Hollow Hill’s Fiona Broome joined GhoStock host Patrick Burns plus many celebrity ghost hunters for a tremendous paranormal event.
Here’s her preliminary report:
What a great event! The people who attended this event really made it unique. Every one of them — believers and skeptics alike — were sincerely interested in the paranormal.
All of the panels, workshops and lectures were fascinating. I especially enjoyed the talks by Father Andrew Calder and John Zaffis, since they delve into realms that I generally avoid.
I presented information about my research into paranormal patterns, including my discovery of the Salem “Judges’ Line.”
U.K. psychic/entertainer Gavin Cromwell and I talked about fact and fiction in ghost hunting, and how legends and preconceived ideas affects our results — and our reputations — as paranormal investigators.
On Friday night, I was joined by Gavin and his manager, Martin Clowes, as we led a team of investigators as we explored the magnificent Salem Inn. Not only is it a great place to stay, it has some colorful ghost stories… and it’s very active. It’s also on the “Judges’ Line” that I’m researching.
(That said, we checked with the staff and the Inn’s ghosts do not disturb the guests. We feel that, since we were eager to contact the ghosts, they responded to us as researchers.)
In Room 17, we encountered measurable activity with the K-II meter as well as the Ovilus.
This was my first chance to use the Ovilus, and I was very impressed when it said my full name, plus the full name of another researcher as well as the full name of someone who – according to my later research — had lived in the house in the 19th century. (The Ovilus is not programmed with names, just random words.)
Another interesting moment was when we were leaving the breakfast room at the Salem Inn, and — according to Martin Clowes (Gavin’s manager) – the Ovilus said, “Bye bye, everyone!” (I have since questioned whether that was actually said.)
We were also confused — and amused — by how frequently the Ovilus seemed to shout, “Dick!” After the investigation, we learned that the Salem Inn’s owners are Diane and Dick (Richard) Pabich.
While the Ovilus’ performance somewhat overshadowed the use of the K-II meter, both tools work well together to comfirm results.
When we were joined by members of Mass. Paranormal, we saw that the K-II meter readings spiked each time, just a split-second before the Ovilus “talked” to us. (Yes, they checked the K-II with the Ovilus next to it. The EMF surges were not from the Ovilus’ activity.)
The next morning, I prepared a preliminary research report. It may interest others at the event and Salem researchers.
This report may also provide ideas for other teams compiling their own research reports.
Salem Inn, Salem, MA – Preliminary Research Report [PDF file]
In general, GhoStock 7 was a wonderful event and I look forward to more events like this.
what house was the investigation performed? I am assuming it was the Captain West House. what other rooms/loactions in the Salem Inn were haunted? My family and i were looking to stay at the Salem Inn and we want to stay in a haunted room.
Hi Jessica,
Thanks for asking! The Salem Inn keeps a special guest book for people who’ve encountered spirits at the Inn, and they can tell you which are the best, most haunted rooms. It was my first time in the Inn, and it’s a combination of houses, so I’m not sure where we walked as we went up stairs, along corridors, etc.
It’s a wonderful place to stay. I was delighted to find it, so I can tell others to stay there. The location is relatively quiet (important when the Halloween crowds can be boisterous at night… similar to Bourbon Street in New Orleans’ French Quarter), elegant, and really conveys a sense of the history of Salem.
I’m sure you and your family will enjoy your visit!
Cheerfully, Fiona
What happened at Ghostock 7 (which I had to miss) that seemed to stop everybody in their tracks? No more info on any future Ghostocks online, not much written at all post-April 2009, can’t get a response from Patrick about future ghostocks or anything — did you all (except for this poster) get sucked into a vortex?
Dee,
Thanks for asking! I can’t speak for Patrick, but here’s how I see it:
Like many ghost conferences in 2009, I’m pretty sure that the numbers did not make GhoStock a profitable event. (In fact, many of us appeared at that event, free of charge, to keep the overhead low.) I liked the relatively small crowd, because I had a chance to talk with so many people… but events cost more than most people realize, and attendance is vital to at least break even.
I’ve seen many events canceled at the last minute, since then.
The financial issues are partly due to the economy, but also because there have been a glut of ghost-related events, and ghost hunting is not as trendy as it once was. Many people are moving on to vampires, etc.
There have also been credibility issues. To meet the demand of an increasing number of ghost-related events, entertainers entered the field… and they weren’t always honest about whether they were genuinely psychic, or even very experienced in professional-level paranormal research.
