'Portals to Hell': Jack and Katrina encounter spooky apparitions and demonic energy at Fort William Henry
Lake George, New York boasts a rich history that through centuries has spun stories of lore and otherworldly presences. It is home to Fort William Henry, an essential part of colonial history and also what locals claim as one of the most haunted locations in that area. It is believed that many soldiers and civilians whose lives were claimed in the trade war of the late 1600s, still haunt the fortress.
In this episode of 'Portals to Hell,' investigators Jack Osbourne and Katrina Weidman look into the hauntings at Fort William Henry.
Early history
Fort William Henry was built in 1692 by the English, at the time of a trade war called King William's War. The war waged between the English, French and Wabanaki Confederacy of Acadia. The Fort stood tall for four years before being destroyed in the Siege of Pemaquid in 1696.
The French allied with the Native Americans under the guise of false promises that they could enjoy the fruits of the war when it was over. Together, they formed a battalion and attacked the English fort. After a 6-day siege, the English surrendered and the French let them go with all that was promised to the Natives.
Enraged at the betrayal, the Natives ambushed the British and took away all their belongings. They returned to the Fort and attacked the hundreds of people that were there, killing everyone in sight. Then, they torched it.
The fort has since been reconstructed to replicate the original, based on blueprints found in England. The ground that it is built on is where the massacre took place and has now become a tourist attraction for its guided ghost tours.
Unexplainable sightings
People have seen full-body apparitions, shadowy people and felt their hair being tugged by intangible forces. They have heard voices of children, footsteps following them and have also noticed movement within the exhibits.
Many witnesses have claimed that they've seen the ghost of the Native American chief, Taukolexis, who was executed by hanging. The spirit has been spotted several times by locals at the tree where he died in 1696.
In certain instances, people have also gotten physically ill when visiting the Fort.
Centre of paranormal activity
The Fort seems to be an active desecration site, Osbourne stated, and also called it "negative, evil and borderline demonic". The land surrounding the site emanates ineffably vile energy, which builds and then dissipates.
Franky Porcaro, a psychic medium, also confirmed that the fortress accommodates more than one negative entity. Most of the camera and audio equipment set up by the crew in various parts of the Fort were mysteriously sabotaged. Sounds of knocking, breathing, and footsteps were recorded and footage also shows an uncanny interaction with the spirits through a Geoport. Fort William Henry is a hotspot of paranormal activity and only will a series of investigations reveal the truth behind the hauntings.
'Portals to Hell' airs every Friday at 10 pm ET/PT on Travel Channel.