Paranormal Incorporated

Investigate the Allen House With Paranormal Inc

2012-01-03T18:20:00.000-08:00

On January 28th (2012), the haunted Allen House in Monticello, Arkansas will be opening their doors for an awesome paranormal event. Paranormal Inc is teaming up with the Allen House to present a class on ghost hunting, followed by an actual ghost hunt/investigation of the home! In addition to this, I (Rich Newman) will be bringing copies of my last two books (The Ghost Hunter's Field Guide and Ghost Hunting for Beginners) for those who are interested in picking up a copy.

The Allen House--and the haunting therein--is featured in the new book A Haunted Love Story (The Ghosts of the Allen House) written by Mark Spencer, who also happens to be the current owner of the property (we hope to have copies of this book on hand for purchase, too). The house was also featured recently on the Biography Channel's show My Ghost Story. January 28th marks the 68th anniversary of the funeral of Allen Bonner, one of the spirits that's said to roam the property to this day, and seems an appropriate day to do a little ghost hunting...

Space for this event is extremely limited and the cost is a mere $30 to attend. So if you are interested in the class and want to ghost hunt with Paranormal Inc in the Allen House give them a call at 870-224-2271 to make your reservation. Those who attend should feel free to bring along any personal digital cameras/audio recorders that you own for the ghost hunt. Additional ghost hunting gear will be on hand for attendees to use as well. To learn more about the property, as well as other events at the house, be sure to visit their official website.

Case Files: The Sam Davis Home

2011-09-28T22:21:00.000-07:00

Like many historic homes scattered throughout the country, the Sam Davis Home in Smyrna, Tennessee has a reputation for being haunted. This reputation began when workers (as well as visitors) at the home-turned-living museum began to report seeing and hearing strange things on the property. Of course, there are actually two Sam Davis homes on the site, so it's probably best to first point out that it is the Greek Revival home--not the log cabin house--that is the location of most of the ghostly happenings...

The Antebellum home dates back to around 1810 and was constructed by Moses Ridley, though most of what you will see during your tour dates back to 1850 when the Davis family did extensive renovations to the property (the home still contains over 100 original items that belonged to the family). As for Sam Davis himself, he lived in the home until 1860. At that point, he attended the Western Military Academy in Nashville--but was soon drawn into the Civil War. His enlistment lasted until 1863 when he was captured, tried, and hung by the Union Army as a spy.

But what about the ghosts?

As mentioned above, the main home is now a living museum that is open to the public for tours throughout the year (just check their website for the actual tour schedule) and workers attend to the home on a regular basis. It has been these workers that have reported strange events in the house. Clarence Elkins, a tour guide of the property, has told of hearing the sounds of a woman crying in the home. He told the local press at the Murfreesboro Post that the sounds were coming from the area of the front parlor -- the place that Sam Davis' body lay in state prior to burial.

Sam's Original Home

Visitors to the property (especially young children) have also told the staff of seeing apparitions on the second floor of the house, as well as the ghostly visage of a young man lingering outside the house -- usually in the vicinity of the family grave yard or walking the path between the plot and the house. According to the staff, many believe this male entity to be Oscar Davis, the brother of Sam. Other activity on the property includes voices, hearing footsteps, and finding lights turned on/off by themselves.

During our visit and investigation of the Sam Davis Home, we too had our own unique experiences. We were accompanied on this investigation by our friends Tony and Traci of The Ellisville Mississippi Paranormal Society, as well as budding investigators Chasity and Katherine. Several times over the evening, investigators could hear what sounded like a female voice speaking in the room known as 'Grandmother's Room' on the second floor. There were also strange, moving areas of electromagnetic activity in this room. This all culminated with one big event in this area: While performing an EVP session, two investigators (one male, one female) could hear a female voice respond to their questions. Then, all of a sudden, the EMF's in the room spiked sharply causing an actual field of static electricity that the investigators could feel, followed by the sensation of someone touching the female investigator on the arm! Interestingly, a review of the audio from this occurrence revealed an actual electronic disturbance that causes a strange feedback on the audio recorder during this.

Sam's Final Resting Place

Another personal experience involved the aforementioned downstairs parlor. While performing some EVP work in this area, investigators began asking for knock responses to questions. Soon, they began to get them! Several times, the sounds of a knock could be heard after investigators asked for just such a sound.

A review of the audio, video, and photographic data collected at our investigation would reveal even more... We would leave with several interesting EVP/audio clips and one even more interesting photo...

EVP 1: This was recorded in Grandmother's Room. At this point the home is empty (investigators are working outside), but you can clearly hear what sounds like a weird yell, call, or cry in the room.

EVP 2: This was recorded during an EVP session on the second floor. You will hear a female investigator talking in this clip; listen behind her and you will hear what sounds like the faint voice of a second female in the room. This is not an investigator!

EVP 3: This is an example of the knock responses that investigators were getting in the downstairs parlor. You will hear an investigator ask if there are two ghosts in the home. This is followed by the sound of a photo being taken. Right when the camera beeps, listen for the knock response. You'll notice this knock was heard live by the investigators.

EVP 4: This is another example of the knock responses. This time the knock is heard after an investigator asks for confirmation that there are two ghosts in the house.

EVP 5: This was recorded in Grandmother's Room. You will hear a male and female investigator speaking. Listen close: Behind their voices you can clearly hear a young female speaking! This was not heard by the investigators and is an EVP.

EVP 6: This is the live audio of the event mentioned above. You will hear a male investigator complain that his battery went dead, then you will hear a female investigator say she just got touched, then the audio recorder makes a strange feedback sound as static electricity surges in the air. If you listen close, you may even hear what could be a female voice saying 'woo hoo'...

EVP 7: In addition to the above audio, another recorder placed downstairs in the home by a window would reveal other strange sounds. At times it sounds like a person yelling outside and speaking in loud voice. Throughout our investigation, people were working outside (especially around the small gravesite) and nothing like this was ever heard. As a result, we believe the sounds are EVP's. This clip is an example of the cries caught by this audio recorder. Note that the crickets on the audio are louder than the voice (another reason we believe this to be an EVP).

EVP 8: Another example of the strange voice/cries heard coming from outside (or at least the area by the downstairs windows).

Though all of this audio evidence is great, it's always nice to capture something visual during your investigation. And we would do so! As mentioned before, people have reported seeing an entity walking the path between the house and the family graveyard. Because of this, we took A LOT of photos of this area using night vision/infrared technology. 113 photos would reveal nothing, 1 would reveal something interesting.

Take a look at the photo (click on the image for a larger view): It appears a self-illuminating light is square in the middle of the area said to be visited by Oscar Davis! Because this photo was taken in infrared, it is easy to determine this was not a man-made light (flashlight, etc.) because it would have 'blown out' the sensor of the camera (an event that occurs when you shine a light in an IR camera). There is also no focal refraction in the lens, etc.

Possible Ghostly Figure at Sam Davis Home

Is this the entity seen walking outside the home by visitors?

We don't know. We'd like to think so...but you make the call! Better yet, visit the Sam Davis Home for yourself! The living museum offers Ghost Tours and Haunted Hayrides during the Halloween season on October 21, 22, 28, and 29th.

Just visit the Sam Davis Home website for more information.

Halloween Events and News

2011-08-10T19:29:00.000-07:00

With the spookiest of seasons fast approaching, Paranormal Inc will be getting extremely busy! So, on to the news...

1. Open ghost hunt. We are currently planning an open ghost hunt that will only cost $25-35 a person to attend. There are several locations that we are looking at--and all of them look very good, so it will be a great, fun event regardless. Details about this will be posted in the next few weeks. Space will sell out fast; we will not overbook this event so that those who are serious about ghost hunting will not have to contend will a lot of cutting up, laughing, etc.

2. Rich's new book and tour. Ghost Hunting for Beginners will be released on October 8 so there will be some book signing events, tours in haunted places, etc. going on to support the release (as well as his first book, The Ghost Hunter's Field Guide, that was released back in February). Those dates will also be posted here when they are locked down.

3. Ghost tours. Paranormal Inc will also be hosting some ghost tours at a new location this year. Details about the events, as well as tickets, will also be posted a bit closer to Halloween.

As we get closer to October, there will be (most definitely) more events and happenings to announce, so stay tuned!

Investigate Magnolia Manor with Paranormal Inc!

2011-05-18T20:09:00.000-07:00

Paranormal Inc will be investigating the haunted bed-and-breakfast Magnolia Manor on the evening of Saturday, June 18. The overnight investigation (as well as instruction on ghost hunting, and access to ghost hunting gear) is free for those who rent a room at the B&B that night. There are only four rooms, however, so you will need to hurry if you want to participate in this event!

If you are interested in attending this event, email us at info@paranormalincorporated.com and we will forward the necessary info you need to attend. To see room choices, as well as room prices, visit Magnolia Manor's official website. Again, the ghost hunting is free!

Magnolia Manor is a circa 1849 home located in historic Bolivar, Tennessee. It has been featured on the television show If Walls Could Talk and is as much known for its history as it is for the ghosts there. This will be our fifth investigation at this location--and we expect to get as much haunted activity as we did during our previous visits. Don't miss your chance to investigate the unknown as this wonderful location!

Ghost Hunter's Field Guide - Book Release!

2011-02-07T17:48:00.000-08:00

At long last my book, The Ghost Hunter's Field Guide (Over 1000 Haunted Places That You Can Experience), is hitting the shelves at a store near you. If you order your copy online, Amazon and Barnes & Noble are both selling the book for just over $10. This is the first of two books that I wrote for Llewellyn Publishing; the second (Ghost Hunting for Beginners) will be getting released this September.

While you wait for your copy to arrive by mail, check out the Llewellyn online e-magazine article I wrote about demonic infestation--as well as an interview I did with them. I highly recommend signing up for Llewellyn's online e-magazine; it's a great way to learn about new paranormal authors and books. There is also a Llewellyn blog that features short articles from many notables in the world of the unexplained, the paranormal, and New Age subjects.

If you purchase this book through either online source, and you enjoy it, please write a review of the book on their website. It would be highly appreciated! If you have already purchased the book, and you are visiting the Paranormal Inc website for the first time, take a moment to sign up for our email list and to subscribe to our articles using the tools in the right sidebar. It's a great way to learn about new investigations, overnight events, and to learn more about the paranormal/ghost hunting.

Ghosts of War Preview - Brumder Mansion

2011-01-05T15:38:00.000-08:00

With the release of our movie Ghosts of War right around the corner, we thought everyone might want to check out the preview of the film that we presented (along with a mini-ghost hunting class) at the haunted Brumder Mansion Bed and Breakfast in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The videos were shot by Haunted Houses.com and are featured on YouTube, along with other videos of interviews, etc. Just check out their channel to see more content.

The presentation is broken up into eight separate videos--and there may be a few out of order here--but you can watch these to learn more about our ghost hunting methods, as well as to see evidence and video clips from Ghosts of War. Hope this holds everyone over for a while longer... Enjoy!

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

Part 6

Part 7

Part 8

Case Files: Falcon Rest Mansion and Gardens

2010-12-30T12:44:00.000-08:00

Construction on this Victorian mansion began in 1896 by one Clay Faulkner, a local businessman who made his fortune selling 'Gorilla Pants' to the public. He moved into the house along with his wife, Mary, and their five children (Margie, Virginia, Thula, Daisy and Herschel) and he managed to live there until his death in 1916. Mary would then sell the property and move away to Nashville. During their residence in the home, though, the Faulkner family was so prominent in the area that the town of McMinnville was originally known as 'Faulkner Springs'!

Today, the Falcon Rest Mansion is a historic tourist attraction that has been wonderfully restored by owners (and onsite caretakers) George and Charlien McGlothin. The mansion (where the ghosts are said to reside) is open to the public daily for guided tours, or you can join in one of their well known dinner theatre/shows. It's well worth your time if for no other reason than to see the grand architecture, the period furnishings and to stroll the unique gardens on the property. You can also stay in one of several bed and breakfast rooms located on the grounds.

As for the haunting, it's well known throughout Tennessee. It's said that Mr. Faulkner is still hanging out in his old mansion. He's usually seen or heard around his bedroom on the first floor, though other activity has been witnessed on the staircase (including the sounds of a person whistling a Christmas hymn) and on the second floor. At least one other spirit has been seen in the mansion as well; during a tour of the property, one participant once stated seeing a female spirit wearing a long dress and a bonnet!

During our short investigation of the mansion (getting to the location took longer than expected) we had several interesting personal experiences. At one point during an EVP session, an investigator was suddenly enveloped by a massive cold spot. Since this was a hot night in August (with air conditioning turned off), it was quite startling and was witnessed/felt by several people. This happened on the first floor of house in Mr. Faulkner's old bedroom. The bulk of the personal experiences, however, would occur on the second floor...

While working in the second floor library and bedrooms, we heard (on several occasions) the sounds of female and male voices. The male voice only happened once and sounded like a quick gasp or moan. The female voice was ongoing, however, and we managed to capture several instances of this on audio. There was also a young child's rocking chair that was placed in one bedroom that seemed to constantly get strange hits on a K2 EMF detector. We would take a reading and there would be nothing. Then, moments later, the K2 would light up like the 4th of July (see photo)! At the height of the activity, we could actually say, 'Move away from the lights,' and the K2 would die. Then, when we asked whoever was there to move back towards the device, it would light up again.

Once the review of the audio, video, photos, etc. from the investigation was finished, we were left with several great pieces of evidence. Here are five EVP's we captured over the course of our visit, as well as an interesting video clip... Put on the headphones, turn off the TV, and give 'em a listen:

EVP1: This was captured in the upstairs library while we were downstairs setting up. You'll hear a car go by outside and what sounds like a male gasp/moan. This is identical to the one we heard live.

EVP2: This was captured on the first floor by the stairs. It corresponds with the video clip below. You'll hear an investigator say, 'You can come.' There is a pause, then a strange whispered 'no.' It sounds male.

EVP3: This is an example of the female voice we heard live. You'll hear it twice in this clip; the first is right after an investigator says 'You playing a trick on me?' and the second after 'Ok, well...'

EVP4: Two more instances of the female voice heard live with us there.

EVP 5: This was captured in Mr. Faulkner's room. You'll hear a male and female investigator talking, then a third voice (female) comes in with a 'uh huh' that's loud, followed by a 'yoo hoo' style sound. This is not an investigator and was not heard live at the time.

Video Clip: This was captured on the second floor. The camera is pointed at the library and a bedroom entrance. All the investigators are downstairs at the time. You'll hear a male investigator say 'Are you coming with us?' followed by a female investigator, 'You can come.' There is then what appears to be a figure quickly go by the left (library) doorway in the video. It's quick and happens right at the end of the video. It's interesting that an EVP was captured at the same time (EVP2 above).

If you manage to make a trip to Falcon Rest Mansion and Gardens, you will not be disappointed. It's a great place to stay while exploring the area around Murfreesboro and Nashville. Make your reservations and get more information about the B&B on their website.

Take a Ghost Tour With Paranormal Inc

2010-10-13T13:08:00.000-07:00

We will be making four appearances at ghost tours this Halloween season. At both events, we will be presenting evidence we gathered while performing paranormal investigations at these places. The first two tours will be at the haunted Magnolia Manor B&B in Bolivar, Tennessee.

