Miami Ghost Chronicles Paranormal Cases 1
Thompson House
(Newport, KY. August 2014)
The Thompson house was built in 1814 on a bluff overlooking the Ohio River by Senator Richard Southgate. Over the years it hosted many guests including Abraham Lincoln before he became President, and later generations of the family stayed in the home, building on the original 2 bedroom cabin which was first built on the site. In 1920, descendant John Thompson invented the Thompson machine gun or “Tommy Gun” which became one of the favored weapons of prohibition era gangsters.
By 1888, Southgate House as it was known then was sold to the Maddux family, and in 1914 it became the property and meeting place for the Knights of Columbus. In 1948 it was rebuilt due to a fire.
Eventually it changed hands and names, and it is now a venue for rock music groups and is known as the Thompson House.
Marlene and Henry with Miami Ghost Chronicles visited the home with Wanda Kay, during the middle of the day, and either due to the time of day or the fact that a photo shoot was taking place over the 4 floors of the home, and lots of people were running around it was difficult to document any type of paranormal occurrences whether firsthand or on any photographs (EVPs were totally out of the questions because of the noise and persons talking in the background).
Some of the ghosts that supposedly haunt this home is Elizabeth who during the 1850s hung herself after thinking her husband had been killed in a steamboat accident (it turned out later he hadn’t even been on the boat that day), which could account for the reason she haunts the widow’s walk of the home. Another female entity is thought to be Francis Parker who once owned the home. Manifestations include opening and closing of the front door by unseen hands, moving a Christmas tree, and the sound of a piano being played when no one is there. (Close to this piano, and an adjacent locked room was the only place that energy was felt as well as a cold spot). Other apparitions are a small boy, and a Civil War confederate soldier. Wanda Kay also reported that the home served as a stop over for the Underground Railroad and that runaway slaves were hidden in the basement as they made their way towards freedom.
By 1888, Southgate House as it was known then was sold to the Maddux family, and in 1914 it became the property and meeting place for the Knights of Columbus. In 1948 it was rebuilt due to a fire.
Eventually it changed hands and names, and it is now a venue for rock music groups and is known as the Thompson House.
Marlene and Henry with Miami Ghost Chronicles visited the home with Wanda Kay, during the middle of the day, and either due to the time of day or the fact that a photo shoot was taking place over the 4 floors of the home, and lots of people were running around it was difficult to document any type of paranormal occurrences whether firsthand or on any photographs (EVPs were totally out of the questions because of the noise and persons talking in the background).
Some of the ghosts that supposedly haunt this home is Elizabeth who during the 1850s hung herself after thinking her husband had been killed in a steamboat accident (it turned out later he hadn’t even been on the boat that day), which could account for the reason she haunts the widow’s walk of the home. Another female entity is thought to be Francis Parker who once owned the home. Manifestations include opening and closing of the front door by unseen hands, moving a Christmas tree, and the sound of a piano being played when no one is there. (Close to this piano, and an adjacent locked room was the only place that energy was felt as well as a cold spot). Other apparitions are a small boy, and a Civil War confederate soldier. Wanda Kay also reported that the home served as a stop over for the Underground Railroad and that runaway slaves were hidden in the basement as they made their way towards freedom.
Arch Creek Park,
North Miami, FL September 2003
In September 2003, Miami Ghost Chronicles was invited to participate in a new ghost tour hosted by Eric King, which would be held at a little park tucked away in North Miami by the name of Arch Creek Park. The park is named after an early settlement in this area named Arch Creek. Surrounded as it was then (2003), and now by modern buildings, it’s hard to imagine that this area of ground was crossroads for many travelers long before the birth of Christ. The Tequesta Indians, one of South Florida’s ancient indigenous people, lived in this area, arrowheads, other artifacts, and a midden was found nearby; later the Seminoles, and then early pioneers of the city that later became Miami.
Remnants of a Coontie mill built in the 1850s can still be seen cut into the limestone along the creek. During the Seminole Wars a Military Trail between Fort Lauderdale and Fort Dallas on the Miami River, included crossing a natural, 40 foot limestone bridge. Underneath it runs a creek that flows from the Everglades to Biscayne Bay. As early as 1895 Henry Flagler brought visitors and settlers from the Eastern United States, and the bridge was a meeting place for local residents. By 1903 a train depot had been built nearby in order to ship out the pineapples and tomatoes planted by early settlers. A present day replica of the limestone bridge is found at the park; the original one mysteriously collapsed one day after the park was founded in 1973.
Ghost stories retold based on the experiences of visitors to the park and the employees are campers disappearing from the grounds, eerie footsteps heard in the thicket, as well as the bungalow which serves as the park office and nature museum. Faces have been seen at the window, murmuring voices thought to be those of the Tequesta are heard in the night, and undoubtedly who ever walks the shadowy trails is not alone.
Remnants of a Coontie mill built in the 1850s can still be seen cut into the limestone along the creek. During the Seminole Wars a Military Trail between Fort Lauderdale and Fort Dallas on the Miami River, included crossing a natural, 40 foot limestone bridge. Underneath it runs a creek that flows from the Everglades to Biscayne Bay. As early as 1895 Henry Flagler brought visitors and settlers from the Eastern United States, and the bridge was a meeting place for local residents. By 1903 a train depot had been built nearby in order to ship out the pineapples and tomatoes planted by early settlers. A present day replica of the limestone bridge is found at the park; the original one mysteriously collapsed one day after the park was founded in 1973.
Ghost stories retold based on the experiences of visitors to the park and the employees are campers disappearing from the grounds, eerie footsteps heard in the thicket, as well as the bungalow which serves as the park office and nature museum. Faces have been seen at the window, murmuring voices thought to be those of the Tequesta are heard in the night, and undoubtedly who ever walks the shadowy trails is not alone.
Kenilworth Lodge, Sebring FL
(July 2014), attending the PIA Conference
Kenilworth Lodge was built in 1916 by the founder of the city, George Sebring, in a Mediterranean Revival style. Throughout the years several stories have been reported by guests, they describe hearing voices to loud stomping outside their room, and when they approach hotel personnel about this they are told no one else was staying on the same floor. Other have claimed they have felt their mattress sink in as an invisible person gets in bed with them or seeing a shadow standing at the foot of the bed as well as feelings of being watched and experiencing uneasiness while using the staircase. Room 213 is supposed to be haunted by a young woman who committed suicide in the room by shooting herself in the head. Several years later, another woman used the same room, and committed suicide in the same fashion. The ghost of George Parker, a former manager who died in the hotel in the 1950s, has been seen on multiple occasions. Another area that is reportedly haunted is the basement.
Miami Ghost Chronicles attended the 3 day conference held by PIA, in which several other paranormal groups from Florida including the FL chapter of MUFON attended. There were several workshops held that covered interesting topics associated with the paranormal, as well as plenty of time to network and meet other who work in this field.
Miami Ghost Chronicles attended the 3 day conference held by PIA, in which several other paranormal groups from Florida including the FL chapter of MUFON attended. There were several workshops held that covered interesting topics associated with the paranormal, as well as plenty of time to network and meet other who work in this field.
