FARNSWORTH HOUSE INN
Gettysburg, PA
July 28-30, 2011
Gettysburg, PA
July 28-30, 2011
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HISTORY
Farnsworth House Inn was built in 1810 and is called "one of the most haunted inns in America" by the Travel Channel. Cyndi and Joey took that to heart when they stayed at this ghostly bed and breakfast for two sleepless nights. Located at 401 Baltimore Street, Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, The Farnsworth House, named for Union Army General John Farnsworth was in the midst of the Civil War. Confederate soldiers stayed at the house and positioned sharp shooters in the attic, one of the most haunted rooms in the house. The main floor was used as a field hospital and bodies of those that didn't survive the war were kept in the basement. Bullet holes riddled the brick structure and can still be seen on the side of the house.
The Farnsworth House Inn offers 9 rooms for guests to overnight with the spirits, a tavern, dining with staff in civil war costume, history and ghost tours, and even a seance room.
CLAIMS
A spirit named Jeremy, presumably a child, has been seen. A chandelier swinging, footsteps throughout the house can be heard, especially above the McFarlane room. There are no rooms above that room not even the attic, which does not extend over that room. Hard soled boots on the stairs can be heard, although now the stairs are carpeted.
Numerous claims of a dead mannequin are seen in the attic. Also cold spots, breathing, thumps, and guests being touched are experienced in the attic. Guests staying in the rooms below the attic report sounds in the attic throughout the night, even though ghost tours to the attic end around 10pm.
The most extraordinary tale came from our ghost tour guide and included the very room our group stayed in, the McFarlane Room. Little did Cyndi and Joey know, the McFarlane Room is one of the most haunted rooms in the house. Lucky them! The Sarah Black room is another famously haunted room.
The claims from the McFarlane room include water turning on in the bathroom by itself, footsteps overhead, the room being extraordinarily hot or cold, a baby crying (no children can stay at the inn), and a creepy feeling to the room. The decor didn't help matters. The room is beautifully decorated in Victorian furnishings but the theme of the room seemed to be children. There were old fashioned children's clothes hanging on the walls and a basket full of toys for you to set out for the child spirits to play with.
CLAIMS
A spirit named Jeremy, presumably a child, has been seen. A chandelier swinging, footsteps throughout the house can be heard, especially above the McFarlane room. There are no rooms above that room not even the attic, which does not extend over that room. Hard soled boots on the stairs can be heard, although now the stairs are carpeted.
Numerous claims of a dead mannequin are seen in the attic. Also cold spots, breathing, thumps, and guests being touched are experienced in the attic. Guests staying in the rooms below the attic report sounds in the attic throughout the night, even though ghost tours to the attic end around 10pm.
The most extraordinary tale came from our ghost tour guide and included the very room our group stayed in, the McFarlane Room. Little did Cyndi and Joey know, the McFarlane Room is one of the most haunted rooms in the house. Lucky them! The Sarah Black room is another famously haunted room.
The claims from the McFarlane room include water turning on in the bathroom by itself, footsteps overhead, the room being extraordinarily hot or cold, a baby crying (no children can stay at the inn), and a creepy feeling to the room. The decor didn't help matters. The room is beautifully decorated in Victorian furnishings but the theme of the room seemed to be children. There were old fashioned children's clothes hanging on the walls and a basket full of toys for you to set out for the child spirits to play with.
The tour guide told a tale of a business man staying the McFarlane room, located in the original part of the house, and named after John McFarlane who added the brick to the house in 1833. The man staying in the McFarlane room was trying to sleep when he heard what sounded like drunks in the hallway so he goes to check it out but finds nobody in the hallway. He returns to bed and his bed started shaking. He looked at bottom of bed and found two shadow figures of men standing at the end of bed. One man said what should we do about the Yankee sleeping in my bed? The other replied we should slit his throat. The man jumped out of bed and fled out the door.
A guest in the Eisenhower room, across the hall from the McFarlane room, heard what sounded like someone being murdered in the room across the hall. He went to check it out and saw a man burst through the McFarlane room and passed out in hallway from fright. When he woke he told the man he couldn't stay there, left his luggage, and moved to the Holiday Inn. His luggage had to be brought to him the next day.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
The second we entered the town of Gettysburg, we felt a heavy feeling of creepiness, like a shadow was cast over the town. Joey had a bad headache the first day and didn't feel well.
When we first stepped into the McFarlane room, it had a bad vibe. The room was so dark, even with the lights on. We got out our EMF detector and scanned the room. We got a lot of hits near the floor in the middle of the room. I was skeptical there might be plumbing or electrical wires running through there. We also did an EVP session that night with no results. There was a basket of toys in the room. We set toys around the room with pennies on them to see if the pennies would move.
