FAIRFIELD, Utah — In the eerie countdown to Halloween, FOX 13 News is delving into the dark and mysterious history of Camp Floyd, a hidden gem tucked away in the heart of Utah County.
This Civil War-era military camp has drawn the curious and the brave for its spine-tingling ghost tours, promising encounters with the otherworldly. But are these tales of the paranormal true?
FOX 13 embarked on a journey to uncover the secrets of this enigmatic place.
Camp Floyd State Park, off Highway 73, boasts a history steeped in intrigue and tragedy.
Park Manager Clay Shelley serves as the keeper of Camp Floyd's dark past.
The camp, established in 1858, once accommodated more than 7,000 residents, creating a bustling but mysterious town.
"There was a half a mile of buildings, saloons, brothels, and gambling halls known as Frogtown, which was the red light district. With Frogtown being here, there were murders — a lot of murders happened right here on Main Street," Shelley explained.
The heart of the paranormal activity centers on the soldiers who once called Camp Floyd home.
"You have soldiers who met some very horrible endings. There were soldiers that were murdered here, there were soldiers that died here, there were others that died of unknown causes," Shelley said.
Camp Floyd's history stretches further as it became a crucial stop on the Pony Express route and even hosted a school.
Today, visitors from across the state flock to this site, hoping for their own brush with the supernatural.
Jeri Hansen, an expert in Camp Floyd's paranormal history, leads these ghost tours. She teaches attendees to identify and capture paranormal phenomena, such as orbs, on camera.
As the sun sets, the group prepares for their eerie journey.
Among the attendees this time was April Evans, a skeptic who accompanied her family on the tour. It was her second time going.
"I mean, I didn't really feel anything too creepy," she said of her first visit. "But as the night went on, it got a little more creepy, and then they tell you about the ribbons and things like that, and there was a ribbon in the picture I took, which was quite shocking.”
Camp Floyd's chilling reputation draws enthusiasts fascinated by the mysteries of death and the afterlife.
Reports of supernatural occurrences include rocking chairs moving on their own, voices captured on EMF recorders, apparitions at the schoolhouse, orbs seen during these tours, and unexplained scents like perfume, cigarettes, and cigars.
Just outside the Stagecoach Inn, an attendee shares a photograph of orbs floating above a rocking chair.
These experiences, both captivating and eerie, fuel the legend of Camp Floyd's haunted past.
Inside the inn, guests snap photos hoping to capture their own supernatural evidence.
Upstairs, remnants of a gunshot mishap are etched into the walls. The room bears witness to the haunting memory of a guest who once discharged a weapon there, narrowly avoiding disaster.
Adjacent to the Camp Floyd site lies a cemetery with a grim and perplexing layout.
Most graves remain unmarked, shrouding the identities of the departed in obscurity.
One visitor points out a grave marked with several solemn stories saying: ”Ralph Pike, first sergeant assassinated in Salt Lake City, accidental accidental drowning. So that guy was murdered here.
During FOX 13's visit, something strange occurred. Our wireless microphone frequencies picked up eerie sounds, without any apparent explanation. Could these sounds be the voices of the departed, or is there a more mundane reason behind them?
Evans and her family, after two years of chilling experiences, intend to make Camp Floyd's ghost tours an annual family tradition.
There's a sense of wonder, mystery, and excitement that attracts people to the paranormal.
"People are fascinated by the way people die, how they die, and especially if they're sticking around," Shelley said.
Camp Floyd remains a place where the line between the living and the supernatural blurs, captivating the curious and the daring.
So, if you ever decide to join a ghost tour at Camp Floyd, make sure you're prepared for a chilling encounter that might leave you questioning the boundaries of the afterlife.
Camp Floyd, a hidden treasure, is a place where ghosts become a reality we can't quite explain.
As our investigation unfolded, an unusual occurrence added another layer of mystery.
Missing frames of footage during the editing process left our team perplexed, further fueling the enigmatic aura surrounding Camp Floyd.
Could these anomalies be linked to the supernatural? It's just one more reason to include Camp Floyd in your ghost-hunting adventure.
