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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)
WHAT WAS NEW IN 2018 Here are some buttons which will take you to an archive copy of the last years of the "What's New" section I began in 2001.
Vancouver Informal Paranormal Pub: Monthly Event McMenamins Paranormal Pub: Monthly Event
News, Articles, and Opinions
Halloween Party at the Eatery at the Grant House Posted 29 September 2018 Ghost Rides on the Couve Cycle Posted 29 September 2018 Book Signing at Grand Opening of Northwest Ghost Tours on Saturday, 14 July 2018 Posted 10 July 2018 Vancouver USA Ghosts Vol. I Book Signing Posted 19 June 2018 Vancouver USA Ghosts Vol. I is Coming in Mid-June!!! Posted 21 May 2018 Spirit Tales Walks Begin the First Weekend in June! Posted 21 May 2018 An Evening at Harvey's Comedy Club Posted 8 January 2018 What is the Difference Between a Ghost Hunt, and a Paranormal Investigation? Posted 11 December 2017 What are the rules of a Paranormal Investigation? Posted 12 December 2017 It's Okay to Ghost Hunt in the Daylight! Posted 10 December 2017 Christmas Brings Thoughts of the Ghost Hour Posted 7 December 2017
One of my favorite places is the Grant House on Officers Row, at the Vancouver Barracks. The fact that it is a historic haunted house, makes it all that more special. On Halloween Night, Wednesday October 31st, I will be at the Grant House, as part of their Halloween Party. I will be giving short tours on the porch and inside the Grant House, sharing its haunted history. The party runs from 6 - 10 PM, tickets are $45 advance purchase, and $50 at the door. While a costume is not required, something tells me that there will be a prize for the top 3 costumes. Here is a link to the event.
Ghost Rides on the Couve Cycle, Posted 29 September 2018
Let's face it, for some people, walking over a mile is tough, especially in the rain. There is an alternative, the Couve Cycle. On the Couve Cycle, you can pedal or not, in this electric, eco-friendly vehicle. Starting in late September, through late October, Couve Cycle is working with Jeff Davis and Spirit Tales Tours to take you on a ghost ride of the Vancouver Barracks. These special tours are Tuesdays and Sundays throughout October, with a special tour on October 30th. Please follow this link to see days, times, and price. http://couvecycle.com/party-bike-tours/
As a Special Treat, on October 30th, the Couve Cycle tour will stop at the Eatery at the Grant House, along its route. There will be time to buy a drink or two, and some appetizers, while you hear a story or two about the many ghosts that haunt the Grant House. Sorry, the ticket price does not include food or drink.
Episodes Air Throughout October. Posted 20 September 2018
Earlier in 2018, I visited several haunted locations in Astoria, Oregon with some friends. We encountered some interesting phenomena. Later, producers from the Travel Channel television show Ghost Adventures contacted me. I put them in touch with some of the witnesses I knew, as well as provided some historic information. Zach and the crew came out in spring, and filmed four episodes, which they put together as a four part mini-series, called Graveyard of the Pacific. The episodes will air the first four Saturdays in October. I will be at the Underbar in Vancouver, WA to watch these episodes, and provide some context afterward. I may also have videos of some of the ghost-witnesses to show after the main episodes air. October 6th, 9:00 PM, he crew will visit Astoria, Oregon’s Underground, featuring the Liberty Theater. October 13th, 9:00 PM, the crew will visit Astoria’s Norblad Hotel, site of a malicious spirit both in the basement and in guest rooms. October 20th, 9:00 PM, the crew will leave Astoria and head to Fort Stevens, which guarded the mouth of the Columbia River from the Civil War through World War II. October 27th, 9:00 PM, the crew will head across the Columbia River, into Washington State, and visit the North Head Lighthouse Here is a link to an information flyer on the viewing party.
Book Signing at Grand Opening of Northwest Ghost Tours on Saturday, 14 July 2018 Posted 10 July 2018
However, I will be at the shop on Saturday the 14th, from 11 am to 1 PM. So come and see me, chat, and perhaps buy a book or two.
