Ghost hunters in your home??

(TV shows like this encouraged parents to trust ghost hunters)

Oklahoma’s first documented ghost story

Upon doing research for a writing project, I stumbled upon a sequence of articles that I found to be entertaining, disturbing and fascinating all in one. As I read the articles, it was refreshing to me on how simple things were back in the early days. They are simple paragraphs that were hidden for over a hundred years, without anyone acknowledging the history, the folklore and the beliefs so long ago. I am choosing to share these findings as I continue to research for writing projects, and of course documenting Oklahoma’s real Haunted History.

What you are about to read is exactly how the Guthrie Daily Leader, was read over 100 years ago, back in 1896. Volunteers of the Guthrie historical museum and library have taken old newspapers and typed them into readable archives for future viewers. With this said, the content is rather broken at times, and some terminology is slightly hard to follow. But while reading this story it is history revealed and revived. Enjoy this series of newspaper articles, provided by the great town of Guthrie Oklahoma. –

–> Continue to read after the article for my personal research comments on this particular case and how it reflects on today’s paranormal investigative field.

The Guthrie Daily Leader -1896

Headline: NO INQUEST NEEDED. ELLA MYERS ASSOCIATES WERE THE CAUSE OF HER HASTY BURIAL!

Thursday, April 9, 1896

P-8

*Note: Cyprian is another word for prostitute*

Commissioner Stapleton says he is in no way responsible for the hasty burial of Ella Myers, the Cyprian who was found dead Sunday inside Ella Horton’s place on the Santa Fe Right of way. He says he issued an order for her burial as a pauper on authority of Coroner Barker, who, with Dr. Cotteral examined the remains.

The county undertaker, it seems, complied with the inmates of the Huston place and buried the body at once. Dr. Barker says he gave an order for the burial of the body, which was badly decomposed, but had no idea, the undertaker would act so hastily. Dr. Cotteral does not credit the story that the body was buried alive. He says he applied the galvanic battery, and like Dr. Barker thought an inquest was unnecessary; at it would simply heap expenses on the county. The deceased was a cocaine fiend and died from an overdose, so the doctors say.

Headline: RED HAND APPEARED. HOUSE IN, WHICH A CYPRIAN DIED, SAID TO BE HAUNTED!

April 15^th, 1896

Pg.4

The shack on the Santa Fe right of way in which the Cyprian Lula Myers recently died is haunted. Horrible groans issue from the shack every night and passerby assert that weird and ghastly incantations take place within the building which was vacated shortly after the unfortunate girls death. Last night a well-known sport called at the house and tried the front door. It failed to give way. He tried the back door with the same result, and returning to the front door it suddenly flew open and a blood-red hand holding a vial appeared in the room. Much excitement prevails among the neighbors residing in the vicinity of the haunted house.

Headline: THE GHOST STILL WALKS! ELLA MYERS HAUNTS THOSE WHO INJURED HER. IS HER BODY UPSIDE DOWN?

Sunday April 19^th, 1896

Judge Mccord believes that an investigation will reveal some starling things. George Hardies’s weird experience at the home of the deceased Cyprian.

 A BLOOD READ HAND SEEN.

The ghost of Ella Myers continues to walk with uncanny tread at the errs-while dive at the Santa Fe Right of way. Last night at 12 o clock the doors of the house in which the girl is supposed to have died, suddenly flew open and a figure clad in white was seen at the window. It is alleged that the groans also issued from the hitherto locked house, and that three times a plaintive wail went up “Don’t give me any morphine I am sick!” for over a week super natural manifestations in the house have aroused the neighborhood, and the shacks vicinity of the haunted dwelling have been vacated.

On Friday night, George Hardie, thinking the story of the ghost was a prime josh, called at the house. He found the front door locked. Going to the back door he found it locked and bolted. Hardie went to the front door, and was preparing to return, disgusted, to town, when a low plaintive wail assailed his ears and almost simultaneously the front doors slowly swung open. Although, badly rattled, Hardie entered the house. In the room where the Myers girl died he was struck four sharp raps on the head, and at the same time a light, resembling a calcium ray flashed across the room, and within the ray appeared a blood-red hand clutching a bottle or a phial. Manifestations and ghostly séances similar to those seen and heard by Hardie, have been experienced by twenty-five or thirty persons who have visited the dwelling out of curiosity.

