Thursday, October 31, 2013

Some Ghosts Hide in Plain Sight

One thing quickly discovered when doing paranormal or historic research is how often a location is labeled as 'haunted' without any substantiating data. In a recent project identifying some alleged haunted Oklahoma City locations this was clear.  Websites provided a long list of sites where strange thing had occurred but most fall into the realm of urban legend.

Most urban legends are identifiable by their lack of context, there is no reason or history related to the observations reported and there is a distinct vagueness about what occurred and what was seen. 

Sometimes, however, the story is there is one digs deep enough for it.  Sometimes, also, there is a story, with some supporting evidence, attached to places one never finds on the purported investigative 'lists.'

One such location is a privately owned building on Main street in downtown Oklahoma City.  The building at 410 Main (4081/2) was the site of the Wren Hotel and a 1930s shoot out with local police. J. Ray O'Donnell, was caught in a 'clean sweep' move by local police who were arresting suspicious types looking for a companion of the famed Bonnie and Clyde, local known criminals, and miscreants.  O'Donnell resisted with a weapon, and though he had no local record, battled it out with police until local policeman turned FBI marksman, D. A. Bryce shot and killed him. No record has been found indicating an explanation for the man's deadly response.

Over the years the hotel / boarding house changed names and hands.  Nestled between Hudson and Walker the hotel there had begun life as The Swan before 1910, but the Howard, the Albany and the Wren incarnations followed. A reoccurring report from individuals spoken to over the years indicates that there have been many stories of footsteps heard from the second floor (even when vacant). One individual indicated he had felt a phantom bullet shoot past him as if the gun play was being reenacted.  
Find out about other lost or forgotten Oklahoma City hotels HERE.

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Early Dawn Ghost Cruiser?

In early spring a few years ago a witness reported seeing something a little strange in Oklahoma City.  In the golden light of a spring morning, a light ground fog hugging the road and giving things a soft look, the witness saw an old style cruiser on the exit just ahead of  her.  The style was a big boxy car with the large oversized round lights, features that caught the driver's attention.  Her first thought was that someone had taken their refurbished classic out for a morning spin. Then, on second thought, this did not make sense. Who takes a drive like that in the pre-8 a.m. morning traffic?

In the time it took for her to glance into her rearview mirror and back to the road ahead of her, the vehicle had vanished! There was still a good amount of driving in the exit lane before the next intersection, so there was nowhere the vehicle could have turned. Uncertain if she had simply missed the auto's move out into the traffic, she paused at the stop sign and there above the ground fog the roads on either side of the overpass were clearly visible.

No cars anywhere.  To the south the avenue leading to the airport and to the north the wide open country before an industrial area.

A recent discovery has shown police officers did indeed drive out that way.

Some, however, never returned.  On the morning of April 5, 1972 at about 6 a.m. a call was sent to police dispatch to a remote pond along the airport perimeter near SW 74th and MacArthur.  A 26 year old policeman named Joe McArthur had committed suicide and had called for a homicide unit and coroner to cover his own death.

Who is to say if there is a police officer still out there patrolling in the early mornings when the air is amber and the fog hugs the ground?
__________________________________
"Dead Officer Hinted of Act." The Oklahoman (April 6, 1972)37. Third suicide in 15 years on the OKC force.
"State Deaths." The Oklahoman (April 7, 1972)73. Indicated he was 26 and from Ardoin, Oakdale, LA.
"'Suicide Month' Tag Given to April." The Oklahoman (April 11, 1972)7.
Owens, Ron. Oklahoma Justice: The Oklahoma City Police. (1995) p209.

Overholser Mansion 2013

During the recent  evening holiday tours of the Overholser Mansion (Oklahoma City) featuring sessions with local author and story artist, Marilyn A. Hudson, the mansion welcomed visitors in its unique way. 
 
Numerous dead batteries, footsteps, the scent of roses, and several strange photographic anomalies were reported.  One individual caught a strong bar like light  in the hallway. 
 
Shown here is photo of the area where a camera could not focus and could be heard as it tried to focus ...yet images from other parts of the room had no difficulty focusing and were very clear.  It was a location where a presence has been noted before.

