Category: US – Other

Sometimes, I’m more convinced by retracted “ghost stories” than those that get lots of publicity.

Here’s an example:

I was searching for fresh news reports about ghosts.  I use special software to filter out the stories that won’t interest me.  Then, I click on those that look interesting.

The following is a screenshot of one story that caught my interest.

However, when I clicked to read the article… it had already been removed from the WOOD-TV website.

That’s not entirely weird.  After all, it looks like the story was from 2012.

On the other hand, I’m still not sure why it showed up on my feed of recent news stories. (Cue the Twilight Zone music…?)

Generally, when I see something that looks like a publicity stunt — a news reporter “locked in,” Ghost Adventures’ style — I sigh in exasperation.  Really, guys, that’s become a cliche.  Zak and his friends can do “locked in” investigations far better than amateurs.

What made this story different is that it’s the Titanic. 

Of course the artifacts from it could have eerie energy.  I’d be more surprised if this kind of exhibit wasn’t haunted.

Though this news story is old, my point is still current:

If you’re looking for creepy, haunted places to investigate, sometimes it’s better to look for reports that vanish almost as completely as the ghosts do.

Stories (and commercial sites) that shout “Look at me! Look at me!” are less likely to be the real deal.

It doesn’t take the Haunted Collector to spot a show or exhibit that could be truly haunted, and worth visiting.  In fact, if you can get to a display like this one, I recommend (discreetly) carrying an EVP recorder in your pocket, to pick up any odd messages you might hear while in the gallery or exhibit.

If you’re intrigued by the idea of a haunted Titanic exhibit, you’ll have lots of choices.  Check the Titanic Exhibitions list to find a site near you. (Personally, the Luxor would be my first choice.  That place is pretty creepy to begin with, with its massive Egyptian statues.)

If you can see this Brown Springs video by “Panic Attack Videos,” watch it. It’s interesting and credible.

[Update: Video made private by “Panic Attack Videos” on YouTube – link was http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DttYnOd1RPw  However, the video was so compelling, I’m leaving the link here in case you want to try to access it.]

This video looked like the real thing to me.  There is no reason for grown men to act that frightened… unless they were.  And, if you check some of their other videos from that site, I think you’ll be impressed with the location.

This was a very short video and — because it’s so brief and the guys panicked —  it’s not terribly scary.  However, it’s exactly what happens in a genuinely haunted sites… even if you’re a guy who’ll get out of a car to confront unknown people pursuing you.  (That refers to part of the video featured in my Hollow Hill article.  It’s an amazingly risky thing to do.)

Basically, the guys arrive at Brown Springs — in Love County, by Thackerville, Oklahoma — and stay just a few minutes.  Then, a sense of evil and danger overtakes them and they decide to leave, quickly.

Strong language made this video not safe for office viewing, and the authenticity — suggesting something truly frightening — made this video unsuitable for family viewing, too.

Originality

Credibility

This video is a great example of what real-life ghost hunting was like in 2012. I’m thankful for GFI’s research, especially the work of their cousin and tech guy, the late Joey Thorpe.

As ghost hunters, I think it’s important to remember the importance of every day, and every person we interact with, in real life, online, and at haunted sites.

If it hadn’t been for Joey and the GFI team, we wouldn’t have this kind of record to learn from, today and in the future.

Thank you, Joey, Adam, and GFI.

---

Here’s my original article, lightly edited in 2020, and with added comments by GFI’s Adam Bennett.

GFI Catches REAL Ghosts and Shadow Creatures on Video! Must Watch!

This was our second visit to Poasttown. We retured because we felt we had unfinished business at this haunted location. We will release a full video in the f…

This paranormal investigation video – “GFI Catches REAL Ghosts and Shadow Creatures on Video!” – includes two clips from Poasttown, Ohio.

The first one is good, but I’m not certain it’s ghostly. Also, I need to spend more time reviewing the second one.

These clips are good reminders of how closely you need to study videos, to see anomalies in them.

Note: I recommend muting the music in that video to reduce distractions as you study it. (However, I understand that most viewer probably aren’t going to dissect a video as I do. Also, I’ll admit the music is campy and kind of cool.)

Initial impression

This first screenshot is from the corridor, when it’s normal.  It’s at the end of the first clip.

