Ghost and Witch legend

[saucy]

There's a lot of stories and myths out there that become legend for an area or town. Are there any ghost legends or hauntings in your area? Please post your stories!

[SitaMaya]

I heard the Bell witch cave is haunted.

[SilverCougar]

I've recounted a native american local legend from where I grew up a while back... bout all I know.

[jeceris]

in my city here, there's a couple of buildings that have a hx of hauntings. there's the old jail that has been around for over 100 years, not used a jail anymore but a hostel, and those that work and stay there talk about the top floor and the cells there, where voices are heard and the air grows cold.

there's also a building by the canal that is one of the first buildings in the city, it's now a little museum and tales of screams and people being bushed from behind by some unseen force have been reported.

i am wondering about different types of ghosts and if there are any theories out there.

i think there a couple of types of hauntings,

1. the type of ghost that is seen over and over again doing the same thing and doesn't seem to be able to interact with the living. i think this is some kind of imprint on time, and we are seeing a sort of "loop" of time being played repeatedly, not really a ghost but a projection of sorts.

2. and then there's the interactive type of ghost, that can move items, books, chairs whatever, is a presence in our time and space, has become stuck because of some traumatic event.

anybody else got thoughts on this?

[ouijaouija]

There are a lot of old prevaling witch or 'old hag' stories, most of whicih are probably urban legends.

One of which, Theres a plce called snuff mills. There is a large rock, and if you run around it three times counterclockwise the witch will appear and basically kill you through various methods (it varies).

As to the stereotype of witches, they wwern't witches, just the socially excluded in the village were scapegoated.

[synge]

I live in West Tennessee and there is a supposedly witch here named the Bell Witch.

If you haven't heard the stories about the Bell Witch, try checking out a book called All That Lives. I read halfway through it, but school got in the way and I never got to finish it. It's about the Bell's and how they encounter the witch, and why it is in their household, where it came from, etc.

Supposedly the Bell Witch was a pilgrim, or a traveling person from another country coming to America to find a home. This person died and for some reason her spirit never passed through, and was just an apperation of some sort communicating with the Bell's through a spirit like voice, no body or no ghastly images,etc.

In the book, Betsy Bell, the younges daughter, was going through puberty, and becoming a yound lady and having her period, fevers, cramps, etc. This is when about the time the spirit came along and started tormenting her. The spirit did terrible things to Betsy, like choke her, strangle her, twist and pull her hair and basically try to kill her, but never really killed her. Betsy stopped breathing multiple times in the attacks, but she always seemed to be revived or came to eventually by her own actions or by a doctor with some kind of stimulant to wake her back up.

The spirit had tricked the Bell's multiple times, promising treasure if they were to dig up her body, buried under a rather large rock by a creek somewhere close to the Bell's farm. This, the Bell's believed, although it was a trick to torment the family.

Most of this is from the book, but I'm sure you could research so much stuff.

The Bell witch cave, and the cabin that the Bell's supposedly stayed in is located in Eagleville, TN. If you are a traveling Witch/clairvoyant, it would be awesome if you stopped and see if the cave and cabin had some bad vibes/energy and if it should be closed off from tourism, since it is only a tourist site now.

I've never been in the cave, but I've seen and been in the cabin, and its rather big for that long ago.

[saucy]

I read that book. I can honestly say it was one of the best books I've ever read and was almost believeable until fruit started to fall out of the sky. Interesting story though.

[ouijaouija]

Are you kiddin' me? the Bell is is probably one of the most famous cases. Lucky for you it is nearby? How cool would that be..

[saucy]

I don't know how cool it would be to have a haunted relic living near by. I'm one of those weird people that prays he doesn't see a ghost or anything supernatural, but I want to see an angel or ghost if there's someone nearby! It's weird. Nothing happens in my town that I know of, but in the upper part of my state they have what are called ghost lights or something. I don't know, it's a huge attraction. I think the official name is dancing ghost lights or something. Maybe that's a D & D term, but there are these lights that appear on schedule, I believe every night and start dancing around and nobody can explain them.

[Agent_21]

Not too far from me is a village where the high street is supposedly haunted by several ragged children begging for food. There are the ruins of a castle nearby where a woman was walled up alive and now haunts the vicinity as a white lady...

[synge]

well, the cave and the cabin aren't really so far near to me, but it is in my state, and I have seen the cabin.

I think I might see the cave this year, if we go back. (there's this big tractor show that we always go to as a family )

[Guest Lottie]

I live in London most of the time, and there are loads of supposedly haunted venues and very famous one's around and about.

Edited May 22, 2004 by Lottie

[Reader]

I have ghosts right in my house.. they're cool most of the time... but they do get on my nerves sometimes...

hey jeceris, i have both of those.. the broken record kind and the interactive kind.. the kids are way interactive.. but some grown ups tend to do the same things over and over...

yeah... type me all you want and find out the cool things i get to experiance from day to day.. pertty creepy at times... but always cool in it's own way...