Kickapoo Charley visited the place Thursday and was badly frightened. In fact he fainted after seeing the apparition, and had been ill ever since.

P-2 (Continued)

Ex-Police Judge Mccord is considerably wrought up over the appearance of the astral body. He adheres to the belief that the Myers girl was buried alive, and that the body was chucked into a coarse box face downwards.

Policeman Potete avers that the exhuming of the body of the unfortunate Cyprian will show that the body is distorted and twisted, and that the girls ghost will haunt the colored undertaker, and her associates as long as they live. The brother of the dead girl is in the city, and will have the body disinterred and moved to Kansas for burial. It is thought he knows more about the strange case than he tells.

(End)

Also in the same paper: DIE A PAUPER- AND BE CHUCKED INTO A HOLE ON THE COTTONWOOD!

“If you have no money and wish a decent burial when you die, postpone dying until you get out of Logan County” remarked a prominent businessman yesterday. “I have just returned from a ride about town,” he continued, “and during my rounds I passed by what is supposed to be the burial ground for paupers. I must say such a graveyard is a burning disgrace to the county. A man who would place a dead body in that soggy plat of ground is devoid of all the merciful, humane feeling, which goes to make up a man. Surely the county has enough money to give its dead a respectful burial. This graveyard is a marsh on the Cottonwood. The county undertaker, after slapping a stiff into a box, hurries it to that wet marsh and deposits it about four feet under the ground. About twice a year the river rises and over=flows the graves, and we drink the water. Why can’t a plot of ground be staked off in Lynn’s cemetery for the indigent dead? The county owes that much to decency’s sake”

 (End)

Headline : NO MORE GHOST!- THE REMAINS OF ELLA MYERS EXHUMED AND FOUND RIGHT SIDE UP!

April 23, 1896

P-4

The remains of Ella Myers whose ghost is said to have haunted the late home of the deceased on the Santa Fe right of way, were exhumed yesterday by H.M. Myers, half brother of the deceased, and taken to Rose hill township for interment. Mr. Myers was ignorant of the death of his sister until he read an account of the haunted house in the leader last week. The coffin was opened and the body was found in proper position. It is intimated that the girl was not only buried alive, but the body was placed in a rough box face downward, but since the recent comment regarding her burial, interested parties disinterred the remains and placed them in their natural position.

*Note: There were no more mentions about “ghosts” by the Santa Fe right of way after April 1896.*

Research Comments

Investigating ghost accounts for over 12 years now in Oklahoma, I have stumbled upon a few personal theories that seem to revolve around ghosts and haunting witness accounts.

What is Para-Hysteria? Well, basically it is a haunting created by a group of people who are convinced that a location is in fact haunted. What makes a location haunted? The most important and passé’ reasoning would to be a horrible death’s at a location, and maybe some local wives tales attached to it. The most common of hysteria is such as the above series of articles that were published over 100 years ago. Upon reading the articles, the average ghost hunters would be full of excitement and more than likely declare, “We got to find this place!” Well, that’s a great idea, if you are not paying attention of course. If you notice, within these articles, witness accounts grow larger, and more detailed with every mention. I would have loved to been a fly on the wall in mid- April 1896, the town was a buzz with the possibility of a real live ghost, haunting their railroad tracks; I can hear the towns people talking now. The media was very important, even back then, that is how people got their news, and they always understood that the news reported was in fact the “truth”. We are guilty of this today, society is greatly media influenced and it will never stop. Watching the reports grow into a simple “strange occurrence” into a full fledged ass kicking ghost with a vial of cocaine is simply amazing. Local law enforcement and important businessmen were even pulled into the ruckus. Bodies being exhumed, over old wives tale is prime example of how fast people are influenced. As a paranormal investigator it’s alarming to me that these types of things still happen, in and out of the field of paranormal investigating and or ghost hunting.

