Welcome to October, the one month of the year that is essentially a holiday in itself. During the next several weeks, you will be exposed to a conglomerate of events that highlight the spookiness of the season. Elaborate corn mazes will be constructed, fearsome masks will be donned, and movie nights will consist of classic horror films like "Nightmare on Elm Street." Even some of the most popular television shows, such as "The Walking Dead" and "American Horror Story" choose this month to premiere their new seasons, in an effort to cash in on the chilling atmosphere that builds during October.
As Halloween approaches, the credibility of ghost sightings and apparitions seems to grow exponentially. The local town myth quickly builds up steam and become the substance of a legend. The snapping of twigs in a nearby forest or the rustling of leaves at midnight becomes the embodiment of a supernatural spirit.
College students are always seeking a thrill, especially during the late weeks of October, when adrenaline is running high. While most students are content to enjoy Halloween with a night of costumes and drinking, others seek out the supernatural and attempt to see ghostly apparitions and spirits with their own eyes.
For those college students looking to add a little more spookiness to their Halloween, here are the five most haunted areas near Moscow, including a surprising location on the University of Idaho campus:
1. The Old Woman of Potlatch (Potlatch, Idaho)
Residents of Potlatch have claimed to see an elderly, transparent woman wandering nearby the Scenic 6 Park, reportedly searching for her home. The legend states that a local woman went missing in 1997, and that her body was discovered a year later by authorities outside of the town. Since that time, people have reported having seen her figure glide through the town park late at night.
2. The Lewiston Civic Theater (Lewiston, Idaho)
This is perhaps the most-documented case of a haunting in the state of Idaho. It begins with the disappearance of a young girl, three college students and a janitor near the theater in the early 1980s. It was widely assumed that a man working at the theater was responsible for the disappearances, but the police were never able to come up with enough evidence to take the suspect to court.
Since that time, numerous people have claimed to have witnessed odd occurrences throughout the theater, including a trap door opening and closing without any assistance, candles that flicker out on their own, and a chandelier that spins at random. Some have even claimed to see the ghostly apparition of the young girl who disappeared, climbing the stairs in solitude.
Other supernatural instances at the Lewiston Civic Theater include an abandoned bride who walks the rows of theater seats, and the spirit of a former director who lingers in the balcony late at night after shows.
3. The Joyce Building (Genesee, Idaho)
A woman and her family who moved into the Joyce Building in Genesee claim to have been experiencing steady hauntings since the 1970s. They describe apparitions that hold conversations with family members, and poltergeist activities from spirits.
One of the ghosts is described as being that of a woman who slips into the room late when residents are sleeping, while the other is the spirit of a man who curiously asks the residents whether or not he can be seen.
4. The Haunting of Brink Hall (University of Idaho)
The lone Moscow haunting happens to be a little too close for comfort for University of Idaho students, as many students have claimed to have seen the ghost of a professor wandering Brink Hall at night. The legend states that a distraught professor hung himself in his office in the 1960s, and that his spirit haunts the hall to this very day.
Originally constructed in 1936 to serve as a dormitory for male students, Brink Hall eventually became the offices for faculty involved with the Statistics and Math departments. Several current faculty members have noted that doors often open and close by themselves, and that the drawers to several cabinets have been flung open during the night.
Several students launched a supernatural investigation three years ago to determine the cause of the oddities, but were unable to turn up any evidence of supernatural occurrences after an overnight stay in the hall.
5. The Indian Maiden of Lake Waha (Lewiston, Idaho)
Although not as prominent as the hauntings at the Lewiston Civic Theater, several hikers have reported seeing a ghostly woman wander the shores of Lake Waha. The Lake Waha haunting began with the Nez Perce legend of an Indian Maiden who sits by the shore, and will often stroll by the lake.
Campers who claim to see the Indian Woman say that if someone approaches her, she disappears beneath the surface of the water, leaving behind a swirling whirlpool.
