Windham Textile
Photo taken from millmuseum.org
For nearly 130 years, the Windham Textile has stood on Union Street in Willimantic, Connecticut. The area is so old that it still has the basic form of the housing for workers of the mill. The workers lived in houses lined up down the road, the foreman lived in a section away from the common workers, and the owner or manager lived in a separate area called the hill. Poor immigrants worked here in horrendous and dangerous conditions. The average work day was also 12-14 hours daily, including children.
However, even though the worker conditions were so bad, it was still a steady job which was nearly impossible to find back in the late 1800s. Due to this fact, people came from all over to work at the mill. The company payed through their own currency. This was smart because the workers would buy everything through the company that they needed, therefore the owner would turn a profit from this.
The mill has now been turned into a museum and gift shop attracting many visitors daily. When the museum first moved in, the vault inside was locked and no one could figure out how to open it. The next day, without any human contact the vault was miraculously opened. This was one strange occurrence that took place. There are also many cold spots in the mill, especially while looking at old artifacts. Noises are often heard from the floor, which is strange since no one has been on that floor for years. Also, people have reported having the sense of being watched while walking on the second floor.
(Source: Belanger, Jeff. Encyclopedia of Haunted Places. 2005.)
Hello Chris, I am the Founder and lead investigator for PROOF, Paranoraml Researchers of Odd Findings, based out of CT. My team and I just concluded an investigation at the the textile musuem. The findings, prove that the museum is in deed huanted, by three seprate but, equally disembodied entities. Feb 17th 2009 at 7pm my crew and I will be hosting an exploration of the Paranormal. Sharing our findings with the public, additionally, we are allowing the community to conduct thier own ghost hunt, with assistance from PROOF Paranormal Investigators.
The Connecticut Founder of P.R.O.O.F Joseph D. Gallant is scheduled to host an exploration of the Paranormal on Febuary 17th at 7pm at the Windham CT Textile and History museum Mr. Gallant will present findings at the textile museum and following, welcomes the public to conduct their own paranormal investigation. Join PROOF investigators in thier quest to answers of the unknown
Hello,I was just wondering if you guys knew that not only the Windham textile is haunted,but the mills themselves I believe to be haunted as well.2-3 weeks ago my girlfriend and I saw what we believe to be an apparition located in the backside of one of the mills on a late night stroll.The spirit was spotted by us INSIDE the large smokestack in back of that mill.My girlfriend was scared so we left.What we saw that night was amazing.This spirit would/could not leave the smokestack but did move from left to right,fading in and out.When we made it to the underpass,we decided to go back to take a second look just to make sure that our eyes weren’t playing tricks on us.We picked some flowers that bloom on the underpass to bring to this apparition as a way of showing that we meant no harm.When we got back to the smokestack,the form WAS still there,only this time it seemed to be huddled toward the back left corner of the smokestack doorway or entrance way I guess you would call it.As soon as we saw it again,the form must have seen us because it went right back to moving from left to right and fading in and out again.We watched for what must’ve been 5-10 minutes.The form did not disappear,but continued to watch us as we watched it.Or so it seemed.I then kept making the sign of the cross with my hand over and over again.And it did not seem to be bothered by this gesture.Instead,we both felt sort of waves of sadness wash over us.Please keep in mind that neither myself or my girlfriend are paranormal experts.Nor do I believe either of us to have some sort of super natural/psycic abilities.But I do believe that what we’ve witnessed there was real.I plan on trying to do some EVP readings and investigate this a bit further as an amateur.
Also,my younger brother works in the basement of mill #1 where he works as an injection molder,making plastic parts for air planes and such.He has told me about a few strange things happening in his shop.Wires that dangle from the ceiling that swing on there own,all doors and windows closed,no fans or anything on.Also someone or something likes to play around with some of the machinery there when my brother is the only one there.I’m not sure if this is the sort of thing you guys do but,it would be great if someone or a group of people could investigate the mills themselves.Just a thought.If anyone would like to get back to me,my email address is chevrettes@hotmail.com.Thank you
It’s that time of year again and P.R.O.O.F, Paranormal researchers of Odd Findings has made its way around to our side of the block again. P.R.O.O.F has been overwhelmingly busy, investigating and preparing an all Hollows Eve spectacular for all paranormal enthusiasts. The presentation will provide paranormal fanatics with six hours of viewing, listening and interacting. Attendees will be provided with the opportunity to investigate five alleged haunted location in and around Windham County. We hope to see you there.