francisco style Victorians in the late 1800s) to build the mansion. The multilevel home was to be Westerfeld’s family residence. Unfortunately, he died only six years after its construction, and this is where the strange history of the house begins.

After William’s death in 1895, the home was acquired by John Mahoney, another prominent San Francisco figure, famous for contracting the building of San Francisco’s St. Francis Hotel and the Palace Hotel. During Mahoney’s time of residence in the home, he entertained many famous guests, two of whom were Harry Houdini and radio inventor Guglielmo Marconi. It is said that the two spent time in the tower. It is there where Marconi transmitted the first radio signals on the west coast, and Houdini attempted to send telepathic messages to his wife across the Bay. One can only wonder if the energy from these activities paved the way for future events.

Night Club Shenanigans

In 1928, it was bought by Czarist Russians, where it became a community center. The basement was turned into the “Dark Eyes” nightclub, and the building as a whole became known as the “Russian Embassy.” It is documented that a Russian colonel was murdered inside the residence during a fight over a woman.

In 1948, the home was converted into multiple apartments and housed African-American musicians who played in local Jazz Clubs. Furthermore, In 1967, the occult filmmaker Kenneth Anger leased the property. In an interview in 2018, Anger stated that he bought the home because he felt it was “Already heavily charged with demonic energy”, and he confirmed that he did perform satanic rituals in the tower.

The Occult At Westerfeld House

While Anger lived in the home, he filmed several occult classics, including the notable “Invocation Of My Demon Brother” and “Lucifer Rising”. A frequent guest of Anger was Anton LaVey (who is said to have also lived inside the home at one point), founder of The Church Of Satan. It’s believed that LaVey used to hold Black Mass in the tower where he opened doors into the spiritual realm.

Adding to the list of residence who practiced the occult, a member of the Charles Manson family, Bobby Beausoleil (who was a follower of Anton LaVey), lived in the home for a time. It is thought that he brought Charles Manson to the house.

Ghost Adventures

In a 2018 interview with Ghost Adventures host Zak Bagans, Anger stated that it was not him nor LaVey who painted a pentagram on the floor in the tower. But that it had already been present when he moved in.

With the dark, heavily charged atmosphere swirling around the Westerfeld House, one can’t help but wonder if the rituals that Anger and LaVey performed indeed opened the doors to hell. Could Beausoleil, a notable musician at the time, have been influenced by demonic entities to carry out a gruesome murder for the Manson Family?

The ceiling in the tower had been removed by Anger and LaVey, exposing the rafters. In an attempt to magnify their forces, a parabolic microphone was hung from the rafters, pointed toward the sky, intensifying their ceremonies as they opened doors to hell and called upon and invited demons into the house.

To this day, residents of the home report that strange happenings do occur within the walls of the Westerfeld House. Unexplained noises are common. Seeing figures and disturbing nightmares are a regular occurrence also being reported. One resident stated in a Ghost Adventures interview that, “You’re never alone here.”

Behavior Patterns

One disturbing regular occurrence is the rapid change in people's behavior upon entering the home. It seems that people become influenced by an unseen force, some becoming violent. Others delving into addiction.

Other residents of the home have expressed that though they regularly feel a strange presence, hear unexplainable noises, and sometimes feel uneasy, they do not feel in danger and continue to live on the property.

Today, the home is owned by businessman Jim Siegel, who has poured love into the house, restoring it and preserving its character. The Westerfeld House is now on the National Register of Historic Places in San Francisco. Siegel has said that he always knew he would someday own the “Adams Family” looking house and had been fascinated with it since childhood. When he purchased the property in 1986, he immediately had Buddhist Priests bless every corner of the home. Although he claims that he’s never seen a ghostly apparition, he has stated that he's experienced one paranormal occurrence in which his bed shook violently while he lay watching TV one night. And it was not due to any earthquakes.

black diamond mines

Haunting Of The Black Diamond Mines

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An hour east of San Francisco, CA, sits the long-forgotten relics of five mining towns. Now a preserve, the entire 6,000 acres north of Mt. Diablo has many hauntings attached to it. The old towns of Nortonville, Somersville, Stewartsville, West Hartley and Judsonville sit sandwiched along the rolling hills, between the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta and the Diablo mountain range. However, today, the area is known as the old Black Diamond Mines Regional Preserve.

