Carol Fisher-Linn
Do you think ghost walks have ghosts tagging along? Ellicottville walks beginning in September. Do You dare?
The Ellicottville Historical Society will again be presenting ghost walks on five Friday nights beginning September, 25 through October, 30. Attendees will gather at the Town Hall Gazebo between 7-7:30pm. The cost is $15 per person, cash or check made out to Ellicottville Historical Society. From the Gazebo, walkers will head to the United Church (ghosts in a church? Ellen’s stories will leave you gasping!) and from there to the Jefferson Street Cemetery, which it is about a 7-minute walk. The tour ends back at the Historical Museum, which has a few ghostly stories of its own.
On your walk you will learn about the ghost investigation that took place in both the church and the Historical Society buildings several years ago. At the Ellicottville Historical Museum, while the team was set up near the display about a beloved local physician, Dr. Leyens, every time his name was mentioned a Victorian Music box would play. Many similar experiences happened while they were set up at the United Church on Elizabeth Street. Ms. Frank was there so she can fill you in on all the ghostly details. Ms. Frank tells of an investigation where she was reading a tag on a coat in the museum and the Spirit Box warned them to “please stop touching my coat.”
Speaking of coats, please plan to wear appropriate clothing and shoes for the two-hour event, carry a flashlight, and be sure your camera is charged in case you want to photograph mystical images or floating orbs at the cemetery, church or historical society. Hey, you never know which spirits will be hanging around. They have been known to show up now and again as voices or blue floating orbs, according to Ms. Frank. Leaving the cemetery, you will then be invited to take a quick walk back (psst, don’t look back, something might be following you!) to the Historical Museum which, BTW, has a few spooky stories of its own.
You will hear about executions, murders and mayhem (much involving “likker”), and be invited to visit, if you dare, the grave of local resident and spiritualist, Beals Litchfield, who helped found the Lilydale Spiritualist Center. It is around this grave that Ms. Frank reports seeing floating orbs of light. Oh yes, remember, this walk is at your own risk. Are you brave enough???? Remember to bring your silver, iron, salt or lavender for protection. For more information call Ellen Frank, Town Historian, at 716-474-8528 cell or 716-699-2276 home. Bring along your personal favorite ghost story to share as the participants gather at the Gazebo.
The Cattaraugus County X-Files: If walking with spirits in a dark cemetery isn’t your thing, you have an opportunity, on Tuesday, October 6th at 6:30pm at the Randolph Public Library to see a free video presentation by the region’s premier paranormalist, author and researcher Mason Winfield, and participate in a discussion about the supernatural/paranormal history of the county people call “the enchanted mountains.” Topics include UFOs; mystery critters; psychic phenomena (ghosts, cults, and “vanishing hitchhikers”); ancient mysteries and anomalies; First Nations supernaturalism; earth-energies; and other aspects of the contemporary paranormal field. According to Winfield, “Cattaraugus County’s paranormal past is as vivid as any. Its record is unique.” He goes on to say this: “Like everywhere that people inhabit, Cattaraugus County has its ghosts and famous haunted sites. The county is especially strong in traditions of ancient mysteries–including ancient explorers and giant skeleton reports. It’s one of the most Bigfoot-haunted counties to be found, according to the records. And the First Nations supernatural and occult traditions are off the chart.”
A former English teacher, Mason Winfield is the author of 20 books of both research and fiction. While the topics range from paranormal surveys to psychic detectives to contemporary wizards to the War of 1812 and First Nations culture, there is always a supernatural element. “I’m a supernatural guy,” says Winfield. His walking tour company, Haunted History Ghost Walks, inc., leads many a ghost walk and Haunted Pub Crawl in its home base of Erie County, and its prime season is ahead.
The Randolph Public Library is at 26 Jamestown Street in Randolph. The talk on October 6 is FREE to the public but seats are limited. For reservations: (716) 358-3712.
Sincere thanks to Ms. Frank and Mr. Winfield for their invaluable assistance in gathering information for this article.