All Things Ghostie

Weekly stories on hauntings, curses, legends, and more.

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Walking Sam

Trigger Warning: Suicide

Please read with caution

All around the world, every place has their urban legends that continue to spook many. In South Dakota, that urban legend is Walking Sam. The legend of Walking Sam is a Native American urban legend. The story began gaining popularity in the 1970s. This spirit or creature, whatever it is, is said to lurk around the woods at the Pine Ridge Reservation. According to locals, Walking Sam is a tall, slender, shadow-like spirit that appears and convinces people to kill themselves. Sounds very similar to Slender Man. It seems it can't get anymore horrifying than that but maybe it can. Walking Sam is said to wear the souls of its victims, leaving them dangling from its arms.

Trigger Warning

According to Native American lore, the story Walking Sam is tied closely with spiritual beings known as the "Stick Indians." Stick Indians are the shadow people, or the dark people. You’ll know when these beings are near because their victims will hear them whistle and once you hear them, you’re too late, they’re in your head. These beings have strong powers of mental persuasion. They may hypnotize you, induce anxiety and dread in you, or drive you to insanity. Walking Sam, he makes his victims hear awful things. They hear voices digging into their deepest insecurities. The voices tell the victim that they are worthless or unwanted, leading them to suicide.

Why does Walking Sam do this? There’s a few theories. Some think he is trying to protect his home, others say he’s lonely and he is luring people to do these things so he can have companionship.

There has been a heart wrenching amount of attempted and committed suicides at this reservation. Most commonly, the victims are young adults and teenagers who were “impressionable”. There was one case that claimed that within only a matter of months, 200 teens attempted suicide, 9 of them passed away. Many members of the community strongly believed this was the work of Walking Sam.

The tribal elders of Pine Ridge take Walking Sam very seriously. The adults and elders of this community warn children of Walking Sam. This creature is a deeply discussed subject in the community as the suicide rates have been increasing throughout the past few years. People are warned to never roam the streets at night due to the danger of this being.

What are your thoughts on Walking Sam. Is he real. What exactly is he? If there is any legend I wouldn’t say go looking for, it’s this one. Whether you believe or not, stay clear of Walking Sam.

The suicides surrounding this legend are horrific and heartbreaking. Nobody deserves that fate. My heart goes out to those who lost their lives and their families. If you are struggling with depression or suicidal ideation, please reach out to someone you trust.

I own no photos. All credit to photographers and artists.

[allthingsghostie]

Apologies for missing this weeks story. Been very sick the past ten days. Regular weekly stories will be starting again on Monday 🖤🖤👻👻

[allthingsghostie]

The Island of Dolls

South of Mexico City, lies the beautiful Xochimico Canals, but if you continue deeper into the canals, you’ll find something truly terrifying. Between the Xochimico Canals is the Isla de las Munecas (the Island of Dolls). On the island, you’ll see thousands of dolls, staring with blank dead eyes, hanging from the trees and lying among the ground, most rotting many disembodied.

According to local legends, the story of the Island of Dolls starts with the old caretaker of the island, Don Julian Santana. He abandoned his family and moved to the uninhabited island. One day, Santana discovered something truly awful and heartbreaking. He found the body of a drowned girl on the shores after drowning in the lake. Soon after, a doll which would change the island forever, came floating up to the island. (Santana below)

Certain the doll belonged to the little girl, Santana hung it up from a tree in order to honor her spirit, but that wasn’t enough. Santana was certain that the young girl haunted the island. To appease her, he began hanging more and more dolls on the island. For 50 years, Santana put any doll he could find on the island, many of which he had found in the canals and in the trash. He put them up, no matter the condition of the dolls. Torsos, arms, legs and heads dangle from the trees. Santana dedicated his life to appeasing this spirit.

Many people, including Santana’s family, believed that the little girl was just a figment of his imagination, but one day something oddly coincidental happened. In 2001, Santana’s body was found in the exact same spot where he’d always claimed he’d found the little girl. Locals and tourists flocked to the island to pay their respects. Many left dolls to honor him and the young girl and many still do today.

Locals say that the island is haunted by Santana and the girl he found, perhaps along with other spirits that were attached to some of the dolls Santana found. They insist that the dolls come alive at night, opening their eyes and moving around, sometimes even whispering to one another.

