Long Island's Legends and Myths - Part III - Sweet Hollow Road

It's been a while since I've written my blog, for obvious reasons. Even now I am sitting here at my desk, watching the snow and the nor'easter come through. I am amazed at what Mother Nature has thrown our way. I am still haunted by the stories and images of what has been happening in people's lives due to Hurricane Sandy. I was fortunate to have gotten my power back three days after the storm. I still have family members living with me, who still have no power at home. It is absolutely incredible that any of this has happened. 

Before the hurricane, I was just coming off my book launch at the Book Revue, in Huntington for my new novel The Medal. Thank you to all those who attended. It was a standing room only event, with over 200 in attendance! I have been overwhelmed by the responses I've been getting from readers, especially now in light of our recent devastation. To hear people say they were reading my book by candlelight, and that it gave them hope and faith to get through these difficult times, makes what I do worthwhile. To learn more about my book, be sure to check out my last blog from October 5, "From Ghosts to a Mystical Saint Who Bore the Stigmata." 

So I debated when I should post this blog. My original intention was right before Halloween, and then all hell broke loose. Part of me feels like I shouldn't post it all, in light of everything that has happened. Reading a blog about Long Island's legends and myths seems so trivial compared to what is going on here, but then I thought that many of us might just need the diversion, even if it comes in just a simple blog. For those of you who have power, I hope in some small way this helps get your mind off things. For those of you still struggling, I continue to keep you in my thoughts and prayers. 

Sweet Hollow Road. How many of us have driven there as teenagers at the stroke of midnight waiting to see if our cars would mysteriously turn off? It's ludicrous, I know, but people have told me countless stories of doing this very thing! I have to admit to taking my midnight blue, 1979 Camaro (with power windows, I may add) up there to see if the car would in fact, turn off. I went with my best friend, and we were terrified. Luckily nothing happened at all. Ahh...youth. 

Yet all these years later, people still bring up Sweet Hollow Road to me at my lectures. Are they true ghost stories? No. Instead, the stories that surround this road and the neighboring woods are legends and myths; stories which have become part of our culture on Long Island.  

This long and meandering road is located in the West Hills/Melville area of Huntington, and it is probably the most talked-about road on Long Island. In the early 1800’s, the area that stretched from today’s Jericho Turnpike at West Hills through Broad Hollow Road in Melville was known as Sweet Hollow. At the time, the area supposedly had an abundance of wild honey. Another story claims that a farmer was traveling there with a barrel of honey when it fell and broke, “sweetening the hollow.” In either case, it was the talk of honey that caused the locals to name the place Sweet Hollow.

By 1854, the town was beginning to develop and the name, for reasons unknown, was changed to Melville. The long stretch of trails through the woods, which eventually became a road, kept the name Sweet Hollow, as it remains today. Houses can be seen through the trees and are set away from the road. The surrounding area is comprised of a public riding stable, a state park and county parkland with trails, and a cemetery. There are places along the road where one can pull over and venture into the park, where all sorts of strange things have been said to occur. Just when and where these hideous tales originated is unknown.

One of the most well-known tales in the area is the story of the Lady in White. It is said that sometime between 1840 and 1851 a hospital was located near the crossing at Mount Misery Road. It mysteriously burned down, and many patients and staff were trapped inside. It was rebuilt fifteen years later. Only five months after the rebuilding, it supposedly was torched by an insane woman and burned to the ground again. The Lady in White, also known as Mary, was said to have been a patient at the hospital. It is rumored that moans, screams and cries for help can be heard, and even today, small burning specters can be seen. Other stories claim that the “Lady” or Mary was pushed out of a car on Sweet Hollow Road by a jealous boyfriend. While her injured body lay in the street, she was hit and killed by another car. An even earlier story goes back to the late 1600’s, and talks about Mary being a witch who was hung and buried in the area.  

Then there is a tale that there was a school at the end of the road, and the teacher who taught there killed all the children. Another version is that the school burned down, killing all the children, and still another claims that a camp counselor killed a group of children there. 