[saucy]

Go ahead and tell your story Reader, but I'm looking for legends like the Bell witch, does the Blair Witch really exist? Haunted castles with famous inhabitants? State or country-wide legends? Any city or town urban-legends? I heard this story about a town where there was this bridge where people jumped off to kill themselves and at many times, people crossing the bridge would fell someone push them or hear children or people laughing from below. It's weird. That story inspired a story I wrote, but I'm talking true haunted urban legends and myths from your town, city or state. England and small countries like that are included.

[Reader]

so far.. though i don't know why... i haven't found anything out about my area... all i know is that the generation(s) that lived in my neighborhood.. mostly died of cancer... alot of them...

sorry.. don't have a totally cool story.. i try to not interact with the Ghosts.. i once tried to find out from them what had happened.. lets say i'd never do it again.... (oh sooo scary.... )

Never again..... lucky untouched souls.....

[NirmalaMaya]

I live in Nashville...

So the Bell Witch is pretty near to me as well.

Ive read more sources that say the "witch" was the ghost of Kate Batts an suspected occultist who had some bad business dealings over slaves with John Bell.

They also say that the Bell family began being haunted after John Bell shot at a half rabbit half dog animal hiding in their corn rows (NOT the hairdo ).

Ive read alot of theories on the Bell Witch..all of them equally haunting. Though, this thread is the only thing ive ever heard about the "witch" being a traveler. Who knows.

[Falco Rex]

Where I grew up there's a legend of a Phantom Hitchhiker that supposedly haunts a 2-mile stretch of Route 44. He's said to appear in your car,stare at you the entire time, and then vanish when you hit the end of the 2 miles..

[imorningsun]

There is an area in the state game land reserve close to me in Pa. that is supposed to be haunted. It , so I have heard, is a place that Satanists have rituals and such, for a couple hundred years, and presantly. According to the ledgend; if you go there in the at a specific time during dusk, you will see a black cross. I was there once with a freind, we didn't see anything. I sure felt some eerie vibes though.

[plunsford]

I picked up that book in class one day and read a few chapters out of it. It was rather compelling. Never got to finish for the same reasons as you synge. BTW, this is Phil. Ever been down to the Scarce Creek bridge, or have you noticed any of the strange energy in Natchez Trace for that matter?

Here's a compiled list of most of the popular haunts in TN. Kinda sad, they mixed up stories on a few accounts though, The story for "Livingston" is actually the story for Lexington..

[cloudedmoon]

When I lived in Ocala Florida there was a presents on my street. When ever I would walk up the street I would get this feeling something was there someone was there. I would turn and look, no one. I had the feeling that it was a Native American spirit. With the history of the place I was not suprised, there had been an encampment there. One day while sitting in my living room, worrying as my husband was very ill at the time, someone knocked at the door three times. I could see a figure in white out the window, when I open the door no one was there. I had a huge yard no way someone could knock on the door and run away and not be seen. It wasn't until after my Husband passed that I found out who the spirit was. While I was selling a bunch of stuff and sadly getting ready to move. I met a Native American woman. She and I became fast friends. We were both widows. Her Husband had died about two years before mine. She was trying to help me, but I ended up helping her. She was holding her husband here, she had kept all his stuff and was not letting go as she should. It wasn't long before I understood what was going on. Her Husband had been attracted to my Husband

who was nearing death. He needed his help to get his wife to let him move on. (or maybe my help). I got her to start a yard sale on herself. The last time I was on that street I didn't feel the presents any more. I hope what I did helped him move on.

PEACE,

cloudedmoon

[tendo]

in my area there has to be some sort of legend or sumthin...cuz like, half of the houses around here are haunted, but nobody knows of ne legends or n e thing...it stinks...cuz i would investigate it lol...o welll...

[Seahorse]

I grew up in South Jersey (NJ), in and around the Pine Barrens, so of course the Jersey Devil legend was huge around there. I've mentioned stuff about the Jersey Devil in an earlier thread, so I won't go through it all again here, but if anyone has any questions I'll be happy to answer them to the best of my knowledge.

[SitaMaya]

Synge I read the Book The Bell Witch, and supposedly she was either a mistress of John Bell or a local lady in town that John swindled. The children said they would see a lady in green or a black dog that would shapeshift into something else on there property, and it happened in Adams, Tn its about 20 miles from me, Ive been to the cave but I figured it was just wired for show, you know lights flickering and stuff, never felt anything bad about the place and I went there on halloween. Also the Bell Witch supposedly killed John Bell by poisining him. I read another book that said later on in life after Betsy and her brothers moved away that the Bell witch visited the oldest brother and gave him prophesies of the future and about the world but that he wouldnt print what she told him. Thats all ...Thanks