Miami Ghost Chronicles Paranormal Cases 3
Stranahan House
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
2004-2006
Several investigations done of Stranahan House on different dates, in conjunction with ECHO (formerly PORTAL) and SEFGR.
The Stranahan House, built in 1906, for Pioneer Floridian Frank Stranahan, is one of Fort Lauderdale's most haunted houses. Located in downtown Fort Lauderdale on the New River, it has been the site most closely associated with both the founding of the City and its economic and social development. Frank Stranahan originally selected the site because it was where he operated his barge ferry across the river as part of the new road from Lantana to what is now North Miami. It served as a trading post, post office, bank and town hall.
Frank Stranahan was born in Vienna, Ohio August 21, 1864. In 1890, he relocated to South Florida for health reasons, settling first in Melbourne. Moving again in 1893, Stranahan relocated to Fort Lauderdale to assume management of the overland mail route from Lantana to Coconut Grove. Stranahan established the first post office in Fort Lauderdale, and the location also became a popular trading post and ferry service. By 1895, Stranahan’s Trading Post was a well-known South Florida landmark.
He married another pioneer, Ivy Julia Cromartie, the area's first school teacher, and it was not long before dances and community festivals were held on the upper floor of the house. In 1906, it became the Stranahan's personal residence and remained so until Ivy Stranahan's death in 1971.
Stranahan died in the city on June 23, 1929 but his life story had a sad end. Legend tells that he committed suicide after having sunk into financial ruin in 1927 when he lost most of his wealth and holdings in the aftermath of a devastating hurricane and then being further victimized by the arrival of the Great Depression.
Stranahan lost a battle with depression, compounded by the fact that it was not only his own money and assets that were lost, but also those of his family and friends who had entrusted their life savings to his financial management. He methodically strapped a large iron gate to his ankle and threw himself into the nearby Intercoastal Waterway. The weight of the gate assured that he would not be able to alter his course of action even if he had wanted to. But many say that Stranahan may have found his way back to the home he knew in life, returning as a ghost from the watery depths that claimed him. Locals say that Frank Stranahan is still in residence at the home he built with such loving care. Reports of strange apparitions and ghostly noises have come from several staff members. But its not just Frank Stranahan who remains an unseen resident at this historic haunted home.
As many as six family members have died in the house. The ghost of Ivy Cromartie Stranahan, who died in an upstairs bedroom in 1971, is reported to appear accompanied by the strong scent of an antique fragrance. The uneasy ghost of her father, Augustus Cromartie, who died in that same bedroom years before, is reported to make his presence known on occasion; other ghostly residents include Ivy’s brother and sister and the apparition of an Indian servant girl seen outside the rear of the building.
Reports of unearthly activities are made by employees, guests and visitors from time to time. Even vagrants who used to habitually sleep on the expansive exterior porch area (now fenced off) reportedly didn’t have to wait for employees or security guards to drive them away. Accounts from the squatters tell of encounters with an angry spirit who shows his displeasure by banging on the walls of the building preventing the vagrants from getting any rest. One homeless man reported being chased away from the home by an unseen but angry spirit that only broke off the pursuit once the vagrant had reached the property line. The third floor attic space is the site of much activity. Employees who sometimes have to go to the attic have reported the presence of a spirit in the area and sometimes the cold touch of a hand upon their back. Reports seem to support the contention that this is the ghost of Ivy Cromartie Stranahan attempting to assure that the employee does not fall from the attic. Apparently, the possibility of an employee being injured was one of Ivy’s great fears in this area.
In the bedroom where Ivy died, the beds are made and re-made. Every time the bed is straightened the housekeeping staff will inevitably return the next day to find an imprint as if someone had sat down and steadied themselves with a heavy hand on the bed. This occurs even though the bedroom is off limits most of the day, and the last staff members to be in the room work the evening shift.
Read more about this investigation here.
The Stranahan House, built in 1906, for Pioneer Floridian Frank Stranahan, is one of Fort Lauderdale's most haunted houses. Located in downtown Fort Lauderdale on the New River, it has been the site most closely associated with both the founding of the City and its economic and social development. Frank Stranahan originally selected the site because it was where he operated his barge ferry across the river as part of the new road from Lantana to what is now North Miami. It served as a trading post, post office, bank and town hall.
Frank Stranahan was born in Vienna, Ohio August 21, 1864. In 1890, he relocated to South Florida for health reasons, settling first in Melbourne. Moving again in 1893, Stranahan relocated to Fort Lauderdale to assume management of the overland mail route from Lantana to Coconut Grove. Stranahan established the first post office in Fort Lauderdale, and the location also became a popular trading post and ferry service. By 1895, Stranahan’s Trading Post was a well-known South Florida landmark.
