The Haunted House: A True Ghost Story – A Review of Walter Hubbell’s Classic Account of a Poltergeist Phenomenon

The Haunted House: A True Ghost Story by Walter Hubbell

Introduction

If you are a fan of ghost stories, you might have heard of The Haunted House: A True Ghost Story by Walter Hubbell, a book that was first published in 1879, and has been reprinted several times since then. The book is based on the author’s personal experience of living in a house that was plagued by a series of mysterious and frightening manifestations, such as noises, fires, objects moving, and writing on the walls, that seemed to be caused by an invisible and malevolent force. The book is also known as The Great Amherst Mystery, as the events took place in Amherst, a small town in Nova Scotia, Canada, and attracted the attention of the public and the media, as well as the scientific and the religious communities, who tried to explain and stop the phenomenon, but failed to do so.

The main victim of the haunting was Esther Cox, an eighteen-year-old girl who lived with her sister and her brother-in-law, and their children, in a small and crowded house. The haunting began shortly after Esther survived a traumatic event, when she was attacked by a man who tried to rape her. The manifestations seemed to be connected to Esther’s presence and emotions, and they increased in intensity and frequency as time went by. The manifestations also seemed to have a personality and a voice, as they communicated with Esther and the others through knocks, raps, and written messages, and sometimes threatened and harmed them. The manifestations lasted for about a year, and then stopped as suddenly as they started, leaving behind a trail of mystery and controversy.

 Walter Hubbell

The author of the book, Walter Hubbell, was an actor and a writer, who became interested in the case after reading about it in the newspapers. He decided to visit Amherst and to stay in the haunted house for six weeks, to witness and investigate the phenomenon for himself. He also brought with him a camera and a telegraph, to document and report the events. He wrote the book as a factual and objective account of what he saw and heard, and he claimed that he did not exaggerate or embellish anything. He also stated that he did not have any theory or explanation for the phenomenon, and that he left it to the readers to form their own opinions.

In this article, we will review The Haunted House: A True Ghost Story by Walter Hubbell, and we will discuss the main features and themes of the book, as well as the historical and cultural context of the case. We will also answer some frequently asked questions about the book and the author, and we will give you some recommendations for further reading. If you are ready to enter the haunted house, read on!

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The Haunted House: A True Ghost Story by Walter Hubbell

The Haunted House: A True Ghost Story by Walter Hubbell is a book that consists of six chapters, each describing a different aspect of the haunting. The chapters are:

• Chapter I: The Home of Esther Cox. This chapter introduces the main characters and the setting of the story, and gives a brief background of Esther’s life and the event that triggered the haunting.
• Chapter II: The Fatal Ride. This chapter describes the first manifestation of the haunting, when Esther and her sister went for a ride in a carriage, and the horse became frightened and ran away, causing an accident that injured Esther and her sister.
• Chapter III: The Haunted House. This chapter describes the various manifestations that occurred in the house, such as noises, fires, objects moving, and writing on the walls, and how they affected the lives and the health of Esther and the others.
• Chapter IV: The Walking of the Ghost. This chapter describes the most dramatic and terrifying manifestation of the haunting, when Esther was possessed by the invisible force, and walked out of the house in a trance, followed by the others, who tried to stop her and to bring her back.
• Chapter V: The Author and the Ghosts. This chapter describes the author’s arrival and stay in the house, and his observations and experiments with the phenomenon, as well as his interactions with Esther and the others, and the reactions of the public and the media.
• Chapter VI: Conclusion. This chapter summarizes the main events and the results of the haunting, and gives the author’s final thoughts and opinions on the case.

The book is written in a simple and straightforward style, and it uses a lot of dialogue and direct quotations from the witnesses and the participants. The book also includes some photographs and illustrations, as well as some copies of the written messages that appeared on the walls. The book is intended to be a factual and objective account of the phenomenon, and it does not offer any theory or explanation for it. The book also does not have any supernatural or religious elements, and it does not present the phenomenon as a ghost or a demon, but rather as an unknown and mysterious force. The book is also respectful and sympathetic towards Esther and the others, and it does not portray them as liars or frauds, but rather as victims and sufferers of a strange and terrifying ordeal.

