Looking for ghost hunting advice.

Next weekend I am planning to take my family to historic Fort Mifflin to check out a Historic Soldiers Weekend event they are having.

Historic Soldiers Weekend is a historical encampment, featuring re-enactors, and their equipment, from every American conflict, spanning from the French and Indian War to the Vietnam War. In some instances, both sides of the conflicts will be present, such as the revolutionary war loyalists and "redcoats", civil war confederate units, and WWII German infantry units. The re-enactment units will be camping out for the weekend on Historic Fort Mifflin.

I've heard stories that Fort Mifflin is one of the most haunted places in Pa. My oldest daughter is looking forward to it because she loves ghost stories but, my other two are a little nervous.

I was wondering if anyone here had any suggestions for trying to take pics or video of paranormal activities while I'm there. Are there any places I should look for a better chance of seeing anything wierd?

Sure, I'm only gonna be there in the daytime but, I've heard some parts of the fort are underground and was advised to bring along a flashlight because there are plenty of dark, creepy places in the fort.

If I see anything cool, I will post it here after my visit.

Well, take an LED flashlight. You can buy them really cheap at a Big Lots. LED's do not create distortions like the incandescent light bulbs do. Extra batteries for the flashlights and camera. Also, Use a flash on your camera, heh, duh. If you feel something strange in the dark, like a sudden chill, snap a photo or two. The results can be interesting.

I've never been to that fort, so I don't know where most eerie activities occur.

I don't know what else to tell you for this visit. If you do decide to take part in further paranormal investigations, a digital thermometer, and electromagnetic field detector and a digital recorder are good tools to take.

Here's a website that provides some basic information you can check out before your visit.
ghosthunting101.com...

Hint: If you choose sometime to purchase some of these items, I suggest you DON'T but from specialty stores. They are expensive! Amazon.com has some inexpensive tools you can buy.

Have fun!!!

reply to post by FortAnthem


When I'm doing an investigation I always take some shots in the darker places without a flash ... surprising what you catch sometimes ... two of my best pics have turned stuff up this way.

Also worth taking a handheld recorder / dictaphone (if you have one) ... if you have a room / corridor etc to yourselves ... keep the kids quiet and ask for someone (spirit) to say something (names are usually favourite) ... just ask a couple of questions ... give time for a reply ... then listen back to the recording ... you may not get anything but if you do it will truly freak you out the first time you hear it.

Have fun. Woody

reply to post by kyred


I've already got a few LED flashlights and I plan to bring plenty of batteries. I would have thought the LEDs might mess up possible ghost sightings though, what with being high-tech and all but, who knows?
I'll definately snap a few random pics if I feel any wired chills or something.


reply to post by woodwytch


That sounde like a good idea, taking pics of dark areas to see what comes up, I'll try it. Don't know if I have the nerve to try out the EVP stuff though, that might freak me and the kids out too much but, I'll keep it in mind.

Thanks for the advice guys. I was wondering, which was best for capturing ghost images; a digital camera or an old fashioned film camera?

reply to post by FortAnthem


If you have access to both types of camera I would take both ... maybe the children could take a few pics themselves ... and if you are lucky enough to capture anything don't forget to post them.

Oh, another suggestion ... try to take at least 2 shots of everything you photograph for comparison. For example ... if you take one pic that is full of orbs but one taken seconds later shows nothing ... then chances are the orbs in the first cannot be dismissed as insects / dust etc because they wouldn't all be able to physically move within a second or two.

Also if you catch an anomoly on one image and not on another ... or it's moved in some way ... it's good to have something to compare with rather than a single snap.

Hope this helps and I hope you manage to catch something on camera.

Woody

I finally got a chance to upload and look at my pics from Fort Mifflin last week and I figured I’d post a few for anyone who may be curious about the results of my trip.