Frankly, I find that even more chilling than any ghost encounter I’ve witnessed. When people pay hefty prices for event tickets, they deserve authentic experiences and advice that will help them with their own research.
Oh, some people — especially those who’ve been visible in this field since before the “Ghost Hunters” TV show launched ghost hunting to extreme popularity — have always been honest, and — like me — they’ve tried to avoid (or even expose) the frauds in this field. But… sometimes we’re fooled, along with everyone else.
So, as much as I enjoyed GhoStock and other events I’ve appeared at, I’m a little relieved that the industry is shifting gears. As the field regroups, I think it will re-emerge with higher quality events.
When fame & fortune stop being incentives for people to misrepresent themselves in ghost hunting, you’ll see the real researchers are still here… while everyone else reinvents themselves to appeal to the audiences (and wallets) of whatever the new trend is.
I don’t mean to sound cynical. This is a normal cycle of fads and trends.
I’m really looking forward to events where everyone is serious about this work, and we can exchange information about our research and what that means about ghosts and ghost hunting. But, until that happens, I think you’ll see fewer events.
Fiona, thanks so much for your response and explanation. Reminds me of discussions I had long time ago when I bred Irish Setters and they got way too popular, then everyone bred them with resulting poor quality, then drop in popularity-with mixed feelings by breeders.
I have been to only one ghostock and, from here in Virginia, was surprised there even were such events (that’s how out of the main stream I’ve been as I don’t watch much TV and instead was interested from my own experiences). And to be honest, the most recent little amateurish stuff I’ve done all on my own in places that I was visiting, often for other reasons, left me a little “spooked”. It was this May–stayed in a very haunted place In Rye, England (orbs and energy everywhere but by morning, camera disc wiped out) — but got a BAD, sickish feeling. Husband had nightmare.. (Have also had pleasant ghostly experiences so don’t mean to say I think it is always bad energy). But that told me this isn’t such a simple little “past-time” but something going on to be taken very seriously. Still, what I enjoyed about the Ghostock was gettting to hear some of the speakers as well as being with others of a more open mind. (None of my friends nor my husband have any interest if even any belief in any of this.)
Anyway, I hope to run into you when and if there is some day a serious-minded gathering of this sort once all the dust settles, and thanks again.
Dee
My husband and two teenage kids stayed at the Salem Inn for a night in the summer of 2009. We were on a cross country trip and there was no planning involved in the reservation. I must say that my daughter and myself have always been sensative to energies but neither had any issues with the location initially. When we went to bed that night I immediately began to hear voices trying to speak to me and got up to turn on a light. My husband was having no issues. I spent the entire night praying to block the voices. I was uncomfortable with their intensity. The next morning I asked my daughter how she slept and she said they were trying to talk to her all night and that the door knob had jiggled repeatedly in the night. We were in the family suite of Captain West house. If anyone is interested in paranormal investigations this is a good spot. I hope to come back to Salem again. We live in Oklahoma but I will do more preparations before bedtime to protect myself from any negative energies. I also got some good spirit energy photos during a guided tour.
Thanks for your comment, Laurie!
Many people — including me — think the Salem Inn is one of the best places for ghost hunters to stay when they’re in the Salem area.
Cheerfully, Fiona
Hi Fiona,
Hope this email finds you well.
I just booked room 17 at the Salem Inn the Captain West house for 3 nights. I did not know the history & when Linda at the desk told me a little about Catherine I thought it would be cool to stay there. I am very open & sensitive to energies & everything does touch me deeply. Can you tell me a little about Catherine? Was she killed? & how? How old was she? Do alot of people stay in that room? Is 17 & the family suite the only rooms haunted besides the breakfast rooms? After reading your report here, I’m not sure if room 17 is a good idea. Does Catherine show herself to everyone who stays in room 17? I wouldn’t mind if she showed us she was there, I just don’t want to feel heaviness in my legs, get sick or stay up all night praying for 3 nights. Can people without the equipment hear voices loud & clear? Hopefully you have a couple of minutes to help me out here & answer my Questions. I would greatly appreciate your opinion & time. Oh & 1 more question if you don’t mind. Do you think the Salem Inn is more Haunted then the Hawthorne Hotel? Thanx so much & I think what your doing is really cool!
Blessed Be
With Love & Light
AnnMarie…
AnnMarie,
Thanks for writing! I’d stay in any room at the Salem Inn, and plan to get a good night’s sleep. Generally, if you announce the ground rules when you arrive in the room — even Room 17 — I think the spirits will respect your requests.