Like most night-vision videos, darkness and shadows are always an issue.

Ditto matrixing… looking for form and meaning in something that’s merely odd (not paranormal) at best.

What I’m seeing is a door that has a window, and a somewhat reflective surface on the door itself.  The floor is shiny and reflective as well.  Both of these could explain what happened in this video clip… but do they, really?

A shadow person?

The next photo shows the point that interests me the most.  In it, a shadow figure seems to cross in front of the door, below the height of the door handle.

It might be a normal shadow.  If someone ducked down and walked in front of the video camera, that could cast a shadow in the light, even though the person’s body wasn’t seen in the video.

Or, the shift in camera position could account for different lighting effects that simply look paranormal.

So far, there’s nothing  conclusive here.

A closer look

To get a better understanding of what I’m looking at, here are two annotated screenshots.

At right, you’ll see a the 11:18:16 PM screenshot again. I’ve placed an oval over the areas that interest me the most.

(As this screenshot shows, the interesting area is dark. You may need to watch the video again, and adjust your screen settings to see it.)

I’m looking at a shadow that crosses in front of the door.  At its tallest, it’s about two feet, maybe two-and-a-half feet, tall. (Less than one meter.)

Then there’s the darker area in front of the door.

Let’s say it is an apparition or shadow figure.

Now, we have two questions:

• Is the figure at the door, and is it reflected in the shiny floor?
• Or, is the figure nearly human-sized, but closer to the camera?

Simply, does the oval (in the previous screenshot) include the shadow figure plus its reflection, or does the oval include the entire figure, with no obvious reflection?

Attempt at a clearer image

Increasing the contrast didn’t answer any questions.  An example is at left.  The arrow points to the top of the shadow figure, as I see it.  (Others may see something totally different.)

Except that I discount what seems like easy matrixing, several other frames in this video offered some strange images.  One looked exactly like a line drawing of a head and torso, extending all the way up to the window in the door, and the shadow was in front of it.

Also, I can see a variety of figures – some upside up, some upside down – in the reflection or possible shadow figure in front of the door.

Yes, my speculations go far out on a limb.  That doesn’t mean the anomalies aren’t real.  Based solely on the video, I can’t claim the images are evidence of… well, anything. Yet.

But, let’s not get that serious.  I think it’s important to ask “what if…?” about even the threadiest evidence. (And, frankly, this video is better than many – and maybe most – that I see.)

You never know where your questions will lead.  They may not apply to the evidence in question, but they may trigger ideas for fresh investigation techniques, or new things to check for in old evidence.  (This is why I urge people never to delete old photos, videos, or EVP recordings.)

A shadow person could look that small

So, let’s say that the shadow figure is directly in front of the door.  Why would it be that small?

Here are a few explanation:

1. The ghost is walking on a level that existed in his lifetime, and only his upper body extends above the current floor.

I’ve seen this phenomena among apparitions in homes where the floors changed, due to a structural change in the building.

For example, when a Victorian home (with high ceilings) is converted so the attic becomes a new living space – by lowering the floor – or the height of the foundation changes (common in homes renovated after flooding), the ghosts may be walking where the old floor was.

(Similar reports around York, England, describe half-bodies of Roman soldiers, still marching where the ground used to be, but it’s been filled-in, since.)

2. Maybe it’s not a ghost. Maybe it’s what researchers describe as a faerie.  Some faeries, such as gnomes, are about two or three feet tall.

3. Or, perhaps it’s another kind of entity, also small in stature.  (See my book, Ghosts – What They Are and What They Aren’t.)

At this point, as a researcher, I’d need more evidence to be sure that this video is showing something paranormal.

I’d need simultaneous EVP, or regular flash photos capturing the figure, or additional videos with the same phenomena.

Is that realistic for a typical ghost hunting team? No. Most teams don’t have the budget – or a large enough team – for that kind of evidence collection.

This is one reason why – as of 2020 (as I’m updating this article) – I stress the importance of personal observation. Not just what you see or hear, but how it affects you.

Ultimately, almost any ghost-like phenomena can be debunked by a determined skeptic.  (Whether their arguments are credible… that’s another matter.)

Often, the real proof is how the haunting affects you, personally. When you know you’ve encountered something unexplained, no one can debunk that.

