3 Salem Churches???

Evolantra · Orb Joined: Aug 19, 2006 Posts: 15 Location: Lemmings

I was not entirely sure where to put this since part of this tale is bogus and part is true. So if need be GG move it to the fictional side of things. I chose to leave all three locations in one post because of the tale behind them Which is partially bogus and error filled.

This tale I have been told numerous times throughout my life. It is of an old church with no steeple named Salem church in northern Ga. The legend is that walking aound it three times and knocking on the door will anger a demon which is trapped inside and "release" it temporaliy to scare your pants off. Another part is that it contained a graveyard of children, midgets, or midget lepers. In which this tale also tells their tale and how they died around the same date.

Well that is my shorthand version anyways. Most of us who have lived in numerous parts of the US have heard such "3 knock" tales. Well I was investigating a non paranormal location in my teens when my mother told me that this old church (Salem) resided in the location I was digging up info. Another was near my house and yet another was near Ellijay. Each more or less fit the tales with exceptions. There are hundreds of Salem churches in this state. But very few without steeples. The second church listed was on the whim of knowing someone who had first hand experiance.

Dawson Forrest Salem Church

This location is the oldest of the three. It has no steeple, is in a radioactive forrest. If you think that is bogus look up statwaaide radiation levels and look for Dawson Forrest. If you dig deep enough (on the web or library) You will find a slew of information about this nuclear testing facility in rural Georgia and the nuclear powered plane experiments. That palce certainly has a few tales I can tell.

Back to the church, the legend does not hold up on the three knockcs. However a great deal of the rest does. Orbs aplenty, mysterious lights (not local homes or hunters in the forrest). This is one very active location adn the reason why has to be the truth behind it.

The graveyard is full of childrens graves. Very few adults whatsoever, all around the same date. Now I do not know why this is as I never foudn information on this occurance but I have heard these things.

Lepers (a cruel tale I will not repeat, Circus midgets who escaped their bondsman to live out a life of peace. Heartwarming little ditty except for the dates confirm them as children. Cholera or Typhoid outbreak (which is very possible).

This is the most likely canidate for half the tale. Which is why it was first.

Chestatee Salem Church

My family used to go here on all hallows eve to get the crap scared out of us because of the local "grabber" ghost in the cemetery. It would mark my first keen interest in the Salem Church legend. It is a huge church, moderate sized graveyard. It does have a spooky quality to it and contains some phenominon surrounding it. However it does not fit into the lore pocket which I was searching out.

On my day and night trps here throughout my life it has proved to be the most placid place in the county in which it is located which is also repeatedly stated as being haunted. It has been a pleasure to just go and enjoy the flat hilltop numerous times. I am only noting this because of this bit of info about the church.

The interior is primarily blood red. Red carpet is not uncommon in a church in Georgia, however most of it being red is a bit unnerving. The stained glass windows have red hues, the pews, pulpit, tabernacle, chairs, everything in this place including bibles and hymnals are crimson of some kind. Red to me is a colour that has some unnerving qualities. So I noted that on one of my visits talking to locals and a priest who gave me the cold shoulder about the tale. However the guy did offer me some bourban to "ease my nerves". I got a huge kick out of that.

At night we find ourselves in an eerie graveyard waiting aroudn for anythign strange. I had a person with me who said the Knock 3 times tale worked for her. She also said the light in the church steeple would come on and be a glarring demonic red. The red thing I believed, however lighting up at 1 AM church steeples where a bit odd. We all attempted this and nothing happened, another debunked knock three times tale. But on the plus we got some orb activity and I had a rather pleasent chat with a local deceased resident.

For those who do not know I am a Priest myself (Of which can can be asked upon request by PMming me) and am more than sensitive to these things. Most call me either psychic or absolutly insane. However most who know me well can attest for the odd things that go on in my life. Back on track here.

This place did not fit our little legend at all. For years I gave up until I heard about another church which may fit.

Ellijay Salem Church

This one I can only share the tales as I have yet to find it. It has no steeple, is in the hills on a dirt road and has a cavern beneath it. Also the graveyard is supposed to be filled with teh grave of children.

Everyone whom I have spoken to say I was misled about the tale on purpose numerous times. I felt my attempts at this legend had paid off better than Settles Bridge, Ghost Road, and other such legends but had yet to get up to par with Pooles Mill, the now gone Hell House and the infamous Legend of the Haunted Houseman (the last three I will put in the non fictional side of things with their legends included).

I know this was a bit long winded, but I felt it nessacery to include information on them. My question is does anyone else have tales of these three or experiances to share? Esp on Ellijays Salem?