Delaware is loaded with history. As one of the first settlements and the first official state, so many notable and important things happened on these grounds. One building in particular has been significant to Delaware since it was built in 1859 - but it is hiding quite a dark and frightening secret. Are you brave enough to read about the true story of haunted Fort Delaware?
Any Delawarean would recognize this building - after all, it sits in the middle of the bay outside of Delaware City!
Fort Delaware is a famous Civil War era fort that most of us have toured during the day, for school field trips or family day trips.
The daytime tours will explain the history of the Fort, how it was part of the Harbor Defense system, and how it was a confederate prison during the Civil War.
What you don't usually hear in the daytime tours, though, are the horrific stories that these prisoners have to tell.
General Albin F. Schoepf - nicknamed "General Terror" - was in charge of the Fort. At first, living conditions weren't terrible, but after the Battle of Gettsyburg, 13,000 prisoners of war were transported to this small Island fort.
With so many prisoners living on just a 6 acre campus, conditions deteriorated rapidly. Food became scarce, disease was spread, and soldiers were forced to sleep in rooms so overcrowded you could not see the floor. One of the prisoners was Confederate Captain John S. Swann, whose journals about his experience at Fort Delaware were later published. He wrote about the lack of food - telling about his daily meal being a small piece of bread or some crackers being paired with a tiny chunk of meat.
Genera Terror and his men seemed to take joy in the prisoners suffering.
Knowing that these men were sick and starving, they would occasionally hold a "rat throw", where they'd toss a live rat into the crowd and watch the prisoners scramble for the chance of a warm meal.
It was no surprise that 2,700 men died in these inhumane conditions. What startled Delawareans, though, was when these dead men came back.
Visitors to Fort Delaware have reported paranormal and unexplained happenings for decades. Guests walking underground hear loud cannonfire, those in the kitchens and mess halls feel hands on their shoulders. Figures are seen flashing by, and orbs appear in so many of the pictures taken here.
In fact, Fort Delaware is so spooky that it has been recognized as one of the most haunted places in the world.
Television's Ghost Hunters have filmed here twice, exposing all sorts of spooky happenings along the way.
In October, brave souls can participate in hours-long or overnight paranormal investigations here - which is even scarier when you realize you're trapped on an island, and there's no way off.
Keep an eye out for Fort Delaware State Park's announcement of tour dates in early September. They sell out quickly, because people come from all over the country for the experience.
For more of the creepiest spots in the first state, grab your friends and embark on our Haunted Road Trip. Read more here: This Haunted Road Trip Will Lead You To The Scariest Places In Delaware
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