In many of these cases, there have been reports of a “veiled lady in white” wandering about the road and in the woods, especially near the area of Mount Misery Road where the hospital was. The lady is said to appear and walk right out into passing cars, terrifying their drivers until she quickly disappears. Some say, if she was the woman who was hit by the car, that she roams the street looking for her killer.  

Another source I came across mentioned a lady in red who was actually a gypsy, and is said to occasionally roam the area, as well as a man in a checkered shirt who walks the woods at night, carrying an ax in his hand.  

The most hideous and terrifying ghost I heard about was that of a slain police officer. As the story goes, there is a police officer who stops cars parked on Sweet Hollow Road. The officer seems normal until he turns around and has blood on his uniform, and the back of his head is missing. An officer is said to have died in the area while on duty. When and if this ever happened, no one seems to know for sure. 

Non-human ghosts are also said to haunt Sweet Hollow Road and include a black Labrador, a horse and a mysterious dog-like creature. The “Black Dog of Misery,” as the Labrador is called, is “an evil creature rumored to be a harbinger of death.” It is quite rare for anyone to see the dog, but if you do, it’s supposed to mean that death is on the horizon.  

The ghostly horse has been seen and chased into the woods near the crossroads of Mount Misery Road and Sweet Hollow. Once it enters the woods, it simply vanishes. In addition, there have been sightings of a dog-like creature who digs along where the woods meet the road, then stands on its hind legs and walks back into the woods. 

One of the most recent ghost stories is about a teenager or several teenagers who hung themselves from the Northern State Parkway overpass in the 1970’s. If you honk your car’s horn three times right before going under the overpass, it is said you will see the kids. A different version states that two boys were killed when they were hit by a car on Sweet Hollow Road. According to the story, they were unaware of the car heading toward them because the driver didn’t beep the horn. They say that today, if you don’t beep your horn before going under the overpass, the ghostly boys will jump in front of your car.  

Finally, there is the story of a thirteen-year old girl who was beaten and strangled in 1976. Her murdered body was found along the road. Supposedly the killer was never found, and the case remains unsolved.

So beware as you travel along this haunted roadway. You'll never know who, or what, you may run into.

 

 

 

From Ghosts to a Mystical Saint Who Bore the Stigmata

My blog has been a fascinating culmination of Long Island's history, ghost tales, spiritual stories and "make you think" stories, and it's been wonderful to see all the great comments my readers have to each of them. When I give lectures, I get the same types of responses. The one thing I hadn't anticipated was the number of people who have brought up Padre Pio during my ghost lectures. I have frequently been asked, "Do you know him?" For those of you who may not know him, Padre Pio, now Saint Pio, bore the stigmata, the five wounds of Christ, for 50 years. He died in 1968, but he is alive and well in peoples' hearts, and he continues to perform miracles to this day. There are over 2 million entries if you do an Internet Search on Padre Pio. It's astounding! He also happens to be the subject of my newly released sixth book, THE MEDAL, a novel, which takes place in the seafaring town of Northport. 

Padre Pio was born Francesco Forgione in the southern Italian village of Pietrelcina on May 25, 1887. He entered the novitiate of the Capuchin Friars when he was fifteen years old, and he was ordained a priest by 1910. Eight years later after offering his daily Mass he received the stigmata on his hands, his feet and in his side. Besides the stigmata, Padre Pio was blessed with divine gifts which included prophecy, miracles, bi-location, healing, reading hearts and the gifts of tongues and fragrance. At one point he was shunned from the church because of his miraculous powers. There are countless stories of people who had been cured by Padre Pio. Even more interesting is the fact that he still continues to perform miracles today, despite the fact that he's been dead for forty-four years! 

I attended Padre Pio's Feast Day at the Church of St. John the Baptist in New York City on September 23, the release date of my new book. I was taken aback by the countless stories people were telling me about their encounters with Padre Pio and their cures. On June 16, 2002, Pope John Paul II canonized Padre Pio a saint. The largest crowd ever attended the canonization at St. Peter's Square in Italy. One of the miracles that enabled Padre Pio to become a saint had to do with a man who was cured by Padre Pio after his death. This man, believe it or not, is from Long Island. I was blessed to attend a presentation he was giving many years ago at a church in Bayville. 

