NEW YORK's
most haunted locations
back to all haunted locations
HAVE YOU HAD A PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS LOCATION?
Please Share Your Experiences
Photo Courtesy of StrangersMindz
This location is a private residence that is not owned by the author of this article. In no way does this article or any the information presented in it construe as permission to enter this property. Permission would have to be gained from the legal owners before it can be entered.
The Our Paranormal World Network does not condone trespassing in any way.
Strangers Journey
To
The Amityville Horror House
June 30th, 2023
By Fernando(Strangers Mindz)Infante
Welcome fellow strangers to the Amityville Horror House. This location needs no introduction, especially if you are already familiar with all the movies, books, articles and its infamous legacy. But whether or not you are familiar with Amityville, there are still things that might still shock you. With all the research I have done, you will learn everything I came across and everything you need to know about the history of the house, the murders, and the haunting associated with Amityville. According to my research, this is what happened on that dreadful day for the DeFeo family that shook New York especially Long Island to its core.
Are you ready to know what really took place at the infamous Amityville Horror House? If so, read on at your own discretion because all the information I have found might make or break your beloved thoughts on Amtyivlle and its infancy. In the words of the Joker in Batmen the Dark Knight, "Here We Go!".
November 13,1974, is the date that the infamy of the Amityville House started. In a small suburban town called Amityville, Long Island, New York, sits a large Colonial Dutch house. It is located at 112 Ocean Ave and was dubbed "High Hopes" at the time. This is when the most iconic and horrific murders were committed. The culprit, Ronald Joseph DeFeo Jr. and his victims were his own family. Ronald DeFeo was tried and convicted of murdering his parents and his siblings in a total of 6 murders in that house.
Respectfully, father Ronald DeFeo Sr. (43) and mother Louise DeFeo (43), sister Dawn (18), sister Allison (13), brother Marc (12), and brother John (9). All victims were found in a horrifically and uncharacteristic manner, facing down with their hands over their heads in their own beds. The weapon used was a .35 caliber lever action Marlin 336C rifle. Ronald shot all of his family on the back of their heads, his siblings received one shot but his parents both received two.
According to the physical evidence, Louise DeFeo and Allison were awake at the time of their deaths. Which begs the question, how were they all found lying face down in their beds? Did the gun even make a noise? Because if one shot was loud enough to wake up a neighborhood, how did it not wake up everyone in that house. Apparently, DeFeo drugged his family, which is how he was able to shoot and kill everyone. The medical examiner Dr. Edelman stated, "there is a good possibility they were drugged", "I don't know how they could keep quiet at the time of the shootings", "If there was something (meaning drugged), it was in what they ate", "the bodies had no needle puncture wounds". Dr. Edelman also added, "it is bizarre that they were all in the same exact position".
Ronald Joseph DeFeo Jr. after murdering his family, at around 3 AM went to Henry's Bar in Amytiville (which by the way is closed down permanently according to Google). But it has switched owners several times and if my timeline is correct, after Henry's Bar it became Cloud Nine and after that, B&B Fish & Clam. Whether or not there were other businesses in between them is unknown but from 1974, it has changed hands a couple of times (almost as if that location is cursed alongside "High Hopes") one thing is for sure, according to everything I have read, Henry's Bar was just a couple of blocks away from the DeFeos home.
Around 6:30 PM, Robert DeFeo ran into Henry's Bar and told people there, "You got to help me! I think my mother and father are shot!". A small group of people including Ronald DeFeo Jr. went to the house to discover the gruesome scene of this tragic event.
Let's dig deeper and go step by step.
Ronald DeFeo Jr. ran into Henry's Bar at 6:30 PM yelling and crying asking for help from the patrons in the bar. A couple of men including Ronalds best friend Robert “Bobby” Kelske, with Joey Yeswit, John Altieri, Al Saxton and William Scordmaglia, all went to the house driving in Ronalds 1970 Buick Electra 225.
When they got there, they all noticed how unsettling the house and the environment felt. As all the men gathered in a group to check out the house, that's when they saw how bad the situation actually was. Joey Yeswit called the Suffolk County Police Department to report what has happened.
The Defeo's family was buried at the Saint Charles Cemetery which is a Roman Catholic cemetery of the Diocese of Brooklyn in East Farmingdale, New York.
Ronald Joseph DeFeo Jr. was arrested for the murders and his trial began on October 14, 1975. The trial became a show of its own; due to all the stories that was spewed. First, when DeFeo was taken into custody it was for his own protection because he told the authorities that the killings were a mob hit and was carried out by a hitman called Louis Falini. At the time, DeFeo was known to be affiliated one way or another with the mob, so it was a possibility that this is what happened, after all Ronald DeFeo Jr. was nicknamed "Butch", if that's not a "mob" nickname I don't know what is.
Unfortunately for DeFeo, his story had too many inconsistencies, which led to him admitting the next day that he and Falini killed his family together, but again, unfortunately for DeFeo, Falini had an alibi, stating that he was out of state during the murders.
Now, Ronald was left alone with this heaviness on his shoulders and ended up telling the detectives, "Once I started, I just couldn't stop. It went so fast". DeFeo admitted taking a bath and discarding the blood drenched clothes he was wearing. The sickening part of all this is, if the DeFeo family was murdered at 3AM, then why was the murders reported at 6:30 PM? The answer is, Ronald DeFeo went to work. We all got to stick to that 9-5 job don't we.
Throughout the trial there were many testimonials including the one of Dr. Harold Zolan, a psychiatrist for the prosecution, and he stated that "DeFeo was a user of heroin and LSD, he had antisocial personality disorder and was aware of his actions at the time of the crime". He said this in return to DeFeo pleading insanity which was recommended by his defense lawyer, William Weber.
