It's been a long time, my demon hunters, but I am finally back and ready to share a new tale of terror with you!
Yesterday, I visited Five Rivers Parks and hiked to the infamous Witch's Tower, also called the Lookout Tower, Patterson's Tower, and Frankenstein's Castle. This site is reportedly haunted and a popular tourist destination, drawing visitors from around the USA.
The tower, built in 1941 by the National Youth Administration, is made out of salvaged stone and stands 30 feet tall. The walls are more than three feet thick and an impressive spiral staircase with fifty steps leads to the lookout at the top. Unfortunately, due to a tragic accident in the late 60s and vandalism in the 80s, park officials decided to block entrance to the exquisite tower, removing and sealing the doorway forever and adding iron rebar to all the accessible windows. If you watch YouTube footage, you will see that some enterprising people have gotten around these obstacles, though.
In 1967, 16 year old Peggy Ann Harmeson from Bellbrook and her 17 year old boyfriend, Ronnie Stevens, were caught in an evening downpour in the park. The young couple sought shelter in the tower. Lighting struck the tower and Peggy was found dead on the 11th step; half her body covered in horrible burns. Ronnie was the lucky survivor, though I am sure he didn't feel so lucky losing his girlfriend.
There are reports of shadow figures seen dancing atop the tower and a lady in white has been seen. Peggy Harmeson also haunts the tower where she died.
I went to investigate for myself with a friend and wasn't expecting the ghosts to put on a show for me, but I got more than I bargained for that afternoon. The hike to the tower was a normal one, though it is a rather steep climb. It is very scenic in the woods. The forest is bustling with squirrels and bird life, even in the fall and the changing tree colors were beautiful to photograph.
As I approached the tower from below, I felt a shift in the air, but I told myself this was just my imagination. Upon reaching the tower and walking around it, I noted however, that all the normal forest noises I heard on the way up were gone. It was like being in a soundproof bubble. I put my hand on the stone of the building and felt it vibrating, which again, could just be psychosomatic, but with what happened on the hike down, I am going to say it was the lasting effect of visiting the tower.
I wasn't able to see much inside the windows, even though, I snapped a few shots. I didn't see Peggy or hear any ghosts and there were no dancing shadow figures present on top of the tower, much to my disappointment. After photographing for a while, I headed back down the steep trail and this is when I started to get woozy and develop a wicked headache. I also noted the forest sounds had returned, after leaving the tower. Thinking to check my blood sugar, I recorded that my sugars had dropped by 60 points, which is unusual for me because my blood sugar usually climbs when I am working out, even if it is just walking. Also, I had made sure I had a snack before I went out to hike the location. The further down the path to my car I went, the more sick I became. I felt terribly nauseous and my head was pounding.
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| The tower windows. |
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| The missing door handle. |
Upon reaching the car, my friend noticed the driver's side door was locked, but none of the passenger doors were locked. If he had locked the car, all the doors would have been locked, but he left his 20 year old car unlocked that afternoon. He too experienced the same sound bubble, the headache, the dizziness, and the extreme nausea. We both concluded it was the tower drawing off of our energy. We started to feel much better after leaving the park and heading to lunch.
Can I truly say The Witch's Tower is haunted? Well, I have no factual evidence, only what I and my friend experienced together that day, but I believe there is some unusual activity at the site and it is worth investigating. It is also interesting to note that Dayton is home to many prehistoric Native American mounds, some of which were desiccated by white settlers in the 1800s and a prominent ley line runs through the city. There is also a source of fresh running water in the woods and water is known to be conducive to active paranormal sites. Others have captured EVPs and floating orbs and had their own experiences. It's a haunting and ethereal place and if you have the time and money, I invite you to explore The Witch's Tower for yourself, my demon hunters.
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