My own quest in following Padre Pio began when a stranger came to me during a very difficult time in my life when my father was battling Multiple Sclerosis. He gave me a medal containing a relic to give to my father while he was ill. It was that medal that ultimately changed my life, and what inspired me to write my first novel. 

THE MEDAL is loosely based on experiences I had during my father's illness and watching him die. The true life story of Padre Pio is woven throughout the book and is told by an unlikely, cannoli loving, Godfather-type character named Jimmy. Jimmy gives the main character, Bethany, a medal that changes her life. The miracle that happens at the end of the book is true. It happened to me. 

Like my Ghost books, I believe I was meant to write this story. For anyone who has ever been a caretaker, for anyone who has given up on God and faith, this book is for you.  

Padre Pio is loved by thousands on Long Island. I think just about every pizzeria in Nassau and Suffolk County has a picture of Padre Pio on display. I've seen him everywhere, and he is beloved by people of all faiths. I spoke to a woman who was Jewish just last week. She keeps a medal of Padre Pio in her wallet. She had breast cancer, she prayed to Padre Pio and is now cured.

So I wanted to share this story with my fellow Long Islanders who love Padre Pio, but also for those who like me, didn't know a thing about him.  

I will be at the Book Revue in Huntington for my official book launch on Friday, October 19 7:00 PM. All are invited to attend. 

If you have a story about Padre Pio that you'd like to share, please leave your comments here.

 

Long Island's Legends and Myths - Part II - Lady of the Lake

There have been many tales surrounding Lake Ronkonkoma in Long Island’s Suffolk County. Because it is a story that has been passed down through the ages, I have come across several versions. As we know in our own lives, stories can often take on a life of their own, getting wilder or more exaggerated each time they’re  told. What once may have been a simple tale becomes something much more complex and possibly even farfetched. In this blog, I’ll recount all the versions I have come across. There are some common threads in these legends, as you will see, which may actually reveal to us the “true” story of the Lady of the Lake.

Lake Ronkonkoma is Long Island’s largest freshwater lake, and a beautiful one at that. For years it has been rumored that this lake has no bottom; it goes on and on into the depths of the earth. Some have said that there is a series of underwater tunnels that lead out to Long Island Sound, or to a river in Connecticut. Others say the water mysteriously rises and lowers, and yet another story says there are reports of whirlpools. How these myths came about no one knows. They set the stage, however, for our Indian legend.

The most popular story tells of an Indian princess who was deeply in love with a member of her tribe. On the night of the wedding, her husband-to-be was attacked and murdered by a settler. The princess, totally swept away by grief, decided to take her own life by tying rocks to her ankles and walking out to the middle of the lake, where she ultimately drowned. Her body was never found, but her spirit remains and haunts the lake. The legend says the princess was so distraught that, seeking revenge, she vowed to return each year and claim the body of a young virgin male. Supposedly, one male a year has drowned in the lake, although this has never been confirmed by the Suffolk County Police. The ghostly princess dressed in a long flowing gown is said to sadly roam the perimeter of the lake, where she seeks young men to lure into its waters. Noises and strange unexplainable lights have been heard and seen coming from the lake. It is said that these are the cries of the princess’s unending grief.

Another version of the story states that the princess committed suicide for  unknown reasons, and that her lover dived in after her but could not save her. The woman’s body was found, but mysteriously in a river in Connecticut.

Then there is a version where the beautiful princess fell in love with a pale- faced settler, and was not permitted to marry him. She was so distraught that she went off on her own and canoed into the middle of the lake. When the settler went after her, he found her dead in the canoe He then got into the canoe, and as the story goes, he was swept away and was never seen again. The drownings that are mentioned every year are supposedly caused by a curse that was placed on the lake.

The last of the Indian princess legends simply states that the Native American woman was sacrificed at the lake to appease a god. No other information is given.  

