Monday, July 18, 2011

Serendipity


Posted that last blog and then this article shows up on Stan's Facebook page...



from the State Journal-Register by Kevin Tremain
July 18, 2011

Messing with Sasquatch may not be such a good idea

CHATHAM – There’s something amiss in the backwoods of Chatham, something potentially big. Lately there’s been talk around certain areas of town of an unusual howling and screeching sound as well as evidence of some very large footprints.

Since June there have been at least five to six instances of residents discovering or hearing evidence that the infamous Bigfoot may be lurking somewhere in the Chatham community. One case in particular has garnered some attention from local police, as well as a few proclaimed Big Foot experts.

On Wednesday, June 15, 2011, Michael Patrick’s mother was getting the liner to her pool changed at her residence, when workmen noticed an abnormally large footprint under the apple tree in the back yard and brought the footprint to Patrick’s attention.

Over the years Patrick and his mother had, at times, heard bizarre noises, but had always passed them off as coming from some common forest animal. But they weren’t the only ones that had heard the sounds either. The night before the footprint was found a neighbor had also commented about unusual sounds.

“My neighbor has a German Shepherd, and it heard something that night that spooked him. The dog went outside to investigate, but came back cowering, now it won’t leave its owner’s side,” Patrick said.

Unsure about what exactly the footprint was, and concerned for his mother’s safety, Patrick called the Chatham Police Department. An officer came to investigate the scene, but was unable to determine what might have caused the print.

“The responding officer stated that there was a large footprint approximately 18 inches long and 8 inches wide, and it appeared there were five claw marks,” Chatham Police Department Deputy Chief, Vernon Foli said.

To give you an idea how big 18 inches is, retired NBA center Shaquille O’Neil's feet are approximately 15 inches long, and he wears a size 23 shoe. The average human being’s foot measures approximately 9 ½ inches. Most shoe size charts end at a size fifteen shoe. An 18-inch footprint is about the size of a healthy newborn baby. Considering the size of the print, it’s understandable for a person to show a little concern if they found such a print in their yard.

Patrick documented his discovery on Facebook where he struck up a conversation with a friend. Patrick’s friend knew John Winterbauer, a Bigfoot investigator. Winterbauer in turn contacted local Bigfoot expert Stan Courtney.

Courtney has documented sightings and gathered sound recordings and evidence of Bigfoot for years. He has interviewed over two hundred witnesses who have seen Bigfoot.

“I literally know hundreds of people who’ve seen these animals. There have been lots of them in central Illinois. I’ve recorded lots of sounds that other researchers and witnesses believe come from these animals. People in Springfield don’t realize it, but there have been a lot of reports from the Sangamon River around Riverton.” Courtney said in a previous interview.

Courtney said that there have been five to six other reports of finding footprints and howling in the Chatham area since June.

So why is Bigfoot in Chatham? Well it’s hard to say really. Patrick’s property does back up to a wooded stream which flows into Lake Springfield. Courtney proposed that the creature was drawn to the house because of the apple tree that grows in Patrick’s mother’s back yard.

Stan Courtney explained to Patrick that the apple tree might have somehow been interpreted as a gift of food. In the past the Patrick’s had noticed that apples from the tree had been picked, but only to a certain height. They believed that the culprit was a wily raccoon, but the large footprint seemed to suggest otherwise. Courtney told Patrick that a creature such a Bigfoot will usually return the favor, and present a gift of its own as a show of appreciation in the form of a dead animal or a strange arrangement of flowers.

The day after his meeting with Courtney, Patrick discovered the Sasquatch’s gift, a decapitated rabbit, near his mother’s house. In Courtney’s account he stated that the rabbit had, “its head pulled off, not bitten or cut, but just simply pulled off.”

Since that strange June evening, no more incidents have occurred at Patrick’s mother’s residence. You might think that such a strange series of events would frighten most people in to staying out of the back yard, but the occurrence has not deterred Patrick’s mother from going about her normal routine.

“She’s not scared, she continues to do her yard work, she thinks it’s neat. My mom has never been skeptical of it.” Patrick said.

While his mother may not be skeptical of what happened, others aren’t ready to pin the event on Bigfoot just yet. Vernon Foli posed a possible explanation, albeit an indirect one.

“One thing I can tell you is that approximately ½ mile south of this location is the former Grindstone Valley Zoo that use to have exotic animals. The zoo is no longer in existence but the owner is Brad or Larry Reynolds and he still has some animals at this location,” Foli said.

Could the print have come from an animal from the old zoo? The Reynolds had kept large animals such as buffalo, antelope, elk, deer, tigers, leopards, monkeys, and zebras while the zoo was open. Or could it be a bear footprint? It’s widely believed by many that there are no bears in Illinois, but with their presence in neighboring states, Wisconsin and Missouri, would it be so far fetched to think that there are indeed bears in Illinois?

