Our guide, Colin, takes our
tour group back in time as
we visit Albany's oldest
neighborhood.
Ghost Factoid: Ghosts move
at the speed of thought....
The Albany area was inhabited by the Mohegan Tribe when Henry Hudson and his crew ofaboard the Half Moon sailed up the river that would be named for him in 1609. Dutch farmers settled near the Hudson River and maintained friendly relationships with natives. In 1664 control of this Dutch Colony was transferred to the British.
We stand in front of St. Peter's
Episcopal Church, the site of
Howe's haunting.
General Howe's remains were disinterred from the original St. Peters and brought to its permanent burial site at the current St. Peter's church, several hundred feet further up State Street, in 1802. The General's head was not with his remains. He has been seen, over the past 215 years, walking back and forth between the old church and his current "home," looking for his missing head.
Ghost Factoid: Ghosts that are looking for something are called missionary ghosts.
Ghost Factoid: Ghosts that experienced trauma at the time of death are called wandering ghosts.
At the foot of State Street hill is
the SUNY System Administration
Building, known to locals as the
D & H Building.
This uniquely styled building was inspired by the Cloth Hall in Ypres, Belgium. Begun in 1912 and finished in 1918, the Delaware and Hudson Railroad Headquarters Building's tower would be used as a model to rebuild the bombed out Cloth Building, the site of three World War I battles and the final resting place of thousands of Belgian and German soldiers.
World War I ended and plans for rebuilding began. The Cloth Building, with its long, storied history would be rebuilt in every detail. After going over every inch of the badly bombed out building and taking measurements, architects sailed to Albany, with the ghosts of World War I soldiers traveling alongside them. (Ghosts travel at the speed of thought.) While the architects surveyed the D and H Building, ghosts who traveled to Albany found their eternal home. Unattended doors open and close.... I don't know if the ghosts are looking for something or are wandering.
What about the Woman in the White Gown? Take the tour and find out about the young female ghost in a long white gown.
Colin, in front of Albany's
We are very close to several
haunted sites.
Dutch soldiers and Mohegans
massed here in 1626 before
heading south to attack
the Mohawks.
They were ambushed by the
Mohawks near what is now
Lincoln Park.
It it is said that the ghosts of fallen soldiers and Mohegans watch over the illuminated Gold Star Families Monument located at the center of the park.
Ask about hauntings at the
nearby former Albany
Public Hangings occurred near
the Robert Abrams Building
for Law & Justice.
The last public hanging occurred there on August 24, 1827. Visit Cherry Hill Mansion to find out about John Whipple's murder and Jesse Strang's hanging..
During the fall State Capitol
Tours include a talk about
the building's ghosts.
I recommend you take a
has a very angry ghost...
Building is haunted.
The construction worker fell into concrete while it was being poured for the massive foundation that supports this building and was killed. Employees at the Education Department describe "Jason the Mason" as a helpful apparition.
Albany's Masonic Hall
has a ghost cat.
The cat seems to think that she owns the place and has startled people while they are working.
Albany is an old city and there are lots of ghosts about. I recommend going on the Ghosts of Albany Walking Tour and finding out about their life stories, their deaths and their afterlife encounters with the living.