This video is odd enough to make additional research a priority.  Something seems to be casting the shadow, but – without further evidence – it’s difficult to tell if it’s a normal shadow, a shadow figure, or something else.

Adam Bennett’s insights

In August 2020, GFI’s Adam Bennett generously shared some of his insights about this video. Here’s some of what he said:

Tremendously slow down the second video. The ear effect was caused by a shadow cross contaminated with the movement of the apparition. As it retreats back into the room you can make out what looks to be a head, upper torso, and arm. The arm looks to extend and push itself back into the room. Hopefully that helps clarify.

Then he explained:

If you pause it as it returns back into the room you can see a transparent head, arm, and torso.

Those are useful tips. (Thanks, Adam!)

Also, I was pleased when Adam added the following information about Joey Thorpe. Personal insights create a connection, and make ghost research mean so much more.

Our video guy and my cousin would be so proud and pumped that the video is is still around. We miss him a lot. We don’t investigate anymore.

What looks like a mouse?

The second segment of this video confuses me.  Maybe I’m not looking at the correct area in the video, because what I’m seeing doesn’t look paranormal.

Many years ago, in our Florida kitchen, we saw mice that looked disturbingly like Mickey Mouse.  (When I set them free, far from our house, I think they just returned to my kitchen, rather than heading to Disney World.)

In the Poasttown video, I see something rush out, pause, and then rush back into the wall or a doorway.  To me, it looks like a mouse or a rat… a rodent with large-ish ears, whatever it is.  Varieties of mice with ears this large include Gremlin mice.

That b&w image (above) was an enlargement of the screenshot.  To me, it looks like a mouse on his hind legs, with his ears at full alert, watching the person in the doorway, further down the hall.

Then, he drops back down on all fours, and scurries back to the room or opening where he’d emerged from.

Of course, with a really shiny floor, it’s difficult to evaluate the figure’s height.

Maybe the anomaly is something else in the video.  I’ve watched it several times, and the mouse-like figure attracts my attention every time.

If there’s something else in this video that I’m not seeing, please let me know.  I’d hate to miss a really good anomaly.

Fiona’s analysis (2012, before Adam’s insights)

The first segment in this YouTube video shows something odd enough to make follow-up investigations imperative.  Though I can explain the shadow in a variety of ways, I’d want to visit the site for test like these:

1. Have someone cross in front of the camera, but just beneath the lens, to see if that creates a similar shadow.
2. Deliberately film from a variety of angles, filming constantly, to see what happens with shadows and reflections as the focus and angles of light vary.

For most people, that shadow figure puts this in the “scary ghost video” category. That figure is something I can’t fully explain. When I investigate a site, that kind of anomaly is exactly what I’m looking for.

The second segment – the b&w one – the activity at the left side of the screen looks too much like a mouse or a rat.  But, as I said, maybe I’m missing a truly interesting anomaly in another part of the corridor.

Takeaways from this video 

• Examine each video very carefully.  Sometimes, the anomalies are really subtle.
• What you think you see in a video may be influenced by what you saw when you were at the site, or your teammates’ opinions.
• When you post a video online, consider adding an arrow or other indication of where we’re supposed to look. Of course, many viewers prefer to spot anomalies themselves. For them, that makes the anomaly – and the likelihood that the site is haunted – more credible. (Arrows would have made my analysis easier, but are they a good idea? I’m not so sure.)

You can read my conversation with Adam Bennett in comments at a post at my Facebook Page, Fiona Broome News. Thanks again to him, to GFI, and especially to the late Joey Thorpe, who helped us understand ghost hunting better. He will be remembered, with gratitude.

“Eloise: The Asylum That Started The Whole Mess” (above) is not a ghost video, it’s a tribute, and a downright chilling one.  The really creepy part..? It’s not hyperbole.  The information in that video can be confirmed.

Watch it before the videos about ghosts at Eloise, Michigan.

This site was first a stagecoach stop, the Black Horse Tavern. Then it was purchased and turned into a poorhouse, and then became a medical facility.  In its various incarnations it was a sanitorium for victims of tuberculosis, and a mental hospital.  Its names included the Eloise Infirmary for the Sick and Elderly, and the Eloise Hospital for the Insane.

