HOMETOWN HEROES SALUTE-DAVE McELROY

http://www.postgazette.com/multimedia/?videoID=102652

Please check the above link out. My fellow crew member, Dave McElroy, is in the Air National Guard and recently received an award for his deployments overseas since 911.

Thank you Dave and all of our men and woman defending our country. YOU ARE THE BEST!

Thompson Park-Our Last Tour For 2009

Frigidly cold adequately describes the temperature at tonight's ghost tour of Thompson Park. EVP was good because there are no longer any bug noises to deal with. But the cold is not exactly a good trade off. Sammi, in the red, is being dropped off by her mom after the East Liverpool Christmas Parade. That is my Ghost Hunting Cheerleader!

Above is Will, Jamie, Nettie, and Amy Hissom, Thompson Park Entertainment Coordinator and Web Site Designer. It was her idea for me to start the Ghost Walks at Thompson. Best piece if advice I ever accepted. Seven people braved the cold besides my crew.

In Pavilion #1 we stood in the little room off to the front and did an EVP. During the session, there was, first a tap and then a loud slam on the picnic tables. Then we got this really great picture of what may be an apparition of a young girl above us, to the right. She did talk to us tonight to let us know it was not her who made the loud bang sound. We are not sure what her name is, though she has said she is 7 years old. Who she is and why she would haunt the park is a mystery, but Amy and I are determined to track down some of the park history in the coming year. There just isn't much that was kept. This picture is not as good as the pic we got in June, but it isn't bad either. If you are a ghost hunter and want to investigate a new place, check out Thompson Park. Just go around the circle and see what you can find. Something is there, of that I am certain.

OUR TRIP TO EVANSVILLE WAS CANCELLED

I believe everything happens for a reason. Dave, Amber, and I were supposed to leave for Indiana on Nov 30. We were to speak to a class of bright young freshman and visit Willard Library. However, Sunday night, it was thought that Dave's Mother-In-Law had suffered a possible stroke and he had to rush to Pennsylvania. Now, before you jump to conclusions, this wonderful lady didn't have a stroke. She is 90 years old and simply fell from her chair. She is fine, with no ill effects.

BUT- on his way to the hospital where she was taken, Dave's faithful truck experienced a break down so severe that it took all day in the shop to fix it.

Had we left for Indiana, Dave, Amber, and I would have been stranded for several hours who knows where down the road. It was bad enough that poor Dave had to deal with it! We were not supposed to go right now. I believe that. In the spring, there will be another opportunity to attend class in Evansville. And perhaps get to meet the Grey Lady herself!

I'VE GONE YOUTUBE!

I have made several videos and put them on YOUTUBE! One is an introduction to my team and one is about Gretchen's Lock. Then I did 5 about Columbiana County Families Of Homicide Victims. Justice for Dalton, Looking For Louise Davis, Mike Williams, Christopher Joy Jr. and CCFHV-Looking For Monsters. There are links along the right side. If you get a chance, please check them out. At least, please look at the unsolved murder stories. They are the most important. Some one out there has to know something about at least one of these cases!!

Ancient Symbols Once At Gretchen's?

For anyone who has any experience at Gretchen's Lock, you will recognize this as the old house that once graced the park. I would call your attention, however, to the slab of stone in the far right pic that lies closest to the road. On that slab of stone was the circle carving above. I often wondered what that might be. One possibility is called a Rune, an ancient symbol or form of writing. They first appeared some 1500 years ago in Europe. As Christianity took hold, the runic alphabet became reviled as a pagan practice, and eventually was little seen. The word "rune" comes from an Anglo Saxon word meaning secret or mystery.

It was also used by the Vikings. As near as I can guess, this symbol on the stone above could mean comfort, joy, or glory on one hand (WUNJO, W). But if it is a different letter (URUZ, U), then it could mean strength, speed, or good health. All are positive things.

I have also considered the possibility that it might be Native American, though from what I have seen, those symbols are far more complicated.

Sadly, there is no way to study it. I think they pushed it into the well along with the rest of the house. I didn't know anything about Runes at the time, or maybe I could have told someone and it might have been saved. As it is, I at least have the pics I took of it. If you know what this might be, if anything, please email me or leave a comment!

A Trip Down Memory Lane

In getting ready for the Indiana trip, I found all these pics of me. I have been in a lot of places! I guess that would be true since I have been doing this now for 6 years.

Above is the old Montour Train Tunnel in 2008, Bowmans Cemetery in 2006, and Gretchen's in 2006. Then there is me in the art room of the old Fairview School, down in the woods at Thompson Park (white T-shirt), and the long dark hallway of the Diamond House Mansion, all this year.

Grimms Bridge in 2007.

The Grist Mill in 2005.

A tunnel this year in Lisbon.

