Tag: Ghost Story

Virginia’s Important Ghost Stories – Dr. Alena Pirok Interview

Published on by Robert Van NessLeave a comment

Halloween brings out a series of ghost tours throughout Virginia from Colonial Williamsburg to Alexandria, Fredericksburg, Portsmouth, and so on. But such tours have only become popular recently. They’re popular, and draw large crowds to Virginia’s many famous sites, but why were such tours frowned upon for so long?

Dr. Alena Pirok joins me to discuss Ghost Stories and their importance to Colonial Williamsburg as well as Virginia. She details how Ghost Stories influenced Colonial Williamsburg’s founding, as well as how Virginian’s have viewed ghosts historically. Her new book reveals just how important those stories were and still are to the Commonwealth. Without them, Virginia’s tourist industry would never be the same. In fact, those frowned upon stories paved the way for the largest history museum in the world’s creation. They might even ensure that such places continue to endure well into the future.

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LINKS TO DR. PIROK’S WORK:

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All photography used on this site is owned and copyrighted by the author unless otherwise noted. The featured image is Dr. Pirok’s new book.

Music used for this episode – Louis Armstrong and the Mills Brothers,”Carry Me Back to Old Virginia” available on iTunes, and Kevin MacLeod “Vanished” found on Soundcloud.

Special Halloween Episode – Evelyn Byrd’s Ghost

Published on by Robert Van NessLeave a comment

Westover is one of the great James River Plantation manor homes. After the Byrd family purchased the land, they undertook the spectacular monument meant to reflect their prestigious colonial position. The Byrd’s left their mark all over the land, from William Byrd II’s grave to powerful eagles adorning the carriage entrance gates. A nearby graveyard once attached to Westover Parish also contains Byrd family remains.

Beyond the tangible reminders, however, the Byrd’s left a much more ethereal, paranormal reminder behind. William Byrd II’s daughter Evelyn Byrd, the colonial beauty, who, according to tradition, caught King George I’s attention, causing him to comment about all of the beautiful birds in his Virginia colony, fell in love during her English visit. Her love choice, however, was not met with William’s pleasure. He demanded their separation, which sent Evelyn into despair.

Upon the Byrds’ return to Virginia, William became more detached and Evelyn fell into melancholy. She never married. She did cultivate at least one close friendship and that was with neighbor Anne Harrison. The pair made a pact stating that whoever died first would visit the other who remained alive.

That pact was put to the test just before Evelyn’s 30th birthday, she caught smallpox and died soon thereafter. Evelyn honored her agreement, and ever since that first meeting between ghost and living, Evelyn has been witnessed by many.

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All photography used on this site is owned and copyrighted by the author unless otherwise noted. The featured image and subsequent images are from my various trips to Westover and Evelynton Plantations.

Music used for this episode – Louis Armstrong and the Mills Brothers,”Carry Me Back to Old Virginia” available on iTunes, and Kevin MacLeod “Vanished” found on Soundcloud.

Special Halloween Episode – Haunted Tuckahoe

Published on by Robert Van Ness3 Comments

The Randolphs have been known as the “Adam and Eve of Virginia” for good reason given how many children were born to William of Turkey Island and wife Mary Isham. One of their sons, Thomas established his plantation at Tuckahoe, just west of Richmond along the James River.

Tuckahoe has witnessed much history since the manor home’s 1730’s construction. Thomas Jefferson even lived there for a few years during his childhood. Tuckahoe was also home to a few historical characters such as Thomas Randolph’s daughter Mary, who caused constant torment to her family, as well as Thomas Randolph’s great-grand-daughters Judith and Anne, known to the family as Nancy.

Jessica connects the dots in this episode in an effort to illustrate the complex history behind Tuckahoe’s most famous haunting, the Gray Lady. Along the way, Jessica tells of a few other spooky Tuckahoe tales, as well as one that affected her own husband. So, find the link below, and learn about more of Virginia’s haunted history.

