Paranormal Porch The Magazine Issue 1!

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Paranormal Porch - Putting The Present In Touch With The Past Like a great city on the highway, the great events of history fall farther behind us with each tick of the clock. No one lives forever. Those whose destiny it was to make the history that influences our destiny inevitably age and pass on. To be 100 years old today means being too young to remember World War I, and almost too young to remember the Great Depression.

We have already lost our last chance to interview those who were adults during those events, and who contributed to making them such noteworthy turning points in our history. We have already lost our last chance to meet and speak with veterans of the American Civil War or The American Revolution. Or have we? All around the Fredericksburg area, subtle mists and quiet whispers gather in the places where men and women of yore lived, loved, fought, and died.

Downstairs, a family hears footsteps crossing the floor of the empty second story of their home. A woman digging in her garden near a Civil War battlefield hears a soft bugle call, and the almost inaudible “whump….whump” of distant canon fire wakes her neighbor’s baby. Little girls’ laughter is heard in a home with no children, and parents are nonplussed when their toddler recognizes his “imaginary friend” in a newly-found hundred year old family photo. The scent of pipe tobacco in her home puzzles the elderly non-smoker who has lived there most of her life, but prompts her to fondly recall the beloved grandpa who promised to watch over her…always.

What would it mean to you to hear the stories behind the pipe tobacco, the bugle, the laughing children, or the imaginary friend?

The team at Paranormal Porch is dedicated to bringing those stories to you. Gifted with extraordinary abilities and cutting-edge equipment to detect the most subtle phenomena, we strive to learn the untold stories where history has been made in and around the Fredericksburg area. We learn these stories not from books or documentaries, but from the story tellers themselves, for we are surrounded by people who cannot ordinarily be seen or heard with conventional senses. They have some things they want to tell us.

IN THIS MONTH’S ISSUE!

Tech and Techniques cont….

Meet The Paranormal Porch Team!........................17-18

Editor’s Corner……………………………...2

Lunar Cycle’s Effects on Paranormal Activity

Stan Miles : Director/Magazine Executive Editor

Take a Position

By: Eric Jobes……………………………………………...9-11

Chante’ Rittenour: Investigator

Personal Paranormal Experiences

Cover Story

Darlene “Dar” Lloyd: EVP Specialist

By: Jennifer M. Duell……………………..3-4

Virginia’s Top 15 Most Haunted Locations

My Rant With Getting Client Investigations

By: Phil Payette…………………………………………..10-15

By: James Burnette……………………...6 Tech and Techniques

Haunted Experiences

Right In Front of My Face By: Dar Lloyd………………………………………………………….19

From Your Mind

Octagon Hall Civil War Museum

Tunnel Vision By: Doreen McCrindle …………………………………………….16

By: Maria Wilson Duff…………………………………………...20

Selecting A Digital Audio Recorder

Through The Paranormal Mind

By: Patrick B. Bishop……………………..7-9

Photographs and Drawings From Our Readers!

Tom Feaser…………………………………………………………21-24

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- by Jen M. Duell Senior Director – National Paranormal Society In a world full of television pollution and false perception it can become a real challenge to sift through what is, what could be or what isn’t nor should be. Our resources are vast and sometimes it is hard to separate fact from fiction. There are countless internet stories that rise up and social media puddles that we could fall into like clever little traps that sat waiting for us. We want to believe, some need to believe and sometimes we find ourselves alone with specific experiences that can’t be seen, read, or absorbed any other way than by ourselves.

The personal paranormal experience to me is something that has built that fire of passion beneath those of us who take paranormal research seriously. It is one of the most argued, debated, and exaggerated components to our research. The trouble is that we have no way of proving something we personally experienced.

body else was there to push you? How about hearing your name being called in an empty room while you’re all alone? Smell a cigar when there’s nobody around puffing on one? If you said yes to any of these, then you have had a personal paranormal experience!

On my own personal experiences; I was convinced without a doubt and only after I had ...

But what is a personal paranormal experience? Have you ever walked through a haunted location and witness a full body apparition?

