Ghost hunting 101: First you need a ghost.
Posted: Monday, July 27, 2009
by Mike Fak
http://mikefak.com
This weekend we had an 80 th anniversary of an old Route 66 iconic structure that a group of individuals is trying to save.
If you look at a Route 66 website, and there are tens of thousands of them, you might see a blurb that when traveling through Lincoln, a motorist should stop at the Mill Restaurant and Bar and have a schnitzel. A schnitzel is a fried and breaded tenderloin and the schnitzels at the old Mill were truly unique and delicious.
Rather than lose this structure that goes back to the roaring twenties, a group was deeded the property and has begun the arduous task of restoring and then creating a Route 66 museum within its walls.
There are stories about the Mill in those early years. A character called Coonhound Johnny hung out at the establishment and was Al Capone's local middle man for shipments of illegal booze to and from Chicago and Saint Louis. Lincoln is just about midway between the two big cities and Al did enjoy coming this way to get away from the daily grind of shooting, maiming and pounding on people who honked him off. With this background there are stories that things that would be considered illegal, including mayhem and murder might have happened at the Mill in its early days.
There also are stories that perhaps the venerable old structure has a ghost or two and that is what this little story is about.
To complete the day's festivities of speeches, food and music, a certified paranormal was brought in to conduct an investigation. For a fee of $20, 25 people were allowed to join her and her staff to explore the Mill and see if there was a ghost or two who also wanted to join the celebration.
As a point of curiosity more than journalism, I included myself in this group.
I apologize to those of you who believe in ghosts. I am not one of you. I'm not saying I don't believe strange things happen in this world, I just don't see any proof that those things are a ghost's fault. I don't believe in them because I have never seen what I believe is absolute proof. Hedging my bets I also have never seen the Grand Canyon but I do believe there is such a place since I have seen so much unquestionable documentation of the geological marvel.
I am one of those people who need more than a fleck on a picture or a smeary something. I guess I just need to talk to one before I say there are such things.
The night wasn't very interesting for me as we all ambled around the 100 foot by 30 foot two-story building. Some people said they felt something touch them or they felt a presence. Others like me said it was just a walk in the dark with a bunch of people carrying flashlights.
One woman was adamant that she was temporarily taken over by a spirit. A few believed her. Others felt the woman was pretending and it was just more hogwash.
My son, who came with me, said at one spot in the building his left arm and only his left arm became very cold. But as I stood next to him I couldn't say the same. Several people said they felt like there was someone near them in the dark, but when they turned the flashlight around, there was no one near. I only occasionally bumped into someone who actually was alive and can't say I sensed anything but a sadness that the neat old structure was so far from being restored.
After about an hour of this the paranormal had everyone sit down to discuss what they found. One gentleman was not happy and said the sojourn through the dark was ridiculous and a waste of money. He was refunded his cash and he left.
I would say of the two dozen remaining it was split about evenly with half saying something happened to them and the other half saying they didn't feel, hear, or see anything at all.
As a student of human nature, it was obvious those who believed found something to believe in while those who don't didn't find anything to change their skepticism.
That makes me wonder how much of all this ghost hunting has to do with wanting to believe and that it might just be one of those things some of us want to cling to since ghosts would prove there is an afterlife.
But then again, maybe ghosts know where they are welcome and where they are not and they only hang around with their friends or new friends.
Either way, the night was a lesson in life. Like so many beliefs: faith, or lack of faith, is in the mind of the individual. And nothing, including a walk through a dark, abandoned building will change one's mind.
Oh by the way, I did have my camera, just in case there was a ghost of a chance I could get a picture.
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Top-level comments on this article: (5 total)I find all this paranormal stuff a bit dodgy.I have looked at hundreds of ghost images and UFO pictures and have found flaws in every single one.I am not saying there is no possibility of paranormal activity. I just remain unconvinced by the "evidence" I have seen to date.Thanks Connor. Yep, I'm just looking for that interview on Meet the Press where a ghost sits down and explains it all.Mike
I find it interesting that "ghosts" are seen only at night. Any ghost worth his salt would pursue the almost unheard of daytime appearance, right?Ken, I too have wondered why ghosts only come out at night! It does seem that if they existed they would be around all the time.I was at the same celebration as Mike, and did a story on it for the LDN.What I find the most interesting is the power of suggestion here. The "medium" gave her audience a list of things to "expect" if a ghost was trying to communicate with them. Included in those was the matter of hot and cold, feelings of being touched and so on and so forth.It's like thinking about lice....when people start talking about lice, many will instantly start itching!!OOPS!! Gotta go!! I suddenly feel the urge to go wash my hair!!You are right Nila. When you think of something enough the power of suggestion can take over.MikeYou are right Ken .Of course things that go bump in the night are spookier than things that go bang in the day.Mike
Hi Mike.After reading Nila's comment, it made me wish that the paranormal hadn't "primed" the group. It would have been much more interesting to compare notes afterward had she not done that.Like Connor, I'm not a believer or a non-believer. I just haven't seen enough evidence yet ... that despite a couple weird experiences I've had ... one to which my sister was also a witness. Guess I just won't know for sure until I die. Then I'll probably spend my ghostly life trying to let all those still living know the truth ... a stifled educator to the end. :)Thanks for the tale,DianneHi Dianne. Yes, unfortunately the only real way we can prove there are ghosts is to become one.Mike
I'm a fellow disbeliever. I feel that if there were ghosts, we'd have more evidence. Plus, my Grandad would probably follow me around everywhere.I do though, believe in aliens, but that's only because of the vastness of the universe.Brilliant article!
I think you hit the nail on the head when you said that "those who believe found something to believe in". I have watched ghosthunting shows on TV and find them rather entertaining, but nothing more. It is fun to see overly hysterial people gasp and scream when they feel the slightest breeze or hear any faint noise. Of course the cameramen never seem to be affected, only those being filmed (strange).My job in a funeral home means that I am in close contact with the deceased. Today was no exception; three corpses to be exact. But no noises, cold spots in the room, breezes, nothing. If there were ghosts, you would think that they would want to hang around their earthly bodies for a while after passing away. I think I'm probably a little more qualified than a lot of our readers here to say that ghosts are only a fabrication of the imagination.
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