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Port Jervis, NY


Martina

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Hello.

While searching for any thing on paranormal activity in the Port Jervis, NY, area, I came across this site.

Hopefully, there will be someone here who can tell me if they are aware of any oddities in that area.

In 1999, I went to NYC to visit my sister.

A good friend of my sister's owned a second home outside of Port Jervis where there was a corner lot for sale. Her friend was begging her to buy the property, which had a hunting cabin on it, so she would not need to worry about anyone buying and building so close to her. My sister made an appointment with the agent that had the listing, and late afternoon on a Friday we left the city for her friend's house where we would spend the night and meet the agent the next morning.

It was a beautiful fall day and we enjoyed the drive. We stopped in Port Jervis for some groceries and drinks to tide us over for the evening. Port Jervis is a beautiful, quaint little village. Lovely.

It was after we left Port Jervis and turned off the main highway onto the gravel road where the hair on my body stood straight up.

I looked at my sister and said, "Something is very wrong with this place." As she continued driving up the hill, she asked me why I said that. I said, "Look at my arm! The hair is standing up. This place is wrong." She laughed and said the problem was with me, that she had escaped the city many times with her friend who owned the house where we would be staying, and it was totally peaceful and relaxing. I said, "No, there is some thing very wrong here. I feel like I'm being watched."

The gravel road hugged a hill on one side with a ravine on the other. There were no houses with the exception of the house my sister's friend owned. Talk about isolated!

We arrived at the house just as it was getting dark and with me still extremely uneasy. I grabbed both of our bags and walked up on the screened in front porch where I stopped dead in my tracks.

The front door to the house was standing open.

On the way up, my sister told me that it may be a little cool in the house because her friends had not been there for a month and the heat was turned down low. I started to bolt from the front porch just as my sister walked up and asked me what was wrong. I told her the front door was standing open and I still feel like we're being watched. Why don't we just go back into town and stay at the hotel for the night? She cackled laughing and said it was probably not pulled shut by the propane gas delivery which had a key to the house. She walked in ahead of me and sure enough, there was the bill for the propane on the kitchen counter.

After taking much kidding from my sister, we ate dinner and then went to the livingroom for drinks. I was so creeped out. I could not shake the being watched feeling, and from previous experiences, I know it's not human. When it was time to go to bed we went upstairs, where my sister said, "Why don't we sleep in the same room so we don't have two beds to make up in the morning? She has so many pillows on the bed .. it would be easier." Works for me! She got into bed, and I sat on the side of the bed. She said, "Aren't you going to get into bed?" I said, "Is it okay with you if we check the closets first?" I felt absolutely stupid saying that, but it had been a long time since I had been that disturbed by something like that, even though I knew there was nothing in the closets or under the beds. She cackled laughing at me the entire time I searched the closets and under the beds. Finally, I went to sleep.

We met the real estate agent the next morning and she signed the contract on the little hunting cabin. I told her there was no way I would ever spend one night on that hill by myself, which she replied that was exactly what she was anxious to do.

We left and drove on to Stroudsburg, Pa, to the candle shops, and then returned to the city late Sunday night.

I was teased the rest of the stay at my sister's.

Now, here is where it gets interesting.

Approx. 3 months later, my sister went back to her friend's house for the weekend. Having decided it was too cold to keep the wood burning stove in her hunting cabin running, her friend's place would be more relaxing.

She said she had planned to be back in the city Saturday night, but had gotten wrapped up in a book she brought to read, and started leaving right at dark Sunday night. She took her things to the car, and then went back into the house to make sure she had turned every thing off. Once she was sure it was all okay, she locked the door and walked toward the car. She said, "The first step off the porch and absolute terror consumed me. I felt like I was not only being watched, but that I was about to be attacked. I ran to the car, locked the door, and sped out of the driveway. I raced down the hill as fast as I possibly could and felt the whole time that whatever it was, it was chasing me. I did not feel safe until I got onto the paved road. Then when I got home, I had 5 calls from

Mom. I had not told her I was leaving town because I didn't want her to worry about me being alone, and I had planned on being gone just the night. The first two calls from her were normal. The third call scared the hell out of me. She said, Debbie, where are you?! I took a nap and had a terrible dream about you. You were some where in the country, a place on a hill that is totally isolated. Some thing was trying to kill you. It chased you in your car down a hill with a steep drop off on the other side. CALL Me! Her last call was total panic." I asked her if she had called Mom, which she said she had. I asked if she told Mom that her dream was exactly what had happened to you at the very time it was happening? She said, "Are you serious? Hell no, she would worry herself sick every time she knew I was going there. What WAS that thing you felt when we went there?" I said, "I wish I knew, I don't. I just know that there is something terribly wrong with that place."

