West Virginia Penitentiary 2008

Part One: The Investigation

posted on April 15, 2008 by No One of Consequence

I have to apologize for not posting on Monday as promised. Sleep deprivation took its toll on me and yesterday was rather unproductive. Today I am back in the swing of things and although I am behind on almost everything on my to do list, I feel the need to satisfy your curiosity about the trip as promised. This will be posted in four parts. First, I will begin by giving you a detailed account of my experience. The second post will consist of a EVPs. The third will feature the photographs. The fourth and final post will consist of my advice to you should you decide to make this trip. Just a few practical things I learned. (I want to mention that the interior photographs that I will post here are taken with my Nikon D50 and although they appear to be taken in a bright environment the conditions were pitch black. There is no electricity and the only light we had were a couple of head lamps and our flashes.) With that said, on to the hunt.

LaMishia, Stacey and I arrived at West Virginia Penitentiary right around 7:30 in the evening. My initial reaction was one of surprise. Although I has seen pictures of the structure online, I was not fully prepared for how awe struck I would be. The facility has a very imposing gothic look and one feels very small standing in its shadow. I will say that although the facility is quite large, the online photos make it appear that the wings extend forever. Trust me they do come to an end and it is not quite as long as the photos would make it appear. The second thing that struck me was the neighborhood in which the penitentiary sits. Directly across from the new admin building is a row of homes that face the prison walls. Parking was limited so we ended up parking in front of the houses. At 7:30 there were already quite a number of people forming a line in front of the gates. We estimated that there were at least fifty already with cars still pulling up. We were somewhat disappointed as we were hoping for a small group.

We gathered our stuff together and made our way to the back of the line. By this time the line was moving inside the entry gates and into the building. Each person had to present their confirmation paper (they didn’t actually look at them) and pick up their name tag at the front desk. This process took a good forty-five minutes to get everyone inside and settled down inside the lobby area. There were eighty-six of us.

The lobby is small and crowded. To your left is the check-in counter that doubles as a place to purchase a T-shirt, button, ball cap or video. No postcards! To your right is a big caged in guard unit that oversees the lobby as well as an area behind it where the prisoners would sit during visitations. A small hallway to your left is lined with stools. Visitors sat on the stools and looked at their loved ones through a small rectangular piece of glass. The visitor area in the old admin building also had slats to speak through but this area was at one time equipped with phones.

We were greeted by a gentleman who said he was a ghost hunter associated with groups such as TAPS and also said that he would be appearing on a new ghost hunting series to air this fall. After a short speech which I had trouble hearing from the visitors hallway, we were split into two groups for our 90 minute tour. The first group (those standing in the front) took their tour with a young woman who was familiar with the history of the penitentiary. My group (those of standing in the back) had to wait about twenty minutes before our tour could begin. We were guided by the ghost hunter. He was an interesting fellow and I enjoyed his stories and anecdotes but he lacked information regarding the history of the penitentiary itself. Fortunately, I did some research prior to the trip so I had some background information already. I did catch one major error in his time line which then made me question some of the other information he provided. He told us about a few ghosts or entities that are said to frequent the place that we should be on the lookout for: a little girl in a window, an prison snitch that was brutally butchered by other inmates, a lifer who was responsible for many of the murals painted on the walls throughout the prison. We were also told to revisit the Sugar Shack when we ventured out on our own as this was a hot spot of activity.