Weber mounted an affirmative defense of insanity, claiming Ronald DeFeo killed his family in self-defense because he heard voices, voices of his own family, threatening him. The insanity plea was supported by the psychiatrist for the defense, Daniel Schwartz. And this my fellow strangers is where, when and how the whole premise of the Amytiville Horror was created.
On November 21, 1975, Ronald DeFeo was found guilty on six counts of second-degree murder. On December 4, 1975, Judge Thomas Stark sentenced DeFeo to six sentences of 25 years to life. DeFeo was held at the Sullivan Correctional Facility in Fallsburg, New York, until his death. There are many articles and theories to try to answer the question that has been in all of our minds, which is, if it wasn't due to a possession (how the entertainment industry strived for) then why did Ronald DeFeo Jr. kill his family?
The answer is, his father's life insurance. Ronald DeFeo didn't have a good relationship with his father, and he was so curious to know how to collect his father's life insurance that he even asked the police... (think about that), Robert DeFeo asked the police how he can collect his father's life insurance. Which set off all the alarms for the prosecution to suggest that this was his motive for killing his family.
Ronald DeFeo Jr., after serving one term of his sentence, died at the age of 69 on March 12, 2021, at Albany Medical Center. The official cause of death has not been released to the public.
Now my fellow strangers, do you still think that this tragedy was influenced by paranormal activity? It sure seems like it wasn't but Hollywood is a creative bunch aren't they, but here is my next question. Do you think this incident incited paranormal activity in that house? I mean it does have all the right recipes for it, but the question relies more on, did Ronald DeFeo actually hear spirit entities? Let's find out.
Throughout my research, I found many theories that would suggest that Ronald DeFeo Jr. was influenced or possessed by an evil entity. That the house was built on ancient Indian burial grounds and also, a devil worshipping cult leader by the name John Ketchum is said to have been summoning demons and the devil. If this is all true, then hands down, Ronald was possessed and was indeed a victim instead of the perpetrator. But things don't add up, let's get into it.
In my research I did come across information of an indigenous tribe called the Shinnocks and that they used that plot of land to home their mentally unstable tribe members, an Aboriginal insane asylum if you will. But that theory was quickly disproven because the Shinnocks wouldn't leave their family in that state of mind and unsafe alone.
In fact, according to a Long Island Native American expert John Strong, author of "We Are Still Here", debunked that rumor stating that many Aboriginal groups lived along the tidal bays in the area but not inland. Furthermore, the Montaukett Nation stated, "these native people were a kind and gentle people, so it is absurd to think that they would leave anyone out, exposed to the elements to die or curse a land. Rather, they took care of their sick, dying and mentally insane and even showed the European settlers how to do the same". On top of all that, there is no evidence to suggest that the house was built on any burial grounds whatsoever. This information can be looked up at the Amityville Historical Society and New York State Records on Cemeteries. Theory 1 neutralized.
How about the other theory stating that there was a devil worshipper by the name of John Ketchum. He was also mentioned in the Amityville Horror movie in 2005 dubbed "Reverend Jeramiah (John) Ketchum" and even in books and articles. So let's get into that shall we.
John Ketchum, wait, which one? WWHHHAAAATTTT! Once again, through my research I came across not 1 not 2 but 3 John Ketchums associated with Amityville. John Ketchum, born 1622 and died 1697, John (Reverend Jeramiah) Ketchum born 1622 and died 1697 and last but not least, Colonel John Ketchum born 1782 died 1865. Upon reading into all three men, I believe that Reverend Jeremiah (John) Ketchum was created by using the bio of 16th century and 18th century John Ketchum and here's why.
The story of the Reverend Jeramiah (John) Ketchum goes like this according to what we know from the movies, books and articles claiming that he is a real person. Apparently, he was chased out of Salem Massachusetts during the famous Salem Witch Trials, which is interesting enough, but there isn't much information as far as dates are concerned but the famous Salem Witch Trials were conducted in February 1692 to May 1693. John Ketchum (16th century, not Reverend) did live in Massachusetts, but he was made a freeman in Salem Courts on Feburary 28, 1643. He wasn't chased away like the Reverend was due to the Salem Witch Trials according to everyone thinking the Reverend is a real person in 1692-1693. Furthermore, there are records of John living in the area known now as Amityville in the 1650's.
John Ketchum was a very well known predominant man and not a psychopath. From there, with all his hard work and dedication, John Ketchum began to travel and own property. In 1653 John was able to purchase a house and land in Hanshamomack, which is now Suffolk County, New York and just in case you guys got lost in translation, Amityville is located within Suffolk County, Long Island, New York. Fits the description doesn't it but it's based on completely different stories.
Wait a minute! If Reverend Jeremiah (John) Ketchum fled Salem to Amityville because of the Salem Witch Trials, then that would mean, the Reverend was 70-71 years old by my calculations. Wow, that old man must've had some spark in him. But hey lets see where this leads to because the Salem Witch Trials was a moment in time where they were very diligent.
More than 200 people were accused of witchcraft during the Salem Witch Trials. Thirty people were found guilty, 19 of them were executed by hanging which included 14 women and five men. Others were just killed and at least 5 people died in jail. This was a crazy time, but it begs the question, how did this 70+ year old man was able to escape all of this but not the other 200 people? There isn't any information on how, obvioulsy but sure, it could have happened. Especially when all the witches at the time were scattering trying to get away and there could've been hundreds probably thousands of witches in Salem at the time, right?
Please see our 2 articles of haunted locations in Salem (and 1 in Danvers; which was part of Salem during the trials) below for more on the hauntings related to the witch trials.