At this point it’s hard to tell what exactly made the footprint, but with other accounts of strange happenings and unusual howls and screeches in Chatham, many residents are raising an eyebrow.

“I definitely don’t think it was a hoax, and it was more than just a coincidence. I think that people should just be a bit more vigilant and careful, because you never know what you’re going to find out there,” Patrick said.

The original article can be found at this link...

http://www.sj-r.com/ourtowns/chatham/x121481200/Messing-with-Sasquatch-may-not-be-such-a-good-idea

Bigfoot in Chatham?


On the night of June 15, 2011 I received a series of text messages from my friend Amy who informed me that her friend had found what he believed to be a Bigfoot footprint in his mother's backyard in Chatham, Illinois. I contacted Stan who, with his wife, visited the home the next morning. Following work on the 16th I went to the home myself.

What we found was a remarkable print, 18" long by 7" wide beneath an apple tree. The home is, oddly, located in a subdivision but is very close to a nature preserve which is easily accessible via a seven foot in diameter culvert about 200 yards away from the house.

The family was having their pool liner changed when workers brought the print to their attention. It had been raining for several days and the ground had been muddy. It was quickly apparent that whatever made the print had come for apples and had inadvertently stepped on a muddy patch of ground.

The backyard has several fruit trees and the mother told me how, for a couple of years, the fruit had often vanished from the trees. I was also informed that the neighbors dog had been exhibiting odd behaviour such as refusing to go into the backyard and demanding to sleep in it's master's bedroom, something it had never done before.

It isn't uncommon for Bigfoot to leave gifts for their benefactors. Located not far from the tree was the body of a rabbit. It's head was missing, obviously twisted from the rabbit's body.


I won't go as far as to say this was absolutely a Sasquatch. I will, however, suggest that it's highly likely. As of this writing there has been no other activity reported at the house however there have been several other reports in the area and those will be posted on Stan's website which can be accessed here.

http://www.stancourtney.com/wordpress/

Sunday, April 10, 2011

My First Ghost Encounter

Having done ghost tours for many years and associating with the ghost community for many more; I'm often asked about my encounters with ghosts. Do I really believe in ghosts? Duh. Have I ever seen a ghost? Yes. Where's the most haunted place I've ever been? Gettysburg if the stories are true but I didn't experience anything ghostly so my answer is usually Decatur, Illinois' Lincoln Square Theatre.

My first encounter with a ghost was at place I'm not allowed to reveal as a haunted spot. It was 1999 and, until that point I'd never put much faith in the existance of ghosts. I didn't have a computer so I spent a lot of time in this building at night using the office computer.

Prior to the experience, when in the building, I'd heard what sounded like footsteps on the floor above me. This was fairly common but written off to the sounds of an old building (and this was built in 1832). The night in question was a hot August night and I was in the office writing a story about Abraham Lincoln that was going to be read aloud before a 5th grade history class.

Having spent time in radio, I'm now in the habit of reading aloud anything I write to see how it flows. When I finished this essay I began to read. I'd forgotten a man's name so I'd left a blank in the text to fill in later and when I got to that spot I said something like, "The guy who's name escapes me" and, from right over my right shoulder came the name, "Matt Marsh"! I thought a buddy of mine had come in and I didn't realize it.

It was a lound, clear voice and, yes, the name was right, but there was no sign of my friend. Odd. Now, I should point out, that had I remembered the name I would have called this gentleman "Matthew" as all the history books do but, the people who potentially haunt this building would have known him and likely would have been familiar enought to refer to him by the less formal "Matt". That's my theory anyway.

I walked from the office to seek out my friend who I figured had just passed the door and gone into the other room. He wasn't there and, furthermore, I could see my keys still hanging in the door where I'd left them after I'd locked it. Suddenly the temperature dropped drastically. Now, remember, hot August night...and there's no air conditioning in this building so it was torturously hot and this room got so cold I expected to see my breath.

Still, I wasn't thinking ghost until I heard the footsteps coming toward me across the, obvously, empty room! Then I freaked out. I had no way out either. I didn't want to cross the room where this unseen entity was prowling! The keys that would unlock the back door where mocking me from across the room and I certainly wasn't going up the back stairs and through the pitch black upper rooms to get around to the front stairs!

I'd heard ten or tweleve steps and then they'd stopped. I started to think I was in the clear and then the motion activated security lights kicked on in the outer room! I did what any good ghost hunter would do...I paniced and raced for the door. I turned the keys and rushed outside into a the sticky night and the difference between the cold inside and the hot outside almost knocked me over.

My apartment was across the street and so I ran home and sat on the porch and watched as the motion lights kicked off and on for fifteen or twenty minutes. Finally they stopped and I decided to call it a night. When I reached for my keys to go inside I found my pocket empty...I'd left the keys hanging in the door across the street. That, of course, meant I'd have to go back! I weighed the option of sleeping in my lawn chair but, eventually, I screwed up my courage and went to retrieve my keys.