He married another pioneer, Ivy Julia Cromartie, the area's first school teacher, and it was not long before dances and community festivals were held on the upper floor of the house. In 1906, it became the Stranahan's personal residence and remained so until Ivy Stranahan's death in 1971.
Stranahan died in the city on June 23, 1929 but his life story had a sad end. Legend tells that he committed suicide after having sunk into financial ruin in 1927 when he lost most of his wealth and holdings in the aftermath of a devastating hurricane and then being further victimized by the arrival of the Great Depression.
Stranahan lost a battle with depression, compounded by the fact that it was not only his own money and assets that were lost, but also those of his family and friends who had entrusted their life savings to his financial management. He methodically strapped a large iron gate to his ankle and threw himself into the nearby Intercoastal Waterway. The weight of the gate assured that he would not be able to alter his course of action even if he had wanted to. But many say that Stranahan may have found his way back to the home he knew in life, returning as a ghost from the watery depths that claimed him. Locals say that Frank Stranahan is still in residence at the home he built with such loving care. Reports of strange apparitions and ghostly noises have come from several staff members. But its not just Frank Stranahan who remains an unseen resident at this historic haunted home.
As many as six family members have died in the house. The ghost of Ivy Cromartie Stranahan, who died in an upstairs bedroom in 1971, is reported to appear accompanied by the strong scent of an antique fragrance. The uneasy ghost of her father, Augustus Cromartie, who died in that same bedroom years before, is reported to make his presence known on occasion; other ghostly residents include Ivy’s brother and sister and the apparition of an Indian servant girl seen outside the rear of the building.
Reports of unearthly activities are made by employees, guests and visitors from time to time. Even vagrants who used to habitually sleep on the expansive exterior porch area (now fenced off) reportedly didn’t have to wait for employees or security guards to drive them away. Accounts from the squatters tell of encounters with an angry spirit who shows his displeasure by banging on the walls of the building preventing the vagrants from getting any rest. One homeless man reported being chased away from the home by an unseen but angry spirit that only broke off the pursuit once the vagrant had reached the property line. The third floor attic space is the site of much activity. Employees who sometimes have to go to the attic have reported the presence of a spirit in the area and sometimes the cold touch of a hand upon their back. Reports seem to support the contention that this is the ghost of Ivy Cromartie Stranahan attempting to assure that the employee does not fall from the attic. Apparently, the possibility of an employee being injured was one of Ivy’s great fears in this area.
In the bedroom where Ivy died, the beds are made and re-made. Every time the bed is straightened the housekeeping staff will inevitably return the next day to find an imprint as if someone had sat down and steadied themselves with a heavy hand on the bed. This occurs even though the bedroom is off limits most of the day, and the last staff members to be in the room work the evening shift.
Read more about this investigation here.
John Denham Palmer House
(also known as the Oxley-Heard Funeral Home),
August 2006, Monticello, FL
Listed on The National Historic Register, this thirteen room 135 year old early Victorian Mansion was built by Scottish immigrant, John Denham, who dealt in cotton trading and shipping. The home's architectural design is typical of post Civil War southern estates. Listed as "Ten Places To Sleep with a Ghost" in USA Today, Oct. 31, 2003
I only stayed one night at this location and I woke up when I distinctly heard my name called by a man from the other side of the room. The reason I came so wide awake was that I was alone in the home, my traveling companion (female friend) was outside smoking, and otherwise the house was empty of other occupants.
The following are pictures of orbs taken at the John Denham House.
I only stayed one night at this location and I woke up when I distinctly heard my name called by a man from the other side of the room. The reason I came so wide awake was that I was alone in the home, my traveling companion (female friend) was outside smoking, and otherwise the house was empty of other occupants.
The following are pictures of orbs taken at the John Denham House.
Winchester Mystery House
San Jose California (March 2006)
The Winchester Mystery House was built by Sarah Winchester, the widow of William Winchester, who was the son of the man who founded the Winchester rifle empire. After the death of her daughter, and later her husband William, a psychic in Boston told Sarah that the spirits of all the people and animals of those who had been injured by the Winchester rifles would seek to avenge their deaths. The only way to appease the spirits, said the psychic, was to build them a house. As long as the house was being built, the spirits would not haunt Sarah.
