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November to December 2004 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)

 

 

 FROM:      Gary C. 

DATE:        7 November 2004

SUBJECT:  VERY haunted place

Hello,

   I am an employee in a very old building, predating 1891 in downtown Tacoma.  Will start by saying that this is a long story, so don't be daunted, it gets richer and richer.

   I have been working here for approximately 9 months. Heard the first day that the place was haunted, and if I was easily spooked, I would not last long. True enough, it turns out. These buildings are very old, and you can almost feel the weight of all those years in some parts of the building. They are the essence of spooky old buildings, with cellars and subcellars, made of thick concrete, and rough hewn quarry stone, not even shaped blocks.

   Well, I had lived in a very haunted house for a couple of years, and I was rather thick skinned when it comes to hauntings. Even poltergeist activity is no big shock to me, so I find it rather exhilarating to actually have an inexplicable thing happen in my presence. I was very expectant, so I was disappointed to find that my boss had rigged up a coffee can on a piece of thin filament fishing line that was about 75 feet long to simulate ghostly noise in the basement. In the end, this little joke caused me to overlook many things that later became more spooky on reflecting back on them.

    I am rather sensitive to energy in my environment, and there are places in the building where it takes some resolve to walk through. The Basement of the building was wired in a way that you had to walk through the pitch dark about 40 feet to get to a light switch.  This caused many people to be afraid to go down there, and even flat out refuse to do so.  The building manager bought nightlights to install down there. He decided to take them down and put them in himself, and after doing so, he turned out the lights to see how dark it would get.

   Immediately, four balls of light shot out of one corner, and into a tunnel, built into the oldest part of the building, and into the other room, called the "dungeon" room for good reason. My boss had the impression it was like headlights moving across a wall.....but he realized he was two stories underground! He said it happened so fast he didn't really catch it with his eyes.

   Being the logical type, he figured light must be coming through from the floor above, through holes. He again turned off the lights and began walking through the basement by the light of the nightlights, when suddenly, coming from the other direction this time, he observed a ball of light, about 2 inches in diameter, and spewing a tail like a comet or a shooting star, but it did not travel in a perfect trajectory, but instead appeared to move in a gentle s flight pattern, and disappeared into a sheetrock wall! He got a very clear look this time, and suddenly decided he didn't need to be down there any longer and practically ran out of the basement!

   He went and got the night security guard, and a Vietnamese janitor, both very level headed people, and went down the basement, telling them only that he got "spooked" and needed some moral support. Upon turning off the lights, the female security guard observed another shooting star type light, going in the opposite direction again. Being of stern Mormon upbringing, she has no room in her ideology for ghosts, but instead thinks it is a "Demon" and refused to go down there again to the point she said she will quit first. This all happened the week before Halloween.

                                                                                        2

These and many many haunted stories came out at the same time due to the new stories. Being the adventurous type, and also being broke on Halloween, the wife and I decided to take them on an amateur ghost hunting trip to the basements of the old building. We took TWO digital cameras to cancel out any orbs or phenomenon that may be construed as dust particles. We also took a digital audio recorder. To our big surprise, we got some very weird photos, and some very disturbing audio recordings, coincidentally, right in the places I thought they should be found, and in taking of over a hundred pics, only 9 came out with these anomalies, coincidentally again, in the same places in the buildings.

   We got pics of about a hundred orbs, in one room, showing a very distinct sense of perspective. At this same place we got audio of a general background murmuring, like being in a department store with people all around. It was dead silent and 8 o clock at night. My wife and kids had the proper sense of reverence, and we were silent during this time. Our voices are very distinct when we do speak. Suddenly about 24 seconds in, somebody gruffly says "I'm Sorry.... Sorry" very plainly. Gives me goosebumps to hear it, AND to write it :)

   We walked up to the grand lobby, 5 stories up, with a big atrium open all the way to the ground floor. We took a picture off the top elevator landing looking down 5 stories, and we saw orbs, disappearing smaller and smaller down to the bottom, very clearly showing a sense of perspective. All in all, the best darn ghost hunting trip we ever had. We were very awed and impressed witht he results.

                                                                                  3.