Over the years, the residents (as well as guests) of Magnolia Manor have been reporting regular paranormal activity--events that include the appearance of apparitions, voices and even objects moving by themselves. We have investigated this location four times and have captured some of our most dramatic EVP's and evidence at this site. We will present this evidence, as well as relate some of our more dramatic personal experiences, at Magnolia Manor on Friday, Oct 15th and Friday, Oct 22. Tickets for these events can be purchased here.

Our final two appearances for this season will be at the Woodruff Fontaine House museum. Ask anybody in Memphis about ghosts and you are likely to hear about Mary, the spirit of the Orpheum Theatre, and Mollie, the ghostly resident of the Woodruff Fontaine House. Mollie has been seen and heard in and around her old bedroom for decades--and she's not alone! At least one other male entity is there with her! During our three investigations at the museum, we managed to captured EVP's of both entities, as well as get one interesting video that supports the idea of a residual haunting happening there as well...

Tickets for the Woodruff Fontaine House ghost tours will be sold at the site prior to the event. We will be hosting tours there on Friday, Oct 29 and Saturday, Oct 30. Tours start at 7pm. In addition to seeing/hearing our evidence and touring the house, you can also stick around for inexpensive appetizers and a chance to mix it up in one of Memphis' most historical homes. More information about the home, its history and the tours can be found at their website.

We hope to see you all at these events! If you come out, be sure to introduce yourself to us. Happy Halloween!

Case Files: Brumder Mansion

2010-10-04T17:37:00.000-07:00

Built in 1910 by German publisher George Brumder for his son (George Jr.), the Brumder Mansion in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is known for more than just plush rooms, great breakfast and an awesome location close to downtown attractions. The home has a rich history that spans 20th century Milwaukee--and more than a few residents/guests over the years have reported experiencing haunted activity in the mansion.

When George built his home, he decided to go with the Victorian/Arts and Crafts style that was so popular at the time (much like his nearby neighbor Frederick Pabst), though he would make strategic changes to suit the house to his needs. One of these changes included adding the traditional ballroom to the property's basement rather than on one of the upper floors (as was the tradition of the time). Because of this architectural choice, the mansion would go on to be used for a variety of social functions.

After Henrietta Brumder passed away in the 1920's, the house was sold to an infamous Milwaukee resident named Sam Picks. Picks was known for his ties to organized crime and for distributing liquor during the Prohibition years. Since the home had a ballroom located in the basement of his house (with its own entrance), Picks set up a speakeasy in the area. And along with any speakeasy, you get the typical assortment of other shady business ventures (prostitution, gambling, etc.). Like many of his criminal peers of the day, Picks would eventually disappear--presumably to his grave.

The mansion would go on to be a boarding house, church parsonage, cafe, and (eventually) a bed and breakfast. Today, the property is owned by a nice couple named Tom and Julie who run the six suite B&B and entertainment venue. Little did they know that when they purchased the property in 2008 that they would also be inheriting a place known for paranormal activity...

The Gold Suite

Over the years, eye witness accounts of ghostly activity in the home have included a female apparition who has been seen/heard in the Gold Suite (dubbed 'Aunt Pussy' and 'Susan' by the staff). On occasion, this entity makes her way onto the ground floor as well (once even spotted wearing a long, black dress on the staircase) to play with items in the dining room. Of course, Susan is not alone...

The spirit of George Brumder, Jr. is also thought to be in residence--in the room that is now named for him. Reports in this area include cold spots, items moving on their own, and the feeling of a presence in the room. Other hot spots in the mansion include the basement theatre and the third floor rooms (where people are often touched, hear strange sounds, etc.).

IR Photo of Basement

During my visit and investigation of the Brumder Mansion, I had my own set of experiences... While setting up to perform an EVP session in the basement, a quick whispy blob of white mist shot past my face! It was big and fast and gone before I knew it. Also in this area, I was exploring a back room where a tunnel may have once provided a safe escape for Mr. Picks and company. In one of the back corners, I clearly heard the sound of a chair or other object moving. When I moved forward to investigate, a large shadow mass shot away from me.

While staying in the mansion, I slept in George's Suite. Not a single night passed that I didn't hear odd knocks, bangs, objects moving, etc. Of course, this was the same area where one of the owners had a belt disappear and then reappear a few days later! During my visit, I co-hosted a ghost hunting class with the Northern Alliance of Paranormal Investigators and managed to get three nights worth of investigating under my belt. The results would be interesting...

George's Suite

Photographs and video would yield nothing of importance, but I would find a few significant incidents on my audio recorders. Get out your good headphones, get yourself in a nice quiet area and give 'em a listen:

Clip 1: This was captured in the basement of the mansion. During an EVP session I asked, 'Can you tell me your name?' There was an extremely low volume whispered response. It sounds like two syllables.

Clip 2: This was also captured in the basement. At one point I started trying to get knock responses to questions. In this clip, you'll hear me ask for some knocks. Listen close; while I'm knocking, there is a weird voice that says, 'Woo...'

Clip 3: This was captured in George's Suite during our ghost hunting class. Here you'll hear a student (a local police officer) say, 'We'd like it if you came by the table and communicated some how.' Right after he says this, there is a male voice that says four words. The last three words sound like 'you like that' or 'do like that.'

Here's an enhanced version of just the EVP response...

Clip 4: This was also captured in George's Suite. Here you'll hear me do the classic 'shave and a haircut' knock. Listen close; there's a pair of low volume answer knocks that we do not hear!

Clip 5: This was captured in the Gold Suite. While doing an EVP session there, I tried to coax the female entity to appear before me for a photograph. In this clip, you'll hear a click (that's me adjusting my camera), then right before I say, 'This camera...can I take some photographs of you?' You'll hear a female voice start speaking. This was recorded about 3am when I was alone with no other investigators, much less a female!

If you can manage a trip to the Brumder Mansion, you will not be disappointed. As I've already mentioned, they have great lodgings in one of the best spots for touring the city of Milwaukee. Of course, you can also try to catch one of the Halloween ghost hunting events they will be offering on October 29/30. Visit here for information about these events, or go to the official website for the Brumder Mansion to book your room and plan your visit. Despite the paranormal activity in the premises, everything is of a benevolent nature and you won't regret visiting with Susan and George, Jr.!

Case Files: Ernestine and Hazel's

2010-09-17T11:58:00.000-07:00

When you have investigated as many haunted places as we have, you start to crave a 'challenge' of sorts. Ernestine and Hazel's, a bar on South Main in downtown Memphis, Tennessee would turn out to be just what we needed.

Besides the fact that we were limited to a daylight investigation, traffic in that area is constant, stray noises are in abundance and the building itself poses its fair share of difficulties. The wiring, much like the rest of the joint, is old so you can imagine the stray EMF's throughout the place and I believe that every single board, stair, etc. has its own creak or groan. But this is what you get with a location that has so much history...

Back in the 'old days,' Ernestine and Hazel's served a dual purpose; it was a 'sundry' store that sold goods to the local, black community and it hosted a small hotel of sorts on the upper floor that was a favorite with visiting musicians. The bar tender told us tales of these musicians, such as the time Wilson Pickett stayed on the premises along with guitar player Steve Cropper. According to legend, Pickett and Cropper would put together two of their biggest hits there: Mustang Sally and The Midnight Hour.

Of course, with the good tales also comes the bad... In addition to the typical services offered by a hotel, it's said that E & H also operated a brothel for its patrons. And the business saw more than its fair share of violence over the years (a no brainer considering the ingredients of booze, whores, gambling, etc.). It is because of these turbulent times that the bar is now thought to be haunted.

Witnesses to the on-site phenomena claim to have heard ghostly voices and moans coming from upstairs and to have occasionally seen an apparition in the downstairs bar area. The juke box is said to turn on by itself as well. When we visited and toured the building, a few things became obvious: The place does give off a bad vibe of sorts. But this is not paranormal...

Fun House Effect

Ernestine and Hazel's is like an adult fun house--and I'm not talking about the fact it serves alcohol! The stairs/floors are crooked and cause you to weave and bob your way across rooms, the walls are painted in garish colors and the bar is filled with strange, old furniture that makes you feel out of sorts (or at least like you've stepped back in time). The combination of these things can make visitors instantly feel 'odd' and put off. If you introduce a ghost story to that visitor, now you're really ill at ease...

Though it was daytime, we approached our investigation at the bar much like any other: Audio recorders were placed in various areas (as far from windows as possible), photos were taken (infrared and otherwise) and attempts were made to interact with any spirits present in the property. After about two hours of constant EVP work we were finally rewarded with our own ghostly experience...

Location of Moan

Mike and I were performing an EVP session in one of the upstairs side rooms (one of the possible brothel/hotel bedrooms) when we both heard a loud disembodied voice make a groaning sound. And by loud, I mean really loud! When we reviewed the audio on the spot, the odd voice was nearly as loud as us (listen below).

There would also be some strange EMF hits around the area of an old piano. When we reviewed the audio recorded from this same area, we would get our only EVP: The sound of a long, ghostly moan (listen below). A really cliched moan that almost sounds like something from a cartoon or movie. Of course, this is exactly the sound that employees of the bar have claimed to hear coming from upstairs...

Location of EVP and EMF Hit

All in all, I recommend visiting Ernestine and Hazel's for yourself. They have inexpensive beer and drinks, their own unique take on the hamburger (something they call the 'Soul Burger' that features fried onions and Worcestershire sauce) and an environment you're not going to encounter anywhere else. What better place to run into a ghost?

Clip 1: This is the audio clip of the disembodied voice captured upstairs at Ernestine and Hazel's. You'll hear Mike say, 'Do something.' Then there's the groan. Right after the voice, I say, 'What?' Then Mike actually talks about hearing the voice as a sigh, etc.

Clip 2: This is the EVP captured at Ernestine and Hazel's. At this point, the room is empty of people, etc. so it is the only sound you'll hear in the clip. It sounds like a cliche ghost sound.

Case Files: Catfish Plantation

2010-08-15T10:16:00.000-07:00

It's always interesting when you visit a haunted place--even when it's just to learn a bit about the history and to enjoy their hospitality. It was after a trip to the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas that I decided to sidetrack a bit on the way back to Memphis to hit the legendary Catfish Plantation restaurant in Waxahachie, Texas.

The Catfish Plantation is known for serving up some of the best fried catfish in the area (something I can definitely attest to) and for their trio of ghosts: Caroline, Will and Elizabeth.

The house itself dates back to 1895 and a local resident by the name of Anderson. It serviced as a farm estate for his family and relatives for many years until it was converted into a doctor's office in 1970. Later, in 1984, the current owners (Tom and Melissa Baker) purchased the property and would open the restaurant. As the Bakers mention on their website, it wouldn't be long after purchasing the place that they would notice paranormal activity in the home--things like dishes being moved, glowing balls of light and the apparition of a young girl in a wedding dress standing by a front window!

Over the years, Catfish Plantation has been featured in many haunted programs on the Travel Channel, etc. and they now know there are three spirits in the restaurant. The first is 'Will' a farmer believed to have passed away on the property in the 1930's. He has been seen by witnesses as reputable as the local police, standing on the front porch of the house in a pair of coveralls. The second spirit is called 'Caroline' and is thought to be an elderly woman who resided in the house as well.

But the most commonly reported ghost is that of 'Elizabeth,' a young girl who is often seen in a wedding dress standing by her favorite window. She also likes to visit the ladies restroom where it is believed she was strangled to death sometime in the 1920's. Visitors to the restaurant have reported smelling roses when she is around, though most of the activity is attributed to the 'flirty' Will who likes to touch female visitors.

I was told all this information while enjoying my dinner at the plantation just before closing. There was one other couple there for a meal--and when they left, my waitress took me on a short tour of the historic, haunted place. During that tour, I had my own brief but interesting paranormal experience. The waitress was telling me about Elizabeth's favorite spot by 'her window,' when we heard a metallic 'ding.' After a quick look around the dining room, we found that a set of silverware on my table (a set that I wasn't using since there were place settings for four) had been moved from a straight position to a crossed position (see photo).

I snapped a photo of the incident and continued touring the restaurant. The young girl was telling me tales about the women's restroom when an unmistakable cold spot hit the room. The waitress was only mildly alarmed, but she ushered me away from the area (I don't think she likes seeing ghosts as much as I do). I took a few more pictures and then got back on the road to Memphis. A few weeks later, a paranormal television show called Ghost Lab would feature an episode of Catfish Plantation--and during their visit, they would also experience the moving silverware!

If you're ever in the area of Waxahachie, and you're craving some top notch fried catfish, I recommend visiting the Catfish Plantation (they also feature paranormal events). Just don't sit in Elizabeth's favorite spot!

News and Happenings

2010-07-21T15:03:00.000-07:00

Cover from new book by Rich Newman

Recently, I appeared on two e-radio shows: Z Talk Radio (this was recorded live from Brumder Mansion in Milwaukee, Wisconsin) and Elliott Adams' show 'The Other Side of Life.' You can listen to this broadcast here. Elliott and I discuss the paranormal, ghost hunting and upcoming projects from Paranormal Inc.

My newest book, The Ghost Hunter's Field Guide, will be hitting shelves this winter. If you are into the paranormal (and we know you are) you will have to have this book! It has state-by-state listings of hauntings throughout the United States (over 1100 of them) and you can visit every one of them! There are no cemeteries, private properties or abandoned locations that are dangerous. Every haunted location can be visited by every reader. We will have more information about the exact release date, as well as events/book signings in the near future.

Results from our investigation/event at Brumder Mansion are forthcoming. Expect to read case files from Brumder, as well as the Lemp Mansion in St. Louis, and to (finally) check out the evidence captured during our trip to New Orleans in the VERY near future.

Lastly, we are planning our fall events, so if you have a suggestion for an 'open to the public' investigation or event, send it our way. We will be presenting evidence and hosting tours of the Woodruff Fontaine House on Halloween weekend and doing the same at Magnolia Manor in Bolivar, TN earlier in October, so it looks to be a great end of the year! We hope to see everyone at the fun.

Paranormal Inc Visits Brumder Mansion

2010-06-25T11:53:00.000-07:00

Paranormal Inc will be visiting the haunted Brumder Mansion Bed and Breakfast in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on July 9 and 10. In addition to performing an investigation there, a ghost hunting class and exclusive preview of the new movie Ghosts of War will be presented to the general public. The class and preview (as well as a chance to take your tour of the haunted mansion) will be offered on both evenings, so there's room for everyone to attend!

Cost for the class, preview and tour is only $30--and there are several rooms still available in the B&B for those who would like to spend the night in the haunted mansion after the event (just visit their website for more information and pricing).

Class participants will get hands-on experience using the typical ghost hunting gear (EMF detectors, audio recorders, digital thermometers, etc.) and learn how to investigate the paranormal using our patented 'DICE' method (Detect, Interact, Capture and Escalate). Okay, so it's not 'patented,' but it will be featured in my book Ghost Hunting for Beginners (Llewellyn Publishing, 2011). Email me at info@paranormalincorporated if you want more information regarding this trip or the event there. See you there!

