Salem Spirits of Yore…

By: Samara C. George

Clipping From The Union Republican. March 19, 1908 Photo Credit: Forsyth County Public Library

Ghost stories are deeply intertwined with Salem College culture. After all, we are the Salem “Spirits” for a reason. Siblings of the past have passed down stories of various sorts, such as personal encounters with the paranormal or recountings of stories from friends. At the end of your first semester on campus — but definitely by the end of your last — everyone has become familiar with our local paranormal community. It’s no secret that Salem is surrounded by death. We’re surrounded by graveyards, archives, and museums that constantly remind us of our own mortality. Naturally, this has led to a morbid fascination with death, resulting in a long list of ghost stories. The following list is by no means a complete encyclopedia of ghosts who call Salem home, but merely a short list of the most notable ones.

Lady in White

Of all the ghosts here at Salem, our fair Lady is arguably the most famous. She’s a serene, graceful figure — there have been no reports of her ever being malicious or even a trickster. Reports have described her as a woman dressed in a white gown with a fitted waist and a wide skirt, giving her quite the recognizable silhouette. She resides in the May Dell, with reports placing her at the bottom of the amphitheatre; however, she is known to appear in various sublocations within the May Dell, wandering freely. She is most likely to appear from a distance on bright moonlit nights or through dense fog. Do not fear her, but maintain respect and poise when in her domain.

The Little Red Man

The Little Red Man does not live with us here on campus, but he is certainly the most famous in Old Salem. Andreas Kresmer was a Moravian man living in Salem, working as a shoemaker and living in Single Brothers, just across the square. Multiple sources, including one from the Forsyth Public Library’s 2021 blog post by an author known only as Grace, his death occurred in 1786 when he was killed by falling soil while helping dig out the cellar When he died, he was wearing a red cap, which became the namesake for his spectre. In his life, he was known as a playful man. Since his death, there have been reports of a tapping noise resembling the sound of the shoemaking hammer Brother Kresmer used. He haunts Single Brothers still, but is never malevolent. He is known to run up and down the halls. Legend has it he was banished by a minister after disturbing an important guest, but there have been reported sightings after that incident.

Mary Babcock Painting

Do you recall the very moving documentary the seniors created about Mary Babcock from this year’s Fall Fest? She really goes on quite the adventure– I hear she enjoys getting out of the house. Now residing in the Babcock lobby, she’s out of reach from us college students; before her big move, she lived in the Old Academy building atop the hill, near the front door. She’s a stickler for manners — those who come across her must greet her. A friendly “Hello, Mary!” will do. Those who dare ignore her and treat her like any other painting will quickly face the consequences. Students who have made this “grave” mistake report poor weather at the most inconvenient times and strange visions.

Archives Poltergeist

The poltergeist in the archives is described as a malevolent entity. Legend has it that if you need to go to the archives, you cannot go alone. If you’re caught alone down there, it will become quite cold, and the electricity will shock you, especially the elevator buttons. Reports describe him as an old, short, German man. He has a very short temper and does not like being disturbed by new faces. Of course, his ire is not directed towards interns or employees working in the archives, just those who are down there to snoop without a proper research appointment. 

May Dell Orb

I know the name of this one sounds funny, but it’s considered a malevolent entity. Documentation on this entity is sparse, but it has appeared consistently through various sources and reports. Why this entity is considered malicious, I don’t know, but I wouldn’t want to find out. It resides underneath the right bridge over the creek in the May Dell, the one nearest to Washington Spring. It appears very rarely at night, but has been described as a black orb, as the name suggests. One can wonder what conversations might occur between our Lady in White and this orb.

Single Sisters Ghosts

As the oldest building on campus, Single Sisters naturally has quite a number of ghost stories. There have been consistent reports of seeing women in the windows, especially during Salem’s witching hours from 1-4 am. One particular report documented in a 2011 WordPress blog comes from a sibling from days of yore, stating she saw a woman standing in the window on the third floor of Sisters, dressed in period clothing. Paranormal activity seems to be the strongest on the third floor, usually manifesting in the form of cold spots and chills.

Clewell Elevator Shaft

This story is very common, but the history is difficult to trace. It was even covered in a 2022 Yes! Weekly article. Legend has it that a student in the 1920s (I could not find an exact year, but the decade is consistently the 1920s) fell down the now-defunct elevator shaft in Clewell. Students in Clewell report hearing footsteps in the attic, seeing figures at the end of the hallway that duck away when approached, and hearing scratching in the walls. There have been no reports of this apparition being malevolent in any way, unless you consider disrupting beauty sleep as a malicious act.

Gramley Basement Miasma

Manifestations of this apparition have been described as being an aura of darkness or as a cloud of smoke. It commonly appears in the communal kitchen, but has also been reported in the far back corner of the lounge. This likely comes as no surprise to residents of Gramley, considering the basement already feels somehow both vast and claustrophobic. In addition to the miasma, it has been said that the piano in Gramley basement is also haunted. This miasma is not considered malevolent.

Drama Workshop Ghost

Within the Drama Workshop resides a somewhat malevolent entity, acting more as a poltergeist than a regular spirit. It interferes with technology, setting off phones and playing with the lights. It’s been reported to walk the catwalk, looking down on all who enter. Sources state that once, a student stood on a chair that was set atop the stage and cried out, “Come and get me!” to the empty audience. Almost immediately, their nose started bleeding something fierce. Take caution in encounters with this ghost.

Suzy Salem

This story is one that has been documented through historical record. On Nov. 28, 1873, Salem Academy student Sarah Tilkey was practising piano in Single Sisters when an ember from a stove caught on her dress, setting her ablaze. A Salemite article from 2018 written by Sav Franz details this unfortunate disaster. Apparently, Miss Tilkey ran through the halls, intensifying the fire until she was eventually put out. Unfortunately, she succumbed to her wounds. However, after her death, is when her story began to change in retellings. “Suzy Salem,” as we know it, refers to an apparition that has been reported as running up and down the second floor of Main Hall late at night. Reports from students claim to see her aflame, similar to Tilkey. It’s possible that the locations and finer details of the story have become blurred over the course of time, leading to some slight inaccuracies.

Of course, there are many other ghost stories; far too many to write here. This short list does not even touch on the array of spirits residing in the old Academy building. Every student has their own story and has heard these stories time and time again. Through sharing our experiences and telling new siblings, we keep our traditions alive and, by extension, the spirit’s memory. Though it’s important to remain respectful of the memory of the deceased and the spirits who live on and walk the world with us. Even if there has not been a reported death at a location, don’t be so quick to chalk it up to fiction. Spirits tend to wander and roam the Earth in a way they could not when they had a physical body. There may even be beings on other planes of existence that live with us, but we cannot see. Nonetheless, when telling your friends ghost stories, never forget the most famous ghost of Old Salem — the hollowed out corpse of the original Krispy Kreme. Rest easy, fresh doughnuts at two in the morning…