Chad is leading Kendal Smith in a communication exercise. Listen for the response. Zeb Hare asks, "Would that be a yes or no?" What do you think?
Park 2011 Immersion Trip
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Ghostly image?
More equipment
Copper rods
Inside the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum
Is it an orb?
Check out the bullet holes!
Confederate soliders bunkered in the Farnsworth House. They had snipers shooting out of the windows at the Union soliders who were passing through the nearby Cemetry Hill. The Union soliders fired back, riddling the building with lead. There are over 150 bullet holes still visible today.
Group Photo at Farnsworth House
sign to Farnsworth House
The following is the sign going to our first ghost hunt, The Farnsworth House. It is rumored that there are over 14 spirits that roam these hallways.
Monday, April 25, 2011
...we all heard a second crash, which came from above us, where no one was supposed to be.
Rachel Klementowski
Before the trip, I did not believe in ghosts. Now I'm not sure. Everything that happened has a possible explanation, but some of them are not likely to have happened or been done. My group mostly got responses during the flashlight sessions, where you ask a ghost yes or no questions and they respond by turning on or off the light. We got results from sessions in Lilly’s room, the original kitchen, and in the children’s wing. We also got responses from the K2 meter, which measures electromagnetic fields, and the copper rods, which are attracted to ghosts’ energy.
When we were in the Trans- Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in the children’s wing, we all heard a big crash come from down the hall. Our guide, Copperhead, went to investigate. He heard whistling coming from the center of the hallway, where none of us were. When he came back, we all heard a second crash, which came from above us, where no one was supposed to be. I don’t know what could have made these sounds, possibly something falling and the wind coming through the windows, but I’m not sure. I also do not know what could have been turning on and off the flashlights during our sessions.
The historical part of our trip was interesting too. I especially liked the cyclorama. I have never seen anything like it before. It was cool how they reenacted the battle with lights and cannon and shooting sounds. I think the people in the battle must have been very brave to fight in a war like the Civil War. I also enjoyed the tour, where our tour guide showed us a lot of monuments around the battlefield.
Before the trip, I did not believe in ghosts. Now I'm not sure. Everything that happened has a possible explanation, but some of them are not likely to have happened or been done. My group mostly got responses during the flashlight sessions, where you ask a ghost yes or no questions and they respond by turning on or off the light. We got results from sessions in Lilly’s room, the original kitchen, and in the children’s wing. We also got responses from the K2 meter, which measures electromagnetic fields, and the copper rods, which are attracted to ghosts’ energy.
When we were in the Trans- Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in the children’s wing, we all heard a big crash come from down the hall. Our guide, Copperhead, went to investigate. He heard whistling coming from the center of the hallway, where none of us were. When he came back, we all heard a second crash, which came from above us, where no one was supposed to be. I don’t know what could have made these sounds, possibly something falling and the wind coming through the windows, but I’m not sure. I also do not know what could have been turning on and off the flashlights during our sessions.
The historical part of our trip was interesting too. I especially liked the cyclorama. I have never seen anything like it before. It was cool how they reenacted the battle with lights and cannon and shooting sounds. I think the people in the battle must have been very brave to fight in a war like the Civil War. I also enjoyed the tour, where our tour guide showed us a lot of monuments around the battlefield.
I interviewed Mason Winfield about his book "A Ghost Hunter's Journal".
Flora Kratz
I interviewed Mason Winfield about his book "A Ghost Hunter's Journal". Mason Winfield is a local author and paranormal investigator. Before interviewing him I thought that he was a very intelligent man and I still think so. He has very interesting opinions on the supernatural world saying that belief in it can relate to American politics. I believe very strongly in ghosts and talking to Mr. Winfield has backed my belief up even more. The book was about different paranormal happenings in Western New York. Some of them are real reports and some such as The Whistlers, Mr. Winfield made up. Bigfoot at Black Creek is made up of about 30 different Bigfoot reports in the area and The Whistlers, blind assassins, were part of a dream he had. I really enjoyed reading this book and it opened my eyes to all of the things that are said to happen in our area.
I interviewed Mason Winfield about his book "A Ghost Hunter's Journal". Mason Winfield is a local author and paranormal investigator. Before interviewing him I thought that he was a very intelligent man and I still think so. He has very interesting opinions on the supernatural world saying that belief in it can relate to American politics. I believe very strongly in ghosts and talking to Mr. Winfield has backed my belief up even more. The book was about different paranormal happenings in Western New York. Some of them are real reports and some such as The Whistlers, Mr. Winfield made up. Bigfoot at Black Creek is made up of about 30 different Bigfoot reports in the area and The Whistlers, blind assassins, were part of a dream he had. I really enjoyed reading this book and it opened my eyes to all of the things that are said to happen in our area.
My thoughts on ghosts have changed based on the events that occured this weekend.
Stefano Occhuito
1) My thoughts on ghosts have changed based on the events that occured this weekend. The event that stood out to me the most was when me and Mr. Deitzer and I went into the forest of the Farnsworth House with a k2 meter . A k2 meter measures electric magnetic fields (EMF) because spirits are believed to be made of EMF. The k2 meter is a gray box with different color lights tha detect EMF. When Mr. Deitzer and I usd this tool we asked questions such as if you are an adult can you make this gray box switch to yellow. When we asked these questions the k2 meter reacted to our questions the way we asked our quetions by lighting a certain light up.
2) My favorite historical aspect of the trip was going to little round top on the battle field. The reason I enjoyed this spot the most was because I actually got to see what it was like for a soldier hiding on the rocks. It really amazed me that the soldiers were able to walk around with heavy equipment on while climbing on sharp rocks. I also thought it was cool how the cannons did not only shoot round balls but large bullet looking objects that had the affect of a giant shot gun. This cannons changed the war by the amount of casualties and i'm curious to see how many more deaths were caused by those cannons.
1) My thoughts on ghosts have changed based on the events that occured this weekend. The event that stood out to me the most was when me and Mr. Deitzer and I went into the forest of the Farnsworth House with a k2 meter . A k2 meter measures electric magnetic fields (EMF) because spirits are believed to be made of EMF. The k2 meter is a gray box with different color lights tha detect EMF. When Mr. Deitzer and I usd this tool we asked questions such as if you are an adult can you make this gray box switch to yellow. When we asked these questions the k2 meter reacted to our questions the way we asked our quetions by lighting a certain light up.
2) My favorite historical aspect of the trip was going to little round top on the battle field. The reason I enjoyed this spot the most was because I actually got to see what it was like for a soldier hiding on the rocks. It really amazed me that the soldiers were able to walk around with heavy equipment on while climbing on sharp rocks. I also thought it was cool how the cannons did not only shoot round balls but large bullet looking objects that had the affect of a giant shot gun. This cannons changed the war by the amount of casualties and i'm curious to see how many more deaths were caused by those cannons.
I later felt something touch my face...
Lauren Gould
At the Farnsworth house, my group was sitting in the basement. In the basement we listened to ghost stories. Earlier, we had been introduced to a few ghosts. Jeremy was a ghost who died at a young age. He was said that act how most young boys do. We were told that Jeremy liked pulling girls hair. Once we were in the basement, I felt my hair being pulled and I noticed it was the person I was sitting next to. I later felt something touch my face, and I felt my hair being pulled again. A little more annoyed this time I asked who I was sitting next to, to please stop pulling me hair. The person said they didn't pull my hair and I realized my hair was pulled on the opposite side from where they were sitting.
This experience was enough to make me believe in ghost because, Jeremy was said to do all of the things that had happend while I was in the house. I had heard stories that had happened to other people in the Farnsworth house. Some of the stories were not as believeable as others, but what happend to me was a personal experience, and I don't have to wonder about whether it happened or not.
Many fun things happened on this trip. Luckily I was able to have fun and learn a lot. Before the trip, we had researched many of the places we were planning on visiting, including Gettysburg. There was a very large battle that happened at Gettysburg and many, many people died. On our third day of the trip, we went to the Gettysburg Museum. There. there was a painting that covered the entire room. What made this painting so special was how big it was, and all the detail. The painting was also part of a show, you would hear sound effects and see things light up. This painting was filled with people, horses, cannons, such but it also made me realize that there weren't as many people in the picture, as there were in the battle, but all the people in the picture, would be dead an even more in real life.
This trip also had many fun memories. I had a great time on the bus talking with my friends, and going swimming. We even got to room with close friends. This trip was educational, scary and a bonding experience. I had a lot of fun and I would hope that a trip like this would be offered to the future 7th and 8th graders.
