Haunted Mohawk Valley

by Dennis Webster, Bernadette Peck

The Mohawk River winds through upstate and central New York, and along its meandering path residents and visitors have encountered the supernatural. In Utica, ghosts grace the stage of the Stanley Theater. Spirits of Revolutionary War soldiers still march on the Oriskany Battlefield and linger in Schoharie's Old Stone Fort. And some former residents of Beardslee Castle in St. Johnsville, Boonville's Hulbert House and the Seashell Inn of Sylvan Beach have resisted vacating. Here, authors Dennis Webster and Bernadette Peck, along with the other members of Ghost Seekers of Central New York, uncover the mysteries behind these and many other haunted places of the Mohawk Valley.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

112 pages, Paperback

First published August 18, 2011

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

I live in Central New York and I love to read stories that hit close to home. I love reading about the paranormal and the history associated with it. The Mohawk Valley region is not too far from me so I was excited to read this. Sadly, I was quite disappointed. There was very some history, but not too much which would have explained more about the haunting. The ghost hunting was sub par at best. The pictures associated were not not really proof of a haunting as stated. The orbs and ectoplasm was nothing more that dust and light on the lenses of the camera. I was really expecting more, but did not get it.

[Julie Suzanne · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty awful! I loved how the evidence of these elaborate experiences with local ghosts were “orbs” in photographs, which everyone knows is dust particles. The author claims to have witnessed entire ghost battles on Oriskany battlefield with the naked eye and claims to have interviewed ghosts at Beardslee castle. Unfortunately, despite the extensive, expensive equipment brought along to these investigations, all of the equipment “mysteriously started to malfunction” in every case, which they also used as evidence of a haunting. Absolutely ridiculous. I loved phrases like “diabolical laugh” which had me in stitches.

[Jim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have read a number of these types of books...The "Haunted -----" books....This one was a bit different. I have always enjoyed ghost story books, the Haunted series in particular, because they usually tell a story, give the history of a place and why there might be ghosts in an area or place. This book was more about the ghost hunters. I found it very repetitive. They would roll up to a place to investigate, break out the equipment, say a prayer and then start investigating. AND just about every story made the claim that the place under investigation was the most haunted place they had ever come in contact with.

[Tessa Townsend · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the history, found the ghost stories unbelievable. Every place they visited was "one of the most haunted locations" they've ever been to. Especially unbelievable is how, after the addition of a psychic, they were able to convince several spirits who have been around for hundreds of years to "go into the light". Basically read like every fantasy novel featuring ghosts, spirits, or the like.

[Angela · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was an unusual choice for me considering I don't believe in ghosts, but I was looking for a quick read to try to get me to my reading goal. Overall, very repetitive and definitely could have benefited from some more editing. I did enjoy reading about places I'm familiar with and some of the general local history that was included.

[Maryann DeSanctis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting stories. Terrible writing. like an overeager nerd trying to convince you dungeon and dragons is real.