October Haunting - Unit 731 Experimentation Camp‏

“It is called the Asian Auschwitz and, in terms of inhumanity and horror, it certainly warrants this description. Yet there remains a fundamental difference with the crimes perpetrated by the Nazis against Jews: While Germany has shown deep contrition and remorse, the leaders the country that spawned the evil of Unit 731 still struggle to come to grips with what occurred . . .  In the end at least 3,000 prisoners, mainly Chinese, were killed directly, with a further 250,000 Chinese left to die through the biological warfare experiments.”

In the gruesome world of Unit 731 the unthinkable was done on a daily basis. Prisoners, mostly taken in Japan’s conquest of Manchuria at the beginning of WWII, were subjected to unimaginable horrors. They were infected with diseases such as anthrax, cholera and even bubonic plague. To gauge the effect of these diseases on their subjects – whom they dehumanized by calling them “logs” – live, un-anesthetized vivisection was performed. In many cases the subjects would regain consciousness while the dissection was taking place.

Whole towns and villages were decimated by the ghoulish doctors and researchers of Unit 731 and the effects of their horrible crimes still resonate there to this day.

Parts of the Unit 731 complex still remain – there are buildings where frostbite experiments were performed, courtyards and open areas where prisoners were subjected to live bombs detonated at close range to enable researchers to evaluate the effect of explosives of the sort that Japanese soldiers were encountering in the fields. Other buildings where live human vivisections took place overlook the prisoner holding area and the long-unused railway station where the “logs” were offloaded for their horrible fate.


The Chinese government sanctioned the Unit and the surrounding area as a learning center for future generations of Chinese, and just recently visitors from the West have been allowed access to the killing fields at Harbin. But for many years there have been reports of paranormal activity associated with the old charnel houses: ghost lights and apparitions are frequently seen, including a ghostly figure that walks the empty precincts surrounding the frostbite units. Ghostly voices have been heard and anomalies frequently appear in photographs taken in the area. Recently, during the filming of a BBC television documentary, the English film crew experienced unexplainable problems with their lights and batteries – often a sure sign of ghostly activity. Many speculate that as the story of Unit 731 is more widely told, the ghosts of those tragically tormented and murdered there are becoming more and more active, and more anxious for justice than ever before.

October Haunting - Whitechapel and Spitalfields are of East London

The Whitechapel / Spittalfields area of East London has been actively settled since Roman times. Many of the historic buildings are built on the remains of old Roman settlements. Throughout the Dark and Middle Ages, the East End was a burgeoning commerce area, mostly inhabited by Anglos and Jewish moneylenders. In Elizabethan times the East End looked and smelled like something right out of one of Shakespeare’s history plays, and, in fact, the character of Falstaff (Henry V) is said to have been based on an innkeeper from the notorious East End. It was a place of soldiers and prostitutes, brawls and bawdy houses.

The coming of high Victorian morals did nothing to dull this seedy reputation and the Whitechapel / Spittalfields area, while known to humanitarians for its extreme poverty, was also known to all as the home of thieves, prostitutes, and the most derelict of English society.

In 1888 the Whitechapel area of London was the scene of some of the most brutal murders ever recorded: the famous Jack the Ripper crimes. Yet the murders – and the identity of Jack – remain unsolved, even today. Many assert that the killer was a doctor or was somehow connected to the medical profession; others believe the killer to have been Queen Victoria’s grandson, Prince Albert Victor, though nothing substantial has ever arisen to support the theory.

A letter written by Jack the Ripper

Five women, all of them poor prostitutes, were slaughtered by the mysterious Jack in the span of just four months, known collectively as “The Autumn of Terror.” Four of the women – Mary Nicholls, Annie Chapman, Elizabeth Stride, Catherine Eddowes – were found in various streets and alleys throughout Whitechapel horribly disfigured and mutilated. The fifth – Mary Kelly – was the only victim murdered in an interior location; as such she was the most horribly mutilated, the death scene like something from a slaughterhouse.

Artist's rendition of Jack's ghost

Jack the Ripper enjoyed a brief career as London’s most infamous serial murder and the fact that he was never caught still adds to the mystery surrounding him. Nevertheless, it is thought that his horrible mutilation of Mary Kelly was his last act of violence and there is no evidence that Jack, whoever he may have been, killed again after November 1888.

Today visitors to London’s East End can walk the streets that Jack prowled and visit pubs and other locations he may have haunted in life – and death. Walking tours of the area are very popular and although Jack’s legacy is certainly the most enduring, other ghosts that haunt the East End are those of Jack’s victims, in various stages of mutilation; a ghostly band of Roman soldiers; a murderous sea captain’s ghost that haunts a local pub; and a mysterious black carriage drawn by ghastly white horses that approaches without a sound and disappears right before your eyes. These and other haunts, combined with the long haunted history of the East End make it one of the must visit ghostly locations in the world.