Have you felt like you’ve been pushed and no-

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...gone through any rational explanation to no avail. These experiences first inspired me to relay them into forms of art. From illustrations to poems, and even stories—I felt so passionate that I had to tell someone without telling someone—I knew my parents wouldn’t believe me, and I had a feeling that my friends wouldn’t understand. There are too many non-believers who would maybe say it was a mental affliction and because I was already a loner, I left these experiences in silence.

In time, I sought out other people who have had similar experiences happen to them.

When I come to understand that what I had seen and experienced wasn’t just my mind or even just me, I found my fire to enter the paranormal field and seek out answers.

There are some studies on stress and other factors that could possibly explain audible and even visual experiences. I certainly cannot rule out psychological factors but I can suggest keeping a journal to make note of everything (including your mood and the course of your day [eg: Were you stressed?]) You can possibly uncover a pattern and work towards a way to understanding the experiences because ultimately, what we should all really want is the truth behind what is or isn’t happening.

In this journal, could we also possibly uncover a haunting? Perhaps we see a simply overtired and overstressed mind? How about an overactive imagination?

What do you believe? Are our personal experiences really something out of the nether?

Author: Jennifer Duell

The personal experiences that many of us have can be scary, or as mundane as spotting an entity on the side of the road but what makes it special is how personal there really are. While we want to offer proof of a personal experience; in most cases, it is nearly impossible to grab a camera or any other equipment to record the event. Sometimes we feel a touch, or even a shove! We know what we see and what we feel. Sure, we can argue we were half awake, or perhaps we imagined the event entirely but something should be said about the strong belief in the event and how certain we become as single witnesses of it occurring. We know how awake we are and when we are adrift in a reverie.

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-by James Burnette There are usually two reactions I notice when I tell people I’m into the paranormal. You get people who think that is awesome and they want to ask you every little detail about what you do and how you do it. Then you get that look, like you’re crazy. You think with all the shows and movies, that the paranormal would be more acceptable.

I think there has been a slight change ,but only in more people that want to get into it. I still have people come up to me asking if we use psychics and if I feel anything in haunted areas.

I just laugh, shrug it off.

People do not realize how much actual science is in studying the paranormal.

When you do an investigation, you basically follow the exact steps of the scientific method that you learn in middle school. Then also I think what happens is they see the shows, and they are fans of it all. They just want meet actual people who do it.

CONTACT US TO HAVE YOUR AD IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF PARANORMAL PORCH THE MAGAZINE!

So my thing is ask a lot of questions so they do not waste your time. For every investigation you’re doing, you could be out there helping someone who really does need your help.

Thanks for reading my RANT.

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KNOW YOUR TECH! (standard recording), HQ (high quality), and XQ (extra high quality). Stereo recorders or those that can record either stereo or mono will insert an S in these settings (SXQ for instance) to designate that this is a stereo setting.

Sensitivity. This is a measure of how “quiet” a sound can be and still captured by the recorder’s microphone. It will be expressed in decibels in the recorder’s technical specifications, and you should look for the largest negative number. In practice, most modern recorders come with pre-set levels through which you can scroll to select your desired sensitivity, but the menu will not give you the setting in decibels; rather, it will express sensitivity in terms like Meeting and Lecture.

Lecture is usually the setting with the highest sensitivity.

- by Patrick B. Bishop A good audio recorder is an indispensable tool for the paranormal investigator. It is the one technological interface between this world and the next that permits a strong spirit to convey real information to us. Unlike other devices such as ghost boxes and voxes, spirits are not required to interact with the technology to communicate (which I personally suspect adds a level of complexity to the process that may lower the validity of results). Faced with an audio recorder, all a spirit need do is speak, and through this simple interface, we can learn names, dates, causes of death, and other bits of data that can sometimes be verified against historical records.

Noisefloor. This is a measure of how much noise the recorder generates itself. By noise, I mean the internal electronic interference that translates as sound during playback. What we are looking for is the recorder with the lowest possible noisefloor, usually expressed in decibels. Since the phenomena we are attempting to record are often very subtle, the lower the noise generated by the recorder itself, the more clearly we will hear what we are trying to. So far, there are no recorders with a noisefloor of “zero,” so look instead for the largest possible negative number in reference to this variable. If you are unhappy with how high the noisefloor is in a recorder you are already using, an external microphone can sometimes help. In fact, if you are using a microcassette recorder, an external microphone is an absolute must.

