Yesterday we met up as a team at the fabulous General Store in Rockwood. Coffee, laughter, and maps everywhere. It felt like the official turning of the key on spooky season. The air had that quiet September charge, the kind that makes an old floorboard think about speaking. Perfect.
Fort Delaware Is Calling
Fort Delaware Paranormal Adventure Tours are returning in less than a month. My boots are ready for Pea Patch Island, and so is my voice for telling you where not to step and to turn on your flashlight. Bring your curiosity, your courage, and your best listening ears. Do not wear stilettos, yes, that’s happened before. The Fort and its lingering inhabitants have many stories. We just help them talk.
A Secret Brewing
We are sitting on a special opportunity for our spooky-loving friends. We will announce it on social media next Sunday, September 14. Keep your eyes open. If your phone glitches right before the post, consider it a friendly nudge from the other side.
Helping a Local Family
A couple of our teammates discussed a recent walk-through with a family who reached out for help with unexplained experiences in their home. We focused on next steps, calm documentation, and keeping the household grounded. Compassion first, evidence second, fear as low as we can get it. That is how we have been trained to work: slow and steady, with the acknowledgement that nothing might happen when the family leaves the house and we go to investigate. That just means a repeat visit may be in order.
Adventures Beyond Delaware
We also kicked around ideas for investigations outside Delaware. History does not respect borders, and neither do hauntings. Members of our team are always scouting places with strong reports, good records, and night logistics that will not require a pact with a cranky vending machine. If you know a spot where the past still knocks after midnight, we are all ears.
New Faces, Same Heart
It was so good to see everyone. This meeting felt extra special because our five new teammates were with us. One joined by phone from overseas, which made me grin at the thought of DSGI becoming an international success. I kid. Kind of. What truly matters is the shared purpose. Curious minds, steady hands, and a healthy respect for the unknown.
The Sky Has Opinions
As I type, the sky is gloomy and the back deck is slick from a September rain. The looming blood moon lunar eclipse seems to be tugging at the edges of even our family pets. Something wicked this way comes. Luckily, our team has the chops to handle it. I believe we can do anything when we stick together.
See You on the Island
We investigate all year round, but there is something special about this season. The nights lean in. The stories feel closer. I hope to see you next month on Pea Patch Island for the Fort Delaware tours.
It’s Spooky Season ghostie peeps! It has been a hot second since I last wrote a post for Christy’s Chronicles. Let me give you a recap on the last few months. Then a bit of encouragement to grab some tickets and come out to Fort Delaware this October for the Paranormal Adventure Tours!
Private Investigation at My Haunted Manor, USA
In mid-August, the team had a private investigation at the Samuel Miller Mansion as part of My Haunted Manor USA. I can’t share too much about the investigation because it will be featured in an upcoming episode on the My Haunted Project YouTube Channel. So be sure to subscribe! We had a small group when we visited which meant plenty of quiet time to really sit and immerse ourselves in the experience at MHM. Having a chance to explore the whole mansion with a small group, is such a different vibe than when we have visited for the public events. We absolutely love that place and really respect that the whole My Haunted Project is elevating the field of paranormal investigation at a truly international level by including 24/7 access via live streams and evidence from the public who visit.
I had the privilege to go back up to the Manor just a few weeks ago when the Ghost Pardee group had their private investigation. They were such a blast to meet. This particular trip was extra fun for me, because it afforded me the opportunity to learn more about a “command center” and really get behind the scenes of investigating. Watching the cameras, writing down the timestamps and being an extra set of eyes was a lot of fun.
In late August, I went to Pennhurst Asylum with other paranormal teams from the region. It was a blast being able to head back to Pennhurst to see how other teams investigate. I love learning about new methods or new ways to use old methods. I had the opportunity to investigate with the Bader Brothers AND their Mom and sister. Turns out that the whole family is gifted with a sixth sense and a supreme level of curiosity and passion. Seeing them investigate together was amazing; truly an honor.
Pennhurst is such a rough place to visit because from the moment you turn in and head down the drive you can feel the heaviness. Traumatic things happened at that asylum for many, many years and the energy left behind is incredibly sad. The groups I met that night were all incredibly respectful and kind-hearted. I can only hope that we were able to bring light and comfort to any spirits still lingering in that place.
Only Ghosts in the Building sat me down for an interview to talk a little bit about Pennhurst, as Emily from that podcast had been on that trip. The interview became a two-part podcast series on her show.