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All photography used on this site is owned and copyrighted by the author unless otherwise noted. The featured image is the famous “Ghost Walk” at Tuckahoe Plantation, all other images are from my visits to Tuckahoe.

Music used for this episode – Louis Armstrong and the Mills Brothers,”Carry Me Back to Old Virginia” available on iTunes, and Kevin MacLeod “Vanished” found on Soundcloud.

Special Halloween Episode – Haunted Thoroughgood

Published on by Robert Van Ness1 Comment

The (Adam) Thoroughgood House has a lot of mystery surrounding it. At one time it was believed to be the oldest brick house in America, perhaps built by Adam Thoroughgood himself. Later work on the house put the house’s construction to 1719, almost 80 years after Thoroughgood died in 1640.

Other mysteries surround the famous Virginia Beach dwelling, such as whether or not the house is haunted. Many say no. Those who disagree on the otherhand tell rather compelling stories about eerie encounters.

Famed Virginia Ghost Storyteller L.B. Taylor paid the Thoroughgood House a visit in order to record some of those frightening stories for his book The Ghosts of Tidewater.

LINKS TO THE PODCAST:

Local Thoroughgood House Historical Marker
The Thoroughgood House is in the middle of a serene neighborhood close to the Lynnhaven River.
Carriage (Front) Entrance to the Thoroughgood House
One of the famous Thoroughgood House Chimneys
Thoroughgood House Historical Marker
“Adam Thoroughgood”
The “Thorowgood Family”
Dining Table at the Thoroughgood House
Desk at the Thoroughgood House
A downstairs room at the Thoroughgood House
Is this upstairs room haunted?
The upstairs bed said to have been impressed by a ghost

Plan a visit to the Thoroughgood

More from L.B. Taylor Jr.

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All photography used on this site is owned and copyrighted by the author unless otherwise noted. The featured image and subsequent images are from my visits to the Thoroughgood House.

Music used for this episode – Louis Armstrong and the Mills Brothers,”Carry Me Back to Old Virginia” available on iTunes, and Kevin MacLeod “Vanished” found on Soundcloud.

Special Halloween Podcast – Haunted Shirley

Published on by Robert Van Ness1 Comment

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John Carter’s Iconic “Great House” at Shirley Plantation, built between 1723 and 1738, is a Virginia Landmark

Shirley Plantation is the oldest James River Plantation, as well as North America’s longest continually running business. Having been founded in 1613, Shirley Plantation has been a part of Virginia’s history from Thomas Dale’s administration to the present, as the Hill-Carter Family treasure on the James River can attest. It is fitting, therefore, that one of the most famous Virginia ghost stories comes from her historic location.

Martha Hill, known better as Aunt Pratt, “Pratt” being a family pet name, was the daughter of Edward Hill III. She didn’t spend much time at Shirley, but she was part of the Hill family, which entitled her to have a portrait painted and added to the family collection.

Aunt Pratt moved to England after she finished her schooling, married one Hugh Griffin (Griffith and Gifford in some sources), before she passed away, never having returned to Shirley in her lifetime. But many believe that she returned after her death, as can be evidenced by the utterly bizarre happening centered upon that now famous family portrait.

Some of those paranormal activities are recorded in L.B. Taylor’s Essay – “The Haunted Portrait” from his 2011 book Ghost’s of Virginia’s Tidewater.

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Is Aunt Pratt watching me take this picture just outside of her window?

LINKS TO THE PODCAST:

Plan a visit to Shirley

More from L.B. Taylor Jr.

 

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Perhaps Aunt Pratt might like to stair out of her window to take in the calming landscape at Shirley Plantation. I don’t blame her.

 

 

 

All photography used on this site is owned and copyrighted by the author unless otherwise noted. The featured image is of Aunt Pratt’s famous portrait. All subsequent images are from my visits to Shirley Plantation.

Music used for this episode – Louis Armstrong and the Mills Brothers,”Carry Me Back to Old Virginia” available on iTunes, and Kevin MacLeod “Vanished” found on Soundcloud.