In this article, I will refrain from discussing brand names or model numbers, but focus instead on product features that set a good recorder apart from one that is not-so-good.

There are six: Recording Quality; Sensitivity; Noisefloor; Frequency Response; File Format; and Proprietary Software.

Recording Quality. This is a setting on most digital audio recorders that gives users the option of making a lower quality recording for the sake of reducing file size, or sacrificing memory space for the sake of making a higher quality recording. The highest recording quality on most digital recorders will have an X in it. The usual range is: LP (reduced quality for long recordings), SP

Frequency Response. This is a measure of the pitch to which the recorder’s microphone is sensitive.

Human hearing is sensitive to .frequencies between 20Hz (cycles per second) and 18kHz. Doubtless, many spirits…

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…they speak in this range, but assuming that must do so is unwise. Recall that ghosts lack the vocal organs used by living people, and it may be that when they choose to speak, they do so at a pitch well-beyond the range of human hearing. There is even evidence for this: domestic pets responding dramatically to some inaudible (to humans) sound. You may be asking, “Okay, but if the recorder can hear and record a sound that is beyond the range of my hearing, how will I know it?” You will use audio processing software to adjust the pitch of the recording to bring sounds within the range of your hearing that otherwise are not; but that is the subject of another article.

File Format. Many modern recorders will save in mp3 format. There are usually good reasons for this, but it can complicate our job. The mp3 format is a compressed format; that is, it actually lowers the quality of a recording to reduce the total size of the file. This is fine in a conference room or lecture hall, when recording a trained speaker in an otherwise quiet environment, but can make the difference between a word being intelligible or not, when softly whispered.

Preferable are uncompressed formats, such as the .wav format – every nuance that the recorder “hears” is saved into the file. Many older recorders ONLY recorded in uncompressed formats, but more modern ones will often give us a choice, with mp3 being the default format.

This is a setting I recommend changing to the uncompressed format. The file size for an uncompressed recording can be enormous, sometimes as much as ten or twenty times the size of the mp3 version of the same recording, and manipulating as 12 hour long (overnight) .wav file in audio processing software can be daunting, but just remember this: an mp3 file that occupies only 5% or 10% of the space contains only 5% to 10% as much audio data as the uncompressed .wav file of the same recording.

When the time comes to filter background noise from a whispered answer to an important question, you may find yourself wishing you were working with an uncompressed file.

Proprietary Software. Avoid recorders requiring proprietary software to transfer files to a computer, but look instead for those with “plug and play” capability. The laptop should recognize and access the recorder with the same ease it would a flash drive.

One of the most infuriating limitations of many digital recorders is their manufacturer’s unwillingness to let us access our own recordings unless we install the manufacturer’s software. To their credit, manufacturers may include some useful editing features in their proprietary software, but I have found it is often more trouble than it is worth.

I had an older digital recorder that worked fine with the proprietary software until my laptop crashed. When I upgraded to a new laptop with a newer version of Windows, the old recorder’s software would not run on it; in fact, I was unable even to install it.

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It’s a full moon out!

Lunar cycle's effects on paranormal activity - by Eric Jobes As I'm sure most peopled learned in grade school science class, the Moon affects quite a bit as it goes from Full moon to New moon. The most obvious of these is the changing of the tides, but what if it did more than that? What if it messed with more than just the tides? What if caused shifts in other things such as the brain or even..... whether or not a location has a lot of paranormal occurrences?

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The new laptop (and this was several laptops ago) was unable even to find the recorder when connected.

If you find yourself in the situation in which I found myself, in which your recorder is invisible to your laptop because you lack the proprietary software that allows it to transfer files, the only work-around is to connect the recorder’s headphone jack to your computer’s microphone jack with a patch cable and use an audio capture/editing program to record the audio to your computer as you play it on your recorder.

Be advised, this is not only time consuming (it takes as long to do this as it did to make the original recording) but gives you a recording that is audibly inferior to the one on your recorder.

