In one of the earlier posts, I talked about the little boy of Richardson Hall (whom we now call Joshua). Though I guess investigators aren't supposed to have favorites, I've got to say he's my favorite ghost. Not just because I have a soft spot for little kids, but because he's our most interactive spirit by far.
Back when we were setting up for the Ghost Tours, fellow investigator Becca and I would spend a lot of our afternoons alone in the theatre building doing walk/run throughs and setup for the tours. During one run through, I saw that one of the seats in the front row was down, and realizing that would be a hazard for me (our tours were in the pitch black theatre and I was walking backwards) I put it up. Becca and I went downstairs and came back up a few moments later.
The same seat I'd just put up was down again.
Being completely honest, it didn't really phase me. Like I said before, the theatre is the oldest part of the campus, and I figured the seats were loose and it just fell down on its own accord. I put it back up, and then moved it back and forth a bit to see how loose it was. Contrary to my assumption, the seat wasn't loose- it stuck a bit when I pushed it down, and it never fell on its own while we watched it.
Still in the middle of a run through, Becca and I were working on the stage. I thought I saw a movement out of the corner of my eye, and when I looked over, the same seat was down again.
It is notorious for ghost children to play with others in the room, and like I said in the post about Joshua, I believe that he doesn't know he's dead. He's tried to interact with us before, and Becca and I wondered if he was trying to play with us.
So we decided to play back. We went into the audience and pushed up all the seats that were down, including the seat in the front row. Becca, being our main ghost communicator, told Josh that we wanted to play. She asked him to push down the seats like she was doing (she demonstrated).
We walked around the seats, keeping an eye out. Becca called out to me because the seat that had continuously been pushed down was down again; so were a couple of other seats. So we played back- Becca pushed one down, I pushed one down, and then we told him it was his turn. This game went on for about ten minutes; several more seats were pushed down (regrettably we never saw with our own eyes the seat being pushed down).
Then things got more interesting; while playing our game, Becca felt a slight tap on her arm. Since I was on the other side of the room, we had a pretty good feeling who it was. Thus, our game of tag started. And for those of you who haven't played tag with a little ghost boy, let me tell you it's not as easy as it sounds. But Joshua tagged both of us, and we continued to play.
It had gotten pretty late, and Becca and I had to head home. After saying goodbye to Joshua, we went to leave out of the back door that we'd come in from. The second we stepped through the first doorframe, over my left shoulder I heard "get out". I thought it was Becca and turned back to ask her what that was about; Becca was on the right of me, looking over at me with the same stunned expression. We were out of the door in less than two seconds.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Investigation of Richardson Hall 2/27/2012 Part 1
The Chair Experiment
After being absent from investigating for so long, Becca and I headed back over to Richardson Hall. Yes, I know we do a lot of investigations on the Theatre, but really, we can't explore anywhere else, so for now our choices are limited. And besides, it's a pretty active place, so why not investigate it to the fullest?
The two of us came up with an experiment to perform: the chair experiment. Like we said before the little boy (who we discovered is really named Joshua, so that's what we call him now) likes to interact with us a lot, so he's our best spirit to study.
For our experiment, we went through the entire first level of the theatre and put up any seat that was down. Now, in the theatre, there are some seats that, when pushed down will stay down. But for the most part, the chairs spring back up unless there is weight in them.
So once all the seats were up, we went through to take pictures as evidence that all the seats were back up. After that, we had planned to go through and check if any somehow went back down. However, before I could even take the first round of pictures, we found that one seat had gone back down.
Every time we are in the theatre, that is the seat that's always down. We've dubbed it "Joshua's Seat" because without fail, no matter how many times we put it back up, it always comes back down, and we believe that it's Joshua's way of telling us that he's here.
So for the experiment, I put the seat back up and took pictures as best as I could to document the seats all being pushed up:
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| Right Side (Note Joshua's Seat, 2nd Row on the left) |
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| Larger view of right side (Joshua's Seat bottom right) |
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| Center section right side |
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| Left section back half (Note: First row on the left, the two seats near the heater are half down again after we put them all the way up) |
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| Center Section Left side |
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| Center section |
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| Left section front half |
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| Left Section |
The one that really gets me though is comparing a picture that I have in the beginning of the blog to something I just discovered going through them. The two pictures below were taken 2-3 seconds apart. I've labeled the rows to make comparing them easier. In row four of the first picture, 4th seat in, the seat is up. In the two seconds it took me to step half a foot to the right and snap another picture, the same seat is down. Neither Becca nor I touched it in the few seconds between pictures.
