Joshua Dowidat

Haunted Place: Willard Asylum

Hello Everyone,

Today we are going to dig into a haunted place known as the Willard asylum. Unlike many of the buildings or hospitals that I have been talking about over the last couple weeks the Willard Asylum is still functional and in 1995 was declared a Historic building.

History of Willard Asylum:

The property for the asylum was purchased in 1850 and was originally going to be the site of an Agricultural college. The American Civil War put a damper on this just like many of the hospitals and dreams created around that time. It was under the direction of New York’s Surgeon General at the time to make the completed buildings on the property into and insane asylum.

Little did these people ever know is that these places would eventually become areas of supernatural phenomenon and paranormal activities.

I know I mentioned the asylum is still operational but Continue reading →

Haunted Place: Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Hospital

Hello Everyone,

So here it is. Another haunted place and what do you know? It’s a hospital. A hospital for the insane but also other people as well. For some reason the fact that it held the mentally insane, just like the previous posts, makes you move a little more into the eerie realm. I think, and I am sure many agree, that the tortured souls of this world seem to have a better grasp on inheriting a place in the afterlife amongst us. At least that’s what it seems like most people believe.

The Haunted Place, the Hospital:

It took almost thirty years to construct and was originally started in 1864 and completed, at least for the most part, in 1881. It was in operation in 1864 and was originally designed to house 250 patients. The hospital did not close its doors until 1994. I know, it seems Continue reading →

Haunted Place: Rolling Hills Asylum

Hello Everyone,

Once again thanks for reading and taking a look at another haunted place. In fact another haunted Asylum. This time the name rings a bell to me that drives me to take my research a little deeper I this one. Simply put, there is a neighboring area by me that is called Rolling Hills and I am curious if there is any relation to this asylum. Much like New York is named after York in England I wonder if this is perhaps set the same way in places across the United States from east to West coast. Depending on where the original was established first I guess.

The Story Behind the Haunted Place:

Located in Bethany, New York the haunted place known as Rolling Hills Asylum was opened in 1827 and closed in 1972. Actually in the mid-50s it was primarily a nursing home for the elderly and Continue reading →

Pay it Forward: Desert Shadows

Hello Everyone,

Thanks for reading as usual. I wanted to add this here as well as my other social media posts so it will reach as much of an audience as possible. Hopefully Pay it Forward.

Several years ago I was admitted into Tucson Medical Center for a severe medical condition. I spent my fair share of days and nights in there. The staff was very nice to me and took care of me and now that things have been going do good for me I am in a position to pay it forward.

Pay it Forward:

Along with some books that have already been sent to the TMC Foundation for the children’s fund, I will also be donating my royalties/profits from this coming quarters book sales of my book Desert Shadows. I am just happy I can finally Pay it Forward to those who gave me so much when Continue reading →

Haunted Places: Utica State Hospital

Hello Everyone,

Welcome to my new segment of blogs, haunted places. This segment will consist of many different types of haunted places such as; graveyards, asylums, hospitals, ghost towns, hotels, and more. Ranging anywhere from the well-developed stories to the more forgotten that I can get my hands on, they will be the focus for some time now.

Utica State Hospital:

As one of the first places in the great country of America to care for the mentally ill, Utica opened January 16, 1843 in, obviously, Utica, New York. Utica is one of the highest populated cities in New York where this Hospital was once originally called, “New York State Lunatic Asylum at Utica.” Probably changed the name due to people not wanting to live so close by. What do you think?

It is actually a very beautifully built hospital resembling the designs of building in Washington D.C. that mimic Continue reading →

Eerie for Thoughts: Eaten Alive

Hello Everyone,

Eaten alive. Cannibalism. Being eaten after you have already been disposed of. These are some things that really hit a different nerve with people when you talk about it. Why? Well, for me it is the feeling that your body is being consumed by something other than the Earth. Maybe it’s because we have climbed to the top of the food chain and are not used to this so the very thought repels us. Perhaps it is the primal fear because this was humans most known threat of death in the beginning of human kind besides the accidental, being eaten by animals.

Cannibalism:

When many people think cannibals they immediately think of Hannibal Lecter or Native Tribes of the Jungle regions where cannibalism was a large part of the Hollywood pictures for some time. In fact it dates back before any of these known Native Tribes of the Continue reading →

Eerie for Thoughts: Once Bitten, Twice Stung

Hello Everyone,

Okay I kind of made a joke in that title a little bit to make it a little catchier but hey it sounded funny for something eerie.

As many of you who know me will also know that this is just a play on words because I have been bitten or stung by just about everything in the desert minus one Rattlesnake and one Gila Monster. And also I should specify that I mean things with venom or a type of poisonous fluid.

What’s eerie about it?

Okay for me the first thing is the animal doing it. For some reason the fact of something crawling on me and biting or stinging me freaks me out. Now the flip side to that is that I will voluntarily hold these animals or creatures but when they are uninvited it gets me.

Then onto the venom or poison part. What Continue reading →

B2M – Book 2 Movie

Hello Everyone,

I know it might look strange or to modern texting type language to be using the (2) in the middle of Books 2 Movies, but it is the more common form of writing this. Just like B2B in business to business. Anyways back to the point, books to movies.

What it is-Book 2 Movie:

Well what it is, is exactly what it says. It is when a book is turned into a movie. Sometimes this works great for the book and sometimes it hurts it. Sometimes it turns out to be a great film but people don’t like the book. And nowadays we have seen the rise of video games to movies also which has been very successful. Often times I will read a book and then see the movie and feel like it didn’t do the book justice. This in turn is when the book can get Continue reading →

Sanctuary

Hello Everyone,

Well as usual I was writing along and doing some research after my day job and in the background I had a movie on. I often do this to break up the silence of thought and allow my mind to drift away from time to time on the regular work I am doing. I find it also helpful to break away from the zone of writing and therefore it allows me to free my mind a little and think about other topics or other possibilities in my writing. Don’t get me wrong when I am in a trance or a heavy writing zone everything goes off and I just type away.

Anyways a movie was on and the actors and actresses caught my attention when the screamed that they needed to get to the church. They needed to get there to claim sanctuary form the evil forces that Continue reading →

Dracula Museum

Hello Everyone,

As many of you may recall I did a whole month or two long segment about vampires. Why? Because the fascinate me. Not so much the actual creature but the myth, legend, origins, or truth behind the tales.

When we think vampires we often think blood sucking, bat morphing, creatures of the night with a hint of seduction in most tales. If I asked any of you to name a vampire, of course maybe not the Twilight crowd, many of you would say Dracula as your immediate response. Trust me I asked a few people and this was the results. Dracula or the main character from Twilight was what came up and it was a generation difference in the answers. I am sure the character, forgot the name, from Twilight was good but in my mind no one can ever replace the vampire who brought vampire folklore to Continue reading →