Our tour went well beyond the 90 minutes but it was a nice way to start the evening and get a acclimated to our surroundings. Halfway through the tour, Stacey, the expert among us, said that she had felt nothing so far (she picks up on these things) and she was not feeling like it would be a very productive night. Just an old building with an interesting history. I’m fine with that. Give me an old abandoned building with a story to tell and I’m happy. But then all that changed when we arrived in the cafeteria for those in solitary on North Block. All I was feeling by then was pity and disgust as we had just had our first glimpse of the cells. At the time the penitentiary closed the 5×7 living quarters probably only housed a single prisoner but at one time when overcrowding was a problem up to three inmates would share that tiny space. Three levels of cots on one wall, a tiny toilet and a sink. No window. Those in solitary spent 23 hours a day in that room. Many spent the time writing and drawing on the walls. At this point, I am beginning to have mixed emotions and a realization that although I came for a ghost hunt I really need to take a moment to think about where I am. These were real people. Maybe not good people but human beings all the same. This is not a nice place. It is cold, dirty, damp and dark. Although it is rapidly deteriorating caused by neglect and lack of maintenance, the conditions could not have been much better thirteen years ago when it was still in operation. Do I sound like I feel sorry for the inmates? They were very bad people who did very bad things. I knew someone who was brutally murdered. I do not feel pity for those who commit violent crimes. They need to be punished. With that said, I do know that if any of them ever had the chance to leave and reenter society, this place did nothing to help them become better people. It was most certainly a place intended for incarceration and execution, not rehabilitation and many of them died here. Including the ninety-four men executed for their crimes, it is said that there were a total of 998 deaths within these walls. Self-defense, attempted escapees shot on sight, malaria, suicide and murder are among the causes of death. If you believe that tortured souls or very bad men come back in the afterlife as ghosts to haunt the places of their demise, then you can be sure this is a good place to find them.

The cafeteria area is framed in with chain link fencing on a steel grid frame, a concrete floor with chain link walls and ceiling surrounded on all sides by guard units. Six tables where six inmates ate while six others waited chained to steel poles. This is where the Stacey began to feel uneasy. She said that she felt poked and that her hair was being pulled. She was glad to leave and we had to do some convincing later in the evening to get her to come back in.

Following the tour we were led back to the lobby and “treated” to two slices of pizza and a soda. We enjoyed ours sitting on a stool in the visitors hallway. Finally just before midnight we struck out on our own. I think I already mentioned the darkness of this place but I am sure I failed to mention the cold. It is chilly in here! I heard it was supposed to get down to 35 outside and at times it was warmer out there. I can’t remember if we went to visit the cells in South Block first or if we decided to go to the Sugar Shack. The cells on South Block were very similar to those on North. These lacked all the chain link mazes and ceilings. They housed the petty criminals and at one time the women. They were an impressive sight however as they are four stories high and just what I imagined they would look like. No eerie feelings here and no sounds or moving objects to deal with. The Sugar Shack was a bit different. For those of you unfamiliar with what the Sugar Shack was I will give you a brief delicate description and you can take it from there. Basically, the Sugar Shack is a small area in the basement of South Block. Entry is gained through the South Yard via a small white building attached to the main facility. It was a “rec room” of sorts where the inmates were allowed to go “play games” unsupervised. Okay, I will leave you to your imaginations. They did have pool tables and ping pong and they were allowed to paint on the walls and support columns. We did our first recordings in the Sugar Shack. I am listening to them now as I write this entry so if anything interesting comes up I will let you know. For those of you unfamiliar with these types of recordings what were are hoping to get is an EVP, Electronic Voice Phenomenon. Basically the ghost hunter talks to whatever ghosts might be present in the room and on playback we hope to hear a response.

At the end of the Sugar Shack is a small doorway that leads through a maze of rooms and hallways that are used for the Dungeon of Horror tours. So in addition to the general spookiness you have to deal with the props around every corner. I have to say that I did feel the most unease of the night entering the Sugar Shack and then walking through the maze. My chest was tight, I was a bit shaky and really didn’t want to be in there. As we made our way back out I felt better in waves. Just an overall feeling of relief as we left the Sugar Shack.

Much of the night was spent exploring the grounds of the facility both inside and out. A basketball court now sits where the Death House once stood. I took several pictures in this area that appeared to have some unexplained shadows and orbs. When I loaded them onto my computer and was able to look at them in better resolution the shadows disappeared and the orbs are reflections off the trailer that houses equipment for SWAT teams who practice prison riot drills here. We did several EVPs in cells, in the cafeteria and some just letting the recorder run as we walked around. It is difficult on playback to distinguish between the voices of other visitors in the area and a possible EVP.

