"Now I know what a ghost is. Unfinished business, that's
what." - Salman Rushdie
Halloween is here, which means ghosts and a
fascination with all things ghostly. I’ve never seen a ghost, but I've always
been fascinated by them. Who are these spirits, good and bad, inhabiting our
world for reasons we cannot know? Some protect, others warn; some frighten and
taunt us; others share the misery they suffered during their mortal lives; and,
some simply wander, retracing steps they once took, over and over again…
Winder has its' share of ghost stories, so in the spirit of the season, I’ll share some of the ones I’ve heard, with you.
The Winder Fire Station has, over the
years, been rumored to harbor the ghost of an older man who seems to mean no
harm. Reports of strange lights, a door opening and closing, or sounds from the
deserted engine bay are not uncommon, especially when it’s cold outside. One chief told me stories about the Firehouse
Ghost abounded back when the department was housed in its' previous location.
There didn't seem to be any paranormal activity at the new station until the
last load was moved, on an old fire truck no longer in use. The Firehouse Ghost
must have sensed change and hopped on board, because as soon as that load
showed up, he began to appear in the new station...
The "Old Hospital" on E. Broad
St., now a county building, is also the scene of various "bumps in the night."
The most consistent tale is of an old caretaker, who may have even lived in a
room in the hospital basement. He had a rocking chair that has been seen
rocking, dust covered and forgotten, in the basement, with no one in it. There are
also stories of the sounds he makes while doing his rounds through the old part
of the building. Like the Firehouse Ghost, the Hospital Caretaker, seems to mean
no harm. He’s simply continuing on with his duties…
The now demolished Granite Hotel that once
stood on the corner of Athens and Broad St. has long been a haven for the
paranormal or at least stories about it. And, since granite reportedly attracts
spirits because of its ability to remain cool and retain energy – conditions
that “haints” need to occupy a place and make themselves known - that makes
sense.
I first heard stories of a ghostly specter
in the Granite Hotel when the restaurant in it was H's Grill. H’s served up
some of Barrow’s best breakfasts and burgers for years and during that time,
especially on a cold morning, “H” would encounter signs of a ghostly diner.
Sometimes he’d find a nearly empty coffee cup on the counter – a counter he
knew he’d left clean when he closed up that day before. Other times, he’d hear
the back door open, then footsteps to the counter – the same seat where the
coffee cup was sometimes found – but no one was ever there. H’s Ghost didn’t
seem to mean harm either; he just wanted to get out of the cold.
When “H” retired, his grill became Humble
Grounds, a neighborhood establishment owned by two brothers from New York. Apparently,
H’s Ghost wasn’t happy with the sale or didn’t like Yankees or maybe just got
grumpier with age, because the paranormal activity the Humble brothers and
their staff encountered was much more dramatic and at times, frightening, than
“H” had ever experienced. In fact, so many unexplainable things happened that
the brothers kept a “Ghost Journal.”
The occurrences were almost daily and
included doors opening and closing, footsteps, lights and TVs switching on or
off, and people feeling as if they’d been touched when no one was there. One waitress
actually saw a man walk in the front door while she was washing dishes, but
when she turned to wait on him, no one was there. After a while, neither
brother nor any of the staff would be in the restaurant alone.
Not all the Humble Grounds stories are
scary. My favorite is told by a local fellow who stopped in for a brew one
evening and while he was sitting at the counter, he had a vision of a young woman.
She was "a fiery redhead" who sat down beside him and sent such a
sensation of "warmth and comfort" over him that he felt like his
"soul had been touched." A few months later he met the woman in his
vision, married her and they are still living happily ever after, right here in
Barrow County.
The tales that come from a location next to
the restaurant, also in the Granite Hotel, are of such a disturbing nature that
the final occupants moved their business to get away from the power outages,
odd noises, ghostly visions, sensations of warmth and cold, sounds of laughter
and other unnerving events. They reportedly took a photo at one point during
their torment that shows over 20 pairs of legs, dressed in period dresses or
overalls, hanging down from the rafters.
There are also stories of ghosts in the
“Old Courthouse” across from the Granite Hotel, especially in the “Old
Courtroom.” In addition to the standard opening and closing doors, footsteps,
and odd lights, moving chairs have been spotted. One deputy on a security check
was visibly scratched on the back – by no one there – with another deputy as a
witness.
So, as you set out this Halloween, I offer
up this Scottish prayer: "From ghoulies and ghosties
and long-leggedy beasties and things that go bump in the night, Good Lord,
deliver us!" Have fun and stay safe.
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