The state of Virginia is home to some of the best colleges in the United States. We don't quite have a Harvard but if you live in-state than you have numerous schools to choose from, all within driving distance of wherever you live. Obviously, by the title of this post you can tell that we are going to examine Cole Hall on the Bridgewater College campus. For this blog, I'm going to try something different. Instead of making this look like a magazine article (basic print format) I'm going to divide it up into sections.
History
Bridgewater College was established in 1880 as Spring Creek Normal and Collegiate Institute by Daniel Christian Flory, an alumnus of the University of Virginia and a young progressive leader in the Church of the Brethren. Nine years later, the school was named Bridgewater College and chartered by the Commonwealth of Virginia to grant undergraduate degrees. Two major influences, the University of Virginia and the Church of the Brethren, have shaped Bridgewater College as an educational institution and created its personality.
Its historic association with the Church of the Brethren, modified Georgian architecture, Honor Code, and seal depicting truth, beauty, goodness, and harmony bear testimony to the strength of these two shaping influences. Bridgewater College became the first private, senior co-educational liberal arts college in Virginia and one of the few accredited colleges of its type in the South.
Today, Bridgewater College enrolls over 1,604 men and women. Electing to keep its enrollment small, Bridgewater continues to maintain a faculty-student ratio of 1:14 and offers the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees.
Paranormal Claims
According to the Valley Ghost Hunters website, "Cole Hall itself was built in 1929. From the Bridgewater website "Cole Hall was erected in 1929 as the auditorium/theatre section of a future administration building. The auditorium/theatre seats about 650 people and is equipped with a modern stage, dressing rooms, a stage lighting system, motion picture and sound equipment, one artist grand piano, and a three-manual Moeller organ with 51 ranks of pipes which was installed in 1974. The name of the building perpetuates the memory of Dr. Charles Knox Cole. It is a gift of his daughter, Mrs. Virginia Garber Cole Strickler."
You can view the full report at the link above or by clicking on the link at the end of the article. The claims appear to be that Dr. Charles Cole's ghost still haunts the place and appears whenever there is a play in session. The reports are that the building is "said to be haunted by the ghost of it’s namesake, Mr. Cole. His ghost has been sighted many times by members of the drama club, musicians, and audience members. Usually seated on the balcony, the ghost appears when he is particularly pleased with a performance. Once, at the end of a play, the lights overhead began to flicker rapidly, and a cold spot was felt near a particular seat on the balcony"
Paranormal Rating = 3
My paranormal rating system is a simple 1-10 scale that shows the activity of said location (10 being extremely active, 1 being not active). I'll give this residence a three just because of the Valley Ghost Hunters case report. They failed to find any evidence and because of that, this place doesn't appear to be very active. Obviously, it's tough to say that's not haunted but this may be a rather calm haunt, perhaps only showing up when the conditions are exactly right.
Either way, Bridgewater College is a unique school that is perfect for anybody who's looking to go to a small school in central Virginia.
Links
Official Website: http://www.bridgewater.edu/
Valley Ghost Hunters Report: http://www.valleyghosthunters.com/bridgewater.htm
Blue Ridge Gazette Post: http://blueridgegazette.blogspot.com/2006/10/virginias-haunted-places.html
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