Around 2:00, after a short break in the lobby to warm up and have some coffee, we headed back out. Making our way from South to North we ended up in a long hallway with large sections of windows that climbed the walls every fifteen feet or so. Walking past the second one to the end I heard a rattling sound coming from one of the panes. Looking up I saw nothing and the sounds stopped. I turned to walk away and it started again. It appeared to be a single pane making a vibrating or rattling or knocking sound but I could not pinpoint the location. So we must have been extremely tired at this point because we continued on our way! All night we have been waiting for a sign, a movement, a noise…anything. Here we had one and we left. Fortunately when we returned about forty-five minutes later the rattling continued. Unfortunately it had drawn an audience. One of the onlookers was supposedly the woman who photographed the now famous and recently Ghost Hunters debunked Shadowman picture. She claimed to have recorded an EVP on a previous visit that names two ghosts as Charlie and Bobby. The group had named the window rattler “Charlie and Bobby” and were questioning them. We sat a bit and recorded as well. A small group went outside to see if they could detect any wind or other reason that might explain the rattling. They found none. I did notice that the window was slightly ajar and wood wedges were jammed in between the frame and the window to hold it in place. Perhaps the vibrations occurred in this window because it was the only window in the hall slightly open and perhaps the wood wedges were placed there because this window won’t stay shut without them. Why won’t it stay shut? Maybe Charlie keeps trying to get out.

This was our last event of the evening. We left the facility shortly before 4:00 a.m. Because we chose to leave early we were escorted to the gate to be let out. There is no reentry once you decide to go. It was long drive back but I made it and about five hours later I was home. Did I see a ghost? No. Did I hear a ghost? Maybe. Did I have fun? Absolutley. It was well worth the trip and a great place to get my feet wet in ghost hunting.

Part Two: The EVPs.

posted on April 19, 2008 by No One of Consequence

W.E.E. Ghosties (Winchester Entity Experts) visited Moundsville, West Virginia to take part in an all night ghost hunt at the now closed West Virginia Penitentiary. This is the second post in a four part series on our ghost hunt at West Virginia Penitentiary last weekend. Part One focused on the event of the night. This post will feature the Electronic Voice Phenomenas (EVPs) taken that night.

For those of you interested in the equipment, I used an RCA RP5030 Digital Voice Recorder. It proved to be a good little recorder first time out. Easy to use both for recording purposes as well as playback. I plan to use this recorder for more than EVPs. Years ago I recorded to cassette for writing purposes as well as preparing for speeches and practicing for presentations. I think it will come in handy for my novel revisions. Rather than post recordings that are sometimes up to twenty minutes in length, I downloaded a little Mac shareware program called MP3 Trimmer. If it works out and I plan to continue to use the program, the cost is only $10.95.

On to the EVPs. From the Sugar Shack early in the evening I uncovered two EVPs that I thought were rather interesting. In the recording titled “Riot,” Stacey asks if any ghost present was part of the prison riots. I have researched two riots/takeovers that took place at the prison, one in 1973 and one in 1986. Both resulted in the loss of at least one inmate. However, the whispered response is “No.” You will need to turn up the volume in order to hear it. The second EVP titled “Is life easy here?” received a more adamant response that can be taken as either a scream or an angry “No!” You be the judge.