One of the pleasant and unique aspects of this 1903 mansion is the nature of its otherworldly occupants. No horror filled mansion ala "Rose Red" here!
 
The lingering presence of several occupants is not at all frightening...the place was too well loved and the people there just too happy to leave.  No dark presences or foreboding feelings have been reported.  They are however, apparently not above playing the fun prank on occasion. 

Take the tour of the 1903 mansion, enjoy the slice of life as it was when OKC was young, and support the preservation of this valuable historic site.   It does not take long to fall in love with this spirited house.

Moore Library Hosts UFO Paranormal Team

"The truth is out there, and investigators from the OK UFO Paranormal team are seeking to find it."  So proclaimed the advertising from the public library of Moore, Oklahoma as they hosted the team in a program on Oct. 29.
Members of Oklahoma UFO Paranormal presenting for the evening included Roger Peacock, focusing on the investigation and evidence of UFOs; Marilyn Carlson, focusing on paranormal experience, Bigfoot and more ; Ken Storch, looking at extraterrestrials and UFO investigations.
The program covered paranormal investigations in Sperry (OK), Tulsa Garden Center (OK), White House (Tulsa), and the Crescent Hotel (ARK).  Then the program shifted to UFO's with many visual samples, videos and clips of known and unknown objects.
Rounding out the evening was Ken Stroud discussing the Bigfoot encounter in "Incident at Narrows Creek" in DuBois, Pa in 2012.
Some of their photographic evidence was intriguing - be it the ghost of the mad doctor at the Crescent or strange anomalous lights in a night sky- and indicates a solid approach that attempts to balance many things as evidence is evaluated.
The public library is to be saluted in providing programs that address the interests of such a wide variety of community members.  The seats were almost all taken for this event and the audience deeply interested in the array of information, visuals and anecdotes provided.
One of the refreshing features of this particular group is the quality of the people involved. They include paleontologists, psychologists, sound/electronics experts,  ex-law enforcement, a past state leader of MUFON and many other specialized fields.  The group specialized in research and investigations into a wide range of topics from UFO's to Bigfoot and Ghosts.  Each member has creditable experience and professional training to add a expertise not always seen in just groups. Contact them mail@ufoparanormalteam.com or ufoparnormalteam.com.

Thursday, October 17, 2013

Slips In Time: Real, Imagined, or Otherwise.

"In 1935, while still a Wing Commander, Air Marshal Sir Robert Victor Goddard was sent to inspect a disused airfield near Edinburgh at a place called Drem. He found it in a very dilapidated state with cattle grazing on grass that had forced through cracks in the tarmac.

Later that day, he ran into trouble while flying his biplane in heavy rain and decided to fly back to Drem to get his bearings.

As he approached the airfield the torrential rain abruptly changed to bright sunlight. When he looked down he saw the airfield had been completely renovated and was now in use. There were mechanics in blue overalls walking around and four yellow planes parked on the runway. One of these was a model which, for all his aviation experience, he completely failed to recognize." [Time Travel: A New Perspective by J. H. Brennan]

What makes this strange incident even more uncanny is that four years later, the Royal Air Force began painting their planes yellow and the uniforms worn by mechanics had changed to blue. 

It is difficult to say whether the pilot's encounter actually occurred as described--or, indeed, if the entire story wasn't made up. This is often the case with such outlandish accounts of the seemingly impossible. Often times, as with Machen's Bowmen, The Angels of Mons, the temporal misadventures of several British navy cadets or the famous encounter at Versailles, the truth isn't stranger than fiction--it IS fiction. Tales so compelling, so verisimilar that they creep into the public consciousness as truth. Someone reads it, forgets he has read it, and then relates it to a friend as 'something he heard' (perhaps from a buddy in the war) and relates it as having actually happened. This new listener then takes up the narrative and off it spreads like wildfire.

Another example of this is the urban legend of a young man named Rudolph Fentz who was struck and killed in Times Square in June of 1950. Just another accident in a busy intersection? Maybe not: Fentz was dressed in garments from the late 1800s; had a receipt for the care of a horse and the washing of a carriage; a letter dated 1876; and 70 dollars in anachronistic US currency. None of these show any indication of being around 75 years old. They all looked new. 