NEXT MONTH’S ARTICLE: Smartphone Apps for Paranormal Investigations.

Let’s first look at what effects it might have on the human brain and its connection to the paranormal. The human body is essentially a biological machine, with the heart, the engine, pumping fuel and oil to all of your organs and limbs.

Your stomach is the generator of the fuel your body uses and the brain and nervous system the computer that controls it all. We know through neurological experimentation that our body creates a form of energy called bio-electricity and we know that strong amounts of electromagnetic radiation can affect us in such ways as increased feelings of paranoia, fear, and stress. Who is to say that when the moon goes through its cycle it not only changes things on a large scale like weather or the tides but on a much smaller scale such as how neurons interact with each other? I bet you're asking how this relates to the paranormal? Well let me tell you...

A very popular and common theory among paranormal investigators and researchers is that spirits are comprised of electromagnetic energy. With this in mind since weather, tides, and even such things as psychological issues are affected by the shifting magnetic fields of the lunar cycle then surely it affects any other sources of electromagnetic energy, right? Yes, it could very well and there is a fair bit of sound science behind it. When the moon goes through its cycle it not only affects water but it also affects the geomagnetic field, which causes an influx of positively charged ions….

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-by Phil Payette Director/Founder of Tidewater Paranormal Virginia is full of rich history, and with that are ghost stories and legends galore. One can search the Internet for various lists of haunted locations, but I have found nearly all of them are based on someone's personal beliefs when touring locations or from published lore and third-party claims related to these locations, which in actuality is nothing more than rumors and hearsay. Few, if any, seem to have been based on actual evidence from reputable paranormal teams.

So what locations really are haunted? At the very start of the year I set out to ask paranormal teams from all over the state what sites (other than people's private homes) they determined to be haunted based exclusively on their experiences and recorded evidence that they collected from their investigations. I received an overwhelming response of nominations from 25 teams creating a list of over 50 haunted locations! So, after their votes were counted, here are 2015's top 15 places:

15. Swannanoa Palace, Afton After 8 years of construction, this mansion was completed in 1912. Only recently entering the paranormal scene, the structure is quickly gaining the attention of paranormal groups as a significant hot spot of activity. It is a source of some great EVP's possibly from the Dooley's, the original owners. After their deaths the mansion became a country club, but it sat vacant during the Great Depression and World War II. Between 1949 and 1998 it was leased by the University of Science and Philosophy. The building has fallen into disrepair, but the owners plan on restoring it.

See www.virginia.org/Listings/EventsAndExhibits/SwannanoaPalaceOpenHouse/

14. Fort Magruder Hotel, Williamsburg There are two hotels located at a significant part of the Williamsburg battlefield called "The Bloody Ravine." Guests and staff of this hotel in particular routinely encounter spirits from the Civil War. The Confederate Fort Magruder and Redoubts 1 & 2 are in nearby parks. On this property is Redoubt #3. MarsCon, an annual science fiction convention, is held here every January and a ghost hunt is sometimes included on its schedule.

Visit fortmagruderhotel.com 10

13. Staunton Train Depot, Staunton

Relatively unknown on the paranormal scene until recently, this might be a calm place during the day, but at night the spirits come out. Who's haunting this place? A little girl killed in a train accident? A Confederate soldier who died before his time? Or an elderly patient of a certain Dr. DeJarnette who operated a nearby mental hospital? The first station building was burned down by Union forces in 1864. The second station building was destroyed by a train derailment in 1890.

The third station building from 1902 is now a restaurant and the 1886 Signal Tower now serves as the present day station.

See www.depotgrille.com/staunton/ See also www.greatamericanstations.com/ Stations/STA

12. Paxton Manor, Leesburg

This 1872 mansion, also called Carlheim, is home of the Paxton Campus, an education center for young people with disabilities. Evidence suggests the Paxton family is still here. There is a natural subterranean body of water under the old house. It must also be noted that the Balls Bluff Battlefield is nearby.

Visit www.shocktober.org Continued from Page 9

...into the air, which when you account for already present electromagnetic energy in an area, can make that location an extremely energetic area, which could potentially fuel whatever paranormal occurrences take place there.

