Star Of India

The world’s oldest active iron-hull sailing ship, the Star of India was built in 1863 in the Isle of Man. Ghosts of several unfortunate sailors and passengers still haunt the decks and cabins.In 1884 a young stowaway still in his teens by the name of John Campbell was discovered and put to work. One day soon after, Campbell lost his footing high in the rigging and fell 100 feet to the deck, crushing both legs. He survived three more days before he died and was buried at sea. Visitors sometimes report feeling a cold hand touching them when near the mast where Campbell fell.A cold spot is often felt near the chain locker located toward the bow of the ship. The heavy anchor chain goes below the deck into a dark storage area. A Chinese crewman was in the locker at one time when he shouldn’t have been. Preparing to start a sea voyage requires several sailors pushing on wooden bars set into a capstan to raise the anchor and stow the anchor chain. No one knew their crewmate was in the chain locker below. The noisy machinery brought up the anchor and fed the iron chain into the compartment below. Not hearing the the screams of the trapped victim, the crew continued to haul in the anchor while the chain slowly crushed the hapless man.The crew’s quarters were often the scene of deaths. Crewman taken below after horrible accidents or stricken by illness spent their last days here. In these tight spaces you can feel the cold and sense the fear that still haunts the ship. Sometimes the smell of fresh-baked bread seems to come from the ship’s galley, though the stove has been cold for many years. Even when the ship sits still in the water, pots and pans above the stove have been seen to move.

Vanishing Hitchhikers (Blackwell Variety)

Blackwell, MO

Two different sets here. The first is an old man and woman have been known to try to flag people down for a ride but disappear when the car stops to pick them up. They are said to be in their fifties and have a hippy look to them. The other is a spirit of a young female who walks along the road near the bridge, though she may be just a urban legend.

Indian Meadows

Adamsville, Alabama

The community of Indian Meadows and its sister community Shady Grove, both built over an ancient Cherokee Indian burial ground, have had several hauntings reported over the last two decades. At night, dark figures have been seen scurrying about in the woods on the outskirts of the neighborhoods. Some brave souls who dare walk the streets at night say they can feel or even hear someone following them but turn around to find that no on is there. People have reported hearing scratching noises outside their houses late at night. One man heard a scratching sound on his front porch late at night, and every time he turned on the porch light to investigate, nothing was there, but the next morning he found claw marks down the banister of the porch. Some see the shadows of people (possibly the spirits of the restless Indians) rushing past their windows at night but investigate to find no one outside. In several homes, people have reported hearing footsteps late at night in hallways or on stairs, doors slamming shut by themselves, voices calling out their names, electrical equipment going on and off by itself, and even the sound of someone or something running through the house. In one house, the face of a crying man appeared on several of the doors in the house all at once.

Blackwell Missouri

Blackwell’s Station, now referred to as just Blackwell, is a small town in northern St. Francois County, Missouri. It is on the west bank of Big River on the historic St. Louis & Iron Mountain railroad which was constructed in 1858. The town was named in honor of Jeremiah Blackwell, a soldier from the war of 1812, who settled in the area during the 1820’s. In October, 1861 the area was attacked by Confederate soldiers under command of Gen. Jeff “Swamp Fox” Thompson the Big River bridge was burned. It was eventually replaced. Legends of the town of Blackwell and its  surrounding area being haunted are numerous. It has been reported that one can stand on the bridge and hear the sound of Indian (Native American) drums emanating from the river valley. Another local legend tells of Judge Blackwell who liked to hang people from the Blackwell bridge.

There is an assortment of vanishing hitchhikers, signs that disappear and reappear, spectral cars, haunted houses, a ghostly nun, a demonic priest with red glowing eyes, demon dogs, shadow people and the remains of a masonic lodge that even today, many years after it was torn down, people tend to stay away. It is one of the spookiest places south of St. Louis and probably a top ten in Missouri. It is supposedly the source of very psychic energy. Some people think the place is just plain evil. It is not a place you want to be at alone during the night.

Jeremiah Blackwell – Town founder.

 

The Old Shack

Blackwell, Mo

A small old building located on the road before you cross the tracks coming in from Highway CC. People have been known to have been pushed back off the steps. Shadowy figures have been seen inside the building and around it outside.

I heard a small rumor years ago that it was at one time a Post Office, but I’ve yet to confirm. 

Confirmed that it was the Post Office.

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