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Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781467131094 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | Arcadia Publishing SC |
| Publication date: | 09/15/2014 |
| Series: | Images of America Series |
| Pages: | 128 |
| Sales rank: | 1,094,618 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.40(w) x 9.20(h) x 0.50(d) |
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CHAPTER 1
Spirituality
Native American Burial Tree. The definition of spirituality varies, but on the whole, it is the search for something sacred. Native American tribes have practiced spiritual rituals for many years. The late 1800s to early 1900s brought a rise in spirituality to Tacoma. Often called seers, those with abilities would predict the future for a few coins. Locals gathered for séances to contact the dead, and the belief in such practices increased in popularity among the European settlers. (USNA.)
Manitou Tree. Known as the Manitou Tree, this old bent fir tree that once stood tall at 6423 South Verde Street is now nothing more than a framed rotting stump in someone's front yard. Yet this location had, or even still has, a very strong spiritual calling. Before the white men populated the area, the Native Americans believed that this was sacred ground and very well could have used this tree for burial of their high-profile leaders. Later, it was used as a shelter for a local church known today as the Manitou Church, which was founded in 1912. Many sermons and Sunday school classes were held beneath its branches. Throughout the years, however, this tree took on time and was even struck by lightning to the point where many of the locals felt it was in danger of falling, so it was cut down. Today, many folks who live near the remains of the old tree have reported hearing old church songs sung in the heavenly voices of children. Others say this location holds a very peaceful feeling and a sense of calm. (TNT.)
Rebecca Carr. Rebecca Carr, also known as "Grandma Staley," would become Tacoma's most well-known person to possess the gifts of clairvoyance, more commonly known in the early 1900s as a seer. Her talent drew men and women from all over the world. Sailors who happened to be in port would ask her about their upcoming travels or about their families back home. Future brides would want to know if the man they were about to marry was the right one. Countless businessmen did not make a move without consulting her. And when it came to sickness, several believed she had saved lives. Although she was often thought of as a fortune-teller, she hated that designation. She preferred calling it the ability to "see," not fortune-telling. She made her living by "seeing" for folks and charging a dollar for an interview. However, most of the children called her "the witch" because she always wore a black sunbonnet and a black dress. Divorced from Job Carr and later remarried for her nickname, she and Job remained good friends, and when her later husband had passed, she moved to Old Tacoma in 1867 to be with their children. She passed away at the age of 77 on December 12, 1908, and is buried beside Job Carr in Tacoma Cemetery. (Herbert Hunt.)
Advertising for Tacoma Theosophical Society. Following the longtime practice of spiritualism in the 1840s, churches and societies colonized the Tacoma region, engaging in many ways to make contact with the other side. These groups would gather at various locations throughout Tacoma, groups like the Tacoma Psychic Society, Society of Spiritual Truth, Tacoma Theosophical Society, Universal Spiritual Society, Christian Spiritualist Church of Unity, Tacoma Spiritualist Church, and of course, Progressive Psychic Society, which dates back to as early as 1909. These organizations offered classes, lectures, events, and the ever-popular "circles," more commonly known today as a séance, in which they sat in a circle in order to communicate with the spirit world. The Progressive Psychic Society's reputation had moved it from general meeting locations to its own establishment at the old music hall that once stood at South Third Street in 1913. However, by 1921, the Tacoma Theosophical Society had taken over this space. Guest speakers included Minnie Perkins, Mrs. J.A. Bennett, Mr. Kringle, Mrs. L.F. Lundeen, Mrs. Lela Combs, Mrs. Hare, Reverend Dr. Coons of Seattle, Mrs. Stevens, Dr. T.W. Butler, and Mrs. Edward Nevers. (TDL.)
Tacoma Opera House, Also Known as Tacoma Theater. Built in 1889 by the Tacoma Opera House Company and opened on January 13, 1890, this massive building once covered an entire city block. Harry Houdini performed his magic show in the theater. This venue was also a gathering spot for seers to perform in front of a crowd of people, casting their views of the future for a fee. Those studying the spiritual world gathered here to attempt to contact the dearly departed. They held séances and often invited the public to attend and watch the events unfold. In 1927, the opera house was remodeled into a motion picture theater, and the name changed to Broadway Theater. Over 20,000 people attended the grand reopening. In 1933, it was renamed the Music Box Theater. However, this theater would disappear about 30 years later in a blaze of flames. Around 100 people were attending the Alfred Hitchcock thriller The Birds when the fire broke out. Moviegoers exited the theater without panic after smelling smoke. The cause was a burned-out bearing in a ventilating fan, and the theater was destroyed. (TDL.)