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| Seat is up like we had it |
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| 3 seconds later, the seat is down |
Running short on time, Becca and I put up the seats once more to run the experiment again. We walked past one of the doors on the side of the stage and the two of us froze at the same exact time; from right in front of us, we heard a growl. Now, though a growl isn't something that's unnatural, when you hear a growl three feet in front of you and you're pretty positive a dog didn't follow you inside, it's a little shocking.
Since the theatre was pitch-black, I snapped a quick picture just to make sure there wasn't a dog. In our defense, seeing the picture on my small camera screen was a lot more startling than it really was.
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| When you enlarge the picture, you can see that the mass behind the chair is just paint on the board. However, on a tiny camera screen, it looked like a mass of shadow crouching in front of us. |
I can't even explain how shocking that was to see on my camera screen. And we definitely high tailed it out of there. But, because I knew we wouldn't be good investigators if we didn't go back, we went in a few minutes later and found out exactly what that black mass was:
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| I've honestly never been more startled by a piece of wood. |
So, once we found out that the mass was only paint and wood, we decided to head back to do the last round of chair checks. I assumed Becca had followed me to the chair, going in front of the stage. There were footsteps behind me, and I could feel a presence there, so I didn't question it. So when I turned around and saw that Becca was across the theatre and had gone up the far aisle, and I was alone, that's when I questioned what was behind me.
All in all, Joshua's chair was down once again, and after about an hour in the theatre, and since we were late for dinner, we ended our investigation for the afternoon. I've gotta say, I think our short little experiment satisfied us, and that won't be the end of our adventures.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Our Hiatus has ended
The temporary break that the Paranormal Discovery Club took has come to an end!
Why take a break? Well, simply put, it was taken as a safety precaution. As anyone who has dealt with the paranormal should know, it is never a good idea to anger entities or spirits, and we believe we were beginning to do just that.
Like we said, our group got to do a tour of Richardson Hall over Halloween. For the tours, we amped it up a bit and made the legends come to life. However, in doing so, we began to anger the spirits in the theatre (which I'll post about in a little bit), and for our safety, we took a break.
However, now that the second semester has started, we're looking to start up our investigations again, and we're planning on doing something with some prospective members. And, if we play our cards right, we could finally get clearance to do the overnight in Richardson, which we've been wanting since September. So, faithful readers, stay tuned, and hopefully we'll have something to blog about soon.
Why take a break? Well, simply put, it was taken as a safety precaution. As anyone who has dealt with the paranormal should know, it is never a good idea to anger entities or spirits, and we believe we were beginning to do just that.
Like we said, our group got to do a tour of Richardson Hall over Halloween. For the tours, we amped it up a bit and made the legends come to life. However, in doing so, we began to anger the spirits in the theatre (which I'll post about in a little bit), and for our safety, we took a break.
However, now that the second semester has started, we're looking to start up our investigations again, and we're planning on doing something with some prospective members. And, if we play our cards right, we could finally get clearance to do the overnight in Richardson, which we've been wanting since September. So, faithful readers, stay tuned, and hopefully we'll have something to blog about soon.
Sunday, October 30, 2011
The Ghosts of Richardson: The Little Boy
No ghost holds more authority here at Adams State College than the ghost of the Little Boy. Ask anyone working in Richardson Hall, and that's the first ghost they'll mention. What really makes him special, though, is that his activity isn't just limited to Richardson Theatre, like nearly all the other ghosts. The Little Boy has been spotted in numerous places doing numerous things.
There are two different rumors going around about who the little boy is. The most prominent story we've heard is that the ghost is the son of an Adams State Alumni who had wandered into the Richardson Theatre and died when he fell off the stage and broke his neck. The other story, which has just begun to surface, is that the the Little Boy might be the ghost of Joshua Carey, a 9-year-old boy who was struck and killed by a car while crossing the street. His father worked at Adams State in the Alumni office (located in Richardson Hall) for a while, and it's possible that Joshua made himself at home in Richardson.
Either way, the Little Boy is always the first story told. He is described as a young child (between the ages of 5-9) and he has been seen wearing a striped shirt and baseball cap. Witnesses say the little boy likes to interact with late-night workers. The janitors have said that they've seen a young boy running down the halls after hours; when they pursue the boy, he is no where to be found. Others have told us they often hear the laughter of a little boy, and then what sounds like a tricycle rolling down the hallways.
Personally, I feel that spirits of young children don't understand that we can't see them. I don't think they grasp the concept of the two different realms- the living and the dead. I feel that the Little Boy doesn't know we can't see him, and he wonders why we get scared when he tries to talk to us. So now, whenever my team goes into the theatre at night (and even during the day) we make a point of telling him we're here, and though we can't see him we still want to talk to him.
So far, the Little Boy has proven himself over and over. We truly believe he resides in Richardson Theatre, and we're hoping to catch more evidence of him soon.