As I cautiously opened the door I told whoever was there why I'd come back and begged they give me a few minutes to get my keys and turn off the lights I'd left on. They did and I was grateful.

In subsequent years I've made peace with these guys (I believe there's two of them) and, in fact, have learned the identity of one because several pyschics over the years have identified the same man by name and two have independently pointed out his picture without any knowledge of who he was. He's OK, the other remains unidentified and, I'm told, doesn't want me there. Nice.

It is my hope that eventually I'll be able to tell the whole story of these encounters and the haunted history of this building. Until then that's it, my first encounter with a ghost. It remains one of my favorites.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Cry Baby Bridge

Yesterday I got an email about a local bridge that my correpondent was describing as a Cry Baby Bridge. You know the story. Sometime deep in the past someone, usually a child, died in some horrible fashion on the bridge and now passersby can hear the baby cry.

Urban legend? Maybe. Usually there is no basis for the story historically, the bridge has just been picked because it is isolated and, maybe, a little creepy. That's the case with the bridge I was asked about I think.

I've heard and long been fascinated by these stories and this email got me wondering just how many of these bridges there might be in the state of Illinois. To that end, I've decided to try to catalouge as many as I can so I'm asking for help from the paranormal community and local historians.

Got a Cry Baby Bridge in your area of Illinois? Want to share the information you have? Email me at jjwinterbauer42@att.net and let's talk!

Another Weird Night of 'Squatchin'

April 6, 2011...another foray into the forest in search of the legendary Sasquatch.

This time Stan and I were accompanied by our friends Chris Mason & Laura Richter (and the ever intrepid Belle). We had a good night. Cool, clear sky and a sliver of moon that cast the forest in a pale light in all but the deepest parts. Just to be different we entered the woods at a different location.

Again, I had no big hope of actually seeing Bigfoot. I suspect, if they're there, they know we've entered the woods and tend to keep back. What I wanted was to hear one scream! Mind you, not too close to me but still...

Two packs of coyotes battled it out from across the valley and there were plenty of owls but nothing I would classify as an unknown primate. We did, however, experience a couple of strange things. While I'm not prepared to state with certainty that these were 'squatch related, they were very odd.

In the ghost field we talk of feelings that make our hair stand up, feelings like we're being watched. I'm not one to experience that kind of stuff but at one point in the night I got the feeling that if I turned around someone...something would be standing right behind me. There wasn't. It was interesting though. Anyone who's spent time in the woods has felt this feeling before and, while it very well could be a natural defense of any animal, it's hard to ignore when you're looking for an 8 foot giant!

Further down the valley I was overcome by an odd "electrical" charge, akin to grabbing a low wattage, badly grounded electrical appliance. It was a powerful wave of something that made my skin crawl. As I was the only one who felt it I can't offer more than that but many Bigfoot researchers believe the big guy has a type of power (pyschic or otherwise) they use to intimidate. It was a curious sensation but, really, may have been nothing but my amped up imagination.

As we walked across a field Laura was hit by a small ball of wet mud that came from...well, I'm not sure. It was thrown, that much is certain.

Finally, as we neared our normal entrance, I began wood knocking. I got no response but Laura and I decided to walk up the hill to the spot where we'd gotten the weird "whoop" and the wood knock on our last visit. I tapped trees along the way and, for some reason, we sang Pink Floyd, "OK, just knock if you can hear me..." I'll laugh if Stan's out there some day and hears a gutteral rendition of "You Better Run"!

About halfway up the hill we heard something moving in the woods off to our left. It stopped when we stopped and continued with us as we walked. No idea what it was but, as we stood and listened for it at one point, from a few yards ahead we heard a sound. I can't really describe it, a series of clicks that were, obviously, coming from a lifeform of some type. As if someone were clicking their tongue against their teeth. Both of us heard it clearly. I answered but doing my best to mimic the sound. It answered. And then Belle ran up behind us. She paused and moved forward. As she neared the spot I thought the sound was coming from she crouched and stared straight ahead and then suddenly tore off past us and down the trail.

I'm not too proud to say we went for backup but, when the four of us returned to the spot, there was nothing to see, no sounds, no responses to our wood knocks or my horrible impression of Christopher Lambert in "Graystoke". Nothing.

Finally we returned to the car and Stan did sound blasts for a few minutes but, other than the coyotes, there was no reply.

I can't say what we experienced. I will lay odds that it, at least, could have been Bigfoot. But, again, nothing I could use to prove anything. Still though, another good night in the woods!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Ghost Hollow Ranch



Taken from the upcoming book "Illinois Hauntings"

I am indebted to Mr. Samuel S. Blane's article "Shickshack" and interviews with Rich & others at Ghost Hollow for information contained in this article.

