WHITE HILL MANSION - PART THREE

Continuing on with our investigation, we are about to tour the foundations of the mansion.

The Cellar

Down this hallway...

Through this door...

And down these steps...

You will find yourself in the dark basement of White Hill.

The first part you enter is the 1920s Rathskeller.  The last time we investigated, NJGO got their equipment to respond to various questions, and a shadow person was spotted. I personally saw light anomalies on the camera set up on the tables. This time, my folks felt like they were not alone. I'm not sure if Karen's portion of the team had any results.

In this photo, you can see the stairs coming down. The bar area would be on the person's left when they came off the steps.

Here's a shot   of the bar itself.....

And a slightly different angle...

Here is Claude at one of the tables, trying to communicate with any spirits there might be. This would be a view from the staircase.

You'll notice to the left of the photo, past the bar, is a table set aside. This is the alcove - the semi-circle seen on the layout.

I have seen, on Paranormal Lockdown, the docent  advise that there is a male presence behind the bar that resents the intrusion of the living. She also mentioned that this speakeasy was frequented by the mob, who used the tunnel (we'll get to that) for dumping their "hits" in the Delaware River. We were told none of this. No one during our investigation picked up on a cranky publican (but that doesn't mean he's not there).  I realize illegal drinking went on, and gangster types had come here, but floating dead bodies in the river doesn't sound like a practical disposal solution. BUT...stranger things have happened....

The bar has some nice touches, from the remains of a possible

dumbwaiter...

... to photos of flappers (or, possibly, "soiled doves"?) on the walls.

If you were to come down the stairs and turn right instead of left, you would enter a short hallway painted turquoise. There is a row of coat hooks in this area, so one could conclude it served as a coat check area in its day.

This is an area which really frightened John. It was pitch black and, when he took a live photo shot, the hall was swimming with orbs.  There were so many that he compared them to fireflies. Unfortunately, I'm not able to reproduce the live photo, and the obs are not captured on the static shot. Here is his photo. Do you get any vibes from it?

 At the end of this hall. if you make a right, you'd be back in the rathskeller, next to the bar.  If you make a left, you enter the actual cellar areas via a rough plaster and lathe hall.

Here is John's shot from the hall looking back towards Claude and the bar...

And here is his shot looking down the other way, to the end of the basement...

As you walk down this passageway, you pass a restroom, and a small electrical room, on the right. On the left you'll see the 1800s cellar and its various pieces of equipment.

Continue past this section and you come to the 1700s cellar, and a flight of wooden stairs that return you to the kitchen area.

Following the passageway to the end, you can just manage to make out the curved top of the small wine cellar doorway.

You can see a panelled wall to the left of the above photo.  This is actually a box-like area containing a small room, purpose unknown.

Finally, back by the wine cellar, we have the blocked off tunnel. I had mentioned earlier that it was reportedly used as a type of "body chute" to the Delaware for gang victims. More likely it was used to bring in illegal liquor for the bar.

Many have sensed a shadow man in this portion of the basement, including me. I also believe he moves from the tunnel to the turquoise hall, where he can cause harm to those using the stairs.

Even the picture of the tunnel area gives me the chills. What do you think?

Next time we'll take a tour of the second floor and its hidden stairways,

Have an enchanting week!