And a good friend's basement. Dozens of situations, some with ghosts and some without. Every where I have been is right here in Columbiana County. And there are still dozens of places I have

yet to discover. It will be even sweeter since I have started doing videos on You Tube. I have done two so far. I learn a little more with each one I do. We plan on taking a video camera with us to Indiana and I hope to do something with it when I get back. Between ghost hunting and CCFHV, I am going to flood You Tube. I love making them. I spent 4 hours yesterday looking for sound affects on the web. I found a lot. Look for my next video coming soon about Gretchen's Lock. I have a lot of pics of the old house and plan on using them. I have dozens of ideas for it. Wish me luck.

THE GREY LADY OF WILLARD LIBRARY

The ghost of the Grey Lady was first seen in the late 1930's by a custodian. Since then she has been seen numerous times within Willard Library. It is believed by many to be haunted by this woman, Louise Carpenter. She is the daughter of Willard Carpenter, the man who built it.

Willard Carpenter was a business man who originally wanted to start Willard College. The funds for such an enterprise were not available (to make a long story short) so he followed another suggestion and started Willard Library instead.

The problem came when Mr. Carpenter left most of his estate to the library and not his daughter, Louise. She sued but lost. It is now believed that Louise holds a grudge against the library and haunts it to this day.

Some of the haunting occurrences in the building include:

• Water turned on and off by itself


• Smell of perfume


• Feeling cold


• Strange Noises


• Books and furniture found moved


• The touching of hair and earrings


• Odd items found in the library that should not be there

TAPS investigated the building a few years ago, but did not find any evidence of her.

Web cams have been put up in the library in various places for you to ghost hunt from home. Here is a link:

http://www.willardghost.com/index.php?content=ghostcams

I am greatly looking forward to going there next week. Look for an article about it all December 3 or 4.

Dave, Amber, and Kimberly Are Headed To Evansville, Indiana

An opportunity has opened for Ghosting 12 Paranormal to go to Evansville, Indiana. Pictured above is Dave and his niece, Helen in the Willard Library on an earlier trip there this year. Helen lives in Evansville and is a teacher. She has asked us to come and talk to her 9th grade class. We will be leaving on November 30 and return on Dec. 2nd. Dave has been there before on several occassions and says the Willard Library is amazing.

These are some of the pics Dave took on his last trip of the inside of the library. I will do a story tomorrow to give you an idea of the history of the area and this famously haunted building.

It is haunted by the Grey Lady, who might be this woman, Louise Carpenter. Like I said, tomorrow I will give a history lesson.

We will be talking to around 52 students about the science of ghost hunting. This will include pics, and some equipment demonstrations. Helen says almost everyone in her class believes in ghosts. They are currently studying the belief system behind the three spirits in the Christmas classic, A Christmas Carol. I am very excited about this trip and can't wait to see what Evansville looks like. We will also have an opportunity to explore two cemeteries along with Willard Library. Excited just doesn't cover it! More to come this week. There is also a web cam at the library. I will try to let you know when we will be inside so you can take a peek at us in there, if that is possible.

Moundsville Update Part 2

The plot thickens in the Moundsville Prison Tour adventure. It would seem there is Night Tours of the institution, which is what I described, and then Ghost Hunts, which is more like what I thought it was, except the price. Hmm. So, if we want to have from 8pm to 6am to hunt ghosts, it is $60 a person. It does include the 90 minute tour, but that still gives several hours to look for ghosts in every nook and cranny. You also get pizza and drinks. The night tour is from 12am to 6am and costs $600 for up to 20 people. No refreshments unless you bring your own and you only get about 4 hours to poke around a little. I am so glad I started planning this now. I honestly didn't know they had the different packages. We will be doing one of the two of these. Here is a better description:

Package A: A Night Tour that costs $600 for up to 20 people. This breaks down to $30 per person. It starts at 12am and ends at 6am. After a 90 minute tour, you have the rest of the night to explore the prison. You have to bring your own food and drink.

Package B: A Ghost Hunt that costs a flat rate of $60 per person. You check in at 8pm, and stay until 6am. This includes Pizza and drinks. There is also a 90 minute tour but then you have the rest of the night to check the place out.

I need to know every one's interest by January because that is when you can start booking your time. If we want a good time, that is when I am doing it. I am going for May or June. Email me!
Oh, and whoever Anonymous is, once again, THANK YOU!!!

Moundsville Update

I have been trying to get all the details for the Moundsville Night Tours and to my horror they have changed it. It was $500 for a night from 11pm to 5am. Now it is $600 for up to 20 people only from midnight to 6am. 90 minutes of that time is a tour of the place first. So for $600 you get 4 1/2 hours to investigate. And with a limit of 20 people, the cost will be $30 per person. Also, they used to provide pizza and drinks, but you now have to bring your own food and drinks. I included the web site with all of this information. If you are still interested, let me know. I am wondering however if 4 1/2 hours is worth $6oo. Give me your thoughts.
http://www.wvpentours.com/