Several locations associated with Eloise sound as if they should be haunted.  In fact, I’d expect this to be one of the creepiest haunted hospital sites in America.

More history of Eloise:

“Eloise: Mostly a memory” (This video is no longer available at YouTube. I’m keeping this note here, in case it returns. It was a great history.)

Next, “Spirit Caught on Camera In Haunted Eloise Asylum” includes highlights of a brief investigation inside Eloise – Visual anomalies, some clear Ghost Box responses, and lots of NSFW language from the investigators.  It’s a good balance of evidence.

Next, a daytime tour by the Dearborn Paranormal Research Society of Michigan.  Sound quality is challenging to listen to, dialing the levels up and down, but the information is excellent.

“Eloise Mental Hospital – Ghost Hunters” isn’t the Ghost Hunters’ TV show; it’s a news report by a startled reporter who — apparently — didn’t really expect to encounter anything at Eloise.

Parody? The next video includes a daytime tour by Michigan Paranormal Investigators, interviews about (fictional) Patient 626, and a night-time investigation with impossibly clear EVP.  This is how many “ghost stories” are created.  In five years, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear about genuine phenomena related to the invented patient’s ghosts.

And now, only to better understand what you’ll find at Eloise, the next video series looked like a Ghost Hunters parody. Mostly, it showed foolhardy investigating, with some inaccurate history thrown in.

These 12-year-old kids may have encountered some paranormal activity. But, they made such serious research blunders, it’s impossible to sort fact from fantasy.

The worst part is: They’re clearly breaking the law. This kind of prank is unacceptable and it gives serious ghost hunters a bad name. (Two words: No trespassing. How smart does anyone have to be, to understand what that means? Yes, it’s a rhetorical question borne of frustration.)

[Update: These YouTube videos seem to be online, but can be viewed “by permission only.” I’m leaving the descriptions here in case that changes.]

• Part One – Stylish introduction, and a quick daytime tour of the key locations at the Eloise site.

• Part Two – More criminal trespassing. The smokestack building doesn’t seem especially haunted to me, but the visual imagery is impressive. It’s ideal for photographers who like abandoned sites. I’m not convinced that this part of the complex is worth paranormal research.

• Part Three is more of the same. It shows more criminal activity no 12-year-old should try… or anyone of any other age, either. Mostly, the video shows a bunch of kids scaring themselves. The “reveal” (or summary) starts at 4:41 in the video, and some of the evidence is worth a second look. Unfortunately, this silliness erodes any credibility. That’s just one of many unfortunate aspects of what we see in these videos.

Resources for investigators

• Eloise (psychiatric hospital), at Wikipedia.
• Eloise Asylum, at Asylum Projects.
• History of Eloise, at the WebCite archive for GeoCities.

ties.

You’ll see two possible anomalies in this video.  One is an interesting orb.  The other is something that might be an apparition.

The Joplin Paranormal Research Society (Missouri) don’t claim that the orb is a ghost.  Of the two anomalies, I think the orb is more credible to someone who wasn’t there at the time.

The orb appears and then backs away.  It’s clear and large, and the right shape and density to be interesting.

However, it might be something reflective that drifted in and was pushed back by… well, I wasn’t there. A fan could do it, a door opening and closing, someone moving abruptly enough to cause a slight breeze, and so on.

But, after my intensive research into orbs and how easy they are to fake (or mistake) with dust, moisture, reflections, etc… this orb could be paranormal.

On the other hand, the apparition looks like someone walking in front of the camera.  It catches the light.  It’s too solid.

That’s exactly what makes this credible.  Unless the Joplin team are terrible investigators, had temporary amnesia, or are trying to promote a hoax, that figure is something paranormal.

(Yes, as the author of the popular article, Scams and Con Artists, I know that audacious lies fool us most often.  Nevertheless, I’m taking this video at face value.)

Does the video show a ghost?  Maybe.

I’m raising an eyebrow because — as I said earlier — it’s too solid.  That doesn’t mean it’s fake, but I wouldn’t rule out other paranormal explanations.

And, for that reason, assuming this was a real anomaly, I’d be very cautious about returning to that location.  It might be malicious.

All in all, this is an interesting video.

Originality (assuming it’s real)

Credibility (combined, of either anomaly – the orb or the figure)