There does exist one story involving a Setauket Indian male. It is similar to the princess story, in that he was not permitted to marry his love. But in this case, it was he who paddled his canoe out onto the lake and committed suicide by plunging a knife into his heart. Supposedly it was his body, rather than that of the Indian princess, that was found in a Connecticut river. 

Did any of these events really happen? Interestingly enough, there are many similarities in the stories. To this day no one knows the truth, but neither can anyone explain the strange sounds they hear coming off the waters of mysterious Lake Ronkonkoma.

 

 

Long Island's Legends and Myths - Mary's Grave

Legends and myths abound on Long Island, and I'm sure many of you are familiar with several of them. Probably the most well known legend is that of Mary's Grave. How many of you have searched for the infamous grave of the lady in white?  

For generations, people have been looking for its location. Some claim it is located in the woods off Mount Misery Road in the West Hills area of Huntington. Other stories place her grave in Stony Brook, Head of the Harbor and Mt. Sinai. Who is Mary though? 

The legend of Mary herself, who doesn’t seem to have a last name, has changed several times over the years. One story claims that Mary murdered her two children and her husband, and because of doing this dreadful deed, she cannot rest peacefully in her grave. It is said that her tombstone has her birth date but no death date, and the location of her gravesite is a center for strange happenings. Supposedly, if the tombstone is found and you shine a flashlight on it at night, the face of Mary appears. 

Another story claims that Mary became possessed by an evil spirit. She was a lonely girl who was the daughter of a wealthy landowner. She didn’t have any friends because the family lived some distance from town, so she kept herself occupied with her animal friends. Her father built her a stone clubhouse on their property, where she played with the animals. As the story goes, it was at the clubhouse where she became possessed. She started mutilating the animals she had loved, and then set out to kill her brother and father with an ax. As time went on, the townsfolk wondered where the landowner was. When people came to the house to check on him, they found Mary sleeping in bed next to her dead father, who was covered in blood. Mary was hung by the townspeople in a nearby tree. This tree is said to still exist, although no one seems to know where. Burn marks from the rope supposedly can be seen on the tree branch, and the tree itself appears to be dead all year long. It is rumored that her stone clubhouse exists somewhere in Stony Brook on private property.  

In the 1960’s and 1970’s there was another story surrounding the Stony Brook location where the grave was said to be located. Young men were considered brave if they went up to the haunted gravesite and urinated on it. However,  rumor has it that whoever did so would get into a car crash on his way home, trying to avoid hitting a ghostly girl wearing a white dress.

There is also said to be a stone clubhouse located somewhere in Head of the Harbor. This particular story states that the father was abusive, and would abuse Mary at the site of the stone clubhouse he made for her. Not being able to bear it any longer, Mary took her own life by hanging herself in a tree. Her body was buried somewhere nearby, and her gravesite contains an angelic statue. The statue appears to be crying, and some believe it is Mary crying for other abused girls that she cannot protect.

Finally, there is the story of Mary’s grave being on the old Chandler estate in Mt. Sinai. When Mrs. Chandler converted her house to a boarding house, a girl named Mary came to stay. Supposedly, she had been a patient at Kings Park Psychiatric Center. Whether Mrs. Chandler was aware of this or not is unknown, but as the story goes, Mary disappeared suddenly and Mrs. Chandler was concerned about her whereabouts. The rent had not been paid, yet her room looked still lived in. At night, the lights were said to go on in her room when nobody was there, and strange noises could be heard. Mrs. Chandler was quite worried, but never did she see Mary again.  

Have you searched for Mary's grave?

 

 

 

 

Long Island's Haunted Restaurants and Bars

It's common knowledge to many Long Islander's that Katie's Bar in Smithtown is haunted. It's been investigated on TV's "Paranormal State," and there has been a lot of hype surrounding the place over the past few years. It's not the only popular eatery that has a ghost or two, however. Paranormal investigator Joe Giaquinto and I have had the opportunity of investigating several haunted Long Island establishments. Good food and a ghost! Who could ask for more?

