Journal part 2: The Ghost of the Maywood Witch

 

It was daytime. Myself and some friends were going to be driving near the road and cemetery. One of the friends that was with me happened to be one that has claimed to of seen the grave site. I told him I started a blog and was writing a book on local myths. I would be thankful if he would show me the actual grave site for the Osage road witch, aka the Maywood Witch. One of my friends begged to be taken home first. Possibly afraid of the tales, that he himself has heard of the haunting of the Cemetery and the Osage Road witch. He refused to go with us. After dropping him off at his home. We drove to the Cemetery. There we found one of the gate entrance all locked up. The other Gate entrance was halfway torn down. 

The sign for the cemetery was all shot up, from what looks like from a BB gun. Vandalism must be very frequent here. My friend showed me the grave location. I pointed a few things out to him that did not match up with the myth of the tales. These pictures were not taken during this visit. I was a fool by not bringing a camera with good charged batteries. They had low battery power on their phones and told me that they could not help me obtain any photos. Creeped out by the location, They wanted to quickly leave. So I would return another day when I would find another brave assistant. Again we saw no ghostly witch.

My new temporary assistant was excited to go hunting for an angry ghostly Witch. This is going to be some good Father and son time. This time we have fully charged batteries and a Camera. Notice that the Osage road area in front of the cemetery is now a Paved Road. What if the sightings of the ghost were a big dust plume from the gravel road? Where our imagination could run wild, no different then to gaze upon clouds in the sky? Were these roadside sightings of the ghost trying to chase cars, just dust? Are people having Auto accidents on the road there because they are driving in a panic? 

This is the fabled tombstone. On the back of the tombstone it reads.
SHE BID NO ONE A LAST FAREWELL
SHE SAID GOODBYE TO NONE
ONE WE LOVED BUT COULD NOT SAVE
BEFORE WE KNEW SHE HAD GONE

That message there does imply that some people had cared for her. It does not sound like the scornful message. As told in the myths. According to the mythic story, It is implied that she could not be religiously saved, so she was burned as a witch. Now the front of her tombstone reveals some more interesting conflicts with these tales. She seems to have a Jewish background.  The Hebrew translating is nearly the same as the English writings about family. Speaking of that, this myth might of been a burden to.

As for the tale of her tombstone being hot. It was cold except for the part that was in the sun. Not likely to keep warm enough to melt snow in the Winter time. I regret not taking a picture with an electric thermometer on the tombstone. It does look like something was broken off from the back of the gravestone. Possibly something to hold flowers. 

Notice the date on the tombstone. it says she died Feb 12, 1947 …. Not 1847. not 1747..not 1647! That would put it before any European explorers wrote anything about Iowa. Plus that would be around the time they stop humoring the idea of witch burnings in the US. Not likely to happen in the US in 1947. America had other things to worry about then who is a witch and what religion they were. As for the Satanic pentagram that is rumored to be on her tombstone. That does not look like a pentagram with a circle. Turns out the symbol has little to do with a religion, but with a old Iowan fraternity chapter called the Order of Eastern Star, as stated on their fraternity website. Here is her Obituary. published Feb 12 in the Waterloo Daily Newspaper in 1947. She didn’t die burning as an accused witch. 

(Right click on your mouse and click Save As. to enlarge the image on your own PC if it is unreadable here.)
(thank you Waterloo Public Library for the assistance )

I Did not aim to debunk this myth. If there was an Angry ghost of a witch, that was attacking those that pass by the cemetery, What would be the moral and ethical thing for anyone to do to resolve this? I do not understand what good this myth served after years of vandalism, possible distress upon a family, People hurting themselves in a panic.  Can anyone explain to me why this sinister myth shouldn’t just rest in peace? I have shared my findings with some of those that still insist, that they had in fact witnessed a ghostly spirit of the Maywood Witch. To them this will never be just a myth. If such a spirit is out there. It might go by some other name, that remains unknown…

Next week “The Colossal Serpent of  Burlington, IA”

Skunk

IN THE SKY…. DURING JULY 2014

Big Thank you To David Voigts!!! He prepares these “In The Sky” articles monthly, and has given me permission to share them here on my blog. For quite a few years, I have been a fan of his “In The Sky” exclusive writings. His listings are of amazing things that can been seen from our Blackhawk area. He also lists local sky party events here in Blackhawk Iowa. I have learned much, thanks to his kindness and time for writing these.

