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Even Before The Ghost Tour

 

This happened to my family I would say about two weeks ago. It was Labour Day weekend, and we were on vacation to Richmond. One of the things that we were going to do was to take a ghost tour around the Shockoe Bottom area, which started at the Poe Museum. My mother and I had been there once before so we knew where to go and what was in the house. We got to Poe Museum way earlier than when the tour actually started, because my mom always likes us to get to places really early. The tour guys let us in so we could walk around the gift shop (also the first room you walk into when going through the front door). I was searching for the awesome pen I had gotten the last time I was there and had unfortunately run out of ink. Sadly it wasn't there that time, so I was browsing while my mom talked to a tour guide about different things, and my dad went back to the car to get something.

Now in the centre, towards the right side of the room (if you were looking from the front door) was around table that held some merchandise. On the top rounded shelf was a cute little wooden figurine sitting snugly on a wooden horse. There were a few of those on the table, at the time. I was facing towards the back wall when my dad came back into the room. I heard him cross the room and get most of the way around the table before I heard something fall. Everyone stopped talking and turned. I thought that my dad had knocked something over, but instead he thought that I had he knew he didn't even touch the table. Of course I wasn't even moving nor near the table. We were the only ones close to said table at the time. We all went over to look what fell over, and found that it was one of the figures that rode the horse, lying on his back. Now think about this for a second. If it was the wind from closing the door (which it wasn't it was very hot that day and hardly if any wind was blowing), then the figure would have fallen on his back directly behind the horse, and the horse would have moved or gone down with him. This was not the case. Instead the figure was about a good two inches to the side of the horse. The horse did not move at all. And it was lying on the side of the table where I was standing. I joked that it could have been a ghost, not knowing what I know now. Because when the tour started some 40 minutes later, the first story they told us was about a little boy seen and heard in the Poe House where we were. Not only this but he is known to move toy objects in the gift shop around. I will give a bonus to go along with this. I have a tendency to keep staring at places where I later find out (or know) there are ghost. This isn't because I am looking for something to see so much as having my attention drawn to a certain area.

After leaving the main house of the Museum we were to sit the in courtyard outside. There is a side building (also part of the museum) that kept drawing my eye to the top story window that was completely dark. I was nervous, and scared that I would see something (although I never did) I couldn't seem to stop staring. After more people came, I was able to keep my eyes away from the window. But I didn't think much of it beside me being creeped out by it. When the tour guide was going through how haunted the Museum was, he told us a story that a woman is seen in that same window looking down into the courtyard on multiple occasions.

When I first went to the Poe Museum, and even before the tour started, I had NO idea that the place was haunted. It didn't really surprise me, but any creepiness that I felt while I was there either time I just believe to my imagination. I guess I should visit again sometime soon.

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The following comments are submitted by users of this site and are not official positions by yourghoststories.com. Please read our guidelines and the previous posts before posting. The author, girlie, has the following expectation about your feedback: I will read the comments and participate in the discussion.

emmenal (1 posts)
+1
9 years ago (2014-10-07)
I've been browsing this site today and found this - your story absolutely hit home for me and I'm getting shivers just reading your account. Several years ago, a friend of mine was working at the Poe Museum (she no longer works there or I wouldn't share this) and asked my son to play 'Little Poe' for an event. That side building that you mentioned? It's a house that Poe had built for either his mother or mother-in-law, I believe, and my friend used it as an office. To get my son ready, we went to the second floor where her office was located. She needed to go into the back room (I'm not sure if the 'window' that you mention is there or in the office part of the second floor), which is also the library with many, many primary sources, so as a major history/literary buff, I was incredibly interested in seeing it. She allowed me to go in with her, and after a few seconds, I began to feel a heavy feeling on my chest, got panicky, and needed to get out of that building very badly. We finished dressing up my son (luckily, he was nearly done when I started feeling badly), and the four of us (my husband was also with us) went down the narrow steps to the first floor. I felt like I needed to hold on to the wall or I was going to fall. I should note, neither my friend nor my husband felt anything (nor my son). It took a very long time for me to feel normal again after leaving that building. I've had experiences before, although I'd never had anything happen that truly scared me. This? Scared me. I haven't been back to the museum since and I live in town.

Once the program was over, we were getting ready to leave and I stopped to talk with my friend for a minute before we went home. She admitted to me that there had been an investigation by a paranormal group earlier that week and they had gotten several voice phenomena - and they were very unpleasant. She hadn't wanted to say anything while we were up there because she knew I was already feeling something negative, but she was convinced that whatever is up there decided to target my energy that day.

The little boy that you mention has also shown up in some wedding photos from the courtyard area. From what I understand, he's perfectly harmless.

Count me among those convinced that the Poe Museum is genuinely haunted. Thanks for the account!
girlie (15 stories) (426 posts)
 
10 years ago (2014-09-18)
When we first went there they didn't state that there were any ghost. I could tell something was there, like I felt watched in many of the rooms. But get that feeling a lot so I didn't think much of it. It wasn't until the second time did I find out that what I was feeling wasn't just my imagination.
elnoraemily (guest)
 
10 years ago (2014-09-11)
Thank you for your forgiveness, Miracles:)

Seriously, the virtual tour of the Poe Museum is kind of fun, though very short. Sadly, no shots of the gift shop.

(unrelated side note before I stop hoarding the comment thread here is the virtual tour of the Villisca Murder house is also quite fun. I have a lot of time on my hands at my work).
Miracles51031 (39 stories) (4999 posts) mod
+1
10 years ago (2014-09-11)
elnoraemily - you're forgiven... This time 😉 It actually is a good story, even if we do have a couple questions. But I think regardless of the shared experience and the o/p, there are always going to be questions LOL
elnoraemily (guest)
 
10 years ago (2014-09-11)
I usually catch discrepancies like that.

I have the same question as well, since you stated towards the end that you can sense where a ghost is.
AudreyJay (1 stories) (17 posts)
 
10 years ago (2014-09-11)
I also enjoyed the story, but had the same question as Miracles. Also, you stated " My mother and I had been there once before so we knew where to go and what was in the house." Does this mean that you knew it was haunted, or you knew the contents of the house? I have been here as well, and have not heard the tour guide reference a woman in the window. When he did mention the little boy, it was to say that he is seen and heard with other children in the courtyard. Perhaps he likes the toys.
elnoraemily (guest)
 
10 years ago (2014-09-11)
Also, I found this little account on a haunted Poe site:

"Just before the shop closed for the day, a large shipment of Edgar Allan Poe bobble-head dolls arrived. The attendant opened the carton only to inspect the contents and then placed it behind the counter to be unpacked and displayed the following day. When the shop attendant arrived the next morning, she found all of the bobble-heads removed from their boxes and arranged in a line just in front of the counter. The empty boxes were all neatly tucked away in the shipping carton as though they had never been disturbed."

Very cute, really, that you also got to experience the kids playing with toys.
Miracles51031 (39 stories) (4999 posts) mod
 
10 years ago (2014-09-11)
Girlie - I enjoyed your story, but I have a question. You said you had no idea the Poe Museum was haunted, yet you and your mom had been there before. How did you not know it was haunted if you'd been there before?
elnoraemily (guest)
 
10 years ago (2014-09-11)
Looked up the Poe Museum and it looks like a very intriguing place to visit! I took the virtual tour 😉

I had no idea that it was supposed to be haunted. Apparently, a little blond boy is supposed to be a frequent visitor! You are lucky you got to have an experience there.

Very nice account, thank you for sharing.

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