As the tale resolves, we come to find out that Rudolph Fentz was a man who disappeared in 1876.

Is it to be believed? No. The story is by Jack Finney, a science fiction writer [the Body Snatchers], but it gets passed around from time to time as something that actually happened. 

With this and other similar accounts in mind, what are we to make of all these tales of overlapping time? Is it all hooey or do people sometimes slip through the veil that separates us from our past or our future?

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Halloween Project

Carved (and painted) my first-ever foam pumpkin. It was surprisingly easy to cut without all that mess that comes from a real pumpkin. While I'm a purist, I must confess the medium has its appeal.

Thursday, October 10, 2013

And Justice For All (Even Little Green Men)

This month 40 years ago, the AP ran a report (following a rash of UFO sightings) that centered on some of the earliest (and possibly first) laws enacted regarding these phenomena.

Palacios, TX mayor Bill Jackson announced the first ever "Fly-In" for UFOs at his city's local airport. A Fly-In is a social gathering for pilots and this invitation extended as far as outer space.

Ocean Springs, MS rejected an ordinance that would have governed the operation of UFOs within the city limits. The details of this proposed ordinance included a speed limit on UFOs (under twice the speed of sound).

The ordinance was penned by City Attorney Oscar Jordan who also proposed to make extraterrestrials subject to local law. In part this law would have stated: "It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to discriminate against such alien beings as may be transported in UFOs because of their race, creed or color, or their national origin, or international origin, or universal origin, or any other origin."  Seems like he could have simply said "regardless or origin."

Such 'profiling' may have taken place earlier that month in Falkville, AL when officer Jeff Greenshaw responded to a call about a spaceship with blinking lights.

Greenshaw found no craft when he arrived on scene but did encounter a metallic being of some sort in the middle of the road. What little movements it made were very robotic, Grreenshaw recalled. And no noises or sounds emanated from its featureless face. The officer also recalled that its head culminated in a point. Could the officer have been describing a helmet instead of a head?

Regardless of what he thought he was seeing, Greenshaw got out of his patrol car and said almost comically, "Howdy, stranger". However, the being made no sound and continued to stand there in the road.

Greenshaw took his camera out of the car and began to take photographs of the entity. Still, it made no sound and it didn't move; but when the officer switched on blue strobes atop his vehicle, the creature fled.

Greenshaw leaped into his car and sped after it. Even in a vehicle, the patrol man was unable to catch up to the strange sprinter.

Next door, in Gulfport, MS, a cab driver reported his encounter with an alien being that stopped his vehicle. However, the driver later recanted his tale.

Wednesday, October 9, 2013

Patterson-Gimlin Bigfoot Film Survives Another "Debunking"

A logical debunking of a debunking, as Brian Brown at the Bigfoot Show points out: if this guy hoaxed the original, then why does he need 21st Century tech to pull off something that's obviously way cheaper looking than P/G? For my money, that crappy bit of film still holds up after all this time. If it is a hoax, it is a damn good one. Because every time they trot out one of these look-how-easy-it-is, they just make it glaringly obvious that it ain't.

READ MORE HERE

Terrorific New Designs


http://www.cafepress.com/headstonerubbing (Dark)

http://www.cafepress.com/headstonerubbing2 (light)

http://www.cafepress.com/ghostbook1 (dark)

http://www.cafepress.com/ghostbook2 (light)



London Home's Long, Dramatic History of Haunting


Once a stately manor in the Greenwich borough of London, Charlton House was completed in 1612 for Adam Newton, a royal tutor. In 1680, ownership of the grand home went to Sir William Langhorne, governor of Madras. Langhorne lived at the home until 1715 when he passed away at age 85. However, according to many, his ghost still wanders the old pile, turning doorknobs of all things.

However, Langhorne isn't the only ghost in residence at Charlton House. An unnamed servant girl in Jacobean dress has been spotted on occasion carrying a dead baby in her arms.

During World War I, the home was used as a hospital. However, the staff refrained from using the most haunted room in the house until it became absolutely necessary.

