Ectoplasm? We're not sure
what caused those odd misty areas in the unretouched photo at left.
The photo was taken with a tripod and a delayed shutter, so there was no chance of
a camera strap, jewelry, or hair reflecting light on the lens.
We took over 200 photos in this cemetery, and none of them show insects. We looked for
bugs while we were there, and saw none except the mounds indicating fire ants.
The Columbus City Cemetery--also called Old City Cemetery--is on Walnut Street in
Columbus, Texas, not far from the middle of town. It was deeded to the city in 1870
as an existing cemetery.
No one is certain how old the graves are, but the earliest
headstone is dated 1853.
We had already noted some possible ecto in a photo taken during "Live
Oaks and Dead Folks" tour, a popular annual event in Columbus, Texas.
Many of the grave markers were washed away in a flood at the end of 1913. Disturbed graves
could explain the recurring fog-like mist or ectoplasm in photos. There are at least 500 unmarked graves there.
This cemetery also contains the grave of Jonathan W. Sargent (1877 - 1929), who was killed
in a car accident near Columbus. He'd assisted Howard Carter in Egypt,
and may have been a victim of the famous "curse" of King Tutankhamen's tomb.
In addition, the cemetery was the final resting place of many Confederate soldiers, as well
as victims of the 1873 yellow fever epidemic.
Any one of these could account for higher-than-average
paranormal activity in this lovely cemetery.
We recommend this cemetery for ghost enthusiasts, but only during daytime hours. After dark,
uneven ground and the possibility of snakes make investigations treacherous.
The cemetery is
also patrolled regularly by police, who visited while we were there. They
can see activity in the cemetery from at least three nearby roads.
Since Columbus Cemetery's orbs can be photographed in daylight, an early morning or late afternoon
visit could be worthwhile.