Vancouver USA Ghosts Vol. I Book Signing Posted 19 June 2018
There were some delays in printing Vancouver USA Ghosts, but it is on its way. I have already scheduled my first book signing event. On Friday, July 6th, I will be at the shoppe, Love Potion Magical Perfumerie, from 5 - 9 PM. The address is, 703 Main St, Vancouver WA 98660. Here is a link to their events page. They also have a Facebook Page. I have been in the shoppe several times. They have everything from crystals to cards, and a large selection of elegant scents. The staff is also friendly, and they offer psychic readings. If you ask the right person, they might be able to share stories about some resident spirits. As you might expect, many spirits seem attracted to the energy of the people and objects within the shoppe. In addition to the modern setting, in the past, this block and the area around it has been the locus of events such as shootings, muggings and mayhem. If you want to find out more, I suggest you come down, and perhaps buy a copy of the book.
Vancouver USA Ghosts Vol. I is Coming in Mid-June!!! Posted 21 May 2018
The book has 124 pages, and includes stories from downtown Vancouver's historic core. This includes blocks and buildings lining Main Street, Esther Short Park and the Slocum House, and several of downtown's historic homes. There are one or two historic locations further out from downtown as well. I included several stories of haunted houses, where I purposely hide the location, to protect current tenants. There are many stories from the Vancouver Barracks, such as the supposed ghost who haunts the Parade Ground. General Alfred Sully, and the other resident ghosts at the Grant House. There are also the spirits that may remain along Officers Row, and the other Barracks buildings. Some of the locations in this book originally came from my other books. However, in the years since I wrote about these places, I have learned more about the history of the locations, and the haunt itself. There are many locations that will be new to readers of my previous books. As I researched and wrote, I had so many stories, I saved several of them for Volume 2, which I hope to publish in the year 2020, so stay tuned.
Spirit Tales Walks Begin the First Weekend in June! Posted 21 May 2018
Now that the weather is turning warm, and there are more dry evenings than wet ones, it is time for Spirit Tales of the Vancouver Barracks to begin. Spirit Tales are my historical-ghost walks of Officers Row, the Parade Ground, and the West Vancouver Barracks. Please follow this link to the Spirit Tales portion of this page for more date, time, and price information on the tour. I find what makes a ghost story interesting is not just the fact a place is haunted, but the reason why fascinates audiences. As a historian, archaeologist, and paranormal investigator, I do my best to deliver both ghost stories, and interesting history. This tour is full of stories of colorful, larger than life people, and significant events here in the across the region. This is the second year for Spirit Tales. I hope to expand the walk program to include lunches or dinners at the haunted Grant House, or other nearby locations, as well as private tours and other social events. If you are interested, please email me with your suggestions and ideas, at ghostguy01@gmail.com
An Evening at Harvey's Comedy Club Posted 8 January 2018
I did go down into the basement with some small groups from the audience, ghost detectors, audio recorders, and camera at the ready.
What is the Difference Between a Ghost Hunt, and a Paranormal Investigation? Posted 11 December 2017
Sometime later, I spoke with a friend
about the difference between ghost hunter and paranormal investigator.
I cannot remember his exact reply but my internal filter interpreted
it this way, “Jeff. Jeff,
people might be offended by the phrase ghost hunter, it’s so old
fashioned. We’re all
paranormal investigators now.” While I disagreed at first, we live in
times when people are offended by the natural color of someone else’s
hair. In a discipline like ghost
hunting, (or paranormal research), where there is no international body
publishing dictionaries of technical terms and definitions, what do words
mean? I will try to make my own
definitions, which others may or may not agree with.
To me, a ghost hunter and paranormal
investigator are pretty much the same thing.
They are people who are interested in the lore, facts, and fallacies
in documenting whether there is life after someone dies.
They can go about it using all kinds of technical devices, by
researching historic records, or by using psycho-psychic approaches. True, the phrase ghost hunter is an older
term, with roots in the 19th century, when it this kind of study
was born. Maybe people do not
want to think of themselves as being old fashioned, ie. senile,
superstitious, or ignorant. Looking
at the origins of psychical and other kinds of ghostly investigations, those
19th century investigators were hardly ignorant or superstitious.