Case Files: Arlington Inn

2010-06-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

Arlington Inn in De Soto, Missouri

Owned by Ron and Diane Johnson, the Arlington Inn is a hotel and restaurant located in De Soto, Missouri. It was originally built in 1860 and was known locally as the 'De Soto House.' It's located right alongside the railroad tracks in town and was most likely a road house for folks working in that industry--though the building also exhibits evidence of a church as well. Today, the place is more well known for their down home cooking and antique furnishings than the usual sordid affairs of old taverns, boarding houses, etc.

The hotel features several unique rooms for overnight stays (just check out the circa 1949 wedding gown on display in the Bridal Suite) and, on occasion, they feature a mystery dinner theatre show. In addition to all this, you can even shop for antiques there during your stay. It all adds up to one historic and entertaining getaway. And for those interested in the paranormal, the hotel even offers a bit of that as well...

Over the years, guests to the Arlington Inn have reported some strange experiences--including seeing apparitions in various parts of the building (but especially on the third floor), witnessing a rocking chair moving on its own (in the third floor hallway) and hearing the typical sounds associated with a haunting (footsteps, bangs, etc.). A visiting ghost hunting group even managed to capture a strange photo in one of the bedrooms that could possibly be a figure standing in the room (this photo is proudly on display in the restaurant).

Arlington Inn Ghost Photo

We were treated to top notch hospitality during our stay at the inn--and the manager took time from his busy schedule to give us a tour of the grounds and to tell us the paranormal tales I just mentioned above. He assured us that the ghosts in the hotel were of the friendly sort and were most likely past owners of the property. Once we settled in for our own investigation, we noticed some strange things almost immediately--of the paranormal and normal nature!

On the normal side of things, the entire first floor of the inn registered some extremely high electromagnetic fields. Especially adjacent to the manager's office. This is often the case with older buildings, but with readings topping 180mg next to the fuse box, this is something they may want to correct (this is high enough to actually cause hallucinations, headaches, etc.). The other areas on the first floor were in the 8-20mg range--which is also high, but not unbearably so.

After doing an initial sweep of the hotel, we settled in the downstairs parlor/sitting room to do some EVP work; almost immediately we heard the sounds of the front door opening and footsteps walking around the room. Upon inspection, the front door was fastened tight. In fact, we were told guests had to use the side/restaurant door to go in and out of the hotel. Soon, we managed to get some strange readings on the K2 meter as well--readings that suggested we were not alone in the room! Though we would go on to investigate the other areas of the hotel, we would have no other personal experiences. But we had high hopes for good evidence after our review .

We crashed for the night in our respective rooms, audio recorders running, and left the following morning after a wonderful breakfast buffet in the restaurant (worth a visit in itself). Review of our photos, audio, etc. revealed a few interesting audio clips:

Clip 1: This is an example of the footsteps and creaking board sounds we heard on the first floor that would indicate somebody walked into the room. Only we weren't walking and the actual floor wasn't creaking...

Clip 2: This is the recording of the sound of the front door opening. As mentioned above, the door never opened and nobody was there, though.

Clip 3: This EVP was captured in the downstairs sitting room. We were performing an EVP session and asking for a tap or knock in response to a question. Though we never heard it at the time, apparently somebody was, indeed, knocking for our attention.

Clip 4: This was recorded in Mike's room during the night. It sounds like footsteps in the room with him and even wakes him from sleep.

All in all, with or without ghosts, the Arlington Inn makes for a fun trip. There's a neat little bar within walking distance, a great restaurant there and comfortable beds in a historic building. Add it to your itinerary when you pass through Missouri on your way to St. Louis! Visit their website for more information.

Case Files: The Duff Green Mansion B&B

2010-05-09T10:24:00.000-07:00

Haunted Dixie Room at Duff Green Mansion

When Duff Green made the decision to marry Mary Lake, he built a home for his soon-to-be bride in 1856. She was fond of entertaining folks in Vicksburg, Mississippi and he thought the Palladian style mansion would be a perfect environment for their social galas. And so the place thrived until the outbreak of the Civil War in 1861.

The war would place an immense strain on the Green family, as well as the residents of Vicksburg--especially after the city became the focus of General Ulysses S. Grant's army during the siege of 1863. Confederate General John C. Pemberton commanded the defense of the city and they would endure a vicious artillery assault for more than forty days while the residents of the town huddled in their homes and neighboring caves for safety.

During the battle, the Duff Green Mansion would become a hospital for troops from both sides. After the home was struck a number of times by cannonball fire, Duff offered the place for the wounded in a last ditch effort to save the structure. The basement/kitchen area of the home was used as an operating area, the ground floor was used for recovering Confederate soldiers and the top floor was reserved for Union troops. Hundreds would go under the knife in the mansion--with many of them losing their lives. Meanwhile, Mary Green would give birth to a son in a neighboring cave. He would be named William Siege Green in a bit of dark humor.

Once the war was over, the Greens leased the mansion to the federal government as a veterans hospital so that troops could fully recover from their wounds before traveling to their homes. It would be 1866 before the Greens would get their mansion back. They lived there until 1880 when Duff passed away in the premises, then Mary would sell the property. The house would go on to be an orphanage, a retirement home and a center for the homeless/needy operated by the Salvation Army.

Today it is a premier bed and breakfast operated by Mr. and Mrs. Harry Carter Sharp. They have completely renovated the home in a style that tells of its former glory while offering modern amenities for guests. Visitors to the B&B can still see the evidence of the home's trials during the Civil War; blood stains are still visible on the floor and even the damage from a cannon ball can be seen. Of course, another thing that's often seen in the home is ghosts...

The most common reported spirit is that of Mary Green who has, apparently, decided to return to the home that was built for her. Her apparition has been seen throughout the main house numerous times. She is said to have blond hair and to be wearing a long, green dress. Incidents involving being touched by Mary and hearing her voice have also occurred. And Mary is not alone in the house either...

Visitors who stay in the Dixie Room have also seen a ghost. In this area, though, the entity appears to be that of a Confederate soldier. Interestingly, most stories involving this ghost state that the man is missing a leg and is usually sitting in a chair within this room, indicating he was probably a soldier who recuperated in the home just after the war. Other haunted hot spots include the Confederate Room (where phantom smells, disembodied voices/footsteps have been experienced) and the staircase area of the main house (where the spirit of a young Green daughter (who died at a young age in the home) is said to hang out).

During our investigation at the mansion, several interesting things happened. While performing some EVP work on the ground floor of the house, we heard what sounded like a voice twice (once it sounded like a female or young child and once it sounded male). We also seemed to have an entity moving back and forth between the dining room and the living room; we were actually able to track the movement using a K2 style EMF detector (see the video below). Though I initially thought the spirit to be Mary Green (and even say so in the video), it seems that this entity was most likely the young Green daughter; the K2 hits seemed to be a consistent 3 feet or so off the ground and the energy field seemed to enjoy 'sitting' in my lap.

We also spent a great deal of time in the Dixie Room attempting to get the ghost there on camera. Though this did not happen, some strange events did occur. At times the room seemed to go extremely dark like something was, literally, sucking the light out of it. And there would be strange, light knocks within the room--sometimes seemingly in response to our questions (or us simply talking about the spirit there). Once our investigation was over, we actually slept in the Confederate Room, hoping to experience some activity there (of course we were so tired we dropped off immediately, so there was no chance of catching any 'phantom smells').

Review of the audio from Duff Green Mansion yielded some interesting things. Warning: When you listen to these EVP's/audio clips, wear headphones in a quiet room! There was a rain storm the night we visited, so we had to use low sensitivity microphones (otherwise all we would have heard on audio is thunder, rain, etc.). We caught the following:

Clip 1: This EVP was captured in the ballroom of Duff Green. You'll hear a loud breath (me) then there's what sounds like a faint male voice.

Clip 2: This was captured in the living room of Duff Green. You'll hear me say 'ask you some questions,' then you'll hear a male voice say something. We actually heard this voice live.

Clip 3: This was captured just outside the ballroom in the hallway. It sounds like a 'yoo hoo' style whistle. Maybe somebody trying to get our attention? This is an EVP and was not heard live.

Clip 4: This was recorded in the dining room. We were doing EVP work and having fun with the K2 meter when we heard a yell. Could either be a female or child (this is in the video as well).

Clip 5: This was recorded in the dining room. Just before you hear me speak, there is the voice of a woman. This is an EVP and was not heard live.

Clip 6: This was captured in the Dixie Room. While attempting to catch the soldier on video, we caught this EVP of a male voice.

Clip 7: This audio clip was recorded in the Dixie Room. This is an example of the low-volume tapping that would often occur in response to questions, or when we were talking about the ghost of that room.

The Duff Green Mansion is a wonderful haunted location--and an even better bed and breakfast. Well worth the trip to Vicksburg. Stop in for a bit of good Southern hospitality and tell 'em Paranormal Inc sent you. Enjoy this video tour of the Duff Green Mansion and visit their website for more information regarding your visit there.

The Orpheum Theatre: Sylvia Browne Interview & Show

2010-04-20T19:06:00.000-07:00

Like most legendary haunted locations, the Orpheum Theatre in Memphis, TN has its fair share of legends and stories. Most people in the Memphis area have heard of the ghost of Mary--and most likely have heard one of three stories concerning Mary's origins. Now there is a fourth version to the story--one that adds more depth, details and a second ghost! This information comes from psychic Sylvia Browne who will be appearing at the Orpheum this Friday, April 23.

During a conference call that included members of the local press and management of the theatre, Sylvia managed to do a reading of the spirits at the Orpheum. And what a reading it was! I managed to get an interview with Sylvia concerning her reading--as well as to get valuable information from her regarding hauntings, ghost hunting and the use of psychics by paranormal investigators.

As I mentioned above, there are three original stories concerning Mary. They are:
1. She died in an accident involving a fall and wandered into the theatre.
2. She was struck by a trolley in front of the theatre, was brought inside and then died.
3. She perished in a fire that occurred in the original opera house.

These stories evolved from a couple different sources, including a parapsychology class from the University of Memphis who visited the theatre in 1979. Over the years, these stories (at least the part about the spirit of a girl being in the place) have been supported by eyewitness accounts of seeing Mary hanging out in and around her 'favorite seat' in the theatre C-5, Box 5. Even famous actors like Yul Brynner have reported seeing the ghost of Mary.

With Sylvia Browne already scheduled to appear at the Orpheum this Friday, it seemed only natural to get her take on the haunted happenings at the theatre. During my phone call with her, she revealed several new revelations concerning Mary: She died at the age of 27, she passed away during the Civil War and she is not alone! During her reading, Ms. Browne revealed that Mary Margaret Forrester died because of an immunity issue and a broken heart while attending wounded Civil War troops on the grounds of the theatre (she was a nurse). Her beau was killed while serving in the Confederate army (a soldier by the name of David Jensen) which led to Mary's demise sometime in 1863 or 1864.

When I asked Sylvia about people seeing a 'little girl' in the theatre, she stated that Mary is quite short and that people are simply mistaking her for a younger girl. Simple enough explanation. Sylvia also feels that there is a male entity in the premises as well; his name is Clifford Ferris (or possibly Farris) and he hung himself from a tree sometime around 1886 while suffering from encephalitis. Clifford and Mary do not communicate or notice each other, but exist in their own worlds within the property.

It will be interesting to utilize this new information during an investigation of the Orpheum Theatre--something that's in the works for us as I write this. For those who are interested in hearing Sylvia's take on ghost hunting, psychics and paranormal television programs, take a listen at the podcast below. It is the entire phone conversation between myself and Sylvia Browne. In addition to taking the time to speak to me about the Orpheum and the paranormal, Sylvia has also offered something for you, the visitors to this website: Free tickets to her show this Friday! At least three pairs of them at any rate...

The first three people to email me about this post and to mention a specific detail from the phone call/podcast below that's not mentioned within this article will get a pair of free tickets to see Sylvia this Friday night (April 23) at the Orpheum Theatre. She has even said she may attempt to speak to Mary during the show! This is your chance to see one of the country's premier psychics in action--as well as to ask your own questions concerning your haunting, ghost hunting, etc.

If you're not one of the lucky three to get the free tickets, you can enjoy a discount off your ticket price that's being offered to the visitors of this website. Just visit Ticket Master to purchase your tickets for the show and enter the Discount Code 'Sylvia123' to get an instant 10% discount off the price! Her show is priced extremely reasonably already (tickets are as low as $25), so with this discount you will not want to miss it. Enjoy the podcast and I hope to see you at the show!

News, Events and New Gear

2010-04-18T11:13:00.000-07:00

It's that busy time of year for us; with warm weather now breathing down our necks, it's only natural that we would start planning some new investigations and overnight events for the year. We have also revamped our website. If you take a look at the investigations listed on the site, you will notice that they now feature embedded photos and mini audio players embedded right in the articles. There are no more pesky external links to deal with (with the rare exception of when we need an extra large photo to be available for review, as in the Woodruff Fontaine House case). So take a lap around the site and check out all those EVP's that you maybe didn't hear before. I also invite everyone to check out our Facebook page (there's a link in the sidebar of this site). You can post your own paranormal photos, videos and audio there to share with other paranormal enthusiasts, as well as add a link for your own site.

News-wise, we have several announcements to make. First off, it's probably not too early to announce that we will be teaming up with the Woodruff Fontaine House again this year to host haunted tours of the living museum. We will be performing a pair of new investigations of the premises, so we hope to have new audio, photographic and video evidence of the haunting there to present at the event. If you've never heard of this location, or of the spirit of Mollie Woodruff, you may want to check it out. Haunted tours aside, the home is a great place to visit (they are a museum that's open most days) and they offer tours. Check out their site for more info.

We also want to let everyone know that we have two more articles appearing in Paranormal Underground magazine. The April 2010 issue (out now, just check out their website) features our investigation at Devil's Backbone in Grand Tower, Illinois and the May 2010 issue will have our investigation of the Lehmann House. Both of these investigations are featured on this site, but the magazine will have tons of additional articles concerning the paranormal, so it's worth checking out for sure.

The last thing I want to mention is that one of our members, Brandon, is now officially in the U.S. Army, so we are down an investigator. Though we can usually do our work with just two people (and we actually prefer a small team), we do feel the need to take on a new investigator. Ideally, this person will live in a reasonable distance from Memphis so attending investigations, etc. won't be a problem. If you are interested in coming aboard, shoot me an email at info@paranormalincorporated.com.

On the events front, we have a couple new intriguing investigations coming up. We will be hosting an overnight at Duff Green Mansion in Vicksburg, Mississippi as well as at the infamous Angel's Park Hotel in Hot Springs, Arkansas. I am in discussions with both locations and hope to have a hard date set VERY soon. Those will be announced here and on our Facebook page. I am also in talks for a unique investigation of our own local 'Waverly Hills' style sanitorium that's known for its paranormal activity. Though this won't be an open overnight event, we will definitely keep our friends in mind for joining us on this trip.

Lastly, I wanted to introduce a new piece of gear for everyone. It's a small, handheld nightvision camera that runs off batteries and records directly to SD memory cards. What makes it cool is that it also features an onboard flashlight, so you can use your second hand to carry an additional piece of gear (like an EMF detector). But, perhaps, the coolest thing of all about it, is that it only costs $80.00! Why is it so cheap? It was designed to be a toy (and you can tell it was because it's very lightweight), but it functions very well and does offer an easy to use alternative to a camcorder (and using SD memory cards makes it easy to offload the video footage). You can order your camera through this link at our Amazon Store.

