Noisy Ghosts & Elevator Fun

Mr. Jackson, a night watchman there for over 15 years, often heard these entities.

Screaming on occasion, making the slamming sound of an already locked door, making the dropping sound of books hitting the floor in the library, (none were ever found on the floor).

Has witnessed the manually operated elevator go up and down by itself to the first, second and third floor, perhaps delivering ghosts going about their perceived business.

Subtle Intimidation

One evening, Jackson heard the tinkling sound of a window breaking on the second floor. When he went up there to clean up the broken glass, he found nothing amiss.

Another evening, while Mr. Jackson sat at the reception desk on the first floor, he felt the pressure of a cold hand on his shoulder. He swung around in his chair to find no one there, who was living anyway.

“I knew it was a haint.”

-Mr. Jackson, the night watchman.

Another evening, a fierce wind seemed to roar with a vengeance throughout the Old State Capitol Building. Thinking that this wind came from outside he went out to check on the ancient trees, thinking that they may lose a branch or two.

However, there was no wind outside.

Going back inside, the wind had stopped suddenly, and what was described as a “strange calm,” had enveloped the place.

Spirit Going to Work

In 1976, while preparing the paperwork needed to reopen the newly renovated Capitol building, Townsend, while sitting in the governor’s suite by the South entrance, heard keys jingling in the North entrance door, the sound of the door opening and shutting, and foot steps coming across the stone floor.

Thinking that it was the then Secretary of State, Thad Eure, whose office was diagonally across from the governor’s suite, by the North door, Townsend came out to meet him.

Much to his surprise, no one was there in Eure’s office. Just then, Townsend heard keys rattling in the South door entrance. He found that all the doors, except the North door were locked down securely.

Time to Go Home, Mr. Beck!

Mr. Raymond Beck, who was the curator of the building and a history museum specialist, back in the Spring of 1981, decided one night to stay late, and work on a restoration project in the library, which was on the third floor.

With the lights on, and the radio softly playing, he worked at his desk. Sometime between 10:00 and 12:00, he got up to put some books away on the shelf.

He was stopped short, when he suddenly felt a presence silently looking over his shoulder.

When he turned around, no one was seen to be there, but he still felt an uncomfortable presence in the room with him. He closed up the library and left quickly.

Another Incident with Spectral Supervisor

Mr. Beck’s boss, Administrator Sam Townsend Sr., about 5 months later, shared with Beck that he too had felt a strong presence standing behind him, looking over his shoulder, while working in the library.

Spectral Senator Still Serving

Townsend’s permanent office was located on the second floor, in the northeast corner of the Senate chamber, in the Office of the Clerk. He worked in his office three nights a week, because he could avoid distractions that could plague him during the day.

He has heard unmistakable, distinct footsteps coming from the committee room, in the southwest corner of the Senate chamber, toward his little office. When he went to greet whoever it was, no one was ever there.

For several years, he has heard pacing in the committee room, until a copy machine was moved into the room temporarily.

When Townsend arrived one evening, and opened the door to the Senate chamber, he briefly saw an apparition standing in the doorway, which caused him to jump back. It dissolved quickly.