October Haunting - The Empire of the Dead

The sign reads:
"HALT! This is the Empire of the Dead!"

Haunting places are all around us; we hear voices, see apparitions and get cold chills. These forms of a haunting are normally associated with a farmhouse in the middle of nowhere or the thousands of cemeteries where thousands of souls have come to rest. Therefore, to assume that a "house", cemetery and a middle of nowhere underground area would have unimaginable haunting, creepiness and just plain scary feelings, is putting it mildly.

Cemeteries have always been the hangout for those who seek adventure as well as those who have zero respect with desecrating the final resting place of loved ones. The thought of disturbing a grave is quite chilling as well as taboo in many cultures. In fact, it is considered a sin and a sign of future curses for many societies, which brings the question to mind, what were the builders of the catacombs in Paris thinking as they built wall after wall of human bones?

Under the city of Paris lies 300 kilometers of interweaving caves and tunnels dating back to 60 B.C.E. when the Romans begin digging up the exposed limestone. The only problem was the more the dug, the weaker the cities land became up until the eighteenth century when the weight of constructed buildings were collapsing into the hollow ground below. In 1777 it was determined the tunnels below the city were to dangerous to continue building atop them and a decision had to be made of either closing sections off or filling them in. At the same time the Parisians were also experiencing an overflow of the graveyards with over thirty generations of buried remains, the cemeteries were becoming to full for the burial of future generations.

Families were paying the priests to bury their deceased in the church cemeteries, the priests not wanting to refuse the money continued to arrange for the deceased to be buried in overflowing cemeteries. Over time, the priests opted for the construction of a house of sorts for the dead, known as Charnier or mass grave where the deceased remains continued to accumulate. Over time, the city grew, as did the cemeteries, to the point of the ground being well over ten feet above the streets. The odor was horrendous as well as the townspeople experienced many bodies falling into the streets due to broken walls from the weight of the bodies. The residents began dying from the disease of the corpses known as pestilence, which meant more bodies and nowhere to bury them.

With no relief in sight for the increased amount of human remains, the Catacombs were created in 1785. They began with the emptying of one cemetery and relocating their bones to the maze of hallowed out tunnels, which solved two problems at once, filling in the tunnels and making room in the cemeteries. Each quarry of tunnels would soon have supporting walls built of human bones; the first was called "Carnere de la Tombe Issoire.

Behind the entrance sign that reads "Here begins the Empire of the Dead" there are bones of approximately more than six million humans stored, stacked and "walled" in various sections of the catacombs. Walls expand from six to eight feet in height with human skulls and bones designed with ornate and elaborate designs of crosses, hearts and other unique designs.

The sections of the tunnels vary greatly in the shape of the sections as well as the intricate designs made of bones. Some areas have the bones stacked on the floors in piles requiring anyone who enters to walk and/or crawl on the remains of thousands upon thousands of those discarded to the tunnels. The remains were "dumped" through a 20-meter hole as workers moved, stacked and rearranged in an attempt to provide somewhat dignity to those who were sent to the afterlife of tunnels. One would have to imagine the designs and gentle stacking in various parts were the workers way to pay respect to the bones owners by creating beautiful works of art out of their remains.

Throughout the Catacombs are markers to signify the cemetery in which the bones were transported from as well as the date in which they were moved. The earliest placed marker was dated 1785 and the latest dated 1859. This is the last marking and it is not known if there were later "deposits" making the underground area of Paris streets stocked with a minimum of seven decades of human remains.

There are only a few sections that are open to the public for tours, however, there are numerous passageways and "secret" entrances into the areas outside of the usual tourist tours. Though many have come through the tunnels and said a silent prayer for the unknown owners of the bones used in historical architecture, there have also been those who among the secret passages, floors of bones and walls of skulls were areas for cults to gather and societies to speak to the dead. There were many nighttime torch lit fantasy parties organized by the Count of Artois where he created hell on earth. The tunnels were also a well-hid hiding spot for members of the resistance during WWII to avoid detection of the Nazis.

There are no names given to the deceased, no recognition of status and no birth or death date. There are murderers from during the French revolution and German soldiers combined in one chamber. While another may have the wealthy with the poor, a killer with victims or the old with young. One would be hard pressed not have a haunting encounter while in the tunnels. The Catacombs are most definitely for the faint of heart as many visitors have reported to hear voices, be touched and on occasion feel as though they were being strangled. It would actually be surprising to not hear of cold spots, whispers and touching from an area where millions of souls were left unnamed and called upon by those delving into the unknown. There have been instances where tourists unaware of what were ahead of them entered only briefly and left quickly swearing to never return. For those seeking an unforgettable journey into one of the most haunted places in the world, be prepared to trek through puddles of mud, water and crawl upon the bones of unknown souls.

