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July to August 

 2010 Ghost Stories

In recent weeks it has come to my attention that certain parties are using my ghost stories and those of my contributors as references for their own commercial enterprises.  If you or someone you know is writing a book on ghosts in the Pacific Northwest, PLEASE DO NOT!!! copy or use the following stories or any other materials within this website as references.  

Jefferson Davis (25 April 2003)

DATE:  24 July 2010

FROM:  Tom 

SUBJECT:  Roadside Haunt

Hi Jeff,
I recently saw somewhere that you were looking for roadside haunts and I have had this link saved for a while. Hope it helps!

http://www.roadsideamerica.com/tip/1070

Tom,
Bridgetown Ghost Hunters
www.bridgetownghosthunters.com

DATE:  6 August 2010

FROM  Mike W

SUBJECT:  Vancouver Barracks

I once worked for the 104Th Training Group as a full time AST. For about 4 years I worked in one of the old buildings, next to the 104Th Div HQ building. We had an active duty SFC that was assigned to my unit to handle training. The SFC related that one night, while he was working late, he had a bag of empty alum. coke cans. Suddenly they began bouncing and jostling against each other, like pop corn. They then began to "pop" out of the bag. Getting unnerved by this he threw the bag under his desk and left immediately.

 Another man, working for a marksmanship unit that shared our building said he saw a face in the glass of a door when he went to leave. On another occasion he came face-to-face with a full body apparition in a dark blue uniform with brass button. The apparition didn't seem to take note of the man and walked calmly up stares whereupon it vanished.

 As for myself I had often heard heavy foot steps (like someone wearing boots) on numerous occasions when I knew the building to be empty. Also I often had an uneasy feeling in the basement, like someone was watching.

 Michael W SFC, USAR, Ret

Date:  13 August 2010

FROM:  Shelley

SUBJECT:  Sprits, ghost, and help?

Dear Jeff Davis,

I am an Oregon native. I have always “heard” spirits as far back as I can remember. I am getting older and have been experiencing more and more of a negative spirit. I live out on a piece of farm land with my mother, I am 41 years young and no, I am not crazy, just trying to seek advice or help of any kind.

At night when I go to bed, I have to have my closet door open, if not…it sounds that someone is on the other side trying to come through the walls. My door handle on my bedroom door will turn slightly as if someone is trying to come in. At times I feel very drained, so when I lay down and try to rest, it feels like a very heavy person is holding my body down, I will try to move and I am unable to. I have never experienced the sightings of spirits before but about a week ago I was in my bathroom and saw a face appear in the doorway, no body attached. It feels as if someone is watching me 24 hours a day when I am at home, at times my dog will even pick up on this spirit. I found out the spirits are attracted to water, I live pretty close to the river that separates Oregon from Washington. I did not know this fact until about a week ago, so I have heard voices and I feel the feelings that spirits are trying to show me about themselves, but this is either a very angry spirit or a demon.

If you could please, please offer some advice or help me in any way?

Thank you,
Shelley 
Outskirts of Boardman, Oregon

My Response: Hello Shelly,

Sorry I did not respond immediately,  I have tried finding anyone who lives near your area, who might be able to help with a paranormal investigation.  So far no luck. 

Did this haunting just start, or has it been going on for some time?  If it has been happening for some time, it sounds like it is becoming more active.  Has anything happened to you or on your property that might have triggered this change?  Has there been construction, destruction?  Has a family member died recently?  Have you gotten any new antiques in the house?  These kind of events can trigger a quiet haunting to more activity.

It sounds like the haunting is growing stronger by feeding on your fear.  Some people believe that we all give off a certain amount of electromagnetic energy, and that this energy field changes depending on our mood, health, and other factors.  And that some spirits kind of suck up this energy to power themselves.  Fear being one of the strongest emotions, some ghosts want to frighten people to create more 'food'.  The best way to counter this is to try to take charge of your own little haunt.

I know this sounds silly, but I advise people who think their house is haunted to make the ghost part of their daily world.  Some ghosts only want to be acknowledged.  So, silly as this sounds, I recommend you go to the center of the haunted location, and hold a conversation with the spirit, telling it that you know it's there, and that you don't mind sharing, but it has to let you sleep, if the two of you want to get along. 