I don’t think those star parties signed up to deal with extreme conspiracy theories, Investigation of UFO or Paranormal claims, or to strongly debate fake/psudo science and bad astronomy.  So please come at me with those! 

Skunk

(image taken from science.nasa.gov)

IN THE SKY DURING JULY1

July will be a very interesting month with several conjunctions, or close pairings, to enjoy. One of the best conjunctions of the entire year will take place on July 5 when the Moon will line up between the bright reddish planet Mars and slightly dimmer Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo (the Maiden). Remember that you can find Spica by extending the curve or arc of handle of the Big Dipper, first to the bright star Arcturus and then to Spica. As the evening darkens, Mars will be on the upper right or bright side of the Moon, separated by less than the width of your little finger held at arm’s length. This is so close that when you first look, it may be difficult to see Mars in the bright light of the Moon. As the night progresses, the Moon will move away from Mars and toward Spica. By the time they all set in the wee hours of the morning, the Moon will be noticeable closer to Spica.

The Moon will pass Spica during the day, and by the evening of July 6 the moon will be midway between Spica and the planet Saturn, the next bright celestial object to the east. The Moon will have a conjunction close below Saturn on July 7, and on July 8, it will be to the upper right of Antares, which represents the heart of Scorpius (the Scorpion).

Mars, which has been moving toward Spica since early June, will have an interesting conjunction with the star on July 13 when it will pass close above Spica. At their closest, they will be separated by only the width of a finger held at arm’s length. After passing Spica, Mars will continue to move eastward in its orbit around the Sun. This motion will take it closer to Saturn until they have a conjunction in late August.

 

As you are observing this close grouping of bright stars and planets, it might be interesting to try and detect their subtle differences in color. Notice that while Mars is called the “red” planet, it will look more orange-yellow. The bright star Spica will look bluish-white, while above them Arcturus will have a yellow-orange glow. You should be able to see that this is different than Saturn’s yellow-white glow. Finally, the bright star Antares shines orange-red, which can be very similar to the color of Mars. In fact, the name Antares means “Rival of Ares.” Ares is the Greek name for Mars, and when Mars passes Antares, they are often very similar in color and brightness.

During midmonth, the fast moving planet Mercury will join brilliant Venus in the morning sky. Although they will not be close enough to have a true conjunction, they will be closest on the morning of July 16. After this day, Mercury will pull away from Venus and move lower in the sky. It will be gone from our view before the end of the month.

Highlights:

July 1 As night falls, the Moon will be to the lower left of Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo (the Lion).

July 5 Star Party sponsored by Grout Museum & Black Hawk Astronomy Club, Prairie Grove Park, Waterloo, 9-10:30.

The Moon will be close to the lower left of Mars with Spica, the brightest star in Virgo (the Maiden), a little

Farther to the left or lower left of the Moon.

July 7 The Moon will be close below the planet Saturn.

July 8 The Moon will be to the upper right of Antares, the brightest star in Scorpius (the Scorpion).

June 10 Star party at the Hoover Middle School Observatory, 630 Hillcrest Rd, Waterloo, 9-11:00.

July 16 a.m. The fast moving planet Mercury will be at its closest to the brilliant planet Venus. It will look like a moderately

bright star to the lower left of Venus. After this day Mercury will move away from Venus and lower in the sky

until it is lost in the pre-dawn glow. Look about 60 minutes before sunrise.

July 24 a.m. The crescent Moon will be to the right of Venus with Mercury to their lower left. Look about 45 minutes before

sunrise.

Moon Phase Date Rises Highest point Sets When visible

First quarter July 5 Noon Sunset Midnight P.M.

Full moon July 12 Sunset Midnight Sunrise All night

Last quarter July 18 Midnight Sunrise Noon A.M.

New moon July 26 Sunrise Noon Sunset Not visible

1Dates and times are approximate.

Sources: StarDate, July/Aug. 2014. Vol. 42, No. 4.

Sky and Telescope, July 2014. Vol. 128, No. 1.

SkyandTelescope.com/skychart

David 

“The heavens declare the glory of God.” David, the Psalmist, Psalm 19:1

Journal pt1: The Ghost of the Maywood Witch

I have mentioned this location to quite a few other paranormal investigators and their eyes light up intrigued. But I never seen or heard of any of them to follow up onto this lead.I wrote the below Journal in 2012. I would latter follow up on this story, Within the month of June 2014. I will post the second article soon..

