Ripley’s to Open Historic Castle Warden for Nighttime Investigations

Long considered one of the most haunted buildings in the Southeastern United States, the historic Ripley’s Castle Warden will soon be open to night-time paranormal investigations…  

“We’re going to debut this amazing opportunity on Halloween,” said Kim Kiff, General Manager of Ripley’s St. Augustine attractions.  “After that,” Kiff continued, “we’ll continue to offer these overnight investigations several times a month.”

Limited to 30 guests, the Halloween event will also mark the first-ever public viewing of the pilot episode from the forthcoming TV series Anomaly, television’s first-ever 3-D paranormal investigative show.  The show’s creators will be on hand, as will many of the Ripley’s employees featured in the pilot episode, shot entirely in ground-breaking 3-D technology earlier this year.  Executive Director David Cole promises “it will be a mind-blowing experience!”

The four hour Halloween investigation begins at the stroke of midnight, and all guests will receive free use of a K-II EMF ghost meter and free use of a digital recording device.  Guests are encouraged to bring any cameras or personal recording devices – and may certainly, within reason, bring any of their own additional investigative tools. Designated time periods will be allotted for electronic voice phenomena (EVP) sessions and free-roaming of the building.  All EVP sessions will be downloaded to a flash drive for guests to take home.  Cost is $75 for all guests, age 18 and over only.

Guests will begin the evening viewing an exclusive Ripley’s video on Ghost-Hunting tips, featuring TAPS members Kris Williams and Amy Bruni, and the star of Jacksonville’s CW 17 Local Haunts show Steve Christian, before also viewing the debut of the Anomaly pilot episode.

The Ripley’s Castle Warden dates back to the 1880’s when it was built as a family home by Standard Oil business partner William G. Warden. It later was purchased by Pulitzer Prize winning author Marjorie Rawlings and converted into a hotel.  Two women, one of whom was Ms. Rawlings close friend Ruth Pickering, perished in a mysterious fire in April of 1944.  Many contend the women were murdered and the fire set to cover the killer’s tracks.  Numerous paranormal investigators claim the women haunt the building to this day – along with several other entities, some of which may have arrived at the historic castle in the form of the oddities, curiosities, and downright creepy items that are now on display.  The castle is, after all, the original Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Odditorium, opening in 1950, one year after the death of world famous cartoonist, world-traveler, and creator of Believe It or Not! Robert L. Ripley.

Tickets for the event are limited.  Please call (904) 824-1606 to make reservations or to get details on all of the Ripley’s events on Halloween, including the Trick or Treat Ghost Train, the regular Ghost Train Adventure, or the Zombieville paint-ball shooting event.

For more information, please go to www.ghosttrainadventure.com, www.facebook.com/redtrains or contact Kim Kiff at (904) 824-1606.

 

Midnight at the Museum – Wednesday 10/31

-12 midnight until 4:00 am

-$75 per person – limit 30 people!

-Reservations required (call 904.824.1606 or www.ghosttrainadventure.com)

-Exclusive investigation of historic Ripley’s Castle Warden (visited 3 times by TAPS)

-All guests receive free use of our EMF meters and free use of our Digital Voice Recorders.  Guests may bring their own investigative tools

-All guests will have exclusive viewing of the never-before-seen pilot episode of “Anomaly”, TV’s FIRST 3-D paranormal investigation series, taped at Ripley’s Castle Warden

-All guests will also view exclusive TAPS and CW-17 Local Haunts produced ghost hunting tips videos…visit each room for history, haunting, and stories…will be allowed free roam time…designated EVP sessions held in each key room…EVP’s downloaded on flashdrives