Ocotober Haunting - Rookwood Cemetery

Victorian Rookwood necropolis in Sydney, but it is the grave of the notorious Davenport Brothers, famous spiritualists. Rookwood Cemetery (officially named The Necropolis and named when it opened as The Necropolis, Haslams Creek.) is the largest multicultural necropolis in the Southern Hemisphere, close to Lidcombe Station in Sydney, Australia. It is also thought to be home to one of the lost or hidden gates to hell.


Located in this huge cemetery is also one of the many Devil's chairs. a supposed seat where the Devil is said to appear sitting on when someone wishes to make a deal with him. the actual cemetery is said to have several Devil Chairs and one special wishing bench.


The wishing bench of Rookwood is said to be very special and if you sit and pray on it your prayers will be heard in heaven and answered immediately. There is also an old tale that tells that between midnight to 3am An angel appears and sits on it. They say this is to ward off and guard it against the devils from hell that would come to destroy it.

The name Rookwood came some 20 years after the establishment of the actual great necropolis, it was a means to differentiate the local village of Haslams Creek from the association of the burial ground, the village changed its name to Rookwood, and naturally the cemetery was soon known as Rookwood, the village changed its name again in the early 20th Century to "Lidcombe" (a combination of two Mayors names, Lidbury and Larcombe - Larcombe was also a Monumental Stone Mason). The actual haunted cemetery retained the name Rookwood.

Approximately one million people have their final resting place within the boundaries of its almost 3 km². The "Friends of Rookwood Inc" raise public awareness of the cultural and historical value of the cemetery and also the need to ensure its preservation.

Some older sections of Rookwood are overgrown with a riot of plants, early horticultural plants, some now large trees or groves, as well as an interesting array of remnant indigenous flora. This results in quite an eclectic mix of flora to be found within the necropolis. Many say that since so many are interred here it can't just help being one of the most haunted places where the dead are buried.

Many ghost photos, EVP's and actual documenting of what many call the most real encounters of actual paranormal activity in the world occur here daily. Many say that the ghost are more restless here in this down under haunted city of the dead then any other location documented.

October Haunting - The Coliseum

At the height of Rome’s power the Coliseum represented everything that was Imperial to the citizens of Rome. Gladiators would fight to the death here for the amusement of Caesar and the mobs; thousands of prisoners of war and victims of religious persecution met their end in the jaws of lions and tigers in the sandy arena of the Coliseum; and even those animals were decimated, for in its time the Coliseum consumed tens of thousands of animals, some reportedly driven into extinction by the Roman lust for blood and gore.

The workings of the Coliseum, the place where the real grit of life took place, were in the vaults beneath the sandy floor. Now long ago exposed by the ravages of time, there is still a pervasive feeling of awe associated with the lingering presence of a power so mighty it once encompassed the entire known world.

In the pits beneath the Coliseum, gladiators waited to fight, prisoners waited to die, and average Romans placed bets on the outcomes of myriad competitions. Such a fabric of life can’t help but wrap itself around the pillars and posts that make up the foundation of this ancient charnel house, and it is no surprise that many reports of ghostly activity have been associated with the Coliseum over the years.

Tour guides and visitors alike have reported cold spots, being touched or pushed, hearing indiscernible words whispered into their ears; security guards with the unenviable task of securing the ancient edifice have reported hearing the sounds of swords clashing, of weeping in the more remote areas, and, oddly enough most disconcerting, the sound of ghostly animal noises such as the roars of lions and elephants. Ghostly citizens have been seen among the seats of the Coliseum, and the sight of a Roman soldier standing guard, silhouetted against the night sky, is a common one.

With such ancient history and such a legacy of death and bloodshed, there is little wonder why the Roman Coliseum is one of the most haunted places in the world.

October Haunting - The Nottingham Road Hotel

The Nottingham Road Hotel is situated an hour from Durban and half an hour from King Shaka International Airport in KwaZulu Natal, South Africa.  Notties, as the hotel has been fondly known by several generations, has been part of the little village of Nottingham Road since time immemorial.  It could even be said that the entire village sprang up around the beautiful old Hotel.  Within easy access to the Midlands Meander and its many attraction, with the beautiful Kamberg and Sani Pass close by, and the Nottingham Road Brewing Company only a stone’s throw away, this is a destination definitely worth visiting for a couple of days.

The Nottingham Road Hotel is an incredibly old building, so naturally it has to have a ghost.  Although no record of her death can be found, Charlotte was apparently a prostitute at the turn of the century.  She was either murdered or committed suicide when her love for a British army officer went unrequited.  Either way, her death involved a tumble over the balcony outside her favourite boudoir, Room 10.  The story of the ghost cannot be traced as records from the 1800’s were not completely accurate.  The hotel used to be a popular stop for British soldiers on their way to the interior during the Boer War.  Charlotte was allegedly a very beautiful prostitute but she was in love with one particular soldier.