The third recording titled “Charlie and Bobby (#1)” is from the hallway where we heard and witnessed the rattling window. See Part One of this series for more background information on this encounter. About 17 seconds into the recording you will hear a fellow ghost hunter address the window rattler as Charlie and Bobby which prompts the rattling. At about 24 seconds in, Polly states “You were killed in the maintenance room.” Then our first ghost hunter asks “Do you know who was killed in the maintenance room?” which causes more rattling. In “Charlie and Bobby (#2)” the rattling is much quieter when they are questioned about whether or not they ratted anyone out for the killing in the maintenance room. In “Charlie and Bobby (#3)” Charlie and Bobby feel ignored and begin to rattle loudly when the subject is changed. “Charlie and Bobby (#4)” is a rather long EVP. It starts with a noise from the maintenance room which several of us leave to hall to investigate. I hear the window rattling again and return to the hall. As I reenter the hallway there is whispering on the recording that I cannot account for. Finally, in “Charlie and Bobby (#5)” a little ghostie humor from the ghost hunters.

Part Three: The Photographs.

posted on April 21, 2008 by No One of Consequence

As promised here are the photographs from our ghost hunt at West Virginia Penitentiary. I did not capture any orbs, shadowmen or anything else out of the ordinary but maybe you will see something I overlooked. If so, post a note and I will post a higher resolution photograph for you to look at. There are 81 photos total. Simply click on the first image and you will be directed to a gallery page where you can view them as a sort of slide show. This gallery format was the quickest way to post the photos but unfortunately they cannot be viewed larger. Perhaps I will edit this post later and bring you larger pics to look at. My goal here was simply to get them posted today. Note the degradation of the place. Keep in mind that all photos were taken in the dark. There was no getting around without flashlights. The Nikon D50 has a nice flash but framing up the photos was at times like shooting in the dark…literally. Click on the photo below to be linked to the gallery of images.

Part Four: The Advice.

posted on April 23, 2008 by No One of Consequence

Here is the final installment of a four part post on our Ghost Hunt at West Virginia Penitentiary. This one includes tips and suggestions for those who plan to make the trip themselves.

• Book early at West Virginia Penitentiary Tours online. At the time of this post all Ghost Hunts are booked through July and they are selling out fast for tour hunts scheduled for August.
• Our trip was in April and it was chilly. However, personally I would rather be a bit cold than too hot. I read one post on the forums where someone said it was over 100 degrees in July.
• Plan ahead. Do your research on the history of the penitentiary. It helps if you know a little something before you go. Your guide may not be very informed and then you will miss out on some of the best places in the prison to search for activity. It also helps when separating fact from fiction.
• Bring the typical ghost hunting necessities.

1. Even if you have never been on a ghost hunt before, pick up a small digital recorder for taping EVPs. You just might be surprised what you pick up. I had good luck with the RCA RP5030 Digital Voice Recorder. It sells for $47.00 at WalMart and $30.00 at Big Lots. Perfect for Mac users as well as PCs. For Mac simply connect to your computer via included USB cable.
2. Bring your camera but test it out in the dark first. Don’t be afraid to bring a good digital camera. I was worried about the dust and grime but really it wasn’t that bad. I would have been disappointed if I ended up with low quality photographs. you may also consider a movie camera.
3. A flashlight or headlamp is a must. I chose to bring a headlamp and wrapped it around my wrist because I didn’t want to blind anyone when I turned to look at them. I bought a Rayovac Industrial Hands Free Headlamp. It lists here for $13.00. I got mine at Big Lots for $5.00.
4. A small pad and pen for taking notes. I ended up not using mine on this trip because I had too much else going on to dig it out of my backpack. We tried to be sure that when we did recordings we stated our location and the time and date. I think this system is sufficient for recordings however you may want to jot down notes for your photographs, things you want to research, things you don’t want to forget. It may have been better if I had mine more accessible like around my neck. I probably would have got more use out of it.
5. I brought extra batteries but didn’t need them. My batteries did not drain of power like I was warned they would but better prepared than not.