As I've mentioned in past blogs, one of the most "active" restaurants for ghostly activity is the Country House Restaurant in Stony Brook, which continues to be haunted by the ghost of Annette Williamson. Annette was brutally murdered in the house back in the days of the Revolutionary War. Orbs, EVP's and light flashes continuously abound and have been witnessed by many patrons as well as staff. Several people, including the restaurant's owner Bob Williamson, have actually seen the apparition of Annette. For reasons unknown, Annette refuses to move on.

DEK's American Restaurant in Rocky Point has a an assortment of mischievous ghosts including one who will mess up previously set tables. By the bar area, shadowy figures can be seen swiftly moving around. There was a bartender who worked there for years who never believed in ghosts until he had his own encounter with the shadow person. From that point on he refused to be in the building alone. The building itself has a long and interesting history and is Rocky Point's oldest commercial building. It served as an inn for many years, and there are also rumors that it once was a brothel. Who knows what kind of energy could be left behind there?

On a smaller scale, the 1930's Sayville Modern Diner, located on Main Street in Sayville, realized they had a ghost or two when the chef reported that things were falling off the shelves in the kitchen. On one occasion when he opened up the diner one morning, the chef discovered a multitude of items lying about on the kitchen floor. He had been the last one to leave the night before. Joe Giaquinto has also received numerous EVP's (electronic voice phenomena) there over the years.

Heading to the North Fork, the Jamesport Manor Inn in Jamesport also has a ghost. The present building was rebuilt exactly as it was after a mysterious fire had burned it to the ground in October of 2005. The history of the place, which dates back to the 1750's, includes tragedies, death and scandals. Countless people have claimed to see the ghost of a young woman in a second floor window. It possibly could be the daughter of one of the original owners who died there tragically.

Moving on to bars, Del's Union Square Bar in Holbrook has had a plethora of ghostly activity. Apparitions, glasses flying off the bar, a TV set that turns off by itself, a glass exploding on its own, doors opening and closing...the list is endless. The building was built in the mid-1900's. It is unknown who could be haunting this establishment.

Lastly, in Nassau County, the beautiful Glen Cove Mansion in Glen Cove is said to be haunted by the ghost of its previous owner, Mrs. Pratt who died in the house she loved in 1965. The Georgian Revival building was built in 1910 and is presently a hotel and conference center. Although there has been ghostly activity throughout the building, the most haunted area seems to be upstairs in the bar. Countless employees have seen the apparition of Mrs. Pratt, and many have claimed to have felt her presence. During our investigations there, Joe and I photographed many orbs, and we received EVP's as well. Did Mrs. Pratt love her home enough to stay there permanently in spirit?

I'm sure there must be more haunted restaurants and bars on Long Island that I haven't heard of or investigated. So if you have a story a two you'd like to share, please let me know. All the above stories with the complete histories can be read in my Ghosts of Long Island books.

Past Lives and Reincarnation

Do you believe in past lives?

 The idea of past lives and reincarnation is not only a hot topic, but one filled with controversy as well. I find it's a 50/50 split when it comes to people's opinions on the matter.  

I first learned about reincarnation back in the 1980's when Shirley MacLaine came out with her book, Out on a Limb. It was a topic that fascinated me, so I decided to pursue it further and started reading some books by Edgar Cayce. Despite being a Catholic (Catholics as a whole don't really believe in reincarnation), I happen to think there is some truth to the theory. 

How can we possibly accomplish everything we're supposed to in one lifetime? There are lessons needed to be learned, relationships that must be formed, work that needs to be done. And I don't mean housework or our careers. I'm talking about spiritual work...the kind of work that brings us closer to God and makes us better people during our lifetimes. I believe it takes multiple lifetimes to achieve this. Many lifetimes, but one soul. God creates only one of us. Our physical bodies are kind of like cars. When it gets old and worn out, we get a new one. 

How else can certain things be explained, such as why do babies die? Why does a young person die tragically in an accident? Is that all their life was supposed to be? I don't think so. I believe their lives continue in Heaven, and that eventually, when the time is right, they come back. We usually come back with other family members and even friends who've we shared other lifetimes with. 