Studies of have shown that the 3 days before/after, and the day of a full and new moon, are the best times to attempt to collect paranormal evidence. Now that you know more about why things are usually crazier on full moons, you can now refine your techniques.

Be safe and happy hunting!

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11. Salubria Manor, Stevensburg This historic home dating to 1757 near Culpeper is currently undergoing preservation. Significant damage from a small tornado and an earthquake in recent years had to be repaired. This site is another newcomer to the paranormal scene, but intelligent EVPs have been recorded in addition to heavy footsteps. Due to the ongoing preservation work, it is not expected to be available to ghost hunting in the foreseeable future.

Visit www.germanna.org/salubria/

10. Boxwood Inn Bed & Breakfast Newport News

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Cold Harbor Battlefield Mechanicsville

One of the most haunted battlefields outside Gettysburg, there are numerous sightings of ghosts along the trenches. This was Lee's last major victory over Grant's forces. The current national park preserves the most significant part of the battlefield, but it is only a small portion of the historic battle grounds.

Visit www.nps.gov/rich/historyculture/coldharbor.htm

Built in 1897 this is a local favorite and is heavy with EVP evidence. But a spirit has also been seen in the attic. Originally called the Simon Reid Curtis House, it served a variety of uses in addition to it being a family residence such as, a general store, a post office, a tax assessor's office, and a hall of records.

Visit boxwood-inn.com

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Major Graham's Mansion, Wythe County

Located in the middle of nowhere, somewhat near Fort Chiswell, the long drive along the back roads to get to this location gives one the feeling of being lost. This adds to the overall ambiance investigators experience here. The original portion of this home dates to the 1830's, but the paranormal history of the property dates to an event from 1786 when two slaves killed their master. As a result of their crime, the slaves were hung from a nearby tree.

Visit .majorgrahammansion.com

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Historic Avenel, Bedford Rich in EVP evidence, this home from 1838 is popular with local ghost hunters.

Does the Burwell family still reside here?

The "Lee Bedroom" seems to be particularly active.

Visit historicavenel.com

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Weems-Botts Museum, Dumfries Built in 1767 as the Vestry House, this is one of the oldest buildings in this colonial port town. This small location has provided many teams with some good EVP's.

It's the spirits of the Merchant family that are believed to be here.

Visit historicdumfries.com Or historicdumfries.org

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Historic Jordan Springs, Stephenson

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Henricus Historical Park, Chester

This reconstructed park on a bluff above the James River is the second English settlement of the Virginia colony. EVP's recorded here suggest the resident spirits include Native Americans and also Civil War soldiers. Union soldiers, mostly US Colored Troops, came under fire while trying to dig the Dutch Gap Canal. The canal was an attempt to provide Union gunboats a bypass from nearby Confederate guns along the river bends. The canal wasn't completed until soon after the war, however. The Battle of Trent's Reach was in the vicinity.

Visit henricus.org

The reports here at this resort dating back to the 1800's include multiple spirits throughout the building and outside on the grounds as well. Located near Winchester, which endured multiple significant Civil War battles, this site served as a temporary hospital.

Visit historicjordansprings.com

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Ferry Plantation House, Virginia Beach

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A local favorite, this house dates to 1830 although the property's history goes all the way back to 1642. There are claims of multiple spirits, but there is one in particular that makes himself known on a regular basis and he can be quite talkative at times. Of particular note, a favorite topic for the docents here is the story of "The Witch of Pungo" who, in 1706, was one of the only people ever to be convicted of witchcraft in Virginia. Her trial took place at a nearby location.

Exchange Hotel Civil War Hospital Museum, Gordonsville

A favorite location for many ghost hunters statewide, this former hotel from 1860 served as a hospital for Civil War soldiers.

There are 3 buildings on site: the main house, a kitchen/servant's quarters, and a train depot warehouse, and each have their own spiritual residents making themselves known to both investigators and unsuspecting members of the public who think they were just getting a historical tour.