Researchers that scream “science!” are overlooking one thing, the basics of people and how easily hysteria can be created. Remember the Salem Witch Trials? People died horrible deaths over those types of accusations, and today very reputable teams and groups of paranormal investigators ignore the hysteria attached to those horrendous crimes. Today, paranormal investigators are in fact “investigating” something that is nothing but a vicious cycle of hysteria. With the Salem Witch Trials, the horrible deaths that occurred are today’s reasoning behind investigating the hauntings that these science-based teams are researching. Does that make any sense? To me it doesn’t. Creating a haunting, Para-hysteria however you want to word it, the truth is that it exists and is heavily covering up the paranormal investigative field. With today’s technology, it seems very easy to document a ghost. Cases where there are true paranormal anomalies are collected by accident, not an investigative team. So what is everyone looking for? Flashing lights, balls off energy, dust bunnies caught on tape? These anomalies are becoming so typical, that they are now unbelievable. High tech gadgets, physics, string theories, magic EMF readers and a million other run of the million other hypotheses will not convince me of the possibility of ghosts.

People create ghosts. That’s a bold statement yes, but I have reasoning behind my thoughts. Let’s take the infamous Myrtles Plantation for example. This home was built in 1796, a very long time ago. The plantation has a morbid past, and it’s documented historically. But as the years go by, the ghost reports seem to have lingered in only the halls. As time went by, I am sure that someone may have witnessed something unexplainable, and blamed it on a ghost. Getting people talking about the past and the history behind the plantation, minds begin to wander. Was the plantation just as haunted 200 years ago?  Once the media got a hold of this story, just like the articles above, the strange and unusual happenings became more common. With each new owner, stories were passed on, giving the chance to grow and be exaggerated. People who witness these things are regular people, who in fact have fell for what we know as Para-hysteria. People are just people; we all want to believe that there is something more than what we can see with our own eyes. People want to believe in things that are not there, things that cannot be explained and of course, the possibility of ghosts roaming the earth, right along side of us. It’s exciting and since the beginning of time people have loved to be excited. So I will end this paragraph with the opening statement, people create ghosts.

I invite everyone to read these articles and study the Para-hysteria that is involved. The idea of a simple impression can make an entire town lose their minds for a few weeks; take a look at the above story, and of course, the Salem Witch Trails.

For all those teams out there who are still chasing the dream of “making contact”, all I can say is good luck and do whatever makes you happy in your personal search for the unknown. I personally will not waste anymore of my precious time away from my family and friends to investigate hauntings. Don’t get me wrong, I will still be investigating the unknown and the possibility of ghosts, but I am looking at things in a different light these days. Stop spending your hard earned money chasing a dream that will only happen if you believe a little harder than the next team. I ask that everyone takes a step back, and reflect on their rumored haunted locations… are you just creating those ghosts are you have you forgot entirely, that people will be people?

Old Hospital & EVP?

Ghostlahoma offers up more than just paranormal talk!

7th ANNUAL  OKLAHOMA PARANORMAL CONFERENCE MOVED TO ENID OKLAHOMA!

Enid, OK – GHOSTLAHOMA, Oklahoma’s 7th annual paranormal conference will be held in Enid for the first time on August 18, 2012 at the Cherokee Strip Conference Center from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This years event promises to offer much more than just paranormal talk and typical presentations!

Because this is Ghostlahoma, we want to showcase Oklahoma as much as possible.  We love our great state and we want to share with you experiences that are not far removed from you.  We do not aim to dazzle you with “as seen on TV” hype, though most of our speakers have been featured on TV at one time or another.  We do, however, aim to dazzle you with intelligent, witty, and well researched evidence and tales of the paranormal and to provide you with an interesting, fun day of ghostly goodness. – Tammy Wilson Coordinator of Ghostlahoma

“You will see photos, hear “voices from the grave,” and get the goods on several haunts as well as learn about how evidence is analyzed.  You’ll hear fascinating history and accounts of bizarre things.  Then you will have the opportunity to talk to the speakers and ask questions about anything paranormal. We are excited about showcasing some of Ghostlahomas best and interesting artists and of course the Haunt Rod Car show! – Tonya Hacker- Coordinator of Ghostlahoma

 Internationally recognized artist Josh Stebbins-   will have his work available and on display at the conference along side with other Oklahoma artist with “ominous elements.” Some of the most unique art, photography and even crafts will be displayed and for sale at the first ever Ghostlahoma Art Gallery.