Judith Zebra "J.Z." Knight. On February 18, 1977, at 2:30 in the afternoon, Judith Zebra "J.Z." Knight, born Judith Darlene Hampton, was in the kitchen of her Lakewood home when she lost consciousness. She would later reveal that Ramtha, a Lemurian warrior who fought the Atlanteans over 35,000 years ago, came before her to state he was there to help her over a ditch. She was to become the first student, and eventually teacher, of his great work. Through spiritual channeling, Knight could receive messages from the entity and pass them on to others. About 10 years later, Knight would open Ramtha's School for Enlightenment in Yelm, Washington. Ramtha, who she channels for the students, often leads her teaching sessions. Her methods have sparked controversy and criticism, but the school currently has an enrollment of over 6,000 students. The home where she first channeled Ramtha still stands today, but she has relocated to a larger home near her school in Yelm. (J.Z. Knight.)
CHAPTER 2Central Tacoma
Early Crime In Central Tacoma. As the name suggests, Central Tacoma is located right in the heart of the city. The original settlers in this area were quite diverse, coming from different countries, backgrounds, races, and religions. Many of the European immigrants brought their own languages, foods, cultures, and traditions. While not as old as other parts of Tacoma, Central Tacoma still offers a reflection of another time. (AC.)
Inside the Shaw Building. Constructed in 1928, the Shaw Building originally housed the Knights of Columbus, the largest Catholic fraternal organization in the world. On August 30, 1937, the body of the lodge's financial secretary, Eugene Gaudette, was found lying lifeless on the floor of the east side of the hall. A short length of cotton rope tightly encircled his neck, and a jagged gash about three inches long covered the back of his head. Police suggested all signs pointed to self-strangulation, but accounts from friends of Gaudette would indicate he was happy, stable, and in good standing with the lodge. The safe at the lodge was open, but the contents were intact. The coroner hesitated to sign the death certificate, even after an autopsy, as he felt strongly Gaudette's cause of death could have been murder. (Above, AC; below, TPL.)
Eugene Gaudette. Whether it was suicide or even possibly murder, it seems Eugene still lingers around the old lodge. The owners today have taken great pride in caring for this historic building that now operates as a costume shop. Here, its history still shines through and seems to have a story or two to tell. Throughout the years, the owners have restored many of the rooms, one of which was Eugene's old office, which now holds a beautiful Sherlock Holmes museum. It is here that many can feel the energies of the past pressing upon them. Could it be Gaudette himself? Or are the antiques still holding on to their treasured memories? On one occasion, the owner and a few customers witnessed a shadowy figure pass by from the main storefront to a nearby room, where an employee experienced the presence as well. If it was the dearly departed Eugene Gaudette, maybe he just wanted the mystery of his death to be revealed. As Sherlock once stated, "The game is afoot." (Both, AC.)
Mellinger Funeral Home Exterior. In 1909, the Mellinger family built and operated this Colonial-style mortuary. C.C. Mellinger was an Ohio native who began his undertaking career in 1897 with a small-scale company in Tacoma. His company quickly grew to become one of the largest in the city. A black-clad driver would chauffeur the sleek black Studebaker hearse from the mortuary to the cemetery. Another car transported the floral arrangements to the funeral. The Mellingers later joined their two mortuaries to form one large company, which is still in business today. From 1975 to 1985, the building served as a substation of the Pierce County Sheriff's Department. It now serves as a private nonprofit mental health services agency. (TPL.)
Car Carrying Flowers To Funeral. As a place that has been graced by the dead, it should come as no surprise that an establishment with a history as a funeral home is haunted. Besides a cemetery, this is truly the next best thing. Most funeral homes deny the presence of any ghostly inhabitants due to their practice of making the living feel at ease after a great loss. That is the last thing those who have suffered a loss need to worry about at such a difficult time. So the tight-lipped service when it comes to whether these establishments are haunted is respectable. However, it has become commonly known that what was once a funeral home in the past and now servers as another business can be quite haunted. So it is no shocker that this site has had a few bumps in the night. (TPL.)
Engine House No. 9. After the Great Seattle Fire of 1889, the Tacoma city council voted to put its volunteers on a salary. Tacoma was one of the first cities in the state to establish a paid fire department. Today, this location serves as a restaurant and living-history museum of firefighter paraphernalia. Built in 1907, the building served as a firehouse, providing protection to the city. For many years, it was the battalion headquarters. Engine House No. 9 was the last station to convert from horse-drawn to mechanical equipment. The area that presently serves as the bar holds the old horse stalls. Each stall is marked with the name of the horse that resided there. When the station ceased service in 1965, the building sat abandoned and fell into disrepair. After its rediscovery in 1972, renovation and restoration brought life back to the old firehouse. (Left, AC; below, WSDA.)
Haunted Firehouse. Any firefighter can tell you theirs is a dangerous job, but in the early 1900s, it was far more treacherous. Firehouses across the nation have tales of firefighters who have fallen while in the line of duty then return to what some may consider their second home. The bond between these men and women is always strong, for they have to look out for each other, and maybe they continue to do just that in the afterlife. The staff here has seen some pretty interesting things, from an odd sound such as a horse neighing to things moving, but the most interesting is the sighting of a man in the windows of the upper floor when the building is closed for the night. (Above, AC; below, WSDA.)