Does anyone know of any paranormal activity in that area?

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Does anyone know of any paranormal activity in that area?

In a word, no. You write very well.

The first thing I would do would be to check and find out who all had own that property before as far back as I could and snoop around the local newspaper for anything known to have occurred up there. Maybe ask a local cop or two for some leads.

I recall a similar experience one night when I stopped by the stable my horse was at. I got there later than I'd wished and was used to but set about feeding him and watering him and making sure he was doing fine. I felt a little anxious when I got there, looked around, but no reason for it.

Problem is, the anxiety grew until I was spooking the horse and myself into a panic. I made sure Hunter was secure and I'd not forgotten any of his needs and then shot out of there to my car and sped like a maniac away, confused as heck because there was nothing there but I was in a panic and everything but my brain was convinced I was very close to dying from extreme violence. Once I left the countryside and went under the overpass back toward town the feeling vanished as fast as it had come. My horse was fine the next day and I never did have any answers. I wish someone had been there with me to have another view of what had happened or hadn't.

That was 30 years ago when that happened and it was so intense I remember it still as one of the most frightening times of my life, for no visible reason I ever explained for myself.

Point to all this being that you may not find anything and may feel ok there next time and doubt yourself. No reason to, though. You felt what you did. She felt what she did. All you can do is research and poke around and see if you find a cause or explanation.

The land area I had my experience at was empty except for the one barn. Swampy low ground where I drove to get back to town that has had it's share of bodies dumped back then according to rumor (which I found out afterwards). I felt chased and in imminent danger by someone after me, despite being alone in my car and knowing it was not realistic. Who knows? Maybe I was somehow susceptible or feeling alone/vulnerable enough to pick up on some negative energy out there that night. Maybe it was absolutely nothing at all and I had a one time ever panic attack for no reason at all. Maybe it was a murderous and malevolent monster from hell and I escaped with my life just barely :). Maybe aliens were out there and I missed the one abduction event planned for me by moments :). I was 17 then, and very freaked out. *shrugs* 30 years later, and I don't know, and figure I never will.

But, yeah, check into the history of the area and the house and the people who lived there before and their habits for potential clues. You have a more fixed location to research and that may help (I was fleeing about 30 miles across flat, empty swamp). But if nothing proves out, let it be ok. It does not invalidate what you two experienced emotionally. Leaving it open frees you for the day when you may well figure it out. Do keep us posted, because it sounds like a great tale in the making and who knows? Maybe your answer will shed some light on my own experience.

Welcome to UM!

NS

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Thank you, Nile.

I wish I could do what you have suggested, unfortunately, my sister passed away in 2002, and I live 1,000 miles away from Port Jervis. I only know her friend's first name and have no idea the name of the road the property is on.

I suppose it's one of those things that will remain a mystery.

Your experience sounds very similar to mine.

I've had paranormal experiences most of my life. I grew up across the street from Waverly Hills when it was a nursing home, and would go there with my sister to visit the old people. That was the first time that I can recall being watched. I was about 10 years old.

The house we lived in had at one time been owned by Waverly Hills and was used to house bodies. Talk about creepy experiences! Ah, the tales I could tell.

I have tried to find out any thing about paranormal activity and Port Jervis, but all I can find deals with paranormal meet-ups.

Edited by Martina
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I'm sorry, Martina, that she is gone.

I was doing a casual snoop for info about Port Jervis and found some interesting links to old events, late 1800's so far. I came back to share them with you.

1891, Gregory Murder Suspect In Port Jervis

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html...9679D94609ED7CF

1897, William Speidel, 21, Murdered on His Way To Be Married

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html...9679C94669ED7CF

1892, Lynching

Werthein, Stanley, A Stephen Crane Encyclopedia, Greenwood Publishing Group 1997, p 195

Feel free to explore other potentials with me and the many others here who enjoy a good snoop with purpose. This is a super forum, one of the best going. Can you, for example, locate it specifically on a map? Do you recall the address? It is in Orange County (I think I noticed while doing a quick search around)?

edit to add: ah, I see you said you don't know. If your sister owned it, we can trace property transfers and find the addresses if you do wish to run this further.

Good wishes,

NS

Edited by Nile_Shaman
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Thank you. I miss her so much.

And thank you for those links. I'll check them out in a bit.

I wish I had been the one driving because I would remember more about roads/names, etc.

I know we turned right off the gravel road onto the paved road and then on to Stroudsburg, Pa.

The gravel road was not far out of town, maybe 5 miles, or thereabout.

We were never on an interstate going to Stroudsburg.

I checked mapquest, and this is what I got.

http://www.mapquest.com/directions/main.ad...amp;2z=&r=f

I wish I could recall the name of the gravel road.

