As Halloween approaches, I thought Catherine’s house would make a perfect part of my American series.

This is the oldest haunted house I know of around here; Catherine’s ghost is said to be so pervasive and powerful that the farmhouse in which she was found murdered has gone unsold and uninhabited (except for the spirit) for more than a century.

Even in the booming real estate market, no buyer wants to look at it, and no realtor wants to show it.

Located on the edge of the county I live in, Catherine’s house gives me the chills whenever I go near it. It is proud and ruined.

I confess I like to come by it once n a while, and I always call out to Catherine when I am near so as not to surprise her if she is there. The wooden window blinds are all bent and broken, yet I can never see anything when I look inside them.

I have never heard of Catherine’s cries and don’t know the details of her death, but neighbors and children in the neighborhood swear that you can listen to Catherine’s pleas and cries if you go near the windows of the house on any dark or windy night.

I went near the windows today – I heard some creaking –  but heard nothing from Catherine. The place has a powerful vibe, and I can feel it. I don’t really believe in ghosts, but I can testify that this house is haunted, an old American tradition. I can see it. A neighbor says I can hear it if I come back one night.

I don’t really see any reason to do that.