Please check out the Only Ghosts in the Building podcast. You can find them on Spotify and Patreon to name just a couple of platforms. And check out the DSGI podcast page to see a playlist with interviews featuring many of our investigators.
Warren’s Paracon
This past weekend I attended my first Paracon. A group of friends and I went up to Gettysburg to attend The Warren’s Seekers of the Supernatural Paracon. Shout out to Emily, Kelsey and Morgan!
Sporting my DSGI hat, several of the paranormal teams from across the country learned about the Diamond State Ghost Investigators as they tried to come up with other words that fit that acronym. I think some of them might have just been learning about Delaware for the first time, too. Just kidding. I hope I represented the team well, next time I’ll make sure to have business cards or stickers. Every team or vendor that I spoke with was super kind and curious. They each genuinely wanted to learn more about DSGI, just as I wanted to learn more about them.
The Ghost Brothers were charming and funny. They also apparently like to roast their fans. Consider me roasted. But I did get a nickname out of it that should probably give me pause, but instead, Imma laugh about it. So the autographed picture says “To Christy “Big Crip.”” Look, I can’t help that I have a firm handshake Dalen Spratt, Juwan Mass, and Marcus Harvey. It’s gotta be the boxing. I promise I’m not gangsta!
One of the great things about attending something like a Paracon is that you get to network and connect with so many new people interested in the paranormal field. Of course, we also ran into the guys, the Bader brothers Trey and Jeff and Daryl from MHM, and several of our friends from Interstate Paranormal Research. We had a great time, albeit a very long day. Gettysburg, I can’t wait to come back!
Fort Delaware Paranormal Adventure Tours
Last week we had a pow-wow with Delaware State Parks to get ready for this coming weekend at Fort Delaware State Park on Pea Patch Island! The Paranormal Adventure Tours are back, this will be year 16! These tours are really something special, because we enjoy blending history with the thrill of ghost investigating.
This year’s tours kick off on Friday, October 4, featuring a special guest appearance by Daryl Marston from A&E’s Ghost Hunters and My Haunted Manor USA. Daryl is renowned for his captivating insights into the paranormal world, and attendees will have the chance to learn from one of the best in the field.
On Saturday, October 5, we’re thrilled to welcome our contest winner, Wayne, and his guest. DSGI can’t wait to meet you both and share this unique experience!
Fort Delaware has a rich history as a Civil War prison camp, where tens of thousands of Confederate soldiers were held, and thousands perished. With tales of ghostly encounters and eerie phenomena—like mysterious footsteps and shadowy figures—this historic site offers a perfect backdrop for exploration.
Get your tickets
Our Saturday tours are sold out, but there are still tickets available for some of the upcoming Friday nights! Grab your tickets now and prepare for an evening filled with adventure, education, and perhaps a few ghostly surprises. We can’t wait to see you there!
P.S. Search on the page for the word “paranormal” at the ticket link above. Then type in a Friday date in October to see which tour has tickets left!
Diamond State Ghost Investigators are the lead paranormal group responsible for the Paranormal Adventure Tours at Fort Delaware, on Pea Patch Island, each October. We volunteer to lead paranormal tours, and as a reward, we are given an opportunity to stay overnight on the island each year. (Tickets go on sale July 1, 2024!) This year, we stayed overnight on June 1. The weather was absolutely perfect; there were far fewer mosquitoes, and, of course, we experienced much laughter through the night.
We know that Fort Delaware is the most haunted location in Delaware. This is likely because it is old and has such historical significance. In 1847, Congress set aside a whopping one million dollars to construct the biggest fort in the country for guarding Philadelphia and the harbor. It was actually put into use in 1861 during the Civil War and was used to hold Confederate prisoners until 1865. The fort was also garrisoned during the Spanish-American War, World War I, and World War II before being shut down in 1944. You can find more history about Fort Delaware here.
We spend a lot of time on the island and inside the Fort. As a team, there has never been a time when something paranormal hasn’t happened to at least one, usually many, of us during each visit. However, this year, the activity was relatively low, at least for me.
I so very much wanted to see the tan man or a shadow figure, some apparition, but I didn’t. Others on the team did. I wanted to hear the phantom canon sounds or booming footsteps going up the metal stairs. Even a door opening and closing would have made this spooky gal happy. I didn’t hear or see any of those things over the weekend. Even though I know there is usually that type of activity, Perhaps my energy was off, I don’t know.