Either way, there are no records involving John Ketchum to witchcraft at all except for this Reverend.
Now let's get to know the Colonel John Ketchum 18th Century. The Colonel never lived nor owned property and he probably never stepped foot in Amityville, Long Island, New York during his life. He was a very decorated soldier in the military but also worked as a contractor. He has even recieved many prizes during his service. One of his most highly prized titles, was one he recieved from General Andrew Jackson’s electors. He also was listed as one of the first trustees of Indiana University. All this to say, he has no association with Amityville whatsoever except for the theory with "murdering Indians" and we will get into that shortly. But needless to say, he wasn't born during the Salem Witch Trials.
The theory involving John Ketchum killing Native Americans as a sacrifice to the devil is an interesting story but fictional at best. John Ketchum (16th century) has no association whatsoever with Aboriginals of any kind.
Now, Colonel John Ketchum (18th century), who wasn't even born during the Salem Witch Trials, is known to be one of the founding fathers of Browntown, Indiana and famed for his military strategies against Native Americans. But it is not noted, reported nor is there any evidence to suggest Colonel John Ketchum killed any Aboriginals himself, he was just a strategist. So in my opinion, the Reverend was a made up character to fit the Amityville Horror House movies, books and articles using both John Ketchum as the catalyst because they have the same name.
Furthermore, there is no mention in history of 2 John Ketchum's associated with buying or living on the land, in the house of what would become "High Hopes", ever. So will the real John Ketchum please stand up! So in my book, theory number 2 has been neutralized.
The theories of the paranormal which contained the Amityville house being built on ancient burial grounds and/or being used by a devil worshipper has been debunked. On top of that, there was never any paranormal activity being reported in any way, shape, or form before or after the Lutz family. Which begs the question once again, what happened to Ronald DeFeo Jr.? Did he really hear voices? To get a proper answer, let's look into the history of the Amityville House.
Through my research I found that the actual Amityville House that the DeFeo murders happened in was built in 1924 by a couple named John and Catherine Moynahan, which means the house John Ketchem is said to have built didn't exist. John and Catherine Moynahan built their dream home and they lived very happy for many years without any incidents and it was just a regular house.
The house was actually sold to the DeFeos in 1965 by the Moynahan descendents.
So the "curse" that was spoken about didn't happen before that dreadful night November 13,1974 which means that everything the Lutzes endured after buying the house, if true, had to be due to what took place with the DeFeos. The "curse" if any, was born that night which is why everything that happened involving that house and its legacy was summoned up by the actions of Ronald DeFeo Jr. That's my theory upon reviewing history. Let's talk about the Lutzes family.
George and Kathy Lutz moved into the house on December 18, 1975 and were happy with their new house at least until things started to bump in the night. 28 days after buying the house, they abandoned their houses leaving behind all of their belongings. So what would drive the Lutzes out of their new bought home? I mean $80,000 at the time was a lot of money and they just upped and left. In fact, whatever happened to the Lutzes terrorized them so much that they moved across the United States to California and never looked back.
The reports that were made by the Lutzes claimed that it didn't take long for the paranormal activity to start. At first it was subtle, creeks and knocks, but after a couple of days it amplified to doors slamming, voices, and they began to fear for their safety. Last but definitely not least, the Lutzes reported slime oozing from the walls. These activities would've made anyone run for their lives.
With all that said about the history of the Amytiville Horror House, do you believe the Lutzes? Well, it definitely captured the attention of Hollywood and also many curious paranormal investigators. Due to the Lutzes and their stories it did attract the best of the best of paranormal investigators including Ed and Lorraine Warren. But like I said before, this location, the legacy of the Amytiville Horror House, ultimately began with the murders and not beforehand.
No Indian burial grounds, no curse, no demonic summonings but that night did however create a paranormal location like no other and it includes the spirits, ghosts, and dark entities.
Today, the house still stands and it remains a private home. The owners have gone too great lengths to keep their lives separate from the legacy of their residency so much so that they went and contacted Google to blur out their house. So this goes without saying do not trespass and be respectful. They have reported no paranormal activity, and all owners since the Lutzes state it is just a house.
But what happened with the paranormal activity? My theory is, with all the attention the house has gotten, there has been many people visiting the house. People such as investigators, priests, demonologist, mediums and psychics, so on and so forth, I believe that at some point the entity was driven away. Or a more dramatic thought, it attached itself to someone, or, unpopular opinion, it has gotten strong enough to the point that it is now a traveler, tormenting people around the world. All theories of course, but it is an interesting thought.
What would be interesting now is, with the passing of Ronald DeFeo Jr., will there be some sort of residual imprint of him in the house? I guess we will never know, but for now, thank you for reading and taking a Strangers Journey to The Amytiville Horror House.
Afterthoughts by Our Founder Craig Mitton (Who has been to the Property Once in the 1980's)
I have been asked repeatedly why – if this house is so haunted – have none of the former owners since the Lutzes reported anything other than a normal house?
Two reasons I think: 1) They don’t want the publicity. They want to live their lives in peace without 40 people on their front lawn 24/7. Totally understandable. 2) The sixth sense is just that – a sense – not everyone has it; much as some people are born blind, deaf or dumb. Without this so-called sixith sense the house has no battery to power itself and the people have no way of sensing the energy present in the house.
