Grand tidings and welcome to you on this, the Thirty-Second episode, of Beyond the Seas. My name is Kieran and here we are again, back at it for another week. Man, I am in such a great spot right now: I wake up every day in the Rocky Mountains, making some theatre, and doing the thang. Life ain’t bad, magick makers. Thus, we have a week left until the Summer Solstice!! And for our social media goal of 250 followers on Insta: if you have not yet already, head on over there to follow the show, @beyondtheseaspodcast, so that I can take Claudia to Salem. And record there and get a bunch of witchy stuff for future giveaways! Also, follow Claudia’s account, @thefeatherwitchynyc, to follow her weekly Tarot collaboration reels, wherein she teaches you the tarot one week at a time, one card at a time. Our little circle of the world on there has grown so much over the last few weeks and I am LOVING seeing all of you there, and hearing your amazing stories. Also, purrty pwease, give the show a five-star rating and a share: it has a huge impact with the standings on Apple Podcast and Spotify and their algorithms, and all that jargony stuff. So, I am so happy you are all with me here, on the podcast, today.
And now, artistic and literary updates. We opened the show!! Ahhh!! It was so wonderful to play alongside my four castmates and tell the tale of Sherlock and Irene and Watson and literally so many others. It is such a fun show and I wish all of you out there could see it. Tickets are available at thesilco.org, though a lot of people like to buy walk-up tickets right before the show starts. So ya never know when it’s gonna sell out haha. And now, the next boooook in the seriessssss! I admit, I haven’t had too much time to listen to The Cursed Towers, which is the third book in The Witches of Eileanan series. But what I have listened to has had a lot of plot development and action—things are starting to come to a head as the characters race to find the Lodestar before Samhain, and reestablish the Coven of Witches as a power in the land. It is both exciting and somewhat heartbreaking to read about the witches rebelling against the edict against witchcraft, and also the execution of their kind. Ya never really know what is going to come next from around the corner. So head to your local library or second-hand bookshop to snag yourself a copy and join in on the fun.
And now, the Card of the Week! Opportunity, opportunity, opportunity—find the opportunities this week. Because Claudia pulled the Page of Coins: new beginnings are afoot and all the passions you have wanted to explore are aching to come out this week. So go ahead, grab your knitting needles and make that scarf. Throw some clay and make a pot. Dance naked under the moon while you channel messages from the spirits. Do all the things! For the Page is youth and beginnings, and Coins are opportunities, tasks, achievements, plans, and dreams. When Claudia did the pull, she texted me to say “all I see is the two of us prancing around in the rain and making this podcast come to life.” Apply that knowledge and wisdom to your own daily life, magick makers. This week is the time to put those shelved plans into action.
And now, the Wine of the Week! So, back to my time with Amanda in Brooklyn a few weeks ago. We finished the Pinot Noir, which was fabulous, and I grabbed a darker friend of his: 2021 Wilfson Cellars Zinfandel. Now I do love me a good Zin, don’t get me wrong, and this one was suuuuuuper moody. It was dark and stormy, with earth and musk and tobacoo and smoke all mixed in with cherry, dark chocolate, and heavy tannins. It goes well with darker meats and very hearty sauces, cheeses, red and brown vegetables, and a constant look at your phone to see if you’ll make the train back to Manhattan.
And, finally, this week’s topic. I thought I would swing the pendulum to some ghoulish, ghastly, and macabre ghost stories from the great state of New York, so as to satiate our folkloric needs. You may have noticed that there wasn’t an intro story for this episode—because we are about to dive into so many of them from New York. Thus, the presence of the Otherworld is ever near, separated only by the thinnest of veils. Once it opens and is drawn back, there is great magick to experience as we encounter our Ancestors and loved ones once more. Also, however, there are…other things that pop through. And to those ghost stories do we turn our attention to today. So settle in for an episode all about spooky ghost stories from New York.
Ergo, grab your favorite bottle of red, find a comfy chair, and close your eyes as I tell you the tale of A Haunting in New York—and take you…
Beyond the Seas.
