Sacramento, CA
South Haven - MI
Dec. 2, 2007
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We had just moved to South Haven from Kingsport, Tennessee where my then husband had worked
as an editor for their local paper. His new job in South Haven was a promotion of sorts…so we were
happy to move there. My husband was in charge and had rented the house for us before I ever laid
eyes on it….Such was the way that things were done back then. At any rate, the little house at xxx
Conger Street was very acceptable. Anything with old trees offering a canopy of shade was
welcome. It had just been updated, renovated and freshly painted. It was not quite what you would
call a Victorian, but a true working class bungalow (no fancy gingerbread), maybe built in the early
twentieth century. It had a shotgun view from the front porch door all the way through the hall, dining
room and kitchen to the back door. It had two levels; the main living area consisted of the living room,
dining room, extra bedroom/playroom/Office and kitchen were all on the main floor and the master
bedroom, small nursery room, only bathroom and attic space on the second floor above… Along the
side of the house there was a long narrow driveway with a mow strip in the middle that went back to the
separate garage in the back. Along side this driveway was another driveway and house which was a
small very cozy narrow white house about half the size of ours It had a side door out to the driveways
At first I didn’t pay any attention to it other than to note it was there and was a cute little white
house….period. I was too busy exploring my new house, waiting for the movers and setting up what I
could..
I arrived at our new house a day before the movers . They arrived the following morning… So when
they arrived they set all the boxes in the living room for easy access. It all needed sorting for placement
in the appropriate rooms….To complicate matters, my little boy wasn’t feeling well, He was extremely
fussy and was only happy when I was carrying him It was a slow process. So I was carrying boxes and
my son here and there; one box or object at a time. I was on my own as my husband went in to see
about his new job. I had one of those back packs to carry him in so with the help of a baby aspirin he
was content. By then It was fairly on into the afternoon, maybe after four….it was a long time ago
and I cannot be exact about the time. However, the light was still very good.….it was early Fall and it
was beautiful and still warm outside. The beautiful trees that shaded the house had not yet turned
into their full color and were still fairly green.. On one of my trips with baby and box in tow I needed
to bring the box to the kitchen and had to pass through the dining room . On the side of the dining
room were a bank of windows that had not had their storm components put up yet….so it was a very
clear view of the driveways and the side of the house next door. As I was going through the dining
room, I noticed a short and chunky older woman bent over just outside that side door and trying to
unleash a small black and white terrier type of dog. (A plump little old happy dog.) I took a second to
actually turn my head to look at her because I was a little amused . She was bent over far enough that
I could see that she was wearing those old elastic rubber band garters that held her stockings rolled
up just above her knees….She also was wearing what looked like an ill fitting wool coat with part of her
dress hanging down below the hem in front….and a light colored scarf (if memory serves me well) tied
on her head like a babushka. It was a warm fall afternoon…Why the coat??? I decided that she must be
my neighbor and I would make an effort to say hello and introduce myself to her maybe tomorrow. I
went about my work and finally got the baby’s room set up and put him to bed as soon as we got back
from dinner. . We were exhausted and he did actually sleep fairly well. My husband had insisted that
we dine out again that night, sick baby and all…so, I was very happy to get back home and baby to
bed as I am quite sure the people at the restaurant were to have us leave. I did notice there were no
lights on next door….but that wouldn’t be unusual for an old woman to go to bed early.
The next morning when we woke up I took my son down stairs to the kitchen for his breakfast. When I
got to my dining room I glanced out the window and locked again. I was startled to see that the house
looked like it was very empty and dark. There were no curtains, nothing no signs of it being occupied. I
hadn’t noticed that until just that moment.. Later I made a point to take a closer look and went across
the driveways and could see that there was a small dried up leather dog collar and metal leash hanging
on a nail by the door…..but it was so old and rusted and looked like it was stuck to the paint. The
collar was so old it didn’t even have color and looked like it would turn to dust if moved. It hadn’t been
used in years. I felt more than a little odd….but I had business to take care of and would think on it
later. My son wasn’t really much better and needed to get someone to look at him…it turned out to be
his ear. I also had lots more work to do to set up the house.