The Myth
The mid 1800’s or the 1600’s. There was a shack inhabited by witches near Osage road. A Christian group of locals set fire to this house, while trapping and burning the inhabitants inside. The reasons were a death sentence for witchcraft. A single mother and daughter perished but it is the adult daughter of the home now haunts the area forever, seeking revenge on anyone who nears the home location, or her cemetery grave site.  Just stopping near the cemetery at night, is a guarantee that she will appear to you, along Osage road in a fit of rage, chasing you and your vehicle. She has the ability to take control of your vehicle, and to steer you off the road. Entering the cemetery at night will result in rocks and stick being thrown at you. It is also said, that she will follow you home and throw at you, any dangerous items that are loosely laying around. Such as a knife laying within your sink.

Her grave is reportedly in the back left side of the cemetery. It is one of the only black grave stones with a Pentagram at the top of it. Story goes it will never collect snow on top of it for it is forever hot! especially during the winter time.Her real name is Ester Krinsky. Saying her name aloud is to bring about the wrath of her ghost. On her tombstone it has some words along the lines that people tried to get her Saved (Referenced in the religious sense) and couldn’t! Her title is often called “The Maywood Witch” or the “Osage Road Witch”

Image from the film Raiders Of The Lost Ark (not actual ghost footage)

I collected tales from near and dear friends. Two sisters told me they drove by there once and a ghostly hag like figure floated in air, While chasing their car. They drove extremely fast out of there. Another source told me they knew people that have claimed that after visiting the cemetery, bizarre things happened in their house. Random Items being thrown at them. Others have nodded that they know about the tales and expressed that they did not want to talk about it, For it would invoke her like the Bloody Mary Myth. Before going out there I attempted to do some local genealogy research from the Waterloo Public library by myself. I can find nothing on this Ester Krinsky. Reasons might be I never actually went to her grave stone to verify her name or it’s spelling due to it being gated and locked up. The cemetery use to be managed by the city, as a location for those with cultural differences and burial practices. The cemetery is now under the care of a non profit group called the Islamic Foundation of Iowa.

I traveled out there at night with two of my religious friends. One Christian and one Muslim. Jeremy and Cemile.  We stayed just outside of the cemetery gates, that seemed all locked up. If the myth holds true then just showing up here is all that is required to enrage the spirit to become visible.
I shouted Esters name “Ester are you there?” to invoke her spirit curious to see her appear, My friends sadden by this tale felt compelled gave a pretty expensive offering of whiskey by pouring it on the ground near the gates of the cemetery, against my request not to do such. We left the area in peace, with no ghostly apparitions in sight. I noticed the road was a dusty gravel one prone to make dust plumes in the air as we left. I observed it to see if my imagination would be able to see a figure within the dust but I did not see such as we left the area.

I think of a quote by a scientist named, Carl Sagan “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence” How does one actually go about obtaining this evidence? Without being disrespectful to the dead? Saying things that would invoke a fight with a living person? What if you got the trouble you were asking for? Even if this myth is true or not, I think for anyone to go out there to mock and taunt the Osage Road Witch, Vandalize the cemetery, the extraordinary evidence is on you!

This tale continues…

Skunk

Top 10 Father’s Day Gifts for Paranormal Investigators

10. Ghost Peppers
hot sauce or as candies
if you trick poor dad with this stuff.  Just remember what goes around comes around. Oh yes!!! Dad will remember this experience!!! The Farmers Market is real popular around this time in Blackhawk Co Iowa. Ask around if they happen to have some of the hottest peppers in the world!

9. Something Astronomy
Not astrology, big difference. The Zodiac is not going to help you find space aliens while gazing at the stars. If he has an Ipad or Android app device. Look into the full paid version of Star Chart by Escapist Games. They also offer a free version of this app.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.escapistgames.starchart
Still asks about the UFO’s flying past the backyard? Show him this website that tracks the human made Satellites that roam across the sky. This will help with the Process of Elimination that it is Space Aliens.  http://www.n2yo.com/
Dad don’t trust NASA since they are in on some sort of conspiracy?
Then here is an alternative website that isn’t operated by the government, where Dad can research for himself find info on most of those Asteroids that most will claim will bring about the Doomsday.
www.heavens–above.com

8. Philosophy books
What better way to follow up on the claims of Psychic Sylvia Browne and to begin the search for the Lost City of Atlantis then the Dialogues of Plato!
Does he hate Atheists, Agnostics and those with other spiritual beliefs? Good!!! Urge him to publicly bash Socrates into the dirt over Facebook! Chapter by Chapter!  Tell the world what fools these Philosophers are.
(Urge him in a grim Emperor Palpitines like voice from Star Wars. Hehehe)  I strongly recommend getting the academic Benjamin Jowett series. Instead of the Penguin classic series. The reason why is because trying to decipher who is who of these characters, and who is saying what gets lost in translation from what I have seen in these classic works other then the Jowett translations.  MIT University makes mostly all of its study books available online for free and available for download.  Also low cost at most book stores
http://classics.mit.edu/Browse/browse-Plato.html

7. Rechargeable batteries
New set of renewable energy batteries to replace the ones that the kids all lost, errr the ones that Casper the Ghost actually stole and misplaced somewhere between sight and sound, in the Twilight Zone!

