The Uncovered Ghost...

The more people I get to know the more haunted places I hear about. There are so many paranormal investigation groups out there. SO many. But luckily there are thousands of rumored-to-be-haunted spots across the United States as well as around the world. I was checking out a few abandoned locations the other day I heard about recently and found something I wasn't quite expecting.

In the Finger Lakes region of north central New York State just outside of Syracuse is an area known as Split Rock. It was the site of a an open pit limestone mining operation beginning in 1881 known as Split Rock Quarry. After its abandonment around 1912 another company set up operation there where phenol was refined into picric acid to create TNT. On July 12, 1918 an uncontrollable fire broke out reaching the munitions plant and causing an explosion that rocked the area, killing around 65 workers and injuring at least 50 more employees. After World War I business faded and the factory was abandoned but the site still draws people interested in catching a phantom from the disaster.

The victims from that night were dyed a yellowish-green tint from the acid and according to legend you can see glowing figures of the same color around the mine and rock crusher still to this day. While some were burned alive by the acid, others were buried in the rubble when the blast rocked the mine. The rock crusher itself is said to hum on some nights as though it is still in operation. Visitors report strange lights and glowing figures. Allegedly, at least one exorcism was performed at the ruins to remove the confused and unhappy spirits. Even during the day there have been reports of footsteps, cold spots, voices and the sensation of being watched from the mine tunnels.

During an investigation on July 30, 2009 Corey Vander Sluis and the rest of his team from The Ghost Finders Association of Central New York experienced a lot of activity and captured some interesting evidence, the most compelling of which was an apparition in an old mine shaft. The figure can be clearly seen standing in the ruins and "looks to be free floating, but has legs as well. The head is barely visible, but a distinct torso is easily seen."

Now perhaps it's just my vivid (and demented) imagination, but look at the "apparition" in question shown to the right. Aside from the Botticelli Birth of Venus pose it has, am I the only one who sees that it appears to be naked? I am, of course, assuming it's a man. The photo quality is a bit too grainy to see any—ahem—clear evidence of that. It's certainly plausible that working in a cramped, hot environment workers might wear few articles of clothing or that the acid and flames from the explosion could have burned off anything covering a torso. He also seems to be orange-yellow in color, common for the "canaries" as workers of the time dealing with picric acid were nicknamed.

There have been a few rare stories of nude ghosts in the past including a Roman soldier in England and the "Octoroon Mistress" of New Orleans. But catching one on camera? I wonder if that qualifies as para-pornography.