Apr 29 2010
Ghost Image
This project was one of my favorites! We had to create a believable ghost image using the program Aviary. Along with the image we had to create a little back story to it. The story of Fort Hero is real but the picture is not…or is it?
It all started in 8th grade when my father came into my room and threw a book onto my bed entitled “The Montauk Project”. Seeing the word Montauk on the cover of a book was intriguing because I just so happened to live 15 minutes away. I immediately opened up the book and dove in. After completing the book I started doing more research on the topic. Now a little background information on the “Montauk Project” is definitely needed. Montauk is located on the eastern tip of Long Island and has been the home of Fort Hero, better known as Camp Hero. Back around 1943 the US Navy allegedly started to experiment with time travel there. At first they tested theories on the usual animals, but then, story has it they experimented on their own sailors. This experiment was termed the “Philadelphia Experiment”.
The most bone chilling story is that of the USS Eldridge. This is the ship that was rendered invisible by “bending light” around it. One eyewitness saw this boat disappear from the harbor and then reappear four hours later. In those four hours it was seen in two other places, one being Montauk Point. Stories have it that there was a full crew on board when the USS Eldridge disappeared. Once the ship returned the men left on board were either dead, mentally insane, or had serious side effects from the time travel. Apparently some men somehow ended up stuck between the walls, with half of their body on one side of the wall and the other half on the other side of the wall.
Now these are all again just stories that have been passed through our towns, been written in blogs etc. One thing is for certain though, the US Navy denies all accusations made about what really happened at Camp Hero.
Camp Hero opened up to the public during the 1980s and is owned by New York State Department of Parks. Even though it’s public, it’s still extremely scary when you know all of the history. Since it has been open many people have discovered that once you step foot on the property all signals, whether it be your cell phone or walkie-talkie, are dead. I’ve been there on multiple occasions now and of course have done a lot of exploring. My favorite building to go in is the radar tower. This radar tower sits right on the coast and just hovers over the entire camp. Inside, there are old machines just collecting dust. Situated throughout the property are also a bunch of faux houses. These houses are designed to look normal from the sky but really the doors and windows are cemented and boarded shut. Last summer I went out there to take some photos of the place to show some friends from school. I nearly cried when I saw what popped up on my computer…