We went on a day that was threatening rain and it was kinda gloomy that day but, we lucked out and it never opened up on us while we were there. I stopped at the dollar store and picked up plenty of extra batteries which turned out to be a BIG mistake; the dollar store batteries were only good for about a dozen pics and I was constantly forced to change batteries.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/ec9de09b7374.jpg[/atsimg]

There were plenty of dark gloomy places to explore and the LED flashlights definitely came in handy as many of these places were poorly lit. I tried taking a few pics without the flash but, nothing turned up so I’ll post the pics I took with the flash which probably washed out any potential ghost sightings.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/5dbd571dc9cd.jpg[/atsimg]

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/62dceb562ba1.jpg[/atsimg]

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/a4d49df973a7.jpg[/atsimg]

The closest I got to a ghost sighting was this fake orb which was created by the light below the fireplace reflecting off the lens of my camera.
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/b106205daee0.jpg[/atsimg]

This one of the same reflection looks pretty cool, it even looks like the “orb” has a head and eyes.
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/d7980e646dba.jpg[/atsimg]

I wasn’t surprised that I didn’t see anything during the daytime but, the kids had the fun of exploring a real haunted fort and we got to see a lot of war re-enactors from different eras, although surprisingly, there weren’t any re-enactors from the Revolutionary War period in which this fort made a name for itself.



Edit to add: I was just looking at my pics on this thread and it looks like I may have caught some real orbs in the picture of the big empty chamber.
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/a4d49df973a7.jpg[/atsimg]

Who woulda thought I could catch something on my very firts try at ghost hunting. Although, it's probably just dust particles, its still pretty cool.

Hey there, Pleased you and the kids had fun exploring ... and good you caught some 'orbs' although you're probable right about them being dust particles

Just a couple of quick questions;

#1 How old is this place ?

#2 Would there have been any monk / priest type people at the fort for any reason ?

I'll explain when I have your answers.

Woody

Originally posted by woodwytch
Hey there, Pleased you and the kids had fun exploring ... and good you caught some 'orbs' although you're probable right about them being dust particles

Just a couple of quick questions;

#1 How old is this place ?

#2 Would there have been any monk / priest type people at the fort for any reason ?

Fort Mifflin has been around a long time, it was used in the defence of Philidelphia to hold off the British and gave the Continental Congress time to escape.

Only a few minutes from historic downtown Philadelphia lays the only Revolutionary War battlefield completely intact. Originally built in 1771 and continuously used by the U.S. Army until 1952, Fort Mifflin is one of the most unique tourism destinations in existence.

During the Revolutionary War the garrison at Fort Mifflin was ordered by General George Washington to hold off the British Navy so the Continental Army could make its way to their winter encampment at Valley Forge. Washington wrote that the defense of the Delaware River was “of the utmost importance to America.”

Fort Mifflin

As far as I know, there never were any monks or priests at the fort other than whatever military chaplains would have been assigned to the units.

BTW, I went back and looked through the rest of my pics again and came up with one more that appears to show "orbs"
[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/2e33251ec15b.jpg[/atsimg]

reply to post by FortAnthem


Great thanks ... the reason I asked was because in the 2 picks with the 'lens flare orbs' there looked to be a robed figure facing left (to the left of the picture) ... but it must just be that thing where your eyes try to make shapes (can never remember what it's called) ... take a look see if you can see what I mean.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/6eaa1bb6367c.jpg[/atsimg]

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/a03e3f85d0f2.jpg[/atsimg]


Woody

reply to post by woodwytch


I think that's just the shadows from the arched wall of the chamber going up to meet the side of the fireplace. It does kinda have the shape of a hooded monk but, being as this was an American fort, I doubt any hooded monks were around in there. They would have probably had protestant ministers who, as far as I am aware of, never wore coweled hoods.

Originally posted by FortAnthem
reply to post by woodwytch

 

I think that's just the shadows from the arched wall of the chamber going up to meet the side of the fireplace. It does kinda have the shape of a hooded monk but, being as this was an American fort, I doubt any hooded monks were around in there. They would have probably had protestant ministers who, as far as I am aware of, never wore coweled hoods.

I quite agree ... I think this is a perfect example of how we can allow our eyes to deceive us ... keep on clicking and one day you might catch something.

Another good tip;

If you have a photograph that you think may have something unusual on it try looking at it in black and white instead of colour ... this will often show cleaner lines and detail ... makes it easier to determine if it's something or nothing.

Hope you have many moor adventures like this with your kids ... it's great fun.

Woody

Old thread but I'm just now reading and I'm bumping.
I enjoyed the pictures.
I went this weekend. My batteries got drained by the spooks.
I got some pictures .. but nothing spectacular.
Eastern State was much better for pictures.