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Posts Tagged ‘will’

I haven’t had time to do any “hunting” lately and I’ve really got a craving for some good ghost stories. Does anyone out there have any good ghost stories, haunted places or photos of ghosts? If so, please send them to me at tnhauntings@writersbeacon.com and I will post them here.

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Someone is turning a hefty profit here.

I will be making the trek across the state in about three weeks and will most certainly attempt to debunk any “haunting” claims.

I have seen that it ends in the White Oak Flats Cemetery and tours through some of the alley ways around town and one of the mini golfs downtown. I, of course, will be touring on my own to avoid the crowds of people, cigarette smoke and the stigma of it all.  I don’t expect any ghosts to make an appearance for a crowd.

If anyone knows of any “hot spots” or has a place they would like investigated while I am there, leave a comment or email tnhauntings@writersbeacon.com. I will be happy to take photographs of any area there.

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I would again like to stress that this is private property and trespassers will be prosecuted. The owner caught four youngsters attempting to enter the house and after leaving for the night someone broke a window and entered the house.

I would like to inform anyone thinking about trespassing that the owner of the property is periodically staying at a cabin not far from the house. He will occasionally be hiding out at Hurst House and apprehending those who attempt to gain entry.

If that isn’t enough to deter you, I have another big announcement from the owner himself. IF vandals will leave the property alone so part of the work needed can be completed, he will operate a Haunted House inside Hurst Mansion during the month of October. Proceeds will be used to complete much needed restoration. More information will be provided on this as the time nears.

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I will soon be heading out to go camping over the weekend. I will be camping at Pickwick Dam so I am going to try to make it to Shiloh and take a few pictures to share next week. Everyone be safe and have fun!

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I have some new photos from both the old and new Purdy Cemetery that I will be adding soon.

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Here are some pictures of Hurst House in the daytime. I DID NOT trespass to take these photographs. The owner showed us the house. DO NOT trespass on this property.

I will also be adding pictures I took of the house after dark.

This photo is of the back wall in Fielding Hurst’s bedroom. The small door gives access to one of the attics.

This is the bathroom. It, of course, was added in later years by the Dodds.

This is the original kitchen in the backyard, where the slaves prepared the meals.

This is the grounds behind the house.

This is the front of the house. The tarp covers the leaking roof. The window peeking out from under it is the one you may have seen around the internet with a face in it. That’s Hurst’s bedroom.

This is the front of the house.

This is a close up of Hurst’s bedroom window. Make of it what you will.

This is where a bullet grazed the staircase. Some say this was where Hurst was killed, but this is not true. It is not known how this truly got there and one can only speculate about it as there are no records of what really happened here.

This is the new kitchen which was added on to the back of the house by the Dodds.

This is the chimney and pot from the old kitchen where the slaves cooked. A tree fell on the kitchen a few years back. The new owner intends to restore the building.

This is the back of the house. You can see all the vines and shrubbery that have actually grown to the house over the years.

This is the old barn across the street.

This is the piano inside the house. We assume it belonged to the Dodds.

This is the attic through the small door in Hurst’s bedroom.

This is the side of the house. The top window is Hurst’s bedroom.

This is the slave quarters located across the street from the house. BEWARE! This property is also owned by the owner of Hurst Mansion. DO NOT trespass! If the snakes don’t get you, the guy with the shotgun will.

This was where they collected rainwater.

This wall is in Hurst’s bedroom. When the owner peeled away the old wallpaper, they found a multitude of signatures and dates on the wood underneath. The large one is R. T. M. Bell in June 1888. If you have any information on who this person could be, email tnhauntings@writersbeacon.com.

This is the well inside the old well house in the backyard.

This is another picture of the side of the house.

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I returned to Purdy, TN over the weekend and was fortunate enough to meet the owner of the Hurst House and his girlfriend. They are a super cool couple and we had a great time with them. I have tons of pictures to share but I probably won’t post them until tomorrow because there are so many.

I would also like to say this: After seeing the damage that has been done to this house by curious youngsters, it really saddens me. Because of this damage, if you attempt to trespass on this property you will be shot at. Several people have been taken to jail for trespassing. If you are lucky enough to find the owner at the property, ask for a tour but do not trespass on this property. They are attempting to restore this lovely home and vandals are making it very hard to do.

Back to the pictures…

I have some unbelievable pictures but it will take me some time to go through them. I will start adding them tomorrow.

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Since the majority of my visitors are interested in Purdy Cemetery I am trying my best to keep everyone up to date. I will be returning this weekend as long as the rain holds off. I am not telling what day or time I plan to visit Purdy because I will be taking more photographs and I do not wish to have a crowd stirring up dust.

I would also like to thank Rickey Smith for sharing his Purdy Cemetery story and identifying the unknown church and cemetery in Bethel Springs, TN. Hopefully I will be able to visit there soon and bring back photographs.

The Unknown Church and Cemetery is Liberty Church in Bethel Springs on Forty Forks Road.  If anyone has any interesting history or tales about this church, please email tnhauntings@writersbeacon.com.

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Western Mental Health Institute – Bolivar, TN

I have had several people land on my blog while searching for Western Mental Health Institute so I figured I would add some information.

The grounds of WMHI were once populated by flying squirrels but they have disappeared in recent years. The main entrance leads to the Administration building. This building once had two large wings. They were condemned and removed in the 1980’s. Some of the locals said the wings were haunted but it really doesn’t matter since they no longer exist.

Some of the things I have read on the internet are simply untrue. One person stated that when lightening struck nearby you could see a man who hung himself swinging from the top of the Administration building. None of the employees, security guards or locals have ever seen this. It was also said that there were places in Luton Hall where there are no cameras and the patients use this spot to kill other patients. My mother works in Luton Hall now and did many years ago as well. First of all, there are cameras everywhere. Secondly, this unit is all men. The majority of these men will remain there for their entire lives. They have had patients murder other patients but they really don’t care if they are caught or not. Honestly, what are they going to do to them? Many years ago, one of the men strangled his room mate with a tube sock because his snoring kept him awake. It happens.

One rumor that swirled around at WMHI for awhile revolved around the tunnels beneath the buildings. It was said that patients had become lost in the maze of tunnels and died down there. Some have even went so far as to say that the tunnels are haunted by these patients who are still looking for a way out.

Let me say this now: It is illegal to trespass on state property. All employees have hangers on their rear view mirrors so anyone who isn’t supposed to be there is spotted very easily. Even if you did manage to gain illegal entry to the grounds, the tunnels can only be accessed via the units. If you attempt to enter a unit, you will be captured on camera and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. DO NOT trespass!

The reason I know all of this is because my mother, three aunts, two uncles, and several friends work or have worked at WMHI. Several of them have retired from there and others have worked there for several decades. My mother has worked in Luton Hall, the Clement Building and occasionally works the Timber Springs Unit. My aunt and uncle worked in Dietary. One uncle is a Security Guard. Two aunts worked in the Administration Building. One friend is a Security Guard, another retired from Dietary.

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Hubby is out of the hospital and doing well. A return trip to Purdy Cemetery has been planned and I will be adding pictures as soon as I return.

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