6. Rock Collection
Sure..claim its a New Age fertility stone that is better then Viagra! If he thinks the Earth is less then 5000 years old, then change this to a fossil collection. If he still thinks Carbon dating is a lie. The root of giant demonic dragon like creatures with huge fangs, might possible be the folklore of early fossil findings throughout history.
This page aims to investigate Carbon dating with some hands on experiments and interviews. … what??? … none of the other Iowa Paranormal investigation groups do that???
Check your local museum store to see if they have any rocks or fossils for sale. (short story: I once had a cashier at the Waterloo Bluedorn Science Imaginarium, tell me that she seriously feared someone would use their Fossils that they have for sale, to clone and produce a living T-rex to set loose in Waterloo. I think… what heck of a fun experiment to do with Dad!!! Personally I am not worried, because I would quit being a Paranormal investigator to start selling Fathers day Flintstone style Dino-meat, Bronto Burgers! Hee-haw and Yabba Dabba Doo!!!

5. Coffee Enema kit
To boldly go and investigate extraordinary claims!!!  Maybe to clean out what ever those nasty space aliens did to your dad before they did cross breeding experiments that made you, Plus dad needs to think of his health. Mom or your other dad (via Gay Parents) might thank you for this. It might rid some of the build up that would later turn into other worldly mystical toots. If she/him can get over laughing at him. A cheap funnel and tube is widely reported to also work great. Google search for more methods and advice. I plead the 5th amendment on any other details.

4. Skull Candy Headphones
These are the best ear buds that I ever had. Wicked for rocking out to some music, or if one was inclined to analyze EVP recordings. This will amplify the most amazing EVP experience to ever to be had! Spending hours replaying an audio clip of hidden voices during those moments of a demonic stench. maybe later upload the audio to YouTube. Only to have your Ghost hunting partner to admit that they accidentally farted at that time during the ghost hunt.  Here is some free audio software to help Dad with his own EVP recordings. http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

3.Mathematics and storytelling   RPG dice
If you are ever going to turn your dad into a grandpa, He might need some good story telling skills, if substituting what he don’t know and understand to always be the works of God ever gets a little old in this digital information age. If your father was alive during the 70’s and 80’s.  He might remember when table top RPG games like Dungeons & Dragons was the tool of supernatural possession and demonic forces. All dads could use some tools for telling stories and Well… A d20 dice is kinda a pentagram shape… and um.. it would make a great gift… because…um…um… HAIL SAGEN!!!!!
(oh bloody hail Carl Sagan for the History Lesson of the dodecahedron in his Cosmos series)

2.  language gifts …. Latin
The gift of learning some roots of the English language by knowing a few words of a dead language called Latin. As seen on TV being used to cast magical spells or spoken from the possessed in the film the exorcist. Latin is also a language used for science. Because it is no longer evolving like the English language is. In English a word can change through slang. Your Paranormal investigator dad might be confused on being a Scientist or priest. Could become both. If you and Dad discover a new form of Ectoplasm in the fridge, your Dad can name it in Latin! Like he might of did for you, if mom gave him a say so? I’m gonna go out on a limb here to maybe believe in humanity just a little bit, And think this will help Paranormal Investigators a little more then lazy hucksters. (true story: Me and another Iowa Paranormal investigation team checked out a home location where a lady claimed she heard voices spoken in Latin. I asked her what were the Latin words she heard. She said she didn’t know because she don’t speak Latin.)  Here is a weblink to a Texas University that teaches some Latin online for free. This is truly a Texan public service for all dumb racists that have been telling all those Latinos to go back across the south border, where they originally speak Latin from!
http://www.utexas.edu/cola/centers/lrc/eieol/latol-0.html

1.  “The Claw Marcs”
Hard rock music CD, or in all popular digital formats on sale around the world at every major online distributor !