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Let us begin our haunting tales in none other than my home: New York City. There are so many creepy tales that abound within this city, especially after night has fallen. Even though it is the city that never sleeps, it contains both human and other-than-human nocturnal presences. Our first tale is about the most reputedly haunted mansion in Manhattan: The Merchant’s House Museum.
From the Brooklyn’s Lifestyle website, “This iconic New York City landmark stands as a remarkable testament to the nineteenth-century way of life. It has been miraculously preserved both inside and out. Once the cherished abode of the Tredwell family. This historic residence has transformed into a captivating museum. It is dedicated to preserving the opulent world of decorative arts, luxurious furnishings, antique treasures, and the personal legacies of its former inhabitants.
“The opulent Federal-Greek Revival townhouse, originally crafted by Joseph Brewster, found a new owner in the wealthy hardware merchant Seabury Tredwell in 1833. This elegant home witnessed the birth of Tredwell’s youngest daughter, Gertrude, in 1840, and remained in the Tredwell family for nearly a century, until 1933.
“But behind the façade of luxury and affluence lay a tale of isolation and misfortune. Gertrude Tredwell chose a life of solitude, shunning marriage due to her staunch Episcopalian parents’ disapproval of her relationship with Luis Walton, a Roman Catholic physician. Even after her parents’ passing, she remained steadfast in her devotion to them and stayed unwed.
“From 1909 until her death in 1933, Gertrude was the sole occupant of the five-story mansion. As the years passed, she grappled with the financial burden of maintaining her cherished home. Remarkably, even in her financial straits, she kept the house in immaculate condition.
“Gertrude’s presence, it seems, never truly left the Merchant’s House. Even after it was opened to the public as a museum on May 11, 1936. Reports of ghostly sightings have abounded, with numerous witnesses claiming to have seen her ascending the grand staircase or playing the piano. Paranormal investigators…used Electronic Voice Phenomena…and cameras to capture inexplicable occurrences within the empty museum. These recordings not only included Gertrude’s presence but also the voices of servants and other members of the Tredwell family.”
Next, we are moving to Midtown Manhattan—Times Square—to hear the ghost story of Olive Thomas in the Broadway Theater, the New Amsterdam. “It is the oldest and most enduring Broadway venue. Since its grand opening in 1903, this hallowed establishment has borne witness to a series of perplexing manifestations that have spanned over a century, with no end in sight to the eerie and disconcerting occurrences.
“This New York City landmark, renowned for hosting beloved classics from the Disney Theatrical Group such as “Aladdin” and “The Lion King,” finds itself visited not only by enthusiastic theatergoers. But also by an unseen presence—the elusive and mischievous poltergeist. This spectral entity, known for its ability to create disturbances and unsettling sounds, adds a layer of intrigue and mystique to the theater’s illustrious history.
“…Among the spectral visitors, the radiant Ziegfeld Girl, Olive Thomas, stands out, her presence still palpable throughout the theater. One night, a watchman on duty was so startled by the apparition of a lady clutching a medicine bottle that he resigned on the spot, watching her vanish into the very walls of the theater.
“Olive Thomas, a silent film star with captivating violet-blue eyes, graced the Ziegfeld Follies stage in 1915. Her life took a tragic turn when she married Jack Pickford, the brother of her famous co-star Mary Pickford. While on a holiday trip in Paris in 1920, Jack’s battle with syphilis led to an unfortunate end for Olive. She unknowingly consumed mercury bichloride—Jack’s medicine.
“Following her untimely passing, Olive’s spirit began to make its presence known on the theater’s premises. From construction workers to dedicated crew members, many have reported encountering the spectral figure of a lady cradling a distinctive blue bottle. Her appearances are often tied to significant changes within the theater. Whether it is the anticipation of a new show or the restoration of the historic building.
“Dana Amendola, the Vice President of Operations for Disney Theatrical Group, shared his own eerie experience. Which unfolded on the roof theater, now transformed into office space. He heard the unmistakable sounds of tap-dancing on the stage, despite seeing no one there. In an effort to honor and appease Olive’s benevolent spirit, photos of Thomas now grace all entrances to the theater. It is a gesture of respect and remembrance that helps maintain her peaceful presence and minimize any sense of menace.
