Haunted NASA Launch Site

On the morning of January 27, 1967, three astronauts, Gus Grisson, Ed White, and Roger Chaffee, were sitting in the Apollo 1 capsule for a pre-launch flight test at Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Gus Grisson, right, Ed White center, Roger Chaffee left.
Science Society Picture Library via Getty Images

A faulty wire caught fire under Command Pilot’s Grisson’s seat. This fire, because of the “pure oxygen” in the cabin spread quickly. The crew was trapped and could not escape—killing all three men. It was just two weeks before they were scheduled to blast off.

This tragic accident led NASA to make significant design changes, which made Apollo spacecraft’s safer for future journeys to the moon.

Launch Complex-34 abandoned.

Launch Complex-34, near the Atlantic Ocean, where this accident happened was shut down a year after this accident in 1968.

All that remains at this site today, 52 years later, is a concrete launch platform and rusted steel—a grim reminder of this ill-fated day. 

But some believe that something else remains at this site--the spirits of these three astronauts.

NASA refuses to officially acknowledge this haunting but soon after this site was closed down they no longer allowed their tour buses to drive past this launch pad.

They also no longer allow people to visit Complex-34 because of what they state are “unusual occurrences.” There is one exception to this rule—they have let paranormal teams in to investigate the area.

The cause for all this secrecy is because visitors and space coast workers state the area is haunted.

Plaque to honor the three
lost astronauts.

Two plaques and three granite benches were placed at the launch site as a memorial to these fallen astronauts. It is here where people have heard agonizing screams.

A former security guard claims every time he patrolled the area at night, he would get an eerie feeling. He never mentioned this to his bosses feeling they would think he was crazy.

But countless others have also reported feelings of sadness, dread, and even fear overtook them while visiting Complex-34.

There are reports that witnesses have seen “floating apparitions” near the launch pad.

More specifics about this and paranormal team findings can be found in the book by Joanne Austin entitled, Weird Haunting: True Tales of Ghostly Places.

A Glimpse of Lace Trim

Lace made at Broadlands

In 1827, Nunn's Lace Factory * was opened on the Isle of Wight. The factory was placed in Staples, Newport, a remote location, to keep its machinery that made fine French Blonde lace from prying eyes.

Pink silk lace dress
Queen Victoria wore

This factory located in what is Broadlands House today was one of the largest employers on the Island. The factory made a profit for some years. Queen Victoria and other ladies of the court were among its customers.

The lace it produced was as fine as a spider web and expensive but when tastes in fashion changed the factory lost business. By 1870, William Henry Nunn retired and having no son to leave the factory to, the business closed.

This left 200 men, women, boys and girls without a means of support.

In 1880 the old factory was used by a charitable establishment for 40 “poor spinsters and widow ladies who had fallen on hard times.” This charity also trained young working class girls as servants to be placed in positions around Newport.

Tragically one of these girls was killed at Broadlands in a fire in January of 1904. Alice Barton was 14 years old when she was left alone in the matron’s sitting room. She stood on a fender near the fireplace to reach some papers when an ember from the fire dropped on her dress.

The fabric on her dress quickly ignited. Alice suffered severe burns and she died.

The charity closed in the 1930s and in 1949 Broadlands was bought by England’s Ministry of Labour.

Broadlands House today.

Ghosts do not always appear at opportune times. Linzi Mathews would agree with this statement. In 1982, Linzi worked for the Department of Health and Social Security at Broadlands House.

One afternoon as she sat on the toilet in the first floor ladies room she saw a foot appear at the bottom of the door. But the door that enclosed her stall went all the way to the floor. It was if someone was walking right through it.

The small foot was wearing an old-fashioned shoe, pointed, grey in color and decorated with buttons. Above the shoe she could see a lace-trimmed petticoat.

She sat frozen too scared to open the door and see what was on the other side. Seconds later, she watched as the shoe vanished. Gathering her wits she opened the door but no one else was in the room despite the fact she still felt a presence.

When Linzi mentioned this encounter to her coworkers she was told that the Broadlands ghost had been seen, heard and even smelled over the years.

A strong odor of toast often accompanied appearances by this ghost. Staff members told her they often heard footsteps in the upper empty rooms late in the afternoon.

Knocking sounds and furniture being moved about was also heard on the top landing of the Broadlands House.

So who was the ghost that Linzi saw? Some feel it was Alice Barton who died in the fire, or maybe it was another distressed young women fallen on hard times that stayed at the house.

Linzi still wonders if the lace trim she saw was made at Broadlands when it was the 1800s Isle of Wight lace factory.

Traverse warp

* J. Brown and George Freeman invented the lace making machinery—known as a traverse warp, they agreed to take a banker’s son—W. H. Nunn on as a partner with his father’s support who was a Nottingham banker.