One story says that she was told that her lover was killed in a battle skirmish and she was so heartbroken that she threw herself over the balcony and died of her injuries.  Another version says Charlotte was entertaining a client who refused to pay, a vicious fight ensued and she was beaten and flung over the balcony and died.

Charlotte has very particular tastes and is known to rearrange flowers to her own liking.  She also likes to move mirrors around, some say in order to show herself off to her best advantage.  Those who sleep in Room 10 will often find their clothes neatly folded the next morning and are often wakened by Charlotte having a lengthy conversation with an unseen friend.  She is also a bit of a tease and loves to ring the bell for room service to be brought to room 22, even though there is no such room.

Nottingham Road has the oldest pub in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands and over the years, many who have consumed copious quantities of beers and spirits in this cosy watering hole have seen strange sights as they have stumbled to bed.  Sightings of the beautiful ghost Charlotte have been consistent throughout the years.  She has often been seen in the hotel that was once her home and has become part of the legend that is the Nottingham Road Hotel.  Clive Foss, owner of the hotel, said that guests have reported having their bags unpacked and the taps turned on and off during the night.  Some have claimed that the pictures have been taken off the walls and laid on the floor.  Foss said that many visitors know about the ghost and some have unwittingly caught a glimpse of her in their photographs. “She is totally harmless and we think she likes it here,” he said.  “It’s a family hotel with traditional values and our customers think she adds a homely quality to the place.  When a building is this old, it is likely that somebody has died here.”

Charlotte is well known in the village, some folks have heard her, and some have seen her gliding round the corridors and down the stairs, just keeping a watchful eye.  Paranormal investigators believe that unquiet spirits have a reason for coming back.  The only way to find the truth is to sleep in Room 10.  This is no marketing gimmick, there is a ghost roaming the hotel.  Come and find out for yourself.  Spiritualists have seen her, children have chatted to the “nice lady”, but most people will only hear about her if they visit this rustic old hotel in the Nottingham area.

October Haunting - Bannack Ghost Town‏

Grasshopper Creek

Bannack, Montana was born in 1862 when gold was found along Grasshopper Creek. Like other gold rushes, miners rushed to the settlement in search of their fortunes and before long the hills around Bannack were filled with as many as 10,000 miners. With that many men during the era of the rough and tumble days of the Old West, there was bound to be violence.

Henry Plummer

Not long after the settlement was formed, in walked a man named Henry Plummer. Handsome, well dressed and charismatic, he gained the trust of the area miners and was soon elected sheriff of the burgeoning community. However, little did the unsuspecting citizens of Bannack know, but their new sheriff led a secret band of road agents called the "Innocents", who began to terrorize the travelers between Bannack and Virginia City, robbing and killing more than 100 men over the next several months.

In December 1863 the miners formed the Montana Vigilantes and during the next forty two days, the Vigilantes hanged 24 of the gang members, including Henry Plummer. Later, historians questioned the authenticity of the outlaw tale, suggesting that the whole story was only a cover for the ruthless vigilantes themselves. Today, many say that the ghost of Henry Plummer haunts this old settlement, which has long since become a ghost town. Perhaps he wants to avenge his name.

At the Hotel Meade, which was originally built as a courthouse in 1875, there are numerous stories of ghostly activity. When Bannack lost its county seat status to nearby Dillon in 1881, the building sat vacant until 1890 when it was remodeled into a plush hotel. The hotel opened and closed sporadically through the years with the ebb and flow of mining activity. At one time the building acted in the capacity of a hospital.

Cold spots, the apparition of a teen-age girl, and sounds of crying children are often reported by those who visit this old building. The first sighting of a young girl was well over a hundred years ago. The teen is said to be that of a girl named Dorothy Dunn who drowned in a dredge pond along the creek long ago. Shortly after her death, she made her first appearance to her best friend, who was with her at the time of her death.

The second picture that Judith had taken.

Since then there have been multiple sightings of the teen-age girl wearing a long blue dress on the second story of the old hotel. These reports often come from children, one of which reportedly stated that the ghost of Dorothy Dunn tried to talk to her. The seven year old could see Dorothy’s mouth moving but no sound came out. Dorothy has also been sighted standing in an upstairs window by passersby on the street below.

Judith of Ghosts, Poltergeists and Hauntings took this photograph at the General Store in Bannack, Montana. Judith actually took two pictures, the first of which turned out perfectly clear.

Yet more sightings have been reported throughout the town of ghostly women dressed in their best finery.

When mining played out, Bannack became a ghost town in the 1940s. However, the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks saved the town from the elements and vandalism by making it a state park on August 15, 1954.

Today, over sixty structures remain standing, most of which can be explored. The staff preserve, rather than restore the buildings of this old town allowing visitors an opportunity to relive the American West.