Visit hgiexchange.com

Visit ferryplantation.org

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St. Albans Sanatorium, Radford

This is undeniably the favorite place of all for ghost hunters across Virginia. Originally a boys school in 1892 before becoming a mental institution in 1916, the evidence of multiple spiritual hauntings abound.

Claims include spirits of children, patients, and a particular staff member on the lower level who dislikes women. Also important, the hill upon which this facility sits was an artillery battery during the battle of New River Bridge.

Visit stalbans-virginia.com 15

Tunnel vision By: Doreen McCrindle

She won’t stop staring. Cold and unblinking, she regards me with contempt.

I don’t sleep much anymore. I’m too afraid. Afraid of those ice-blue dead eyes judging me, mocking me – always staring.

I’ve tried everything; squeezing my eyes tight to blot out her face but yet she lingers, even behind my closed lids. Forever staring.

I can no longer leave my cramped, barren room to escape her glare. The ancient television propped up on a milk crate in the musty corner provides no relief or distraction -- its broken antenna produces only static, which seems to act more as a conduit for her vile, mocking whispers.

Often when I had dared to leave my room, strangers would turn and watch me shuffle by as I muttered obscenities at the whispers in my mind. Like her, they would often stare.

My last excursion to the outside world, however, was somewhat of a success. Braving the sibilant murmurs creeping into my mind and the hostile glares of more strangers, I finally made it to the market at the end of the street.

Clutching my purchase close to my chest, I scuttled home; hoping, praying, _knowing_ it was the answer to my prayers.

Sitting in front of the dusty, cracked dresser mirror, I remove the melon baller from the crumpled paper bag and admire its cool, sharp edges. I take one last, long look at my reflection.

At those dead, cold, ice-blue eyes – forever judging, forever staring.

It ends tonight. I will be victorious. Raising the instrument of my relief against the unending stare, I pause for the briefest moment wondering …what will stop the whis-

Born in the East end of Toronto in the fall of 1968, Doreen (Dodie) McCrindle first found her love of reading at age 5 on the backs of cereal boxes. Quickly graduating to graphic novels, she discovered her affinity for horror by hoarding used copies of Weird Tales and Tales from the Crypt –

much to the chagrin of her father, David.

A staunch animal lover and activist, Doreen also utilizes her writing skills to contact and interact with various governmental, legal and rescue organizations. She insists on being and is passionate about being a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.

After many years in the legal and medical fields, Doreen has currently settled into her stay at home life in Calgary, Alberta with her husband of 8 years, Lance and her three “fur-babies” Doreen continues to hone her love of the craft of horror fiction and speaking for the welfare of all animals.

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tan Miles is the Creator, Director and Host of the Paranormal Porch project. “But plain and simple, I’m an investigator.” He says. “I ask questions and look for closure not only for the spirits I encounter but for myself. All my life I’ve known that there was a whole other level of existence around me. I could feel it, sometimes even catch glimpses of out of place shadows. And now, as our technology evolves, we as humans are able to pierce the vale of that existence a little deeper and form better pictures of the here after.

I want to bring the respect back to our dead. I want to know what contributions they had in our history as a people and culture and I want to remind those in our present that having a good grasp on where we came from can give us a better understanding on how we should move forward”

C

hante’ Rittenour, one of the teams investigators, has spent the majority of her life disregarding the world of the paranormal.

“My childhood and early adulthood were spent in confliction regarding the things I was experiencing, and trying to adhere to the guidelines of my faith…there was no gray area on this one. Only smiles and preaching from good intentioned, loquacious people. I reached a point in my life that I felt sometimes you can’t just go along with what your taught, but you have to search, explore, and find answers for yourself. I needed liberation to follow what was in my heart. In this, I have dove head first into an exciting journey of new discovery and knowledge. It is time for me to be a voice to those who have lost theirs.”

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arlene “Dar” Lloyd was born an October baby (Libra) as a small child she could feel and sense things. “It didn’t make sense then but as the years went by it all started to make sense. I am a sensitive and empath. I kept that part of my life closed off from the world.