Haunted Hannah House

“The House that reeks of death . . .”

Hannah House

This old house is located on the southern part of Madison Avenue in Indianapolis, Indiana. Witnesses state the home’s history has left it haunted.

Alexander Hannah built this grand 24-room house in 1858.

Hannah was born a Quaker and the son of the president of the Indiana Central Railroad first trained as a harness maker. He left this business to seek his fortune as a prospector in the Californian gold fields. He earned enough money to become part owner of a ranch.

He returned to Indianapolis in 1850. He worked for his father, Samuel Hannah and bought 240 acres south of the city where he began construction on his dream home at the age of 37.

The Hannah House is a 2-story redbrick structure designed in the fashionable Italianate style with Greek revival influences.

Hannah became a progressive farmer who used all the latest scientific techniques. His community involvement included: being a sheriff, postmaster, and a member of the Indiana General Assembly.

In 1872, Hannah a confirmed bachelor for many years married Elizabeth Jackson. 

Upstairs bedroom.

Alexander and Elizabeth sadly were unable to have children. At one point Elizabeth miscarried. This baby is buried near the couple at their family plot. One legend states this stillborn baby haunts an upstairs room in the Hannah House where she was born.

Despite this tragedy the Hannah’s often entertained and kept busy with public events. He and his wife are believed to haunt their home.

One legend states Alexander Hannah’s most passionate activity was one he had to keep secret. He used Hannah house and its surrounding acreage as a stop on the Underground Railroad before the Civil War.

Records of this activity were obviously not kept but in more recent years partially collapsed tunnels have been discovered on the Hannah property—these could have been used to help escaping southern slaves made their way to Canada.

One story passed down through the family involved a rainy evening when a group of slaves were hidden in the home’s cellar. One of these slaves accidentally tripped over an oil land and set the room ablaze.

These slaves, unable to flee succumbed to the smoke and flames. Hannah’s servants buried their bodies in the dirt of the cellar floor so it would not be discovered the house was used as a “stop.”

Cellar's dirt floor.

Years later, many witnesses reported smelling burning flesh and decomposing bodies in the Hannah House.

Hannah Family marker.

Alexander Hannah died in 1895, and after Elizabeth died in 1888, the house lay empty for 4 years. A German immigrant, Roman Oehler, a jeweler, purchased the home along with 21 acres in 1899. His daughter’s family--named Elder-- lived in the house until 1962. The home still is owned by this family today.

During their time in the house, Mr. Elder heard a shelf containing canned fruit jars in the cellar crash down--till this day he cannot explain what caused the rack to fall.

For the next thirty years, the property lay mostly unused. A family by the name O’Brien rented the property in 1972 and ran an antique business for 10 years. They lived in the house upstairs for one year--but were then driven out by the activity--even though they kept the store open.

This family claimed to have experienced a variety of paranormal activity. They reported feeling cold spots and seeing fleeting apparitions.

They smelled foul smells including rotting corpses--in the bedroom upstairs where the Hannah baby was born. Despite attempts to clean this room the smell always returned.

The witnesses saw doors, and wall hangings move on their own. They saw a spoon fly off a coffee tray and hit the wall. These witnesses also stated they heard disembodied voices—which included whispering.

In 1978, the Hannah House was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

In 1980, the Southport Jaycees used the old house as a Haunted House for several years. Members of this group were often stumped by the fact that one chandelier downstairs would sway without any explainable reason. 

Several members stated that one afternoon before the Haunted attraction opened their sound system with their spooky music turned on, and then they heard footsteps enter the house, but no one was there.

One woman who drives into Indianapolis on her way to work passes the Hannah House--she states that she often sees an old man in period clothing standing on the lawn by the house waving at her.

Today Hannah House can be rented for special events--this is to raise funds to preserve it.

Paranormal groups and psychics that have investigated the home state having similar experiences to those listed above as well as hearing unexplained scratching sounds.

The Magpie Mine

This mine is known for being both cursed and haunted.

Magpie Mine

The Magpie mine is located in the Peak District of Derbyshire. It is just south of the village of Sheldon.

The mine is shut down today, but many visitors come to see it on the weekends. It is a well-preserved example of the lead mining industry history in the district.

The Magpie was mined for 300 years. Trouble came to the district in the 1820s and 30s when a dispute occurred over one vein of lead.

Miners from the nearby mines, Maypitt, and Red Soil would periodically break through on each other’s workings. When this happened, one side would light a fire underground to smoke the others out.

Tragically, in 1833, a fire lit by the Magpie miners caused 3 Red Soil miners to die.

These Magpie miners were then tried and acquitted of the charge of murder because of “lack of intent” and “conflicting evidence.”

It is said the three widows of the Red Soil miners bitter about this verdict placed a curse on the Magpie mine.