Downtown Enid will have parts of the Main Street closed off due to the first annual “Haunt Rod” car show. The streets will be lined with hearses and spooky cars, trucks and anything with wheels for patrons and curious minds. This is the very first “Haunt Rod” show in association with a conference  and many cars from across the state are coming together to show off their spooky spokes!

 Don’t forget your cameras!

After the Conference when the night starts to move in there will be several ghostly tours and hands on weirdness for your entertainment!

Tickets for the event are $25.00 and may be purchased online at www.iloveenid.com & GHOULI.ORG or by calling (580) 402-6732.  Vendor tables &  Sponsorships Available. Group Rates are available. Please call for details.

This event is sponsored by:

Mystical Illusions Tattoo & Body Piercing

Black Cat T-shirts

Artist Josh Stebbins

Revenant Limousines 

& the City of Enid, Oklahoma

Haunted Skirvin Hotel fails to scare Miami Heat?

Well that’s a headline I thought I would never write!

First of all I want to let everyone know that I am not a big sports fan.  I never have been one either.  I’m not one to jump on the bandwagon because a team is doing very well in a season. But I do have respect for the Thunder. I did come across a headline on my phone where I get “paranormal news” and a very small blurb was posted in a Miami based newspaper. The Sun Sentential decided to take a poke that kind of got me a bit riled up. No, I am not running out to purchase an official Thunder-Up t-shirt but the short article did make me raise an eyebrow and be on the defensive end.

Here is the original article

I’m not normally concerned with sports rivalry but I am getting rather annoyed with the national media making statements as to which they are so surprised that Oklahoma City is actually a real city! Why on earth would anyone in this day and age really assume we are sporting around covered wagons and living by lakes and rivers in tee-pee’s?  Oklahoma City may not be the most progressive city around but really we are not waking up each day to hunt for our food!

Miami Heat player Udonis Haslem told media “I’m a pretty good guy, man. I respect everybody’s space,”  “If that’s the ghost’s room and they come pop up on me like that and he says it’s his spot, he can have it. There’s plenty other rooms.”

 

Folks who have stayed at the Skirvin Hilton — you can check in any time you like but you can never leave — report all sorts of supernatural incidents. Boston Celtics forward Brandon Bass insists on a nightlight when he stays there and Chicago Bulls forward Taj Gibson said his bathroom door slammed in the middle of the night. – Source Washington Post

It’s nice to see the competition not be intimidated by a series of ghostly tales attached to the hotel like many others in the past.

OKC lacking the Ritz Carlton and Four Seasons level of accommodations the Heat are used to, these NBA Finals against the Thunder have delivered them to the century-old Skirvin Hilton. And that has delivered them to the gates of . . .

Seriously, the gates of … ? What exactly does dot dot dot  mean? Delivering them into the gates of failure? Loserville? Victory? Hell? Over active imaginations?

What I particularly do not care for are the suggestions that OKC is not able to provide athletes and even celebrities first class accommodations. Perhaps those writing these  tall tales should actually stay at the hotel and visit our city before assuming we are not up to celeb-standards. I am aware and often confused with the marketing strategy of the Skirvin concerning their haunting history. I do wish they would address the rumors as I can see they are creating a lot of negative publicity on the subject. There are strange things that could possibly happen at the hotel but some of the stories are getting fabricated beyond reality.

Don’t believe me?  Take a peek here 

I’m going to link the graphic this paper created just because I found it to be humorous.

It still makes me laugh when I read about grown men that put on mean faces for a living be afraid of the Skirvin Hotel. The hotel is nothing to be afraid of or lose a minute of sleep over.  I’m sure if you dug deep enough there are ghost stories at even the most prestigious hotels in the nation.

I do want to say that I am very proud of the OKC Thunder and their accomplishments. They are representing our city very well. I am more than happy to see that the world will finally realize that the state of Oklahoma does in fact have electricity and we do not live in mud huts down by the river. I wish the Thunder the best of luck and I do hope they win just to shut people up!

Supermarket Ghost

I realize this piece of footage is does not have anything to do with the state of Oklahoma but it is has hit over a million views over the past few days on youtube. There is “ruckus” about this video and it has paranormal people talking. But why?

According to the shop owner of this IGA in Brompton, Australia he was told about the ghost that resides within the supermarket. They have pinpointed the ghost as well. Apparently a local boxer was gunned down outside while using the telephone. The bullet hole is still there and everything.

