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weemsbotts · 2 years

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We Interrupt This History Blog…

By: Lisa Timmerman, Executive Director & Ghost Jeff, Ghost Guide

Ghost Jeff: Sorry Lisa, I need to interrupt your blog. As we get closer to Halloween, people may be looking for paranormal experiences and I think the following information would be helpful.

Lisa: But ghosts aren’t real.

Ghost Jeff: *sighs* Can I? Yes…let me just borrow your computer for a second…

Each year, thousands of people attend ghost tours or visit haunted locations with the hopes of experiencing something paranormal. While these encounters are typically rare, some participants have life changing interactions with the unknown that alter their view the world. Someone once said that hunting the paranormal is similar to fishing in many ways. If you are prepared and follow these tips, you will get more out of your “fishing trip!”

Try to attend a tour that is being led by an experienced guide. Tours guided by someone who knows the area will increase your probability of encountering something strange. For example, they may be able to share the best time of day for an interaction. People mistakenly think that spirits are only active at night, but this is not true. Many go about their business during the day. Some will follow the same daily routine as they did when they were living. Others might give the living their space during the day, but they will take ownership of the location after hours – and some become very agitated if the living are present when they are not supposed to be there. This was the case at an antique store I visited a couple years ago. The owner had made a bargain with “Frederick,” a male spirit that occupied the location. He told Frederick that he would allow him to have full run of the place after business hours, but he required a peaceful partnership during the day so he could earn a living. This respectful agreement helped to calm the negative behavior being exhibited by the male spirit. All experienced guides should know where the “hot spots” are located at their haunted site. They may even share some lesser-known locations where the spirits might retreat when they need their own space. There are as many reasons for this behavior as there are personalities for people. Some spirits are actually frightened of strangers! Others may despise our modern behaviors, and some are, quite frankly, racist! Keep in mind that people who lived during different time periods did not share our same sentiments or contemporary “inclusive” attitudes.

If you are going to bring equipment, know how to use it! Practice, practice, practice – and read the manual! Is your cell phone causing your EMF meter to show “false positives?” Is your voice recorder set to record at the highest setting? Did you remember to bring fresh batteries? Did you take the lens cap off of your camera before snapping that once in a lifetime photo of a full body apparition? Every paranormal researcher has made their fair share of mistakes in the field, but with proper preparation you can capture the evidence you are looking for.

Be wary of conducting “online research” prior to your visit. Speaking from experience, I can tell you that there is a lot of incorrect paranormal information online about the Weems-Botts Museum where I volunteer. The Dead Files filmed an episode a few years back, and stated that there is an angry spirit of a widow that has attacked past volunteers and shoved people down the stairs. Have people been touched while visiting the historic house? Yes. Have people been hurt or forcefully pushed – not that I am aware of. There is a big difference between being poked by someone that is trying to say “Hello” and being forcefully shoved in a manner that can only be interpreted as “GET OUT!” The female spirits that seem to occupy the historic home don’t seem to mind visitors, as long as guests are well mannered and respectful. One of the spirits may be a prankster, and I think they have fun playfully scaring the living every once and awhile. For example, I have been told that during one daytime tour, our antique doll, April, opened her eyes and lifted one arm into the air. This, of course, frightened a group of guests and they quickly exited the building. I do not believe the doll is haunted, but I do believe a spirit may have manipulated the arm to frighten the guests. On more than one of my tours, guests have claimed to see the dolls eyes fluttering or moving rapidly. We have tried to debunk it by checking to see if a window mounted AC unit could be blowing on her, but it was not. Perhaps a spirit was manipulating the dolls lashes with their hand?

Pay attention to the little things. Spirits may attempt to communicate with you, but it will often be very subtle. Sometimes spirits may cause the lights to flicker after a statement has been made on a tour. Sometimes a guest may report feeling an odd “pressure” in their head or a buzzing in their ear when entering a room. One guest saw a heavy planter suspended by metal chains begin swinging on the porch during my tour – despite the fact that no breeze was present to cause it to move. These events have happened and have left me wondering “Did that really just happen?” On one of my October ghost tours, after my group relocated to the next stop, a young lady asked meekly: “Mr. Jeff, has anyone ever reported seeing a tall shadow figure wearing a top hat?” “No,” I responded, “Why do you ask?” “Well, there was one standing behind you when we were over at the elementary school…” After hearing that, I informed her that she was more than welcome to interrupt my spiel in the future to point out anything she witnessed nearby…

REMEMBER: You can have the best gear, hire the best guide and go to the best fishing spot, but sometime the fish just aren’t biting. Enjoy the tour and appreciate the experience of visiting somewhere new. Listen carefully and take plenty of photos. You never know, you may find something in a photo weeks after your tour. Regardless, your participation in the tour may help fund programs and renovations at the site - it is all for a good cause!

Ghost Jeff: Ok Lisa, you can have your computer back now.

Lisa: Ok, then you can have your car keys back.

Note: Want a chance to meet Ghost Jeff? Our Ghost Guide is THE best. Tickets for our Ghost Walk program “Return to the Shadows” are available here and here! We may have room on our tours, so do not let the “sold out” status keep your name off the wait list! Interested in a more scholarly and literary presentation? Join the Executive Director for a Gothic virtual tea this Saturday, 10/22/2022, 1pm, where she will share historical ghost stories and share recipes and gaming ideas for your festivities! Receive tea in the mail along with a useful PDF guide, tickets available here.

#localhistory #ghostwalks #paranormal #folklore #ghoststories #onlyinoctober #halloween #community #supportnonprofit #volunteersarethebest

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