Rumor has it that Alma Osgood at one time may have had a love affair with one of the Italian artists she had imported to paint inside the mansion, and that and that her husband, John Cleveland Osgood, had him shot for allegedly cheating in a poker game.  No real evidence documents this story, however there is a secret passageway through the castle from the guest quarters, which comes out very near Alma’s private suite in this Colorado haunted house.

The biggest black mark on Osgood’s character was his reaction to the horrific Ludlow Massacre in 1914, where a camp of striking miners and their wives were gunned down and burned out by men in the employ of the mine owners.  As spokesman for the coal operators of Colorado, he loquaciously blamed the victims for the problem, although he was fully aware of, and had participated in, the evil conditions the miners endured.  Later testimony disproved his claims, but perhaps his sympathies had been blunted by the desertion of his adored wife, and later the betrayal of the miners in walking out of his mines.

Most prevalent is the smell of cigar smoke, particularly around the pool room area, when smoking is not allowed, of course, in the Colorado haunted house.  Osgood was a perpetual cigar smoker.  Other guests have reported being touched while sleeping, or of smelling the scent of fresh lilacs in mid-winter.  Housekeepers report seeing people reflected in mirrors in empty rooms and of footprints on clean floors.  With its many unsolved mysteries, the Redstone Castle is among the greatest Colorado haunted houses.

Perusing a book titled “Journeys,” the story of the Sisters of Mercy written by Kathleen O’Brien, one finds an account of the departure of Father Jean Baptiste Francolon in 1900.  The Mother Superior, Mother Baptist, harshly accused the Father of accosting children.  She then threatened to expose him.  In response, the Father cursed her, telling her that she would be dead within a year’s time.

Apparently the accusation reached the public ear and Angus Gillis, driving a wagon in town, came across an angry crowd headed for the Colorado haunted house.  Driving ahead, Angus warned the Father, secreted him under a blanket in his wagon, and drove him to Colorado Springs where Father Francolon left abruptly for Europe.

A sad and creepy postscript to this tale is that in August of 1901, the very next year, Mother Baptist died quite horribly in a train accident while traveling from Durango to Silverton.

A less substantiated incident is that of a nun, Henrietta, who hanged herself, supposedly because she was carrying the child of Father Francolon, who refused to give up his priesthood and marry her.

It seems that Sister Henrietta never left Miramont Castle, a Colorado haunted house, and is still seen occasionally.  There also is a little girl on the fourth floor, but who she is remains a mystery, although one psychic thought she might have been a patient who died there.  A transparent Victorian couple has been seen on the grand staircase, once by the president of the Manitou Historical Society, and a Victorian widow sometimes appears in the mirrors in the mother’s room.  A Native American is another regular visitor.

Phenomena are so common that there are books on the third level for visitors to relate any odd occurrences that they encounter.  And the entries are many.  With its many unsolved mysteries, the Miramont Castle is among the greatest Colorado haunted houses.

Here is a video we found on You Tube that shows a real ghost crying.  For more haunted videos, see ghost activity in a haunted house and the asylum in Denver.

There are several things that should be taken into consideration when young children go trick-or-treating.  The primary concern is safety, but comfort should also be kept in mind.  To begin with, an adult should accompany young children.  If a large group of young children is trick-or-treating together, be sure to bring several adults along.

Children choose their costumes based upon any number of criteria, such as how popular it is, how scary it is, etc.  There are other factors that should be considered by the child’s parents.  It is often cold on Halloween night, so be sure that a costume is either warm enough by itself, or that it is loose-fitting enough to accommodate a warm layer of clothing underneath it. 

Also, be sure that the costume does not obstruct the child’s view.  This is one of several safety considerations.  Inspect the costume to make sure that there are no parts that could act as a tripping hazard.  Likewise, see to it that any accessory items do not have sharp edges or points.

Visibility is important, as well.  Give each child a flashlight or glow stick so that motorists and other pedestrians can see them.  Each adult should also have a flashlight to help children find their way around large bushes, shrubs, etc.  It is also important to monitor the children when approaching darkened porches and doorways.  A good flashlight is invaluable in this application.

Finally, when you get home all items received must be inspected for tears in wrappers, pinholes and the like.  Instruct the children not to consume any of their candy or other treats until they have been looked through at home.  If you are at all uncertain about the safety of a given item, discard it.  It is better to be safe than sorry, especially if the children were trick-or-treating in a somewhat unfamiliar area. 

Halloween should be a fun and carefree holiday for children.  A small group of responsible adults can ensure the safety of the children and allow them to have a fun time.  Harmful incidents on or around Halloween are rare, and are often the stuff of urban legends.  Taking a few precautions will provide a comfortable level of safety for all those involved.