Some of the greatest engineering, psychological, and mathematical
minds of their day considered the question of life after death.
Most were forward thinkers. Then again, there is a certain appeal in
using four and five syllable words such as paranormal investigator.
It seems more refined, and scientific.
As someone who has been sneered at many times by close-minded fools,
it would be nice to get a little more respect for the work I have done.
Many of the people I know who try to distinguish themselves by using
the title of paranormal investigator, oftentimes use various technical
devices, as well as a scientific process to conduct their research.
This raises the question, should people who use psychical research in
their work be allowed to call themselves paranormal investigators as well?
How scientific does someone have to be, and can they go too far in
their search for respect? Just using the phrase ‘paranormal
investigator’ does not necessarily mean you are one.
Take for example Yvette Fielding from the British television show Most Haunted. I remember
one episode where she stood in the dark and said, “…I’m supposed to be
a paranormal investigator…” just before a loud noise made her scream,
and run out of the room. She and
her crew carried some of the most advanced scientific equipment the BBC
would purchase for their use.
What are the rules of a Paranormal Investigation? Posted 12 December 2017 Another controversy I came across recently related to rules and policies during ‘paranormal investigations’. A friend was at a haunted locale with another group of people interested in the paranormal. The location was also a restaurant, and they had drinks with their meal. Someone posted pictures of them, with a caption using words such as paranormal gathering or investigation. A third party saw the pictures and immediately flamed them on the internet for drinking during an investigation. Whether they were investigating or not is an open question. It seems these days that instead of discussing issues, modern debate practice consists of achieving some sort of moral high ground over someone else, then abusing the other person for their lack of moral superiority. That practice is not the way to uplift someone to a higher plain of existence! I would like to bring things back to facts and discussion, not abuse. The phrase paranormal investigation (or
ghost hunt) means many things to many people, and seems to defy a
universally accepted definition. I
have many friends who travel across the world, visiting various haunted
locales. They regularly post
pictures of themselves with captions saying they are conducting paranormal
investigations. These seem to
last a few hours, overnight, or an afternoon.
These investigations seem to involve taking pictures, and a bit of
video or audio to post online. If
there is a clairvoyant along, they give commentary based on their
sensations. I have other friends who define an
investigation as a long-term research project, where a group of people visit
and revisit the same location over a period of time.
During their investigation, they design a research strategy, form a
series of questions they want answered, perform experiments in gatherings I
call vigils, and write reports on their findings.
I favor this use of the word investigation.
However, there is nothing wrong with a
group of people holding several separate vigils in many different haunted
locations. This is especially
true if their approach is to sample as many different kinds of haunts, over
a period of years. There is also
nothing wrong with a bunch of people visiting a haunted restaurant or bar
and drinking while waiting for a paranormal event to happen.
So long as they admit, their results will be less than scientific.
However, they are not so passionate about
it that they reorganize their lives, working weekdays, to fund their
research on weekends. They have
just enough time to buy books on the subject, and visit the places that
appeal to them. Sometimes they
are after a thrill, other times, they want assurance that their loved ones
are waiting for them on the other side.
They are the ones least concerned about the difference between a
ghost hunter and a paranormal investigator, or what defines an
investigation. Their interest is
what should motivate everyone who is passionate about the subject, to reach
out and communicate with the mainstream, without getting to technical, or
snobbish. What good is a report
on a haunted location, if there is no one to read it? As for me, since I have been doing this
for a couple of decades, it is alright if someone calls me a ghost hunter.
I am more comfortable talking to people wearing a wool sweater or
tweed jacket, rather than a white lab coat.
Even if we disagree with someone’s definitions, please be
respectful of how and where you disagree.
While we are all humans, and say and do things we regret later, try
not to say anything online you would not say to that person in public.
The paranormal community in the Northwest is not so large that you
will not run into the other person at a gathering somewhere or sometime.