**UPDATE: Upon further investigation, we discovered that the myth of the little boy falling off the stage and dying is NOT TRUE. However, the story of the young boy named Joshua Carey is true, and descriptions of the ghost boy match Joshua**
There are two different rumors going around about who the little boy is. The most prominent story we've heard is that the ghost is the son of an Adams State Alumni who had wandered into the Richardson Theatre and died when he fell off the stage and broke his neck. The other story, which has just begun to surface, is that the the Little Boy might be the ghost of Joshua Carey, a 9-year-old boy who was struck and killed by a car while crossing the street. His father worked at Adams State in the Alumni office (located in Richardson Hall) for a while, and it's possible that Joshua made himself at home in Richardson.
Either way, the Little Boy is always the first story told. He is described as a young child (between the ages of 5-9) and he has been seen wearing a striped shirt and baseball cap. Witnesses say the little boy likes to interact with late-night workers. The janitors have said that they've seen a young boy running down the halls after hours; when they pursue the boy, he is no where to be found. Others have told us they often hear the laughter of a little boy, and then what sounds like a tricycle rolling down the hallways.
Personally, I feel that spirits of young children don't understand that we can't see them. I don't think they grasp the concept of the two different realms- the living and the dead. I feel that the Little Boy doesn't know we can't see him, and he wonders why we get scared when he tries to talk to us. So now, whenever my team goes into the theatre at night (and even during the day) we make a point of telling him we're here, and though we can't see him we still want to talk to him.
So far, the Little Boy has proven himself over and over. We truly believe he resides in Richardson Theatre, and we're hoping to catch more evidence of him soon.
**UPDATE: Upon further investigation, we discovered that the myth of the little boy falling off the stage and dying is NOT TRUE. However, the story of the young boy named Joshua Carey is true, and descriptions of the ghost boy match Joshua**
Thursday, September 15, 2011
The Ghosts of Richardson: The Theatre
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| Front View of Richardson Hall |
Welcome to Richardson Hall, the most haunted building on campus. When the school first opened in 1921 it was originally called the Adams State Normal School, and was a college for teachers. Richardson Hall (named after Ira Richardson who was the schools first president that died in 1958) was the only building the school had when it opened, holding a gym, library, dorms, and more. Today, it's apparently the home of several notable ghosts, and our center for all things paranormal.
Richardson Theatre
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| Facing the stage |
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| Facing the main doors |
According to the stories and our research, Richardson Theatre is the hotspot of paranormal activity. This is perfectly understandable because this theatre is the oldest on campus and is one of the only areas not to have been remodeled yet. It has two notable ghosts to its name, and both ghosts have said to be spotted multiple times.
Inside the theatre, you of course have the audience section (both in front of the stage and then a small balcony above main seats), the stage, and then on either side of the stage (once you climb a few perilous ladders) there are two dressing rooms.
The dressing room on the upper left is just a plain room. Though it's got nothing creepy and our EMF detectors didn't pick up any unusual spikes, it's not a place I'd want to linger in for too long.
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| Creepy dressing room |
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| Right Side Dressing Room |
The one on the right manages to raise the creep factor- all over the walls are the titles and dates of plays that went on throughout Adams State history. The oldest date is 1926, and the newest is 1982.
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| Writing on the walls |
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| Close Up |
Then, if you go down beneath the theatre, you enter the old boiler room beneath the stage- home to the janitor, and our first notable ghost. The janitor (whose name is unknown at this time) lived in a small apartment above the boiler room with his daughter, who still works here at ASC. Around the seventies, the janitor died of natural causes in his room beneath the theatre. People have reported hearing boxes being pushed across the stage, seeing the door to his old room open and close on its own accord, and have heard footsteps in the rafters above the stage.
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| Boiler Room |
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| The Janitor's Room |
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| Seriously Creepy Locker |
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| Inside the chained off area |
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| Stairs leading down to the basement |
The main audience area, though, is where one of the most famous ghosts (not only of Richardson but of the whole campus) is said to have died. Around the early sixties, a young girl (whose name was not disclosed) had become too overwhelmed by the pressures of college, and she never returned to her dorm one night. The next morning, her fellow students found the young girl hanging from the balcony over one of the aisles. People have reported hearing music coming from a piano late at night (though no piano is located in the building because the theatre is out of use for plays), and many have reported seeing a young girl walking the halls, disappearing into the theatre, never to be seen again.
We've heard some odd things, and seen some unexplainable phenomena, but until we can investigate further, this is all we have so far on Richardson Theatre.
