No, this isn't the haunted house, just another beautiful Capitol Hill house.
I wanted to take a picture of the haunted house, but as soon as I aimed my camera towards the window where I saw the ghost's face, my trusty camera switched itself off and refused to come back on ... until later, on the Metro train, on my way home. Even though I believe in all kinds of mysteries, incidents like this still surprise me. A minute later the woman who called me about the haunting mentioned that after she and her husband moved in, every one of the kitchen appliances died, one by one, one each day until the whole kitchen was kaput. The night that the last appliance broke down, she heard kitchen cabinets opening and closing all night long. Even her husband heard it, and he is not given to thinking about or believing in psychic phenomena. Poor guy. He is in for one crazy ride.
Even after yesterday, I still maintain that the White House is the most haunted house I have ever encountered, but this house in Alexandria? A very close second. There is so much going on there, indoors and out, that it would take several blog posts to describe all the energy. Briefly, surrounding the house are the remains of a Civil War hospital, adjacent to a Civil War battlefield. On the other side of the house is a new housing development. Land spirits really hate housing developments. And now here she is, rebuilding the foundation of the house which is, itself, completely full of what appears to my inner eye to be a family of ghosts. There are several generations of ghosts there, some it seems, from the "old country" wherever that is, some who lived in the house.
The energy is so strong that at one point, wandering around, I mentioned that I was very dizzy. The woman said, "I stay away from that corner." I found many areas of dizzy energy in the house which is laid out like a maze. I wonder who designed it. It's like an Escher house with stairs going up and down, landings everywhere. To get from one end of the house to the other involves following a tremendously circuitous route. Crazy.
I can see why the movers were reluctant to go inside. Believe me, that house is haunted!
So I didn't do anything but ring the Tibetan singing bowl in the dizzy corner. It never hurts to ring the bowl, especially at times when I have no idea where to start.
For the time being, the residents of the house are content to sit with the energy. She said things had calmed down during the past week, so maybe the ghost family has welcomed her.
When I got back to the Hill I took a very long walk, let the breeze and the light of the setting sun clear away all that energy. There are hauntings and there are hauntings. The place I visited yesterday? All I can say is Wow.
Pennsylvania Avenue by the IMF, close to Founding Farmers, my very favorite restaurant in Washington.
32 comments:
Fascinating stuff. There are certain areas in our house where most of the energies are felt. They are in the oldest sections, the original pieces.
There used to be a Civil War hospital near the intersection of Janneys Lane and King Street in Alexandria. Come to think of it, that intersection has always felt a little strange. I'm wondering if the haunted house was near there.
Yeah, wow. I love houses like that. Laid out all crazy.
My house in the city is very old, well over 100 years, maybe 125. I've never felt lingering spirits though.
I wonder why they didn't want you to take a picture.
Interesting! I've always lived in relatively new buildings -- the oldest place I ever lived in, by far, was built in the 1920s -- so I haven't encountered this sort of activity. Not enough history, I suppose.
Alright, that is spooky stuff, Reya. Personally I've never seen a ghost but I imagine it would be an interesting experience.
Not sure I'd want a whole family of them living with me though.
Barry it takes a very particular kind of person to co-habit with ghosts. Our beloved Willow is one of them. I, too, am OK with it. We have one ghost here in the house on Tennessee Avenue who hangs out mostly in the living room. She switches the lights off and on sometimes when we're there. We call her "the Contessa" which I think she likes.
Barbara I can't tell you where the house is exactly. She picked me up at the Braddock Road station but from there we drove for about 15 minutes, away from civilization as it were, to get to the house.
I just received an email from her. She thanked me for coming to visit, as she described it, their "little corner of the in-between." I bet those ghosts are so happy to have someone like her living in that house.
WOW is right! You know how I love this stuff. Luckily my Martha is just content to live here and help me....she must have always been a caregiver.
For whatever reason, I've never attracted ghosts, and have never been attracted to them. My brother has had experiences though that he totally couldn't handle.