What are your thoughts on this island? Was Santana really haunted by a young girl on the island, or was he only haunted by his mind. And how do we explain his strange death and where he was found?

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THE AMITYVILLE HORROR HOUSE

Trigger Warning: true stories of violence and murder, some readers may find disturbing.

One story of hauntings that interests me is the story of the Amityville Horror House. It is probably one of the most famous “haunted” houses in America. The home is located in Amityville, New York on what used to be 112 Ocean Ave.

The horror started with the murders of Ronald, Louise, Dawn, Allison, Marie, and John DeFeo. In November, 1974, Ronald DeFeo cold-bloodedly murdered his family by executing them with a .35 caliber Marlin rifle. Ronald ran screaming to a nearby bar, saying that his family had been shot. After police had been called, they found the bodies of the six family members of the DeFeo family. All had died face down in their beds. According to forensic experts, there were no signs of struggle or that the bodies had been moved. Also toxicology showed no sign that they had been drugged.

Ronald claimed that voices had compelled him to commit the murders. Though later he changed his story, people wondered if there was something paranormal involving the murders because how could nobody in the neighborhood hear six gunshots and how could nobody in the family had even tried to get away? And since they hadn’t been drugged, surely someone in the family would have woken up from the sound of gunshots in their own home when another family member was being attacked.

Because of the many times Ronald DeFeo Jr. has changed his story, it is unclear why he committed such a horrific crime. (Ronald DeFeo Jr. pictured below)

13 months after the murders, the Lutz family moved into the home on December 18, 1975.

Before moving in, Kathleen Lutz has a priest bless the house because of the tragedy that had happened the year before. While in the home, the priest claims to have heard a voice yell “get out!” on the second floor. He warned George and Kathleen Lutz not to use the upstairs room and not to let anyone sleep there. Kathleen, however, made it her sewing room and soon after, hundreds of flies invaded the room despite it being in the middle of winter with the windows closed.

From the first night, the family claimed to have felt strange sensations and noticed personality changes in each other.

During their time in the home, George spent most of his time by the fireplace. He said he was plagued by a constant chill.

The Lutz’s daughter began spending almost her time in her bedroom with a new imaginary friend she called “Jodie.” She said that Jodie could change shapes and sizes, two of her most common were an angel and a pig with red eyes. Their daughter also said that Jodie could only be seen if she wanted to be seen.

George Lutz also claimed to wake up every night at 3:15 am, which was approximately the time the DeFeo family was murdered. One of those nights he says he saw his sleeping wife age to about a 90-year-old woman and she began levitating above their bed. He also said that when he’d wake up, he’d sometimes hear his children’s beds slamming up and down.

Other disturbances the family reported were black stains, an unseen force touched Kathleen, a green substance that would ooze from the walls, and foul odors. George Lutz said, “There were odors in the house that came and went.” and “There were sounds. The front door would slam in the middle of the night.”

On the final night, the family swears having heard banging as loud as a marching band around the house and witnessed furniture moving. The family fled the house, leaving many of their belongings behind.

The Lutz family lived in the home for a total of 28 days.

After the stories from the Lutz family began to spread, paranormal researchers started an investigation. The Lutz family refused to be a part of the investigation, saying they were too scared to enter the house again. During the investigation, one of the researchers was reportedly shoved to the floor. Another investigator claimed that they were overwhelmed by the feeling of a dark presence and were plagued by images of the DeFeo family’s bodies. The researchers also captured a shocking image (below) that the reporter Lauren Didio describes as, “the face of what appeared to be a little boy peering out from one of the bedrooms.” (abcnews.go.com) (picture below)

The last I have heard about the home was that it was put on the market in 2016.

What are your thoughts on the Amityville house? Is it a hoax, or is there something paranormal really taking place? Whatever is going on in the house, the murders that took place were truly awful.

I do not own any pictures. All credit to photographers.

[allthingsghostie]

It’s barely moving now, but my rocking chair was just having a mind of its own. Rocking then stopping, rocking then stopping. My brother and his boyfriend are treating me like I’m stupid, but I think this is fucking exciting. 👻 (also this is not the first time I’ve seen or felt a presence touch me in this house)

[allthingsghostie]

Alcatraz Island

HISTORY Alcatraz, also known as “The Rock” has a reputation for being one of the most “haunted” places in America. Some people even believe it is a possible porthole into a different dimension.