Stay tune to this site for more information regarding Paranormal Inc and our upcoming events and investigations. If you have a haunted site for us to investigate, drop us a line at info@paranormalincorporated.com.

Case Files: The Lehmann House

2010-04-12T19:46:00.000-07:00

Though this Romanesque Revival home was originally built in the 1860's for Edward S. Rowse, it's more known for Frederick and Nora Lehmann who took over the property and lived there for over thirty years. The house would go on to pass through several other owners before landing in the lap of current resident and innkeeper, Marie Davies.

Since taking over the property in 1992, Marie has done an outstanding job of renovating this house and she now hosts one of the best bed and breakfasts in the area (the historic Lafayette Square neighborhood). Guests who stay in the Lehmann House get to choose between four different rooms for their stay: The Presidents Room (named for the fact that several U.S. presidents were known to have visited the house during the Lehmann's residency there), The Map Room (where Frederick once stored his map collection), The World's Fair Room (which commemorates Frederick's membership on the Board of Directors for the 1904 World's Fair) and The Maid's Room (named for the obvious reason).

But what about the haunting of this bed and breakfast? Tales vary. If you research online, you'll quickly figure out that most think the spirit of Edward is still lingering in his old bedroom. Marie has heard some of these stories--and has had her own experiences in the home--though she reserves a certain amount of skepticism regarding some of the more extravagant claims (as is often good to do). Of course, like most homes of this age, there have been deaths there (all of natural causes), so it's not beyond the realm of possibility that somebody from the home's past could still be there.

During my visit at the B&B, I stayed in The Map Room, an area where others have claimed to have seen shadowy apparitions and heard footsteps/voices. After several hours of snapping infrared photos and performing EVP work throughout the house, I turned in for the night for several hours of restless sleep. It would be after my review of the audio recorded in the bedroom that I would know why I slept so fitfully...

Over the course of the night, sounds within the room would shake me awake--primarily the sounds of whispers/voices and objects banging/moving. Here are a few examples of this:

Clip 1: Here you'll hear what sounds like a voice whispering in the room and then a bang that wakes me. The audio recorder was on a nightstand beside the bed.

Clip 2: In this clip you'll hear a gasp/sigh that's me suddenly waking up. At the same time, it sounds like a female says something (almost like her voice woke me).

Clip 3: Here you'll hear a female voice say a couple words, then hear me wake up and turn over in my bed. I actually remember waking up for this one. I looked around the room and found nothing, so I went back to sleep.

Clip 4: This is the same as Clip 3, only I have enhanced the audio so you can hear the female voice a little clearer.

Since most of the tales involving a ghost seem to involve a male family member who lived there, it's a little surprising to have captured a female voice. But that's the way it goes sometimes. Like I said before, there were family deaths in the home...

Visit the Lehmann House B&B's website for more information regarding the home, its restoration and to book your own room for a stay you won't forget.

Paranormal Inc Featured in Paranormal Underground

2010-02-07T10:35:00.000-08:00

If you haven't heard of it, Paranormal Underground is an independently produced magazine that features articles and information about all aspects of the paranormal. You can purchase copies of their magazine (in magazine form, or as a downloadable pdf document), and even read the content for free once the issue has been released for a while.

The content of the magazine (much like the articles contained in Haunted Times) is contributed by folks from all over the world that research and work in their respective fields. They always feature a couple new haunted locations, and 'how-to' type articles (this issue has a great piece on EVP's).

Check out the most current issue (Feb 2010) which features an article we contributed concerning the haunting and investigation of the Old Talbott Tavern in Bardstown, Kentucky. Visit their website for more information and to check out the magazine!

Case Files: Walking Horse Hotel

2010-01-26T10:06:00.000-08:00

Some of the legends and ghost stories concerning the Walking Horse Hotel (circa 1917) will make you shake your head in wonder--and others are simply tragic. When the current owner of the establishment, Joe Peters, took over the property, he learned about the tales pretty quick. First there's the story of the spectral horse that's been seen inside the building (thought to be 'Strolling Jim,' a world champion Tennessee Walking Horse who is actually buried outside on the premises), then there's the spirit of 'Floyd Carothers' (a past owner of the hotel who is rumored to haunt the area around his old room on the third floor, though he passed away in Jonesboro, Arkansas) and then there are the usual tales of spirits associated with historic saloons and hotels. But the most tragic tale of all concerns Joe himself.

Joe purchased the hotel in 2007 and was renovating the historic building when his wife, Chais, succumbed to cancer and passed away. He named the music hall (an area that now features regular music acts) after her and continued on, turning the Walking Horse into a unique and pleasurable place to stay (there are six beautifully apportioned rooms for rent). Since then, several paranormal groups have investigated the hotel--and most have come away with compelling evidence that supports the idea that something is going on at the Walking Horse!

When Mike and I stayed at the hotel, we took one of the five rooms on the second floor (Room 205) that was said to have had more than its fair share of paranormal activity (though it seems the third floor--an area that is still being renovated--is the most active). Joe gave us a tour of the premises and pointed out several hot spots where folks had either had a personal experience or a previous investigator had gathered some evidence.

He also mentioned that most of the information about the Walking Horse being haunted was nonsense (come on, is anyone really expecting to see a ghost horse in the building?)--specifically the tales of a Vietnam veteran going on a shooting spree and of a customer who claimed to be possessed by Floyd (yet another reason to be skeptical of 'information' found online). We placed audio recorders in our room while we investigated the third (and empty) floor of the hotel, where we used the usual array of audio, video and environmental monitoring gear.

While working on the third floor, we had several significant experiences. The sounds of disembodied voices/whispers were heard a few times (once there was a loud sigh that sounded between us), a massive black shadow shape once blotted out the light of an entire doorway and Mike (much to his surprise) witnessed the full bodied apparition of a woman wearing a turn of the century dress. I can attest to at least his surprise; he dropped his flashlight, jumped about two feet into the air and nearly tore my shirt off trying to grab me to show me the woman.

As for the bedroom we stayed in...well, we were pretty exhausted after working into the wee hours on the third floor, so there were no personal experiences (unless you count light snoring). The following day, we thanked Joe for his hospitality, had a great breakfast at the hotel and made our way back to the homestead for several days of reviewing the evidence we gathered.

Though the video and photographic data would yield no evidence, there were several EVP's captured by our audio recorders:

EVP 1: This was captured on the third floor. Listen behind Mike and I and you will hear a female voice say 'Hello.'

EVP 2: This was captured on the third floor. Once again, you'll hear Mike and I talking. Behind us, you'll hear a little female laugh then one word a bit later.

EVP 3: Also on the third floor. Right after I say 'Ow' you'll hear another 'hello.' This one sounds young or male, though.

EVP 4: This clip is actually of us hearing a disembodied voice. It sounds like a yell, then a couple words. It was captured on the third floor.

EVP 5: Captured on the third floor. Right after I say, 'Tell us your name,' you'll hear a strange, whispered voice. It sounds male.

EVP 6: Here's a weird one. Captured on the third floor. Almost sounds like a 'yee haw' or something.

EVP 7: This was on the third floor. We are changing out batteries (they were just drained) and discussing switching out gear. In the background you'll hear two female sighs/moans.

EVP 8: This is an example of the weird breaths/sighs we heard live on the third floor. You'll hear me and Mike talking in the background; over the top is the breath.

EVP 9: Captured in Room 205. We are asleep. Sounds like a bump and a weird yell.

EVP 10: While we were sleeping, something significant moved in the room. This is the audio of that sound, as well as us waking up and saying we heard something.

As a bonus, here is the audio of Mike actually seeing the apparition (excuse the brief obscenity). I put this here to show the correct way of dealing with this type of event; I've discovered that immediately documenting the details is essential for remembering exactly how an event takes place. It's also important to not run away, but to immediately investigate the area.

The Walking Horse Hotel is located in Wartrace, Tennessee. Visit their website for more information regarding renting a room or catching a live performance at this wonderful and historic hotel. With personal experiences that include shadow masses, a full-bodied apparition and disembodied voices, I have no problem stating we believe this hotel to be haunted, although we cannot vouch for the ghost horse...

Paranormal Inc Hits New Orleans

2009-12-29T12:58:00.000-08:00

So we've returned from our trip to New Orleans and we have a LOT of evidence to go over. We're talking tons of audio, video, photos, etc. As you probably know, NOLA has more haunted locations than (probably) any other city in the United States, so visiting (much less investigating) all of them is simply impossible on one trip. But that's a good thing; we always want a reason to return to such a fun city!

That said, we did do four major investigations there: Bourbon Orleans, Creole Gardens B&B, Le Pavillon Hotel and Dauphine Orleans. And we got to visit and meet with quite a few other haunts (and hopefully pave the way for a few future investigations), meet with a few paranormal groups there and participate in one of the haunted tours that's offered (a great way to orient yourself).

In other news, stay tuned to our website over the next few weeks; we will be announcing a major overnight event that you will not want to miss! And did you join our Facebook group yet (just click on the banner in the sidebar)? We will be using Facebook to announce more events in the near future--and you can see more videos and photos from our investigations than what's posted here.

While we are going over the evidence from New Orleans, we thought you'd like to see a little 'compilation video' of our trip. I didn't shoot video at EVERY haunted location we went to, but there are quite a few of them in this video. So sit back and enjoy a haunted tour of New Orleans with Paranormal Inc!

Ghosts of War Update and Trailer

2009-11-30T14:23:00.000-08:00

With a couple of re-shoots under our belt, we are now fully editing the finished product of Ghosts of War--our documentary shot in conjunction with Elsinore Productions (www.elsinoreproductions.com) in Memphis, Tennessee. We have been getting emails almost daily concerning the film and its release, so I thought I'd get a 'quick' trailer for the movie up and running.

I made this trailer using a website called Animoto; they specialize in making 'slide show' type videos using music, photos and small video clips. I met these guys while attending the SXSW Film Festival and loved their product, so I thought this would be a great way to plug their service (something you can use as well at their website), as well as get a trailer for the movie out there for folks to watch.

At this point, it looks like we'll be ready for limited screenings of the movie (at the locations where we shot the film) in the Feb/March time frame; we will also be putting the documentary in several film festivals at that time. After that, we hope to screen the movie on television (we've been talking with Syfy and the Travel Channel) and then release the movie on DVD/BluRay (we will sell those on our website, as well as online retailers like Amazon).

So, that said, here is the Animoto styled trailer for Ghosts of War. Enjoy!

Case Files: Magnolia Hill B&B

2009-11-03T08:33:00.000-08:00

This Queen Anne styled bed and breakfast dates back to 1900 (though construction actually began on the place in 1895) and it was the home of Confederate Captain Charles Moore Sr. He built the place on the grounds of the Civil War battle in Helena, Arkansas (this area was where the Union soldiers held their ground as they fought the entrenched Rebel army--and eventually won the battle) and he lived in the house until 1939.

The place was then converted briefly into a Presbyterian church before being used as a USO club during World War II. After that, the place became a home again (for the Moore and Tardy families) until it was converted into a B&B in 1992.

Over the years, tales of Magnolia Hill being haunted have circulated the area--as well as appearing in a segment of the locally shot show Extreme Ghost Hunters. We decided to make the investigation of this house a 'joint effort,' so members of the Mississippi Society of Paranormal Investigators and The Ellisville Mississippi Paranormal Society joined us for this event (as well as an investigator-in-training from Arkansas named Lisa).

Over the course of the investigation, we (Paranormal Inc) had several personal experiences (if you want to read about the other groups' experiences, visit their websites as well). While performing an EMF session in the basement, we had a great yes/no session using a cell sensor EMF detector (you can listen to the audio below). It was indicated in this session that the entity in the basement was a Union soldier who was trapped in the home. Interestingly, the entire session kicked off with the spirit banging a bucket in the room to get our attention (audio below).

Since the house was built on the site of a battle, we decided to do a short bit of investigating outside as well. We did broad EMF sweeps, some EVP work and snapped a lot of infrared photos. Unfortunately, nothing came from this portion of the investigation.

Once we turned in for the night (Mike and I stayed in the room called The Fuscia Room) we also had a personal experience there. We were pretty much knocked out when the door to the bathroom within the room jerked and banged violently. We both woke up and investigated the sounds, but nobody was present in the room with us. This was a great occurrence because it backed up claims that others have had while staying in this room.

Review of the audio data collected at Magnolia Hill revealed several EVP's (some of which you can listen to below) and documented several of the personal experiences that happened as well (such as the bucket moving and the EMF session). Listening to the audio suggests that there are two separate voices captured--including a small child (most likely male) and a female. This is in addition, of course, to the soldier thought to trapped in the basement.

I highly recommend visiting Magnolia Hill B&B for a great weekend in Helena, Arkansas. The lodging and food is excellent and the spirits there are extremely tame in nature. The place also makes a great location to do some exploring from; there are many historic homes and sites in the area that are well worth the visit.

Audio Evidence:

Audio Clip 1: This was recorded in the basement prior to performing an EMF yes/no session. You will hear a bucket get banged to get our attention. The bucket actually moved and this sound was witnessed by both members of P.I., Tony of TEMPS and Kermit (one of the inn keepers).

Audio Clip 2: This is the entire EMF session from the basement. Warning: It's long! Sometimes it takes 'working with' the spirit to get enough energy going to get a response. But once it begins (as you'll see here), you can get some great results. Again, this session was performed with both members of P.I., Tony of TEMPS and Kermit present.

EVP1: This was captured as we were leaving the basement to investigate the first floor of the house. You will hear a female voice--this is the EVP. There were no females in this area.

EVP2: This was captured in an upstairs bedroom. You'll hear a female response to Paula (a member of TEMPS).

EVP3: This was captured in an upstairs bedroom. You'll hear Lisa (investigator-in-training) ask a question then a strange, echoing voice that sounds like a young child yelling. Interestingly, at the time, I was investigating outside and never heard a thing--nor does Lisa or Mike react to the sound.

EVP4: This was captured in an upstairs bedroom. You hear Mike ask for any entities present to tap on something and there is a response.

EVP5: This was captured in an upstairs bedroom. The room is empty, but you can hear what sounds like a female humming.

EVP6: This was captured in the Fuscia Room where we slept. At the time the room was empty as we were investigating outside. You'll hear a little tapping sound, then a female or young child laugh.

EVP7: This odd EVP was captured in the living room area. It sounds like a male moan, then a thump. At the time, the entire house was asleep for the night.

Unfortunately, no video or photographic evidence was captured at this investigation. Stay tuned as we post our findings from our investigation at the Walking Horse Hotel in Wartrace, Tennessee!

Get Ready for October!

2009-09-28T09:31:00.000-07:00

It's that haunted month of the year and Paranormal Inc has a lot going on! If you've been following the production of our film Ghosts of War, you know that the movie is currently in post-production and preparing for a Fall/Winter release. With any luck (and a lot of hard work) we may be able to squeeze in a screening or two in October--but, most likely, it will have to be November. But, hey, we want a quality film release--and you want to watch a quality movie, right?

So, what do we have going on? How about a haunted trip to the infamous Woodruff Fontaine House in Memphis, TN on October 30th? That night is a Friday--and, of course, the day before Halloween--so you've got to come out and support this event. Paranormal Inc, along with the staff of the house, will be offering three haunted tours of the premises (7pm, 8pm and 9pm).

