Free Ghosts of the SouthCoast by Tim Weisberg

was also known for her work with the poorer citizens of New Bedford.
    In its time, the Wamsutta Club has featured some of the most prominent citizens of New Bedford in its membership—from the whaling magnates to those who made their fortunes in the booming textile business of the early 1900s, the club was a who’s who of the Whaling City.
    However, the Great Depression meant the club had to lower its membership dues and, in doing so, opened its doors to a much wider portionof SouthCoast citizens. Even today, the club is affordable enough for middle-class families to enjoy a taste of the upper-class life.
    For as long as its history may be, there are actually few reports of paranormal activity that come out of the club. That may be more because of the tight-lipped nature of private club membership, but Eric LaVoie, the founder of Dartmouth Anomalies Research Team (DART), heard from an employee of the club that the place was actually quite haunted. He reported hearing the service elevator going off on its own, when he and the person he was working with were the only people in the building. He also reported that many employees refused to go in the basement or the boiler room because they always feel as if they are being watched.
    After contacting club manager Cindy Bouchard, Eric received clearance from the board of directors to become the first paranormal team to investigate the Wamsutta Club.
    Eric assembled a team that included Linda Lynch of Veils Edge Paranormal, Andrew Lake of Greenville Paranormal Research and EVP researcher Mike Markowicz, and the investigation was filmed for a DVD by Aldimar Video Productions and covered by a local journalist named Bob Eckstrom. With access to areas that are even off-limits to the paying members, the investigators said they felt no uneasy feelings anywhere in the building—except in the basement and the boiler room. They detected no high electromagnetic fields, or EMF, that would cause people to have the sensation of being watched. Also while investigating down there, they captured a number of intriguing EVPs, including one that said “don’t be afraid,” another that said “it’s evil; pick up the hatchet” and one that called Eric by name.
    Eric also asked if the spirits minded the investigators being there, to which he received a reply of “I don’t” as an EVP.
    Another area that proved to be active was the private apartments that are within the club, for those who choose to stay there. One resident described frequently waking up to odd sounds and the feeling of an unseen presence.
    Linda, who is a medium, detected the spirit of Sara Arnold still attached to the property as well as the spirit of a man standing near the bar in the Rounder’s Club located in the basement. She also reported feeling as though someone had been killed in that downstairs portion and the body was dumped in some sort of river, although she’s found nothing in historical records to verify it yet.
    Those who had the chance to investigate the Wamsutta Club agree that there is great potential for a residual haunting on the property, and that there may even be a number of intelligent spirits still hanging around. If so, let’s hope they’ve paid their membership dues.
Fort Taber–Fort Rodman
    After the British successfully raided and burned much of the SouthCoast’s homes in 1778, local merchants started pulling together the funds and manpower necessary to erect some means of protection along the shores of New Bedford Harbor at Clark’s Point.
    At first, they put up a wooden beacon in 1797; a lighthouse followed in 1804. But, following the War of 1812, the need for better defense had more citizens concerned about protecting the city and its growing whaling industry from outside invaders. In the late 1840s, it was decided that a permanent military fort was needed at Clark’s Point, but it wasn’t until 1857 that they purchased the