The Historic Triangle isn’t lacking in spooky tales of colonial ghosts, but for local paranormal investigators, there are spots all around the area that can send shivers up the spine.
Applewood Colonial Bed and Breakfast
Ryan Savino, creator of R.T.L. Paranormal, a nonprofit that investigates paranormal activity, has been working with the unexplained and unpredictable in the area for nine years.
“What I try to do is try to prove to people that not just historical places that have paranormal history or the places that you google,” he said. “Sometimes it’s places you don’t realize.”
One experience that sticks out in his mind is the Applewood Colonial Bed and Breakfast in Williamsburg. The Georgian-style home was built between 1930-1934 by the construction manager for the Colonial Williamsburg restoration, Elton Holland, according to the inn’s website.
A few years ago, Savino found himself standing in the Twin Elms Suite, where he took a photo of himself in the mirror. When he looked at the photo once again, Savino saw himself in the mirror — but with an image of a woman behind him.
“You could see her hair in a loose ponytail, the outline of the shoulders and the upper torso, it was amazing,” he said.
Jamestown Island
Settled in 1607, the island has been home to a many colonists and a number of deaths. From Native American attacks to famine, the area is rich in history and, possibly, ghosts.
Built in 1750, the Ambler house remains as one location that contributes to a long and difficult history, according to the National Parks Service. The Ambler family owned the land for many generations.
But the location saw turmoil when in 1776, Lydia Ambler’s husband left to fight in the revolutionary war and never returned, according to Colonial Ghost Tours.
Lydia then killed herself.
The home now is in ruins after being burned down and rebuilt on three separate occasions.
Today, the National Parks Service maintains what is left of the structure.
Tucker Hall
St. George Tucker Hall was built in 1909 as the College of William & Mary’s first free-standing library, but campus lore surrounding the hall quickly spread after the suicide of a young woman in the 1980s, according the the college’s newspaper, The Flat Hat.
According to legend, if a student is studying in Tucker Hall, the ghost might ask how that student is doing and if the student gives a positive response the ghost will become upset.
The supposed ghost has elicited student curiosity for many years, with film projects and student art on the legend.
Crawford Road
When locals think about spooky places, for many Crawford Road in York County is the first that comes to mind.
A local hotspot for teenagers looking for a good scare, the road has a legend around it that keeps the community interested.
Virginia Paranormal Investigations has done research on the road that has a history of homicides and ghosts.
Perhaps one of the most famous legends is the story of a runaway bride who hung herself from the bridge where Tour Road crosses over Crawford Road near Yorktown Battlefield.
As the years pass, locals still report seeing a clad figure on the bridge at night or the sound of a thud on their car as they drive by.
WYDaily archives were used in this story.