“Olive Thomas, it seems, is not a terrifying or malevolent apparition but a unique, affectionate, and familiar spirit. She exudes sweetness, offers her assistance, enjoys playful surprises, and revels in her unpredictable appearances.”
Shall we now venture out of the city and head upstate? Let us turn our attention to Hoosick Falls, New York and The Legend of the Devil’s Beanpot and Footprint.
From the blogger myredschoolhouse, “For generations locals and tourists alike have marveled at the smooth, bowl like shapes carved into the granite on the Lyndeborugh side of the falls [called] Purgatory. The one nearest the brook is deep enough for a person to stand in, and many surely have. A few even took the time to carve their names on its walls. The second is much shallower, but bears an uncanny resemblance to a human foot. A really big human foot.
“[The] legend begins on the cold gray cusp of winter some two and a half centuries ago. A group of unhappy clergy men were huddled under a hemlock tree somewhere along Amherst’s westernmost boundary line. They had been traveling by foot from Lyndeborough, and lost the crude trail they were following under heaps of windblown leaves. Bone chilling rain cemented the darkening clouds to the tree tops and obliterated any sense of direction. Before they knew it, the afternoon was wasted nurturing unproductive arguments over the true path. Now all they could do was stand under an evergreen, hands buried in their matchless pockets, and agree that the prospect of a warm place to rest and a nourishing hot meal was fading as fast as the day’s light.
“Just as the darkness was complete, the rain stopped, and the rising full moon began to peek through the thinning clouds. One of the holy men noticed a light bobbing between the old growth trees…Like moths to the flame, the cold, empty bellied ministers ran towards that light, calling for assistance.
“Unfortunately, the flame they perceived was in the hands of the Devil himself. His preternatural senses had picked up on the desperation of the clergymen, and he presumed them to be easy prey. A burning knot of pine and a hooded cloak was all he needed to hide his true identity. They ran to him begging for help, hoping against hope that he could guide them to shelter for the night.
“He told them of a granite over hang in a chasm close by, and a pot of baked beans buried in the ground, nearly ready to uncover and eat. The clergymen could hardly believe their change of luck. They eagerly followed as he led them down a treacherously steep hill to a stream that gurgled through a flat, rocky wood. The going was tough but the miserable clergy men kept faith, envisioning the comfort of a warm meal, they gladly endured every stumble over the wet, mossy rocks.
“The group followed the sleepy brook until suddenly, it roared through a rock crevice, pitching itself over the edge of an unexpected cliff. It was a precarious place for a meal, but air was warmer, strangely so… one minister commented that it was though the ground radiated heat. Blinded by relief and gratitude, the clergy did not notice that the disguised Devil had not bothered burning wood for embers. They had no clue that heat cooking the beans in his pot was summoned up straight from hell. Lulled by the hypnotic heat, they did not notice things were starting to go drastically wrong. The granite around the cooking pit glowed with heat, the rock softening like chocolate. Even when the pot of beans exploded, the only concern of the blissfully unaware clergy was the loss of a hot meal. It wasn’t until Devil stepped back to catch his balance and shield his face from the weaponized beans wizzing through the air. His foot became mired in what was now molten rock, hot enough to cause even Ol’ Scratch tortuous pain. It is said that his frustration caused him to grow in size, and reveal his familiar red skin. An unearthly howl let loose from his expanding throat, and it was followed by a string of loathsome oaths which filled the gorge and echoed up the hills on either side of the brook. The clergy, finally realizing that their perceived savior was much more than he had led them to believe, turned tail and scrambled back up the hill towards civilization. Some say that they didn’t stop running until they had passed Amherst and were half way to Hollis.
“And the Devil? Once he freed his foot, he left, too, taking with him every last bit of heat from that stone, which remains cold to the touch even at midday in August. Now the only evidence of the episode is that deep pit that once cooked the vile beans, and the giant print left by the Devil’s foot.”
Refill your drinking horns, your goblets, your chalices, for the second half of A Haunting in New York after this brief break.