After I got to know my neighbors, I asked one of them , P. U., who lived directly across the street,
about the house and explained what I had seen. He looked at me strangely….He said I had described
the old lady and her dog that had lived there.….and both now deceased. He confirmed that house
had not been occupied for a few years. He wanted to know how I knew about her….beats me. I never
saw any sign of her after that and soon put the incident behind me. But I think she was probably
there from time to time….repeating a ritual that she must have loved….taking her dog out for a walk. I
figure it was like a recorded message that simply replayed from time to time. I wish I could remember what
her name was….It was so long ago now.….
The address where we lived was xxx Conger Street…don’t even know if it is still there. It was a
strange house too. Before our landlords bought and fixed it up, It had been occupied by a mentally
challenged fellow who was eventually placed in an institution after his parents died…and I always felt
that the house harbored a cruel past where he was concerned. I don’t think he had a pleasant
childhood. I have nothing to back that up. Sometimes there was an ominous quality about the house.
Something you could suddenly feel moving from room to room. My now adult son informs me that he
used to see a man who would come out from the wall and he felt very afraid of him. Says he would just
stand over his bed and watch him….I never heard or saw that. I didn’t know anything about that until
just about a year ago when he told me. I believe him as I feel children are especially sensitive and open.
He was about two when he experienced this. There were some odd things about that house but
nothing that I can truly pinpoint…just feelings of not being alone or being watched. Like your hair
standing up on your neck and arms suddenly. A chill from time to time. No strange noises, no
apparitions, no voices….
I avoided the attic that my husband used as his dark room ….can’t really tell you why other than to say
it wasn’t an inviting place behind that pine door. Sometimes I would find myself just staring at the door
from the upstairs hall as if I had expected it to open and someone come out or that someone was
behind it wanting to come out….sounds weird….I know.
We lived there from Fall of 1968 to October 1971 when we moved to Illinois. By that time our
marriage was in serious trouble and we soon went our separate ways. That could easily explain or be
the basis for any ill feelings I may have had in that house. It was a rough relationship especially for me.
There is one really creepy thing and one to this day I find extremely odd….During the entire three
years we lived there I hardly ever went to the garage. Usually it was to get in or out of the car in the
Winter. I didn’t drive then and it was another space my husband had claimed as his domain. The day
we moved from that house I did go in the garage because I had to ask my husband a question and he
didn’t answer me when I called him….We rarely put the car in the garage with the exception of dead
Winter….so I guess that isn’t too unusual..…..What was unusual was around the ceiling beam, there
were small rodent skeletons…nailed in place. There were several.…I about freaked out. Again,
something I had never seen before. Odd, something when we moved in and something when we were
moving out…. Apparently the previous owner (who was institutionalized) had done that and no one
had ever taken them down. Not my husband and not the landlords…That has always bothered me. I
actually found that to be more creepy than the fact that they were still there.
I don’t want to mislead or imply that the house was bad as I had many good memories in that house and
lived very comfortably there most of the time. With the exception of initially seeing the little old lady
and dog…. I never saw or heard a thing or felt more than an occasional twinge or chill. Our second
son was born while we lived there and despite a very difficult relationship with my husband,….I was very
happy living in South Haven..
FYI: Our landlords who owned the property while we lived there were Mr. and Mrs. H. S., also
bought that small house next door and fixed it up as another rental. So the house was occupied at
least during the last year while we lived at xxx Conger Street… .
The neighbor who informed me about the lady I saw has been deceased for a long time. I know
somewhere in my memory bank I have the name of the lady I saw….but I cannot remember it right now.
The name Helen keeps coming to mind….but that may be Mr. S.’s wifes name. I haven’t really examined
my time in Michigan too much until just this past year or so. My experience in New Orleans kind of
opened up that part of me again….
It would be interesting to know if anyone else ever had any experiences there. …..
Sorry, no fisherman.
*CG*
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