You're the first person I've "met" who embraces this realm and has some idea of what to do with it. So this is fascinating for me to read.
Yikes!
I quite agree about the housing developments being things ghosts ( and others) don't think much of.
See Jane in Winter.
Remind me to tell you the Arkansas
exorcism story sometime
a complete mixture of the terrifying and very funny indeed
but isn't life like that?
That is so interesting! I wonder if it was all of the ghosts in the battlefields we visited around here when I was growing up that made anything associated with the Civil War feel very fascinating and exciting to me.
I hope all the mild-mannered spirits in my old house will feel comfortable in the new one!
Remember the movie "The Others"? it is probably like that- the ghosties don't realize and are convinced that the embodied are intruding, I suppose- That sort of sharing idea makes it less creepy, sort of, but still, if they are not contributing to paying the mortgage then get the hell out!
I wonder what you saw in the mirror you carried with you?
I love ghost stories and am in the middle of reading "Her Fearful Symmetry", a fun read that centers around a ghost.
I'm bummed that your camera failed (was haunted!), but I do love the pic of the house here: gorgeous.
Wow, Reya. The camera shut off while aiming at the window? After going through the weird things with my daughter in the house she just moved from, I'm not sure I would have the nerve to actually approach them. You are amazing. Good luck with this one.
that's a very interesting idea, having to aquaint yourself with the unearthly residents of your new home, and hope for an easy peace. Our little planet is already crowded enough without us having to jab our elbows around to make room in our homes alongside the spirits. jeezo.
can a house be haunted by ornery hamster spirits?
Tom? Yes. There are even tree ghosts in DC. I love this crazy world.
Kerry as for the mirror, I pulled it out but didn't need it. The sensations in the house were so powerful that I didn't need to see anything. From outside, I saw faces at the windows. From inside I saw faces looking in from the outside. It was quite a crowd.
Angry ghosts are a whole other thing. They're very scary. It's about scary ghosts that most of the stories are written, but most ghosts (in my experience) are like us, except dead, i.e. mostly harmless characters.
wow. just wow.
I don't think I would ever buy a house like that, assuming the vibes were there when I went through it. So not comfortable!
It is a way way way wacky house. It would be too much for me, but apparently not so for her. More power to her!
Sounds like you had an adventureous day. It was nice to hear the spirits were benevolent and their caretakers tolerant. I feel that the Tibetan bowls and the Crystal Singing bowls do so much work very simply. A few taps and the vibrations just go on and on infinitely. I think it gives them something to follow.
Washington, what a place!
I love the pics.
I could hear floorboards creeking
in my head as I read your description of the stairs and landings.
Did you go into the basement?
Ronda as usual I agree with you.
Liza thank god there is no basement in the house. Can you imagine??
How interesting. I too have always had a fascination for ghosts. I've never had an encounter with a ghost first hand. I have had experiences with the spirits of family who have passed on...but that's a bit different.
Peace!
Bravo! Lovely as usual... I have a little award over at my place for you :) stop by when you can! It is the Beautiful Blogger award.
That is totally enthralling and spooky. I hope you are able to bring a little light and clear air to the dizzy spots there.
wow, thats amazing
will you be returning there?
Hmmm.......not sure it would be at the top of my 'to do' list either. :/
Love your report! How did the owner find you?
Word of the ghost whisperer gets around, Marian. She works with someone who knows me.
I can't see the energies, I can't smell or hear them but I can feel them. My skin was prickling, reading about the house you visited. I think houses themselves have energies of their own. I know my old homestead does. Can you feel those, too?
YES, Pauline. That house definitely has its own agenda, too, adding to the incredible mix there.
We've discussed this so you know my opinion on it. What happened in there? Not surprising at all.
I had read somewhere that by renovating old houses one can remove the 'ghosts' that reside there as they don't like the changes.
Whenever I feel 'ghosts' it's often a current of cold air or a draft that comes or stays around.
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