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Cooperstown, New York. Little town, it’s a quiet village. Or is it? Located in its boundaries is Hyde Hall, one of the only entirely British stately homes in the United States. Here, there are several stories that abound about paranormal sightings and phenomena, swirling around the Clarke Family.
From the Wandercurse website, “Located in Glimmerglass State Park, Hyde Hall was built by George Clarke after he acquired the land in 1817. Construction took 17 years to complete, and was finished just in time for George to die there in 1835.
“The Clarke family owned 120,000 acres in Upstate New York – and contained several consecutive generations of George Clarkes and several Ann/Anne/Annas along the way…The eldest George Clarke became Secretary of the Province of New York in 1703. The name of Hyde Hall comes from his wife, Anne Hyde. Being distantly related to the British royal family through Queen Anne, appearances and status continued to be important to them.
“Easily the most famous ghost of Hyde Hall and all of Cooperstown, Jenny [Worthington] is hard to miss. Her 8-foot tall portrait, weighing over 400 pounds, hangs in the formal dining room of the estate. Jenny, formally known as Jane Storrs Cooper Worthington, was the granddaughter of Ann Cooper Clarke and niece of James Fenimore Cooper. She was briefly married to John Worthington before dying of Tuberculosis. Distraught, he commissioned her portrait to be painted by Carl Brandt.
“John remarried not long after, but still hung the portrait of Jenny at his home, Greencrest, located in the Village of Cooperstown. His new wife, unhappy with the former’s wife presence, decided to take the portrait down. That’s when strange things started happening around the house… until the portrait was rehung. This pattern continued as each owner purchased Greencrest – Jenny did not like to be taken down.
“When the Cooper family recently donated the portrait to Hyde Hall, they brought a priest in to bless the panting and the house. Since her departure, Greencrest has been peaceful. But Hyde Hall hasn’t. The night the painting was taken down for restorations to the dining room, the shutters swung open and the motion alarm was triggered.
“Now, every staff member treats Jenny with the utmost respect. They greet her when the house is opened in the morning and bid her good night at the end of each day.
“George Clarke & Ann Cooper Clarke: the patriarch of Hyde Hall has been seen on multiple occasions, roaming in the halls in his favorite gold, green, and red bathrobe. His wife, kicked out by her own son, promised to haunt the home upon her death.
“George & Susan Clarke: these two were among the later generations of the Clarke family. Both died decades ago in a plane crash. Yet, one day in recent history, a worker at the hall heard a radio play mayday calls, reminiscent of those from a former war.
“Edward Steers: they say love can make you do crazy things. And when Edward’s proposal was rejected for the second time by a Hyde Hall servant, he accidentally shot himself on the dock on Lake Otsego.
“The Woman with the Long Braid: several visitors to the hall have reported seeing a woman, dressed in period clothing, with a long braid down her back. Children said they liked to visit with her. A staff member saw her walk down the stairs. No such woman was ever present. Upon rifling through some very old photos in storage, staff members found her.”
And finally, let us venture back towards the city, but a little farther south—to Long Island. Here, I want to spend the last portion of the episode speaking all about…The Amityville Horror.
From the House Beautiful website, “Situated sideways on a narrow plot in Amityville, New York, is a 1925 Dutch Colonial that’s arguably Long Island’s most notorious residence. The house at 112 Ocean Avenue owes its reputation to The Amityville Horror, the 1977 book and its 1979 movie adaption, which tell the ‘true’ story of George and Kathy Lutz, a young newlywed couple who fled the home just 28 days after moving in, claiming ‘a very strong force’ drove them to leave. While the movie remains a horror classic, it hardly depicts the real history of the house, which most likely was never haunted at all.
“The three-story home was originally built for John and Catherine Moynahan, who purchased the property from the Ireland family in the early 1920s. The Moynahans removed a small, existing cottage from the lot and commissioned local builder Jessy Purdy to construct the five-bedroom, four-bathroom house complete with a gambrel roof and two quarter circle windows overlooking Ocean Avenue. In October of 1960, the Moynahans’s daughter sold the home to John and Mary Riley, who lived there for five years before they sold the house to Ron and Louise DeFeo in June of 1965.