The original inhabitants of central Illinois, if the lore is to be believed, knew of certain places where our world was closer to the Spirit World beyond. In these places they held their religious ceremonies and buried their dead. To those of us in the modern world these old beliefs seem a bit quaint. But…what if they were right? And what if those places still hold power today?

Above the bluffs of the Sangamon River, hidden away amongst the rolling, wooded hills of Cass County, in central Illinois is the fifth generation farm of the Wagoner family, now run by Rich Wagoner who has turned the ancestral farm into a retreat for those who enjoy a simpler way of life. This is Ghost Hollow Ranch.

The rustic beauty of the 120 acre spot is ideal and has changed very little since Rich’s great-great-great grandfather first took up residence here more than a hundred years ago. The only modern improvements to be seen are Rich’s small cabin, a bunkhouse/stable and a large fenced corral where horseback competitions are regularly held, the rest is given to nature and riding trails.

Ghost Hollow Ranch is a tranquil, out of the way place but, as the name implies, it is also a very haunted place and, what’s more, its hauntings are only now being fully explored! To date there have been two fully organized investigations by members of the American Ghost Society (with hopes of more to follow) and they have yielded some fascinating results. More about those later, first we need to explore the history of this location and introduce you to its ghosts. As you will see, they are as varied a group of spirits as you will ever hope to find!

The hauntings of Ghost Hollow Ranch are, for the most part, the result of tragedy. As those familiar with ghosts and their associated hauntings know, untimely, violent deaths often leave ghosts behind. This is certainly the case here!

Illinois was settled from south to north with the first permanent white settlers arriving in the central part of the state around 1818 or a few years before. Many passed through the area prior, most of them were trappers and hunters who wandered into the area which, until their arrival, had been the exclusive hunting grounds of Native America tribes like the Kickapoo, Pottawatomie and Winnebago. While the intrusion was unwelcome; the two factions managed, unlike other parts of the country, to live in relative peace.

Tales of Indian ghosts in the area are plentiful. One woman, near Tallula (south of Ghost Hollow) claimed that one morning, as she made breakfast, she looked out the window and watched as a man, clearly an Indian, walked through her backyard and vanished before he reached the property line. Another talked of encountering the wandering spirit of an Indian one evening while camping along the Sangamon. Several accounts have been reported of ghostly Indians around Cass and neighboring Menard County, generally they are fleeting glimpses of shadowy figures in the woods.

The mythical Mound Builders were in the area long before the Indians we recall today; evidence of their culture can be found near Lewistown to the north at Dicksen Mounds. In the area that it today encompassed by Ghost Hollow Ranch the tribes consisted mainly of migratory people who subsisted by agriculture and hunting the rich river bottoms. Not far to the east of Ghost Hollow is a prominence known today as Shickshack Hill.

By 1833 the natives of this area had been induced by treaty to surrender their traditional lands and move west. One Indian who remained behind, and became familiar with the incoming white settlers, was Shickshack, a Winnebago chief who had been in the area since around 1812. On the hill that now bears his name he lived a peaceful life with his two wives, Lo-lo and Mah-qua-la, and four children.
Shickshack was on good terms with his white neighbors but, as game dwindled and his hunting grounds shrank, he became resolved to the fact that the Indian’s days in the area were numbered. In 1827 the old Indian saw a steamboat on the Illinois River for the first time. The noisy, smoke-belching machine convinced him that he couldn’t ever live among these new settlers and, it is said, he moved north.

During the Black Hawk War in 1832 several members of Abe Lincoln’s company from Sangamon County recalled running into Shickshack near Dixon’s Ferry where they had a pleasant visit with their old neighbor. At their parting they shook hands and Shickshack continued his northward migration; some say he ended up in Wisconsin but, the fact is, he simply disappears from history.

Shickshack, one historian records, became somewhat of a legend in the area. Even after the bulk of the tribes had departed; lone Indians wandered through from time to time and usually the settlers claimed these figures were Shickshack. One hunter claimed to have stumbled across the old Indian and, becoming startled, shot him and dumped the body in a frozen pond! There are few traces of the Native Americas around the area today. Their burial mounds can be found along the bluffs of the Sangamon River and the old-timers recall where their villages once stood but obvious signs of these proud people have vanished…unless, of course, you consider a golf course near Petersburg that derives it’s name, Shambolee, from a long-forgotten Indian who once lived in the area!