Reported paranormal activity in the home I did not witness or sense:
A loving unseen presence
Demonic whispers telling people to do terrible things
Intense feelings to harm both others and yourself
The red room and the evil energy that pours from it
An uncontrollable desire to leave now
Doors and windows opening and closing on their own
Being scratched, hit and slapped
Nightmare visions and time slips
Reoccurring nightmares detailing the murders after leaving the house
Apparitions of the DeFeo children
Phantom sounds of gunshots
Shadow people and dark presences
Reported Paranormal Activity I did Witness Or Sense:
A powerful pervading sense of intense evil
Phantom footsteps on floors that were unoccupied
Cold and warm spots
Unexplained breezes
Phantom laughter and voices
My name being whispered in my ear (sometimes followed by a child’s giggle)
A feeling of being watched and unease
Movement in the corner of my vision
Unexplained mists that move on their own
Touches, tugs and pulls by unseen presences
An intense feeling that reality is being altered and other dimensions are present.
Sources, Websites:
Behind the evil eyes: The (Real) story of the Amityville house
https://www.fancypantshomes.com/movie-homes/the-real-story-of-the-amityville-house/
Ammityville Files
https://www.amityvillefiles.com/
The Amityville Murders
https://amityvillemurders.com/
Ronald DeFeo Jr.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_DeFeo_Jr.
The True Story Behind ‘The Amityville Horror’
https://collider.com/the-amityville-horror-true-story/
John Ketcham I (bef. 1622 - 1697)
https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Ketcham-9
John Ketcham, 1622 - 1696
https://www.myheritage.com/names/john_ketcham
John Ketcham
https://villains.fandom.com/wiki/John_Ketcham
John Ketcham (Indiana surveyor)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ketcham_(Indiana_surveyor)
Salem witch trials
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem_witch_trials
John Ketcham (The Amityville Horror)
https://en-academic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/1011234
The Amityville Horror
https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/The_Amityville_Horror
Amityville, New York
HAVE YOU HAD A PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS LOCATION?
Please Share Your Experiences
All Photos Courtesy of StrangersMindz
Welcome everyone to Strangers Mindz! Let’s take a journey together to Kings Park Psychiatric Center in Long Island New York. As the New York representative for OPW (Our Paranormal World), I had the privilege to wander the grounds of this massive national state park where the psychiatric center is located. But before we get into the paranormal, let’s take some time to reflect on the history and raise awareness for the mentally ill.
THE HISTORY
Kings Park Psychiatric Center, located in Kings Park, New York, has a haunting history that dates back to its opening in 1885. Originally known as Kings County Farm, the facility was intended to provide care for the mentally ill. However, over the years, it became infamous for its overcrowding, mistreatment of patients, and inhumane living conditions.
One of the most disturbing aspects of Kings Park Psychiatric Center's history is the prevalence of lobotomies and other forms of experimental treatments that were conducted on patients. Lobotomies, in which parts of the brain are surgically removed, were performed as a way to control behavior and alleviate symptoms of mental illness. These procedures were often done without the consent of patients or their families, and they had devastating consequences.
Another dark chapter in the history of Kings Park Psychiatric Center is the use of shock therapy, insulin shock therapy, and other harsh treatments on patients. These methods were often administered indiscriminately and without regard for the well-being of the individuals subjected to them. As a result, many patients suffered long-lasting psychological and physical harm.
The overcrowding and understaffing at Kings Park Psychiatric Center further contributed to the deplorable conditions experienced by patients. With limited resources and an ever-increasing number of individuals in need of care, the facility struggled to provide adequate treatment and support. Patients were often left to languish in crowded wards, lacking the individual attention and specialized care they required.
In addition to these institutional failures, there were also reports of abuse and neglect of patients by staff members at Kings Park Psychiatric Center. Stories of mistreatment, coercion, and even violence against vulnerable individuals have left a dark stain on the history of the facility.
Today, Kings Park Psychiatric Center stands as a stark reminder of the failures of the mental health care system in the past. While the facility closed its doors in the 1990s, the ghosts of its troubled history continue to haunt those who remember its dark past. Efforts have been made to preserve parts of the campus and raise awareness about the experiences of those who were once confined within its walls.
In remembering the haunting history of Kings Park Psychiatric Center, we are reminded of the importance of compassionate and ethical care for individuals struggling with mental illness. The ghosts of the past serve as a poignant reminder of the need for quality mental health services that prioritize the dignity and well-being of every individual.
THE PARANORMAL
Over the years, the psychiatric center has gained a reputation for paranormal activity, with numerous reports of hauntings and sightings of ghosts within its abandoned buildings.
One of the most well-known ghost stories associated with Kings Park Psychiatric Center is that of the "Lady in White." According to legend, the Lady in White is the ghost of a former patient who died under mysterious circumstances at the hospital. Witnesses have reported seeing a ghostly figure dressed in white roaming the grounds of the psychiatric center, often appearing in windows or hallways late at night. Some believe that the Lady in White is a restless spirit searching for closure or seeking to communicate a message from beyond.
Another chilling tale from Kings Park Psychiatric Center involves the infamous Building 93, also known as the "Nurses' Quarters." This building was once home to the hospital staff, but it has since fallen into disrepair and become a hotspot for paranormal activity. Visitors and ghost hunters have reported hearing disembodied voices, footsteps, and other unexplained sounds emanating from the abandoned building. Some have even claimed to have seen apparitions of nurses and patients wandering the halls, adding to the eerie atmosphere of the place.
In addition to these specific ghost stories, Kings Park Psychiatric Center as a whole is said to be haunted by the tortured spirits of patients who suffered within its walls. The psychiatric center operated for over a century, during which time it housed thousands of individuals with mental illnesses. Reports of mistreatment, neglect, and inhumane conditions have fueled speculation that the lingering energy of these troubled souls may still haunt the grounds of Kings Park to this day.