When it does something like rattle the door knob, try saying something like,  "Yes 'Bob' I know you're there.  Now stop it, so we can both get some rest..." And so on.

Believe it or not, taking charge of this can really empower you, and make the haunting a lot less frightening. 

I have not had any responses to my query for help, however I have found a like to a paranormal investigation group based out of Walla Walla.  http://easternwashingtonparanormal.com/about.html
Please visit their website and see if they seem like your kind of group to ask for help.  If they cannot help you, perhaps they know of another group closer to Boardman.

I found another group, based out of Idaho, but they claim to have an Eastern Oregon chapter.  Their website is:  http://www.iprgc.com/tmenu/contacttheiprg.html

I know this is not the help you need at this time.  I am sorry I do not live closer, but I can tell you, you are not alone.  Many people have haunts, and it takes some getting used to.  I am sure that you will as well, with a little help, advice, and courage.

Jeff Davis

DATE:  14 August 2010

FROM:  Sethyn 

SUBJECT:  Photo?

Hi

Do you have any thoughts on pictures like this one? It was taken on a digital phone camera. At first I didn't think much of it... just a screwy picture. What I found interesting is that my parameter (the picture is of me) is not effected by light, that I can tell, and my sunglasses on my head look uneffected. Plus the "whiteness is solid and seems equal in intensity but again with distinct parameters and no radiance. The rest of the room, although a bit blurry, looks normal. I tried to wrap my mind around what is in play here, camera issues, lighting, reflection from the window etc. and I can't figure it out. Thought you may be interested.

Cheers

My Response:

Interesting photo.  I think that the background is blurry because of motion from the camera holder.  It was probably taken over a relatively long time, perhaps 1/4 of a second or longer.  The slow shutter speed also accounts for the glowing effect of the ceiling lights above you.  I suspect that the camera either used a flash, or you were standing inside of a patch of light.  While behind you, it was pretty dark.  So in order to get the background looking normal, you were over exposed.  Usually this is reversed, where it is bright behind someone, and they are shadowed.

What do you think?

DATE:  16 August 2010

FROM:  Sethyn  

SUBJECT:  Photo?

Over exposure is a thought. Digital cameras can over expose? This is where I am weak in my understanding, kinda with physics/technology in general. There were three pictures taken within seconds of each other with this one in the middle if I am not mistaken. I doubt he adjusted anything unless it happened by accident. I see now that part of my glasses on top of my head is streaked with this "light" making me think that whatever it is it is reflective. I dunno, just seems odd that the other photo didn't look like this. Have you ever seen anything like this? Of course for me, with a lack of understanding on how camera work, I would tend to go into thinking some sort of energy was captured but since I don't like to jump to conclusion (or look like a fool) I like to explore possibilities. 

I went to my gym where there's a women who is a sensitive and not only lives in a very actively haunted house but works in a haunted gym. Anyway, I will try to track her down tomorrow and speak to her of the TV program.

Thanks!

Sethyn

In the summer of 2010 I post a request on my website, looking for public locations that migh be useful for people trying to film a television show on the paranormal in the Northwest.  Lisa A. contributed this thought.

DATE:  16 August 2010

FROM:  Lisa A

SUBJECT:  Knight Hall in Forest Grove

It has to be Vera of Knight Hall in Forest Grove Jeff!  PLEASE contact the woman on this email and read the article she did last year (attached).  There is even reported poltergeist activity.  Didn't you know that just about everyone in Forest Grove has a haunted house, silly?  I know which TV show you're referring to, and you KNOW I'm SOOOOOO up for this!

 This is SO Twilight Zone - Holly and I have been talking just recently about contacting you with a proposal for the three of us to collaborate on a book on Forest Grove's haunts.  I bet your ears were burning!  But first, the TV show . . .

 BTW, the Forest Grove book is doing great - it just came out last Monday!  http://www.historicforestgrove.org/fhfg_news.html And thank you for the copy of Weird Oregon - it sits in a place of honor on my coffee table along with your other books (as opposed to the not-so-honorable rack in my bathroom LOL)

 Lisa A.

Unfortunately, the television show picked a different location.