I do not see a lot of reports coming out of Australia when it comes to ghosts and claims of the unknown so I decided to take a better look and offer my two-cents on what could have possibly happened. Was it a ghost? If you want to believe that it is, that’s entirely up to you. But I personally think it was a lazy employee that didn’t want to take the time to return the haunted Fruit Roll-Ups to their rightful home.

Here is the first release of the story on a Good Morning Sunrise type of show.

You can hear some sarcasm (disbelief) by a couple of the hosts. I for one found it rather amusing that this clip made it as far as it did within the media.

Here is a more exclusive clip where it gives a bit more detail about the chewy event.

It seems the shop owner is pretty much convinced that a “ghost” did do this. What baffles my mind is the fact that he would rather admit he has a ghost compared to having imperfect stock clerks. When I was a teenager I worked at a local grocery store for a summer. I will admit that I did put items behind items that belong on other isles. I was too lazy to take them back to where they belonged. So, finding a box of haircolor behind the canned beets was not an uncommon thing. Oh, I wasn’t the only one that did things like this. We were all teens and we all wanted to have things done so we could get off work.

Notice in the video that the Fruit Roll-Ups belonged on the next isle over. Pay close attention as the store owner shows where the supernatural treats came flying from. It is a shelf full of what appears to me to be egg noodles/pasta of some sort?  The noodles are lying there, all shiny, slick and plastic like. Is it possible that the roll-ups were tucked away behind the noodles? One swift movement of the air conditioning or even a loud non-paranormal noise could have made the roll ups finally slide from the noodle shelf? This may be a big giant theory/explanation but it’s better than a big bad boxer flicking Fruit Roll-Ups to get attention. I would hope that if he made a choice to use all that energy to make a paranormal statement that he would have at least used a more masculine product? Maybe not?

I personally do not think this story is paranormal at all.  Closed Circuit Video that is  motion detected can come on and record if there is a loud bang (from outside) or if an air-conditioning unit kicks on abruptly. There was no other movement recorded on the footage either.  I would like to see this store produce more videos like this mainly because they are already convinced it’s haunted.

Have you ever been in a retail store and something just flew off the shelf? I have. It’s happened to me many times. I have even had strangers watch an item fall, we look at each other and telepathically acknowledge that “Yeah, it just flew off the shelf, glad you got to see it with me.” Was it a ghost? Probably not, but it was strange enough to instantly blow off for the sake of not being a bit paranoid.  Over the years I have received a large number of emails about the retail area of where the old Belle Isle Power plant once was. Many people claim that some retail shops and restaurants are haunted. There are many reports on the internet about personal ghostly encounters taking place while people were  getting great deals on a new pair of jeans or shopping for groceries.

How do you feel about the Supermarket Ghost footage that is getting nationwide attention? Ghost or lazy stocking skills? What do you think?

Bigfoot in Oklahoma

As a paranormal researcher I am asked a lot about the creature we call Bigfoot. The monster is very popular in our state and it seems that everyone that has stepped outside of the city limits for any amount of time has their very own Bigfoot story.

Just this weekend the TV Network Animal Planet was in Yukon, OK with high hopes of finding Bigfoot. Why they did not head to the southern part of Oklahoma is beyond me! Regardless, you can read about their visit to the Yukon area on this News9 Link.

People that have witnessed unexplainable (to them) monsters in the woods have a firm standing on their experience. They are convinced that a large creature was around them and no matter how much logic or possible explanation  was given to them, they still believe it was Bigfoot.

I will admit that I am not a “fan” of the Bigfoot race that is currently taking place. I am not convinced that there even is such a thing as a monster in the woods. Being a self proclaimed city girl, I do not get along with the deep woods in the state of Oklahoma. I am more afraid of snakes and ticks than anything. The last thing on my mind is Bigfoot. Is it possible that Bigfoot shacks up in parts of Oklahoma? With as many sightings that are reported  it’s hard to say that there is without a doubt no such thing as Bigfoot.

If you are interested in reports of Bigfoot you can visit websites that report sightings of the creature. You might be surprised that a bigfoot was spotted right in your own backyard! click here for one websites reports- BFRO.

