H.R.P.R.G.
Haunted Hampton Roads
Rosewell Ruins- Many stories have been told about this site including reports of a lady who walks down the front steps and what seems to be the sounds of slaves around the grounds. One group of late night visitors reported being chased away by a ghostly man. The house was once one of the the grandest mansions in Virginia until it burned down in 1916. Please respect this historic site and only visit when it's open!
Fort Monroe- Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis have both reportedly been sighted here. I really don't know why that would be since neither of them died there. The same can be said for Edgar Allan Poe who has supposedly been seen in a house. Perhaps people just associate all of the well known people that have spent time at the historic Fort with apparitions they encounter. A couple of non-famous ghost stories from there include a former employee who now haunts the bowling alley on base and a woman who is seen walking behind a row of houses inside the old Fort. She was said to be the wife of an officer who wasn't the most kind man. While her husband was away she began to spend time with another man. Of course the husband returned unexpectedly one night to find the two together and in a fit of rage he killed his wife. H.R.P.R.G. has investigated some of the old casemates at Fort Monroe and did obtain several EVP's of a woman's voice. These casemates were just yards away from the alley where the murdered wife is suppose to be seen. Could this be her who makes contact with us? We have also spoken with two families who live inside the old Fort. Both told us of hearing footsteps in their homes as well as traveling cold spots and feelings of being watched. One family has had experiences with their childrens battery operated toys turning on by themselves that continued after they removed the batteries completely. There is little doubt that the Fort is haunted.
The Chamberlain Hotel- The old building has it's own share of ghost stories. Many people reported seeing a ghost of a young woman who wandered on the 8th floor. The story goes that the apparition was so common that people wouldn't stay up there and they eventually began using the floor as a storage area. We cannot confirm nor deny that information. The hotel has been closed since September of 2001 and is currently being renovated into upscale retirement apartments. We'll have to see what happens when the new residents move to the 8th floor.
Ambler Mansion Ruins- Suppose to be haunted by the sad Spirit of Lydia Ambler.
Boxwood Inn- The orginal owner Nannie Curtis is said to haunt her former home. On a side note, a portion of this house use to serve as the town general store and post office and the current owners have maintained the store as it was back then.
Endview Plantation- We received reports a few years ago from civil war reenactors who would spend weekends in the cabins near the house of ghostly happenings in the cabins. Doors open and close on their own, cold spots appear even in the summer, many of them felt a presence when they were alone and heard disembodied voices.
Hampton Blvd- There have been many sightings of a man standing on the side of the road against a light pole. He is wearing a light blue colored suit that looks to be from the 1960's or the 1970's. His face is pale white and completely expressionless. When people have gone to stop to see if he needs help he has disappeared.
Norfolk City Jail- This is a more recent story. Employees on the night shift have claimed to see a man walking around at night when inmates are locked in their cells. They beleive it is a man who died of natural causes while in jail.
Virginia Wesleyan College- The story is that the women's residence hall (I have no idea which hall as there is probably more than one) is haunted by a girl who supposedly died in the bathroom. She is said to sit in a chair and follow anyone who comes in late at night.
Craney Island- For many years people have reported seeing civil war era soldiers and hearing the sounds of phantom horses.
Olde Towne- There are several houses that are reportedly haunted in this historic area including the Maupin House on Court Street. Witnesses have identified the ghost from a photograph as a woman named Edmonia who lived in the house. Edmonia is seen descending the circular staircase. Edmonia is also blamed for setting off an alarm one night when no one was home that summoned the fire department to the home. They thoroughly checked the house and found no fire
Former owners of the Gaffos House reported that they would hear their front door open and close, someone would walk up the stairs, then the attic door would open and close. Awhile later it would happen in reverse. The attic door opened and closed, someone walked down the stairs and the front door opened and closed.
In a house on Crawford Street residents have reported sightings of children in old fashioned clothing as well as a ghostly Colonial dinner party. They also have a phantom smell of someone smoking a pipe in the house.
North Street has a home where residents tell of hearing footsteps throughout the house at all hours of the night as well as the feeling of not being alone.
The Grice-Neely House was supposedly haunted by a man who is seen "searching" for something. It is beleived that his name is Issiah, a man who lived in the house and drowned in the Elizabeth River. Tenant's say he has not been seen for several years.
All of the houses mentioned above are private residences and they do not wish to have them investigated.
Glencoe Inn- They believe they have a ghost who is seen in their garden. She is supposedly a former owner who spent much of her time tending the garden.
Portsmouth Naval Hospital- The old building has been the site of many ghostly encounters including sounds of a baby crying and an apparition of civil war ghost whose leg was amputated there. Last I heard the building was being renovated.
Trinity Episcopal Chruch- A Portsmouth Police officer told of chasing a dark shape that he saw enter the very old cemetery at this Church only to find no one on the grounds. An employee of a nearby business saw a "man" with a very pale face who was wearing a civil war era uniform go into the cemetery and disappear.H.R.P.R.G. has captured anomalous photographs at the site.
Suffolk Visitor's Center/Prentis House-Employees there have had a variety of experiences including hearing the sounds of someone walking on the top floor when no one is up there, a remote control being tossed across a room and the tv volume turned down, finding the front door locked during business hours, an apparition of a man sitting in a chair on the second floor and a dog growling at something unseen. H.R.P.R.G. has investigated this building twice ans we obtained several EVP's as well as having some personal experiences and found unexplained EMF fluctuations.
Great Valley Rd.- There were stories about visitors hearing chains rattling and experiencing an overwhelming saddness on this road years ago. We have been there mnay times and while we never had any of these experiences we have obtained numerous EVP's and anomalous photographs from this site.
Cornwallis Cave- For many years local residents have said they have heard the sound of voices and screams coming from inside the cave. H.R.P.R.G. recorded one EVP at this location. It sounds to be a "chant" though we cannot make out specific words. This was recorded in 1998 and no evidence has been obtained from the site since then.
Grace Episcopal Church- There are a couple of stories about the Church which has been standing since 1697. The first involves a ghostly Colonial era funeral seen talking place in the cemetery. The first report dates back to the 19th century. The second story is of a woman who is seen inside the Church holding a lifeless baby and crying before the altar. She disappears before anyone can approach her. H.R.P.R.G. has obtained several EVP's from the cemetery surrounding the Church. On one trip in particular there appeared to be no one inside the Chruch as the lights were off and there were no cars nearby when suddenly we began to hear music coming from within the church. It played for awhile then faded away. Certainly it is possible that this came from a radio or some other device that can be set to turn on by itself.
Moore House- A ghostly woman in white has been seen on the property here. She is said to be the wife of a man who was injured while observing a revolutionary war battle from the nearby bluff. He was taken inside the house where he died before a doctor could get there. She is supposedly still watching for the doctor to arrive.
Peyton Randolph House- Strange happenings have been reported in this house for years.
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