Haunted National Parks - The Ghost in the Brig

I was very fortunate to get to explore Fort Washington, MD, a unit of the National Park Service, and meet some really interesting spirits! Today, I want to talk about my experience at the Guard Room, better known as the Fort Jail or in sailor's terminology, the "brig."

Upon entering the Guard Room/Jail, I definitely felt a presence. Not actually knowing the purpose of the room in advance, I noted the metal doors, one of which looked like a typical barred iron jail door and the other, which was also iron, but had only a small square window (without glass) at about head height. I would learn later that the solid door was for "solitary confinement," while the other was the group detention room.

Upon realizing this was the jail, I began to ask questions to see if there was a spirit willing to talk with me. The first thing I noticed was my K-II Meter reacting to an electromagnetic change in the environment! That was a great sign. I asked a series of questions, starting with who was present, why they were there, and what was their punishment.

My first question, "Is this the brig?" resulted in an EVP sound anomaly - of two "clangs" of metal (see video below). This is odd, because I did not hear this with my own ears and because if it had been a flag pole (for example), the sound would have been found on all of my other recorded sessions in the Fort. It was not. I sensed that the sound was that of someone banging on the bars with shackles - but you decide. The recording is below:

I continued my line of questioning, determining through positive responses on the K-II meter (and also with a pendulum) that the spirit was a young soldier in jail for stealing and that he went before a military court. When I asked "Did you get hard labor?" he responded via EVP, "Help!" The EVP corresponded with a hit on the K-II Meter, as well. That recording is below.

It was an eventful day! I met at least 4 additional spirits and heard stories of apparitions that both visitors and staff have seen, which I'll share in an upcoming post.

The challenges at this particular location are lots of visitors, significant noise (birds singing, planes overhead), and usually a steady breeze, making recording difficult. That said, I'm very happy that I met the ghost of the Fort Washington jail and hope to share more Fort Washington findings soon!

Carol Pollio

Carol A. Pollio

Director, Intuitive Investigations

Biography: Dr. Pollio has worked and lived in national parks since 1977, when she began her career at Gateway National Recreation Area. Her first experience with spirit was at that park, sparking her interest in and belief of the paranormal. Now retired, she is finally able to tell the many paranormal stories she has experienced and been told first hand as an insider in this incredible organization. Her own intuitive gift made itself known during her pre-teen years through a variety of experiences, including clairvoyance as primary, clairaudience, and clairsentience. Dr. Pollio put those experiences aside and chose instead to pursue a career in science, eventually obtaining her Ph.D. in Environmental Science and obtaining the rank of Captain (O-6) in the USCG Reserve. Dr. Pollio also served as a Professor in academia for more than 20 years. She now chooses to write about, investigate, and help others using her inherent psychic abilities. She currently serves as a member of Maryland Paranormal Research team and is the Director of Intuitive Investigations, LLC, serving Delaware, Maryland, and D.C. She currently lives in Milford, Delaware.

Disclaimer: National parks and refuges are federal property. This series does not approve nor give permission to anyone to enter national parks or refuges without any required permits or permissions. Many parks also include hallowed ground, such as battlefields, memorials, cemeteries, and sites of mass casualties. It is not this author’s intent to encourage unprofessional or unethical behavior on these sites or to suggest visiting them in any other manner than by legal and ethical means.