I do remember blue rocks everywhere, like slate.

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When my sister died, my Mom was her beneficiary and gave the property to my sister's friend, Charlene.

How would I go about checking the property transfer online? If there's a fee, I'm not that interested. LOL

ETA:

Charlene is the one that owned the house we stayed in.

Edited by Martina
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When my sister died, my Mom was her beneficiary and gave the property to my sister's friend, Charlene.

How would I go about checking the property transfer online? If there's a fee, I'm not that interested. LOL

ETA:

Charlene is the one that owned the house we stayed in.

The simplest thing to do would be to ask your Mom if she has a copy of the will. That would list the property bequeathed to her, which she then gave to Charlene. If there was a will, like it sounds, also the county you lived in should have a copy of the will filed at the Courthouse if you don't wish to check with your Mom. That may ential getting the address on line and calling them to find out how they do that and any fee. They may charge, for example, a couple bucks to make the copies and send them to you.

If your sister's place was next door, then we can obviously locate the address of Charlen's house and/or find her name out if she was given anything in the will and use that to get the address.

If you get any bits of data like that, you're welcome to let me know and I will poke around searching for stuff related to the road, or the name or whatever or we may prove to have members near enough to check local history for us about the area.

As for online, google for the county government where the will was probated or the county the house(s) are in and see if they have put public records online. If so, then poke there to see what you see starting with what you know - your sister's name.

Hope this helps.

NS

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That would be the easiest thing to do but Mom died last August.

My sister did not leave the property to Charlene. My Mother was my sister's sole beneficiary, and Mom is the one that gave the property to Charlene.

The only thing I can think of is asking my brother when he gets back in town. He was never at the property, but he may know Charlene's last name seeing he has met her more than I, before and after my sister passed away, and possibly has her phone number. I'm not sure he has her # because when he's gone to NYC, he would stop by the firm where Charlene and my sister worked. The Wall St firm closed in 2005. Either way, her last name or phone number, and I'll call to get the name of the road.

I have been searching Google Earth trying to find the gravel road with no luck yet.

I really do appreciate all your input.

Edited by Martina
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I've been to Port Jervis. It's on the NY/PA boarder. A very old town. Wouldn't be surprise if there activity somewhere there.

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:D Wow,What great stories you both told. Maybe Port Jervis has a historical society you can contact.

They might have some information on any murders etc. that acurred in and around the town.

I didnot have quite the experience that you two did,but something similar in a way maybe.

In the springtime,we would go out and take a bucket of water with us and look for wild flowers.

Well,ny late father and I were driving near Geronimo,Tx. We were out near the Friedens Church were the father or grandfather of WaterGate prosecutor Leon Jaworski had been pastor.

Across from the church was this old abandoned house with lots of wild flowers.So I got out of the car and started picking flowers.

Well, I got this weird feeling like there was some one or some thing there.I could see a window with no glass at the corner of the house and an old mattress sticking up. I had the strangest feeling that if I got closer and looked in the window,i would see this hideous corspe standing there.Really gave me the creeps,so I decided to go back to the car. never said anything to my dad.Not that I thought he'd think I was nuts,or anything I just didn't say anything.

It was a feeling I haven't had in a long time. Who knows what happened in the areas you both felt threaten in.

I may have posted this before, but my dad had such an experience similar to yours. It was when he was in Italy during WW2.He and several of the guys went to a local tourist attraction that was an old roman tower.People liked to go up on the top for the magnificant view of the country side.

While up on the top,my dad decided to go over to another side of the tower for another view. Well, as he was walking over there and getting near the area he wanted to see,he got a very strange feeling,like he wasn't alone. He felt as if there was someone or something there with him.

Maybe it was his Guardian Angel or maybe some ancestorial spirit, but he was given the warning that if he went over to this side,this thing,spirit ,demon or whatever it was would attempt to throw him over the tower and he'd die. My dad didn't panic, he just changed directions and walked calmly but as fast as he could to the stairs and went down to the ground where he waited for the others.

Later daddy said he asked around about the place, and was told by one of the locals that several people had died from falling from the tower, and were believed to be perhasp accidents or suicides. The area that the bodies were found was on the side of the tower where my dad had his strange encounter.

My dad felt like this spirit was the one that caused their deaths,and that if he hadn't listened to this inner voice and it's warning,he wouldn't be alive today.

His guardian is what helped him survive the war I'm sure,even though he was wounded and still cared scrapnell in his body.

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:D Wow,What great stories you both told.

Hey you don't tell a bad tale, either, HollyDolly! Thanks for the interesting read (and compliment)!

NS

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I don't live too far from Port Jervis, and sometimes do some shopping there. There are literally hundreds of gravel roads in the area, especially along rout 209.

