The Spy House – Port Monmouth
Said to be one of the most haunted places in America, the Spy House in Port Monmouth, New Jersey, has quite a history behind it. Built around the year 1663 by a man named Thomas Whitlock, it has been a private home, a gathering place during the Revolutionary War, an inn, a pirates’ hideout, a bordello, and a museum. Today, it unfortunately has been closed down, but visitors can still roam the outside area of the infamous house.
As legend has it, The Spy House was converted to an inn during the Revolutionary War in order to prevent it from being destroyed by British troops, who believed that the home was occupied by Colonial spies.
The building was first converted into a museum in the 1960s by Gertrude Neidlinger. In 1990, a woman named Jane Doherty started ghost tours at the infamous house. This was eventually stopped by the board of trustees, and the inside of the house is now closed to the public.
However, the house is still said to be inhabited by a number of spirits. Peter, a young and playful spirit, is known to cause disturbances with any electronic equipment used in the house. Abigail, probably the best known of the spirits, has been seen in the back upstairs window, staring out to sea—she has also been heard sobbing at times over her husband, a sea captain, who was lost at sea during the war. Other spirits that have been seen include that of a sea captain, the Reverend William Wilson (once an owner of the house), and the spirit of Thomas Whitlock himself.
During our investigations of The Spy House, many photographs of spirit orbs around the house were taken. Banging noises were also heard coming from inside. The aura and feeling of the spirits of the house can definitely be felt. An EVP captured in the back of the house says, “I see you.” Something or someone always seems to be around you there…watching.
Written by — Alison Lynch Lead Paranormal Investigator, Real Hauntings
THE SPY HOUSE
A.K.A. THE SEABROOK-WILSON HOUSE
119 PORT MONMOUTH ROAD
PORT MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY 07758
SOURCE:
Encyclopedia of Haunted Places -Ghostly Locales from around the World – Compiled & Edited by Jeff Belanger – Copyright 2005 by Jeff Belanger