A city rich in mystery and history, Huntington, West Virginia, provides a terrifying fusion of spooky places and haunted stories. The ghosts of people who have sailed the Ohio River are rumored to haunt a historic riverboat that is moored along the river.
Come explore the eerie stories and strange occurrences that have made this riverboat a well-known haunt for ghost aficionados.
History of Location
The history of the Haunted Majestic starts in 1912, when the Majestic Steamship Line built two sand dredge barges to help canalize the Ohio River. Since they were thought to have disturbed a vast Native American burial mound concealed beneath the river’s waters, these barges—Davy Crockett and Mark Twain—were regarded as cursed from the beginning.
Throughout their tenure, crew members experienced apparitions and eerie chants that tormented the ships.
In honor of West Virginia troops, the barges were converted into floating hospital ships during World War II and given the new names Douglas Lee and Eugene Morris.
During the terrifying D-Day assault in Normandy, they were moored alongside a two-story hospital building that was constructed on top of their hulls and used as a triage unit for Allied soldiers.
Over 300 servicemen perished on board during the conflict, earning the ship the somber moniker “The Ship of Death.” It is thought that the ship is still haunted by the spirits of those who perished because they were unable to find peace.
The barges were given back to the Majestic Steamship Line after decades of operation and innumerable hauntings, but they eventually fell into disrepair.
The current owner, Dana Tomes, who has a special bond with the barges’ namesakes, saved them from a junkyard doom in 2020. Tomes devoted the Haunted Majestic to honoring the memories of individuals who died on board after learning of the ship’s eerie past.
The Paranormal Activities
- Ghostly Apparitions and Chants: Reverberations of Native American cemeteries that were disrupted in the early years of the colonization.
- Soldier spirits are the knowledgeable ghosts of fallen warriors, many of whom are unaware that they are dead. Unaware that time has passed, they carry on with their tasks.
- Unidentified sounds, objects moving on their own, and a strong feeling of being watched are all signs of poltergeist activity.
- Unfinished Business: Organizations trying to “run out” investigators they feel are interfering with their assignments or interfering with ship operations.
In his terrifying account, paranormal investigator Joedy Riffe talks about experiences with spirits on board the Haunted Majestic that appear to be unaware of their own death and behave as though they are still a member of the crew. These spirits are smart, obstinate, and don’t accept that their time is over.
Read Also: Spirits Awaken: Haunted Happenings at Harris Haven Funeral Home in Iowa
Final Thoughts
For those interested in the paranormal, The Haunted Majestic provides a singular and fascinating experience with its extensive history and terrifying stories.
This historic riverboat offers an insight into the paranormal realm, from the terrible tales of soldiers who served onboard the ship during realm War II to the spectral apparitions and unexplained events that tourists have reported.
Discovering the Haunted Majestic will undoubtedly leave you with a chilling recollection, regardless of your level of experience as a ghost hunter or your general curiosity about the unknown.