Each tour will kick off with a presentation of the evidence and first-hand accounts of the paranormal activity that happened at this house during our investigation there. The tour will then travel throughout the house to see the exhibitions on display, as well as visit the hot spots where the ghostly tales have taken place over the years. Guests of the tour will be able to wrap the evening up in the Woodruff Fontaine carriage house where there will be $5 appetizer plates offered (includes a free glass of wine!). The tour itself is only $10, so don't miss out on this chance to visit one of Memphis' most notorious haunted locations. All proceeds go to the renovations and upkeep of the house, so you will also be contributing to a very good cause.

Paranormal Inc will also be offering another ghost hunting class at the University of Memphis the week before Halloween (Oct 23 and 24). You can visit their website to enroll for the class. In addition to learning the basics of conducting a successful ghost hunt, the class will get to visit one of Memphis' oldest haunted locations: Brister Library. Students of the course will get to preview new innovations in the field of ghost hunting, as well as learn how to properly use the standard equipment used throughout the field. The class is only $69 and will leave you able and willing to start your own paranormal group, as well as get your first case.

Lastly, Paranormal Inc will be visiting one of Missouri's most obscure haunted locations: The Minton House in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Known for eerie tales of haunted tunnels beneath the home (a location where slaves were hidden in route north to escape slavery), as well as the spirits of the home's former inhabitants (the house was used as the operations of a pro-Union newspaper during the Civil War), this location should prove an interesting addition to the stories already being told in the movie Ghosts of War. With any luck, and some quality investigating, we hope to get good evidence of this haunting so we can feature it as an 'Extra' on the Ghosts of War DVD.

Stay tuned to this website for more future events and happenings from Paranormal Inc. If you have a suggestion for us, or are interested in being involved, drop us a line at info@paranormalincorporated.com.

The Original Springs Hotel

2009-08-17T14:43:00.000-07:00

The oldest portions of this unique hotel date back to 1892 when the place was built to replace the original spa/farm that existed on the property that had burned down. Since 1867, the owners of the property (the place changed hands several times) had been drawing visitors to the area with the hopes that the spring water there would provide medicinal help to those who drank it. For years, hundreds of folks visited and did just that--they drank from the springs and word got around that the water there was good!

Today, there still exists a spa on the premises that offers different types of massages, as well as pedicures and manicures (not to mention the spring water that still flows). There's also a nice bar/restaurant called the Boiler Room on the site that has great drinks and food. But the Original Springs Hotel has more than just these amenities to offer visitors--it is believed that as many as three spirits roam the halls of this hotel.

When Mike, Brandon and I visited the Original Springs we learned from the night shift desk clerk that sightings of the spirits there had occurred as recently as the week before our arrival. A guest staying in one of the rooms had witnessed the apparition of a woman standing near the soda machines beside the pool. This was not something she had been expecting while going for a Coke! According to the clerk, this female apparition has been seen many times in that area over the years.

Other ghosts seen within the hotel include a second (or possibly the same) female who is often seen peering from the top floor windows (specifically, the ones that overlook the pool) and a male Civil War era soldier that is often seen around the Boiler Room. Additional activity experienced within the Original Springs includes seeing shadow shapes (usually in the hallways and within rooms), hearing voices and being overwhelmed with the feeling of being watched.

After we loaded our gear into our rooms at the hotel, we did our usual walkthrough to identify where the hot spots were, then we got into some EVP/EMF work around the pool area. It didn't take long for us to find a strange EMF spike on a small set of steps in the second floor hallway--a hallway that not only looks over the pool, but is also directly above the soda machines where the female apparition is usually seen. This spike soon turned into one of the best question-and-answer EMF sessions we have ever had at a haunted location. While we performed the session, we video and audio recorded the entire affair.

Once this was over, we did some more work in the portion of the hotel that is said to be the oldest (the Original Springs had had many renovations and new areas added over the years). Then we retired to our rooms for the night--audio and video rolling.

Once our review of the evidence was over we found that, in addition to the EMF session, we had captured one great EVP. It occurred right when we were leaving the stairs/hall area and were finished with the EMF session. This EVP is included at the end of the video shown below. As you watch the video, you'll notice that I am holding a small digital audio recorder in my hand; this is the device that captured the EVP. It appears that the apparition we were talking with did not want us to leave!

Due to the size of the video (Warning: It is 17 minutes long!) I uploaded the video to Facebook. You can watch the video embedded from there below. You can get more information regarding the history and haunting of the Original Springs Hotel at the hotel's website, or by visiting Troy Taylor's website. Enjoy!

Rest Inn Peace-The Parlor B&B Investigation

2009-08-06T09:29:00.000-07:00

You hear it a number of times in the field: 'We have a subtle haunting.' For a lot of ghost hunters--especially those who are simply thrill seekers--this is exactly the type of information they do not want to hear. They want LOUD and OBVIOUS signs that a place is haunted. When they visit or investigate a place that has a timid or weak entity living within--and they don't get any definitive evidence (probably because they were busy talking and cutting up throughout their entire investigation)--they declare the place to simply not be haunted. Even when this contradicts the information given to them by the owners/inhabitants of the place--people who have oftentimes lived their entire lives within the location and know the place more intimately.

The Parlor Bed and Breakfast in Ironton, Missouri has just such a haunting. The stories told there are not the stuff of horror movies or books that feature the Warrens. They have a spirit within the house--and though they have seen and heard her on occasion--the spirit typically likes to stay in the background and avoid folks there. But make no mistake, the Parlor is, indeed, haunted!

While Mike and I were enroute to the Parlor, the entire Ironton area of Missouri suddenly came under attack from several tornadoes. We dodged broken trees and branches--as well as traffic--all the way there. Once we arrived and met with the owners of the house, Jeannette Schrum and Robert Halket, we learned that we would be without power for the night. This was great as far as we were concerned--until we figured out that half the neighborhood would be firing up loud generators that evening! But this was a logistical problem we quickly overcame.

After we settled into our rooms, Jeannette told us about their experiences within the house--most of which involved a female apparition who had been spotted in the kitchen on a couple occassions. Other stories involved voices in the upstairs area, electronic Christmas ornaments that seemed to be activated by nobody and a doorbell known to ring itself! Though this female is the most prominent spirit in the house (and thought to be the grandmother of Jeannette), there is also thought to be at least one more entity there as well.

During our actual investigation of the Parlor B&B, we seemed to always be a step behind the spirits there. You could hear the movement of objects in empty rooms, but when you approached the area everything would cease. But this is why we have audio recorders! Thankfully, we had our usual array of electronic devices scattered throughout the house for the evening. Mike spent the night in the 'Franklin Room' of the house--an area known for objects being moved. I stayed in the 'Waterfall Room' where voices have been reported over the years.

No evidence was gathered in the Franklin Room (though Mike did have a couple personal experiences there), but I had many instances recorded in the Waterfall Room where it sounded like a drawer was being slightly moved, or objects on the dresser/nightstand were shifted or banged. After examining all the evidence from the Parlor, nothing was found in the way of photos or video. We did, however, have several interesting EVP's, though...

EVP1: This was captured in the living room while we were still investigating. While staking out the area of the kitchen where the apparition was seen, we caught what sounds like a female speaking. There were no females in our team that night.

EVP2: This was captured in the Waterfall Room while I was sleeping. It sounds like a female humming a tune, then if you keep listening, there is a bang--just an example of the twelve bangs I recorded in that room that evening.

EVP3: This was also captured in the Waterfall Room while I was sleeping. There's a few things going on here. First you'll hear the sound of a loud bang in the room and me gasping as it wakes me up. Right after, you'll hear a female voice make a noise. Clearly, she wanted me to notice her that night!

All in all, the Parlor B&B is a great place to visit--ghosts aside. Jeannette will regale you with her tales of the history and haunting of this wonderful house, as well as serve you up a piece of her awesome carrot cake (a recipe handed down from the very grandmother who is thought to now inhabit the place). Check out the Parlor's website for more info on reserving a room there and visiting. I highly recommend staying in the Waterfall Room...

Ghosts of War Update

2009-07-12T15:46:00.000-07:00

With only one re-shoot left for us at the Eldred House in Eldred, Illinois, our movie Ghosts ofWar is now moving into post-production. We will be editing the film over the remainder of July and most of August in order to make an early Fall/Halloween release. There will be local premieres of the movie held in Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Mississippi (held in conjunction with the locations featured in the movie). For those of you who have been following the production of the movie, you probably know the majority of these places--with the exception of our most recent shoot in Kentucky.

Over the past weekend, the Paranormal Inc team travelled to Franklin, Kentucky to investigate (and shoot production footage) at the infamous Octagon Hall. Folks in the paranormal community have been visiting this location for years to catch a glimpse of poor Mary Elizabeth--a young girl who was fatally burned in the home's kitchen basement. Many groups have had success at this location (if you Google the place, you'll come across some great EVP's and photos) and we hope to do the same. We will be reviewing the footage/evidence from Octagon Hall over the next weeks. What most people probably don't know, though, is that Octagon Hall is also a significant location with relevance to the Civil War. This history, along with the paranormal activity that happens here, will make for a great sequence in the movie.

Stay tuned to this website for a trailer of the movie early in August--as well as a loose schedule involving screenings of the film, any television premieres and the official date for the release of the movie to DVD. As for Paranormal Inc, we will be posting our findings for several other investigations soon--including our visit to the Lehmann House in St. Louis MO, the Carter House in Franklin TN, and the North Panola County Hospital in Sardis MS...

Learn Ghost Hunting with P.I. at U of M

2009-06-15T13:11:00.000-07:00

Join Paranormal Inc's Rich Newman for a Ghost Hunting class at the University of Memphis. Here are the details from the university's webpage:

You've seen them on TV; now enter their world. Learn how to find, explore, and investigate haunted locations with the equipment used by famous paranormal investigators. We'll talk about techniques they use to gather audio, video, and photographic evidence in the field with specific focus on EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena), infrared video, and full-spectrum photos. We'll also cover how to create and manage your own paranormal group, including setting up your first investigation. Open to high school students. Class will meet July 17 (7-9pm), July 18 (9am-12pm), and July 19 (9am-12pm).

In addition to getting eight hours of personal instruction, using cutting-edge ghost hunting technology, we will even be visiting a haunted location on the university campus--an area usually off-limits to ghost hunters. The class will also get to review actual case files from Paranormal Inc, as well as evidence gathered at those cases.

If you're interested in signing up for the class, just visit the University of Memphis' Professional & Continuing Education webpage and sign up. Here is the direct link for the class. You do not have to be a current U of M student--the class is open to everyone, including high school students.

If you have questions about the class, or need more info about enrollment, etc., contact me at info@paranormalincorporated.com.

Posted by Rich Newman

Basin Park Hotel Investigation

2009-05-21T09:48:00.000-07:00

The Basin Park Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas is a destination that's been almost tailor-made for paranormal investigators. Besides the fact that this hotel is marketed as being the 'sister hotel' to the infamous Crescent Hotel, the place openly accepts--and promotes--the fact that it, too, is a haunted location. They offer a ghost tour conducted on the premises and you can book your room there as part of their 'Paranormal Pair' package that will allow you to stay at the Crescent and Basin Park for one significantly lower price than if you had booked the stays separately.

But is the Basin Park really haunted?

I took the ghost tour offered at the hotel--it seemed necessary if for no other reason than to identify the 'hot spots' of the place. Information regarding the haunting at this hotel is few and far between, so the more I could learn about the place, the better. During the tour, I learned that I was staying in one of the 'haunted rooms' there (this wasn't news to me, I had asked for the room with the most activity) which is Room 307. Other rooms that reputedly experienced a lot of activity included Rooms 308, 407, and 408 (an interesting fact since they were essentially the same two rooms on two different floors and located directly above/below each other).

Stories involving entities there included a man in a cowboy hat known to walk through rooms (into the walls no less), children who played in the hallways, and a female spirit that is said to visit patrons in the before mentioned rooms. She is known to move things around, to talk during the night, etc. It was with this information that I retired to my room ready to investigate.

Over the course of the night, I took several hundred infrared photographs (they revealed nothing), kept several EMF detectors going (including a cell sensor, a K2 and an analog Gauss Meter), and I ran a constant audio recorder--which actually produced a couple of interesting things...

Once I bedded down for the night at a pretty late hour I had not experienced anything paranormal; there were no significant spikes on any of the EMF meters, no strange sounds or sights, and nothing that would suggest that anybody or anything was in the room with me other than myself! Once I fell asleep though, I found myself waking up at almost regular fifteen minute intervals. I didn't realize what was causing this until I listened to the audio. It seemed that as soon as I started getting into some sound sleep, something would make a loud thump or bang in the room, waking me up. This is an example of this happening (there were eight instances of this caught on audio).

Review of the audio would also produce a couple of other nice pieces of evidence. While I was away from the room grabbing some dinner before my ghost tour, the recorder actually captured the sounds of somebody walking through my room--creaky floorboards and all. This was one of the occurrences that was specifically mentioned during the tour. It was especially odd because nobody else was staying in that part of the hotel (I visited during December and there were few to no guests in the entire place at all) and there is no indication of a door to the room opening/closing prior to or after the captured sound.

The last thing that was caught, was the brief sound of a voice coming from within my empty room (this actually happened while I was on the tour). Though it's not enough to tell definitively whether or not the speaker is/was a female, it is arguable.

So, again, is the Basin Park really haunted?

Probably so. Who am I to argue with the experiences of those who work and live in the hotel on a daily basis? Other than the audio I recorded, I caught nothing that would suggest the place has a lot of activity--but then a lot of hauntings are subtle things. They're not all about an apparition appearing before you and yelling, "Here I am!" Sometimes we have to pay attention to see and hear what's going on around us.

I personally look forward to revisiting the Basin Park Hotel in the future at some point and investigating the place again--hopefully more thoroughly and in more locations than just Room 307.

Posted by: Rich Newman
Contact Rich at info@paranormalincorporated.com

Get Your Haunted Times!

2009-04-29T10:08:00.000-07:00

The newest issue of Haunted Times magazine is out! Pick up the issue and check out the Paranormal Inc article inside concerning our investigation of the Eldred House in Eldred, Illinois. In addition to getting the skinny on the haunting and history of the location, the article features one of the key pieces of evidence we captured there: A photograph of a full-bodied apparition appearing before our very eyes (and floating three feet off the ground).

The editors of the magazine felt the photograph was the image of one of the long deceased Eldred daughters who passed away on the premises, though we felt the image was more indicative of the spirit of a Native American who is associated with haunting the front yard area of the home, but that's okay. We welcome and respect all knowledgeable opinions!

Since this is good news, I thought this might be a great opportunity to talk about some of the awesome things that will be coming up for Paranormal Inc in the next few months (besides the completion of the movie Ghosts of War).

New investigations. With six new investigations happening in six different states over the summer, there will be plenty to talk about! We have hand-picked these locations for their great history and their high probability for results--we just hope we can continue our success at gathering evidence and providing more information and insight into the haunting of these locations.

New overnights. Now that we've gotten one under our belt (and have an idea of what works and what doesn't) we will be offering a couple new overnights with Paranormal Inc that will be open to the public over the summer. And the best part is: They will be (relatively) inexpensive, they will feature new ghost hunting technology, and they will be in extremely haunted locations! Stay tuned to get updates on these soon.