Fannie Paddock Memorial Hospital. In 1880, Fannie Paddock was preparing to move from New York to Washington. Her husband, Bishop John Paddock, had been chosen to lead the Protestant Episcopal Church in Tacoma. Fannie asked her husband what was needed in Tacoma, and he told her the growing number of diseases and lack of health care was a problem. She immediately began raising funds to build a hospital. During their travels west, Fannie contracted typhoid, and she died shortly after reaching Tacoma. Exactly one year later, her husband opened and dedicated the Fannie Paddock Memorial Hospital. Improved health care reduced the number of deaths from diseases such as influenza, typhoid, smallpox, and tuberculosis. This first hospital in Tacoma started in a renovated dance hall and grew to become Tacoma General Hospital. The hospital morgue has had copious visitors over the years and continues to host the victims of disease, accidents, or natural causes. (WSDA.)
Death Certificate From Fannie Paddock Memorial Hospital. Like any hospital, death continues to frequent this location. The sick and injured will die, and some will cling to as much of life as possible, leaving an empty shell of their lives hovering around these premises. Unfortunately, this building is no longer standing; it was torn down and replaced with a new structure. The newer building, however, has a few hauntings of note. There is what is believed to be a nurse still roaming the halls, her heels heard clacking up and down the linoleum floors. Nearby is an elevator that is known to run on its own as well. At the Mary Bridge Children's Hospital, staff have reported seeing and hearing a ghostly young child pulling a red wagon through the halls. (WSDA.)
Bertha Kludt's Tombstone. On the night before Halloween 1947, screams filled the air. As neighbors approached, they witnessed a barefoot African American man run from the Kludt house and crash through the fence. The concerned bystanders gave chase and cornered the man until police arrived. Blood and brain matter covered his clothing, as well as the ax and shoes still in the kitchen, near the lifeless bodies of Bertha and Beverly Kludt. Uncertain if it was a robbery or rape gone terribly wrong, police were able to piece together some events from that night. Bertha was killed first, and as daughter Beverly came to her mother's rescue, she faced the ax, too. The mother and daughter were hacked to death by serial killer Jake Bird, who claimed to have killed 46 people. According to what he told police during his confession, his final murders took place at this home in Tacoma. (AC.)
Jake Bird's Last Murder House. This quiet and nondescript home in the Hilltop area of Tacoma holds many secrets. Those passing by would not give it a second look. The faded notices on the windows indicate the home has sat abandoned for several years. Are its ghosts scaring off homeowners? Between Jake Bird's confession and forensic evidence, his trial lasted only two short days. Authorities would not allow Bird to represent himself; therefore, he recanted his confession, pleading not guilty. Just 35 minutes after deliberations began, the jury announced a guilty verdict and sentenced Bird to death by hanging. After his sentencing, Bird made a final statement: "I'm putting the Jack Bird hex on all of you who had anything to do with my being punished. Mark my words you will die before I do." While many laughed at the words of the condemned man, they would quickly learn not to tempt fate. A judge, two police officers who took the confession, a court clerk, and one prison guard died within one month of the sentencing. One of Bird's lawyers died on the first anniversary of his sentencing. It is possible these deaths were a coincidence, but those closely related to the case would beg to differ, if they could speak from the grave. When combined, the originally confessed murders and deaths via hex make Jake Bird the most prolific serial killer in the United States. (WSDA.)
John Peterson's Marriage Certificate. John Peterson had a modest rambling bungalow built around 1910. Francine Pacinda, along with her two daughters and grandchild, moved into the home around 1970, and the hauntings began soon after. Pacinda reported vivid details of terrifying paranormal activity in the home. The family was eager to leave the house once the ominous events had begun, but all of their money was tied up in the home loan and they could not afford to move. Desperate for answers, Pacinda called in a psychic who told the family a death had occurred at the home. Presumably, a husband murdered his wife in the basement. Peterson and his family are the only other recorded homeowners, and the commonality of his name makes research difficult to confirm or deny a murder within the family. When Pacinda died in 1976, the home faced demolition, and a new home took its place. The new home appears void of ghostly inhabitants. (AC.)
Francine Pacinda's Final Resting Place. In the 1970s, Tacoma News Tribune reporter Dwight Farrell came across what would seem to be poltergeist activity when he chronicled this family's encounters, including reports of Pacinda's bedroom door repeatedly opening and slamming shut by some unknown force, lights turning on and off on their own, and moaning sounds filling the dining room at all hours of the night. One encounter involved a woman calling out to Pacinda's daughter, "Come out and help me." When the voice was investigated, there was no one home at the time. They even described hearing someone running up and down the halls late one night when everyone was in bed, fearful of the scratching sounds surrounding them. (AC.)
(Continues…)
Excerpted from "Tacoma's Haunted History"
by .
Copyright © 2014 Ross Allison and Teresa Nordheim.
Excerpted by permission of Arcadia Publishing.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments 6
Introduction 7
1 Spirituality 11
2 Central Tacoma 17
3 Downtown Tacoma 31
4 Lakewood 73
5 North Tacoma 83
6 South Tacoma 103
7 Steilacoom 117