At the Farnsworth house, my group was sitting in the basement. In the basement we listened to ghost stories. Earlier, we had been introduced to a few ghosts. Jeremy was a ghost who died at a young age. He was said that act how most young boys do. We were told that Jeremy liked pulling girls hair. Once we were in the basement, I felt my hair being pulled and I noticed it was the person I was sitting next to. I later felt something touch my face, and I felt my hair being pulled again. A little more annoyed this time I asked who I was sitting next to, to please stop pulling me hair. The person said they didn't pull my hair and I realized my hair was pulled on the opposite side from where they were sitting.
This experience was enough to make me believe in ghost because, Jeremy was said to do all of the things that had happend while I was in the house. I had heard stories that had happened to other people in the Farnsworth house. Some of the stories were not as believeable as others, but what happend to me was a personal experience, and I don't have to wonder about whether it happened or not.
Many fun things happened on this trip. Luckily I was able to have fun and learn a lot. Before the trip, we had researched many of the places we were planning on visiting, including Gettysburg. There was a very large battle that happened at Gettysburg and many, many people died. On our third day of the trip, we went to the Gettysburg Museum. There. there was a painting that covered the entire room. What made this painting so special was how big it was, and all the detail. The painting was also part of a show, you would hear sound effects and see things light up. This painting was filled with people, horses, cannons, such but it also made me realize that there weren't as many people in the picture, as there were in the battle, but all the people in the picture, would be dead an even more in real life.
This trip also had many fun memories. I had a great time on the bus talking with my friends, and going swimming. We even got to room with close friends. This trip was educational, scary and a bonding experience. I had a lot of fun and I would hope that a trip like this would be offered to the future 7th and 8th graders.
...I saw a shadow pass right in front of me.
Jon McMahon
On the immersion tour of the asylum my group started on the third floor, where our guide gave us some history about the place. We went to the cages where they washed down the patients, then we went to a room to do a flash light session. A flash light session is when you put down a flash that is just touch to turn on, then you ask the ghost a question then ask if the answer is yes to turn on the light. None of this happened in either of the rooms the our guide took us, until he said that if there is somone in our group that strongly does not believe in the ghost, that was me, i did think anything would happen. So I kept an open mind and later on the tour I saw a shadow pass right in front of me. My group was going into a room and I was always in the back which is the worst spot to be, but I got the chance to actually see a ghost. Although what could have happened, since I was keeping an open mind and started to want to see a ghost, in the dark there is not much to see, so mabye what I wanted to see appeared in my mind and it wasn't actually there.
On the history side of things, I liked at the museum of glass of all the different types of glass and how glass is made and how it was made. The most interesting was how Ford, the car company, came to the museum for a new glass that does not shatter. Although the museum did not come up with the idea of putting a thin piece of plastic that stuck to both glass pieces, that made it stronger and made it shatter resistance.
On the immersion tour of the asylum my group started on the third floor, where our guide gave us some history about the place. We went to the cages where they washed down the patients, then we went to a room to do a flash light session. A flash light session is when you put down a flash that is just touch to turn on, then you ask the ghost a question then ask if the answer is yes to turn on the light. None of this happened in either of the rooms the our guide took us, until he said that if there is somone in our group that strongly does not believe in the ghost, that was me, i did think anything would happen. So I kept an open mind and later on the tour I saw a shadow pass right in front of me. My group was going into a room and I was always in the back which is the worst spot to be, but I got the chance to actually see a ghost. Although what could have happened, since I was keeping an open mind and started to want to see a ghost, in the dark there is not much to see, so mabye what I wanted to see appeared in my mind and it wasn't actually there.
On the history side of things, I liked at the museum of glass of all the different types of glass and how glass is made and how it was made. The most interesting was how Ford, the car company, came to the museum for a new glass that does not shatter. Although the museum did not come up with the idea of putting a thin piece of plastic that stuck to both glass pieces, that made it stronger and made it shatter resistance.
Everyone in my group claimed that they heard something but Schyler and I didn’t hear anything.
Alex Pfeifer
The first stop for ghost hunting was the Farnsworth house. I thought that the Farnsworth house was kind of fun but not really that scary the only part that was scary was when we went into the woods at night and it was really dark. When we used the temperature scanners and pointed it over where the battle of Gettysburg took place we got negative numbers and when we pointed it towards the woods we got numbers in the thirties. I thought that the night vision binoculars were really cool. Some of the ghost stories that the guide told us were really sad like the one about an eight-year-old kid who died cause he got trampled by a horse. When the door on the attic opened without anyone being there I didn’t think that it was a ghost because it was an old building and I think that it was just the way the air flowed through the house it was a pretty old door too and it wasn’t very heavy.
The second stop for ghost hunting was the Trans-Allegany Lunatic Asylum. The Trans-Allegany Lunatic Asylum was really creepy, I wouldn’t call it scary it was just creepy. Everyone in my group claimed that they heard something but Schyler and I didn’t hear anything. I didn’t see anything either but I did move my flashlight over and I saw the shadow of the door move but I thought it was something else so I gasped and then Schyler pushed me in front of her and said “Oh my god Alex what was that” then I realized that it was just the door. I was kind of scared because it was really dark and I don’t like the dark and we were in an old building where a lot of people died. Overall I thought that the Trans-Allegany Lunatic Asylum was pretty cool. At the end of the tour I learned that in October they have a haunted house in there. I can’t even imagine that I was scared and I knew nothing was going to pop out imagine going in and knowing that things were going to pop out and try to scare you.
The battlefield of Gettysburg was a historical stop on the immersion trip. The tour guide showed us where each of the three days were fought. He also showed us a lot of the monuments that are there. We also got to go to an observation tower and look at the battlefield from above. The tour was kind of interesting but it was really long. I thought that some of the monuments looked really cool.
On the way back to buffalo we went to the Big Mac museum it wasn’t much of a museum it had a few glass cases with souvenirs from when it opened. When we were there they showed us the worlds biggest Big Mac. I didn’t really get the point for this part of the trip and didn’t really think that it was important. I don’t eat at McDonalds and I thought that the food was bad I don’t understand how people can eat their food without getting sick.
The first stop for ghost hunting was the Farnsworth house. I thought that the Farnsworth house was kind of fun but not really that scary the only part that was scary was when we went into the woods at night and it was really dark. When we used the temperature scanners and pointed it over where the battle of Gettysburg took place we got negative numbers and when we pointed it towards the woods we got numbers in the thirties. I thought that the night vision binoculars were really cool. Some of the ghost stories that the guide told us were really sad like the one about an eight-year-old kid who died cause he got trampled by a horse. When the door on the attic opened without anyone being there I didn’t think that it was a ghost because it was an old building and I think that it was just the way the air flowed through the house it was a pretty old door too and it wasn’t very heavy.
The second stop for ghost hunting was the Trans-Allegany Lunatic Asylum. The Trans-Allegany Lunatic Asylum was really creepy, I wouldn’t call it scary it was just creepy. Everyone in my group claimed that they heard something but Schyler and I didn’t hear anything. I didn’t see anything either but I did move my flashlight over and I saw the shadow of the door move but I thought it was something else so I gasped and then Schyler pushed me in front of her and said “Oh my god Alex what was that” then I realized that it was just the door. I was kind of scared because it was really dark and I don’t like the dark and we were in an old building where a lot of people died. Overall I thought that the Trans-Allegany Lunatic Asylum was pretty cool. At the end of the tour I learned that in October they have a haunted house in there. I can’t even imagine that I was scared and I knew nothing was going to pop out imagine going in and knowing that things were going to pop out and try to scare you.
The battlefield of Gettysburg was a historical stop on the immersion trip. The tour guide showed us where each of the three days were fought. He also showed us a lot of the monuments that are there. We also got to go to an observation tower and look at the battlefield from above. The tour was kind of interesting but it was really long. I thought that some of the monuments looked really cool.
On the way back to buffalo we went to the Big Mac museum it wasn’t much of a museum it had a few glass cases with souvenirs from when it opened. When we were there they showed us the worlds biggest Big Mac. I didn’t really get the point for this part of the trip and didn’t really think that it was important. I don’t eat at McDonalds and I thought that the food was bad I don’t understand how people can eat their food without getting sick.
I thought I saw something like a shadow but was not sure.