During WWII, the house was damaged by bombs. During reconstruction, workers found the mummified remains of a small child walled up in one of the home's many chimneys.

These days, the manor is a municipal building for the Greenwich Borough Council and houses the local library.

Visitors and employees alike have continued to confirm the home's haunted reputation. The third floor is a particular hotspot, especially in those areas known as The Grand Salon and the Long Gallery; the latter has been the locus for sightings of phantom rabbits, as the gallery once housed a hutch of these creatures.

Added to the list of storied specters is that of an Indian man thought to have been a civil servant who has a fondness for pinching women on the rear.

The Society for Psychical Research (SPR), The Association for the Scientific Study of Anomalous Phenomena (ASSAP), and The Ghost Club have all witnessed strange, unexplained phenomena at Charlton House. However, the most intriguing events likely transpired during an investigation in late 1995.

BBC assistant producer Amir Jamal was taping a paranormal program with ASSAP's Les Herbert and Maurice Grosse of the SPR. The men were keeping vigil in the Long Gallery when shortly after 11 pm Grosse heard a police siren suddenly erupt from outside. Immediately following this was the sound of a loud explosion that seemed to emanate from within the gallery.

The men jumped up and turned on the lights. There, in the center of the room, was a blue and white teacup, broken into 7 pieces and laid out in a circle.

There seemed no apparent indication as to where the teacup had come from since, after being question, the staff revealed that the cups used on the premises were all plain white.

Grosse attempted to recreate the event but couldn't satisfactorily explain how a cup could have fallen from anywhere, hit the floor, and arranged its pieces in a circular fashion.

Whereas the BBC audio is reported as having picked up the sound of the explosion, it is unclear as to whether any of this was caught on video. Audio experts who analyzed the recording confirm the sound is consistent with a loud explosion and not that of a tea cup shattering.
The consensus became that, although unexplained, the event was not hoaxed.

Proponents of paranormal phenomena saw this as a clear example of an apport, or an object or being that suddenly manifests from...wherever. Apports are often associated with mediumistic talents. The antithesis of these are asports, or objects that suddenly vanish.

On July 30, 1999, the Ghost Club heard a similar explosion, which seemed to move a test object of theirs 10 feet into the air.

Famous Film Location Opens For Halloween

The historic Italianate Potter schoolhouse made famous by Alfred Hitchcock's film The Birds turns 140 on Halloween. The schoolhouse, which was built in 1873, will be open to the public on October 26th from 7:30 to 11:30 for a fundraising Haunted Halloween bash.

Learn More Here

H.A.L.L.O.W.E.E.N Is For....


I wanted to choose less obvious words for each of the letters. Instead of H is for Horror; W is for Witch... So much gets recycled year after year, so let's see if we can't shake things up a bit -- CH

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

Blue-Caps, Bogeys, Boggarts, Brownies and Buccas

The British Isles are filled with mysterious and mischievous spirits, a lot of them starting with the letter "B". . .

Blue-Caps are mine spirits that helped miners, but expected recompense for their efforts. Miners would leave coins in the corner of the mine. As honorable as they were industrious, Blue-Caps would, if overpaid, leave the surplus behind; unfortunately, they could be a bit put out if the remuneration wasn't up to expectaions.

Bogeys are something of a malicious hobgoblin that are fond of causing problems and are also known by the names: Bug-a-boo, Boo, Bogey-Man, etc. In Wales, it is known as a Bug, in Scotland as a Bogle, and in Germany as a Bogglemann.

A type of Bogey is the Boggart, which is never seen. However its presence is known by the poltergeist-like antics it performs: phantom noises, objects thrown, pinching, tugging on clothes or bed linens and otherwise behaving like your annoying little brother.

Brownies are a type of fairy people that feature in the folk legends of England and Scotland. In Wales they are referred to as a Bwca (Bucca) and a pixie or pisgie in Cornwall. These beings are beneficial and become viewed as helpful by the family to which they attach themselves, doing chores and watching over the homestead during the night. Unlike Blue-Caps, Brownies don't expect payment, but appreciate treats that are left for them. Like a family pet, a mistreated Brownie can cause problems. If one is fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of a Brownie, he would not that the creature is about 3 feet tall, brown in color, and wearing well-worn brown clothing.

