Native American Children at Brafferton Hall, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA
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NorStar
N 37° 16.234 W 076° 42.528
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Many people have told about paranormal experiences at the College of William and Mary's Brafferton Hall, once an Indian College, including beating tom-toms and seeing the ghost of an Indian Child racing about the building and campus.
Waymark Code: WM7ZFV
Location: Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 12/28/2009
Views: 8
In the historic city of Williamsburg, at the eastern end of the campus of the College of William and Mary, stands three buildings that are the oldest on campus. The southern one, Brafferton Hall, was originally built to house the Indian College established there, and has been where people have reported several paranormal experiences over the years.
Background:
The Indian College was established in the late 1600s to teach many of the children of Native Americans the ways of the English so that a bridge could begin between the two cultures, which would result in more harmonious relations between the Native Americans and the English. Originally, the Indian boys were housed in nearby farms and houses. However, the boys experienced quite a bit of abuse and were exposed to English diseases, of which they had no immunity against. The Indian College first stopped in 1721. But it was revived when Brafferton Hall was built in 1723 using funds provided by the well-known scientist, Robert Boyle, in England. The Indian boys were then moved in there to live and learn their lessons. The boys were still unhappy in the new building, since they were still separated from their families and homes. Since the boys came from several different nations, language was even a barrier between them. There is one story where an Indian boy was able to escape the hall at night, then ran freely about the campus, then returned to the hall before dawn. One day, he was found dead. Some said that he had died of a 'broken heart.' Others say that he was shot by someone. By 1736, Brafferton Hall was no longer used to house Indians, and the Indian College was closed for good by 1779.
Today, Brafferton Hall is used for administration offices, but it had been used as a dormitory, a dining hall, a classroom and a professor's residence.
Stories Told
Probably the most recognized story is of the running Indian child. The book, The Ghosts of Williamsburg...and Nearby Environs (see citation below), reports that scores of sightings have been observed by people on campus over the 250 years of the college existence. He is often seen as a fleeting spirit form often in a dampened mist.
The book also reported that Wilford Kale, a bureau chief for the Richmond Times-Dispatch who had also worked at the college, had many experiences while living in the building in the mid-1960s. He reported that he often heard foot steps on the third floor where he slept but could never find the source of the sounds. One one occasion, he said that he woke to the sound of rhythmic beating like on tom-toms. The sound went on for about a minute-and-a-half. Others have reported sounds like feet shuffling and sobbing.
Sources and for More Information:
Columbia Tribune (Ghost Stories Materialize in Historic Williamsburg):
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visit link)
Colonial Williamsburg (The Brafferton):
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visit link)
TheShadowlands.net (Virginia):
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visit link)
The Original Ghosts of Williamsburg Candellight Tour:
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visit link)
Book:
Taylor, L.B. The Ghosts of Williamsburg... and Nearby Environs. ?: Progress Printing Co., 2006.