Gaby Baumgart
Ghosts Paragraph:
The Farnsworth did not really strengthen my belief in ghosts. Farnsworth seemed fake kind of and not as believable. It seemed like they wanted you to get scared and not find proof of ghosts. Before this trip I always thought of ghosts as just a scary story for fun not energy left from people or even animals, ghosts were a distraction made to scare you. In Farnsworth there were 14 ghosts that have appeared and about six or seven that appear more frequently. There were two children, one a eight year old boy named Jermany that died touching a horse while playing chicken in the road and is a tricker, and Sissy a five year old girl that died in the house. Then there was a maid Mary that loved taking care of the sick or pregnant and would give off a rose scented aroma. There was also a 13 year old girl that had an edge and would severally scare people. All the rest were men that fought in the battle of Gettysburg.
In the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum was more scary and creepy for me because it was more real there. When we got there we were split into four groups that each had a guide first we went to the children's ward.e where we met a five year old girl that was really nice that we communicated with, with a flash light and a K2 meter they say that in this wore that you can sometimes see things peeking out of door ways or going across the halls and I thought I saw something like a shadow but was not sure. We also heard voices on the floor where the drug addicts on. When we went into the hall for the most aggressive and when we asked if they wanted us to go we heard a "UH" noise that was not from us. And in the same hall the metal rods were answering us. This part of the trip changed my perspective from non-believer to undecided and close to a believer.
Historical/ Other:
Corning was a lot of fun and we looked all kind of different pieces of art and I got a glass flower there. In Philly we went on a walking tour of different historical places and that was very cool. As well as the tour in Gettysburg and the info we found out about the Battle was really cool and interesting. All together the trip was very fun and interesting.
Ghosts Paragraph:
The Farnsworth did not really strengthen my belief in ghosts. Farnsworth seemed fake kind of and not as believable. It seemed like they wanted you to get scared and not find proof of ghosts. Before this trip I always thought of ghosts as just a scary story for fun not energy left from people or even animals, ghosts were a distraction made to scare you. In Farnsworth there were 14 ghosts that have appeared and about six or seven that appear more frequently. There were two children, one a eight year old boy named Jermany that died touching a horse while playing chicken in the road and is a tricker, and Sissy a five year old girl that died in the house. Then there was a maid Mary that loved taking care of the sick or pregnant and would give off a rose scented aroma. There was also a 13 year old girl that had an edge and would severally scare people. All the rest were men that fought in the battle of Gettysburg.
In the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum was more scary and creepy for me because it was more real there. When we got there we were split into four groups that each had a guide first we went to the children's ward.e where we met a five year old girl that was really nice that we communicated with, with a flash light and a K2 meter they say that in this wore that you can sometimes see things peeking out of door ways or going across the halls and I thought I saw something like a shadow but was not sure. We also heard voices on the floor where the drug addicts on. When we went into the hall for the most aggressive and when we asked if they wanted us to go we heard a "UH" noise that was not from us. And in the same hall the metal rods were answering us. This part of the trip changed my perspective from non-believer to undecided and close to a believer.
Historical/ Other:
Corning was a lot of fun and we looked all kind of different pieces of art and I got a glass flower there. In Philly we went on a walking tour of different historical places and that was very cool. As well as the tour in Gettysburg and the info we found out about the Battle was really cool and interesting. All together the trip was very fun and interesting.
The scariest of all the places was probably the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.
Emma Goldman Ghost Immersion Blog
During our ghost hunting immersion we saw heard and felt many things. The scariest of all the places was probably the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. In the Asylum our group heard saw and communicated with ghosts through the K2 meter and we also communicated with them during flashlight sessions which was a time where we would put a K2 meter on the floor next to a flashlight and what would happen was if there was a ghost or spirit it would either drain the flash light battery to dim it or put energy into it to brighten it.
When we went to the Farnsworth House there were many ghosts but there unlike at the Asylum I did not feel at all threatened. At the Farnsworth House our group started by going to the basement for ghost stories. When we were in the basement we learned about three of the ghosts that live there, Sissy a five year old girl, Jeremy who was an eight year old boy who died when a lead horse jumped on him, and an old maid named Mary would take care of the people in the house. Many people say that Jeremy liked girls and women especially women who work with children and girls with blonde hair, what he will do if he likes a girl is he would pull your hair not hard but enough that you would be annoyed. He would also poke the back of your neck or even just your back. Jeremy is also known as one of the most active spirits in the house because of the sightings of his full body apparitions.
At the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum Many things happened but I liked the children’s ward the best because I didn’t feel threatened I just felt like someone was there with us and just wanted someone to talk to or play with, what you have to remember they were just kids. In the children’s ward our group not only communicated with a little girl named Lilly but we also saw shadow looking out the doors and running across the halls.
On our immersion we also went to the international classrooms in Pittsburgh where we learned all about the different classrooms all around the world. Like we went into to an old American classroom and an Indian classroom and even a German and Italian, and a Checkoslavien classroom. The whole trip was amazing and I would do it again if I could.
During our ghost hunting immersion we saw heard and felt many things. The scariest of all the places was probably the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. In the Asylum our group heard saw and communicated with ghosts through the K2 meter and we also communicated with them during flashlight sessions which was a time where we would put a K2 meter on the floor next to a flashlight and what would happen was if there was a ghost or spirit it would either drain the flash light battery to dim it or put energy into it to brighten it.
When we went to the Farnsworth House there were many ghosts but there unlike at the Asylum I did not feel at all threatened. At the Farnsworth House our group started by going to the basement for ghost stories. When we were in the basement we learned about three of the ghosts that live there, Sissy a five year old girl, Jeremy who was an eight year old boy who died when a lead horse jumped on him, and an old maid named Mary would take care of the people in the house. Many people say that Jeremy liked girls and women especially women who work with children and girls with blonde hair, what he will do if he likes a girl is he would pull your hair not hard but enough that you would be annoyed. He would also poke the back of your neck or even just your back. Jeremy is also known as one of the most active spirits in the house because of the sightings of his full body apparitions.
At the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum Many things happened but I liked the children’s ward the best because I didn’t feel threatened I just felt like someone was there with us and just wanted someone to talk to or play with, what you have to remember they were just kids. In the children’s ward our group not only communicated with a little girl named Lilly but we also saw shadow looking out the doors and running across the halls.
On our immersion we also went to the international classrooms in Pittsburgh where we learned all about the different classrooms all around the world. Like we went into to an old American classroom and an Indian classroom and even a German and Italian, and a Checkoslavien classroom. The whole trip was amazing and I would do it again if I could.
After that someone thought they heard “get out”
Schyler Norton 4/8/11
Post Immersion Blog
The first place we went ghost hunting was the Farnsworth house. We were split into two groups. My group went to the basement first. The guy told ghost stories to us and he was really funny. I was really scared though because he told us about all the dead bodies that were found in the house. I was holding Kendal and Taylor’s hands really tight. The guy told us about some of the ghosts in the house like a little 8 year old boy who would play tricks on people. He also told us about some of the experiences he had and some that people had told him about. He believed in ghosts and actually kind of made me believe. After that we went up to the attic where we got an introduction to ghost hunting, like what kind of equipment we would use and what we may encounter. After that we went out into the woods where we tried to communicate with some ghosts. We didn’t actually hear a voice or anything but, we used the heat scanner to look for cold spots and we found some so there could’ve been a ghost there.
The next place we went ghost hunting was the Trans-Allegany Lunatic Asylum. There we were put into our groups from Friday, which meant I was with Alex. We stayed together the whole time. The first place we went was the children’s ward where we did a couple flash light sessions and saw an orb on the floor. The guide said we were communicating with a five year old girl she had been talking to for the last two weeks or so. The ghost seamed to like Mr. Powell a lot. The next place we went was the most violent men’s and women’s ward. That was really scary because the guide told us about how two of the patients had joined together to kill another. We tried to communicate with the guy who was killed. When we were on our way out we asked if there was anyone with us and if there was could they make a loud noise. I did not want them to make a loud noise because I would like to believe that ghosts aren’t real so I can sleep at night. After that someone thought they heard “get out” and so we were about to when Alex moved her flashlight thought it was a ghost and screamed and in turn I also screamed. A lot. After that we went to the fourth floor where the drug addicts and alcoholics were. It was really scary because everyone thought they heard something but Alex and I didn’t hear anything. Then we went to the civil war wing. Alex, Emma, Miss. Sirri and I skipped that part.
The first historical place we went was Philadelphia, which was really cool we saw the Liberty Building and went to the Ben Franklin museum. After that we went on a tour of the battle of Gettysburg. It was pretty interesting. We learned about where the troops came in from and why they did what they did. It was really historical. My favorite place we went to was Pittsburgh that was a lot of fun. Our tour guide was really funny. He took us to the culture classrooms where each room portrayed a different culture. We also went on the Duquesne Incline, which was really scary, but pretty fun. We learned how it operated and stuff like that.