My team and I have stepped foot within the walls of this historical and massive location. We have conducted investigations while exploring the ruins of the abandoned quarters and gathered much evidence of the paranormal ranging from class A EVPS, interactions, pictures and video. This location is by far one of the most beautiful and amazing places I have ever gone to. All of my findings are up and running and available on YouTube and Rumble and much more to come.
Despite its closure in the 1990s and subsequent efforts to repurpose the site, Kings Park Psychiatric Center remains a place of fascination for paranormal enthusiasts and thrill-seekers alike. The abandoned buildings and overgrown grounds serve as a reminder of the institution's dark past, inviting visitors to ponder the mysteries and tragedies that took place within its walls.
In conclusion, the paranormal history of Kings Park Psychiatric Center is a complex and haunting narrative that continues to captivate those intrigued by the supernatural. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, the stories of strange occurrences and unexplained phenomena at this historic site serve as a chilling reminder of the enduring legacy of a place that was once a beacon of hope for the mentally ill.
HAVE YOU HAD A PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS LOCATION?
Please Share Your Experiences
By Doc Searls from Santa Barbara, USA - 2010_02_22_sba-lax-iad-bos_172, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31802939
By US Geological Survey - https://archive.org/download/usgs_drg_ny_40073_g7/o40073g7.tif, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39398327
History
Previous to European colonization this island was the home of the Siwanoy Tribe.
A British doctor purchased the island from the Indigenous population as part of an almost 10,000 acre estate in 1654.
The first recorded use of this island as public property just off the coast of the Bronx is as a training camp for the United States Colored Troops in the Union Army during the US Civil War. It was then used as a Union prison to hold Confederate POWs.
235 prisoners did die on the island, but they were originally buried there they have since been removed and interned at in the Cypress Hills Cemetery which is now part of both Queens and Brooklyn.
In 1868 New York City purchased the island from Edward Hunter for $75,000 ($1,650,000 in 2024 dollars). Shortly afterward they began to use the island as a Potter’s Field with the burial of Louisa Van Slyke who died in the charity hospital at age 24.
Previously the 2 Potter Fields for New York City were where Washington Square and the New York Public Library Main Branch now stand. Many of the first people buried on the island died in the smallpox hospital on Roosevelt Island.
For the majority of the 19th century there was a women’s insane asylum called The Pavilion, a tuberculosis sanatorium, and an industrial boy’s school on the island.
A boy’s workhouse was built on the island in 1895 and had a population of 2,000 by the early 20th century. Some male elderly prisoners were also transferred from the overcrowded Blackwell’s Penitentiary.
In 1924 Solomon Riley purchased a 4 acre parcel on the island’s west side for the purpose of building an amusement part for the African American population in Harlem as they were banned by segregation laws from entering the other amusement parks around the city.
However, New York City became concerned about a hospital (asylum) and a correctional institution in such close proximity. In 1925 the city condemned the land and bought out Riley ending the amusement park dreams; Riley had already built some structures and bought a number of steamboats.
During World War II all prisoners were all transferred to Riker’s Island and it was converted to a disciplinary barracks for the US Armed Forces.
From 1951 to 1954 the city operated a homeless shelter and home for alcoholics capable of handling up to 2,000 people on the island.
From 1955 to 1974 a battery of Nike anti-aircraft missiles in silos were installed on island operated by US Army Fort Slocum.
In 1966 the prison was closed, and a drug rehabilitation facility called Pheonix House was opened in 1967. Pheonix House operated successfully until the regular ferry service stopped in 1977 and it was moved to Manhattan.
Despite numerous plans the island has never been used for anything other than burials. In 1985 numerous people who died of AIDS were buried on the island for fear their remains were contagious.
Since then, thousands of AIDS victims – the exact number is not known – have been buried on the island.
During the Covid-19 pandemic many people who died of the disease were also buried on the island.
In 2022 many of the deteriorating structures on the island were demolished.
In 2019 ownership of the island was transferred to the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.
In March 2023 it was announced that the island will be open to public at some point in the future; not as full public park but in a way that people can visit the cemetery.
There are ferries from City Island to the island but under very strict conditions so visiting here is possible but not easy.
There is a distinct possibility that 1 million or more people are buried on the island.
Paranormal Activity
No paranormal investigations that we know of have been done on the island, but it takes about 5 minutes to find one of the numerous conspiracy theories from Satanic rituals of the rich and famous to secret government experiments.
There are numerous reports of hearing unexplained whispers by workers, patients, prisoners and other people who have spent time on the island; they are most commonly the whispers of children. The phantom laughter of children is also heard.
A feeling of being watched by something is unseen is also frequently reported on the island.
Other reported activity: shadow figures; light anomalies and electrical disturbances.
HAVE YOU HAD A PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS LOCATION?
Please Share Your Experiences
Reader Discretion is Advised
This article contains child abuse and murder as well as spousal abuse.
History
Built in 1856 this brownstone started off alright before earning it’s reputation and foreboding name.
In the 1880’s the house was owned by the widow of the founder of Metropolitan and Broadway’s Underground Railways.
In 1897 the house brought it’s first, of many, bouts of bad luck to one of it’s owners. Cycling celebrity Fred H Andrew (who was the new owner of the house) was apparently engaging in “reckless cycling” and hit an 8 year old boy on the street.
The boy suffered a broken leg and Andrew was jailed. Considering what the house is said to be responsible later these two may have been the luckiest of it’s long list of victims.
The next owner was not other than the acclaimed author Mark Twain who suffered both financial difficulties – near bankruptcy – as well as emotional issues – depression – but also wrote some of his best stories while living in the house.
Mr Twain is also the first – despite being an ardent non-believer – person to have a paranormal episode in the house. He watched a log of wood float across a room; which he blamed on rats; and – as any normal person would do – he shot it. The wood landed on the floor with a few drops of blood he maintained came from the aforementioned rat.
