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Strickland House

Flyer, Maryland, USA
August 1997

My family lived in a house when I was younger in Morrestown New Jersey on 2nd street. I cannot remember the exact number now. It was a cape and was supposed to be one of the oldest houses in town. It was registered under Sara B. Strickland my parents told me later. At the time we would check out foundations of old houses, looking for dates or names.My parents were into old places and things. I remember combing that basement with my siblings and parents but found nothing. After living there for awhile, and by this point talking about the odd happenings, the name of Strickland and date appeared in the basement in concrete! They would not have put their name in concrete since none existed in the late 1700's.The name showed up in a very obvious spot that we knew each of us had looked at prior. Strange... My mother taught the recorder to a group of young girls and we would have musicals for our families especially around the holidays. My mother swore she could smell pipe smoke and see a shadowy figure out the corner of her eye during our playing and practicing. My father said he bumped into a figure on the steps smoking a pipe while watching our Christmas musical. I guess he enjoyed the music. My mother always felt he did.

The upstairs front bedroom had a door leading to the attic. It would continually open on its own. Many a night I would close it for my retarded sister only to have it open immediately. After awhile it was pointless. I would hear noises up there too but it did not stop of us from playing up there. Whoever lives there now may find a aquamarine ring in the attic floorboards. The neighbours had stories of seeing a mans face in the windows prior to us and whilst no one was home. They said they saw shapes walking in front of the windows also when no one was there. One day I came home from school. I was usually the first home. Our border collie, Mary, and our Siamese cat, Ho, were in the living room with me. They kept looking at the front door and towards the rear of the house in unison! I know I locked the doors because I did not like being alone. I had covered up with a shawl because it was freezing in the front room where the T.V. was. I remember it being quiet and tense. The animals were sitting near each other and acting spooky when all of sudden the front door burst open by itself. The cat, dog and me hi tailed it out through the house, out the back door. The backdoor was already open and the basement door partially blocking the backdoor entrance.They were right next to each other. Funny but neither the animals or I ran for the front door. I had the neighbour check the house and he said the attic door was open too. By the way I was almost thirteen. I don't know if that age and energy allows channelling of sorts? do you?

Thanks for reading

Flyer, Maryland, USA
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