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The Historical and Cultural Context of The Haunted House: A True Ghost Story by Walter Hubbell

The Haunted House: A True Ghost Story by Walter Hubbell is a book that reflects the historical and cultural context of the late 19th century, when the case of the Amherst haunting took place. Some of the aspects of the context that are relevant to the book are:

• The interest and the debate on the paranormal and the occult. The late 19th century was a time when many people were fascinated and curious about the paranormal and the occult, and when many movements and groups emerged that claimed to have access and knowledge of the hidden and the mysterious aspects of reality, such as spiritualism, theosophy, and occultism. The case of the Amherst haunting attracted the attention and the involvement of many people who were interested in the paranormal and the occult, and who tried to explain and understand the phenomenon, using various methods and theories, such as electricity, mesmerism, and psychical research. The book also shows the author’s interest and knowledge of the paranormal and the occult, and his use of some of the techniques and devices that were popular at the time, such as the camera and the telegraph.
• The role and the status of women. The late 19th century was a time when women were still oppressed and discriminated by the patriarchal and the conservative society, and when they had limited rights and opportunities, especially in the areas of education, work, and politics. The case of the Amherst haunting also reflects the role and the status of women, as Esther was a young and poor woman, who had no control over her own life and body, and who was subjected to violence and abuse by men, such as the attempted rape and the accusation of fraud. The book also shows the author’s attitude and perspective on women, and his treatment and portrayal of Esther and the other female characters, which can be seen as either sympathetic and protective, or paternalistic and condescending, depending on the interpretation.
• The impact and the influence of the media. The late 19th century was a time when the media, especially the newspapers and the magazines, were becoming more widespread and influential, and when they had a significant role in shaping and informing the public opinion and the culture. The case of the Amherst haunting also shows the impact and the influence of the media, as the phenomenon was widely reported and discussed by the newspapers and the magazines, both local and national, and as it generated a lot of interest and controversy among the readers and the critics. The book also shows the author’s role and position as a writer and a journalist, and his purpose and motivation for writing and publishing the book, which can be seen as either informative and objective, or sensational and exploitative, depending on the perspective.

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FAQs

• Who is Walter Hubbell?
  • Walter Hubbell was a Canadian writer and actor, who was born in 1851 and died in 1932. He wrote several books and plays, mostly in the genres of mystery, horror, and adventure. He is best known for writing The Haunted House: A True Ghost Story, which is based on his personal experience of living in a house that was haunted by a poltergeist phenomenon in Amherst, Nova Scotia, in 1878.
• What is a poltergeist phenomenon?
  • A poltergeist phenomenon is a type of paranormal phenomenon that involves the manifestation of physical effects, such as noises, fires, objects moving, and writing on the walls, that seem to be caused by an invisible and intelligent force. The word poltergeist comes from the German words poltern, meaning to make noise, and geist, meaning spirit. The poltergeist phenomenon is usually associated with the presence and the emotions of a person, often a young and troubled individual, who is considered to be the focus or the agent of the phenomenon. The poltergeist phenomenon is one of the most studied and debated cases of paranormal activity, and it has been explained by various theories, such as psychokinesis, subconscious projection, hoax, or demonic possession.
• Is The Haunted House: A True Ghost Story a reliable and accurate account of the Amherst haunting?
  • The Haunted House: A True Ghost Story is a book that claims to be a factual and objective account of the Amherst haunting, and that is based on the author’s personal experience and observation of the phenomenon. However, the book has also been criticized and challenged by some skeptics and researchers, who have pointed out some inconsistencies, errors, and biases in the book, and who have suggested that the book is not a reliable and accurate source of information, but rather a sensational and exaggerated story, that was influenced by the author’s motives and beliefs. The book has also been compared and contrasted with other sources and testimonies of the Amherst haunting, such as the diary of Esther Cox, the reports of the newspapers and the magazines, and the interviews of the witnesses and the participants, and the results have shown some differences and discrepancies among them. Therefore, the book can be seen as either a credible and compelling account of the Amherst haunting, or a dubious and distorted account of the Amherst haunting, depending on the perspective and the evidence.

Conclusion

The Haunted House: A True Ghost Story by Walter Hubbell is a book that offers a fascinating and frightening glimpse into the case of the Amherst haunting, one of the most authentic and compelling cases of poltergeist activity ever recorded. The book is not only a source of entertainment, but also a source of education, as it teaches the readers about the history, the culture, and the technology of the late 19th century, and the interest and the debate on the paranormal and the occult. The book is also a testament to the author’s courage and curiosity, as he dared to enter and explore the haunted house, and to share his experience and findings with the world. If you are looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat, and that will make you think and question, you should definitely read The Haunted House: A True Ghost Story by Walter Hubbell. You won’t regret it!

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