• Bring a survival kit and dress for the trip

1. A small pocket size first aid kit that includes the essentials just in case: a few band-aids, a sample size bottle of anti-bacterial hand soap, aspirin or other headache/pain medicine.
2. Munchies and bottled water if you think you might get hungry throughout the night. You are fed two slices of some fairly good pizza and a soda right after the 90 minute tour. Coffee is available early on in the evening but it was put away before 3:30. There are soda machines in the lobby but I don’t know how well stocked they are.
3. In colder months you might want to bring disposable pocket hand warmers.
4. Dress in layers. I wore a short sleeve t-shirt under a long sleeve t-shirt with a sweatshirt over that. I kept a coat in the lobby and ended up wearing that too around midnight.
5. Wear old shoes. There are places wear you might run into standing water even on the second floor. It is not filthy here as some people describe it but there is a lot of dust and dirt. You will do a lot of walking so make sure your shoes are broken in and comfortable. Even in the summer I would not recommend flip flops or open toed shoes. There are hazards everywhere especially in the stairwells. Be careful on those as the concrete is crumbling away and the steel toes are bent up in places making it easy to trip and fall down a flight of concrete steps.

• Eat dinner before arriving. Don’t count on the pizza to be your last meal.
• Arrive on time for your tour but don’t worry about getting there first. Nothing begins until everyone is signed in and in the lobby. Most likely this will not be before 8:00. If it is raining make sure you have an umbrella as the line to get in is long and you are outside in the elements.
• All parking is on the street in front of the penitentiary. Parking is not secured so do not leave valuables in the car. We did not have a problem and I did notice patrol cars going up and down the street, however no sense tempting someone by leaving your purse in the car.
• If you think you might need to doze or rest during the night, bring a fold up lawn chair for the lobby. You can find a place to set it up in the visitor section.
• Use the restroom when you can. There is only one so don’t attempt it when you arrive or before or after pizza. The line is simply too long.
• No need to print a map of the facility. They have some on the counter. Maybe I will work on creating a better one though and post it here.
• I’m not big on T-shirts but bring cash if you want a souvenir. (shirts, caps, marbles, books, dvds, and yes they did have postcards)
• No matter when you arrive try to move towards the front to listen to the initial instructions from your guides. It is difficult to hear from the hallways. This way you can choose which guide you would like to take the 90 minute tour with. If you get a good vibe from Guide #1 then make your way to the front so you can be in that group. If Guide #2 appeals to you then hang back. You will have to wait around about 15 to 20 minutes to start the second tour though. Don’t worry - you have all night.
• I don’t know if this will work on every tour but if you want a shot at being alone in the Sugar Shack head there first. We assumed that everyone else would do the same thing and were surprised to find it empty.
• If they don’t tell you about the gymnasium it is located at the end of South Block and up on the second floor. Don’t go too far in as the center of the floor has heaved up and it is a catastrophe waiting to happen. We didn’t stay here long enough as a few fellow ghost hunters arrived right on our heels. i wish we would have though. It may have been a good place for an EVP.
• North Block is the main attraction and as you have all night I would recommend heading to the fourth level of cells in South Block for some quiet time alone with your camera and your recorder.
• Somewhere in South is a padded cell. Again in hindsight wish we would have tried for some EVPs.
• Don’t forget to visit Charlie and Bobby’s window. It is located in the hallway between North and South just outside the cafeteria and what the others called the maintenance room. I believe it was the second to the last set of windows before you get to North Block.
• If it is too busy for good EVPs just give it some time. We started with 86 people and by 2:30 over half of them had called it a night. By the time we left at 3:45 there were only 20 left. Would have been nice to stick around. Things were getting busy I think.
• If I had to do it over again (and I just might) I think I would make the trip earlier in the day and get a hotel room to rest up in before the evening begins. Then have a place to crash for a couple of hours and maybe a shower before driving home. It would also make it easier to see the other attractions in Moundsville that I missed.

Well I think that covers it. That is all the advice I can offer other than to say be quiet, be respectful, be patient and above all be very open minded - or you might just walk by a ghost rattling a window and blame it on the wind

Enjoy!

1 Comment(s)

Comments RSS TrackBack Identifier URI

Leave a comment

Name

Mail (will not be published)

Website