New articles. Look for more of Paranormal Inc in Haunted Times, as well as several new articles hitting this website in the next few weeks that feature two of our recent investigations: The Lehmann House in St. Louis, Missouri and the Basin Park Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas.

Don't forget you can subscribe to this website by using the links in the sidebar--that way you won't miss out on the limited space for the overnights. Happy Hunting!

Posted by: Rich Newman
Contact Rich at info@paranormalincorporated.com

Lemp Mansion-Story of a Haunting

2009-04-08T10:20:00.000-07:00

Here's a question that I get quite often: "How do you really know when a place is haunted?" Answer: "When it consistently generates paranormal activity that cannot be explained by conventional means, but fits the typical 'haunted profile'." The key word here is 'consistently.' This brings us to the Lemp Mansion in St. Louis, Missouri.

Lemp has been called one of the most haunted places in America, if not the world, and has been featured in numerous television programs and books--even if the exact story of the mansion and Lemp family seems to be debatable; there are many alternate stories/histories of the mansion and the Lemp family that have been provided by 'psychics' or 'sensitives,'--which, in my opinion, can immediately be thrown out. Paranormal Inc only deals in facts and proof--and until a 'psychic' is willing to go through the necessary steps to prove to our team that they are, indeed, actually psychic, we will always dismiss them.

Psychic aside, though, many investigators have made their rounds through the Lemp mansion and came back with numerous tales to tell. EVP's, photographs and personal experiences seem to top the list in regard to evidence--another characteristic of Lemp that is pervasive; if you Google the mansion, you will get many photos of paranormal activity in the place--something that is simply not the norm in a haunted location. Investigators sometimes go, well, forever without getting a great photo of a haunting (orbs, dust and moisture aside).

This brings us to our photo (shown above). While scouting the Lemp mansion for a future overnight/investigation, Brandon and I decided to do a quick lap around the house and take a tour of the inside to get a feel of the place. During this trip we snapped a lot of photos. The photo that was taken above was done in the side parking lot of the place. I snapped one photo (actually because I wanted the Lemp logo for a future article), took a step to my left, and then snapped a second photo.

The first photo came out perfectly normal. It's a house with nothing in any window. The second photo, however, gave me the picture shown above. If you look at the top set of windows, the second window from the left now has a light in it. The light was not there literally two seconds before in the first picture. Also--if you look carefully--there appears to be the face of what appears to be a girl around the light. There is even the hint of a white dress/clothing under the face/light. Mind you, that this photo was taken during an extremely short visit to the Lemp mansion in broad daylight--with a cell phone!

Is the Lemp mansion haunted? Hundreds of seasoned investigators say yes. For us at Paranormal Inc, the answer will be gotten soon. Lemp is one of the ten new locations that we will be tackling in 2009. Stay tuned for our investigation results from the infamous Lemp mansion--as well as the Lehmann house in St. Louis, which will be the next location featured by us on this site.

Posted by: Rich Newman
Contact Rich at info@paranormalincorporated.com

Magnolia Manor Overnight a Success

2009-03-26T08:31:00.000-07:00

What makes an overnight event a success? How about taking a great, professional group of people--all interested in learning and investigating the paranormal--and putting them in a wonderfully haunted location: Magnolia Manor in Bolivar, TN.

After a quick meet-and-greet and tour of the premises, the overnight group participated in a quick class on performing Live EVP sessions (and the realm of the infrasonic) and shooting video/photographs in UV/IR. We then buckled down for a night of investigating. Magnolia Manor has already been investigated twice by the Paranormal Inc team for the upcoming film Ghosts of War (still in production--though only two locations are left to shoot!) so individual hot spots were easily identified.

Over the course of the evening, there were several personal experiences that happened to the team:

1. A set of motion detectors were set off in the 1849 Room of the B&B near a wardrobe that is known for activity (one of the entities in the home tends to 'play' with the hangars inside and bangs them against the sides). This was followed up with a great K2 session that produced some good hits/results.

2. Immediately following the K2 session, two members of the Mississippi Society of Paranormal Investigators experienced hits on their K2 in Annie's Room--almost as if the spirit moved from one room into the adjoining room. There was actually an EVP captured at this moment as well (listed in the evidence below).

3. Over the course of the evening, an adult female voice was heard twice in the C.A. Miller Suite and a young, female voice was heard twice in the old Slave Quarters that is now converted into a cottage at the rear of the house.

4. While team members were working outside the Austin Miller Suite, a cell sensor EMF detector managed to turn itself off inside the room. Upon investigation, the button was actually turned off--it was not a case of bad/drained batteries.

5. At one point, small balls of green light were seen on the ceiling of the first floor (just under the floor of Annie's Room). These are sometimes called 'Sprite Lights' and they usually precede activity in an area. Very true in this case (see evidence).

6. Members of The Ellisville Mississippi Paranormal Society witnessed what looked like a male entity enter the C.A. Miller Suite during the night. Mistaking the spirit for a Paranormal Inc team member, they spoke aloud to the 'person' but there was nobody there at that point.

7. Team members sleeping in the 1849 Room experienced something touching their feet during the night as they slept.

There were more experiences than just these...though these are probably the most dramatic. Since the investigation, Paranormal Inc has been reviewing the data gathered at the overnight trip (and this is probably not the only evidence that will emerge, since the other participants gathered their own audio/video data as well). Several great EVP's came out of the investigation...

EVP1: This was captured in the C.A. Miller Suite during a Live EVP session with Cindy and Lisa from Missouri. Lisa asks, "Can you do anything at all to show me that you're here?" She is answered with a loud thump.

EVP2: This was captured in Annie's Room. After a great K2 session in the 1849 Room (see above) the entity moved into this room. You'll hear an EVP of a laugh just before investigators of MSPI note their K2 meter is going off.

EVP3: This was captured in Annie's Room. You'll hear an investigator ask, "Do you live here?" There is a female response that sounds like, "Doesn't everything?", though it could be something else that is said. What do you think?

EVP4: This was captured in Annie's Room. The room is actually empty at this point. You'll hear a dog bark then a female voice say something.

EVP5: This was captured in Annie's Room. Investigators Donna and Jamie from Missouri are performing an EVP session. They get a response.

EVP6: This was captured in Annie's Room. You'll hear an investigator ask, "Do you wanna laugh with us?" The entity laughs in response. Can't beat that...

EVP7: This was captured in Annie's Room. You'll hear an investigator speak, then a strange whispered response.

As mentioned above, the investigation/overnight was a success--though sometimes it doesn't always seem to be going well during the actual investigation. Investigating the paranormal is a strange affair: Sometimes it seems you're getting no evidence and that nothing significant is happening, then you get back to the office and discover you have a wealth of evidence. This is simply the way things are, so we must always exercise patience and be professional!

That said, Paranormal Inc is hosting another overnight on Saturday, April 11 at the infamous Lemp Mension in St. Louis, Missouri. We still have two rooms available that we need to fill! If you're interested in joining us, get more details by emailing Mike Uelsmann (one of our team members). Remember: All costs of an event go to paying for the room you are staying in and for the activities planned for that evening. Paranormal Inc makes no money from our overnight events!

Posted by: Rich Newman
Contact Rich at info@paranormalincorporated.com

Spring News and Events

2009-03-04T15:23:00.000-08:00

Things are going well for us at Paranormal Inc and we thought we'd take the time to mention some of the great news and events that are going on right now...

1. Our upcoming movie Ghosts of War, a film about local, haunted Civil War sites, is entering the final stages of shooting. We have one more haunted location to investigate/shoot this month, then we start editing the film. We expect to release the film this summer, so stay tuned for information regarding screenings, the television premier, and the DVD release.

2. Paranormal Inc will be featured in the magazine Haunted Times in the next issue. As part of our movie, we shot at a location called the Eldred House in Eldred, Illinois. While there, we captured amazing photographic evidence of the haunting there, as well as killer EVP's and video. The article is basically about that investigation, as well as the movie. If you can't find the issues on the shelves when it hits, you can pick up a copy of the mag, as well as subscribe (well worth the money) at their website.

3. Our overnight program is in full effect! The Magnolia Manor overnight sold out and our Lemp Mansion overnight is well on the way (there are two rooms left, so if you are interested, contact us ASAP at info@paranormalincorporated.com). Remember, we make no monies off our overnight program, the cost is for the room and any other events scheduled during the investigation/stay. There will be several more of these events coming up in the near future.

4. My book Haunted Memphis is now finished and on the way to the publisher. I am expecting an early fall release for the book (to correspond with Halloween I'm sure), but I will keep everyone up to date on that as I get more news. There will be several release/signings in the Memphis area--and the book will be sold on this site as well as common retailers (Amazon.com).

There will be more news coming very soon, including information regarding a possible television series, as well as updates concerning our current projects. In the meantime, this is the time of year where we like to figure out our next group of investigations. If you have a suggestion, feel free to send it my way. Just remember, Paranormal Inc is based out of Memphis, Tennessee so the shorter the drive, the better...

Posted by: Rich Newman
Contact Rich at info@paranormalincorporated.com

Woodruff Fontaine Investigation

2009-02-11T14:14:00.000-08:00

When paranormal investigators think of 'famous' Memphis ghosts, they usually bring up Mary of the Orpheum Theatre and Mollie of the Woodruff Fontaine house. We had the pleasure of investigating the latter last fall and was amazed by the amount of activity in this home-turned-living-museum. Because of some negative comments made about this location by one of Memphis' more wacko 'investigation' groups, I wanted to document our visit to the house and the evidence that we captured there as well.

While touring the home, prior to the actual investigation, we were shown several 'hot spots' where folks had experienced paranormal phenomena. These included the downstairs parlor (where an employee had had a necklace ripped from her), the second floor bedroom (known as Mollie's room or the 'Rose Room'), and the stairs leading from the first to the second floor (where witnesses over the years have reported hearing the sounds of a female crying). During our tour, we actually experienced sudden/sporadic EMF hits just outside Mollie's bedroom (3.7mg and higher)--and an inspection of the surrounding area produced no 'leakage' from any wires in the floor, ceiling, or walls either.

The actual investigation followed the tour. This involved using a barrage of Digital8 and MiniDV video cameras, audio recorders, and multiple hand held devices (EMF detectors, digital thermometers, NightShot still cameras, etc). Over the course of the next three hours of investigation, we actually had several first-hand experiences in the home:

1. After hearing that Mollie likes to sit on the bed in her old room, we made sure the bed covers were pulled tight across the bed. We periodically checked in on the status of the bed to see if it had been disturbed. About halfway through the investigaton, we actually discovered a deep impression in the covers as if someone had sat on the bed. This is a bed, mind you, that is roped off from the public. All three investigators were together throughout the investigation and accounted for. So who sat on the bed?

2. Across the hall from Mollie's room, Mike and I both witnessed small, green balls of light dancing along the ceiling adjacent to the Eastern wall. This happened for about 2-3 seconds. The lights seemed to disappear into the ceiling.

3. While inspecting the depression on the bed in Mollie's room, I actually heard the chair beside the bed move. Upon inspection, the chair had shifted about 2 inches to the right. This sound was caught by an audio recorder in the room.

4. Since the basement of the home seemed to have no activity, we decided to 'base' operations out of there. While video was recording throughout the house, we prepared other equipment in the basement. While down there, Mike actually heard a wooden bench beside a piano creak as if someone sat down in it. This sound was captured on audio, as well as an interesting EVP we will talk about in a minute...

Once the investigation was over, the real work began: Reviewing all the data captured at the house. In addition to this, I decided to research the home at the Memphis Public Library. Both would turn up interesting evidence...

Upon researching archived newspaper articles, we discovered that a paranormal researcher had investigated WF during the 80's. During this investigation, he was able to substantiate the presence of a female on the second floor of the house--and interestingly--a male presence that seemed to be on the first and third floors. It was also determined that this male presence was not a nice entity. This was the first mention of any male being in the home that we had heard of. This was, of course, before we had finished reviewing our audio...

During our review, we got numerous EVP's of a female on the second floor of the house--mostly around Mollie's room (naturally). And by numerous, I mean over twenty! We also captured several EVP's of a male on the first floor. Could this be the 'mean' presence discovered in the 80's? Or the same entity that tore the necklace from a Woodruff employee's neck? In addition to this audio, we also got one great piece of video (posted below). This was a Digital8 camera that was running in Mollie's room while we all planned and schemed in the basement. If you listen closely, you'll hear what sounds like old-time music playing in the background. Naturally, we did not have any music playing anywhere in the house.

Here are three EVP's for your review that we captured in the Woodruff Fontaine house:

EVP1: This was captured in the basement. Mike was telling me about the bench that creaked by the piano. He says, 'Do you like music?' You will hear a female say 'Yes.' There was no female in the basement at the time and the sound was not heard by the investigators present.

EVP2: This was captured in the first floor parlor around the area where the necklace was ripped off an employee. I asked, "Is there someone that likes to hang around here?" Listen close: Immediately after I ask the question, there is a quick whispered 'No.'

EVP3: This was captured just outside Mollie's room. You'll hear the male investigators talking. In the background you'll hear a female voice say, 'Hello.' This was not heard by the investigators at the time.

We at Paranormal Inc definitely know that the Woodruff Fontaine house is, indeed, haunted. And we have the proof! There are elements of an intelligent spirit (indicated by the 'hello' and sitting on the bed) and a residual haunting (the old music caught on video). The Woodruff Fontaine house offers tours to the public. Visit the home and decide for yourself. Even if the house didn't have a ghost (which it does--probably two), the place would be worth your visit.

Posted by: Rich Newman
Contact Rich at info@paranormalincorporated.com

New Overnight Program

2009-01-14T12:35:00.000-08:00

Over the course of the next year, Paranormal Inc will be hosting a series of overnights at infamously haunted locations. Though a couple will be well known--like our current, upcoming overnight at the Lemp Mansion in St. Louis--most will be places that are not completely overblown with investigators and press. The first of these will be kicking off on March 7 at the Magnolia Manor in Bolivar, TN--a location we have investigated for out movie Ghosts of War and had phenomenal success at. But don't get too excited...the overnight at Magnolia Manor has already sold out! That said, we still have a couple rooms available at Lemp--note that I said a couple. We mean that literally! If you're interested in staying in one of the six rooms at the Lemp Mansion, as well as joining us for an investigation, give us a shout at info@paranormalincorporated.com. Here's the details regarding our trip to Lemp:

Paranormal Inc is visiting the historically haunted Lemp Mansion in St. Louis, Missouri. The evening is planned for Saturday, April 11. The cost per room is $240.00 (we have to charge per room, but you can split the cost with somebody else--2 per room only!). The cost is only slightly more than you'd pay to stay in the B&B on your own, and you will get so much more:

1. Since the place will be all Paranormal Inc attendees, we will have the run of the entire home without fear of disturbing other guests.

2. In addition to staying in one of the six haunted rooms, you will also get a free class on investigating the paranormal and advanced investigation techniques, a tour of the mansion, and access to our equipment (though we encourage everyone to bring their own cameras, audio recorders, etc.).