Post Immersion Blog
The first place we went ghost hunting was the Farnsworth house. We were split into two groups. My group went to the basement first. The guy told ghost stories to us and he was really funny. I was really scared though because he told us about all the dead bodies that were found in the house. I was holding Kendal and Taylor’s hands really tight. The guy told us about some of the ghosts in the house like a little 8 year old boy who would play tricks on people. He also told us about some of the experiences he had and some that people had told him about. He believed in ghosts and actually kind of made me believe. After that we went up to the attic where we got an introduction to ghost hunting, like what kind of equipment we would use and what we may encounter. After that we went out into the woods where we tried to communicate with some ghosts. We didn’t actually hear a voice or anything but, we used the heat scanner to look for cold spots and we found some so there could’ve been a ghost there.
The next place we went ghost hunting was the Trans-Allegany Lunatic Asylum. There we were put into our groups from Friday, which meant I was with Alex. We stayed together the whole time. The first place we went was the children’s ward where we did a couple flash light sessions and saw an orb on the floor. The guide said we were communicating with a five year old girl she had been talking to for the last two weeks or so. The ghost seamed to like Mr. Powell a lot. The next place we went was the most violent men’s and women’s ward. That was really scary because the guide told us about how two of the patients had joined together to kill another. We tried to communicate with the guy who was killed. When we were on our way out we asked if there was anyone with us and if there was could they make a loud noise. I did not want them to make a loud noise because I would like to believe that ghosts aren’t real so I can sleep at night. After that someone thought they heard “get out” and so we were about to when Alex moved her flashlight thought it was a ghost and screamed and in turn I also screamed. A lot. After that we went to the fourth floor where the drug addicts and alcoholics were. It was really scary because everyone thought they heard something but Alex and I didn’t hear anything. Then we went to the civil war wing. Alex, Emma, Miss. Sirri and I skipped that part.
The first historical place we went was Philadelphia, which was really cool we saw the Liberty Building and went to the Ben Franklin museum. After that we went on a tour of the battle of Gettysburg. It was pretty interesting. We learned about where the troops came in from and why they did what they did. It was really historical. My favorite place we went to was Pittsburgh that was a lot of fun. Our tour guide was really funny. He took us to the culture classrooms where each room portrayed a different culture. We also went on the Duquesne Incline, which was really scary, but pretty fun. We learned how it operated and stuff like that.
My favorite part was being able to see Benjamin Franklins grave
Marc Holzhauer
During this immersion we saw a lot of paranormal activity. Our first ghost hunt was in Gettysburg were we went to the Farnsworth House. Their were 3 major spots were we went which were the attic, the woods, and the cellar which was the basement. We saw some activity that night. My group first went to the cellar were we listened to ghost story’s. We had a very funny storyteller. He told us about some of the stuff that has happened down there and told us about the different ghosts that hunt there. One of the ghosts that died their was Jeremy. Jeremy is an 8 year old boy, with blue eyes, blond hair, and liked electronics. When I was down there I was a little creeped out but nothing major happened down there. A couple times I thought I felt someone touching my face, which Jeremy likes to do. After the cellar we went to the attic were a lot of activity happens. There was a different guy up in the attic with us, he got us ready for the woods and told us about the equipment. During this time the door would open by its self and we heard someone running up and down the stairs. After the attic we went to the woods, which were really creepy, so I didn’t go that far in the woods. But with the laser thermometer I got some very low temperatures. Are second ghost hunt was in West Virginia were we went to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum which was really creepy. We had a cool tour guide, which showed us around. We heard some weird activities. For example we heard a big noise which we think was a cell shutting. We got a lot of flashlight stuff, and we were on the kid’s floor playing hidden-go-seek and Mr. Deitzer was looking for the kids and we heard a “yesss”.
We also did a lot of historical tours during are Immersion. For example we toured Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Gettysburg. I really like Philadelphia because we saw a lot of historical stuff for example the Liberty bell, Independence Hall, and Benjamin Franklin’s grave. My favorite part was being able to see Benjamin Franklins grave. Are next historical tour was the battlefields in Gettysburg. I thought this tour was a little scary, because so many people have died on these grounds. I also like how the tour guide showed us how they used to lunch the canons. Are next historical tour was in Pittsburgh were we had a very funny tour guide. I really likes seeing all the sports stadiums. I thought it was really interesting how Pittsburgh has so many bridges. I also like the incline because of the view. It was also interesting how it was so old.
During this immersion we saw a lot of paranormal activity. Our first ghost hunt was in Gettysburg were we went to the Farnsworth House. Their were 3 major spots were we went which were the attic, the woods, and the cellar which was the basement. We saw some activity that night. My group first went to the cellar were we listened to ghost story’s. We had a very funny storyteller. He told us about some of the stuff that has happened down there and told us about the different ghosts that hunt there. One of the ghosts that died their was Jeremy. Jeremy is an 8 year old boy, with blue eyes, blond hair, and liked electronics. When I was down there I was a little creeped out but nothing major happened down there. A couple times I thought I felt someone touching my face, which Jeremy likes to do. After the cellar we went to the attic were a lot of activity happens. There was a different guy up in the attic with us, he got us ready for the woods and told us about the equipment. During this time the door would open by its self and we heard someone running up and down the stairs. After the attic we went to the woods, which were really creepy, so I didn’t go that far in the woods. But with the laser thermometer I got some very low temperatures. Are second ghost hunt was in West Virginia were we went to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum which was really creepy. We had a cool tour guide, which showed us around. We heard some weird activities. For example we heard a big noise which we think was a cell shutting. We got a lot of flashlight stuff, and we were on the kid’s floor playing hidden-go-seek and Mr. Deitzer was looking for the kids and we heard a “yesss”.
We also did a lot of historical tours during are Immersion. For example we toured Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Gettysburg. I really like Philadelphia because we saw a lot of historical stuff for example the Liberty bell, Independence Hall, and Benjamin Franklin’s grave. My favorite part was being able to see Benjamin Franklins grave. Are next historical tour was the battlefields in Gettysburg. I thought this tour was a little scary, because so many people have died on these grounds. I also like how the tour guide showed us how they used to lunch the canons. Are next historical tour was in Pittsburgh were we had a very funny tour guide. I really likes seeing all the sports stadiums. I thought it was really interesting how Pittsburgh has so many bridges. I also like the incline because of the view. It was also interesting how it was so old.
...the door in the attic kept opening by itself and there was no breeze
Josh Bucher
I am really surprised that I found ghosts. I came into this trip disbelieving in ghosts and came out of this trip fully believing in ghosts. What changed my mind is that we heard stories and in all of the stories the ghost was described the same by all people. We went to the Farnsworth House for our first ghost hunt. We found some proof there. Like the door in the attic kept opening by itself and there was no breeze. Inside the Farnsworth House I was totally creeped out but in the forest I was fine. I didn’t find any ghosts in the forest but some other people did. In the Trans-Allegheny lunatic asylum we found so much proof. Like in the children’s ward we were talking to a five-year-old girl and that was our first room. We heard stuff in other rooms but I don’t think I got it because my group wouldn’t stay quiet. But besides that I liked exploring the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.The historical part was very interesting. I loved learning about Gettysburg and Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. I really enjoyed learning about the Civil War and the history of places. It was a very good learning experience and I wish I could do it again.
I am really surprised that I found ghosts. I came into this trip disbelieving in ghosts and came out of this trip fully believing in ghosts. What changed my mind is that we heard stories and in all of the stories the ghost was described the same by all people. We went to the Farnsworth House for our first ghost hunt. We found some proof there. Like the door in the attic kept opening by itself and there was no breeze. Inside the Farnsworth House I was totally creeped out but in the forest I was fine. I didn’t find any ghosts in the forest but some other people did. In the Trans-Allegheny lunatic asylum we found so much proof. Like in the children’s ward we were talking to a five-year-old girl and that was our first room. We heard stuff in other rooms but I don’t think I got it because my group wouldn’t stay quiet. But besides that I liked exploring the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.The historical part was very interesting. I loved learning about Gettysburg and Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. I really enjoyed learning about the Civil War and the history of places. It was a very good learning experience and I wish I could do it again.