Soooo, I brought the pics in, and the building manager is a history buff. He was enthralled. He took me around, wanting to see where we got the orb photos, and examine the spots in detail. We discovered hand made square nails in the mortar in the oldest wall in the buildings; this wall predates 1870 according to him.  We went down to the sub basement below, where we got lot's of orbs, and back to the same wall. In the back corner, is a concrete room that looks for all the world to be a cell, with one wall made of the rough hewn stone I have described. At the base of this wall, was a old piece if wallboard, and my boss was looking around down near it. He put his hand out and said, "I'll be damned, Come feel this!" There was air rushing around the edges of it. He said he thought it must open into a void of some type, and I agreed, thinking it opened into the crawlspace or something.

   I got excited, and offered to kick it in, and repair it later. He said noooo, cuz he is the building manager, and that is damage to the building.  I said I would fix it immediately, I already had some sheetrock to do it with. Well, his curiosity won out, and I kicked in the wallboard. Behind it we found 5 ancient cedar boards.... nailed up from the other side.  I pushed them in, and poked my head in the 1 foot by 18 inch opening. When I looked around I bout screamed with excitement!  It was a hand dug tunnel, very like the ones the Vietnamese used during the war.  Tall enough to run through in a crouch.  Too High! We were like 12 year olds we were so excited. This hole had not been opened since God knew when!

   There was no shoring of any type at all, and only about 30 feet is visible, with the tunnel curving off to the right out of sight. There is about 2-3 inches of water in the bottom of it, and the air coming from it is very clean and fresh. Not stagnant like it would be if it opened into a sewer. The wall that it comes into is the oldest wall in the building! This tunnel is not on any blueprints of the building either. Upon reaching a 6 MP digi-cam into the hole we got a high resolution photo that clearly shows a group of orbs in the tunnel also.

                                                                                          4

   We looked into the history of the building, and it is very rich in history. The building stands on the original Judson claim which was the first land claim in the Puget sound region. He lived in a cabin on the corner of 7th and commerce until 1855 when the Puyallup Indian wars broke out, and all the white settlers left the region, including Judson. The region remained unsettled until 1871 when a sawmill was built at the base of 7th avenue on the water.

   The community grew around the sawmill until the anti Chinese wars of 1885, when they gathered in front of the 1st Methodist church, (The Woolworth’s bldg on 11th and Broadway) Right in front of my building, and passed a public decree saying the Chinese could no longer live in Tacoma. They then  went and Burned out 700 Chinese people and made them leave the city. The next day 350 were ran out of Seattle. The Asians were not to return to this area for over 80 years.  

   During the grading of Pacific Avenue, a ceremonial burial canoe and a huge stone bearing ancient hieroglyphs was buried in the debris from the grading of the roadway, never to be found again. Maybe the tunnel is leftover from an ancient burial ground, maybe it is from the anti Chinese riots, as I understand the Chinese were driven to move around underground in many places. Port Townsend is riddled with tunnels from the anti Chinese riots of 1885.  Regardless, I believe my building to be legitimately haunted, in a big way.  Thanks for reading all this! 

 

 

FROM:       Gwen M

DATE:         16 November 2004

SUBJECT:  Geiser Grand Hotel Ghost

 Hi, I know that I read an newspaper article on the ghost that haunts the Geiser Grand Hotel in Baker City, but I can't find it or any story.....can you help....Thanks Gwen

Here are a few highlights:

The Geiser Grand Hotel was the high class waypoint for travelers going from Boise, Idaho to Portland, Oregon in the early 20th Century.  It was refurbished a few years ago, bringing it back to it's former glory.  There are many different ghosts that seem to haunt the place.  Guests staying on either side of one particular room are frequently awakened by the sound of a midnight party.  When they complain to the front desk, they are informed that the room is vacant.  There are also two ghostly ladies seen in different places in the hotel.  One has been seen dressed in 1930s flapper fashion.

 

FROM:    Marci S.

DATE:     17 November 2004

SUBJECT:  Ghost story in Columbia County

here is a quick over view of what I experienced.

When living on 1st and Rose St in Vernonia, several times would be sitting there like in a zoned state, (as a teenager not too hard to do. lol) was sitting at the kitchen table. my mom was at the stove to her back to me which was on the other side of the table. I was sitting there thinking, what if something/one walked by her. right after that thought she turned to me and said did someone brush by me? She felt what I thought. and there was no logical explanation. several times I felt something trying to talk to me. when almost falling asleep at night would feel a thump on the bed near my knees and calves. Would always be right as I was falling asleep. was very irritating.

Once when off riding my bike down the old railroad track which is now a street w/new houses. felt an angry older male presence on trail that used to be the railroad tracks which is the road next to a bank and believe its a nursery on the left as you go into town.

