Batman...in Guyandotte?!

It’s Batman!  Or is it Mothman?  Or maybe a demon, a soldier, someone on a ladder, or even Bastet, the Egyptian Cat Goddess?  To the skeptics…is this a forgery, or perhaps a simple case of pareidolia/matrixing?  Whatever you see lurking in the shadows beside Guyandotte’s Aunt Em Taylor House, and however you believe it GOT there, most can agree that it certainly is an interesting image! 

This photo was submitted to HPIR’s Haunted and Historic Guyandotte Tours from a tour patron who visited one of our first ever Full Moon Hauntings tours this past spring!  And…given the history of the Aunt Em Taylor House, this image does seem rather fitting.  While fairly comical in appearance, many people feel like the shadowy being closely resembles some type of demonic entity.  Although an investigation of the Aunt Em Taylor House by HPIR in early summer provided no “demonic” evidence, one of the legends surrounding this historic home does have some darker elements to it.  It was said that a woman lived there who was a dabbler in the dark arts.  After a dispute with her husband, she was said to have summoned up a negative force to “take care” of the problem and the man suffered a horrific fall down the stairs.  Unfortunately for the woman, she was apparently unable to control these forces summoned, and they ended up turning on her, leading to her own fatal fall down the home’s staircase.

These stories do have a small grain of historical fact embedded deep within the legends, but if you want to know more about that and the rest of the legends surrounding the seemingly quaint residence, you’ll have to come on one of our tours!  Huntington Paranormal is on its fourth tour season, featuring a variety of haunted history tours in historic downtown Guyandotte.  This photo is just one of the many submissions we receive from tour guests and volunteers.  We haven’t had a season yet where someone hasn’t had some type of experience they couldn’t explain.  You, too, can have an opportunity to experience the unexplained, and get a chance to GO INSIDE some of Guyandotte’s most haunted and historic locations! 

Our next round of tours will be held on Friday, August 24th and Saturday, August 25th.  These are our annual cemetery tours, but this year, we’re expanding beyond the iron gates and into several historic (and haunted) properties!  We’ve also got a few surprises planned for our tour guests, making this year’s tour one not to miss.  Can’t make it?  Don’t fret!  If you’re unable to join us in August, or if you’d prefer the full downtown house tours, we have our annual Halloween tours AND our ever popular Guyandotte Civil War Days tours, chock full of history and haunts.

As always, tours are completely FREE and open to the public, but tour slots fill up quickly.  Tours are led by knowledgeable tour guides who have a deep appreciation for the history of the area love to share it with YOU.  The cemetery tour in August will leave from behind the Madie Carroll House.  Early ticket distribution starts at 6pm with the first tour leaving at 7pm.  Please see our website below for full details on this tour, and dates for upcoming events.  We hope to see you there!

Haunted and Historic Guyandotte Tours

Disclaimer:  HPIR and Haunted and Historic Guyandotte Tours are not promoting this picture as proof of the paranormal.  Rather, we’d like to share this image that was so graciously shared with us, and allow viewers to come to their own conclusions. 

Theresa’s Note:  This may sound a little weird, but I think the image most closely resembles a 19th century mystery creature known as Spring-Heeled Jack.  Spring-Heeled Jack is mostly known for popping up in the UK, but there have been a handful of American sightings.  This mysterious creature’s attire was reported by witnesses as being a tight, oil-skinned garment with a fitted, devil-horned mask.  Below is a picture for reference!