Ranch Island, a seemingly idyllic place off the coast of Maine, has long been rumored to be cursed. The curse, according to local legend, is said to have been cast by the ghostly inhabitants of the island who were brutally murdered centuries ago. These restless spirits are believed to haunt the shores and woods of Ranch Island, forever seeking justice and retribution. The origins of the curse date back to the late 1600s when a group of settlers, known as the Warrens, arrived on the island with hopes of starting a new life. However, their dreams were shattered when a neighboring tribe, angered by the encroachment on their land, attacked the settlers, leaving no survivors. It is said that the spirits of the slain settlers now haunt Ranch Island, their ethereal presence manifesting in unsettling ways.
It is said that the spirits of the slain settlers now haunt Ranch Island, their ethereal presence manifesting in unsettling ways. Locals claim to have seen flickering lights in the distance, heard disembodied voices in the wind, and felt an inexplicable sense of dread when venturing into the island's depths. Visitors to Ranch Island have reported strange occurrences, such as objects mysteriously moving on their own, unexplained footsteps in the sand, and an unnerving feeling of being watched.
Zak Bagans ‘was extremely ill’ after investigating ‘The Conjuring’ house
In the Halloween 2019 special "Curse of the Harrisville Farmhouse," the "Ghost Adventures" team investigates the real-life Rhode Island home that inspired the iconic Conjuring films. Left to right: Jay Wasley, Zak Bagans, Aaron Goodwin, Billy Tolley. (Courtesy of Travel Channel)
In the Halloween 2019 special, "Curse of the Harrisville Farmhouse," the "Ghost Adventures" team is joined by Andrea Perron for the investigation, who lived in the real-life home that inspired the Conjuring films with her family and experienced its terror firsthand. (Courtesy of Travel Channel)
The “Ghost Adventures” team left to right: Jay Wasley, Zak Bagans, Billy Tolley, Aaron Goodwin (Courtesy of Travel Channel)
Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson portray Lorraine and Ed Warren in "The Conjuring." (Warner Bros. Entertainment)
Zak Bagans is following in the footsteps of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren.
Figuratively, Bagans opened The Haunted Museum, 600 E. Charleston Blvd., as a repository for the supernatural-tinged artifacts he’s collected, much like the Warrens did in their Connecticut home.
Literally, he’s looking into one of their cases for the first time with the two-hour Halloween special “Ghost Adventures: Curse of the Harrisville Farmhouse” (9 p.m. Thursday, Travel Channel), in which he and his team examine the 18th-century dwelling that inspired “The Conjuring.”
“Ed and Lorraine Warren had received so much attention because of the movies and Hollywood that I really wanted to get in there and see the other details that weren’t really portrayed in the Hollywood films,” Bagans says. “I know there’s truth to it, but at the same time, I wanted to do my own investigation in such an iconic and well-known case.”
Bagans had tried to explore other sites connected to the Warrens, portrayed in the “Conjuring” franchise by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga, but apparently surviving any encounter worthy of their time has left homeowners more than a little spooked and unwilling to dredge up all of that.
Then in June, Cory and Jennifer Heinzen bought the farmhouse in Harrisville, Rhode Island, that dates back to 1736. The family began seeing “flashes of lights where there shouldn’t be any lights,” Cory says in the episode.
With that, Bagans had his opening.
For the special investigation, the Ghost Adventures Crew was joined by demonologist brothers Carl and Keith Johnson, who investigated the farmhouse before the Warrens. They’re met at the house by its former resident Andrea Perron, who, along with her parents and siblings, is portrayed in the movie.
“I think that they had the very best of intentions,” Perron says of the Warrens in the episode. “Lorraine told me 40 years later, ‘Ed and I were in over our heads as soon as we crossed the threshold. We just didn’t know it.’ ”
‘Just weird energy’
The estate, which was home to eight generations of the Arnold family, had a history of tragedies and uncommon deaths long before the Perrons moved there in 1980.
