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Happy Birthday To The Lava Lamp

Author Chris Allen
(Photo by Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

I think everybody I knew had one of these.  They started out as just conversation pieces but soon every kid in America had one.  Happy Birthday to the lava lamp.

Lava lamps have been fascinating people for sixty years now.  Happy 60th birthday this week to this hippie home accessory.  I could sit and watch that “lava” for hours at a time.  It was mesmerizing and some might say relaxing to watch the ebb and flow.

A British company began marketing their original creation as an “exotic conversation piece” in 1963.  Did you know you can buy one today on Amazon?  Millions of lava lamps have been sold all over the world for the past sixty years.

The design was created by British inventor Edward Craven-Walker.  His inspiration reportedly an odd looking liquid filled egg timer he saw in a bar in England.  The first model was called the Astro Lamp.  Soon other models such as the Astro Mini and the Astro Nordic were created.

Get more details about the Lava Lamp from Wikipedia right here.

11 Actually Haunted Places In North Carolina You Can Visit This Fall

Fall is quickly approaching. One of my favorite things to do as the weather gets cooler and the leaves begin to fall is to immerse myself in the spooky season. This can include things like the countless options for haunted houses, mazes, theme parks, etc. And those are always jam-packed with people for good reason. They are great sources of a little frightening fun. But if you’re anything like me maybe you prefer your spooky experiences a little more grounded in reality. If that is the case, you’re in luck- there is no shortage of haunted locations in North Carolina.

Whenever I head to a new city I love to go on ghost tours if they have any. Highlights are Savannah and Charleston but most cities have some form of rumored paranormal activity. And actually, Charlotte even has some as well that I need to check out! If these types of things pique your interest then this list is for you. This list contains 11 haunted places in North Carolina places you can actually visit. You’ll learn about haunted locations all across the state from the coast to the mountains and in between.  All of these locations are places you can enter and wander around. Looking for an even more immersive experience? Several of these are hotels which means you can even check in for the night! If you dare! You may have even stayed at or visited some of these locations without knowing it!

 

  • Grove Park Inn (Asheville)

    Why yes this luxury hotel with its picturesque views, world-class restaurants, and a spa  is in fact believed to be haunted. The resident ghost? The Pink Lady. Sightings of her date back nearly a hundred years. It’s believed she is the spirit of a young woman who fell to her death from a balcony on the fifth floor during the 1920s. Guests and employees have reported seeing her most often in the form of a pink mist and on some occasions as a full-fledged apparition of a young woman in a pink ball gown.

    Source

  • The Carolina Inn (Chapel Hill)

    If you find yourself at the Carolina Inn maybe don’t stay in room 256, unless you’re looking for a particularly spooky time. The spirit of long-time resident Dr. William Jacock still calls that room home. He enjoys messing with the guests sometimes locking them in the room and turning on the radio. Guests have also reported seeing an elderly man roaming the halls and wet footprints in the bathroom when they haven’t been in the shower.

    Source

  • The Sandford House (Fayetteville)

    Hauntings of the Sandford House date back to the Civil War when a young couple tried to flee the property during an attack. Unfortunately, the tunnel they were using was blown up and their bodies were never recovered. The figure of the woman, known as the Lady In Black, has been reportedly seen on the staircases of the house. The man supposedly enjoys sitting with residents and watching tv, well changing the channel. Indentions on the couch where he likes to sit have even been reported.

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  • The Devil’s Tramping Ground (Chatham County)

    With a name like that it has to be spooky. This one isn’t ghosts per se but it’s just as scary. You can find the Devil’s Tramping Ground in Chatham County which is west of the Raleigh area. But what is it? It’s a large circular area where nothing is able to grow. Legend has it that the devil himself visits the area and his hooves burn the life from the ground. Soil scientists haven’t even been able to pin down a reason for the lack of vegetation.

    Source

  • North Carolina's State Capitol (Raleigh)

    The Capitol building dates back 160+ years. And while legislators no longer use the capitol on a daily basis it’s thought that some of its former inhabitants do. Many paranormal reports come from a night watchman who tended the property for 15 years. He reported hearing noises such as screaming, doors slamming, keys jingling, breaking glass, and footsteps on the stone floors. He says he also saw the elevator which had to be manually operated, traveling between floors itself.

    Source

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlqcXIVAQ6w

  • The Biltmore House/Estate (Asheville)

    If you visit the Biltmore House you will be told no one currently resides in America’s largest private home. But that may not be 100% accurate. After George Vanderbilt passed away his wife Edith used to sit in his favorite room- the Library. Guests have heard a woman’s voice whispering “George” and believe it to be Edith summoning her husband. Sounds of a celebration such as glasses clinking, laughter, and even music can be heard amongst the halls and splashing has been heard from the drained swimming pool.

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  • The Dunhill Hotel (Charlotte)

    Continuing with the theme I present to you another hotel. One way to jump-start spooky stories is the discovery of a skeleton. And that’s exactly what happened during the renovations of the Dunhill Hotel. Originally called Mayfield Manor, the Dunhill is the only historic hotel in the Queen City. Unfortunately, the hotel opened around the time of the Great Depression. The despair and financial ruin of the time led to several people jumping to their death from the hotel’s 10th-floor balcony. That combined with the skeleton found at the bottom on an elevator shaft have led to stories of guests hearing unexplained laughter and footsteps. One woman even claims to have looked out the window and seen a man falling.

    Source

  • Teach's Hole (Ocracoke)

    If the name Edward Teach doesn’t ring a bell perhaps Blackbeard will. Teach was killed in a battle with the Royal Navy and beheaded. It’s said his ghost still roams the Outerbanks and Ocracoke. Legend says that Teach can be seen in the form of a full apparition or orbs of light looking for his severed head. 

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  • Biltmore Hotel (Greensboro)

    Greensboro’s Biltmore Hotel, which was built in 1903 has seen a lot. Throughout its time as a hotel, apartments, office building, and unproved rumours a brothel its been a hot spot for murder and other forms of death. This undoubtedly leads to stories of hauntings. One story involves an accountant who was murdered possibly by having this throat slit. Guests claim to see the man, Philip’s, ghost standing over their beds at night, heard footsteps and the shuffling of papers. And why do they believe its him? The activity takes place in his old room. Another resident often referred to as Lydia is also seen on occasion. She was thrown to her death from the window in room 223.

    Source

  • The Dock Street Theater (Charleston)

    Like most old southern cities Charleston boasts its fair share of spirits. In fact, we will see another Charleston location later in this list. But for now, we turn our attention to the Dock Street Theater. Located in an old ‘Antebellum’ style hotel dating back to 1809, several ghosts are said to reside at the theater including the father of John Wilkes Booth and a prostitute referred to as Nettie.

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  • Latta Plantation (Huntersville)

    The old cotton plantation turned tourist attraction is home to some spirits as well. It is said that the original owners of the plantation still call it home today. Sounds of children laughing, dark figures lurking in the shadows and moving throughout the house, and door slamming have all been reported.

    Source

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Author Chris Allen
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