Subj: [ParanormalGhostSociety] Friday's Fort Investigation Report  
Date: 1/26/2004 12:37:50 AM Eastern Standard Time 
From: AngelOfThyNight@aol.com  
To: ParanormalBuffalo@yahoogroups.com , paranormalghostsociety@yahoogroups.com 

I wanted to be able to bring you a story from one of the most haunted forts in this country. A lot of thought had to go into this report so please excuse the delay. I was pretty excited that I planned out an investigation here. So as we were getting closer there was a feeling of adrenaline going. I knew that I would see something here since not many people are daring enough to venture into a fort once the sun goes down. We arrived later on at night it was snowing there was nobody out even on the roads and I sat down for days planning what I wanted to see, how we would investigate it, and what areas we would try to cover. I covered the entire inside of the fort unfortunately did not get to investigate the lighthouse or the outside of the fort itself due to a series of mishaps during the night. Anyhow my adventure begins here.

Old Fort Niagara

We started walking off in the woods and there was a series of buildings here. They were buildings designated for the forts maintenance and so there was a gas station on site, office buildings, restrooms etc. It was dark back here and off in the distance I seen a figure and it disappeared. The figure seemed to be walking between the 2 buildings. So quietly I snuck over to check it out and nobody was there this was ghost #1 one I seen and a nice start to the supernatural activity that occurs here.

We came up to a hill very steep covered in snow and Ice. The incline was very steep to a point that if you do not know how to mountain climb or hike you probably would never make it. I made it up my first time almost slipped but I grinded my knee deep into the snow reached my hand out and grabbed the spikes onto the fort. I felt as if I was invading it. When I arrived to the top it was exciting I looked over the wooden spikes and seen snow covered buildings and you could sense a gloomy feeling inside. My investigator who could not make it up the slope tried a few times eventually I slide down and grabbed on pulling him up to the top after of course having ice thrown at me and being told some not so nice words. Eventually I climbed the spike wall and made it over standing inside the fort. I tried to help my investigator over but he gave up and ran off and left me alone at the fort ashamed to because I did find a easier way inside. At this point I knew that I now faced the most haunted fort in WNY alone in the middle of the night it is not easy to grasp when your standing in a giant fort with high walls surrounded almost by cliffs and frozen waters. 

I walked to a barracks area and passed a lit window looked inside and seen a uniform at first I thought it was a ghost but it just was a shirt on a pole. I snapped a few photos but by this time I was in the middle of changing film which was not a very pleasant moment since feelings of being watched were so overwhelming it was almost hard to function but the big archway let some light get threw so I could see way over the fort and some house on the lake. In the middle of changing my film I happened to glance over and about 20 feet away some creature I do not know what it was but went past me at high speed it looked like a cat but the tail on this thing was very long and seemed to be solid black. It had no features it was more like a mass with a tail it did not even make a sound it just scurried like it was hovering over the ground. So this is sighting number 2 and rather then say it was a ghost it is something I cannot explain.

Seconds later my camera film was in and the camera malfunctions my new roll went in reverse and the film got sucked in. I put another roll in and this time the roll refused to catch after my sighting of this black creature. Seconds later I heard a voice it sort of sounded like hey Rick. I went back to the area I climbed on in nobody was there. Finally my film cached so I headed back to the barracks to take a few more photos then over to my first look out point. There was a stairwell and a cannon above, below was a little overhang with cannons underneath it was dark here. I sensed being watched. I climbed the overlook and seen that the lake was black, icy and still.

By this time the weather was brutal the snow flakes were the size of quarters and a snow storm had set on in. I made it to the main building this is the one to have the most Hauntings. The emblems on the stone building, wood doors, barrels gave it a castle look. I walked in front and around the building a little then headed over to the forts grave yard. A giant cross was there and some other memorials. Including a memorial of some kind overlooking the water. There was some activity here it was colder and it was a sad area you could tell this may have been the spot where bodies were burned. I then walked over to a square building and behind it. The cliffs and frozen lake gave it a hellish feeling as I peered over the cliff into the darkness it was so empty and still.

I made my way to a cannon and flag poles. I then seen a stairwell going up to a high point in the fort with many cannons. I also noticed below a stone tunnel it was deep and dark and at first I decided not to enter it till I finished up a few more areas. I went up to the look out seen security outside the fort not because of my careless techniques but because my investigator told them I was in the park so now I had to be cautious about taking photos from the look out points this really restricted my investigation and after this it the ghost backed off alot. I ran back to the barracks and see a figure standing out in front of me he was watched me from around the corner between 2 buildings we looked at each other and he disappeared. I looked across to the building and was shocked to see that on the second floor building was a room with a candle flickering in the window after a few minutes the light was gone. Something was inside the building and it was a candle. 