And you might then end up adding to the haunted lore of that
location.
Christmas Brings Thoughts of the Ghost Hour Posted 7 December 2017
The Dead Hours
are, whenever they are As we get closer to Christmas, I have been thinking about Charles Dickens’ story, A Christmas Carol. Because I am who I am, I focus on the paranormal aspects of the story. Many people do not know this, but Charles Dickens, the story author, was a member of the Ghost Club. The Ghost Club has been around since 1862, and its members began the study of what we know today as the paranormal. Dickens wrote A Christmas Carol in 1843, decades before the founding of the Ghost Club. He brought a great store of knowledge of the lore and beliefs surrounding ghosts to that book. It seems natural that he eventually joined the Ghost Club In the story, the ghost of Jacob Marley tells Ebenezer
Scrooge he will be visited by three spirits.
Each one will appear over a period of three nights, “When the clock
strikes one”, or 1 AM. This
suggests the time when ghosts are most active.
However, many recent television ghost hunter shows have proclaimed
the Dead Hour, the time when spirits are most active, begins at 3 AM.
Rather than a time when the spirits are most active,
perhaps the Dead Hour is the time when we are most likely to perceive their
presence and activities. The
thing about the ghost-witching-Dead Hour is that it is the time when things
are most quiet. Think about the
literature on the paranormal, both fictional and non-fiction.
The story usually begins with a preamble, “All was quiet, all was
calm, when suddenly-!” Could this be a cultural difference between English
ghosts and American ghosts? When thinking about the difference between the
Victorian Era’s ghost hour, versus the modern Dead Hour, there is a
technological aspect to the difference.
In Victorian times, most people went bed by 8 -10 PM, and got up
between 5 – 7 AM. This meant,
by 1 AM, most people were sound asleep, and might have begun early rising by
4 AM. The world around them and
its noises followed the same pattern. These days, while some people keep the same hours as
Victorians, many people go to bed between 10 PM to Midnight.
They are not completely asleep until 3 AM or so.
They do not start waking up until around 7 AM.
This means that the world itself does not start waking up until 6 or
7 AM as well. As a side question, what about daylight savings times?
Do people who lived, died and become ghosts continue their haunts at
the same time, regardless of Daylight Savings Time?
While ghosts who came into being after daylight savings time was
invented change their activity to mirror the changes in our schedules?
What if the time when spirits might be most active may
not coincide with our ability to perceive them?
It's Okay to Ghost Hunt in the Daylight! Posted 10 December 2017 This article is a follow on the article on the Ghost Hour, above. If you have the time and energy, please read that one first.
One answer to the question of daytime and
investigations revolves around distractions.
In the daytime hours, we are often over-stimulated.
Even when sitting in a park in the daytime, we are bombarded with
stimuli. This can come in the
shape of people walking or riding bicycles through the park.
Children and pets roaming round, as well as the scents carried on the
wind, and wildlife can overwhelm some people.
By nature, we have to focus on what is most important to our work or
survival. Survival usually does
not concern detecting ghosts, rather it is the living dangers.
Who knows how many of the people walking by are corporeal beings, or
shades of the dearly departed? We
may not perceive paranormal events because we are too busy to notice their
uniqueness. The opposite can happen in nighttime investigations.
At night it is quiet. If
the investigation is inside a building, there are fewer people to distract
us. We can concentrate on any
unusual sight, sound, or smell. However,
even this has a down side. At night, we might not be distracted, but may become
hyper vigilant. If we are
outside, or inside a badly lit building, our primary human sense, our sight
is impaired. We have to rely
upon our other senses, touch, smell, and hearing.
While some people have acute hearing, over reliance upon it can cause
any observer to magnify the importance of sounds they hear, or shapes they
see in bad light. In other
words, they can see or hear things that are not there.
The reality of physical fatigue can compounded these
errors. Most people work in
daylight hours, and their bodies are used to a certain number of hours of
rest at night. Working a full
shift at work and staying up for another six hours, straining to hear the
sounds of a ghost will tax anyone’s stamina.