Native Americans found the island long before the prison was built and they strongly believed it was a dark and paranormal place. They believed it was plagued by evil spirits. The only people who would set foot on the island were those who were receiving punishment from their tribe. Some were sent to the island for a certain period of time, while others were banished for life.

Then in the 1850s, the first inmates, who were military prisoners, assisted in building the prison and the Army housed military prisoners there until 1933, when the government decided to make it a maximum-security prison. Only those who were considered the most dangerous criminals were sent to Alcatraz. This location was chosen because of the isolation of the island. People thought it would be impossible for a prisoner to break out. The prison was built to crush the spirits of the prisoners and to discipline them. The inmates were only given what they needed to survive; food, clothing, shelter, and medical care. The prison ran until 1963. Later, it was opened for public tours and soon after, people began to claim the feelings of the presence of those who had died there. Many thought it was a hoax to draw in crowds, but this wasn’t the first time hauntings had been reported in the prison.

Some famous prisoners who spent time in Alcatraz: Al Capone, “Machine-Gun” Kelly, Alvin Karpis, and Arthur “Doc” Barker.

PUNISHMENT AMONG PRISONERS Alcatraz is known for the way they’d punish their prisoners. They seemed very cruel and can be hard to read about, but these were the “most dangerous criminals in America.” Two of the most famous places of punishment were the Strip Cell and the Hole in the D-Block.

The Strip Cell: When prisoners would get out of hand, one place they’d be put as punishment was the Strip Cell. This cell is located in the D-Block. Prisoners would be completely isolated in the darkness, stripped of all clothing, and only provided with bread and water once a day. Their toilet was a hole in the cell and they did not have access to a sink for hand washing.

The Hole in the D-Block: Located in the D-Block, there were five ‘hole’ cells. In these cells, prisoners would stay for up to 19 days with no contact with others. They were provided with a toilet, sink, one light, and at night, a mattress.

Photos of strip cell and D-Block below:

AL CAPONE While spending his last years in Alcatraz, Al Capone learned to play the banjo. His favorite place to practice was in the shower room. To this day, people claim to hear him play. In fact, a park ranger who had never heard about Al Capone, reported that he heard music coming from the shower room.

MORE HAUNTINGS One area that is claimed to have a high level of spirit activity in the utility corridor where three inmates were shot and killed while trying to escape. In this area, while the prison was still running, a security guard also claimed to have heard clanging sounds coming from the corridor.

While visiting the ‘hole’' cells, many tourists and employees have reported feeling cold spots and a sort of ‘intensity’ coming from the cell, specifically the ‘hole’ cell 14D.

One certainly creepy encounter that has been reported many times in cell 14D is the claim of seeing glowing eyes. What makes it even creepier is that the first tourists who claimed to see this were not aware that a prisoner in the 1940s had died in that cell after calling out for help because there was “a creature with glowing eyes” trying to kill him. Is there really a creature lurking in the D-Block? Cell 14D below.

Security guards have also said that when doing head counts, they’d count more than the amount of people there. Many say they think that the ghosts of prisoners would be counted, then they’d disappear.

Another security guard said that one night he heard a woman sobbing inside one of the prison walls,  but at that time, there were no women in the building.

Cell blocks A and B are also known to have crying and moaning sweep through the cells.

While visiting Block C, someone claimed they encountered a prisoner named Butcher. Later, it was found in the old prison records that there was a prisoner who was murdered in Block C. He was a hit-man who went by the name Butcher.

Tour guide, Leon Thompson, knew an inmate named Johnny Haus who died in the prison. Thompson is sure he’s seen the spirit of Haus. He claims that Haus appeared as a dark figure to him as he was waiting for tourists. Thompson later said, “I don’t care what anybody says, That was Johnny Haus.”

One story that really stands out to me is when a British couple visiting Alcatraz took a picture of an empty visitation block through the window. When looking at the photo, they discovered something terrifying. There seemed to have been a woman staring back at them. This photo has been studied numerous times and nobody can find any evidence that it has been tampered with. Photo below.

While the prison was open, guards would often claim to have heard gunshots and screams. They’d hear them so vividly that the guards would cover the grounds, believing there had been an escape.

What are your thoughts? Are these spirits? If they are, where did they come from? Is it really an evil place like the Native Americans believed, or did the hauntings start after the deaths of inmates? Is it really possible that this place is a whole other dimension? After all, no other places on earth seem to draw in that many souls of the deceased.