The first night we decided to check out one of the many ghost tours offered in town. We walked through the city while our guide told stories of soldiers and ghosts. We ended the tour in the attic of the Farnsworth House Inn. While our guide was telling a story, the door to the attic mysteriously opened by itself and the guide proceeded to tell us we were staying in one of the most haunted rooms in the house! Needless to say, we didn't sleep for two nights. Listen to the door opening below.
A guest in the Eisenhower room, across the hall from the McFarlane room, heard what sounded like someone being murdered in the room across the hall. He went to check it out and saw a man burst through the McFarlane room and passed out in hallway from fright. When he woke he told the man he couldn't stay there, left his luggage, and moved to the Holiday Inn. His luggage had to be brought to him the next day.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCES
The second we entered the town of Gettysburg, we felt a heavy feeling of creepiness, like a shadow was cast over the town. Joey had a bad headache the first day and didn't feel well.
When we first stepped into the McFarlane room, it had a bad vibe. The room was so dark, even with the lights on. We got out our EMF detector and scanned the room. We got a lot of hits near the floor in the middle of the room. I was skeptical there might be plumbing or electrical wires running through there. We also did an EVP session that night with no results. There was a basket of toys in the room. We set toys around the room with pennies on them to see if the pennies would move.
The first night we decided to check out one of the many ghost tours offered in town. We walked through the city while our guide told stories of soldiers and ghosts. We ended the tour in the attic of the Farnsworth House Inn. While our guide was telling a story, the door to the attic mysteriously opened by itself and the guide proceeded to tell us we were staying in one of the most haunted rooms in the house! Needless to say, we didn't sleep for two nights. Listen to the door opening below.
_
Footsteps could be heard overhead at night but I think it could have been someone in the hall. Maybe the steps echoed and sounded like they were coming from above? There is nothing above the McFarlane room. It could be where the ghosts hang out! The room we stayed in had a paranormal journal you could write your experiences in. It was neat to read about the prior guests. We weren't the only ones who thought the room was creepy.
EVIDENCE
Unfortunately we didn't obtain any paranormal evidence at the Farnsworth House Inn. The best evidence came from a side trip we made. Check out Sachs Covered Bridge.
SIDE TRIPS
JENNIE WADE HOUSE
GETTYSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK
TIPS
Cyndi and Joey flew into Dulles Airport, rented a car, and drove to Gettysburg. It was very easy to find and only about one and a half hours north of the airport. Gettysburg is a small, quaint town with many shops downtown. There are numerous history and ghost hunt tours, walking and bus tours, both family friendly and hunts with equipment and paranormal experts, and many historical museums. There is a wealth of information at the Gettysburg visitors bureau. At Gettysburg National Military Park there is a museum and a gift shop where you can purchase a driving tour CD. I bought this and although it would have been informational for adults, kids might find it boring. You can even reserve a ranger to drive your car for a private tour of the town. There is a map you can pick up at the park to guide you around town to the different historical places. The entire town of Gettysburg was one of the battle fields for the Civil War, no wonder the whole town felt creepy.
Footsteps could be heard overhead at night but I think it could have been someone in the hall. Maybe the steps echoed and sounded like they were coming from above? There is nothing above the McFarlane room. It could be where the ghosts hang out! The room we stayed in had a paranormal journal you could write your experiences in. It was neat to read about the prior guests. We weren't the only ones who thought the room was creepy.
EVIDENCE
Unfortunately we didn't obtain any paranormal evidence at the Farnsworth House Inn. The best evidence came from a side trip we made. Check out Sachs Covered Bridge.
SIDE TRIPS
JENNIE WADE HOUSE
GETTYSBURG NATIONAL MILITARY PARK
TIPS
Cyndi and Joey flew into Dulles Airport, rented a car, and drove to Gettysburg. It was very easy to find and only about one and a half hours north of the airport. Gettysburg is a small, quaint town with many shops downtown. There are numerous history and ghost hunt tours, walking and bus tours, both family friendly and hunts with equipment and paranormal experts, and many historical museums. There is a wealth of information at the Gettysburg visitors bureau. At Gettysburg National Military Park there is a museum and a gift shop where you can purchase a driving tour CD. I bought this and although it would have been informational for adults, kids might find it boring. You can even reserve a ranger to drive your car for a private tour of the town. There is a map you can pick up at the park to guide you around town to the different historical places. The entire town of Gettysburg was one of the battle fields for the Civil War, no wonder the whole town felt creepy.
MORE STOPS ON OUR HAUNTED ROAD TRIP
Sachs Covered Bridge, Gettysburg, PA - we caught some great evidence here
West Virginia State Penitentiary, Moundsville, WV
Trans-Alleghany Lunatic Asylum, Weston, WV