We learned a lot of interesting stuff about Benjamin Franklin and his inventions
Nicholas Rey
This trip was very exciting. Before this trip, I didn't think that ghosts existed, but after experiencing the paranormal, I think that there is a good chance that they do. I think that there are different ways for a place to be haunted; scary, and creepy. I think that we experienced both on our trip. I think that the Farnsworth House was scary because a) it was our first time trying to find evidence of ghosts and b) because of the stories of the apparations that people have seen. Also, I think that Jeremy, one of the ghosts at the Farnsworth House was messing with us the whole time. Once, in the beginning, I think that he touched my hair, then he opened the door to the attic. The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum was just creepy because there were so many spirits everywhere, watching you. We had communicated a lot with them.
The historical part of this trip was surprisingly interesting. Normally I don't like historical stuff, but I found some of it very interesting. Our first historical place that we went to was Philadelphia. We learned a lot of interesting stuff about Benjamin Franklin and his inventions. In Gettysburg, we went to our first ghost hunt in the Farnsworth house. It was a place for Confederate sharpshooters to take position. There were many killed in the return fire, and supposedly their spirits stuck around. The Big Mac Museum was a bit of a disappointment. It was disappointing because I wanted to see the toys progress over the years, and they didn't have all of them there. Pittsburg was an interesting city because there was a lot of cool stuff there, such as the Duquesne Inclineand the National Classrooms. Both were equally as interesting, except the Incline got a bit dull at the end. The people showing us everything wanted to show us every little bit of the machinery and stuff.
This trip was very exciting. Before this trip, I didn't think that ghosts existed, but after experiencing the paranormal, I think that there is a good chance that they do. I think that there are different ways for a place to be haunted; scary, and creepy. I think that we experienced both on our trip. I think that the Farnsworth House was scary because a) it was our first time trying to find evidence of ghosts and b) because of the stories of the apparations that people have seen. Also, I think that Jeremy, one of the ghosts at the Farnsworth House was messing with us the whole time. Once, in the beginning, I think that he touched my hair, then he opened the door to the attic. The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum was just creepy because there were so many spirits everywhere, watching you. We had communicated a lot with them.
The historical part of this trip was surprisingly interesting. Normally I don't like historical stuff, but I found some of it very interesting. Our first historical place that we went to was Philadelphia. We learned a lot of interesting stuff about Benjamin Franklin and his inventions. In Gettysburg, we went to our first ghost hunt in the Farnsworth house. It was a place for Confederate sharpshooters to take position. There were many killed in the return fire, and supposedly their spirits stuck around. The Big Mac Museum was a bit of a disappointment. It was disappointing because I wanted to see the toys progress over the years, and they didn't have all of them there. Pittsburg was an interesting city because there was a lot of cool stuff there, such as the Duquesne Inclineand the National Classrooms. Both were equally as interesting, except the Incline got a bit dull at the end. The people showing us everything wanted to show us every little bit of the machinery and stuff.
We also went into a cyclorama ...it showed everything around you and it was a 360 degree painting of the battle.
Galya
On my immersion there were a lot of things that went on. On our first day we went to Pennsylvania and it was fun. What we did in Pennsylvania was we went out eating and it was good. Something else we did was go to Corning Museum of glass and it was pretty cool. I got my mom a present and I liked to see how old everything was and how they broke the glass and what they make the car windows out of. On our second day we went to Gettysburg and the ride there took forever but I had so much fun. When we went there we went on a walking tour and it was very interesting because it showed where Benjamin Franklin and the Liberty bell were. After we were done at dinner at Tommy's pizzeria, which was good, we went to the Farnsworth house which was a little freaky but not too much. It was very cold and after going on a hunt for ghosts, we then went to the basement of the house where we got told stories which were very creepy!! As I was in the basement I was very cold and idk why but I couldn’t stop shivering. On my third day we did so much; first we went on a bus tour of Gettysburg which was very sad and they told me that about 18,000 people died which can fill about a football stadium. We also saw how the canons work and how far they can shoot them. We also went into a cyclorama which was pretty sweet and it showed everything around you and it was a 360 degree painting of the battle. On that same day we went to West Virginia and at nighttime we went to the asylum which i really did not want to go to. I was very scared so i went in and the second i went in i felt so cold and scared. So we went to a children’s ward and we think we heard children’s foot steps which was very scary. I was so scared i thought i was going to cry!!! On my last day of immersion we went on the Dusquene incline and it was so heigh i don’t know what to think about it. i don’t like heights for some reason. i guess i had to go on any way. i was glad to be home i missed my family.
On my immersion there were a lot of things that went on. On our first day we went to Pennsylvania and it was fun. What we did in Pennsylvania was we went out eating and it was good. Something else we did was go to Corning Museum of glass and it was pretty cool. I got my mom a present and I liked to see how old everything was and how they broke the glass and what they make the car windows out of. On our second day we went to Gettysburg and the ride there took forever but I had so much fun. When we went there we went on a walking tour and it was very interesting because it showed where Benjamin Franklin and the Liberty bell were. After we were done at dinner at Tommy's pizzeria, which was good, we went to the Farnsworth house which was a little freaky but not too much. It was very cold and after going on a hunt for ghosts, we then went to the basement of the house where we got told stories which were very creepy!! As I was in the basement I was very cold and idk why but I couldn’t stop shivering. On my third day we did so much; first we went on a bus tour of Gettysburg which was very sad and they told me that about 18,000 people died which can fill about a football stadium. We also saw how the canons work and how far they can shoot them. We also went into a cyclorama which was pretty sweet and it showed everything around you and it was a 360 degree painting of the battle. On that same day we went to West Virginia and at nighttime we went to the asylum which i really did not want to go to. I was very scared so i went in and the second i went in i felt so cold and scared. So we went to a children’s ward and we think we heard children’s foot steps which was very scary. I was so scared i thought i was going to cry!!! On my last day of immersion we went on the Dusquene incline and it was so heigh i don’t know what to think about it. i don’t like heights for some reason. i guess i had to go on any way. i was glad to be home i missed my family.
At one point I heard footsteps in the hall, which was the scariest thing I’ve ever heard.
Aidan
The first day of immersion went by very slowly. We did too much driving and it was pretty boring. I was happy when we finally got to Corning. It was really cool watching the glass break. It was cool when the demonstrator heated a heat ring around the outside of a glass cup and tapped it and it cracked. Watching the people make the glass was also very cool. After some more driving we arrived in Philly and went to Jim’s Steak Out, I mean Jim’s Steak. Then we got to the hotel and went swimming for a little while, then went to bed.
The second day we went on a tour of Philly. We saw the house where the President would live before the White House was built. We also visited the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. I thought it was cool to see the place where our country was founded. In a few rooms the chairs that the Founding Fathers sat in were still there. After visiting Philly were drove to Gettysburg and ate dinner at Tommy’s Pizza. After dinner we went to the Farnsworth House for our Ghost Hunt. The moment I stepped into the house I could feel bad energy. However when we went into the woods I didn’t feel any bad energy. Nothing very exciting happened at the Farnsworth House until we were in the cellar. I heard the sound of someone dying right behind me. Then towards the end of the tour I saw movement behind the storyteller but I couldn’t tell what it was.
The Farnsworth House was nothing like the Trans-Allegany Asylum. Again as soon as I stepped inside I felt bad energy. No one had to tell me the place was haunted, I could already tell. Words can’t describe the feeling in place. I kept feeling as though I was being watched. At one point I heard footsteps in the hall, which was the scariest thing I’ve ever heard. We talked to ghosts by asking them to turn these flashlights on and off. I don’t trust the flashlights too much. But you never know. At the beginning of this trip I didn’t really believe in ghosts. Now I think it is much more likely that they exist.
The first day of immersion went by very slowly. We did too much driving and it was pretty boring. I was happy when we finally got to Corning. It was really cool watching the glass break. It was cool when the demonstrator heated a heat ring around the outside of a glass cup and tapped it and it cracked. Watching the people make the glass was also very cool. After some more driving we arrived in Philly and went to Jim’s Steak Out, I mean Jim’s Steak. Then we got to the hotel and went swimming for a little while, then went to bed.
The second day we went on a tour of Philly. We saw the house where the President would live before the White House was built. We also visited the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. I thought it was cool to see the place where our country was founded. In a few rooms the chairs that the Founding Fathers sat in were still there. After visiting Philly were drove to Gettysburg and ate dinner at Tommy’s Pizza. After dinner we went to the Farnsworth House for our Ghost Hunt. The moment I stepped into the house I could feel bad energy. However when we went into the woods I didn’t feel any bad energy. Nothing very exciting happened at the Farnsworth House until we were in the cellar. I heard the sound of someone dying right behind me. Then towards the end of the tour I saw movement behind the storyteller but I couldn’t tell what it was.