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| Jake checking out the rafters above the stage |
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| Jake and Becca scouting out the audience, going down the aisle beneath where the young girl hung herself. |
Oh, and just to add to the creepiness, here's a picture that Becca took while exploring the audience. Above the stairs leading onto stage, the reflection casts an odd image. We know it's a reflection from the metal basing, but after multiple pictures in the same spot, we were unable to reproduce this reflection. Keep in mind this picture wasn't altered.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Things to Look Forward To
So the Paranormal Discovery Club has made a few breakthroughs in our adventures. Of late, we've been getting permission from the faculty to hold a few explorations, which include some EVP sessions, a few eery EMF detection sessions, and unnerving sights and sounds to add to the mystery.
But just a few days ago, I contacted the principal of the school, Dr. Svaldi, and he's told us that once we get a hold of a faculty member willing to stay after hours with us, we can legally enter the building and stay the night in Richardson Hall, which just happens to be the most haunted building on campus.
On top of that, we've gotten the OK on joining forces with the nursing department's haunted hosue to host our ghost tours, which I've been wanting to do for weeks. Though the way it's going, I'm getting the feeling I'll be the only one actually giving the tours. Because we also have the choice to be actors in the haunted house, and everyone seems more intent on doing that than giving the tours. But hey, it's improvement.
That's all for now, fellow ghost hunters. Keep your eyes peeled and your imaginations open.
But just a few days ago, I contacted the principal of the school, Dr. Svaldi, and he's told us that once we get a hold of a faculty member willing to stay after hours with us, we can legally enter the building and stay the night in Richardson Hall, which just happens to be the most haunted building on campus.
On top of that, we've gotten the OK on joining forces with the nursing department's haunted hosue to host our ghost tours, which I've been wanting to do for weeks. Though the way it's going, I'm getting the feeling I'll be the only one actually giving the tours. Because we also have the choice to be actors in the haunted house, and everyone seems more intent on doing that than giving the tours. But hey, it's improvement.
That's all for now, fellow ghost hunters. Keep your eyes peeled and your imaginations open.
Just the Beginning
The Paranormal Discovery Club is a student made club that deals with exploring the paranormal phenomena of the Adams State College campus. In case you don't know, ASC is home to several acclaimed haunted buildings, and our group sets out to discover exactly what's going bump in the night. And now that you know a little about what we do, why not meet the wonderful students behind the club:
Rachel
This would be me, the researcher and the head technician, as well as the co-founder of the club. I'm pretty down to earth most of the time, but I'll admit I've had my share of scares. I basically handle the behind-the-scenes technical work, and I dig up most of our dirt. I can also triple as a
medic, but hopefully that won't be needed
Becca
Becca is our wonderful ghost enthusiast. She has a real talent for connecting with the spirits we encounter, and she keeps a level head most of the time. She's always had a fascination with ghosts, and that's what makes her a real asset to the team.
Jen
The lovely Jen is definitely our personality. She's bubbly, exciting, and easily scared, which is exactly what we need in our club. She does most of our interviews, and she's not one to hold back on how she's feeling. She's excitable, and always down for our adventures
Jake
Jake is the other co-founder of the Paranormal Discovery Club. Jake's one of the most level-headed members of the group, and he's always got some new technology for us to try out. He uses rationality to solve most of the problems we encounter, and he always lightens the mood with one of his bad jokes.
DeeDee is our adventurous semi-skeptic. While she believes in the paranormal, she'd rather jump to facts rather than fear when making a decision, which we all love about her. She's the first one to ascend the perilous ladders or crawl in claustrophobic spaces, and without her we'd have half the facts we do today.
This would be me, the researcher and the head technician, as well as the co-founder of the club. I'm pretty down to earth most of the time, but I'll admit I've had my share of scares. I basically handle the behind-the-scenes technical work, and I dig up most of our dirt. I can also triple as a
medic, but hopefully that won't be needed
Becca is our wonderful ghost enthusiast. She has a real talent for connecting with the spirits we encounter, and she keeps a level head most of the time. She's always had a fascination with ghosts, and that's what makes her a real asset to the team.
Jen
The lovely Jen is definitely our personality. She's bubbly, exciting, and easily scared, which is exactly what we need in our club. She does most of our interviews, and she's not one to hold back on how she's feeling. She's excitable, and always down for our adventures
Jake
Jake is the other co-founder of the Paranormal Discovery Club. Jake's one of the most level-headed members of the group, and he's always got some new technology for us to try out. He uses rationality to solve most of the problems we encounter, and he always lightens the mood with one of his bad jokes.
DeeDee
DeeDee is our adventurous semi-skeptic. While she believes in the paranormal, she'd rather jump to facts rather than fear when making a decision, which we all love about her. She's the first one to ascend the perilous ladders or crawl in claustrophobic spaces, and without her we'd have half the facts we do today.
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