Some reports of Bigfoot are nothing more than comical in my opinion. For example this report that hit local news some years ago. Click here to see photos and read the article. What do you think? Bigfoot? Bear? or Costume?

There are now countless photos being taken as hunters set up their game cams.

For example: This image was taken in Atoka, OK. Staged costume or is it Bigfoot?

Is this Bigfoot?

Each year Oklahoma hosts the largest Bigfoot Festival/carnival/conference in this part of the nation. Hanobia Bigfoot Festival is held in the Kiamichi Mountains in eastern Pushmataha and western LeFlore counties lies Honobia, OK, a town with a history of strange sightings of an ape-like creature.  They celebrate the fact that there are so many sightings and they welcome everyone. It is kind of like the “Roswell” of Bigfoot if that makes any sense. Signs like these are posted everywhere. You can also find a Bigfoot host/guide to take you out on a real Bigfoot hunt. With a click of a mouse you can have access to many Bigfoot videos on the internet. I do warn you… if you are into Bigfoot you may find yourself being sucked into that part of youtube where you may end up looking at even more paranormal things…such as people being born with teeth around their eyes or 3 headed squirrels!

I wish I had a great Bigfoot story to share but I don’t. But, I do have a story about a trip to El Reno Oklahoma where no matter who you are or what you believe the locals can possibly convince you that there could be such thing as Bigfoot.

While out doing a ghost hunt outside of El Reno we came across some locals from the Cheyenne & Arapahoe Tribes. The reservation outside of town is more known for the Casino than anything but it is riddled with claims of pretty much every kind of paranormal phenomenon outside of the Loch Ness Monster.

Finishing up an paranormal investigation a group of Tribal elders led us to a campfire. We sat around under the stars like small children listening to them share their first hand stories of ghosts, wolves, shadow people, shape shifters, screaming banshee’s and of course Bigfoot. The elders spoke to us about how they would set out food for the creatures and how they coexist with them. Of all the stories shared not a single person  exclaimed the thought of fear when it came to the creatures. After our campfire tales we headed to the woods to see if we could witness a Bigfoot. That time of the year the monsters were supposed to be in the area so we were excited. We headed down and met up with a man who played strange noises over his car stereo into the woods. The noises were “Bigfoot noises” he had recorded. The method was to play back the recordings to get the creatures to respond back. He played sounds of owls, wolves and other animals that he claimed to be Bigfoot. The rumor is that Bigfoot will repeat sounds they hear, kind of like a Lyre Bird mimicking sounds. It was amusing and interesting to hear the woods repeat back the noises the man played on his car stereo. But what was the strangest noise we heard was not per-recorded and it kind of came out of the blue.  The man played a screaming noise and from the woods, out of nowhere we heard a baby crying. The sound was of a very young infant, just months old.  Nobody was in the woods making these noises back at us that we could see. We did shine bright spotlights  into areas we thought a repeating noises came from.  We were just amused until the baby crying took place, that sound pretty much made our skin crawl and jaws drop. It was truly an unexplainable moment. The man just smiled and said “He’s out there!”  I never caught a glimpse of the Bigfoot of course and I am still not sure that they even exist. The baby crying moment was pretty bizarre and I would love to get more feedback about what we heard.

Is Bigfoot Real? Have you witnessed a Bigfoot? I would love to read your stories and get your opinions about this very popular paranormal subject!

Ouija Board? Harmless fun or Evil?

The Ouija Board has fascinated people since the late 1800′s. Originally designed as a novelty item, the inventor Elijah Bond, The original Ouija Board is trademarked by toy maker that is still popular today, Hasbro, then later Parker Brothers. The board was nothing more than a harmless parlor game, during the Spiritual movement. The board soon took a nosedive into the paranormal realm as Spiritualist Pearl Curran made it her main tool in communicating with the dead.  Before information and knowledge was available with just a click of the mouse. The phenomenal movement of a planchette in communication with an assumed deceased person the Ouija Board was magical and mystical to all of those that may have witnessed a talking board seance.