“When they purchased the house, the DeFeos had four children, Ronald Jr., Dawn, Allison, and Marc, and one on the way—their son John was born later that year. Being able to move his family from their small apartment in Brooklyn to the spacious home on Ocean Avenue was a dream come true for Ron Sr., who dubbed the house ‘High Hopes’ and hung a sign bearing the name off a post in the front lawn. Inside, however, “Big Ron’s” pattern of abusive and controlling behavior towards his wife and children caused tension to build until it came to a tragic head nine years later.
“In the early morning hours of November 13, 1974, six members of the DeFeo family were found murdered inside their home. Ron Sr. and Louise had each been shot twice, while four of their children—Dawn, Allison, Marc, and John—had each been shot once. Their bodies were discovered the following evening by the only surviving family member, Ronald Jr., who was eventually found guilty on six counts of second-degree murder. In December of 1975, he was sentenced with six consecutive terms of 25 years to life.
“Around the same time, the former DeFeo home was sold to George and Kathy Lutz, who moved in with their three young children on December 18, 1975. According to their story, the family began experiencing paranormal activity on their first day in the house. The Amityville Horror by Jay Anson provides a chilling account of the horrors they faced, from a mysterious green slime oozing down the walls and toilet bowls turned completely black inside, to the appearance of a pig with beady red eyes and a faceless figure with demon horns and a white peaked hood. The family reached their breaking point on January 14, 1976, less than a month after moving in, and fled the home leaving all their belongings behind. Following a paranormal investigation conducted that March, the Lutzes returned the house to the bank and moved to California. Despite a Newsday report debunking a majority of their story, The Amityville Horror sparked a public fascination with the home that persists to this day.
“When Jim and Barbara Cromarty bought the house for $55,000 in April of 1977, they were unaware that a book would soon be published about it. By November, the Cromartys had been bombarded by so many unwanted visitors, they decided to change the address of the house. This, however, did nothing to stop curious onlookers from coming by at all hours of the day.
“In an interview with Newsday the following year, the Cromartys revealed just how bad the situation had gotten, saying that because so many ‘visitors’ came late at night, they were barely sleeping. Once, a man stood on the front lawn playing a bugle at 3 a.m. On another occasion, someone left human excrement on the porch. Around the holidays, the family’s decorations were stolen. The home’s horror house reputation even followed 14-year-old Joyce Cromarty to school, where classmates harassed her and asked repeatedly if she’d seen any ghosts since moving in. But the Cromartys said they hadn’t experienced anything paranormal there.
“By December of 1978, the constant barrage of visitors proved to be too much for the family, who decided to move out and put the house on the market for $100,000. By the time The Amityville Horror starring James Brolin and Margot Kidder hit theaters in July of 1979, the Cromartys had yet to find any serious buyers. Meanwhile, the new wave of curiosity sparked by the movie was affecting the entire community.
“Ocean Avenue was littered with empty beer bottles, popcorn boxes, and other trash left behind by looky-loos whose disrespect applied to every house and homeowner on the street. As the crowds grew larger, extra police details were hired and paid them overtime, a costly expense for a small village like Amityville. Though public officials had considered ways to monetize the crowds, like running bus tours or charging admission to see the house, none of these ideas were approved, out of respect for the DeFeo family.
And what is interesting to note here is that “not a single owner since the Lutzes has reported experiencing paranormal activity in the home.”
And thus, the highlights of haunted New York is complete. No matter what type of environment you live in, be it urban or countryside, the paranormal is never as far away as we think. If we tap into the power of opening the veil, with precaution and protection and boundaries, we create access to phenomena and experience that will leave us forever changed. And as a result, your magick, my magick—our magick—will always be stronger…because of it.
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The stories, research, and production elements were done and edited, respectively, by me, Kieran, with sources attached in the description. If you want to be a guest on the show, or have a topic you wish me to explore and discuss, send me an email at beyondtheseaspodcast@gmail.com. And be sure to hit the follow button, on whichever platform you enjoy the podcast, and look forward to more content next week. Until then, seek the veil between the worlds, and allow yourself to travel…Beyond the Seas.