Fort Mifflin
Possibly one of the most haunted places in the country, Fort Mifflin played a critical role in the U.S. Revolutionary War and served, as well, during the Civil War. Numerous reports of apparitions and other strange occurences are made all the most real by the history that supports those stories.
History
The Fort, named for Commandant Thomas Mifflin, was built by the British on the Delware river, just beside what is now the Philadelphia Airport. During the American Revolution, it held up to the largest bombardment of the war, long enough to prevent the British from reaching and possibly capturing General Washington. Later, it served as a military prison during the Civil War and as a military storehouse up until the 1950's.
The most intriguing story Fort Mifflin has to offer is that of William Howe, a Civil War hero-turned-deserter that was executed within its walls. His spirit was said to haunt casemate five, the last of a series of bombproof shelters that were used as prison cells during his time at the fort. Its been recently discovered that he may not have been held in that cell at all, as a previously-unknown cell was discovered on the grounds. You can read about the find and more of the fort's history in the Philadelphia Inquirer article "Caretaker trips over history".
The Experience
Joe and Michelle have visited Fort Mifflin several times and not one visit has gone by without an unusual experience of some kind. On two visits, when they brought MGR recording equipment, they captured startling similar EVPs in the powder magazine.
October, 2004
During our first visit, we both watched a window on the second floor of the officers' barracks open on its own. There was no one visible behind the window and no one inside the building; the second floor is cordoned off and not normally accessible to the public. The tour group we were with - a ghost tour led by the Philadelphia Ghost Hunters Alliance, of course - and others working on-site were accounted for. We confirmed the event with each other, identifying what one saw and at which window without input from the other.
September 4, 2005
During our second visit, we brought recording equipment and spent the afternoon and early evening in the powder magazine and casemates. In late afternoon, we recorded an EVP in the back of the powder magazine. This has been reported as a paranormal "hotpot" by psychics and investigative groups that have visited the Fort. This recording was done witout knowing the history of the location, so we lend particular creedence to it.
Below are two versions of the EVP we recorded. On the longer, original audio cassette, there were voices of other visitors to the Fort, but all were echoing and sounded far more distanced. There was no one near Joe during this recording; Michelle was in the magazine, about 5 to 10 feet away. Joe's voice is heard whispering into the mic, "Do you want us here?" The EVP follows.
March 19, 2006
Our third visit took place during the Philadelphia Institute for Paranormal Research's "Sleep With the Ghosts" event. Around 20 people, including PIPR and MGR members, stayed overnight at the Fort. We continued investigating well into the early morning, evidenced by an EVP recorded just past 3:00am.
A few odd notes about this EVP:
- This was recorded at the same spot within the powder magazine - the back wall.
- The same person asked the same question and received the same response.
- The voices in the EVPs seem to be different.