FYI...This post was from the 2010 Halloween Season
Now when Rob, Sal and I first went up there to meet with the
owners we had no idea what was in store for us. We figure it was you basic
standard haunted attraction for the Halloween haunting season. How wrong I
would be about this…how about dead wrong? You see in talking with the owners it
turns out that the Lake House is in fact haunted and while we did not get into
details of stories and experiences I did get the sense that they had some to
share. I mentioned to them that I had been a paranormal investigator for well
over 5 years now and was wondering if they would allow me to conduct an
investigation. We talked a bit about the possibilities and then went on our
ways as we figured out the logistics and involvement of our show with their
attraction. Once it was all said and done we went about our ways and prepared
to do some filming in September to prepare a special show based out of their
attraction.
So rewind now back to September 9th as I was on
my way to have a meeting with Rob and Sal I stopped at a Barnes & Nobel to
pick up some books, as I am a big into reading; especially when it involves the
strange and bizarre. Now as I walked into the PA Travel section and began to
thumb through a book about ghosts of the Lehigh Valley, written by Kenneth
Biddle, I did not expect to see what I saw next. I thumbed through and as if by
a strange force the book opened up to page 61 the chapter entitled The Lake
House Hotel. I was floored and began to read, and of course I had to purchase
that book right then and there. I mean how could I not?
I read about how it was considered the “place to hang
yourself” as close to 15 hangings had apparently taken place in the hotel.
While most of these hangings are difficult to find and proves based upon lost
records and carless organization at least 3 had been confirmed. These were
people who lost it all and simply checked into the hotel, went to their room
& then hung themselves. As odd and harsh as this might seem, I have done
some background checking and this was not an uncommon act for a man to do if he
had lost everything and in other words, nothing to live for.
One story is that of a bartender who was savagely beaten and
he was not mentally or physically right again, now I tell you this story in
particular as you shall see later on in this article. Another story is of a
injured mine worker who worked at now long gone brick factory next to the
hotel, he was injured so severely that he passed away on the front porch of the
hotel. In fact in a lot of the stories I have found in books and online the
front porch seems to possess the most likely area for paranormal activity as
hangings, deadly beatings and injured people passed away there. Just keep in
mind that just because it happened on the porch does not mean that the spirits
can’t go into the house and “play” as it were.
Some of the paranormal activity that takes place within the
Lake House is of usual “haunting” standard or as standard as haunting can be. Things
can go missing that were just laid down or other small items like rocks or caps
may be thrown across the room as the walls or people. In the book it talks of a
chair that appeared out of nowhere when there wasn’t one there 2 minutes
earlier and everyone had been accounted for. Now there are the two things in
particular that sparked my interest the most, the first being a telephone that
mysteriously rings. This may not sound mysterious if it weren’t for the fact
that the wires are completely cut and it’s not plugged into anything. Why did
this spark my attention, well when I showed the owners the book I had found and
they began to thumb through it they both stopped at the telephone and excitedly
said “Look! There’s the telephone!”. So I knew there was another story to be
discussed in relation to the phone.
The second thing that sparked my attention was the
appearance of shadowmen/figures, now remember the story of the bartender I told
you about earlier. Look at the picture below. This photo was taken I the bar
next to the front porch and you can see that in the red circle there is the
figure of something resembling that of a person. Now let the speculations
commence, but let me fill you in with the details first. I was the only person
in the room and the other people were on other floors or in other hallways. The
skeleton head on the bar I thought may be casting a shadow, but if you look
based off of its own reflection in the mirror, it couldn’t have been that. Could
it have been the shadow of the bar tender or that of a miner or a hanging
victim, who knows, but all I can say is that it’s very interesting to say the
least. I know some may say”Oh you’re quick to assume” not so in my case for
this reason. I actually studied this photo for a week trying to figure it out
and actually sent it to some of my closest paranormal research friends who did
their best to debunk it to no avail.
It is a slice of
history where maybe the past just doesn’t want to let go fully. So remember
this as you begin to walk through the haunted attractions of the Lake House
Hotel; is what I am seeing part of the attraction or am I looking at the real
deal? You never know.
Be safe and happy ghost hunting,
John Cannon
John Cannon
Footnote: While the cast of Late Night at the Horror Hotel have moved on and begun doing other ventures in this world...the Hotel of Horror is still going strong and very active. Make sure you check it out this Halloween Season..http://www.hotelofhorror.com/index.html
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