Skunk

 

Journal: Voices from the Scarecrow

I spent a 2014 spring weekend in the month of May visiting and staying at a home in the small town of New Hartford, in the state of Iowa. I received a welcome to do an investigation of the hauntings of the home. I was treated very well by the homeowners. They provided plenty of food for me and welcomed me to stay in their guest bedroom.  I brought none of my ghost hunting tools. Only some grammar books with the intent for me to clearly write these stories out for you dear readers. If I didn’t find any reason to suspect a haunting, then I would at least get some peaceful study time in. I prefer to meet and to talk with people in person about their extraordinary claims. It helps me to decide if I will end up bringing any extra equipment. This time I regret not bringing any, Because I think it might of effected the attitude of our conversation about the haunting.

 

I suspect that I started to offend the lady of the house with the series of my questions about her hauntings that she experiences. Most of the time when I tried to ask questions she would interrupt me midway. It almost seemed that she wanted someone to just simply believe her, without any questions. Without my ghost hunting equipment, I might of gave her the false impression that I was only going to write whatever she told me. This was becoming a difficult conversation on the verge of communication breakdown. I tried to talk about the variety of equipment to use in attempt to try to obtain some evidence. My camcorder was a cheap pawn shop used one that only worked on its photo capturing and not video. I would of tried to contact someone with a good camcorder if given any possible evidence that they have collected. I do not believe she heard me about my camcorder, Due to distractions of her also watching her TV. I requested that we turn off the tv to try to communicate more about this haunting in the home. The subject changed to wanting to discuss my favorite tv shows. When I told her that I seldom watch television. She insisted that I was a very deprived man of culture. The man of the house seemed like a gentle and quiet fellow that would focus most of his attention onto the television also. I told them that I read plenty of books. She told me that the reading of books are stupid, when you can just simply watch TV. This was a struggle to get the details of the haunting in the house. Eventually during commercial breaks, and with some careful questionings, I was told that the sort of haunting going on in the house were disembodied voices and strange noises. Sounds of human vocal whispers and noises that she could not articulate. I assured them that I will stay silent and listen for such noises throughout the night. I was about to assure them that I have a sensitive musician’s ear that can notice most strange noises, I had confidence in myself, more than my cheap equipment to hear anything out of place in the house. Maybe I would of sounded like I was bragging about an ability like reading books. I wanted to explain the long hours involved in reviewing things like evp audio, but the TV commercial break was over and on with the show.

I spent most of the night reading through some grammar books. Preparation to someday write these tales. The lady of the house gave me the impression that she would quickly become angry if I was to suggest to turn off the TV throughout the night. Myself in the guest bedroom, All that I heard was the TV set playing TV shows and commercials from the other room. If I did bring some audio recording equipment. That would be all that it would of heard also. I was reluctant to ask for the TV to be turned off. My tone of voice and accent does not have a good kinda pleasant tone that many would find calming. Sometimes even if I am relaxed and my pleasantry would be sincere. Having a partner with those sorts of skills, in these sorts of investigations for that reason, would be helpful.     (hint hint my dear readers)

The next morning was a somewhat big town event for the town of New Hartford. This event was called “My New Hartford Days” where most of the town will host a large series of garage and yard sales. The streets and sidewalks were very active with people walking from house to house. I can hear some of these people from within the house I was staying the night at. The home owners showed me a paper flier for the towns event. It listed all the places that were taking part in the sales. I noticed that the local library was on its list of holding a sale. I wanted to visit there before leaving town. I took a walk into the backyard of the home. A large pleasant stretch of land. At the end of the backyard was a creek. Over the creek was some railroad tracks, and over the railroad tracks was farm land as far as I could see. I walked along the creek for a half hour and snapped a selfie picture!

Next I visited the New Hartford Public Library. Looking through the books for sale, I found only the travel ones interesting. “New Orleans for Dummies”. It was a book that I was tempted the most to buy from there. My experience from being in the city of New Orleans in Louisiana, you will encounter a flood of tourism info more and more, the closer you get to it. Speaking of floods it just so happens that New Hartford is no stranger to it’s experience of bad weather floods. I regret not inquiring into any possible news or reports of Toxic black mold within the town. A common mold that is very deadly and may drive people into near insanity like conditions. I have yet to ever see or hear of any Iowa public service announcement about black molds, Not even since the wicked flood in Iowa of 2008.