The Farnsworth House was nothing like the Trans-Allegany Asylum. Again as soon as I stepped inside I felt bad energy. No one had to tell me the place was haunted, I could already tell. Words can’t describe the feeling in place. I kept feeling as though I was being watched. At one point I heard footsteps in the hall, which was the scariest thing I’ve ever heard. We talked to ghosts by asking them to turn these flashlights on and off. I don’t trust the flashlights too much. But you never know. At the beginning of this trip I didn’t really believe in ghosts. Now I think it is much more likely that they exist.
This immersion was so fun! I learned so much about ghosts, history, glass, and inclines.
Caroline Connors 4.8.11
Blog Immersion
The first day of our immersion, we left for the Corning Museum of Glass. We arrived in Corning and met with our tour guides. We went to a show on how glass is broken and why it breaks. I learned about stress in glass. Then, we went on a tour of the museum, which was very informational on the history of glass all around the world, and we even saw glass from outer space. We also saw a glass blowing show, which was so cool. We saw molten glass that was the same temperature as molten lava.
We then started driving to Philadelphia. Once we got there, we went to a restaurant and then the hotel. The next day, we went on a tour of Philadelphia. We got to see Independence Hall (formerly, The Pennsylvania State House) where we saw the birthplace of America. There was so much rain on our tour. It’s always sunny in Philadelphia in my eye.
After Philadelphia, we drove to Gettysburg. We checked into our hotel and went to a pizza place. After that, we walked to the Farnsworth House Inn. We split up into two groups and our group went in the attic first. In the attic, our tour guide told us ghost stories and gave us a brief history of Gettysburg and the Farnsworth House Inn. We learned about a ghost named Jeremy; a little boy that died in the inn who goes doing things such as pulling people’s hair and untying people’s shoes. People then started untying other’s shoes. After the attic, we went ghost hunting in the woods of Gettysburg. At first, it was scary, but we started telling jokes to the ghosts and we got used to it. It was pretty fun. We recorded ourselves asking the ghosts questions and then looked back at the tapes to seek out any unusual sounds or answers. We then went to the cellar of the Farnsworth House Inn. Another tour guide told us stories about different hauntings of the inn. I was pretty sure that I saw the eyes on a statue blink, so I told the guide. He said that others had said the same about the statue that was of Abraham Lincoln. Some of the stories were hilarious, but then, Mr. Powell said that he heard heavy breathing coming from no one in the room. He believed that it was a ghost, but we did not hear any breathing in the tapes when we listened to them later.
After the Farnsworth Inn, we went to the hotel and went to bed. The next day, we went on a tour of the battlefield where the Battle of Gettysburg was fought. That tour was very interesting. There were monuments to climb on, and I took some pictures there. We learned that 51,000 people died in the battle and somewhere between 400-500 dead bodies are still lying under the field. That was very interesting to me.
After Gettysburg, we went to a grand picket buffet and started heading towards West Virginia. This was about a four-hour bus ride.
Once in West Virginia, our bus driver found our restaurant and we ate dinner there. We then went to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. We broke up into four groups and started hunting. We first went to the Civil War ward, where we talked to a ghost named Jacob. He seemed nice, so we told him that he could follow us for the rest of our tour if he wanted to and he said that he wanted to by turning on a flashlight. We visited the children’s ward, the dance hall, the violent patient’s ward, and the section of the Asylum where the workers lived. We did basically the same thing that we did in the Civil War ward, but then we arrived at the last ward. The tour guide told us about a whistling ghost, so we started whistling to it. Then, we heard it while back at us! It was amazing! I’m not quite sure of an explanation for the sound we heard, other than it being a ghost. The Asylum was so cool, but kind of scary!
After the Asylum, we went back to our hotel and went to bed. We woke up the next morning and drove to the Big Mac museum. There is nothing I learned there that I feel like writing about. It was a big McDonald’s with a timeline. The manager of the McDonald’s told us to ask her a difficult question because she was so confident she could answer it. I was the first person to ask her a question and she did not, in fact, know the answer. I asked her who holds the world record for eating the most Big Macs.
We then went to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There, we met our tour guide, Woody. He took us to a building at Pittsburgh State University. We saw the International Classrooms display. We saw classrooms that were supposed to represent Czech Republic, Italy, Germany, and we saw an old colonial-style house. The tour guide asked me to go into a closet where I found a secret door and light that lead to a secret room. This was supposed to be an authentic room where people would hide their wives and mothers, so that they did not get caught if people thought that they were witches. This was very interesting!
We then went to the Duquesne Incline. We rode it up to the top of the hill, went on a short tour that showed us how the incline works, saw the view of Pittsburgh, rode it down to the bottom, and got back on the bus. Our tour guide left and our bus headed back to Buffalo, New York.
This immersion was so fun! I learned so much about ghosts, history, glass, and inclines.
Blog Immersion
The first day of our immersion, we left for the Corning Museum of Glass. We arrived in Corning and met with our tour guides. We went to a show on how glass is broken and why it breaks. I learned about stress in glass. Then, we went on a tour of the museum, which was very informational on the history of glass all around the world, and we even saw glass from outer space. We also saw a glass blowing show, which was so cool. We saw molten glass that was the same temperature as molten lava.
We then started driving to Philadelphia. Once we got there, we went to a restaurant and then the hotel. The next day, we went on a tour of Philadelphia. We got to see Independence Hall (formerly, The Pennsylvania State House) where we saw the birthplace of America. There was so much rain on our tour. It’s always sunny in Philadelphia in my eye.
After Philadelphia, we drove to Gettysburg. We checked into our hotel and went to a pizza place. After that, we walked to the Farnsworth House Inn. We split up into two groups and our group went in the attic first. In the attic, our tour guide told us ghost stories and gave us a brief history of Gettysburg and the Farnsworth House Inn. We learned about a ghost named Jeremy; a little boy that died in the inn who goes doing things such as pulling people’s hair and untying people’s shoes. People then started untying other’s shoes. After the attic, we went ghost hunting in the woods of Gettysburg. At first, it was scary, but we started telling jokes to the ghosts and we got used to it. It was pretty fun. We recorded ourselves asking the ghosts questions and then looked back at the tapes to seek out any unusual sounds or answers. We then went to the cellar of the Farnsworth House Inn. Another tour guide told us stories about different hauntings of the inn. I was pretty sure that I saw the eyes on a statue blink, so I told the guide. He said that others had said the same about the statue that was of Abraham Lincoln. Some of the stories were hilarious, but then, Mr. Powell said that he heard heavy breathing coming from no one in the room. He believed that it was a ghost, but we did not hear any breathing in the tapes when we listened to them later.
After the Farnsworth Inn, we went to the hotel and went to bed. The next day, we went on a tour of the battlefield where the Battle of Gettysburg was fought. That tour was very interesting. There were monuments to climb on, and I took some pictures there. We learned that 51,000 people died in the battle and somewhere between 400-500 dead bodies are still lying under the field. That was very interesting to me.
After Gettysburg, we went to a grand picket buffet and started heading towards West Virginia. This was about a four-hour bus ride.
Once in West Virginia, our bus driver found our restaurant and we ate dinner there. We then went to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. We broke up into four groups and started hunting. We first went to the Civil War ward, where we talked to a ghost named Jacob. He seemed nice, so we told him that he could follow us for the rest of our tour if he wanted to and he said that he wanted to by turning on a flashlight. We visited the children’s ward, the dance hall, the violent patient’s ward, and the section of the Asylum where the workers lived. We did basically the same thing that we did in the Civil War ward, but then we arrived at the last ward. The tour guide told us about a whistling ghost, so we started whistling to it. Then, we heard it while back at us! It was amazing! I’m not quite sure of an explanation for the sound we heard, other than it being a ghost. The Asylum was so cool, but kind of scary!
After the Asylum, we went back to our hotel and went to bed. We woke up the next morning and drove to the Big Mac museum. There is nothing I learned there that I feel like writing about. It was a big McDonald’s with a timeline. The manager of the McDonald’s told us to ask her a difficult question because she was so confident she could answer it. I was the first person to ask her a question and she did not, in fact, know the answer. I asked her who holds the world record for eating the most Big Macs.