3. You will also be featured in the Elsinore Productions feature One Night in Lemp. The entire overnight investigation will be shot and made into a movie--and a copy of the finished movie will be included in the price and sent to you upon completion! A perfect souvenir of your trip to the Lemp Mansion.

Who can pass all this up? Remember, Lemp Mansion only has 6 rooms, so signing up for the overnight must be done ASAP if you want to make this trip. There will be more overnight stays planned in the future for this year, and we will post those as they come up. We hope to see you at the Lemp Mansion!

Posted by: Rich Newman
Contact Rich at info@paranormalincorporated.com

The Crescent Hotel

2008-12-23T08:33:00.000-08:00

With things going well on the Ghosts of War front (the movie we are shooting about haunted Civil War sites), I took a break this past week and went on a mini-vacation to the infamous Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. I also crashed for a night in another haunted, but lesser known, place there called the Basin Park Hotel, but I'll save that story for another day.

While at the Crescent, I managed to get a night in the, reputedly, most haunted room there: Room 218. This is the place where a worker supposedly fell to his death during the construction of the hotel. Legend says that his name was Michael and that he is often seen in that room. I also took the ghost tour there which allowed me to visit several other haunted locations in the hotel--primarily Room 419 that is known as Theodora's Room (this is the location that Grant of TAPS had his laptop moved on the show Ghost Hunters) and the basement/morgue area and infamous 'Locker #2' ( where an apparition was caught on a thermal camera--also of TAPS fame).

During my evening at the Crescent, I went through three audio recorders; the fresh batteries were continuously drained over the evening. The second victim was my Sony Nightshot camera. After a mere forty photos, it also went dead in the room. At this point, since I had provided whatever entity was in Room 218 with more than enough energy, I went on guard for literally anything to happen! It wasn't long before something did...

I was sitting on the bed with my cell-sensor EMF detector and a red-lens flashlight when the lamp beside the bed began to move. At first it was very slight, then the lampshape started violently shaking. This lasted about ten seconds. Soon, the sounds of very faint whispers started coming from the area of the dresser/chair at the end of the bed. Those, too, faded away pretty fast. Firing up an audio recorder with my last batch of batteries, I decided it was time to crash.

Over the course of the remainder of the evening, though, Michael wasn't finished. He decided to torture me over the rest of the night by banging a set of shutters that was inside the room against the window (the window is actually a set of doors that lead out onto a massive balcony overlooking the Ozarks--the shutters are inside the room so you can shut out the light if necessary). Sometimes the bangs were low and only captured on audio (but not waking me), sometimes the bangs were extremely loud bringing me quickly out of my sleep. I recorded six sets of bangs on the audio recorder, which fortuitously managed to record almost three hours of audio before also going dry on me.

It was definitely an interesting evening. Two other things happened there as well.

The first was early in the evening when I went to the upstairs bar in the hotel (named after Dr. Baker, the resident quack that operated there in the early 1900's). While standing in a small corridor just off the main hallway to look at a menu, I saw a black shape (about the size of an entire person) shoot by the end of the hall. I quickly went to the area of the mass and saw there was nobody there. This was a great start to my evening there!

The second thing happened the morning after my night in Room 218. I was on my way to the front desk when I noticed the room next to mine (216) had a towel and a strap from a bag hanging out of the bottom of the doorway into the hall. I went downstairs, loaded out some bags, and mentioned this occurrence to the bellhop. He said nobody was staying in Room 216, but his look said, "Yeah it's weird. What's new?." I shrugged and went back to my room for the remainder of my gear. When I passed 216 again, the strap was no longer there. Somebody or something had jerked it back into the room. Could this be the same spirit that moved Grant Wilson's bag against the back of his bedroom door at the Crescent? Who knows?

After reviewing my audio from our night there, I had several good EVP's and, of course, crystal clear audio of the banging of the shutters in the room! Take a listen...

EVP1: This was captured in Room 218 while nobody was there (we were actually at dinner). It is a female voice.

EVP2: This was also captured in Room 218. Again, we were out of the room--this time taking a ghost tour of the hotel. It sounds like a male voices says one word (one syllable), there's a pause, then he says, 'Hello.' Male voices in this room are usually associated with Michael.

EVP3: This was captured in Room 218 during the period I was awake and 'on guard.' The lamp had just moved and I was starting to hear something from the far corner of the room. It sounds like a voice.

EVP4: Another voice captured in Room 218. This one is definitely a female.

EVP5: This is not an EVP, actually. This is live audio as I most definitely heard it a number of times! You're going to hear an extremely violent and loud bang of the shutters in the room. You'll hear me wake up and ask, 'What was that?!' Listen here.

Visit the Crescent Hotel, get Room 218, and you will not be disappointed! The video below is a quick tour of that room--you can see where the lamp is that shook, the window that had shutters banged against it, and the chair that seemed to emanate whispers during the night. Cheers!

Posted by: Rich Newman

Overnight in the Lemp Mansion Planned

2008-12-12T14:36:00.000-08:00

This is the launch of our official Paranormal Inc overnight program. 4-5 times a year, we will plan an overnight in one of America's most haunted locations. Space will be limited (depending on the size of the location we are investigating/staying at) so remember it's FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED! No complaining if you miss out! Typically, the cost of the overnight will include all fees associated with staying at the location, the use of any equipment we bring, and participation in the evening's activities.

That said, our first official night of fun will be at the historically haunted Lemp Mansion in St. Louis, Missouri. The evening is planned for Saturday, February 21. The cost per room is $240.00 (we have to charge per room, but you can have two people stay in one room, so you can split the cost!). The cost is only slightly more than you'd pay to stay in the B&B on your own, and you will get so much more:

1. Since the place will be all Paranormal Inc attendees, we will have the run of the entire home without fear of disturbing other guests.

2. In addition to staying in one of the five haunted rooms, you will also get a free class on investigating the paranormal and advanced EVP techniques, a tour of the mansion with a local and knowledgeable investigator familiar with the haunted history of Lemp, and access to our equipment (though we encourage everyone to bring their own cameras, audio recorders, etc.).

3. You will be featured in the Elsinore Productions feature One Night in Lemp. The entire overnight investigation will be shot and made into a movie--and a copy of the finished movie will be included in the price and sent to you upon completion! A perfect souvenir of your trip to the Lemp mansion.

Who can pass all this up? Remember, Lemp Mansion only has 5 rooms, so signing up for the overnight must be done ASAP if you want to make this trip. Contact me directly at info@paranormalincorporated.com for any additional info about this trip, or to sign up for the overnight.

Posted by: Rich Newman

Paranormal Inc Trailer Up and Running!

2008-11-26T15:16:00.000-08:00

After a Summer and early Fall of investigations, we have our new trailer for the show Paranormal Inc up and running. It's out there--YouTube, MySpace, MyPara, here, and on and on... Though we don't know what network we will end up on, or even the exact format the show will end up in, we are excited! This, coupled with the current production of Ghosts of War, our full length documentary about haunted Civil War sites, has gotten 'spirits' pretty high around here.

So, check out the trailer, leave a comment if you like, and stay tuned for our other upcoming projects. While watching the video, though, pay close attention to three pieces of evidence we included that we captured while investigating. The first is a phantom woman standing under a tree, the second is the fully formed apparition of an Indian (one we caught floating about three feet off the ground!), and the final shot is a ghost light that appeared for a few seconds at Devil's Backbone. Enjoy!

Posted by: Rich Newman Contact Rich at info@paranormalincorporated.com

Talbott Tavern

2008-11-19T11:33:00.000-08:00

The legends surrounding the infamous Talbott Tavern in Bardstown, Kentucky are actually less interesting than the reality there. With a past filled with visitors like Jesse James, Daniel Boone, and Abraham Lincoln it's no surprise that the place has seen it's fair share of years both good and bad and that paranormal activity is associated with the location. In fact, the earliest sign of the place being haunted occurred with Jesse James himself.

While staying at the Talbott Tavern, James thought he saw something or someone entering his room. Without hesitation, he drew his gun and fired at the intruder--he then leaped from his bed and inspected the area only to find there was nobody there! It's a story that James imparted to the tavern's innkeeper at the time and that has stayed with the bar now turned bed-and-breakfast all these years. The bullet holes from James' gun are still present in the room (now called the Jesse James Room).

During our visit to the Talbott Tavern, Mike and I stayed in the General's Quarters--a room that is reputedly a 'hot spot' there (according to local Bardstown investigators--specifically Patti Starr who came through the area with a tour group while we were there). Over the course of the evening there, we had many strange things happen during our investigation--not the least of which, was a great EMF session we had in the Concord Room (a sort of common area used for conferences, etc.) that involved an entity coming forward on demand setting off our EMF alarm and touching us (the spirit actually touched me three times there--twice on the hand and once pressing up against the back of me in a way that felt like I had leaned against a wall).

The audio clip we have included here, though, takes place in the General's Quarters after we had settled in for the night. We actually asked the spirit in the Concord room to come back to the room with us to 'hang out' and this was one of the occurrences that happened there. Mike and I were joking about our EMF alarm going off while we were sleeping when Mike felt a cold blast of air hit his face and neck. After we listed to the audio we were surprised (or maybe not so surprised) to hear that the spirit thought our conversation was funny and laughed at Mike's comment via EVP. The sounds you are hearing in the background are, unfortunately, a television coming from an adjoining room, so ignore that. Here is the script of what you are hearing in the clip:

Rich: If that thing (EMF alarm) starts beeping in the night, is it going to wake you up?
Mike: Oh, hell yeah. You'll probably have to take a double take to find me, dude, 'cuz I'll probably be hanging from the canopy (of his bed). I'll be all tangled up in that damn netting.
-Entity Laughs-
Mike: What the f*@! was that?
Rich: Huh?
Mike: I just had a cool breeze that went across my face...

During the rest of the evening there I was touched again on the foot and we captured audio of drawers in the room opening and closing by themselves. Our investigation also yielded numerous EVPs, including voices, groans, and whispers.

Take a trip to the Talbott Tavern--you won't be disappointed! Visit their website to get more information and to book a room.

Posted by: Rich Newman Contact Rich at info@paranormalincorporated.com

Cave-In-Rock Investigation

2008-11-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

The history of Cave-In-Rock is a checkered one at best. Though it is only a cave perched along the bluffs of the Ohio River, the place has housed a tavern, a casino, and a makeshift hotel/brothel. Travelers shuttling up and down the river would often stop at Wilson's Liquor Vault and House of Entertainment--the name of the place within the cave during the early 1800's-- to get their fill of fun and sin before continuing their journey.

During the years of operation, the tavern was the location of many a man's demise--and to make matters worse, Wilson (the owner) formed a group of robbers that pirated up and down the Ohio River intercepting ships outside his cave of ill repute. Because of this, it wasn't long before respectable folks knew to avoid the monster cave along the river.

Like most tales of this nature, it all ended with betrayal; once a reward was placed on Wilson's head, his own men did him in. When the authorities entered the cave during the aftermath, dozens of bodies were found in one of the chambers. The dark history of the cave continued, though, when yet another criminal named James Ford moved into the area. Of course, he eventually met his death there as well at the hands of vigilantes.

Cave-In-Rock continued to be the haven for many thieves, pirates, and killers over the years and it is this mark upon the ancient place that is the root of the haunting there.

Today, travelers moving up and down the Ohio River have reported the sounds of the old casino and tavern reverberating from the place--even though the place is now a state park and local attraction. It was with this knowledge that we took the Paranormal Inc team to Cave-In-Rock to investigate the haunting there.

At first glance, it would be assumed that the haunting of the cave is probably a 'residual' effect--meaning the sounds of the past have been recorded in the rock there and are simply being replayed for those who are able to hear them. During our investigation, though, this assumption was not made. Audio, video, and photography was utilized at the scene, in addition to the usual slew of equipment wielded by the investigators, in hopes of capturing the sounds of a haunting there.

Though no evidence of the haunting was actually captured by our equipment, at one point during the evening it did sound as if a male voice was heard from the rear of the cave. There was also several unusual EMF spikes captured there--spikes that should not be in a power-less cave. Does this mean Cave-In-Rock is haunted or not haunted? Who knows? Investigate the place for yourself; it is a perfect location for the beginner paranormal group since the cave is in the middle of a state park (and you can camp there) and you can simply walk over to the cave during the night to perform an investigation. Just be careful! We are talking about a cave perched alongside the cliff over a rather large river!

Send us your findings from Cave-In-Rock--we're more than happy to hear/see what all of you are getting out there. Happy investigating!

Posted by: Rich Newman
info@paranormalincorporated.com

Bethel Cumberland Cemetery

2008-09-16T13:36:00.000-07:00

We first heard of the strange happenings of Bethel Cumberland Presbyterian Cemetery when the place appeared on WREG-TV's ten most haunted places around Memphis list. It was intriguing for a couple reasons: Besides the usual tales of ghost lights, shadow people, voices, etc., the cemetery has a unique aspect to it...a monster!

Over the years, Bethel Cemetery has been visited by quite a number of paranormal investigation groups--and over the years, there have been many yarns spun about the place. Some true, some more along the lines of urban legend. According to other investigators, the place contains an area inhabited by the remains of long-gone criminals and an area that is dedicated to buried childred. Both places are considered hot-spots by investigators. But it's the third report that makes Bethel stand out: Witnesses in the area of the cemetery (Atoka, Tennessee) have reported a strange creature that appears there. A strange creature with the body of a lion, the head of a dog, a long mane, and red eyes!

Now, when you are working in the dark--and in a cemetery no less--it would be easy to mistake an unusual animal for a 'monster.' In fact, it was our guess that a 'razorback' or wild boar was the probable culprit. Then I read an interesting article about 'portal hauntings' in Troy Taylor's book, Ghost Hunter's Guidebook where he states, "The majority of events that might fit into a 'portal haunting' category seem to come from cemeteries, although no location can be ruled out... Be aware of stories (from cemeteries and other spots) that involve glowing balls of light that are seen with the naked eye, odd creatures, strange shapes, or unexplained images."

Pretty much sums up Bethel Cumberland Cemetery.

After securing permission to investigate the property, Mike Uelsmann and I headed over to the site. We used video, photography, and digital audio recorders to see what we could capture. While the equipment went to work, so did we--and we did have some personal experiences. Most of these seemed to be pale blobs of light bobbing along close to the ground or dark shadows flitting around the perimeter of the area, though we thought we heard a mumbling voice at one point.

We were unable to identify, however, any areas specifically dedicated to criminals or childred. There were quite a few graves from the late 1800's, but since they didn't have a ball and chain emblazoned on the headstone, it was not clear if any of them were criminals. We also did see a few small 'lamb' graves that obviously meant a child had been buried, but these were scattered about the cemetery.

The only outright 'weird' experience we had occurred when a police officer pulled over a local driver in the parking lot just outside the cemetery. While he was dealing with his speeder, we heard a strange sound come from the trees not far from us (and in fact, right beside an audio recorder and camcorder we had positioned). At first, it sounded like a machine ramping up. Then it sort of mutated into a horrible growl. It was startling! Once the officer finished up and left, we searched the area and found nothing there. We could only hope it would be on one of our audio recordings.

