As the leaves change and the Halloween season approaches, everyone gets in the mood for autumn decor and spooky stories. So, this year, we will be sharing some local ghost stories from around Bellingham!
Have you ever taken a walk downtown and suddenly felt a shiver right down your spine? Then you may be near Sycamore Square! Known for its supernatural activity, almost everyone who enters walks out with a tale to tell.
The “Lady in Green”, also known as “Flora”, is a prominent sighting around the area and the workers there can back that up. Not too long after first beginning her job at the Sycamore Square, April Mcallister had her first encounter with The Lady. Contrary to popular ghost stories, it was a hot summer day with clear weather when she was painting an office on the second floor. April Mcallister kept feeling like she was being watched, and after a good while of this anxious feeling, she moved her ladder over to a different corner to continue to work. She was shocked to find this area was freezing cold, and out of the corner of her eye she saw the Lady in Green. She turned around immediately, only to find nothing there. Although it was a short interaction, April Mcallister has described the sighting as extremely vivid, as if it had been burned into her head.
The Bellingham Observers of the Odd and Obscure, otherwise known as BOOO, have investigated the place for many years, but for the first few had only heard male voices. This changed, however, once they brought a dog with them. The dog was terrified of the fourth floor (Where Flora and her husband used to live) and refused to go up. The psychic Sherry Mulholland took the dog for a walk outdoors, and weirdly enough felt a strong sense of anger coming from the building during it. At that same time, an annoyed-sounding Flora had been recorded by an EVP (Electric voice phenomenon), saying “It’s about the dog.” She did not speak for the rest of the night.
Once, a man who stayed late having drinks at The Black Cat Restaurant fell asleep on a bench on the first floor. The staff had not noticed him and he was mistakenly locked in for the night. Awaking not too long before dawn, the man decided to wait it out in Mambo Italiano and took a seat at one of the tables. The chair directly next to him pushed itself out, and then immediately back in. Startled by the events, the man grabbed a chair to throw through the window and leave. Something got the better of him, and he decided to pull the fire alarm instead. When the police heard about the incident, they decided not to have him pay charges!
Happy Halloween, and stay safe out there Bayhawks!
