Staunton, Virginia
Background History
Locals know Montgomery Hall Park as a tranquil, fun, family-oriented place of hiking and biking trails, softball fields, tennis,
courts, playgrounds, and a public swimming pool. Acquired by the city in 1946, the park was used by the African-American
population in the 50s and 60s when misguided prejudices of the day wouldn’t allow them to use Gypsy Hill Park. Today, as
well as being the location for the offices of the Department of Parks and Recreation, it’s a lovely jewel set among scenic hills
and woodland, available for the use of all who choose to take advantage of its beauty.
Somewhat ironically, Montgomery Hall began life as a grand plantation. Built in 1820 by John Howe Peyton, a successful criminal
defense lawyer, the mansion became home to his second wife, Ann Montgomery Lewis Peyton, and their 10 children. Ann Peyton
was the great-granddaughter of John Lewis, the first noted settler of what later became Staunton. The plantation was quite large,
eventually encompassing more than 400 acres with a huge apple orchard, at least 50 servants, a bowling alley, and a gym. John
Peyton died in 1847 and Ann Peyton followed in 1850. At least one of their children died at a young age, and Ann herself died in
the house. The mansion burned sometime around 1910 and was rebuilt to resemble its former glory as closely as possible.
As you drive into the park now, the beautiful cream-colored building presides over the grounds in stately silence.
Employees who currently work in the old mansion claim that it’s haunted. They have always had creepy experiences, but it’s
ramped up considerably in the last 3 to 4 months, since the visit of a historian who walked through the building and related
many fascinating and little known facts about past occurrences and occupants, including names. Apparently that visit stirred
upsomething in the atmosphere. Whatever (or whoever) it is seems to be most active when the building is not open to the public,
either early in the morning or late in the evening. People working in the house often hear disembodied voices calling their names,
especially when they’re alone in the building. One employee has been on the second floor, again all alone in the building, and has
heard someone moving around on the first floor. Going down to see who it is, he has found no one in the house and no cars in the
parking lot; however, as he investigates the first floor, he’ll start to hear someone moving around on the second floor that he just
left. This employee has also come in early in the morning, opened the door to his office, and witnessed his desk chair suddenly
move and spin on its own, as if someone just stood up from the computer.
The same employee has also seen a dark, featureless human form go past his office doorway, but when he checks to see who is
in the hallway, no one is there. Perhaps more frightening, he was once descending the stairs and saw the dark form at the
bottom of the stairs, heading down the hallway. When he got to the bottom of the stairs and investigated the area, it was
ice cold and the hair on his arms stood up. These feelings disappeared as soon as he got out of the hallway. Of course, no
one else was in the building.
A secretary has seen an apparition in the building twice. She described it as a tall man dressed in dark, 19th century clothing,
standing at the end of the hallway. Both times he disappeared as she approached. She and another secretary also often hear
children giggling and laughing when no children are present in or around the Hall.
Investigation Review (02/17/2012)
The investigation of Montgomery Hall covered the basement, second floor and attic with the first floor
used as base camp. IR and Full Spectrum cameras were run in the attic, first floor stairway,
breakroom and a second floor office. Cameras were run the entire investigation with no evidence
revealed. Photographs taken revealed no unusual activity. Audio was successful with evps
captured in the attic, basement and breakroom on the second floor.
Access to the audio clips is available below. Groups of 3 investigators covered each area with 1
investigator stationed at base camp on the first floor.
Investigation 02/17/2012 (10pm - 6:30am Investigators -- #7, MHP Staff -- #3)
Evidence --(5) Class B evps -- Click here to listen
Personal Experiences -- Cold spot felt in attic & female investigator feeling unwelcomed in master
bedroom on the second floor from that of a male presence (described more as a territorial issue).
Investigation 05/11/2012 (10pm - 2:30am Investigators -- #5, MHP Staff -- #4)
Evidence -- No recordable evidence found
Personal Experiences -- 2 investigators touched. Strong female presence detected in Park
Director's office and strong male presence detected in Superintendent of Recreation office
as well. All are consistent with the first investigation from 02/17/2012
* Important to note -- just a few days after the 05/11/2012 investigation, a member of the custodial staff in the building
cleaning at 6 am experienced a visual encounter of a little girl (in a long dress) that disappeared into the Director's office. *
Investigation 02/21/2014 (10pm - 2am Investigators -- #6, MHP Staff -- #3)
Evidence --(12) Audio Clips -- Click here to listen No Video or Photographic evidence to report
Personal Experiences -- Female investigator feels kick in stomach (as if she were pregnant)
Data recorded on investigations -- Audio, Video, Photographs, EMF, Temperature, Personal Experiences
Conclusion -- Paranormally Active
We would like to thank the entire staff of Montgomery Hall Park for allowing us to investigate this
beautiful, historic landmark and their help during the investigation. While video and photography
revealed no unusual activity of any kind, audio was most successful in several locations. 5 solid
evps were obtained with the potential for a few more to be added in the near future. BRP believes
Montgomery Hall to be paranormally active with some intelligent interaction. We are very excited
to be able to investigate Montgomery Hall again in the near future and add additional evidence.
Montgomery Hall Photo Album
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