In 1884 Sarah moved to California and purchased an eight room farmhouse in San Jose. Then she began to build. For 38 years, until Sarah's death in 1922, carpenters worked 24 hours a day, 365 days a year building the strange monument to the spirit world. At the time of Sarah's death there were 160 rooms (in various stages of completion) in the house. However, it is estimated that over 600 rooms were built and then torn down over the 38 years.
Every night, Sarah would go to her Seance Room to receive messages from the spirits telling her what she should build. The orders from the spirits resulted in many strange constructions, such as doors that open onto walls, stairs that go nowhere, a cupboard that has only 1/2 inch of storage space, and tiny doorways and hallways just big enough for Sarah (who was 4'10" and of slight build) to fit through. Some other interesting features of the house include its 10,000 windows (including some priceless Tiffany stained glass), 47 fireplaces, and a beautiful garden.
Mystical Symbols
Sarah had a fascination with the number thirteen. Many features in the house were built in sets of 13 or multiples of 13. For instance, in the 13th bathroom (the only one with a shower), there are 13 windows. One of the sinks has 13 drainage holes. There are 52 skylights, and the grand staircase has 13 steps. Thirteen palm trees line the driveway. As a final gesture, Sarah's will was divided into 13 parts and signed 13 times.
Two other numbers favored by Sarah were 7 and 11. There is one stairway in the house which has 7 steps down and then 11 steps up. Another, called the switchback staircase, turns 7 times and has 44 steps, but only goes up 9 feet! Some speculate that stairs were built so low because Sarah had arthritis; others think she had them built that way to confuse and/or slow down the spirits.
In the courtyard there is a hedge shaped like a crescent moon. Mysteriously, the hedge points to the bedroom where Sarah died.
The Bell Tower
At midnight every night, the bell in the bell tower was rung to summon the spirits. At 2 AM, it was rung again as a signal for the spirits to depart. The rest of the day the bell lay silent (although other sources say it was used to call servants during the day).
The tower was only approachable from the outside by climbing onto the roof of the mansion using a ladder. The bell was hung at the top of the tower, with a long rope hanging down a sheer, unclimbable wall. The rope was reached through underground tunnels, the precise layout of which was known only to the bell ringer and his assistant.
Conclusion
In 1906 Sarah was trapped in a bedroom by an earthquake. Because she slept in a different room every night, it took the servants over an hour to find her. She took the earthquake as an sign from the spirits that they were discontented with the way the construction was going. To appease the spirits, she had the front 30 rooms boarded up, and they were never used again during her lifetime. She also slept in the same bedroom (the one where she died) every night thereafter.
When Sarah died in 1922, the word spread throughout the house, and there are still spots visible where the workers stopped hammering the nails halfway in. After her death, all the furniture in the house was auctioned off. It took 8 weeks (6 truckloads a day) to remove it all. Later the mansion was restored and opened to the public.
Following are pictures of orbs captured while touring there
In 1884 Sarah moved to California and purchased an eight room farmhouse in San Jose. Then she began to build. For 38 years, until Sarah's death in 1922, carpenters worked 24 hours a day, 365 days a year building the strange monument to the spirit world. At the time of Sarah's death there were 160 rooms (in various stages of completion) in the house. However, it is estimated that over 600 rooms were built and then torn down over the 38 years.
Every night, Sarah would go to her Seance Room to receive messages from the spirits telling her what she should build. The orders from the spirits resulted in many strange constructions, such as doors that open onto walls, stairs that go nowhere, a cupboard that has only 1/2 inch of storage space, and tiny doorways and hallways just big enough for Sarah (who was 4'10" and of slight build) to fit through. Some other interesting features of the house include its 10,000 windows (including some priceless Tiffany stained glass), 47 fireplaces, and a beautiful garden.
Mystical Symbols
Sarah had a fascination with the number thirteen. Many features in the house were built in sets of 13 or multiples of 13. For instance, in the 13th bathroom (the only one with a shower), there are 13 windows. One of the sinks has 13 drainage holes. There are 52 skylights, and the grand staircase has 13 steps. Thirteen palm trees line the driveway. As a final gesture, Sarah's will was divided into 13 parts and signed 13 times.
Two other numbers favored by Sarah were 7 and 11. There is one stairway in the house which has 7 steps down and then 11 steps up. Another, called the switchback staircase, turns 7 times and has 44 steps, but only goes up 9 feet! Some speculate that stairs were built so low because Sarah had arthritis; others think she had them built that way to confuse and/or slow down the spirits.
In the courtyard there is a hedge shaped like a crescent moon. Mysteriously, the hedge points to the bedroom where Sarah died.