Tales of witches have always been heavily connected to locations on the northeast seaboard of the United States. But, as settlers moved west, the stories and fear of witchcraft came with them, and the Golden State is no exception.

From Farm Land To Lucrative Coal Mining

The discovery of coal in the area put the region on the map, earning it the name "Black Diamond." It became one of the largest coal distributors in California, producing over 300 million tons between 1850 and 1906. The tunnels under the mountain are said to be haunted for obvious reasons. Many miners lost their lives while searching for coal in the Black Diamond Mines.

The Black Diamond Mines Cemetery

The Rose Hill Cemetery is perched on top of a hill between the Sommersville and Nortonville sites. After the towns were abandoned, the cemetery was also forgotten. Many headstones were vandalized or stolen. However, over the years, more than 200 bodies have been discovered in the cemetery grounds —the final rest for many coal workers. It is also the final resting place for other residents of the old towns, including women and children who died from diseases such as smallpox, scarlet and typhoid fever.

Visitors to the abandoned tunnels of the mines, now turned into tourist attractions, have reported seeing figures roaming the grounds of the cemetery and hearing sounds of digging, scraping, and wailing coming from deep within the mine tunnels. Some have even reported seeing the glowing figures of children running through the area. Nevertheless, the most bizarre cases of the hauntings are of two women, whom the locals refer to as the "White Witches."

Witchcraft In The Golden State Black Diamond Mines

black diamond mines

Interestingly, there are two stories of witches in the area. And they are both referred to as a "White Witch" because of the luminous glow they give off when seen.

White Witch

The first "White Witch" was a woman known only as Mary. In the 1870s, she was a nanny who cared for many children in the area. Sadly, all the children she looked after passed away. Understandably, the town went into an uproar and charged Mary with witchcraft. She was hung for the murder of the children, and her home was burned to the ground.

People have reported seeing her wandering around the area, appearing as a white, glowing apparition. They say she stays close to the entrance to the mines. Some believe that she holds the children she allegedly murdered captive, keeping them earthbound.

She's known as an aggressive spirit who purposely frightens anyone who comes across her, discouraging anyone from entering the mines.

Sarah Norton

The second story of a "White Witch" is of a woman named Sarah Norton. Sarah was a sought after midwife and loved by all the townspeople. On the night of October 5, 1879, Sarah was on her way to assist a laboring woman. She was unfortunately thrown from the carriage she was riding in and crushed to death.

Sarah was not a religious woman and had requested that there be no funeral when she passed away. The townspeople, grief-stricken by her sudden and unexpected death, couldn't accept the idea of not giving Sarah a proper burial. They decided to go against her wishes and hold a funeral service.

On the day of the funeral, a violent storm forced them to delay the service. On the second attempt to hold the service, another terrible storm sprung up unexpectedly, forcing them to postpone yet again. Eventually, the residents decided to bury Sarah in the Rose Hill Cemetery without holding a service and did so without incident.

You can still visit Sarah Norton's grave site. Her headstone is still present and she is periodically seen guarding. People report seeing her hovering above the ground, with a glowing white light surrounding her spirit. The sudden onset of violent winds accompanies her apparition.

It is said that the storms disrupting her unwanted funeral were brought on by Sarah's disapproval of the service, as they formed quickly and without any warning.

Hidden Gems In The Bay

ghostly encounters in black diamond mines

The beauty of the Golden State area should not be missed. Visitors can hike the trails of the preserve, see the local wildlife and experience the abundance of wildflowers in the spring. And if you're lucky, you may even experience your own ghostly encounter with a resident from a long-forgotten, abandoned town.