If you can narrow it down some, I would be willing to take a look. I have a camera to take pics with.

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  • 2 weeks later...
 

Thank you, James, but I needed to find out the address, and I have!

It's not Port Jervis, it's Pond Eddy.

Are you familiar with that area? It's about 10 miles northwest of Port Jervis.

Edited by Martina
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Hi Martina.

I left you a message. I figured it would be better to take this out of the public domain.

Best,

James

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Hi Martina.

I left you a message. I figured it would be better to take this out of the public domain.

Best,

James

Certainly, to protect the address and such, but please do bring back any findings or photos, k? This is interesting.

*waves at Martina*

NS

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I have been born and raised in the Port Jervis area. I have spent many summers enjoying river trips through the Delaware Valley and used to spend time down at East Stroudsburg University. I am familiar with the geographical areas you have described in your posts. If there is anything that you may be interested in, that I may be able to do on a weekend and such...feel free to ask. I have never had a "paranormal experience" per se, but have always been intrigue by the stories. And this one being in my back yard, I would love help with anything I can. Good luck with everything if you haven't already found your answers. :tu:

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  • 1 month later...

I was born and raised in Port also...I have a paranormal group there now...Port does have a bunch of different places that have had some weird activity..We have done a few home homes in the town and at least 2 of them I can say were definitely haunted...The old D&H canal too has had lots of reports of activity there....

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  • 8 months later...

Martina, I live in Port Jervis, NY. Born and raised. So, if you have any questions, I can totally help you out. E-mail : Amanda_Smith89@hotmail.com

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Jesus Chirst. What are the odds of hearing a suburb I live near on a paranormal site? I never thought I would. My heart literally skipped when I saw Port Jervis as the topic :D. Its not really a friendly little town, but it has a lot of neat-looking buildings, too. I had no idea that there may be ghosts and such anywhere there, and I am shocked that its brought up on a public site XD. Weird...

Also, looking at the other posts, I am totally shocked to see how many people are mentioning towns (like east stroudsburg, matamoras) I've grown up with. This is too weird :blink:

Cool, Bronze :). Maybe you can poke around and let us know if you think they are valid or bogus. Nothing out here where I live to mess with :(.

NS

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  • 3 years later...

Hello all i am a local from port jervis New York lived here all of my life. I currently live on king street. I was searching Google for a last name that sounded familiar to me and came a crossed this post. I am curious to know the gravel road you speak of in pond eddy as my entire family lives here and has lived here all there lives as well. i have 2 aunts who live in the pond eddy area and a few friends ones name is cherryl who bought a piece of property and built a double wide mobile home on it. and it does go off the main highway onto a gravel road into a back wooded area. I have spent a few nights at her home and they just recently built a Olympic bike track for the next Olympics bike race with those heavy tires that are not normal bikes. There suppose to be using this to practice for the games. They needed a secluded area very private very out of the way to do this and i'm wondering if this is the place you speak of. its not to far from the eldred school and if you didn't know the turn you would diffenetly miss and end up in p.a. You can easily email me for more details of the area and as far as i know in the last 34 yrs anyways we have had only one murder that i can think of which unfortunetly involved my fiance's sister. but that was over 12 years ago. alot of fire's and floodings have claimed lives but nothing out of the norm. let me know if any of this helps.

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Hello all i am a local from port jervis New York lived here all of my life. I currently live on king street. I was searching Google for a last name that sounded familiar to me and came a crossed this post. I am curious to know the gravel road you speak of in pond eddy as my entire family lives here and has lived here all there lives as well. i have 2 aunts who live in the pond eddy area and a few friends ones name is cherryl who bought a piece of property and built a double wide mobile home on it. and it does go off the main highway onto a gravel road into a back wooded area. I have spent a few nights at her home and they just recently built a Olympic bike track for the next Olympics bike race with those heavy tires that are not normal bikes. There suppose to be using this to practice for the games. They needed a secluded area very private very out of the way to do this and i'm wondering if this is the place you speak of. its not to far from the eldred school and if you didn't know the turn you would diffenetly miss and end up in p.a. You can easily email me for more details of the area and as far as i know in the last 34 yrs anyways we have had only one murder that i can think of which unfortunetly involved my fiance's sister. but that was over 12 years ago. alot of fire's and floodings have claimed lives but nothing out of the norm. let me know if any of this helps.

Hi Firebolt. I am afraid that you stumbled upon an ancient thread. I think the last entry was in 2009. I believe that the OP is long gone. I just knew about your post since UM auto-emailed me that there was a post in this thread (gotta love automation!).

Anyhow, I don't think anything ever came of the original posts. I never got the chance to find out exactly where the place was, and never made the trip.

If you find out anything, please post it here, I would love to know.

James

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