I own no photos, all credit to the photographers.

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THE TRANS-ALLEGHENY LUNATIC ASYLUM

CONSTRUCTION The asylum was constructed in West Virginia in between the years 1858 and 1881 and is the largest hand-cut stone masonry building in North America. Though the building was still being built, the asylum began taking patients in 1861, twenty years before the building was complete.

TREATMENT Mental health was not something people know really anything about in the 1800s, so many patients were treated badly. Conditions of the asylum were what we would now consider torturous. They used cruel treatments on their patients such as electro-shock therapy, lobotomies, and treated their worst patients as if they were animals, leaving them in cages and in chains, and not keeping up on their personal hygiene, leaving their patients now physically unhealthy. Even without the barbaric ways of handling their patients, the asylum was in no condition for anyone to be living in. The building was made to house 250 souls, but during their peak, the asylum housed 2,400 patients. The building was so jam packed that the environment became filthy and even more dreadful. Because of these horrific conditions, the asylum finally shut down in 1994. (Psychological testing room below)

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY The asylum’s reputation for paranormal activity started before it even opened. The asylum’s grounds consisted of exactly 666 acres (the biblical mark of the beast). Some of the dimensions of the building were also believed to be grounded on Masonic cult formulas. What greatly contributes to the belief of this building being haunted is the unsettling number of deaths that happened in the time the asylum was running. Mostly, it was patients killing other patients. Some of the asylum workers were also murdered and many female workers were assaulted.

After several decades in action, there had been countless reports of hauntings in the building. Many reports were of hearing sounds. The most common sounds reported were squeaking wheels of gurneys, moans, and hysterical laughter coming from rooms and hallways that were empty. The sounds roamed the building so often that many workers only lasted a few days before they fled. Many people believe the sounds are coming from the ghosts of the restless patients who were treated so awfully.

One very frightening and tragic incident was when a nurse at the asylum disappeared. Her body wasn’t found until nearly two months later in a stairwell in the a corner of the building. Her murderer is still unknown.

Another story was told by a psychiatrist who had treated a patient who later committed suicide. She believed the ghost of her patients would follow her home. Like the ghost was attached to her. She claims that she had also seen the ghost and that it still haunts her to this day.

Over the time the asylum was in operation, there had been so many sightings of ghosts that they are uncountable.

GHOST HOTSPOTS One of the most believed to be haunted areas of the building is known as the Civil War wing. Here, countless people have claimed to have witnessed the ghost of a soldier named Jacob.

Another area that is considered a “hotspot” for ghosts is one the fourth floor of the asylum, On this floor, people say they’ve heard thumping, banging, rustling, whispering voices, spine-chilling laughs, crashing, and have seen ghosts. (picture from 4th floor)

REOPENING In 207, Joe Jordan purchased the building and opened it for tours. One tourist claimed she felt someone pulling on her leg while she was on the fourth floor. There have been so many “ghost encounters'' from tourists that it is about impossible to find them all.

LILY One famous story about the building that draws in many people is the story of a little girl named Lily who died in the asylum. Nobody knows for sure how Lily ended up in the asylum. Some believe she was born there and her mother was a patient. Others think she was abandoned and the hospital took her in. People who say they’ve encountered Lily claim that she is a childish and gentle spirit. Many people claim to have played games with her. One game she likes to play is rolling a ball back and forth. Some tour guides and regular tourists say they’re formed a friendship with her. One tour guide, Zach McCormick said, “I’m not sure where it all started, but Lily talks.”

Lily’s room is located on the first floor between Ward One and the Civil War Wing. To this day, her walls are still painted and her toys remain there. Some people even bring her new toys. One that Lily seems to really enjoy is her pink music box that sometimes starts playing “by itself.” Her baby dolls and balls always stay scattered around the room, No matter how many times they get put away, she’s always wanted to play. Now why people think these stories are cute and not super creepy escapes my understanding, but if playing the ghosts of little girls is your thing, you know where to go. (Lily’s room below)

What are your thoughts? Do these ghosts of former patients and employees really lurk around the rooms and hallways? Does Lily really live in her old room or is it a hoax to attract tourists? Is the place even safe for tourists?

Pictures are not mine, all credit to photographers.