“The ideomotor effect is a psychological phenomenon wherein a subject makes motions unconsciously. As in reflexive responses to pain, the body sometimes reacts reflexively to ideas alone without the person consciously deciding to take action. For instance, tears are produced by the body unconsciously in reaction to powerful emotions. Automatic writing, dowsing, facilitated communication, and Ouija boards have also been attributed to the effect of this phenomenon. Mystics have often attributed this motion to paranormal or supernatural force. Many subjects are unconvinced that their actions are originating solely from within themselves.” -  Wikipedia

The Ouija Board has survived many years as a toy and as a super scary spiritual tool.  I thought it would be fun to go back in time and take a peek at the evolution of the Ouija.

During the 1930′s

Circa 1940

Very rare 1950′s board

1960′s

1970′s

1980′s Version

1990′s  to present

This Ouija Glows in the dark!

Ouija just for HER!

And if you would like to use an online version click here!

Recently I posted comment on my team GHOULI’s  facebook page asking, “Would you have a Ouija Board coffee table in your home?” the feedback was intense. Most people had no problem with it, stating “It’s just a table.” While other people decided to share their personal stories of horror. A few people have never touched a Ouija board and never plan too do so. I did as a few local teams and they just said “We don’t touch them” even after I reminded them they are sold at toy stores and at times a few feet away from infant car seats.

  So, what are your thoughts? Have a story? Is it all nonsense?

PS- Outside of writing, blogging and chasing around ghosts I rejuvenate old furniture into new and fun pieces for the home! Well, I thought I would have some fun with an old coffee table and post it up on Ebay and watch the feedback. Outside of the controversy that is behind the Ouija Board reality is, this is just a coffee table.  The table is for sale right now. I am just curious as to who is going to end up with it! Click here to view Ebay Listing of Ouija Board Coffee Table.

Paranormal or Pareidolia?

This weekend I received a photograph and a email from someone that will remain anonymous. It’s a very typical thing to get in my inbox. People wanting me to analyze their photographs to get a second opinion or to just see if I will agree with them that their photo is in fact something as extraordinary as a real “ghost” captured on their camera.

Here is the email (edited for privacy reason)

Dear Tonya,

This picture was taken at my sisters house around Sept. 25th. My nephew*****  took it with his cell phone and posted it on facebook. We did not see the face until someone pointed it out to us.  I sent the picture to ***local paranormal team*** and that posted on fb the picture was tampered with. There may be an explaination but I did not appreciate them call my family a liar.  It could have been handled better.  Anyway, please look at the picture and let us know what you think.

My sister says that there has been some unusal things happening at her house.   After the photo was developed some people say they can see more than one figure.  Thank you

for taking the time to look at this photo.

Sincerely,

Name Removed”

Haunted Travel with kids?

Planning a weekend vacation or road trip with your family is always hard to do. Making sure there is enough for everyone to do outside of riding in a car the whole time can be an adventure on its own. I do remember  vacations as a

Random Family hitting the road!

child with my entire family. We would load up the powder blue station wagon (yes blue!) and hit the road. I remember trips where we got lost in the hills of Arkansas and stopping at cool Route 66 Places. As a child, I did not realize how “cool” those places really were. Now that I am older I have realized that family road trips were great for memories. I remember my parents yelling at us to stop smacking bubble gum. I remember my brothers picking on me and just being annoying, out of sheer boredom from riding in the car for what then seemed to be countless hours. I remember playing the “License plate game” and any other game we could create, just to kill the time. This was way before Ipods, games and DVD players. I remember eating with my family at “greasy spoons” and the joy of getting stacks of pancakes at dinner time. I remember driving down twisting and turning roads in the middle of the night and my dad making “spooky noises” because it was kind of scary for us kids. Instead of my parents non-sheltering tactics, or perhaps their little “pay back game” they played has now, been embedded in my mind forever, and I thank them.

I do not have memories of watching hours of TV, playing computer games or managing a social network page as a child. I actually got out and explored areas and had a great time doing it. As a parent, it’s my job to not only raise my children as independent, law abiding citizens, it’s my job to create memories for them as well and even scaring the snot out of them on occasion. Mean? I don’t think so.

The subject of this blog is sure to raise a few eyebrows for sure. Taking children into “haunted places” seems so taboo and irresponsible to some people. It’s a big “no-no” for a lot of people that are in the “Paranormal Field”, why, I have no clue. I have yet to read or hear a rational explanation for it, outside of paranoia.