We then went to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There, we met our tour guide, Woody. He took us to a building at Pittsburgh State University. We saw the International Classrooms display. We saw classrooms that were supposed to represent Czech Republic, Italy, Germany, and we saw an old colonial-style house. The tour guide asked me to go into a closet where I found a secret door and light that lead to a secret room. This was supposed to be an authentic room where people would hide their wives and mothers, so that they did not get caught if people thought that they were witches. This was very interesting!
We then went to the Duquesne Incline. We rode it up to the top of the hill, went on a short tour that showed us how the incline works, saw the view of Pittsburgh, rode it down to the bottom, and got back on the bus. Our tour guide left and our bus headed back to Buffalo, New York.
This immersion was so fun! I learned so much about ghosts, history, glass, and inclines.
We had a conversation with a few ghosts, heard footsteps.
Liana
Over the past four days we have traveled from Buffalo, New York to Pennsylvania to West Virginia. Our first stop was Corning Museum of Glass. When we got there we got organized into groups and assigned a guide. Then we were given a tour of the museum. It was very interesting. After the tour we learned how they make the glass objects. Then we ate lunch and headed back to the bus. After that it was a very long ride to Philadelphia. The bus ride was very boring. When we finally arrived at Jim’s Steak in Philly we were all famished. When we got off the bus it was beautiful out! It was 75 degrees and very sunny. It was definitely a pleasant surprise. After eating we headed to the hotel. Once we put our stuff away we got to go swimming. It was so much fun! It was so warm there that the ceiling windows over the pool retracted so there wasn’t any roof. I had a great time! The next day we got a tour of Philly. We saw the Liberty Bell, Ben Franklin’s house and grave, Independence Hall and so many other wonderful historic sites. The only bad part of the tour was the fact that it was a walking tour and it was pouring out. The wind and rain were so strong that when I tried to use my umbrella it snapped backwards! After the walk we got on the bus and started to drive to Gettysburg. On the way we stopped for lunch and I had an amazing chocolate gelato. When we arrived we went to Tommy’s Pizzeria and had an amazing dinner. Then we walked over to the Farnsworth House for our first ghost hunt of the trip. I had so much fun! We started in the attic and while we were there the door kept unlatching itself and opening. Then in the woods we got some EVP’s and stuff. When we went to the basement we heard some breathing, saw orbs, and I saw a face in the exact spot and at the same time our teacher got a picture of an orb! After that wonderfully fun and scary tour we headed back to the hotel. The next day we woke up and headed to the battlefield for a tour of the place where a legendary battle took place. While there we saw the largest oil painting in the world. It was huge! After that we drove to West Virginia. We stopped at the Hickory House Barbeque. The food was amazing! I think it was my favorite meal on the whole trip. After that we went to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, or the TALA for short. There we had a conversation with a few ghosts, heard footsteps, and heard whispering. My favorite part of that trip was when we asked, “Do you want us to leave?” And at the very end of the word “leave” the flashlight turned on full-force and we hightailed it out of there! On our last day we got up and headed back to Pennsylvania. We went to Pittsburgh on the day the Packers were playing. We even saw the blimp! We got a tour of the National Classrooms and got to ride the Duquesne Incline, which was a little scary because I don’t like heights. Our guide, Woody, told us a creepy ghost story too. At the end of that we climbed back on the bus and headed for home. We arrived back at Park around 10:05.
I did believe in ghosts before the trip and I still do. Some of the evidence we got backs up my beliefs. I had a wonderful time and wish we could do it again.
Over the past four days we have traveled from Buffalo, New York to Pennsylvania to West Virginia. Our first stop was Corning Museum of Glass. When we got there we got organized into groups and assigned a guide. Then we were given a tour of the museum. It was very interesting. After the tour we learned how they make the glass objects. Then we ate lunch and headed back to the bus. After that it was a very long ride to Philadelphia. The bus ride was very boring. When we finally arrived at Jim’s Steak in Philly we were all famished. When we got off the bus it was beautiful out! It was 75 degrees and very sunny. It was definitely a pleasant surprise. After eating we headed to the hotel. Once we put our stuff away we got to go swimming. It was so much fun! It was so warm there that the ceiling windows over the pool retracted so there wasn’t any roof. I had a great time! The next day we got a tour of Philly. We saw the Liberty Bell, Ben Franklin’s house and grave, Independence Hall and so many other wonderful historic sites. The only bad part of the tour was the fact that it was a walking tour and it was pouring out. The wind and rain were so strong that when I tried to use my umbrella it snapped backwards! After the walk we got on the bus and started to drive to Gettysburg. On the way we stopped for lunch and I had an amazing chocolate gelato. When we arrived we went to Tommy’s Pizzeria and had an amazing dinner. Then we walked over to the Farnsworth House for our first ghost hunt of the trip. I had so much fun! We started in the attic and while we were there the door kept unlatching itself and opening. Then in the woods we got some EVP’s and stuff. When we went to the basement we heard some breathing, saw orbs, and I saw a face in the exact spot and at the same time our teacher got a picture of an orb! After that wonderfully fun and scary tour we headed back to the hotel. The next day we woke up and headed to the battlefield for a tour of the place where a legendary battle took place. While there we saw the largest oil painting in the world. It was huge! After that we drove to West Virginia. We stopped at the Hickory House Barbeque. The food was amazing! I think it was my favorite meal on the whole trip. After that we went to the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, or the TALA for short. There we had a conversation with a few ghosts, heard footsteps, and heard whispering. My favorite part of that trip was when we asked, “Do you want us to leave?” And at the very end of the word “leave” the flashlight turned on full-force and we hightailed it out of there! On our last day we got up and headed back to Pennsylvania. We went to Pittsburgh on the day the Packers were playing. We even saw the blimp! We got a tour of the National Classrooms and got to ride the Duquesne Incline, which was a little scary because I don’t like heights. Our guide, Woody, told us a creepy ghost story too. At the end of that we climbed back on the bus and headed for home. We arrived back at Park around 10:05.
I did believe in ghosts before the trip and I still do. Some of the evidence we got backs up my beliefs. I had a wonderful time and wish we could do it again.
We heard different sounds but nothing that clearly told us that ghosts exist.
Kendal Smith
We just got back from our ghost hunting immersion yesterday. They trip was a total of 4 days and 3 nights. My favorite part of the trip was definitely The Farnsworth House. I liked the Farnsworth House more than the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum because of the story telling in the basement. The man who told the stories was hilarious. I just liked the environment of the Farnsworth House more than Trans-Allegheny.
The first day that we left for the trip we had to get to Park at 6:30 a.m. I was so tired the morning that we left. I was the second person to arrive at Park. We left Park at approximately 7 in the morning. It took about 2 and a half hours to get to Corning. While we were there we went to the Corning Museum of Glass. I really liked the shows that we saw there. We watched a glass breaking demonstration and a glass making demonstration. After eating lunch we later departed Corning to travel to Philadelphia. We went to Jims Steaks for dinner and I had a hamburger. We swam at our hotel that night but the water was really cold so I didn’t stay in the water very long.
The second day we took a tour of Philadelphia. We had to be downstairs at 8:30 for breakfast. We later met our tour guide who was named Miranda. The tour was really depressing because it was raining the entire time. I thought that it was really cool that we saw the Liberty Bell. We also stopped at Independence Hall. The tour lasted about 3 hours. We stopped at the Philadelphia Art Museum and everyone ran up the stairs of the building. I didn’t understand why people were doing that until someone explained that it was from a movie (Rocky). We drove to Gettysburg and checked into the Days Inn. We had dinner at Tommy’s Pizza but I didn’t eat much because I didn’t feel good. We went to the Farnsworth House that night to go ghost hunting and listen to ghost stories. I loved that Farnsworth House. I liked how we got to go ghost hunting with a small group of our friends alone in the woods. We did get some readings on the K2 meter and on the temperature reader.
The third day we took a tour of Gettysburg. I liked the tour a lot because I learned a lot about the battle. This is where I took most of my pictures. I thought the view from the top of the hill was amazing. I did not realize how truly large the battlefield was. I learned a lot about the details of the battle like how many people died. I definitely learned different stories about the Civil War and how there were snipers shooting from the houses of the civilians of Gettysburg. We drove to West Virginia that night to go to The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. We didn’t check into our hotel until 10:45 at night. We checked into the Holiday Inn Express. That was definitely my favorite hotel. I was in Mr. Deitzer’s group for ghost hunting. We heard a loud crash after we asked the ghosts a question.