In 1937 the house was converted into 10 separate apartments.
In 1957 Jan Bryant Bartell and her daughter moved into the apartment on the top floor where the servants used to live. They suffered extreme paranormal experiences and Jan wrote and published a book in 1974 called Spindrift: Spray From A Psychic Sea.
The book records 9 deaths beginning with her dog and ending with them moving out of the house. Shortly after she published the book Jan, herself, died making some people believe whatever is in the house followed her making her it’s 10th victim.
Jan also suffered from depression and there were rumors of suicide attempts; or so the skeptics say.
At 6:40 am on November 2, 1987 911 got a call from the house from the house’s owner – Hedda Nussbaum a children’s book author – saying that her daughter, Lisa, was not breathing.
The first responders entered the house to the scene of a nightmare.
6 year old Lisa was naked and unresponsive on the floor while her brother was tied to a playpen sitting in his own urine. Hedda was covered in bruises and had multiple broken bones. They were also large amounts of illegal drugs and paraphernalia in the house.
Lisa could not be saved, and it was later determined she was killed by blunt force trauma to the head.
Both Hedda and her husband, Joel Steinburg, were charged with 1st degree murder. Hedda avoided charges by giving testimony indicated Joel had come home in a cocaine fueled fury and attacked both Hedda and Lisa.
Steinburg was sent to prison for second degree manslaughter; he was released in 2004.
Today, the house is still a private residence but there are continuing stories of paranormal activity in both it as well as in some of the neighboring houses now.
Paranormal Activity
There are rumored to be at least 22 ghosts of former residents including the famous non-believer himself; Mark Twain. Although he uses his real name – Samuel Clemens – rather than his pen name.
Mr Twain is generally clad in a white linen suit and has repeatedly communicated with the living. Before you ask, no he did not die in the house – and only lived there for 1 year in 1900-1901 – however his ghost has been confirmed both here and no 12 as well as this house.
Clemens has been seen throughout the house by these days he is only seen on the first floor and on the staircase to the basement.
Ms Bartell (see above) recorded the following activity: a large monstrously shaped shadow the followed her and moved about the apartment; a chilly damp mist that would numb the fingertips to touch and smelled sweet; rotten food the family had not purchased would appear on the dining room table; the apparition of a man in the hallway; other unexplained phantom smells including a very bitter one and the family pets would become suddenly very aggressive toward entities that could not been seen.
Both in the “House of Death” and in neighboring houses the apparition of a woman in a long gown has been seen floating over the floor and has been reported move through doors. Flickering lights and feelings of not being alone are also frequently reported.
HAVE YOU HAD A PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS LOCATION?
Please Share Your Experiences
Photos Courtesy of StrangersMindz
STRANGERS JOURNEY
TO
MORRIS-JUMEL MANSION
By: Fernando (Strangers Mindz) Infante
The Morris–Jumel Mansion which goes by many names is the oldest surviving house in Manhattan, New York.
Located at 65 Jumel Terrace, in Roger Morris Park in the neighborhood of Washington Heights. It is also known as the Roger and Mary Philipse Morris House or just Morris House, but it was even called at one point, Mount Morris.
As of right now due to the home and grounds being purchased as a museum home in 1903 it was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1961 and now it is known as the Morris–Jumel Mansion Museum.
This location has a very rich history, but let's start from the very beginning.
The Morris-Jumel mansion was built in 1765 by Roger Morris a British military officer who was serving as a member of the Executive Council of the Province of New York. He constructed the home for himself and his wife, Mary Philipse Morris an American born wife during his time living in New York as a Loyalist when the American Revolution began. They lived in the house for only 10 years until in 1775, Colonel Morris left for England at the start of the Revolutionary War. During this time, from 14 September to 20 October 1776, General George Washington used the Morris mansion which was abandoned at the time and used as a temporary military headquarters during the war.
After the war was over, written in the George Washingtons journal, he wrote that on July 1790, as President of the United States, Washington visited the house with some members of his future cabinet and their families for a feast. The guests that were invited were Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, Abigail Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Eliza Schyler Hamilton, Martha Washington, Henry Knox, and Lucy Knox. An amazing historical location indeed.
Now let's talk about the Jumel's and their time at this mansion.
In 1810, Stephen Jumel, a French Merchant, and a well established importer of luxury goods met and married American Eliza Bowen in 1804. After 6 years, they purchased Mount Morris as their home. The mansion at the time has then been abandoned for about 20 years after President Washington's last dinner there, so they went through great lengths to renovate and turning the home into what it is today. But everything wasn't all flowers and sunshine for the Jumel's.
Eliza Bowen Jumel had quite a history. She came from a poor family and was the epitome of the phrase, "rags to riches". She was very unhappy that she and her husband weren't accepted socially in New York with the higher ups at the time, so they ended up leaving for France in 1815.
Eliza returned to New York for good in 1826 but with intent to divorce. Stephen Jumel's power of attorney which forced him to return in 1828.
In 1832, Stephen Jumel died from injuries in a carriage accident, but many believed Eliza had some involvement in his death.
Soon after his death, Eliza became one of the wealthiest women in New York City and ended up marrying Vice-President Aaron Burr. They divorced 4 months after they married in 1834, which was granted 2 years later in 1836, shortly before Aaron Burr passed away.
Eliza would later start suffering from dementia. She passed away in 1865 at the age of 90.
As you can see, this 18th-century Federal style museum home that sits in upper Manhattan, has an incredible history. But as we know, a structure this old can have the possibility of some sort of paranormal influence as well.