The Bell Tower
At midnight every night, the bell in the bell tower was rung to summon the spirits. At 2 AM, it was rung again as a signal for the spirits to depart. The rest of the day the bell lay silent (although other sources say it was used to call servants during the day).
The tower was only approachable from the outside by climbing onto the roof of the mansion using a ladder. The bell was hung at the top of the tower, with a long rope hanging down a sheer, unclimbable wall. The rope was reached through underground tunnels, the precise layout of which was known only to the bell ringer and his assistant.
Conclusion
In 1906 Sarah was trapped in a bedroom by an earthquake. Because she slept in a different room every night, it took the servants over an hour to find her. She took the earthquake as an sign from the spirits that they were discontented with the way the construction was going. To appease the spirits, she had the front 30 rooms boarded up, and they were never used again during her lifetime. She also slept in the same bedroom (the one where she died) every night thereafter.
When Sarah died in 1922, the word spread throughout the house, and there are still spots visible where the workers stopped hammering the nails halfway in. After her death, all the furniture in the house was auctioned off. It took 8 weeks (6 truckloads a day) to remove it all. Later the mansion was restored and opened to the public.
Following are pictures of orbs captured while touring there
Jenny Wade House
Gettysburg PA, May 2006
Mary Virginia Wade, or better known as Jennie Wade was the only civilian killed during the American Civil War Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania on July 3, 1863 while baking bread for Union soldiers in the now famous tourist destination, the Jennie Wade House. She was struck by a single bullet that traveled through two wooden doors killing her instantly. Jennie Wade was 20 years old. The house looks very much the same as it did over 140 years ago.
After Jennie Wade's death, she was buried in her sister's yard for about 6 months, then transferred to a cemetery adjoined to the German Reformed Church, until her third and final resting place in November 1865, in the Evergreen Cemetery.
Jennie Wade was the only civilian casualty of the battle of Gettysburg. Nor was the tragedy complete, for unbeknownst to Jennie, her fiance Corp. Skelly had been wounded and taken prisoner at Winchester on May 13. Transferred to Virginia, he died in a hospital on July 12. News that he had died in Confederate hands came several days after the Southern Army had withdrawn from Gettysburg.
It is said the ghost of Jennie Wade still haunts this house today. A strange blue light is said to have been seen in the basement where her body was taken. Many photos have been taken showing strange orbs or shapes of a woman, which now hang in the basement. A cold chill can be felt when you enter the basement. There have also been reports of the chain that divides the exhibit in the cellar from the public swinging (we witnessed this ourselves during the tour, even though it was very slight, but couldn't be accounted for).
There are also reports of hauntings in the upstairs of the house by children who lived at the National Homestead Orphanage At Gettysburg, which is further on Baltimore St. The orphanage itself would have a short, unhappy history. It closed just 12 years after it opened, crippled by two scandals. The matron of Homestead, Rosa Carmichael, was accused of abusing the children and even shackling some of them in a dungeon she had created in the basement. And Bourns, the man who had made the Humistons orphans famous and founded the orphanage, was accused of embezzling large sums of money from orphanage accounts.
After Jennie Wade's death, she was buried in her sister's yard for about 6 months, then transferred to a cemetery adjoined to the German Reformed Church, until her third and final resting place in November 1865, in the Evergreen Cemetery.
Jennie Wade was the only civilian casualty of the battle of Gettysburg. Nor was the tragedy complete, for unbeknownst to Jennie, her fiance Corp. Skelly had been wounded and taken prisoner at Winchester on May 13. Transferred to Virginia, he died in a hospital on July 12. News that he had died in Confederate hands came several days after the Southern Army had withdrawn from Gettysburg.
It is said the ghost of Jennie Wade still haunts this house today. A strange blue light is said to have been seen in the basement where her body was taken. Many photos have been taken showing strange orbs or shapes of a woman, which now hang in the basement. A cold chill can be felt when you enter the basement. There have also been reports of the chain that divides the exhibit in the cellar from the public swinging (we witnessed this ourselves during the tour, even though it was very slight, but couldn't be accounted for).
There are also reports of hauntings in the upstairs of the house by children who lived at the National Homestead Orphanage At Gettysburg, which is further on Baltimore St. The orphanage itself would have a short, unhappy history. It closed just 12 years after it opened, crippled by two scandals. The matron of Homestead, Rosa Carmichael, was accused of abusing the children and even shackling some of them in a dungeon she had created in the basement. And Bourns, the man who had made the Humistons orphans famous and founded the orphanage, was accused of embezzling large sums of money from orphanage accounts.
