Historic Winter Park Surveys
What did Winter Park and Rollins look like a hundred or more years ago? Could specters from the past still walk the quaint, tree-lined streets?
Historical and Scientific Resources
- Bureau of Land ManagementSearch historic land grants and deeds going back to the 19th century.
- Find a GraveA rather comprehensive list of grave sites that sometimes proves useful in haunting cases.
- Historical AerialsHistorical aerial photographs that might be useful for researching old sightings or looking into the history of an allegedly haunted site.
- Historic Map WorksMaps that could be handy when researching the history of an investigation site.
- LABINS Land RecordsThis site contains a wealth of fascinating information. You can see old surveys, maps, and property deeds going back to the early 1800s.
- Old Maps OnlineAnother resource for old maps.
- Orange County History CenterThis museum hosts a wealth of information about Orange County's past and they have written a couple of articles about Orlando ghost stories.
- USGS Get MapsThe USGS has old topographical maps searchable from a GIS interface.
- Current Space WeatherSome investigators believe that paranormal phenomena (particularly ghost sightings) increase during periods of high solar and geomagnetic activity.
- NCEI Geomagnetic CalculatorsYou can use this to get an idea of a baseline for your magnetic field sensors before an investigation.
- NOAA GeomagnetismThere is a belief that solar and geomagnetic activity could influence paranormal phenomena. Even if this isn't the case, the instruments you use during investigations might be effected by these conditions.
- NOAA Space WeatherAnother source for conditions that could correlate to paranormal phenomena.
- The Sky LiveSome paranormal and occult researchers believe that moon phases and planetary alignments are linked to paranormal phenomena. You can track both here.
- Stuff in SpaceSaw a UFO and want to eliminate possible explanations? Use this site to track satellite orbits to make sure what you saw wasn't something man-made.
- Folklore and Mythology Electronic TextsCompiled by noted folklorist D.L. Ashliman, this collection of folk and fairy tales from around the world is organized by topic.
- SnopesA noted fact-checking site, Snopes has long featured stories about urban legends. They have several categories in their archives that include paranormal content, including: paranormal, superstition, conspiracy theories, and horror.
The Rough Guide to Unexplained Phenomena by
This work is an exploration of the zone that lies between the known and unknown, a shadowy territory that's home to lake monsters, combusting people, teleporting frogs and man-eating trees. Taking a Fortean path between dogmatic scientists and credulous believers, the authors trace tales of wonder back to their sources, drawing from a huge archive of observations, opinions and discussions. As the third millennium begins many things are not yet known or understood about our world - as this guide shows, there are still many riddles to solve and wonders to experience.
ISBN: 9781858285894Publication Date: 2000-10-23
Unexplained! by
Weird stuff happens! The mysteries of the unexplained examined with a critical eye of a highly-respected, prize-winning paranormal investigator. An authoritative, intelligent, and well-reasoned examination of strange artifacts and events that have long perplexed scientists, Unexplained! Strange Sightings, Incredible Occurrences, and Puzzling Physical Phenomena is an award-winning exposition of the strange and mysterious. Journey to the outer limits of science and nature and explore a wide range of unknown and enigmatic phenomena. The truth is out there, and looking for it is the real fun. Unique in the depth of examinations, this fascinating guide delivers Spontaneous Human Combustion, Cattle Mutilations, Crop Circles, Devil's Footprints, the Tunguska event, Wheels of Light, Giant Octopus, Sasquatch, Bigfoot, Yeti, Wildman, Alligators in Sewers, White River Monster, Black Dogs, Chupacabras, Fairies, Hairy Dwarfs, Little Green Men, Mad Gassers, Merfolk, Mothman, Thunderbirds, Werewolves, Yowie, Bermuda Triangle, Cottingley Fairy Photographs, Devil's Sea, Hollow Earth, Jersey Devil, Martian Mummies, Noah's Ark, Ball Lightning, Roswell, Loch Ness, Ancient Astronauts, Objects from the Sky, and more than 200 other absorbing puzzles!! What really happened? What is the truth? Should you dismiss what you can't explain? Or should you pay attention to the startling evidence and frightening personal accounts of those involved? Learn of hoaxes, witness the creation of various modern myths, and learn of frightening personal accounts and startling historical documents. Documenting the evidence and hearing witnesses out, Jerome Clark brings an engaging narrative to the stories, objectively presents their many possible explanations, and lets the reader make his or her own judgment in this one-of-a-kind book. Seeing Is Believing. Or Is It? Decide for yourself with Unexplained! Strange Sightings, Incredible Occurrences, and Puzzling Physical Phenomena!