That Ghost Hollow Ranch, before the Wagoners, was home to Indians is evidenced by the mounds they left behind of the property and the interesting artifacts that still sometimes are found on the property. Six large mounds ring the west side of the ranch. In the early-1900’s one was partially excavated, the burial treasures removed but the bodies left intact. These mounds have yielded some interesting results with KII meters and other equipment. During one investigation in 2009 Kelly Davis recorded significant electronic activity at one mound in particular, evidence that was replicated a year later during our second investigation.
What makes this activity interesting is that there are no power lines or manmade objects that would produce these types of readings anywhere near the hill. Furthermore Kelly received specific answers to her questions as she conducted the tests on the hill. While, to date, nothing more concrete has been recorded it remains an interesting, mysterious place.
A few years ago a worker on the ranch was walking through the woods near the mound that had been excavated. As he rounded a bend in the path he came face-to-face with a man he knew instantly was a ghost. There before that started farmhand was an Indian. The ghost stared straight ahead and started to make a motion of some sort with his hands before he vanished before Rich’s shocked employee.

As far as is known the first white settler on the acreage that now encompasses Ghost Hollow Ranch was a trapper who came here in the mid-1800’s. Sadly his name is lost to prosperity but he, in spirit anyway, still lingers and is the one ghost at the ranch who may inadvertently scare you if you visit!
The old man’s cabin stood where Rich now has a parking lot for the stable and corral, his still-functioning well is nearby. In those days people didn’t travel much; they planted themselves in one spot and took what they needed from the land around them. This circumstance led to a booming trade for some entrepreneurial types who would pack as many goods as they could carry into a wagon and travel around the countryside hawking their wares. One such huckster was a regular in the neighborhood.
This man came to the trapper’s cabin one afternoon and, as was the custom then, when no one had hard cash, negotiated the trade of some of the trapper’s goods for some of his own. The deal was done and the peddler rode away. Not long after the old trapper began to think he had, in some way, been cheated in the deal and he began to watch for the peddler’s return…always announced by the distinctive, noisy clanging of the goods on the wagon.
Weeks passed and word got out that the old man was angry and looking for the peddler so, it is said, he avoided the area as best he could. One night, dark and stormy as it turns out, the peddler made a fateful error.
Lost in the storm, and drunk some say, he erroneously turned down the road that lead right past the trapper’s cabin (the modern Gabbys Road, which still follows the same route through Ghost Hollow). Once down the road there is no room to turn, even today, as the bluffs rise high on both sides.
The trapper heard the loud, unmistakable wagon and rushed out into the night to face his nemesis and confront him over his perceived grievance. Meanwhile, realizing his mistake, the peddler urged his horses on faster. The trapper reached the road just as the wagon thundered by and he lunged to grab one of the horses. Unfortunately it was in vain and he was pulled beneath the wagons wheels and crushed to death.
What happened to the peddler is unknown but guests today still encounter the old trapper near his homestead.
On more than one occasion Rich has had frantic people pound on his door to tell him an old man has just thrown himself in front of their car. While several have believed they hit a man, upon further inspection they find no damage to their car, no sign of a man…and no body. The man has simply vanished.
Others report strange occurrences with the electronics in their car while coming down the road. Radios get fuzzy, dash lights inexplicitly dim and headlights go out completely. Cars have been known to stall on the spot. While all this can’t be attributed without question to a ghost, it does make the spot in the road a weird location where investigators have been able to record strange, unexplained and passing spikes in the electromagnetic field there.
Rich’s great grandfather, Breeze Wagoner, purchased the property after the old trapper’s death around 1860. Although the elder Wagoner has never been seen I often wonder if the man who started the farm still wanders its grounds. His manner of death certainly shows his tenacity!
Breeze was a muleskinner who made his way to Illinois a few years before he bought the property. One afternoon he and his mule boarded the ferry across the nearby Sangamon River; his mule, a cantankerous creature, got spooked during the ride and started to kick and buck, inflicting significant damage to the craft.
At the other side Breeze and his destructive mule disembarked and went about their business; returning late in the afternoon to cross the river. The ferryman told Breeze his return fee would be a dollar, significantly higher than the passage over. When asked why he replied to cover the damage the mule had done on the first trip.
Breeze thought the price unfair (and a dollar was, in fairness, a lot of money then) and refused to pay. An argument ensued and finally Breeze declared he’d rather drown trying to swim his mule across the river than pay such an exorbitant fee. And that’s exactly what he did. The mule swam to safety; Breeze was lost in the current.