Really, I don’t think you’ll have any problems at all.
While the Salem Inn is one of my favorite Salem locations for ghost research, it’s also a fine place to stay, even if all you want is a comfy bed in an inn with a wonderful history. (And that’s not just because my ancestor tried to buy the building from Captain West, either! *grin*)
Cheerfully,
Fiona
Hello.
I’m glad I’m not the only one who felt a presence at the Inn. Back in 1991 my parents and I stayed in the family suite. My parents slept in the bedroom and I slept on the pull out couch in the front room. The feelings I experienced were indescribable. I felt as though an emotional heaviness had descended upon me. I wasn’t scared just depressed for no apparent reason. As soon as we checked out I felt better. I told my mom about it later on and she just dismissed it as being caught up in the Salem lore. I know something happened because I haven’t experienced that emotion since staying at the Inn. However, I did find the Salem Inn quite charming and they had a great breakfast.
Hello,
I recently stayed in the Salem Inn about a month ago. My gf and I stayed in room #10 and my friend and his gf stayed in room #13. We didn’t actually experience to much activity but in room#10 behind the bathroom door I kept getting the feeling of a presence of possibly a child watching me, I looked behind the curtain in the small closet/storage room but nothing was in there. My friend’s gf who stayed in room #13 lost a shirt, she says she took it out of the bag to wear that day and after showering she couldn’t find it, she asked John if he had moved it and he said no, after searching the room they never found the shirt. Also in room #10 I had began packing the morning we were going to be leaving, I packed my bag and left out one outfit my gf asked me to, and then packed her bag while she showered. I left the room to use the computer in front room and when I came back one pair of shorts were out of the bag, I asked her if she changed her mind of her outfit she said no why? I asked, did you take these shorts out of the bag? She said no, and I am sure everything including that pair of shorts was in her bag.
We did go upstairs and look at the rest of the building, we noticed room #17’s door, gave me a feeling of a time long ago, is the best I can explain it, but we didn’t see anything up there. The breakfast room, which I might add had a great breakfast for the guests, did have a vibe to it, the side with the fireplace or small stove type fixture in the wall, which that side was not being used to serve breakfast that day, was the side of the room that had a vibe to it I noticed a temp. difference in that side of the room, much cooler. I spoke to one of the locals, and he informed me room #17 was haunted and the basement. I asked any history he knew, he told me room #17 many years ago when the Inn was a boarding house, an older woman was raped and murdered in the room, and the basement has been known to have a little boy running through it yelling, “dick, dick, dick, dick, dick!.” And disappearing when cornered, I saw on your page the “dick dick dick” information and the local who told me this story told me it was from a ghost hunting expedition done on the house.
All in all the Salem Inn was beautiful, clean, quite, and a great breakfast, just a great place to stay and I would stay there again. I am looking forward to reading your book as well returning to Salem.
Best Wishes,
Henry
After coming back from Salem, and downlaoding the digital camera to the computer I have a few photos I found amazingly creepy, one picture is of the House of the Seven Gables, I saw something in one of the exterior windows, actually two figures, I didnt say anything to the other 3 people that were with me on the trip, so I didnt “inspire” their thoughts, yet they saw the same two figures in the picture. I have searched the internet for the pictures of the same window view of the House of the Seven Gables, I ve found a few pictures of the same window in my pictures, and the figures are not in them. I wanted to debunk my own findngs but as of now I still cannot.
As well the day we checked in to the Salem Inn, I had taken some pictures of the room we stayed in and sure enough there is someone looking back at us in the mirror, again I didnt say anything and let the other 3 people look at the pictures and wiothout forwarning them of what I saw they see the same woman in a dress looking at us in the mirror. Very strange.
The Hawthorne house next to the 7 Gables I took pictures of as well, I saw in the one picture what appears to be a small child looking out of the center window of the house, I actually didnt notice this, someone else pointed it out when showing them pictures of the trip. I searched the internet for pictures of the same window and I did find almost the same image in another picture, this one I might say is possibly a light angle or something that just appears to look like a small child looking out the window.
All in all, I ve been thinking about contacting TAPS or Ghost Hunters to see if they would look at the pics, Fiona, if this is something you would also like to have sent to you I would be more than happy to send the pics.
I am looking foward to buying your new book, Ghosts of Salem.
Best Wishes,
Henry.