ISBN: 9781578593446Publication Date: 2012-08-01
Unexplained Mysteries of the 20th Century by
An intriguing collection of unexplained events and mysterious happenings occurring throughout the modern world.
ISBN: 9780809241132Publication Date: 1990-04-22
Unnatural Phenomena by
Organized geographically, Unnatural Phenomena: A Guide to the Bizarre Wonders of North America explores the history of natural phenomena in virtually every U.S. state.Can the sky quake? Can sand play music? Have UFOs been sighted in your town? Unnatural Phenomena crosses the centuries and travels America to chronicle the strangest natural phenomena, the most bizarre scientific findings, and events from history that defy rational explanation.Conveniently organized by region, state, and locality, this one-volume, illustrated encyclopedia maps a landscape straight out of The Twilight Zone. From apparitions in the sky to inhuman skeletons rising from the earth--and everything in between--Jerome Clark, expert on strange phenomena and author of ABC-CLIO's Extraordinary Encounters: An Encyclopedia of Extraterrestrials and Otherworldly Beings, sifts through the legends, the hoaxes, and the science. Authoritatively researched, the entries in Unnatural Phenomena will expand the most skeptical reader's sense of the possible. The truth is out there ... the evidence is in here.
ISBN: 9781576074312Publication Date: 2005-06-10
Sighting Databases
- BFROThe Bigfoot Research Organization catalogs and investigates bigfoot sightings. Their database is searchable by state and county.
Florida actually has the third highest number of bigfoot sightings in the country. - Ghosts of AmericaUser submitted ghost stories organized by state and city.
- Haunted PlacesA map-based database of haunted locations and other reported paranormal phenomena.
- NUFORCThe National UFO Reporting Center is perhaps the most comprehensive UFO and alien sighting repository on the internet, and it covers the US, Canada, and the rest of the world.
Florida has the second largest number of reported UFO sightings in the US, and NUFORC has 27 sightings in its database from Winter Park. - The UFO DatabaseDetails the history of UFOs and prominent historic sightings.
- UFO StalkerA map-based UFO and alien report database. Some are drawn from NUFORC, while others come from the MUFON database or are user-submitted.
Blogs and Podcasts
- 13 Days of HalloweenAaron Mahnke’s 13 Days of Halloween is a unique auditory adventure that flirts with the line between ethereal horror and thrilling campfire tales, and brought to life with powerful, 360-degree surround sound technology. Listeners will spend 13 days immersed in chilling tales that all build up to a grand conclusion.
- Connect ParanormalExplores a variety of paranormal topics, including ghosts, bigfoot, UFOs, faeries, and other supernatural phenomena. Includes an overview and analysis of the topics, as well as critical thinking.
- LorePresented by host Aaron Mahnke and Grim & Mild, Lore is a bi-weekly podcast (now also a TV show and book series) about dark historical tales. Each episode explores the mysterious creatures, tragic events, and unusual places that fill the pages of history. Because sometimes the truth is more frightening than fiction.
- Snap Judgment Presents: Spooked on SpotifySpooked features true-life supernatural stories, told firsthand by people who can barely believe it happened themselves.
Created in the dark of night, by Snap Judgment Studios, in partnership with KQED & PRX. It is hosted by Glynn Washington. - Unsolved MysteriesThe official Unsolved Mysteries podcast from the original creators of the iconic television series, presented by Cadence13 and host Steve French.
TV Shows
- Unsolved MysteriesThis is the original. There is a Netflix revival by the same production company.
Useful Apps
You have a paranormal investigation sensor suite in your pocket! Here are some useful apps:
- GhostTube SLS CameraAndroid
- Max Magnetic Field DetectorAndroid
- Physics ToolboxAndroid
- Physics ToolboxApple