Some of our paranormal experiences
While Adam, Fred, Michelle, Sherri and I were in the Casemates we heard and saw several bats. The bats were screeching and swooping down. I’ve never seen so many bats on the island. It made me so happy! Seeing more bats means seeing less mosquitoes. Fred, Sherri and Michelle saw shadow figures walking past the windows in the Casemates as we stood in the grassy area that we call the wedge. I kept looking, and while there were moments when it did appear that something blocked the ambient light through the windows, I couldn’t be sure it wasn’t just a bat or my eyes playing tricks on me because I was staring into the dark for so long. If those were shadow figures trying to get my attention, I apologize ghosties, because I didn’t sense anything at the time.
What I did experience, however, was hearing voices in what I’m calling the newer rooms of the Fort. I heard full discussions, though I couldn’t say exactly what was said. Now, there are no new rooms, and this Fort is very old, but I had not taken the circle through the Officer’s Quarters in full before. I hadn’t been through the library and around back to the staircase. So, when I was in the red room with the circle table, I sat down with my weary legs on the velvet sofa and listened. I kept hearing voices; we all did. Adam, Fred, Sherri and I were in the room then. It sounded like people on the other side of the staircase were having full conversations. However, no one else was in that building, let alone in those other rooms. So, it was cool to experience that type of paranormal activity. Adam had a recorder running in one of the back rooms at that time, so I hope he was able to catch some EVP evidence.
Energy depletion
One thing I can say with one hundred percent certainty is that many of our devices went through several iterations of batteries. Something was most definitely draining the energy of the batteries. And, I felt drained. Don’t get me wrong, I’m an early bird who likes to be in bed by 8:30 so I can curl up with a cozy mystery and fall asleep. I’m an early riser! So it’s challenging for me to stay awake, but usually there is so much activity that I just have to be alert and ready. I don’t know if it’s adrenaline, but I didn’t have it Saturday night into Sunday morning. I was DRAINED. So drained. Running on fumes. I was the first to fall asleep, head down on a picnic table and then eventually on a bench. All in all, I got about 3 hours of sleep, one and off, according to my FitBit. Most of the team didn’t sleep at all.
When I got home, I cleaned off the Fort dust and promptly took a nap. Every muscle in my body ached and felt tight. I usually experience congestion and exhaustion after a night at the Fort, but this felt different. I physically could not do anything for hours. I tried. I couldn’t even play computer games with my daughter as I had promised; I couldn’t keep my eyes open or my head up. So, while I’m not typically a napper, I had to sleep and recharge. I don’t know if something had drained my energy, too, or if it was a myriad of other reasons why my body completely rebelled, but it was intense.
My ghostie peeps
More than anything, I realized that even with the paranormal hangover/flu feeling, there is nothing like spending a night with my ghostie peeps. Being a part of Diamond State Ghost Investigators is truly one of the best things. We laughed, we cried, we were feisty, we were chatterboxes, we were serious at times, we were all of the things and it was all completely accepted and okay. Even in the morning, when we were ready to get off the island and get home, we sat together as a team under a tree full of spiders, talking and laughing. It was quite an abdominal workout to get all that laughter in 😉
In addition to DSGI members, Michelle from the State Park, Daryl Marston and his wife Melanie were also at the Fort. They are such great people and really added to the overall investigations and camaraderie throughout the weekend. Andy Lendway, a fabulous friend, teammate and artist, had surprised Trey and Daryl with an amazing painting of the two of them with Jeff Bader for their My Haunted Manor endeavor. I’ve talked about Haunted Manor and the Samuel Miller Mansion in a previous post. They are such great people, and what they are doing with Haunted Manor is incredible. If you’re interested in immersing yourself in a paranormal investigation at a safe, haunted location steeped in history, definitely book a night at the mansion.
It is refreshing to be a part of a team that also encourages me to be exactly who I am. So I’d like to thank my teammates and friends, my ghosties peeps, for having my back and for accepting me no matter if I’m being super silly and upbeat or if I’m acting like a hangry lunatic. You are my people.
Photo taken of Fort Delaware from outside the PavillionPhoto taken from the roof of Fort DelawareDaryl Marston and Trey Bader looking at a painting made by Andy LendwayInside the CasematesBrick archwaysPicnic tables inside the Fort near the Sally Port