Haunted places and children, sounds so scary doesn’t it? In reality, there is a good chance that the paranoid parents have already crossed that line.  If your child has ever visited places such as Historic Museums, Battle grounds, Hotels, B&B’s, Zoo’s, restaurants and even cultural venue’s you have failed to protect your child from “ghosts”, If in fact you are one of the paranoid people in the world. Ghost stories are everywhere.  They are a part of life and are nothing to be afraid of.  What makes these places scary is the fear that parents put into their children’s minds. I take pride in the fact that I am raising rational thinking kids that are not afraid of historical locations. I wish more parents would jump on that band wagon with me.

This past year I was invited to join a private birthday slumber party at the Skirvin Hotel in Downtown Oklahoma City. I was asked to come share the haunting history of the hotel, teach the kids how to get “EVP’S” and take photos in haunted places. I brought my children along with me. Teaching children to not be afraid is not difficult at all. The kids learn about history and they remember it, because of the ghost stories attached. It makes great memories. The kids at this private party had a blast and explored the hotel in a quite and respectful manner. They did not go around screaming and yelling, taunting the ghosts and running amok in the hotel. They respected it for all it’s worth and embraced the history. All of the kids had a wonderful time and I had a blast scaring them with the stories. I do wish the hotel was a little more open minded about their haunting history, but then again. I enjoy helping people pick rooms in the hotel where they are more likely to witness something “paranormal.”

Those that are opposed to staying in haunted hotels with their children, honestly shows nothing but ignorance in my opinion. Not only are they robbing their children of great history they are pushing their fears into their children. There are even paranormal groups on the internet that preach about the dangers of ghost hunting and children. Kids stay at hotels all the time and they leave totally intact and without “demonic possession.” When I visited the very well known haunt, the Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs Arkansas I was delighted to see even infants in the hotel. This is the same hotel where the big bad “Ghost Hunters” you see on TV acted like scaredy cats throughout the hotel. I remember late in the night I was walking around in my pajamas to sit on the patio for a while, I passed two little girls, probably around 8 or 9 years old in the hotel. I actually talked to these girls when we checked in and I asked them if they were afraid of the ghosts in the hotel. I told them to wait until real late and hang out on the stairwell so they could see the ghost of a woman.  I totally made up the ghostly scenario, but late that night, the little girls were on the stairs. Waiting. I gave them the thumbs up and kept walking. I made it to the elevator and there was a group of  “ghost hunters” hanging out by the elevator doors. They were armed with EMF meters, video cameras and were snapping photos left and right. I just walked right through the group in my fuzzy slippers. I do remember laughing at them once the elevator doors shut. If they only knew that two young kids were doing the same thing, but being more mature about it. Being innocent and just allowing things to happen instead of feeding off a group of adult idiots.  I remember returning to my room and walking the halls alone. I did not have any ghostly encounters by myself, but all through the night the group of “ghost hunters” were taking photos of our rooms door. The infamous “Room 419″ (You can watch the show here 3 parts) is where I stayed and it was rather humorous to listen to how serious these “ghost hunters” were. They had no idea that someone was actually in the room, that was alive!  The next day I did see the little girls and ask them if they met a ghost that night. They had all kinds of stories to share. Stories they will never forget.

This month my family will be hitting the road. Now that my kids are a bit older they will be staying in a room, in a haunted hotel all by themselves. Will they be scared? I doubt it, but if anything does happen, I know they will remember it for the rest of their lives. We are hitting the road to visit family in Missouri. I found a great hotel that has a lot of ghost stories and was even voted “best haunted hideaway” by Triple-A. The Bothwell hotel is a seven floor fully restored hotel in the small historic town of Sadalia, I hope to be able to share some stories once we return from this adventure. I hope my children do have a ghostly encounter, even if it is their imaginations getting the best of them.

In closing, staying where there are “ghosts” is not a bad thing. Parents need to allow their kids to have their own adventures and vacation time. Visit museums and maybe even take a ghost tour. Never fear that your child will be hurt or attacked by a ghost at these places. Keep in mind, ghosts have not officially been proven to exist!  Remember, it’s only dangerous and scary if you, the parent make it that way.

Sincere Blogger,

Tonya Hacker aka “Paranormal Eyes”