After this encounter I made my way up to another building it had some iron gates on it and a small little tunnel. The jump down was 8 feet and I figured after all that went wrong that evening it was time to almost go.  I ran back to the long tunnel there was footsteps following me inside I used absolutely did not use my light and ran to the outer walls of the fort. The outer perimeter had many cannons. I ran over to the main gates then decided to head back in the fort to grab a few more quick cemetery shots and say my goodbyes. I once again went threw the tunnel took a break seen a red ball of light and a white light inside the fort. 

I ran back threw the tunnel and arrived threw some big wood gates and to the outer perimeter of the fort. I had to climb a tall spiked wooden fence this was severe since the wood spiked wall earlier was worn and lower to the ground. I climbed and balanced myself on the spikes and jumped 7 feet down on the ground then slid down on my back and made it out of the fort. I did not take many photos in the fort maybe 70 at most just enough to bring you a few ghost photos and pictures of some of the things I had to endure here.

I ended up hiking for a long time threw alleys then eventually woods. I turned my back to have an encounter with something very large it looked like a panther or large cat. But it had trouble running threw the snow and I assume it was an animal they say shape shifters are seen in WNY its possible something was watching me since I cant think what animal could be of this size in a state park. I kept hiking came around to a security car I stood right by the car and watched the security guard looked at me and he acted like he did not see me I just do not get it. Since it is a state park even walking around the trails, woods, road at night is against there rules even if you want to park here at night and look at the stars they will ask you to leave the area. But I thought how could security not see me did something cloak me? Or did my will block out his visions? 

Anyhow I hiked threw the thick woods and from here you probably can guess what happened being stuck 38 miles from home with no money, no jacket, no friends but the woods and me. But I live to tell you that this fort has some of the strangest paranormal activity I have ever encountered. Some people spend years trying to see a ghost In one night I probably seen 3-5 ghost walking around or something that could not be explained.  I felt comfortable with the ghost here I felt like they enjoyed my company or rather a feeling that they were worried about me since most of what I seen either was running, hiding, or just watching me as I walked around.

In conclusion to this report there is alot I would like to say alot of things about this investigation. Trust is an important issue in life and it takes alot of trust when you go out into the unknown. Friendship is so important and that comes first you go in a place and you leave together that place. I use to think that mankind could be trusted but now the only ones I trust are ghost, children and the supernatural. Maybe because you know what to expect you know that it is usually something peaceful or something that does not have hidden agendas but rather you see it you learn to accept it and understand this is a ghost, or this is a phantom cat, or this is an angel calling your name in a storm. 

Often though we cannot explain why a comrade would leave you behind in the middle of nowhere, or why people hurt other people for no reason. One thing you learn when you deal with the paranormal is a greater good in your heart and you also learn it takes a lot of patience when it comes to trials and tribulations. Nothing comes easy whether you have to climb up a slope, take a 1000 photos to capture something, or succeed to complete an investigation.  You learn if you cannot succeed then you try harder next time, or you cant get up the hill you keep trying and when you succeed the feeling is so good. Just as the first time you catch your first apparition you feel so proud of it.  You also learn that sacrifices are necessary you may freeze, fall, get muddy, get scared but in the end it has its rewards. 

Our organization is based on truth, friendship and adventure with those 3 things you can achieve just about anything. I have had quite a few investigators over the last couple years some have lied to me, disappointed me, quit on me, gave up, and even left me without a deeper understanding to what we are about. We are more then just about climbing a wall of a fort we are about helping others come to terms with life and death, helping others understand that there is more out there then what you see with the eyes. The only thing that has not disappointed me are the ghost I continue to photograph and work with. Why is this? Is this what the world is coming to? A world where man is evil and does not care? What makes men do the things they do? Once the body passes does the spirit learn truly what life is about since once death occurs all a spirit can do is watch from beyond the shadows?  Is this why the ghost chose to stay at fort Niagara because they realize the tragedies of a senseless brutal war which killed hundreds of men by cannon fire, gunpowder, muskets etc? Have they not come to terms with there death? Or has man not come to terms with there existence. 

Fear is a state of the mind but true friendship can help over come those fears. Sadly enough the only person who seen the supernatural that night was me.  I walked threw the woods, climbed the walls, took the photos, was in a snow storm alone without a friend in the world accept the unknown. This truly is one adventure that felt good to achieve but it also saddened me to think how trust was lost that night including the most important thing which is friendship.  

Regards,
Rick
PGS Founder