SherriBrakeBooks

The

Books

Author Sherri Brake

From bloody frontier murders and the early hangings in downtown Canton,Ohio to the wayward ghosts who still stroll the Ohio Erie Canal's towpath...this book features it all.

Ghostly diners, violent crimes of passion, phantoms peering from theatre balconies, canal workers who still walk the tow-paths the haunted history of Stark County includes characters and legends as bizarre as they are terrifying.

Take a bone-chilling journey with Sherri Brake, owner of Haunted Heartland Tours, as she recounts tales of superstitious pioneers and the horrors of the great influenza epidemic of 1918. Stroll along silent corridors of an abandoned asylum and linger among graves of Civil War dead- and discover the eerie ends of Stark County's departed souls.

Do the spirits and ghosts roam

the halls of this castle-like building?

Built on the site of a Civil War camp ravaged by disease, the Ohio State Reformatory first opened in 1896 to reform young offenders but eventually grew to house the most dangerous criminals.

By the time the Mansfield institution closed, the prison was hosting one thousand more prisoners than it was designed to hold in "brutalizing and inhumane conditions." Within the dark corridors made famous as the backdrop for The Shawshank Redemption, ghostly presences linger, from the dungeons of solitary confinement to the West Wing showers, where a bent pipe marks the place where a prisoner hanged himself.

Venture behind the walls of this notorious prison with ghost tour guide Sherri Brake to discover the history and spirits that forever haunt these halls…if you dare.

The Haunted History of the West Virginia Penitentiary

Afterlife with no parole.

If you die in prison, your soul stays in prison. At least that's what many inmates believed. 998 murders and suicides combined with 85 hangings and 9 electrocutions all make for a dark and violent past. The Cincinnati Ohio Enquirer called it a "Hell On Earth" in 1886. The New York Times branded it as "One of the Most Violent in the Country". Inmates called it "Bloody Alley" and for good reasons. The Haunted History of the West Virginia Pen is brought to light by Paranormal Investigator, Haunted Heartland Tours owner and author, Sherri Brake.

Built in 1866 in Moundsville West Virginia and situated on 10 acres, this mammoth fortress held some of the country's worst criminals. Explore Moundsville's bloody frontier history, the Grave Creek Mound, the building of the Pen, and the Wardens. Read first hand accounts from past guards and inmates along with newspaper articles, some collected from over 100 years ago. Accounts of executions, torture, escapes and notorious inmates are revealed.

Examine over 100 ghostly accounts as paranormal investigators look for Shadow Men,ghosts and proof of the afterlife. Check out the Paranormal Directory and Vocabulary section. Use the Paranormal Guide to the Pen to help you investigate on site or simply read about the Sugar Shack, the Boiler Room and North Hall, all from the safety of your chair. This book is an excellent resource for gaining insight on the history and hauntings of this gothic prison. It is a first hand look into the dark dimensions of one of America's most haunted locations

The Spirits Still Linger in the Hills

of West Virginia...

Fireside Folklore of West Virginia Vol. 1 is the first in a new spellbinding series focusing on the state's ghost stories, legends and haunted locations. Readers will recognize familiar tales and will learn of the authors own paranormal experiences while searching for ghosts, urban legends and other entities.

At the old Whipple Store in Fayette County mystery abounds.

What is it about this building that draws investigators?

Why does the Granny Witch mysteriously appear to hikers?

Who is Deloris and does she really appear in the small community of Burnt House?

Who commited the violent murders at the old farmhouse?

The 174 pages feature over 120 images including photographs and old folklore woodcuts. The 24 intriguing chapters are based on Sherri Brake's popular column appearing in West Virginia's largest independent publication, Two-Lane Livin'. Each story features extra details and photographs not seen in the original columns debuting from 2010-2012.

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Paperback: 618 pages

Publisher: Raven Rock

Published: December 31, 2011

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1452835047

ISBN-13: 978-1452835044

Product Dimensions: 1.2 x 5.9 x 8.9 inches

Shipping Weight: 2.2 pounds

Paperback: 160 pages

Publisher: The History Press (May 31, 2010)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1596299355

ISBN-13: 978-1596299351

Product Dimensions: 0.5 x 5.5 x 8.3 inches

Shipping Weight: 7.2 ounces

Paperback: 128 pages

Publisher: The History Press (May 26, 2009)

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1596296089

ISBN-13: 978-1596296084

Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.3 inches

Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces

Paperback: 174 pages and 126 images

Publisher: Raven Rock

Published: December 29, 2012

Language: English

ISBN-10: 1466401257

ISBN-13: 978-1466401259

Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.4 inches

Shipping Weight: 11.4 ounces

$20.00 includes tax and shipping.

Get the book from the author and have it personalized. Enter the name you wish it to be signed to in the comment box at check out.

$25.00 includes tax and shipping.

Get the book from the author and have it personalized. Enter the name you wish it to be signed to in the comment box at check out.

$20.00 includes tax and shipping.

Get the book from the author and have it personalized. Enter the name you wish it to be signed to in the comment box at check out.

OUR NEWEST BOOK

Fireside Folklore of West Virginia Vol I

Questions? Please email us.

Owner/Director Sherri Brake

Haunted Heartland Tours LLC is a registered business with the State of West Virginia

Praise for Haunted Stark County by author Chris Woodyard of the best selling "Haunted Ohio" series;

"Written by the creator of the Haunted Heartland Tours, this book is an excellent blend of history and hauntings. Beginning with a brief history of Stark County and its significance in Ohio’s past, the author tells stories of the Erie Canal, the Underground Railroad, cemeteries, the Influenza Epidemic of 1917-18, haunted restaurants, true crime. There is an intriguing chapter on “dowsing for graves”—the author says she has had success in locating unmarked graves by using a dowsing rod."

Praise for the Haunted History of the West Virginia Penitentiary

Sherri Brake delivers February 15, 2012

By The Lady In Black

If you are not a believer in the paranormal, Sherri Brake will soon change your mind. If you are just a history buff, Sherri Brake meets your needs. Without a doubt, the most comprehensive book ever written about the Penitentiary, this book covers every aspect of the WV Pen from A to Z.

Detailed historical facts are scattered throughout the book but don't weigh it down to the point where it gets boring. The paranormal happenings are well documented with first hand stories from the people who experienced them.

Two thumbs up for a well researched, well written book.

This book is a great read! February 6, 2012

By Army Sgt 8

Sherri Brake comes through again and delivers another great read. I've read her books "Haunted Stark County (Ohio) her first book, her second, The Haunted History Of The Ohio State Reformatory and found them to be highly informative from a historical perspective and an intriguing, great read from the paranormal perspective.

Now she writes her third book, The Haunted History of the West Virginia Penitentiary and once again she delivers! Sherri seamlessly blends these two perspectives together. High entertaining and extremely accurate in the telling of what it was like to spend time behind the walls of this penitentiary. If you like reading about history, this book is for you. If you like the paranormal this book is for you!