Many people who have visited this location have witnessed paranormal activity. Many have seen Eliza who still roams her home as well as shadow figures, objects moving, voices and noises that a skeptic would deem house settling.
Today anyone can visit the Morris-Jumel Mansion Museum but after dark you can also enjoy their Candlelight Ghost Tour and for any paranormal investigator that is curious you can also be a part of the Paranormal Historical Investigation.
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morris%E2%80%93Jumel_Mansion#See_also
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roger_Morris_(British_Army_officer)
HAVE YOU HAD A PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS LOCATION?
Please Share Your Experiences
By RoySmith - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=108049767
By reivax from Washington, DC, USA - Riverside Hospital, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32963889
History
The first historical mention of this island – along with it’s sister island (South Brother Island) – is in the early 17th century. They were then named “De Gesellen” meaning the companions and were owned by the Dutch West India Company.
By the end of that century the area was under British control and islands were granted to James Graham. Graham made no attempt to settle or develop the islands citing dangerous currents around them.
Originally part of Long Island City the islands were made part of Queens County and annexed into New York City (Bronx) in 1898 (North Brother Island) and 1964 (South Brother Island).
In 1869 a lighthouse was built on the island and in the 1880’s Riverside Hospital moved from Blackwell’s Island (Roosevelt Island) to North Brother Island. Riverside which was originally founded as a Smallpox hospital became a treatment center for all infectious diseases once it was moved to the new island.
The island then became a quarantine center.
The island allowed the separation of patients with smallpox, typhoid, tuberculosis and polio from the general population of the city. Numerous patients succumbed to these terrible diseases and never left the island.
The infamous “Typhoid Mary” was confined to this island and later died there.
Conditions on the island were terrible, to say the least, visitors were prohibited, there was no electricity or phones, there was no heat in the winter and oftentimes the patient population was so high many patients lived in tents.
On June 15, 1904, the paddle-wheeler General Slocum started up the East River with 1,400 passengers – mostly woman and children – of the St Mark’s Lutheran Church on their way to a church picnic. While traversing Hell’s Gate the passengers became aware of a fire that had started in a forward compartment probably from a discarded cigarette or match.
It would be 10 minutes before the captain was notified, he immediately ordered the ship to be grounded on North Brother Island.
The ship had not been kept up by the it’s owners and it’s safety features were virtually non-existent. The fire hose was tattered and full of holes, the life boats were unusable – some of them were actually chained and painted to the deck – and the life jackets were in such bad shape they disintegrated.
Horrified mothers were throwing the children overboard with life jackets only to see them fall apart and their children sink to the river bottom. The majority of Americans at the time did not know how to swim and most who jumped ship drowned.
Even after grounding on the island many people jumped off the aft of the boat and still drowned in the deep water.
955 passengers and 2 crew died in the disaster with the majority being under the age of 21. This event was the worst maritime disaster until the sinking of the Titanic in 1912. It was also the worst man-made disaster in New York City until the World Trade Center attack on 9/11.
The majority of the dead washed up on the shores of North Brother Island.
After the Second World War the island was used for housing of the veterans and their families while they retrained at colleges in the city. This was due to a housing shortage.
The island was first abandoned when that need passed until the mid-1950’s when a facility was opened for the treatment of adolescent drug addicts. Heroin addicts were locked up until they suffered through the withdrawals and were deemed clean; many people thought youths were being held there against their will.
In 1963 the facility was closed due to costs and staff corruption.
The island has remained uninhabited and off limits to most since. The many buildings have been left to deteriorate and nature has completely taken over. The island was privately owned until 2007 when the Federal Government bought it and gifted to the city of New York.
Renovating the island to any other use has proven too cost prohibitive and it is now a bird sanctuary under control of the New York City Parks Department. It is only accessible by boat and entrance if forbidden except through permission by the city.
Attempting to access the island without permission is trespassing and police activity in the river is generally quite active due the proximity of Riker’s Island and the prison there.
Paranormal Activity
The apparitions of former patients in hospital gowns are seen through the island as well as on the shores. The soaking wet apparitions of people deemed to be the victims of the General Slocum (see above) disaster are also seen along the shoreline where the ship was grounded.
The apparition of a disabled – and sometimes burning – paddle-wheel ship has also been seen on the river between Hell’s Gate and the island.
There are numerous reports of unexplained lights on the island seen from Manhattan.
Phantom screams are often heard coming from the remains of Riverside hospital.
Other reported activity: warm and cold spots; touches tugs and pulls by unseen entities; disembodied voices and whispers; movement in the corner of your eye; unexplained mists and feelings of not being alone and being watched.
HAVE YOU HAD A PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS LOCATION?
Please Share Your Experiences
By Terabass - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11848631
History
Once upon a time this square was once just a part of a farmer’s land. In the late 19th Century, it was bought by John Jacob Astor who increased his immense fortune by selling land to hotels.
In 1904 the New York Times moved its headquarters here to the now famous One Times Square; the building where the ball drops every New Years Eve; and the Square became forever known as Times Square.
This location is now the most visited tourist attraction in the world.
It is the center of the city’s theater district and is also known as “The Crossroads of the World” and “The Center of the Universe”; over 300,000 people walk the square every day. It is perhaps the most recognizable place on the entire planet.
It is also haunted.
Paranormal Activity
The apparitions of 2 Royal Air Force pilots have been seen walking the Square. They appear as solid as any living person except they vanish into thin air every night at precisely midnight.
They have been asked by passerbys why they are in the Square, the answer, infallibly, is that they had always wanted to see Times Square but were killed over Berlin in the Second World War before making the visit.