Of course, when on television, this mix makes the ghost
hunter TV show much more exciting. To
keep that air of mystique, some shows purposely film in darkness. Why do it in the
dark? I remember several years ago, I met a paranormal
research group, investigating the White Eagle Saloon, in Portland, Oregon.
They set up equipment in one of the rooms, as well as the hallway.
They were quite upset when the hotel staff did not allow them to turn
off the lights in the hallway, because of safety concerns.
I asked their lead person, “Why do you have to ghost hunt in the
dark?” He blinked at me, and said, “Well that’s the way Ghost Hunters does it on television.” When he said it out loud, he paused a bit, perhaps because it sounded kind of lame. To his credit, he got back with me later, after he sent out an information request to the show. They answered back, saying they did it in the dark, because that was when they seemed to get the most ‘stuff’. I have to counter and ask, how can you tell the difference between paranormal phenomena and anomalies created by limiting factors such as fear, fatigue, and bad photography?
Another potent reason not to investigate late at night
is purely for safety sake. Investigating
in a dark building or outside, increases the risk of injuries, particularly
if someone is running away from the haunt, screaming in fear!
I constantly warn people not to go ghost hunting in cemeteries at
night, not because of the ghosts, but because some unstable people gravitate
toward cemeteries late at night. I
am not speaking about ghost hunters, but desperate people like drug dealers
and addicts, the suicidally depressed, etc.
The same dangers can also be found at abandoned buildings and ruins.
It is better to not risk becoming one of the ghosts yourself, so
visit in the daytime. To some of you who have read my thoughts up to this
point, I am sure it sounds like I said you cannot accurately ghost hunt in
the daytime or at night. This is
not completely true. The
conclusion I reach is that there are weaknesses in investigating at any
time, day or night. However, I
prefer daylight hours, under the right conditions. To me, the best luck I have had is in daylight, when it
is quiet, and there are few distractions.
Sometimes this means visiting a homeowner, when the rest of the
family is gone, and all electronic devices are turned off.
Performing an investigation in a haunted bar or restaurant on a
Sunday morning, before the staff comes in is ideal.
I highly recommend Sundays for many reasons.
Many people are most rested after getting up late on a Sunday
morning. Street traffic, and
their noises are also lower on Sundays.
Even if people no longer go to church on Sundays, for some reason,
they are generally quieter on Sundays than Saturdays or weekdays.
There will probably never be a perfect time to set up a
paranormal investigation. However,
there will be better or worse times, so plan accordingly.
If the haunt is tied to a nighttime murder, try to be there on the
anniversary, but with good lighting. If
the bartender reports activity in the morning when setting up, try to be
there at that time. Tailor your
investigation to your opportunities, the kind of haunt, and realistic
factors. And good luck!
Vancouver Informal Paranormal Pub I really enjoy going to ghost hunter/paranormal conferences. One bad thing is, most conferences are only once a year. Although we share and interest in almost anything paranormal, we are also people. Oftentimes, I enjoy the talk at meals, or in the hallways between classes more than the discussion or classes themselves. There are some paranormal groups, mostly in Portland who hold monthly meetings. However, as a Vancouverite, I am reluctant to attend some meetings. Show of hands please, who hates driving in and around downtown Portland, even on a weekend? While I cannot see all the hands, I suspect that there are many of them in the air right now. I also wanted something in my home town of Vancouver, Washington. In 2016, I decided to start an informal discussion group in Vancouver, where people could just hang out and talk ghosts, ghost hunting, and related topics. We moved a few times since then, and currently hang out at the Heathen Brewing's Feral Brew House We eat, we chat, and just hang out.
Thank you Tara-Ann for pictures of my gatherings! There is no formal schedule of who will talk, and about what. Some people have shared pictures of their recent paranormal vacations, or investigations. Oftentimes in sharing experiences, though informal discussion, people have learned different strategies for their ghost hunting investigations. Although there are over 40 people on the Facebook members list for the Vancouver Informal Paranormal Pub, there is no requirement to attend all meetings. Click this link to visit the page, and send us a request to join. I recommend people try out this arrangement in their own home town, or come visit us some time. We meet once a month, on a Sunday at 5 PM. You can drop in, or send me an email to let me know you are interested in attending.
