Sunday, October 25, 2009

Ghostly experiences at The Mark Twain House

Our Graveyard Shift Friday night ghost tours have been so popular that we sold out the month of October within a couple of weeks. We've been getting great feedback from those who have taken the tour. For those who have been to the house in the past, they say it's great to see the house in a new light (literally, it's REALLY dark). And for those who have come to the house for the first time, they are interested in coming back for the full tour. BUT the most interesting are the comments from the people who have experiences in the house while on the ghost tour!

A week ago, 3 women on one of the tours said they distinctly heard children giggling on the floor above them, when there was no one else inside the house. Another girl said she heard heavy breathing behind her, when there was no one there, in the same spot in the house where our local CT paranormal investigators heard heavy breathing as well, and we hadn't told that story to the tour yet! Another gentleman heard a crash on the floor above them, when again, they were the only people in the house. All of these incidences are interesting, except that only a few people on the tour heard or felt something.

But then, last night, that all changed. Last night on the 9pm ghost tour the ENTIRE TOUR heard the same thing. While the tour was in the master bedroom and the tour guide was talking, at one point he stopped talking and the whole tour turned around because they all heard voices coming from the first floor of the house. It was loud enough that Jason, the tour guide, heard it and had to stop talking. I was told it was two male voices, clearly having a conversation, but the words were indistinct. Jason assumed that it was some of his colleagues beginning to close up the house since he was the last tour going through... except that he was the only male staff member working last night. Still, he assumed he had heard wrong and told his tour that it must be Twain staff members downstairs. It scared someone on the tour so much though, that he was asked to yell downstairs and see who it was. So Jason walked out to the balcony and called down, "Caitlin? Mallory? If that's you please say something because we can hear you." Silence. At this point Jason started to get a little nervous. But he walked back into the master bedroom and continued on with his tour. A couple of rooms later, while Jason was discussing the girl's classroom, the same thing happened. He was interrupted by the sound of two men talking on the first floor of the house. Now, the way the house is set up, the rooms on the second floor are all situated around the grand staircase that winds its up the middle of the house. That means that if anyone is talking in the front hall, where the staircase begins, if you're on the second floor you will hear them talking. So again, Jason stopped talking and the ENTIRE TOUR listened to two men conversing, and then the noise disappeared. At this point Jason was not able to reassure his tour that it was his colleagues, because now he was a little freaked out. After his tour Jason asked every staff person if they had been in the house while he was giving his tour, and none of us had. So, where did the voices come from that 22 people heard?

Come and see if you have an experience of your own!
Dates available: 10/1, 11/6, 11/13 and 11/14. 5 tours a night beginning at 6pm and running every 45 minutes with the last tour at 9pm. Call for availability, 860-280-3154.

*Caitlin

"Then I became conscious that my chamber was invaded -- that I was not alone. I heard sighs and breathings about my bed, and mysterious whisperings." - Mark Twain, A Ghost Story