There are two issues here: the first is that sometime between Marcus C. Wright’s death and Bill Barnes’ acquisition, the castle was at one time a brothel and gambling casino.  The second issue is more serious.  The plane crash that killed three of the Barnes family has never been properly explained, and the investigation of the crash is still open.

With its history, it would be surprising if the castle did not have spirits.  Lisa Barnes, who lived there as a child, believes the castle is truly an entity, with its energy deriving from the structure being made of solid rock, with materials all from the surrounding area.  Wright, the man who actually created the castle, was building his own dream.  And the rock is granite, Lisa adds, which vibrates at a very low frequency and has accumulated its history over time, both positive and negative.

Lisa is a Sensitive, or Medium, and has been aware of a multitude of spirits around the castle.  As a child, she often heard footsteps along the long hallway from the garage into the house, though no one visible was there.  In fact, guests staying in the lower bedrooms adjacent to the hall, complained to her parents about the noise that disturbed their sleeping.  Another annoyance was a spirit dog whose nails clicked on the terrazzo floor and whose panting would awaken Lisa.

Following the airplane crash, the castle was on the market for four years, with several interested buyers.  But Lisa found it disturbing that these potential owners were interested in the land only, and planned to scrap the castle and rebuild.  Then Mike Dunafon and Debbie Matthews found the estate, and it was the castle that they wanted, and wished to restore.  Soon after, Lisa encountered the spirit of her mother who assured her that they were the right people to own it.  With its many unsolved mysteries, the Dunafon Castle is among the greatest Denver haunted houses.

Come Halloween time in Colorado, we are really lucky to have so many great attractions to visit.  With there being so many haunted houses to choose from we have decided to give some direction on the top ones to visit.  There isn’t anything fun about waiting in line and being disappointed once you finally make it through the house.  If you can’t tell we’ve done it more times than we’d have liked to so we’ve rated Denver’s top 3 haunted houses.

1.) The Asylum (303-355-3327)

Located at 120th & I-25, the Asylum offers a  Before entering the haunt, everyone waiting in line gets to stare down the creepy facade of a creepy busted down old Asylum. Once inside, this place seriously looks like you might imagine a real Asylum might look if it were taken over by some evil inmates. The use of lighting was great to add to the suspense.  It’s scare factor is intense and is quite lengthy which makes the Asylum one of our top Denver haunted houses.

2.) 13th Floor (303-355-FEAR)

Located at 6100 E. 39th Ave in Denver, the 13th Floor is one of the most affordable haunted houses for its length.  We were extremely excited with the news of adding more space to the haunted house even though it was already one of the largest in the area.  The 13th Floor is a must see in Colorado, especially with the planned 2009 additions!  I don’t think there are better actors in the Denver area and the attention to detail in the house makes the 13th Floor in the top 3 Denver haunted houses.

3.) Frightmare (303-439-7391)

Located at 108th and Old Wadsworth, Frightmare is one of the best outdoor haunted attractions in Denver.  Although the price is lower than the average haunted houses in Denver, it’s not limited on scares!  After you leave this place you won’t want to walk alone outside again.  The actors are pretty good and the setting is even better! This haunted house brings 25 years of experience and was named 2008 Best outdoor Haunt.  Your Halloween won’t be complete without visiting Frightmare.

Make sure you check out all of these haunted houses so you don’t miss out of Denver’s scariest attractions.  If you can’t make all 3 this fall, I wouldn’t want to be the one who has to choose which of these 3 you miss!

Here is a video we found on Youtube of a guy who thinks he is communicating with an “orps”.  Althought we have found many ghost stories entertaining and believalbe, we can’t decide on this one.  What do you think?

“This is probably the best evidence to date that orbs can be perceptive intelligent spiritual energies rather than the sceptical view that they are dust.” (guy in the video)

DENVER’S #1 RATED HAUNTED HOUSE IN 2008!

Are you ready to GET SCARED?! FACE YOUR FEAR at the most haunted of all Denver Haunted Houses!

“Within the walls of the legendary Nightmare Factory a hidden passage was unearthed! This passage descended two levels into Gordon Cottingham’s Hospital for the Mentally Insane, The Asylum. Much deeper and darker than the previous levels, the Asylum is a damp and musty place infested with spiders, rats, snakes, and the endless screams of the tortured souls.”

From the creators of Nightmare Factory, The Asylum Haunted House is the scariest haunted adventure in all of Denver, Colorado! Featuring all new up-close and in-your- face frights for 2009!

For more information on The Asylum check out: Colorado Haunted Houses or email questions to info@getscared.com