Some time ago, the McMenamins Mission Theater in downtown Portland began their Paranormal Pub, with the local chapter of MUFON. Their meetings are generally the last Sunday afternoon of the month, beginning at 6:00 pm (doors open) followed by a two or so hour talk beginning at 7:00 pm. The Mission theater is located at 1624 N W Glisan, Portland, OR. Parking can be a bit of a bear though, even for a Sunday. You will have to go through their website to find out the paranormal talks each month.
My Personal Appearance Schedule for 2018 6 July 2018, I will be at the wonderful Love Potion Magickal Perfumerie shoppe at 703 Main St. Vancouver, WA 98660. I will be signing and selling my book, Vancouver USA Ghosts Volume I. The time is 5 - 9 PM. Here is their event announcement. 14 July 2018, I will be at the grand opening of the Northwest Ghost Walks office at 816 Main St, Oregon City, OR 97045-1817. I will be signing and selling all of my books. The time is 11 AM to 1 PM. Here is a link to the event. 16 August 2018, I will be at the Eatery at the Grant House, at the Vancouver Barracks. I will be talking about the history of the Vancouver Barracks around 5:45 PM. Sorry, but this is a closed event. However, if you are interested in having me talk at your special gatherings, please contact me. 11 September 2018, I will be at the Clark County Historical Museum, giving a 60 minute presentation on Vancouver USA Ghosts Vol. I, followed by a book signing. I do not have a start time yet, but here is their website. They will update things as we get closer to the event. 10 October 2018, I will be at the Albany, Oregon Regional Museum, giving a presentation on the paranormal, for their History Bits program. 3 November 2018, I will be selling books at the Ladybug Bazaar at Battle Ground High School. 10 November 2018, I will be selling books at the Mountain View High School Christmas Bazaar. 17 November 2018, I will be at Cascade Middle School Christmas Bazaar. 24 November 2018, I will be selling books at the Prairie High School Christmas Bazaar. The school is located at 11311 NE 119th St, Vancouver, WA. 1 December 2018, I will be at the Hockinson High School Bazaar selling books.
Copyright © 1996-2002 by Jeff Davis | Maintained by J. Davis |
Rocky
Smith of Oregon City is one of the powerhouses of paranormal planning in the
Pacific Northwest. For several year, Rocky has been the lead organizer
of the Oregon Ghost Conference, held the last few years in Seaside. In
addition to that work, he has given ghost walks of Oregon City for several
years. On Friday the 13th of July, Rocky is opening his own
storefront, to promote his ghost walks. Although the location at 816
Main Street, in Oregon City is small, Rocky has many historic and paranormal
displays, and items for sale. This includes some of my books and a few
other items. I will not be at the Grand Opening, which will be from 7
- 10 PM on Friday the 13th. 
The
basement interests a lot of people. There is some evidence that it was
subdivided into separate rooms at one point. There are bricked up
tunnels that probably led to utility and commerce tunnels under the
sidewalks, and perhaps across the street to the Hoyt Hotel. Were the
tunnels used for shanghaiing? Maybe. Were they used as part of
an entire underground Asian commerce and opium den network?
Maybe. Then again maybe not, we do not know enough about their uses
were. However, many people believe that the tunnels are haunted, which
is why I was at Harvey's in December. The owners opened up the tunnels
to visitors looking for evidence of the paranormal.
My
principle role on the December night was to talk to the audience about the
history of that part of Portland's Old Town, and the building itself.
I also summarized some of the odd incidents that took place in the
past. 
A
year or so ago, I submitted ideas for discussion panels at a ghost
conference.
How
dedicated does someone have to be, to consider themselves ghost hunters or
paranormal investigators?
or
If
ghosts exist, they are an extension of human life.
The use of infrared, thermal, and low light cameras can
be a good thing in locations where you cannot have normal or electrical
lighting.