“What we can’t argue is the fact that there was a huge curse put on the Arnold family,” Bagans says in an interview. “I mean, there was suicide. There was murder. There was just unusual deaths. Poisonings, throats being slit. Something was plaguing that family.”
Something seems to have plagued pretty much anyone who entered the house while filming the episode.
Las Vegan Aaron Goodwin, who’s been with Bagans since the beginning of “Ghost Adventures,” complains of pains in his chest at one point in the episode. In another, he has to rest after being overcome with … something.
“I had to sit down, dude. It was either run or sit, because I was going down,” he says in the special. “It was just weird energy. Not normal. Not like we’ve felt before.”
But Bagans may have had it worse than anyone.
At various points throughout the house, he expresses feelings of dizziness, anxiety and agitation, along with difficulty breathing and kidney pain.
“I was extremely ill, very sick, for about three weeks after that,” he says now. “I wasn’t myself, albeit I was on a long trip. There were things going on with me that just seemed out of the norm. It really, I believe, made me sick. I had anxiety and panic levels that were just so unusual. Just that feeling of sickness. I didn’t look like myself. I didn’t feel like myself. I didn’t wanna be around anybody.”
“I never felt possessed,” Bagans clarifies, “but I felt like something was drawing the life out of me.”
After one investigation, he developed a permanent case of diplopia, aka double vision, for which he’ll always need to wear prism glasses. But that was for his 2018 movie, “Demon House.” When it comes to “Ghost Adventures” episodes, Bagans says this latest exploration affected him more than anything since visiting Bobby Mackey’s Music World in Wilder, Kentucky, where he revealed mysterious scratches on his back in what became the series premiere in 2008.
“While very scary, it was incredibly awesome,” Bagans says of the Harrisville Farmhouse and its ties to the Warrens, “because it really proved to me that the stories of the Perrons were true, and there’s something there.”
Contact Christopher Lawrence at [email protected] or 702-380-4567. Follow @life_onthecouch on Twitter.
With that, Bagans had his opening.
Some even claim to have encountered apparitions, pale figures that vanish into thin air as quickly as they appeared. The curse of the ghostly inhabitants of Ranch Island has become a cautionary tale for those brave enough to venture to the island. It serves as a reminder of the tragic history that unfolded there and the lingering presence of those who suffered at the hands of injustice. Despite its dark reputation, Ranch Island continues to attract intrepid explorers and thrill-seekers who are drawn to the allure of the paranormal. Many hope to catch a glimpse of the island's ghostly inhabitants, desperate to validate the legends and unravel the mysteries of Ranch Island. Whether the curse is real or simply a product of a rich folklore, one thing is certain – the ghostly inhabitants of Ranch Island continue to cast a shadow over its shores, forever reminding the living of the devastating events that transpired long ago..
Reviews for "The Spirits Among Us: Ghostly Tales from Ranch Island"
1. Amy - 2 stars - I really didn't enjoy "The curse of the ghostly inhabitants of ranch island." While the premise was interesting, I found the execution to be lacking. The writing felt rushed and the characters were poorly developed. The dialogue was unrealistic and it was difficult to feel any connection to the story or the plight of the characters. Overall, it fell flat for me and I wouldn't recommend it to others.
2. John - 1 star - "The curse of the ghostly inhabitants of ranch island" was a complete disappointment. The plot was predictable, the pacing was slow, and the resolution was unsatisfying. The author relied on cliches and didn't bring anything new or unique to the genre. I was hoping for a thrilling and spooky read, but instead I was bored and uninterested. Save yourself the time and skip this one.
3. Sarah - 2 stars - I regret picking up "The curse of the ghostly inhabitants of ranch island". The story lacked depth and the characters were one-dimensional. The author tried to create suspense, but it fell flat. The dialogue was stilted and the writing style was just not engaging. I was hoping for a captivating ghost story, but I ended up being disappointed. I wouldn't recommend it to fans of the genre.