Once moved to Hillsboro those episodes stopped. I've had other psychic moments off and on. but mostly when was a teenager in Vernonia.  Once when was older at about age 30 ish when went back to visit also felt the same angry older male presence when driving up to the top of the hill past the Lincoln elementary school. that road ends at the cemetery. felt the angry male presence tell me to leave that area now.

would like to know what others have to say about that area.

 That’s a quick recap of what I remember, curious what a more experienced medium and more talented & sensitive person would find there.

best wishes

Marci

 

 

FROM:  Jana C

DATE:    23 November 2004

SUBJECT:  Haunted Whidbey Island

 Hi Jay,

I was looking over your site, it’s very good by the way.  I was looking to see if you have ever investigated further on Whidbey?  I know of a few places that have some definite paranormal activity here, that I can feel and know by talking with people that have the same feeling.  I was interested to know more and would help you in an y way that you need.  I also have an experience that I would love to share with you about a hospital in California that I worked at.  I am a nurse and have had feelings and instances there.

 Thank you,
Jana

 

DATE:  5 December 2005

FROM:  Terry H

SUBJECT:  Ghost at Silver Creek Falls

Do you know of any ghost sightings at Silver Creek Falls?  We have a photo taken on vacation at one of the waterfalls with what appears to be a ghost of a small girl standing at the top of the cliff.  Have you heard any stories about that area?  I would be happy to e-mail you the photo if you are interested.
Terry

Hi Terry,

 I have not heard anything of ghosts in the Silver Falls area.  I would indeed be interested in seeing the picture and reading more of your story.
Jeff Davis

 

DATE:  6 December 2005

FROM Terry H

SUBJECT:  Ghost at Silver Creek Falls

  Hi Jeff,

Thanks for responding.  I have attached the photo.  I'm afraid the scanned picture is not as good as the original.  We are from Arkansas, it was taken over two years ago on vacation.  We did not see anything on the cliff when the photo was taken.  It wasn't until we got them back that I noticed what looks like a girl in a dress.  On the original picture you can see the trees through the figure.  I really don't think this is a double exposure picture.  I have searched everywhere for a story of maybe someone falling from the cliff or lost in the woods but have not found anything about a little girl.  I am taking the negatives to have a larger picture made.  Blowing it up after it was scanned just made it blurry.

 

I looked at the photo you sent me.  It is indeed interesting.  I played around with it on Photoshop, and it does not look like a double exposure to me either.  The impressive part of your photograph is that it is not just an Orb.  I can usually explain most orbs as dust, light bounce, moisture and many other natural phenomena.  Can you tell me what kind of camera and film you were using?    I don't have any explanations for it either.  If you were using Kodak film, you might want to contact their website, or take it to the developer and get their opinion on it.  Please keep me informed on your results.
Thanks for writing,
Sincerely,
Jeff Davis

It was taken on a Kodak Advantix 35 mm using Kodak film.  The roll of film was given back to us with the photos instead of negative strips you get with most cameras.  So, I haven't been able to look at the negative.  I think I will contact Kodak, that is a great idea.  And then maybe take it to a developer.  I have never been a ghost chaser but the picture just drives me crazy trying to figure out what it is.  Thanks for the great advise and I will let you know if I find out anything new.

Terry
Let me know what you think.

 

 

 DATE:  24 December 2004

FROM:  Cathy H

SUBJECT:  Your Books are Wonderful

 

I am hoping you are safe, and unfortunately, you are not home for the Holidays.  I received a copy of your book, A Haunted Tour Guide to the Pacific Northwest, it is wonderful.  My intention was to inquire if there is any kind of written information on the Pink Castle in Georgetown Washington Sate.  It has just recently become on the market for sale and I ran into the Seattle Mystery Tours lady and she was quite interested in purchasing it, but is in serious need of repair and the bank is asking some huge ridiculous amount.  I talked with a local and he said he had even tried to buy it after the two gentlemen let it go to the bank but it was too much.  Please forgive me I do not recall the price as I was so fascinated listening to him talk about the haunting. 

 

My family grew up around the block and they avoided the house at night at any cost.  I hope someday to see some accurate information on this historic beauty.  I took some pictures, didn't catch a ghost but when you are home I will gladly send them your way.  Take care of you and may God Bless and Keep you always, merry Christmas.  Again your book is fabulous I am going to order your others!

 

Cathy H

 

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