One ghost you may encounter lost her husband in a similar manner and she waits for him to this day. Her name is Mrs. Miller and she is not only the most famous ghost at the ranch, she’s the one you’re most likely to encounter as she has been seen repeatedly over the years.
Mrs. Miller’s story begins in the 1950’s; she and her husband were neighbors to the Wagoners and often used the road in front of the house while going about their business. The creek at the bottom of the hollow is, coincidently, called Miller’s Creek and it, even today, can quickly become a raging torrent during heavy rains. It was a common problem when Rich’s grandpa lived on the land; Rich remembers the floods from when he was a boy. It was a dangerous place during a storm because the water rose so rapidly.
A questionably constructed lumber bridge (several boards set across the creek with no rails or safety features of any kind) spanned the creek. Mr. Miller was riding home, on a skittish horse, in a downpour and, despite the ankle-deep water rushing across the bridge, decided to brave it. Partway across Miller’s horse spooked and he was thrown from the saddle into the fast-moving creek waters and swept away; his body was never recovered.
Mrs. Miller was a broken woman after that and returned often to the spot to look in vain for her husband’s body. This sad ritual was played out for several years until the widow herself joined her husband in death. But, as it turns out, even death didn’t bring the long hoped for reunion as Mrs. Miller has returned to continue her watch.
Rich’s grandpa and, later, Rich himself encountered the spirit of Mrs. Miller on the bridge where her husband died. She is a sad woman in the plain clothes of a farmer’s wife who stands looking into the woods only to vanish seconds later.
Guests near the house have reported a woman, presumably Mrs. Miller walking through the parking lot and into the stables. One man told me he awoke one night while sleeping in the bunkhouse to see a woman walking through the room. Startled, the man started to ask who she was and what she wanted but before he could get the words out the woman disappeared!
Once Rich even encountered the ghostly woman in his house! He was minding his own business and glanced up to see her standing there. She, Rich, recalled looked him straight in the eye and abruptly vanished. Although he was startled, Rich simply accepted the fact he might share his home with the old, friendly ghost and went about his day. Mrs. Miller hasn’t been seen in the house since but Rich believes she often takes or moves things; including a pair of glasses that were a gift from his mother.
In recent years Mrs. Miller has also been seen serenely rocking in the chair on the front porch of Rich’s house. One guest asked why this change of motif operandi and the only suggestion I can offer, and one that I hope is right, is that she may have come to peace with the fact her husband is gone and now she, like many visitors to the ranch, is just enjoying the peace the place offers.
Another occurrence in the area of the bridge that people have reported over the years are strange lights floating along the road and out in the woods. This was a phenomenon I hoped to capture on film during an overnight investigation in 2010. That night I, along with several others, had an encounter that very well be related to what others have been reporting for years. During the night I took another investigator, A.J. Jenchel out into the woods to investigate the mound that had been disturbed in the 1900’s, we were trying to find a hint of the Indian ghost.
Failing in our mission, we made our way back through the woods and, coming to Miller’s Creek, we decided to follow it out to the bridge and try to find Mrs. Miller.
As we walked along with our flashlights A.J. and I realized there were people on the bridge and we thought our lights might be mistaken for something paranormal so we began to talk a little louder to ensure we weren’t mistaken for ghosts.
We reached the bridge and found David Lowery and Chris Mason who had, in fact, seen our lights. They had been on the bridge for several minutes and had seen several lights floating through the trees. Our flashlights were markedly different in appearance than what they’d seen.
Several minutes passed as we discussed these weird lights when, suddenly, from about 20 feet up the road I noticed a light. It was about the size of a basketball and had a weird, bluish glow surrounding it. This light approached us very slowly and then, within seconds, it blinked out and didn’t reappear. Chris saw this light as well and confirmed it was the same as what they’d seen earlier.
What was this light? It’s hard to determine if it’s the ghost of Mrs. Miller or, perhaps, a roaming Indian spirit. Maybe it’s something else altogether; natural or otherwise. Hopefully future investigations will offer some answers to this puzzle, until then it’s just another of Ghost Hollow’s many mysteries.