I worked as a radio personality for the AM and FM market for over eleven years and as a private investigator. I have been drawn to the paranormal for many reasons. I want to learn, educate, and find the truth when it comes to the paranormal. I speak with spirits and they speak to me. I have hundreds of EVP’s, photographs and a lot of experiences. Spirits are drawn to me and I to them. I lost my husband 5 years ago from a massive heart attack. I never ever thought I would hear I love you again however to my shock and amazement I have a EVP from him telling me “I loved you till the very end.” If you would like to hear it go to darsparanormalinvestigations.com. Currently I’m the EVP specialist for Paranormal Porch.

Watch out for our next issue to meet more of the team!

A Podcast where intelligence meets mediocrity, where stupidity takes control of ignorance and we discuss current events, politics, crime, education, and anything else we find in the world of media! Join in on the candor and the fun as Steve and his co-hosts dig up the wackiest stories from around the globe! And don’t forget! Thank Steve! www.facebook.com/ privatezoopodcast/ AND ON ITUNES!

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Right In Front of My face By: Dar Lloyd My name is Dar Lloyd and I have been in the paranormal field for many years now. If you have never been to the Weems-Botts Museum in Dumfries, Va. then you are missing out! I would have to say that I have investigated there many times and it has never disappointed me.

I have gotten hundreds of EVPs and pictures of spirits, one of which, I think is Mr. Merchant and a blonde-headed little girl of whom I have two pictures of. Could it be Mary Merchant?

Mary was disabled in her living years; it was said she stayed in her room upstairs and never came out. Mary died in her twenties.

The very first time I stepped into Mary’s room I received a Class A EVP from a woman who said “Who’s in here?”, I believe it to be Mary’s mom Annie or “Mamie” as she was called. The woman was talking to a man who said “They found we are here.” That could have been Richard Merchant but I can’t say for sure.

On March 7, 2015 I was investigating upstairs in Mary’s room with my fellow investigators. We were talking and I was doing my thing, asking spirits to come in front of the camera when all of a sudden I got a massive headache and could not breathe. I felt like my airways were cut off. I thought I was going to pass out but being the paranormal trooper that I am I continued. As I walked in front of Mary’s bed asking once again for a spirit to show itself in front of the camera I could see an anomaly go past the bed. I said out loud ”Thank you, I see you.”

Things were winding down and it was kind of quiet when all of a sudden, right in front of my face, a whole anomaly formed! I quickly and loudly said, “Did you see that?!” No one saw what I saw. I thought to myself, “Ok, I will be calm and when we are done investigating, I will go back and find it.”

We wrapped up our investigation and went to the annex building next to the museum. The team was chatting amongst themselves as I was looking for my evidence. It was then I saw it, but before I could say anything Stan goes, “What was that? Go back, go back!”. “Oh you saw it!” I said. Suddenly, the whole team wanted to see the anomaly I caught on film. It was a great feeling to get this kind of evidence. It was very exciting and makes me feel Evidence captured by: Darlene “Dar” Lloyd proud the spirits tried to manifest for me. Weems-Botts Museum is a special place filled with lots of history and excitement.

In Photograph: Investigator Rob Kelly Stop by the museum and meet Joann Barron, the historian. She will take you on a tour and tell you all about the history of the Museum. Just around the block is Dumfries Cemetery. I think some of the spirits from the cemetery congregate at the museum and go back and forth visiting with each, other but this is just my opinion.

Weems-Botts Museum is located at 3944 Cameron St, Dumfries Va. 22026.

You won’t regret it. Just go with a friend….. Lol (Haunted Experiences is continued on the following page) 19

Location: Weems/Botts Museum, Dumfries, Virginia

Octagon Hall Civil War Museum In the northwest corner of Simpson County, Kentucky, sits an eight-sided home which serves as a Civil War Museum. The structure itself is enough to make it stand out, but the history of the home and of the ghostly activity in the house and on the grounds qualifies it as one of the most haunted houses in America.

