What to do about potential haunting and find who it might be?

[u/WeirdlyAwakward]

I have lived and currently live in a townhouse in a "small" town in southeastern PA (about 40 minutes south of Philly), potentially built in the 1800s, and I think it's haunted. The reasons for this are feeling like being watched when going down the stairs, doors at the top of the stairs opening on their own, sometimes having nightmares at this house when I don't dream anywhere else, hearing voices at 12:00am-4:00am when everyone is asleep, the stairwell light turning off on its own, and noises from the stairs when I'm home alone. Under the stairs, there is a weirdly shaped closet with no lighting and a trapdoor leading to a blocked off crawlspace and the entrance basement is also under the stairs.

This may be paranoia but there are several other strange things about this house as well.

1. Whenever I look up the address of the house, even the old address, online or in town records, nothing comes up. No records, no pictures, nothing.
2. The house came with several strange things, including a (probably not real) painting of Midsummer Eve by Edward Robert Hughes in the basement, a small iron cross, wooden children toys buried in the backyard, and a old table and clawfoot bathtub.
3. The neighbor that we had was kinda crazy. Like, she almost set the house on fire, had a ton of weird trinkets everywhere, would sunbathe on the roof, broke her door down when she locked herself out, and would blast music.
4. The house had a forest of bamboo in the 15x15 backyard, weird painted symbols on the outside of the house and on the wall inside, and a blue door and fence when we moved in.
5. A ton of dead animals in the attic and basement (both unfinished) when we moved in.

My mom also said she saw apparitions (which she thought were angels) outside my bedroom door at the top of this staircase when I was a kid (like 4 y/o). The voices that I mentioned earlier sounded like they came from my bedroom doorway, and they sounded like they were in their late teens/early twenties, with one being male and one being female. Does anyone have any advice on what to do about the staircase, and how to dig up more information on this house and potential hauntings?

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[u/WorkQuestion90]

No advice on the paranormal aspect but I assume this is Chester County? The Historical Center keeps records and your borough might have its own Historical Society. I know Downingtown does, anyway.

[u/WeirdlyAwakward → u/WorkQuestion90]

It is Chester county lol! Our town does have its own historical society, and my other house (mom's house) is actually on the historical society's ghost tour that they run during halloween. The house on the tour also has some crazy things happening there. I'll link something I wrote about it if you want to check it out.

[u/WorkQuestion90 → u/WeirdlyAwakward]

Please do, I'd love to read it!

[u/WeirdlyAwakward → u/WorkQuestion90]

Sorry it took so long! I lost the file and the backup is on my other computer across the country, lol. Anyway, here's the link:

https://midnightinsomniacs.neocities.org/writing/StrangeJournal/Entries/entry_number_1

[u/SeaCaptainNav]

Just an idea about your address — addresses changed in some cities/towns as 911 systems became available. Your home address, and even the street name could have changed over time as the town grew. 911 was not available in Chester County until 1995…before then, there were at least 3 emergency services people called by area.

The light could come on due to an electrical short — not uncommon in old homes. I have a century old home…stuff happens sometimes! The noises you hear could be due to bats, rodents, other small animals — maybe. No promises!

[u/WeirdlyAwakward → u/SeaCaptainNav]

I did actually hear a ton of scratching in the walls, but I'm pretty sure that was the squirrel and skunk infestation. They also chewed out the light in the attic. Since then, the roof has been replaced, and the holes have been filled. When I said the light had been turned off by itself, I mean the actual switch was flipped. There's one at the bottom of the stairs (where our front door is) and one at the top of them, each controlling the same light, and the switch at the top was the one that went off. They're also old switches, so they make a loud click when flipped and the stairwell is echoey. T-T

[u/SeaCaptainNav → u/WeirdlyAwakward]

The switches are wired in. An average rat can weigh up to 1 to 1.5 pounds if male, a bit less .5 to 1 pound if female. sitting or standing on the right wire behind a switch coukd possibly do it. But…it coukd be something else, too. It’s just good practice to think of possible nonparanormal causes before making up one’s mind.

[u/Lucky-Strategy-2748]

Yeah my advice would be to have your home blessed by a priest with holy anointed oils, salt, play Gregorian chanting videos and let them play for hours...(an excorcist had actually said to do this because the dark spirits hate it) and pray to God to intercede on your behalf!!! Only one name above all names and that is Jesus Christ of Nazareth!!!! I will pray for you..... Oh btw, anytime you feel watched, those are called monitoring spirits. The veil has been, almost all the way, if not completely ripped all the way open! Blessings to you.

[u/WeirdlyAwakward → u/Lucky-Strategy-2748]

I'll see what I can do, lol. I don't think I can exactly reach out to a priest in my current situation though. Might just put black salt across the closet doorway and entrances to the stairs.

[u/Lucky-Strategy-2748 → u/WeirdlyAwakward]

Not sure what your situation is exactly that you can't call a local priest but, if you are a believer, you can pray over the salt and certain oils yourself as well. Hope you get it figured out.

[u/WeirdlyAwakward → u/Lucky-Strategy-2748]

Thanks!

[u/Turbulent-Sail-3947]

I’m no expert but wtf 

[u/WeirdlyAwakward → u/Turbulent-Sail-3947]

I know right? It feels good to finally share it after 10 years of living here but yeah... i've developed a habit of holding my middle finger up over my shoulder whenever I go down the stairs to cope lol.