After reviewing the evidence we came across only one notable piece of video. It is here for you to watch. It's a 'ghost light' that was caught by our camcorder. If you listen closely, you can actually hear us talking off-camera out of frame (we were, in fact, behind the camera). Nobody else was in the cemetery--and we certainly would have noticed a bright glowing object or flashlight headed towards us. But like most places, it seems activity always wants to occur when you're looking in the other direction! That is, of course, why we use serveillance equipment.

Unfortunately, the weird growl did not make any of the audio, which is very odd considering the close proximity of the recorders and the volume of the event. Chalk it up as a strange happening at a possible 'portal.' Is Bethel Cumberland Presbyterian Cemetery haunted? Hard to tell. It's worth a second look. I'm not sure I'd call it one of the area's 'most haunted' locations, though. Decide for yourself.

Posted by: Rich Newman
Contact Rich at info@paranormalincorporated.com

The Eldred House

2008-07-17T15:29:00.000-07:00

It looks like any number of houses along the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers--an older, stone house built in a plantation style. Unlike most of the homes of this type, though, the Eldred House (in Eldred, Illinois) is said to still be occupied by any number of the folks who has died within the place in the last couple centuries.

Knowing the history of the place, we leaped at the chance to investigate this location. We had heard a local ghost hunting organization was planning a group trip to the site. We signed on, but once we got there, we pretty much broke off from the rest of the folks there and ran our own investigation using our own equipment and methods.

On this particular investigation Brandon and Mike were along with me (Rich). After getting a set of completely laughable driving instructions to the locale, we were late for the launch of the group investigation--but this turned out to be fine since we were planning on letting them do their own thing without us. The evening started off with a trip through the back yard (where a traveling salesman is said to be buried) and then into the basement.

Unfortunately, the Eldred House is struggling to stay in an upright position (since the tour was planned, part of the residence actually collapsed--even now the folks interested in preserving the location and its history are racing for the necessary funds to renovate and restore the house--check out the history of the place on their website), so many parts of the house could only be approached with extreme caution.

After we hit the basement, we concentrated the investigation on three places: The fenceline in front of the house where Indian remains were found (and the spirit of an Indian is said to roam), the attic of the house (where a girl named 'Alma' is supposed to reside), and the graveyard just down the way where the remains of the Eldred family lie. Many photographs, recordings (audio and video), and readings (digital thermometer and EMF detector) were taken over the course of the evening before camping in the yard for the night.

After a lengthy investigation (and hours of reviewing evidence), I can tell you without hesitation that something very strange is going on at the Eldred House. Though I don't want to spoil the episode of Paranormal Inc that will focus on this location (premiering this fall), I can tell you a few things about the place: We did get photographs (one sequence of an apparition materializing will blow you away) , we did get EVPs, and we did have personal experiences--experiences I will tell you about now.

While in the basement performing some EVP work in what is called the 'Cheese Room' (there's a giant stone slab table in the area that was used to make cheese) Brandon was touched by something or someone by the cheese table. A few moments later, I felt the same thing--it was almost as if something (or someone) was pushing into the back of my arm with a couple fingers with firm pressure. Later, while touring the attic of the house, Mike caught the faint sounds of a small girl laughing in the one of the back corners--this happening literally as our guide was telling us about the girl that supposedly roams the area named Alma.

The Eldred house is a great location--a great location with some great activity! Be sure to catch the Eldred House webisode of Paranormal Inc this fall!

Posted by: Rich Newman
info@paranormalincorporated.com

National Ornamental Metal Museum-Memphis

2008-06-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

With articles posted by a television station (WREG-TV) and the local paper, the Metal Museum in Memphis is considered one of the most haunted locations in the area. In the old days, the site was a military hospital and the grounds included a doctor's residence, a nurse's residence, officers' quarters, and the hospital itself. Today, the nurse's residence is a museum, the doctor's residence is a library for metalurgy, and the officers' quarters are where the apprentice blacksmiths live. The actual hospital is now fenced off and has been abandoned since the late 80's after the National Guard stopped using the location.

The haunted history of the place centers around the doctor's residence and the hospital. Leaving the hospital for another day, we decided to concentrate on the doctor's residence--now the library. The place was built in the late 1800's, but was recently renovated in order to meet building codes and to accommodate the library. The basement of the house used to be a small morgue for the resident doctors to work in and included a tunnel that connected the house to the hospital. During renovations, though, the tunnel was blocked off, the morgue chute was turned into stairs, and the house was overhauled to the tune of over a million dollars. During renovations, though, other things were happening as well...

Workers, supplied by the local prison no less, were terrified of the basement/morgue area and often fled from the area even though they were working during the day. Also, a museum employee was standing on the ground floor of the house surveying the improvements when she noticed a spectral face staring at her through a hole in the ceiling (the upper story's floors were being replaced). It was fueled with all this information, that we conducted our investigation of the doctor's residence.

The team included myself (Rich) and Mike, and we concentrated on the 2nd floor library area (where the spectral face was seen) and the basement (morgue) of the house. During the investigation, we had no personal experiences upstairs, but downstairs was a different story.

Almost immediately, after killing the lights and closing off the basement, I heard a faint 'Hey' come from one of the back rooms, followed by whispers. Soon, Mike also heard a 'Hey' from the same area. We placed a digital recorder in the room at this point. Approximately 30 minutes later, black shapes could be seen blotting out the light around the cracks of the door to the stairwell, followed by more black shapes in the hall and one of the back room. After an hour or so of EVP work, we decided to leave digital recorders running in the basement, along with a video camera, while we toured the rest of the grounds. We concluded the investigation around 2am, leaving the place with over two hours of video footage, about a hundred still photos, and almost six hours of audio.

Upon review of the data, we managed to find quite a few things. There were four clear EVP's that included three direct responses to questions: There was a whispered 'Hi' when I stated, 'This is your chance to talk to us' and there were also two responses made by a series of knocks (one was four knocks, one was three). There was also an EVP that was recorded in the upstairs library of a male voice that could be a 'Hello,' that was actually gotten when there was nobody in the house (we were being given the tour of the grounds at this point). We also got a video clip in the library that includes a second appearance of the male voice--though we can't tell what is being said.

With such great evidence, the Paranormal Inc team will most definitely be going back to the Metal Museum--and to the adjoining hospital that contains an even larger morgue area that is reputedly haunted as well. Until then...

We have attached a video that includes the three EVPs that were responses. The video of the place is simply a reference so you can see the room where the sounds were captured. The first sound you will hear is the 'Hi'--it is quite faint, so you will want to boost your volume after I say 'This is your chance to talk to us.' Then you will hear us talking followed by the two series of weird knocks. Enjoy!

Posted by: Rich Newman
Got a Case? Send your haunting to info@paranormalincorporated.com!

Devils Backbone Part 2

2008-05-23T14:35:00.000-07:00

After getting a lot of general feedback regarding the video clip from Devil's Backbone, I decided to enhance the audio and get a better/louder bit of audio. The new video clip here is the enhanced audio version of the recording from the old ruins. If you listen closely, you will hear the scream, a mumble/moan, then what sounds like a 'No' dragging out. Eerie. Keep in mind, that this is real audio, not an EVP! The reports from DB state that people hear screams from a girl during thunderstorms--not that people have recorded screams. To make things even stranger, it was, indeed, recorded during a thunderstorm that abruptly ended our investigation.

Again, there were no females at the site, in the area, or working on the team. Also, nobody actually heard the sounds live (even though we were less than thirty feet away). There is also a sizable difference in loudness between the audio recorded on the video camera, and the audio recorded on the digital recorder (which are barely 10 feet apart from each other--the digital recorder is actually visible on the video) which makes me believe the sound was extremely localized.

The last thing I'd like to mention is that it was pointed out to me by a Massachusettes paranormal research organization (name withheld) that the 'No' portion of the audio that sounds very cat-like is similar to the 'Hello' recording that the TAPS team recorded at the Stanley Hotel in a crawlspace that had similar qualities. After watching that episode again, I agree. Check out the enhanced audio...

Posted by: Rich Newman

The Devil's Backbone

2008-05-18T19:24:00.001-07:00

At first it seemed like a waste of time; the Devil's Backbone, perched alongside the Mississippi River on the outskirts of Grand Tower, Illinois, was on the verge of a thunderstorm. The clouds were rolling in, it had drizzled a bit on the way there, and we were quickly losing daylight. If we did manage to find the place, it didn't look like we were going to get much time there for any kind of real investigation.

Information about the Devil's Backbone was pretty scarce: Most of the info we knew about the place came from Troy Taylor's Prairie Ghosts website (www.prairieghosts.com)--and it was pretty slim. Once we got into Grand Tower, though, finding the place was as easy as following the Devil's Backbone Park/Campsite signs. What?! PG/Troy didn't say anything about any campground! Fortunately, in this respect anyway, the threat of rain worked in our favor and there was only a couple of campers there. The only people we saw were a father and small boy doing some fishing, so we didn't expect any difficulties with people getting curious and interrupting the investigation.

After passing the campground, we followed the levee looking for the only landmark mentioned in the description of the Backbone: A natural gas bridge crossing the Mississippi. We found the bridge, then moved a bit farther North, and we found the remains of the house that is reputedly haunted by the ghost of a young woman.

The story of the haunting there goes like this: A young woman, distraught by the loss of her boyfriend who moved away, died in a state of depression (either because of the loss, or by illness) in the home. Since then, there have been sightings of the girl (in the form of a mist) following the path outside the ruins of the home and the sounds of moans, wails, and screams of the girl in the area--especially during thunderstorms (this is specifically mentioned by Taylor on PG). At least this made the rain work in our favor! There was also a gang of river pirates that had reputedly hijacked and killed many a person at the Backbone as well. All of this added up to a great place to check out (at least on paper anyway).

With our daylight waning, we managed to get to the site and set up a Hi8 camera with nightvision on the ruins to possibly capture any 'mists' or apparitions. We also left a digital recorder at the ruins, and with three investigators present (myself, Mike, and Brandon), we roamed the area with camcorders, digital recorders (for EVP work), and the usual tools of the trade (infrared thermometer, EMF detector, etc.).

We were maybe an hour into the investigation when the storm decided to move in a bit closer. It started sprinkling, and soon, the sprinkling turned into rain. We packed up the gear with barely over an hour's worth of data and made for the car. As we drove home, we went over the details of what we had just covered. None of us had really 'felt' anything haunted about the place; there were no feelings of being watched and we had seen/heard nothing that would indicate any kind of ghostly presence.

Upon review of our data, however, we did manage to find a few things. There was a mysterious, small ball of light that appeared out of nowhere for about two seconds (photo above), then disappeared (and this was right at the ruins). We also had 4-5 EVP's that included a female mumbling, heavy breathing, and a strange female moan (originating from the digital recorder that was left at the ruins). But best of all, we actually captured some audio from the video camera that included a female scream, a moan, then a strange sound that resembled (but was not) a cat!

After analyzing the video (and audio) we were left scratching our heads. None of us had felt any kind of presence at Devil's Backbone but here was clearly some audio of a girl in distress. To make matters even more complicated, none of us had either seen or heard any females at the site or surrounding area (no females were with us and we had seen no females at the small camp--which was a distance away, too). The light at the ruins was a bit odd as well since it did not 'move into view' but simply appeared and then disappeared.

Should we go back to Devil's Backbone? Maybe. More time at the site might give us more data; or maybe we were there at the right time--during a thunderstorm. Either way, it was a great, short trip.

Posted by: Rich Newman

Upcoming Investigations

2008-04-04T11:32:00.000-07:00

In preparation of the first season of Paranormal Inc, we have planned several investigations for Spring/Summer. But, first off...

Did you submit your haunting to Ghost Hunters for their ghost hunt contest? Winners get to investigate the Stanley Hotel with Jason, Grant, and crew. They have been hosting seminar/weekend getaways there, too, though they are a bit pricey. At any rate, on to our investigations...

The first show will focus on the ghosts of Little Egypt in Southern Illinois. This means hitting the Devil's Bake Oven, Dug Hill Road, the Devil's Backbone, and hopefully the Hickory Hill home (Crenshaw House) known as a haunted slave mansion and made famous by the 150 people who attempted to stay at the place and failed until it was accomplished by a WSIL-TV reporter. Should be a good one...

The second show features an Arkansas duo: the Crescent Hotel and the White River Monster. The Crescent is known to most as one of the places Ghost Hunters hit and got the thermal image of what appears to be a Civil War soldier standing in front of a locker (remember the glowing number two on his sleeve?). The White River Monster will be the first crypto investigation for the show and focuses on a lake creature in the Arkansas White River.

Show #3 features a trip the Paranormal Incorporated team will be making with Prairie Ghosts founder Troy Taylor to the haunted Eldred House just outside St. Louis in Illinois. We are in the process of setting up a second investigation there in St. Louis (maybe the Lemp mansion?), but we will see...

We also have investigations planned for Tennessee, Mississippi, and the Myrtles plantation in Louisiana for later in the Summer, though the details have not been hashed out as of yet. If you have a suggestion for an investigation (especially for Ufology since those have to be spur of the moment) contact us at info@paranormalincorporated.com with the details.

Stay tuned!

Posted by: Rich Newman, Paranormal Inc.

We're Here...

2007-11-30T10:56:00.000-08:00

Paranormal Incorporated is the new series created by producers Rich Newman and Mike Uelsmann of Elsinore Productions (www.elsinoreproductions.com). We are currently in development for this program (which means lots and lots of case gathering!) and are taking suggestions for investigations from you!

Unlike the popular programs Ghost Hunters and Most Haunted, the Paranormal, Inc. team investigates cases that involve ufology, cryptozoology, and simply the unexplained, in addition to hauntings. There are a few key things to keep in mind, though, before contacting us:

1. The case must be current! It does no good to investigate locations where you experienced something as a child. Historic locations are fine--if there's still activity there.

2. Ufology cases must be ongoing. It's what researchers call a 'hot spot,' meaning that multiple sightings in a recent timeframe have been happening there. Again, a one-shot sighting of a ufo does no good to us as researchers (excepting of course if there was a landing of any kind and physical evidence was left behind).

3. While anonymity will be respected, expect to be interviewed. We can change names, we can blur faces/photos, but we will not investigate a case with a blind suggestion! We must know who you are. A lot of time and money can go into an investigation, and these will not be invested without a solid basis for doing so.

4. Do not contact us with orbs. Much like other teams in the field, our official stance is that 99% of all orbs can be explained as dust, lens flare, or debris in the air. However, do not confuse orbs with ghost lights; this phenomena (such as the famous Marfa Lights or the Hornet Spook Light) is something altogether different, and is doable.

5. Prepare to be investigated! This seems like a no-brainer, but it isn't. If you're going to report it and you want it investigated, be aware that an actual team made up of people and equipment will be coming to the site. If you don't want to be intruded upon, or do not want it researched, do not report it! Once the site is up and running full-speed, we will have forums for people to trade war stories, and you are more than welcome to talk about your past experiences there.

Paranormal, Inc. will be shooting for the remainder of this year and the first three months of 2008 in an effort to obtain network backing. If you have a case, and you believe it adheres to the five guidelines listed above, contact us at info@paranormalincorporated.com with the following information:

Who witnessed the event and who was affected?
What happened during the event? Explain in as much detail as possible.
Where did the event happen? Be specific.
When did the event take place? If it is an ongoing event, state that and list instances.

We look forward to hearing from you.

The Paranormal, Inc. Team