Andrew Jackson Caldwell completed the home in 1859, eight years after his first wife and mother to three of his children, Elizabeth Akers Caldwell, died. Andrew then married Harriet and had more children. Andrew died in 1866 and was buried on the grounds next to his first wife and their 2 children. When Harriet died in 1920, her will stated for him to be moved and buried with her in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

One of Andrew and Elizabeth’s children, Mary Elizabeth, burnt to death in the home when her dress got too close to the fireplace in the winter kitchen. Mary’s death is not the only one on the property. Octagon Hall was a pro-Confederate home and with Bowling Green just 20 miles north, it sometimes housed the Confederate army and was often raided by the Union army. Mr. Caldwell and the slaves would hide the wounded soldiers within the walls, floors and ceiling to keep them safe from the Union army.

There were many soldiers who died in the house and on the grounds. The Caldwells awoke one morning to find a Confederate soldier dead on their front steps. A soldier with a gunshot wound to his leg was being chased by the Union army, so the Caldwells hid him in the attic. He pulled his boot off and bled to death. It was three days before it was safe to get him out. Between slaves, soldiers, and family, the list of death on the plantation is extensive and the house and land are alive with spirits.

As a paranormal investigator, I can attest that Mary Elizabeth is one of the most well-known spirits in the home. One can hear her singing, giggling, and calling for her mommy. Children who visit the home will go to her room to see if she would like to play by rolling the ball back and forth. I have an EVP in which I asked Mary if she wanted to play a game of hide and seek or if she wanted to play ball. She immediately answered “I want to play ball!” Women have reported having the feeling someone was holding their hand or the feeling of being hugged by a child. There are times when a group or some rowdy children attempt to walk into her room and the door will shut to keep them out. There have also been reports of breathing problems, the smell of smoke, or the smell of something burnt.

The hospital/sick room has a wheelchair which has reportedly moved on its own. We finally captured this on video; it looked as if someone sat in the chair and then propelled it forward. This was an amazing sight because we were in the room as it moved! Sounds of bells ringing have been heard in this room and throughout the house. The wounded soldiers would ring bells if they needed help. The closet door in this room will also open on its own. Several people have reported a big shadow person that paces back and forth from this room to the one beside it. I am witness to him. He walked across the room and stood in front of my face, then went past me and out the door. Every hair was standing on end and I had chills and goose bumps everywhere! I was lucky; I must not have been a threat to him because he left me unharmed. Several men have been attacked and chased out of the house by him. They described the feeling of having a heart attack.

The Guest/Green room feels differently to different people. Some feel at home but others won’t enter. This room houses the entrance to the attic where the aforementioned soldier bled to death. He is an angry spirit at times. EVPs captured in the attic let us know he is tolerant and polite at first, but before you leave, he lets you know you have overstayed your welcome. The light turns on when everyone leaves the home and sometimes the bed will have hand or body impressions.

The library has a 300 lb table that has been picked up and dropped by an entity. In the tool room, screwdrivers and boards have fallen or been thrown at people. The winter kitchen is the room in which Mary Elizabeth’s dress caught fire. The pot will swing out from the fireplace, and the utensils on the mantel will swing. As if that wasn’t enough, there are times when the whole basement will have an odor of gunpowder and body odor. The basement’s activity is no different from activity in the rest of the home.

For people who are not into the paranormal, don’t let these tales stop you from visiting. Octagon Hall is rich in history and is absolutely beautiful. Franklin, Kentucky holds its beauty well and for all to see. Oh, I forgot to tell you about the slave cemetery…I guess you will just have to visit and experience it for yourself. (Author’s information on following page) 20

From The Paranormal Mind Of: TOM FEASER Professional Photographer Tom Feaser from Dover, Delaware thinks attics are creepy, but once his creative mind took over, it couldn't resist but to take "creepy" a step further. So with the help of professional model Gail Henderson and make-up artist Kim Davis, they took "creepy" to a whole other level in this special two issue shoot called, "Afraid To Go In The Attic."

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(Author of ‘Octagon Hall Civil War Museum’ on page 20) Maria Wilson Duff is the Case Manager/Researcher for NightStalkers Paranormal Research Team. The team also investigates (and cleanses if needed) residences and businesses in Kentucky, Indiana and Tennessee. NightStalkers also handles UFO and Cryptids. You can find us at: www.nightstalkersparanormal.org Maria’s email: mariaduff@nightstalkersparanormal.org

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