Finally we come to a ghostly encounter with special meaning to Rich because it involves a horse that unlike any he has known before or since, his name was Dark Eyes and, if you’re lucky, you may meet him yourself if you visit the ranch!
Dark Eyes came into Rich’s life in the early ‘90s when his owner was sent to prison and needed someone to watch over his horse. Rich took the animal and quickly realized this was a special horse. He developed an instant bond with Dark Eyes and spent the next year taking him to horse shows and competitions. When home at the ranch it wasn’t uncommon for Dark Eyes to escape his stable and run out into the nearby alfalfa field. Unlike some horses though, Dark Eyes would come running back when Rich called his name. It became a friendly game between the two.
Dark Eyes performed well at events; eventually winning a World Congress Championship. Rich and the horse had a great year but, sadly, it was to be a short-lived relationship as, at the end of the year, Dark Eyes’ rightful owner was released from prison and came to claim his horse. Reluctantly Rich sent Dark Eyes home and thought he’d never see him again. It was sheer coincidence that brought the two friends together again a few years later.
While on a trip to northern Illinois Rich happened to see an ad for a horse event in Ottawa, Illinois so he made an unscheduled detour. Upon arrival he was met by several people he knew from the circuit and quickly learned that Dark Eyes was there with his owner.
Rich sought the horse out and, when he finally saw his old friend, his heart sank because the horse looked terrible, sick and neglected. He would later learn that Dark Eyes had been badly mistreated. When Dark Eyes saw Rich he perked up as if he recognized Rich, “he seemed almost happy”, Rich told me. Rich and the owner talked and all the while Dark Eyes nuzzled Rich’s hand; it was a good meeting for both of them. But, sadly, Rich had to leave but he didn’t leave without making an offer to buy the horse; an offer that was sadly rejected.
Fate came knocking again about a year later when, again, the owner was sent to jail and made Rich the same offer as before. He could watch Dark Eyes for the duration of his imprisonment but would have to return the horse when he got out. Rich, unable to face the parting again, reluctantly turned the offer down. It wasn’t long after that Rich learned Dark Eyes had died.
Rich mourned that horse like the old friend that he was and, truth be told, when he tells the story now, many years later, you can hear the sadness in his voice. It is that deep sadness that Rich believes may have led to the recurring events at Ghost Hollow that he believes is the spirit of Dark Eyes.
It began one quiet summer night a year or so after Dark Eyes died. On a ranch it’s not uncommon for horses to escape the stables or corral; Dark Eyes did this frequently. Often, at Ghost Hollow, they animals make their way to the large alfalfa field just beyond Rich’s yard. That night Rich heard, as he sometimes did, a horse out in the field. He went out to search for the animal and was unable to find it, furthermore, upon inspection he found all the horses in the stable and accounted for. He wondered if, perhaps, it had been his imagination…but then he heard the neighing of a horse in the field again; a sound that was very familiar to him. Rich heard the recognizable sound of Dark Eyes’ bray!
To this day Rich listens for his old friend and others claim to have heard the mysterious sounds of a horse that isn’t there. Rich wonders, “Could this be something I wanted so badly that, somehow, I caused it to happen?” While the power of suggestion certainly can apply in this case, is it so hard to believe that, in death, Dark Eyes has returned to a place he loved in life? There are numerous reports of ghost animals in the investigative files of ghost researchers all over the world. While it’s impossible to answer Rich’s question with any certainty, it has to be considered a possibility.

As we have seen, Ghost Hollow Ranch has its share of mysteries. The ghosts here are as much a part of the land as the trees and creeks across the property. They, like the ranch itself, offer an insight into a simpler time and while we may never fully solve all these mysteries, Ghost Hollow is a place that will remain a haven for those who long to escape the modern world and, maybe, the physical world itself!

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Lincoln's Ghost in Springfield, Illinois?


Josephine Edwards


Someone recently asked me why I hadn't written more about Abraham Lincoln's ghost in Springfield, IL; after all there is a long-standing tradition that Mr. Lincoln still walks the streets of his old hometown. My obsession with Lincoln is well-known in certain circles and, coupled with my love of ghosts and legends, you'd think I'd have done this long ago. I've tried but it's been complicated because, frankly, I don't believe Abe's hanging around anywhere near Springfield!

Oh John, you may ask, what about the stories at the Lincoln sites that claim otherwise? Well, yes, there are ghost stories about Lincoln's old stomping grounds. They've spawned books, ghost tours and legends but I always suggest people take a second look at the reports. Doing so shines a different light on the subject.

"It is portentous, and a thing of state
That here at midnight, in our little town
A mourning figure walks, and will not rest,
Near the old court-house pacing up and down..."
Abraham Lincoln Walks at Midnight (In Springfield, Illinois)
by Nicholas Vachel Lindsay

That's what started all this. A poem by Vachel Lindsay that describes Lincoln, unable to sleep in the tomb because of war. The president restlessly wanders the streets wondering,in essence, "Didn't we put an end to this in my day?"

There weren't ghost stories about Lincoln before Lindsay penned this poem in 1914 but now Abe's seen on every corner! Or at least people say he is. Frankly I can't find one reliable source that backs up this claim. I can, however, find intriguing stories that suggest some ghost activity occurs, or has occurred, in and around the places Lincoln knew.

I'd like to quickly discuss some well-known places. When I've done this in the past I've met with some opposition from people who work at these sites because they don't believe their buildings are full of ghosts. They might be right, especially when it comes to Lincoln's old home. I respect these people, I know many of them but the stories are there so let's examine them.

Lincoln's New Salem State Historic Site: Lincoln came to New Salem in 1831. The village was a rough frontier settlement on the northern edge of civilisation. He stayed until 1837 at which time he relocated to Springfield. In those years Lincoln transformed himself from uneducated manual laborer to up-and-coming lawyer and politician. The village disappeared shortly after he left (this, despite the mythic implications, had nothing to do with Lincoln departing...the town was in it's death throes in 1832 when they realized river travel on the Sangamon wasn't going to work and people began to leave for greener pastures). I've written a detailed account of New Salem and it's ghosts in an article posted in the first series of links at the bottom of this blog.
The ghosts reported at New Salem (and I've heard these stories since I was a kid) suggest that a man, I believe to be resident Jack Kelso, and a woman I suggest might be Elizabeth Herndon still roam the grounds and make periodic appearances. There are those who suggest otherwise but, if the place is haunted, those are my favorite candidates.