Many felt this curse took hold for after this trial for murder, floods, and fire plagued the Magpie. In 1880, the Magpie Mining Company even changed its name in an attempt to rid the mine of this curse.

Magpie Mine on limestone uplands.

In 1835, the mine plagued by floods and people’s belief in this curse was closed down. It reopened in 1839 and continued to produce lead until its final closing in 1954.

A side story to the curse is the fact that after the three Red Soil miners lost their lives the Magpie gained a reputation as being haunted—supposedly by these three unfortunate men.

One well-documented encounter with this activity occurred in 1946.

A survey team working in the Magpie spotted a man holding a candle further down the shaft. This figure vanished as they watched it.

Later this team took a photograph that shows a ghostly figure standing on top of a deep pool of water.

Past Life Experience: The Fire

This is a classic story of a Past Life Experience.

Victoria was born in London in 1946 just after WWll ended. Growing up she often heard stories about the war.

Shortly before her 10^th birthday Victoria’s started to have an unusual nightmare.

In each dream she saw herself running through a burning house. Most disturbing she could hear a baby crying. In her dreams she always tried to reach this baby but she never could get to it in time.

For over 20 years Victoria had this same dream.

After she married and her first child was born this dream intensified. Concern for her mental state drove Victoria to see a psychologist.

This man told her this dream represented a deep-seated fear she had of losing a child—but he did not address the fact she had experienced the dream for many years.

Victoria then did research on where she grew up and quizzed her family and friends but there was no incident in her childhood involving a fire.

For several years after her second child was born the dream ceased but when both her children went off to school it returned.

Desperate now, a friend suggested Victoria go to a licensed hypnotherapist that specialized in past regressions. After several sessions Victoria was able to piece together a story that made sense.

Four years before she was born in 1942 she was a woman by the name of Ellen who lived in a townhouse in London with her husband and grandson.

One night a German bomb hit near her home, which then caught their house on fire. This fire spread quickly and Ellen although she tried several times was unable to go upstairs to get her grandbaby.

Ellen passed away a year later—never having recovered from the loss of the infant.

Victoria eventually was able to find the graveyard where Ellen and her grandson were buried. She often visits and leaves flowers. She no longer has the dream.

The Witch of Yazoo

Updated book

This story was first made widely popular when Willie Morris * mentioned it in his book Good Old Boy published in 1971. 

Residents of Yazoo, Mississippi have passed it down for several generations.

According to the legend in the late 1800s an “old ugly witch” who lived along the Yazoo River was caught torturing fishermen, she lured in off the river.

In this tale, a young boy by the name of Joe Bob Duggett in the fall of 1884, while passing by the witches’ house heard loud screams. He peered through one window and to his horror, he saw two dead fishermen on the floor as the witch danced around them chanting.

He then alerted the sheriff and when the two arrived at the house they found no one home but they discovered two skeletons hanging from the rafters.

Hearing the witch outside they chased her into the swamp. By the time they caught up to her, she had fallen into quicksand. It was too late to rescue her.

As she sank deeper into the sand with her last breath, she cursed, “I shall return from my grave in twenty years and burn down the town.” Then she disappeared beneath the muck.

Glenwood Cemetery

When she was buried in Glenwood Cemetery heavy chains were placed atop her grave to ensure she stayed buried.

As the years passed, few remembered her threat—that is until the morning of May 25, 1904. What began, as a small fire soon became a raging inferno driven by what some described as fierce winds:

“The flames were said by witnesses to have leaped through the air, as if driven by some supernatural force.”

This fire destroyed 200 homes, and every business in Yazoo City. In all 324 building were damaged.

Old Main Street Yazoo City

It was said the fire started innocently enough in one young woman’s—a Miss Wise’s-- kitchen as she prepared food for her wedding later that day.

But since the force of the winds were such a strange occurrence for the area many believed it was the witches curse that spread the fire so quickly.

The Witches Grave with large chains.

It was exactly twenty years since she had cursed the town. A group of citizens headed for the cemetery and found that several of the large chains surrounding her grave were broken.

Today the locals still like to retell this story. Children in the town affectionately call the witch—The Chain Lady.

No one knows the witches real name, the original stone that marked her grave is long gone with only had the letters "TW" engraved on it—The Witch.

The heavy chains still surround what is known today as The Witches Grave.

The newer headstone that replaced the old one mysteriously cracked in half shortly after being placed on the grave. Even more mysterious is the heavy chains near the witches' grave have to be regularly repaired. It is stated because they fall apart shortly after they are fixed.

After publishing this post a reader, Joshua Ray Lancaster contacted me and shared a photo he took at the Yazoo grave in 2006. It appears to have a ghostly figure hovering near the witches grave. Here is his picture.

Click to enlarge.

* Willie Morris grew up in Yazoo City and when he died in 1999, he was buried close by The Witches Grave.