As I was looking around the library. The Librarian struck up a conversation with me about the History of New Hartford. She must of knew that I was not a local resident from this small town. She showed me a small room in the library that was a collection of history bits for the town of New Hartford. I threw it out there to ask if there was any local ghost stories or any interesting folklore.She told me that actually there was. A few residents spoke of old rumors of reports that claim to hear strange voices at night, coming from the direction of the railroad tracks. The railroad tracks that I recently took a photo of. I told the librarian that I was writing a book on these sorts of subjects. She then showed me their library meeting room, and invited me to do a speaking when I do publish this book. Then I was off to head back home. I have not spoken much with the resident that invited me to New Hartford since.

Image borrowed from http://wpl-reference.blogspot.com/2008/06/aftermath-of-new-hartford-flood.html

I was thankful for my stay there. But for me to suggest anymore that there might be some logical and reasonable explanation for these hauntings of disembodied voices, would of worn out my welcome more with my host.  Should I return to new Hartford again. I would suggest getting a mold testing kit to the resident. I would like to find out any possible schedule for the railroad trains that pass through the town. I could go for a summer night camped out there with a tablet book. Summer is coming up and I might get such a chance. There is a farm in the distance. I wonder if any of the farm workers there would believe me that I was a Paranormal Investigator, with questions about disembodied voices near the railroad tracks. I plan to also to contact the authorities to see if they have any active duty officer that patrols there and would of heard such noises and tales. What if the noises are some loud train hoping hobo’s? Would camping out there overnight be a possible danger from the undead or the living? If it was hobo’s, how would I draw them out?  Maybe set up a sign that says free beer and chips for an interview.
Since there is a lot of farmland out there. I would like to know if any of those farms ever had any Scarecrows set up. Before the use of better pesticides on farms, Scarecrows were a very common in many farm fields. Scarecrows still have the ability to frighten adults from Horror movies, where the scarecrow comes to life. What if there was Scarecrows out in those fields and that gave the residents also of a constant sense that someone or something was out there? If watching a lot of TV and leaving multiple TV sets on throughout a house is bound to produce some unexpected noises in my opinion.

 

$15 Amazon.com list price of mold testing kits
$10 beer and chips bait to and interview a possible railroad hobo
$50  food and gas for travel
$5 gift for the librarian, to try to get a more detailed interview on the history of these tales

Anyone out there wanting to finance this investigation?
I recently started a WordPress blog and a Facebook page. The possible edited updates to this article will likely be to fix any grammar errors. Bare with me please my dear readers, as I hone my writing skills.  I do have a concern on what I would call my first public Paranormal journal article. If I was to call it something spooky in a paranormal reference to an walking and talking scarecrows that are menacing the town of New Hartford. Would it become a out of control rumor of such? Instead of a mystery in the works, that is waiting to be solved? Personally can not name many TV shows like I could books, that would teach reasoning skills. It is not uncommon to hear others claim that someone is reading too much or watching to much TV. My Facebook messages of this new page,  seem to be getting more demands for video and audio. I could do that. But this is no tv show. I have no good working camcorder. So far this is just another Mystery!

Please also visit and like my facebook page for this blog
https://www.facebook.com/BlackhawkParanormal
Skunk

Blackhawk PI introduction

I am your blog host and author… Skunkeen 

Blackhawk Paranormal Investigations was started in 2010. For four years, I’ve provided my phone number and contact info for anyone to report any odd paranormal activity to. I have not been hard to find with a google search. For almost a decade, I have been collecting local folklore and mythic tales,  mostly from within the Blackhawk County area of Iowa. I have been offered enough “on-site” investigations to maybe have something worth writing and reading about.

When young, I and two others witnessed a series of events that couldn’t be explained at the time. Most of my life, I have tried to seek natural and supernatural explanations for what we saw. I have consulted both supernatural believers and disbelievers that have voiced that they have knowledge about such subjects. From my personal experiences most of the disbelievers of the supernatural will dismiss without explanation. Most spiritual and religious people tend to only try to confirm their own biased beliefs, or condemn the investigation of such to be secret and forbidden.

I sincerely sought answers. Upon my searches of doing so, it became apparent to me that I was having more problems with people then I was with anything supernatural. That has haunted me much more than anything supernatural. Asking questions seem to anger living human beings more so than the undead. I deeply wonder if Ghosts, Bigfoot and E.T. have a better sense of humor then most that I have had encounter about these subjects? Only a few people had helped me in my searches. I blame myself for my own confusion and cowardice to not to pursue any independent investigations of my own before, I needed habits of reading books, visiting these spooky locations and actually investigating into extraordinary claims. Now I offer these tales to a full public peer review.