There are legends of many other apparitions and ghostly activity in the Square, where strangeness is considered the norm, but these 2 are the most famous.
After all who would notice a ghost amid the throngs of tourists and New Yorkers?
HAVE YOU HAD A PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS LOCATION?
Please Share Your Experiences
By Scan by NYPL - https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47d9-ca69-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=56198880
History
In 1938 plans were made by the New York State government to build a large facility for developmentally disabled children. They choose a 375-acre (152 hectare) site on Staten Island. Construction was completed in 1942 but it was immediately taken over by the United States Army due to World War II.
While under Army control it was used as a veteran’s hospital and a POW camp. Once the war ended in 1945 there was some debate as to whether it should be permanently converted to a veteran’s facility or used for it’s original purpose. In the end the Governor of New York State made the decision and Willowbrook State School was born in 1947.
It was designed to be a humane center for the care of disabled children; something, due in a large part to the New York State Government, it completely failed at.
By the 1950’s most children admitted to the facility were coming down with Hepatitis – most often with Hepatitis A - and one doctor, who was obviously completely untroubled by a conscience or ethics, decided this was the perfect environment to perform tests in. At the time it was known that Hepatitis was a virus but no one understood how it spread.
Dr Saul Krugman – stating patients had a 90% change of getting the virus anyway – purposely infected children by putting stool samples of sick people into the children’s food raising that to 100%. A lot was learned about the virus and how to inoculate against it but at what price? Public outcry finally put an end to the – sometimes fatal - experiments on children in the 1970’s
Until his death Dr Krugman defended his work.
By 1965 the facility contained over 6,000 children – despite being built for only 4,000 – and the ratio of staff to patients was deplorable. One nurse might have the responsibility for 100 children in multiple buildings. Needless to say, the facility quickly turned into what Senator Robert F Kennedy said was a “a snake pit”.
Doctors, nurses and other staff who complained and fought for patient rights were fired by the State. The same State who started massively cutting funding from the 1950’s until the institution’s closure.
A reporter, Jane Kurtin, got inside the buildings with staff help and got the first public photos of what was happening inside. In 1972 Geraldo Rivera got inside with a doctor’s help and filmed the terrible conditions – naked children sitting in their own filth, obvious and terrible evidence of brutal physical, emotional and sexual abuse by both the staff and other patients and they even got an interview with a patient with Cerebral Palsy whose mental faculties were fine (he just had trouble communicating) – and brought the situation to the public’s attention on a national scale for the first time.
This was quickly followed by a Class Action Suit against the State of New York by the parents of the children. In 1975 a consent judgement was signed which began the path leading to the Federal laws we have now to protect the rights of developmentally disabled people.
In 1983 the State of New York announced that Willowbrook would close by the end of 1986. The last children left the facility on September 17, 1987 leaving behind a decaying campus.
In 1991 a retired NYPD detective wrote a book saying that Building 2 was filled with toxic and explosive substances and jars containing preserved human organs. He also stated local officials were covering it up.
From 1974 to 1987 several children were kidnapped and murdered on Staten Island. The killer was only known by the name Cropsey. One of the children, Jennifer Schweiger, was found adjacent to the abandoned campus in Willowbrook Park neither the camp of one Andre Rand – a former attendant at Willowbrook School – and he was charged and jailed for the murders despite there being no physical evidence linking him to the crimes.
In 1993 the College of Staten Island opened on the majority of the old Willowbrook Campus. Other reclaimed buildings on the former campus are used by the New York Department of Mental Hygiene. The remaining buildings still lie abandoned and decaying.
Paranormal Activity
Students of the College have reported apparitions – presumedly of deceased patients – moving through the shadowed areas on campus. There are also reports of unexplained noises or hearing someone call you – sometimes by name – only to find no one there. Feelings of being watched and being followed are also reported on campus.
In and around the abandoned buildings there are reports of shadow figures, people being touched and pushed by unseen entities, electrical disturbances, light anomalies, phantom screams and voices and pale faces watching from the empty windows.
One person reported being followed home by an unidentifiable dark figure who stood in front of their house watching until daybreak.
HAVE YOU HAD A PARANORMAL EXPERIENCE AT THIS LOCATION?
Please Share Your Experiences
History
In early1909 Dr John Pryor suggested that the city of Buffalo needed to construct a facility for the care of people suffering from tuberculosis. Dr Pryor recommended a hillside area near Perrysburg.
In December of 1909 the Buffalo mayor – James Noble Adam (the facility would be named after him) – bought a 293-acre (119 hectares) area including Dr Pryor’s chosen site. He then donated it to the City of Buffalo.
In October of 1910 $160,000 ( $5,300,000 in 2024 dollars) was given to begin construction of the buildings. In the end the facility cost $300,000 (almost $10,000,000 in 2024 dollars).
When it opened in November of 1912 the hospital was state of the art with sun filled common rooms and many other facilities providing the best care of it’s 140 patients.
In 1948 ownership of the facility was transferred from Buffalo to the State of New York.
By the time it closed – due to the discovery of antibiotics – in 1960 there was room for 420 patients.
The site was then changed to an institute for the care of the developmentally disabled.
In 1993 the site was closed down permanently and left abandoned. Due to the high cost of refurbishing or demolishing this site has left still standing while nature reclaims it a little more every year.
Paranormal Activity
There is an unproven legend that several nurses committed suicide inside the buildings.
The most commonly reported paranormal activity is phantom screams coming from the buildings and shadow figures seen moving past the empty windows.
Other reported activity includes: apparitions of former patients and staff; cold spots; unexplained gusts of wind; phantom footsteps; disembodied voices and cries; light anomalies; electrical disturbances and feelings of being watched and not being alone.