How can a child protégé be explained? How can you explain meeting someone for the first time, yet you feel you've known them your whole life? How can you explain being familiar with a place you've never been to? So many questions, so much to consider. 

Last August I decided to find out for myself, and I met with licensed psychotherapist and past-life regression therapist Richard Scheinberg. Richard has a very successful practice in East Islip called Sunrise Counseling Center. Richard happens to be a wonderful author as well, and I've known him for a number of years. Richard trained under Brian Weiss, who is world renowned when it comes to reincarnation and past lives. So I knew I was in good hands working with Richard.  

I was a bit apprehensive and wasn't sure if the process would work for me, despite my believing in it. I spent a lot of time talking with Richard ahead of time. He explained the whole process and he relieved my fears. I had agreed to work with him on creating a short video which would include excerpts from my session, along with my journey to discovering more about my past life. We spent months working with video reporter Chris Collora, who did a wonderful job in filming and putting it all together. The video is really quite remarkable. If you'd like to view it, go to this link: http://www.richardcscheinberg.com/video/?vid=102 

I'm not trying to convince anyone to become a believer in past lives. I'm simply presenting information to you, so go easy on your comments. I know my blogs have caused some controversy in the past. I'm simply giving you some food for thought...something to contemplate. If you're interested in having your own past life regression session, you can visit Richard Scheinberg's website at www.richardcscheinberg.com. Richard was also a recent guest on my blogtalk radio show, "The Kerriann and Joe Show - Spirit Connection." For your free download go to: www.blogtalkradio.com/kerriannandjoeshow/2012/07/13/past-life-regression--therapist-author-richard-scheinberg 

Watch the video, listen to the radio show and check out Richard's books. See if you then become a believer in past lives.

Top Ten Most Haunted Towns on Long Island

There are all kinds of lists out there which name the top ten most haunted cities in the United States. These include Savannah, Georgia; Gettysburg, Pennsylvania; Salem, Massachusetts; New Orleans; San Antonio, Texas; St. Augustine, Florida; Charleston, South Carolina; Chicago; San Francisco and Portland, Oregon. Why is Long Island, New York not on this list? 

After having investigated more than sixty haunted locales on Long Island, I truly believe Long Island is worthy of at least being included on the top ten list of most haunted places.

We have a rich and intriguing history here on Long Island which includes a prominent Native American past and the American Revolutionary War, amongst other things. How many people on Long Island, let alone in the country, know about the Indian massacres which occurred here, or the famous Battle of Long Island and the Culper Spy Ring? The Battle of Long Island was the first official battle following the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The Culper Spy Ring was a group of ordinary people who got together and changed history because of the information they were able to provide to General George Washington regarding the British and their plans for attack. With this much history, there is bound to be spirits and energy which remain.  

Much of our history has also been preserved on Long Island's North Shore, where Gold Coast Mansions are still scattered along the shoreline, or on the east end where the North and South Forks are a host to numerous historic homes and buildings. The fact of the matter remains that everywhere we go is haunted. Spirits are with us everywhere and all the time. They're not necessarily ghosts. There is a difference. Ghosts are usually place centered, where spirits come and go and may help us on our own journey. They may even be people we loved and knew. In either case, communication with the afterlife abounds on Long Island. Researching, investigation, and writing Ghosts of Long Island has convinced me of that, so of course I'd like to give credit where credit is due. Long Island is one of the most haunted places in the United States. 

If I had to compile my own list of the top ten most haunted towns on Long Island, here's what I'd come up with. At number one, I'd have to say it's Stony Brook which features such haunted locales as The Country House Restaurant, the old Grist Mill and painter William Sydney Mount's house.  Coming in at second and third would be the old whaling town of Cold Spring Harbor, and St. James with its haunted General Store, old schoolhouse and Deepwell's Mansion. From there the list includes Strong's Neck, Huntington, Montauk, Glen Cove, Oyster Bay, Southampton and Cutchogue. Chapter after chapter in both my ghost books mention these extraordinary places where paranormal activity has taken place.   

Do you live or know of another haunted town on Long Island that you think could make this list? If so, tell us about your experience.