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Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Cabin Remains



On a sultry afternoon, the panoramic vistas are but breathtaking overtures to the reticent visages of unquiet souls that wander forlorn where graves lie thick, by the light of a shadowy moon. 

About a mile east of the San Pedro River, eight miles southwest of Tombstone (eleven years later), and mere yards from Charleston Highway, a German mining engineer named Frederick Brunckow, established the San Pedro Silver mine and built himself a nearby home atop a rock-strewn knoll, that would become known as the “Bloodiest cabin in Arizona history”. 

Frederick Brunckow was one of the first of at least twenty-one, who met an untimely demise in over two decades of uninterrupted violence; attributed alternately to Apache raids, Mexican workers, and unbridled greed.  

Brunckow’s cabin lolls in ruins today, and though many a marker has been placed in remembrance of the identifiable few, only a solitary cross remains. 

While several attempts have been made to document reports of ghostly sightings in and around the ruins, none have as yet been successful.  One account is of a paranormal team photographer; having seen two men dressed in full mining gear, approaching the ruins in the moonlight. She placed her glasses on a ledge to check her equipment, only to find both lenses removed from the frame when she reached for them again.  Her teammate returned, complaining that the batteries in his brand new flashlight had suddenly failed.  The two men were not seen again that night, but both team members attest to hearing the sounds of an active mining operation going on in the long abandoned shaft.

The San Pedro River Valley; literally peppered with old mining towns and campsites, remains a favorite among areas I enjoy exploring and digging for old bottles and such.  However, unmarked graves would not be on my list of cool discoveries. How about you?

Of all the stories I’ve heard and read about Brunckow’s cabin, it seems the phantoms are quite unconcerned, if not unaware, of the living. Which leads me to believe they’d rather be left alone; in contrast to most ‘hauntings’.  Do you believe it’s possible?

Each year I try one new Halloween craft. Last year my attempt at ‘spooky eyes in the bushes’ failed miserably when none of the glow sticks worked right! (Dang dollar store, anyway!) And, on the off-chance I get more than one trick-or-treater this year, I’ve tried something else…

Cousin It and the The Chocolate Puddles!
Happy Halloween!
Notice how excited my girls are?
           

15 comments:

  1. Hi, dear Diedre! Have you ever considered publishing a book of First Paragraphs? Your first paragraphs are consistently outstanding. They whet my appetite and compel me to read on. :)

    I enjoyed your latest ghost tale, dear Diedre. I can easily imagine ghosts that are too busy taking care of unfinished business to pay attention to the living. As you recall, the mean spirited subway apparition in the movie Ghost (1990) didn't want to be bothered by Patrick Swayze:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cjkkKO5Gsno

    That's a fantastic Cousin It! Are the Chcolate Puddles your snoozing dogs?

    Happy Halloween, dear friend Diedre!

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    1. Aw, thanks, my friend! And yes, by night they are intrepid warriors of shadows that lurk. But by day, the girls (dogs) melt into their cots; exhausted:-)

      The movie Ghost is an excellent example!

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  3. I can imagine the kinds of hauntingstuff and ghostly sightings experienced there. That's really strange that a ghost would steal eyeglass lenses.

    Happy Halloween, Diedre! :D

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    1. Ha! Guess the ghosts didn't want her to see or film what they were up to!
      Happy Halloween to you as well, Lady Chrys! :-)

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  4. I think the key words are "untimely demise." Often hauntings (or "bad energy," as some prefer to call it) happen in places where deaths were unexpected and sudden. Especially if the deaths were violent. Cousin It is adorable! Have a great time.

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    1. I agree, an untimely demise is nearly always the force behind ghosts attending to unfinished business ;-)
      Apparently, Cousin It doubles as a scarecrow as the sparrows won't come into the courtyard since I put him outside :-)

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  5. This sounds like a creepy place with creepily interesting stories. I don't know what to think about hauntings and so-called ghosts, but they probably do not bode well no matter how benevolent they might seem.

    Arlee Bird
    Tossing It Out

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    1. You are so right! This is one place I get the distinct feeling that the ghosts have nothing they want to show or tell, just be left alone. And I am happy to oblige - ha!

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  6. Cute picture! And I guess the idea of ghosts who want to wander and not haunt is better than those who want to scare the living daylights out of you, right? Still, I'd be freaked out!

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    1. Thanks, Quanie! Yes, and I'm content to let the wanderers be on their way - ha! There's just something about wide open spaces in the dark that lends a certain vulnerable aspect; as if there's no where to run. I prefer to be able to slam the door on a ghost in a closet :-)

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  7. Fascinating story, as always, Diedre. That's so freaky about the glass lenses!
    Great replica of Cousin It, but your sweet little doggies aren't very impressed. Cuties! ☺

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    1. Thanks, Debbie:-) The disappearance of the lenses set me on 'time to go' edge!
      Luckily, Cousin It was not hiding any dog cookies;-)

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  8. I like Cousin It! And your dogs are adorable. :)

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    1. Thank you Kelly! Everything I used for Cousin It is reusable, but grandson wants to keep him in his room - ha!
      As the girls are still just rather large puppies, sometimes sleeping truly is their most adorable aspect :-)

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