The Bucca of Cornwall (sometimes referred to as a Bucca-Boo) is a sea spirit living among the fishermen, and like many of these other spirits can be helpful when appreciated or troublesome should recompense fail to appear. To appease these spirits, fisherman will take one fish from their haul and leave it behind on the beach. Other traditions involve tossing a bit of bread over their left shoulder (similar to salt for luck) or pour a bit of beer on the ground.

Monday, October 7, 2013

An Englishman's Mummy Haunts Historic School

Jeremy Betham, a law reformer, scientist, and philosopher, was a founding force for University College in London, a place he still calls home long after his death in 1832.

Bentham, fascinated with mummification, decreed in his will that his body should be preserved in such a fashion (an "auto-icon" as he termed it) and put on display at the school, obviously to the satisfaction of an undoubtedly powerful ego.

While most of his body remains intact, he head began to decompose at some point and was replaced by a wax one fashioned by French artist Jacques Talrich.

It is said that Bentham's ghost leaves the glass case his body calls home on a nightly basis to explore the school. The tapping of his cane has been reported as echoing down the darkened halls and in other reports he raps upon the glass of his case.

Where Have All The UFOs Gone?

Over at Mysterious Universe Nick Redfern questions where the UFOs have gone and wonders if this hiatus isn't the perfect time to bone up on old cases.

I've posed the same question here in the past and I think it all comes down to whether you believe UFO phenomena are real or is it all a cultural construct. There are arguments for both.

Regardless if they are real or imagined, one integral component of sightings is that people must be outside 'looking to the stars,' as they once did in those nascent decades of exploration beyond the surface of our planet.

With an adolescent cynicism, we are all now inside watching our MTV and texting our friends and no one and nothing is going to space anymore. I mean, who can afford it? Whatevs! Since we're not looking up, we're focused inward: the individual has never been of higher priority (he says while snapping a selfie) and UFOs fall by the wayside. They may be there, but who is paying attention?

Sunday, October 6, 2013

HOW-TO: HISTORICAL RESEARCH


It is very important to learn as much as possible about the history of a location as it is to gather data of a scientific nature. It will be necessary to verify legends, rumors, and commonly held "truths" about a location and the reasons for a possible haunting. Remember, despite common mythology, not everything is on the Internet - some old school research is required to do top quality work.

Keep a notebook for your research trips, record where you found the information (name of the library and location) and the general bibliographic information (author, title, publisher, date, and call number - in case you need to re-check it). The notebook can be a simple spiral bound school notebook or a laptop.

Libraries will generally have information related to local history (old newspapers, local history books, etc.). Some libraries now offer, with a library card, access to genealogical databases to search census records, deeds, newspapers (to a limit). This link lists all Oklahoma Public Libraries. Library cards are usually free in the location to area residents since they are funded by tax dollars (property or other tax bases). Visitors from out of town or state may need to pay to access local databases, but use of other materials is usually free to visitors. Special collections (archives) may have limitations as to use or access. In Oklahoma, students and staff of universities can apply (via their school library) for the OKShareCard. This is honored by member libraries at other institutions. It allows limited checkout of books - but often does not allow access to databases.

Courthouses & City or County Clerks offices can provide information related to ownership of land, previous occupations of an area, and other pertinent information. The link lists state courthouses and their addresses.

Local museums can also sometimes provide some information about local legends or history. The lists all museums in Oklahoma. Some are staffed by volunteers and be prepared to leave bags or cases with an attendant, sign papers to use, etc. They may not be sympathetic with a paranormal investigation, but then sometimes the people staffing these places aren't sympathetic to any researcher! So be polite, friendly, and have a plan as to what you want to find out. You might discover they want to help.

ONLINE RESOURCES:
Census records (Free - not complete but a help) ; http://www.censusfinder.com/ ;
http://www.census-online.com/links/ ; a subscription service Ancestry.com allows access to census films and many other local history resources online ($100 to $300 a year) but many larger libraries offer access to this in their libraries via their computers and with a library card.

