Thursday, November 16, 2017

Point Lookout State Park Part 4: The Haunted Lighthouse

Point Lookout's Lighthouse
In this final blog about Maryland's Point Lookout State Park, we'll tell you about the lighthouse and it's ghost! 

Point Lookout State Park is located at 11175 Point Lookout Road, Scotland, MD 20687. It's part of the Maryland Park Service. 

THE LIGHTHOUSE Point Lookout Light is a lighthouse that began operation on Sept. 20,1830. It marks the entrance to the Potomac River at the southernmost tip of Maryland's western shore of the Chesapeake Bay. There were numerous lighthouse keepers and you can find the entire history here: http://www.ptlookoutlighthouse.com/overview.shtml
Tom and Rob at the lighthouse

ROB'S EXPERIENCES - Since the lighthouse was closed when we visited, we could only get as close as the fence that surrounded it. It was enough to make my legs feel shaky and unsteady. The energy in the house also gave me a headache (I get one when I'm around a ghost or spirit) so I knew there was a ghost or ghosts (intelligent haunt) inside. When we returned home we researched findings from paranormal teams who investigated and there was a lot of experiences. 

THE LAST LIGHTHOUSE KEEPERS
George Gatton, the last civilian lighthouse keeper at Point Lookout Lighthouse stated in an interview that he did not believe in ghosts. The lighthouse was tended by Raymond Hartzel until January 11, 1966, when the light was extinguished for the last time. Once the Navy and subsequently the State of Maryland took possession of the lighthouse and rehabilitated it, tenants of the lighthouse began reporting their experiences of unexplained voices, sightings and other phenomena. 


A RESIDENT'S GHOSTLY EXPERIENCES - Gerald (Gerry) Sword lived in the northern side of the lighthouse. Gerry invited Dr. Hans Holzer, a renowned parapsychologist based in New York, to investigate. Gerry's experiences included:
* The kitchen wall started to glow one night for about 10 minutes
* Every night for 2 weeks he heard someone snoring in the kitchen
* During storms, he often heard voices outside and inside the lighthouse
* Frequently heard someone walking up and down the hallway and stairs
* Heard loud voices outside and no one was there.
* His dog was locked in the screen-in porch in the evenings. One night he heard the dog barking and came outside to find the dog outside the porch but the door was still locked from the inside
* Smelled an odor in the living room
* Lights turned on and off and doors banged



HOLZER'S PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS FIND GHOSTS, VOICES
On January 14, 1980 - A medium felt sick; she had chills and felt cold and weak. She felt that someone had experienced agony in this room and had been held against their will: Some Civil War prisoners likely had been held there.
- Top of the Stairs The medium felt a woman's presence and felt that this woman had contemplated throwing herself down the steps many times.
- Steps to Cupola Medium felt a young blond man with blue eyes had been murdered within the last 50 years
- Feb. 1980 Investigation: in the Basement -Several investigators saw a figure in the farthest back room and recorded a voice that stated either let me out or get out.
- Dining Room Held a séance in this room - many photos revealed spirit lights. Many other unexplained voices were recorded  
- August 22, 1980.  Ghost photo in front bedroom, whispered voices on the tape. Again, another figure was seen in the basement. We all heard breathing and felt cold spots throughout the lighthouse.  
- Ghost of man paced up and down hallways


NOTE FOR PARANORMAL INVESTIGATORS - For information about investigating claims of the paranormal at the lighthouse, please see the paranormal program on the PLLPS.org website at: http://www.pllps.org/nighttimeinvestigations.shtml

Who I am

I'm a simple guy who enjoys the simple things in life, especially our dogs. I volunteer for dog rescues, enjoy exercising, blogging, politics, helping friends and neighbors, participating in ghost investigations, coffee, weather, superheroes, comic books, mystery novels, traveling, 70s and 80s music, classic country music,writing books on ghosts and spirits, cooking simply and keeping in shape. You'll find tidbits of all of these things on this blog and more. EMAIL me at Rgutro@gmail.com - Rob

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