THURSDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2008
Leesburg Hauntings Oct 24 - Oct 25 2008
Yes, this was our 5th year as volunteers for the Leesburg Hauntings which supports the
Loudoun Museum. Luckily the weather held out, although it looked like the monsoon might
make it a wash-out on Saturday night.
Both nights were moonless and I wondered if we would
have any ghostly encounters since the likelihood of paranormal happenings are greater during a
full moon (or just before or following).
My husband H was the guide and I was the sweep. We took a couple of groups to 7 real haunted sites, 5 of which we were allowed entrance while on-site interpreters, dressed in old-fashioned attire, gave the history and told the ghostly tales. I
was hoping for some personal experiences and was NOT disappointed.
Nothing unusual happened on our tour on Friday night, BUT, we heard that at the Lynch House, which has Eliza,
"the lady in white", doors were slamming and the on-site interpreters heard footsteps. Eliza
was a woman who went through a 13 year court battle during the civil war, in order to stay in her
home. She loved her home so much that she does not want to leave.
On Saturday, at our first stop, Hamilton House, I felt someone nudge me. I turned around and asked my husband if he
had pushed me. He said "no" and there was no one else that we could see anyway nearby.
At the Patterson House, the site interpreters had 2 incidents occur. David had spoken about the
cooling boards found in the basement with embalming paraphernalia. He had pointed out the
water marks on one of the boards to a group a couple of tours before us. After that tour, all 3
on-site personnel stepped outside the house.
When they went back in for the next tour group, David noticed that the cooling board had been turned around. Yet no one in the group had done it. How was it possible ? Also at this same site, an interpreter had been sitting on the
staircase. She heard a rattling noise and noticed that the attic door was moving as if someone
wanted to escape. She got spooked and ran out of the house. She refused to stay in the house
alone after this encounter.
The last strange thing to occur happened on our tour when we got to
the stone house. Peter had started telling some of the true tales when a woman whirled around
with big eyes, saying "I've got to get out of here". She ran out the nearest door quite visibly
upset. I followed her out the door. She had tears in her eyes and told me that she felt a mist
envelope her and her face and chin were horribly cold. She told me that she was a nurse and
that I probably thought she was crazy. I reassured her and told her that she is probably
sensitive to ghosts. I had no idea of who the ghost may have been but it warranted further
scrutiny.
We would love the opportunity to investigate.