County Clerk Public Records-OK
http://okcountyrecords.com/index.php

Good General Introduction to using Court House Records
http://www.arkansasresearch.com/g-court.html

Census Bureau Flyer on Availability of Census Records for an Individual / US Privacy Act,etc.
http://www.census.gov/prod/2/gen/cff/cff-9702.pdf

Historic Newspapers - Again many libraries offer access via a library card so check out your local options.
If not online, there is no doubt a state library that has microfilm copies for select cities or locations. It can be time consuming, your eyes can get bleery but it can also pay off big time.  

Remember:

Expect misspelled names, hard to read writing, and changes in street names and housing developments.

Expect history books to cover only the well-known, wealthy, or notorious people or events of any community.

Think of alternative ways of learning information. If a book on the town makes no mention of the haunted house....look at biographies of local people....or family genealogies, etc. Somebody may mention legends or places in passing.

Think how you, as a researcher interested in historic places, stories, or paranormal investigations, might "give back"  to the community.  Know small forgotten cemetery?  Clean it up, index it and upload the data to something like www.findagrave.com so distant relatives and other historic researchers can have easy access to the information.  Repair walls, gates, landscaping and similar issues.  You may be amazed at how it can open up new stories and resources to provide more questions to answer and fun research to do.

--MH Research, 2007


Del Toro's Take On Simpson's Intro Filled With Horror



Guillermo del Toro directs the latest opening sequence toThe Simpson's annual Treehouse of Horror and it is chock full of horror film references, many of which are del Toro's. You can see an annotated version of the intro at io9.com to test how well you did at naming them.

Finally Credible Evidence Of Ghosts


Saturday, October 5, 2013

New Film Looks To Reboot Werewolf Genre


From the Producer of Insidious and Paranormal Activity comes a new werewolf film shot in the by now groan-inducing Reality TV style where every moment is inexplicably caught on camera. It used to be known as "found footage", but the conceit of finding this mysterious video tape or film reel has fallen by the wayside with the emergence of reality TV's 24/7 documentation of everything. “Following the brutal slaying of an American family vacationing in rural France, a peculiar man living near the crime scene is blindly charged with their murders. Believing her client is innocent, expatriate American defense attorney Kate Moore and her team decide to take a scientific approach in order to prove his physical incapability to local authorities. As she delves into his enigmatic family history, she uncovers evidence that suggests the rebirth of an unexpected legend. When a bloodbath ensues, Kate must do whatever she can to survive the surrounding terror and prevent the chaos from spreading.”

Friday, October 4, 2013

Dark Recesses Zine Launches With Mound Article

The inaugural issue of Dark Recesses E-Zine has a one-page
write up (a bit of self promotion, really) about The Mound
and a hint at where we pick up the story next. 
www.darkrecessesezine.com



Care For A Dip?

“I cannot think of the deep sea without shuddering at the nameless things that may at this very moment be crawling and floundering on its slimy bed, worshiping their ancient stone idols and carving their own detestable likenesses on submarine obelisks of water-soaked granite. I dream of a day when they may rise above the billows to drag down in their reeking talons the remnants of puny, war-exhausted mankind—of a day when the land shall sink, and the dark ocean floor shall ascend amidst universal pandemonium.” ― H.P. Lovecraft 'Dagon'

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Back Into The Night


Sasquatch Genome Project Releases Findings

Click For More
The Sasquatch Genome Project released its highly contentious findings (principally some video evidence from the Erickson Project) on Tuesday in Dallas. The Project believes this and DNA evidence conclusively proves Bigfoot is real.

Melba Ketchum, who has led the group of researchers called the Sasquatch Genome Project, has been working on a $500,000 analysis of DNA samples from an unknown hominin species. Ketchum calls the project "a serious study" that concludes the legendary Sasquatch exists in North America and is a human relative that arose approximately 13,000 years ago.

Blast-Off From The Past

Don't know the origin for this. Found it online and was
first struck by the boy's spaceman outfit when I noticed
the poster was for the Oklahoma Semi-Centennial Expo.

Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Halloween Is Just Around The Corner

It's October again and that means Halloween is only a few short weeks away. To kick start the month, I'm offering this image for you to webjack to your hearts content.