Old State Capital and Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices: Although people have reported odd activity at these sites from time to time there is nothing to suggest to me that either of these places are haunted by anyone, especially Mr. Lincoln. My question to you, why would you spend eternity prowling around your workplace?

The Lincoln Tomb: Again, a detailed account is listed in the links below. This is the site of the very first Lincoln ghost story. For several years Lincoln and his sons lay in a temporary vault on a hillside north of the present structure while the permanent tomb was being constructed. Travelers on a nearby railroad began to report the glowing blue figure of Lincoln walking between the two tombs. Why? I can't say. Lincoln was a curious man, maybe he was checking on the progress of his final resting place. When the bodies were moved into the permanent tomb these ghostly sightings stopped.
There are those who,even today, report odd sounds and eerie voices coming from within the tomb. Having volunteered there in the 1980's I can tell you first hand that sound carries through those marble halls and could easily be mistaken for otherworldly events. Once I (and another worker) crawled up into the foundations of the tomb. We made our way back to the vaults that hold Mrs. Lincoln and three of the Lincoln sons. We stood there a few minutes talking about the construction and then climbed out.
One of our co-workers met us, laughing. It seems two visitors had reported bits of muffled conversation coming from within the walls of the burial chamber! We hadn't taken into account the air vents and our (we thought) quiet conversation was drifting into the room on the other side! It was inadvertent and it still serves as a reminder to me to be careful during investigations. What you're hearing may not always be what you think you're hearing!
Is the Lincoln Tomb haunted? I don't think so. There may be some residual energy there from the millions of people who have visited but you're not likely to find a ghost prowling it's hallways.

And now...the most legendary "haunted" Lincoln site...

The Lincoln Home: There are many accounts of ghostly activity in Lincoln's old house. Lincoln, himself, has been reported. Odd photographs have been taken, staff members have reported strange activity and many visitors have encountered a woman who seems to be cleaning the house. At least they did until a major restoration in the mid-80's seems to have put a stop to the activity.
The stories are interesting though. The odd Lincoln sighting not withstanding, there may have once been some legitimate hauntings going on here but it seems the restoration may have put an end to them.
Now, official National Park Service dogma says there are no ghosts here. It's not the story the NPS wants to tell so guides, when asked, politely brush the questions off. I actually agree with this. It's not rude, it's just not part of the program. I always encourage people to visit historic sites but leave these poor people alone when it comes to ghosts! I'm telling you, they don't want to talk about it!
The most believable stories that have come from the house suggest to me it was a woman who haunted the place. Mary Lincoln! Let's not be too hasty. Mary Lincoln owned the house until her death in 1882 at her sister's home a few blocks away. She couldn't go back to her old home, there are no reports that I know of that she even visited it again. It was just too painful. So why would she spend eternity there? I don't think she did.
The most interesting accounts I've heard report a woman who seems to be cleaning the house. A caretaker. While several suggestions have been put forward as to her identity, my favorite candidate is a woman named Josephine Edwards.
Albert Edwards was Mary Lincoln's nephew, he married Josephine in 1876. After a series of troublesome tenants Robert Todd Lincoln eventually had his cousin Albert placed in the Lincoln Home as custodian. Albert died suddenly in 1915 (at the house) and Josephine was left to carry on. She was meticulous in her care of the home and fiercely protective of the Lincoln legacy. She, herself, worked in the house until her own death. Her tenure was the highest point in the home's post-Lincoln history until the NPS converted the entire neighborhood into a National Park (it's endeavors to improve the site are on-going and impressive). I believe she stayed behind to keep an eye on the place.
As stated, in the 80's the house was, basically, dismantled and reconstructed to ensure it would be around for another few generations of visitors. Most ghost accounts come from before this restoration. I think Mrs. Edwards was pleased and no longer felt the need to hang around and so...she moved on.
The house sits quiet now. People still report things from time-to-time but it's nothing like the building's ghostly heyday and I believe many of these modern accounts (curtains moving and the like) can be attributed to simple misunderstandings.

Abe Lincoln is one ghost I'd love to encounter. He may haunt the White House, those stories seem pretty solid (considering they come from presidents and world leaders like Winston Churchill) but Springfield? Sadly I don't think he's here. I encourage you all to visit these sites (and can't stress enough...don't ask about ghosts!) and take from them the power of the Lincoln story. It's enough to know he once walked here and, yes, as Vachel suggests, "He lingers where his children used to play..." but not in ghostly form, in the minds of those of us who revere the man.