On the fourth day I just wanted to go home. I was very tired. I did think the tour of Pittsburgh was interesting though. I was skeptical on whether ghosts actually existed or not. I do not feel any differently after the trip. There was nothing that clearly showed me that ghosts exist. We heard different sounds but nothing that clearly told us that ghosts exist.
We just got back from our ghost hunting immersion yesterday. They trip was a total of 4 days and 3 nights. My favorite part of the trip was definitely The Farnsworth House. I liked the Farnsworth House more than the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum because of the story telling in the basement. The man who told the stories was hilarious. I just liked the environment of the Farnsworth House more than Trans-Allegheny.
The first day that we left for the trip we had to get to Park at 6:30 a.m. I was so tired the morning that we left. I was the second person to arrive at Park. We left Park at approximately 7 in the morning. It took about 2 and a half hours to get to Corning. While we were there we went to the Corning Museum of Glass. I really liked the shows that we saw there. We watched a glass breaking demonstration and a glass making demonstration. After eating lunch we later departed Corning to travel to Philadelphia. We went to Jims Steaks for dinner and I had a hamburger. We swam at our hotel that night but the water was really cold so I didn’t stay in the water very long.
The second day we took a tour of Philadelphia. We had to be downstairs at 8:30 for breakfast. We later met our tour guide who was named Miranda. The tour was really depressing because it was raining the entire time. I thought that it was really cool that we saw the Liberty Bell. We also stopped at Independence Hall. The tour lasted about 3 hours. We stopped at the Philadelphia Art Museum and everyone ran up the stairs of the building. I didn’t understand why people were doing that until someone explained that it was from a movie (Rocky). We drove to Gettysburg and checked into the Days Inn. We had dinner at Tommy’s Pizza but I didn’t eat much because I didn’t feel good. We went to the Farnsworth House that night to go ghost hunting and listen to ghost stories. I loved that Farnsworth House. I liked how we got to go ghost hunting with a small group of our friends alone in the woods. We did get some readings on the K2 meter and on the temperature reader.
The third day we took a tour of Gettysburg. I liked the tour a lot because I learned a lot about the battle. This is where I took most of my pictures. I thought the view from the top of the hill was amazing. I did not realize how truly large the battlefield was. I learned a lot about the details of the battle like how many people died. I definitely learned different stories about the Civil War and how there were snipers shooting from the houses of the civilians of Gettysburg. We drove to West Virginia that night to go to The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. We didn’t check into our hotel until 10:45 at night. We checked into the Holiday Inn Express. That was definitely my favorite hotel. I was in Mr. Deitzer’s group for ghost hunting. We heard a loud crash after we asked the ghosts a question.
On the fourth day I just wanted to go home. I was very tired. I did think the tour of Pittsburgh was interesting though. I was skeptical on whether ghosts actually existed or not. I do not feel any differently after the trip. There was nothing that clearly showed me that ghosts exist. We heard different sounds but nothing that clearly told us that ghosts exist.
...now I have become a little bit more skeptical.
Martina
Blog
Before we went on this trip I believed in ghosts, but now I have become a little bit more skeptical. I had been a little nervous to go ghost hunting at first. But I hadn’t really seen/heard that many things to prove that ghosts exist. I still believe in ghosts but not as much as I did before this trip. I did hear footsteps, breathing close to me, and I witnessed flashlights turning on and off when we went ghost hunting.
I really liked Philly and learned a few things about the history of America there. I learned that the Liberty Bell cracked when it was rang and had cracked more then once. I didn’t like how the tour was so long when it was raining outside. The hotel was also pretty good and we got to go in the pool. I didn’t really like Gettysburg because of all the cemeteries, but I found it interesting how big the battlefields were. I also didn’t like the hotel there, our room smelled like mold. I really liked West Virginia, I loved the drive through the mountains. The hotel was great there! The Asylum in West Virginia was pretty creepy, but I was surprised that we didn’t actually see a ghost. We only heard things that could be ghosts but other things could have created that noise. I didn’t like the last day because of the long bus ride. The long bus ride made me motion sick, when I got off the bus I could still feel the motion of the bus. I also didn’t like the incline and the tour they gave because it was very long. Even though our tour guide was very good the places we went to were a little boring.
Blog
Before we went on this trip I believed in ghosts, but now I have become a little bit more skeptical. I had been a little nervous to go ghost hunting at first. But I hadn’t really seen/heard that many things to prove that ghosts exist. I still believe in ghosts but not as much as I did before this trip. I did hear footsteps, breathing close to me, and I witnessed flashlights turning on and off when we went ghost hunting.
I really liked Philly and learned a few things about the history of America there. I learned that the Liberty Bell cracked when it was rang and had cracked more then once. I didn’t like how the tour was so long when it was raining outside. The hotel was also pretty good and we got to go in the pool. I didn’t really like Gettysburg because of all the cemeteries, but I found it interesting how big the battlefields were. I also didn’t like the hotel there, our room smelled like mold. I really liked West Virginia, I loved the drive through the mountains. The hotel was great there! The Asylum in West Virginia was pretty creepy, but I was surprised that we didn’t actually see a ghost. We only heard things that could be ghosts but other things could have created that noise. I didn’t like the last day because of the long bus ride. The long bus ride made me motion sick, when I got off the bus I could still feel the motion of the bus. I also didn’t like the incline and the tour they gave because it was very long. Even though our tour guide was very good the places we went to were a little boring.
I never knew how many people died in the battle, about 50,000 people were injured or dead in three days!
Wei
Ghost Immersion
When I went to the Trans Allegheny lunatic Asylum, I was nervous that I would see something and start to scream, but that didn’t happen. Once we were inside, it wasn’t as bad as I was told. I thought that I would hear many sounds or that a ghost would poke me. Instead it was quiet, once in a while I would hear whispers or a door slam, but that was it. The tour guide put a flashlight that was off on the ground and asked the ghosts yes and no questions. If the light goes on it is a yes and if the light doesn’t go on it meant no. The light went on many times, but it didn’t really scare me that much, I got used to it. The Asylum was kinda boring because there were not many interesting things going on, only the flashlight, but that got boring. In the last hour of the tour, I started to get cramps at the bottom of my foot so it was hard for me to walk. We also went to the Farnsworth House for two hours. One hour was spent in the basement and the tour guide told funny stories about people he has had in the past that involve ghosts. The other half we went into the woods and hunted ghosts. I didn’t really find anything, but when I was reading the temperature in the cemetery, the meter went into the negatives.
We took a tour of the Gettysburg Battlefield. I never knew how many people died in the battle, about 50,000 people were injured or dead in three days! I couldn’t imagine how their families felt when they heard the news that thier husband, brother or dad died. I also didn’t know how big that battlefield was!
The first day of our trip we went to the Corning Museum of glass. I thought that the sculptures were really cool but I was not crazy about the tour. I never really liked tours I just like to look around myself. I have already been to the museum so it wasn’t as interesting as it was before. I thought the gift shop was the best even when I was there before. I got a cupcake necklace. The gift shop was still exciting.
Ghost Immersion
When I went to the Trans Allegheny lunatic Asylum, I was nervous that I would see something and start to scream, but that didn’t happen. Once we were inside, it wasn’t as bad as I was told. I thought that I would hear many sounds or that a ghost would poke me. Instead it was quiet, once in a while I would hear whispers or a door slam, but that was it. The tour guide put a flashlight that was off on the ground and asked the ghosts yes and no questions. If the light goes on it is a yes and if the light doesn’t go on it meant no. The light went on many times, but it didn’t really scare me that much, I got used to it. The Asylum was kinda boring because there were not many interesting things going on, only the flashlight, but that got boring. In the last hour of the tour, I started to get cramps at the bottom of my foot so it was hard for me to walk. We also went to the Farnsworth House for two hours. One hour was spent in the basement and the tour guide told funny stories about people he has had in the past that involve ghosts. The other half we went into the woods and hunted ghosts. I didn’t really find anything, but when I was reading the temperature in the cemetery, the meter went into the negatives.
We took a tour of the Gettysburg Battlefield. I never knew how many people died in the battle, about 50,000 people were injured or dead in three days! I couldn’t imagine how their families felt when they heard the news that thier husband, brother or dad died. I also didn’t know how big that battlefield was!
The first day of our trip we went to the Corning Museum of glass. I thought that the sculptures were really cool but I was not crazy about the tour. I never really liked tours I just like to look around myself. I have already been to the museum so it wasn’t as interesting as it was before. I thought the gift shop was the best even when I was there before. I got a cupcake necklace. The gift shop was still exciting.
We saw several cities and the trans Allegheny lunatic asylum
Kieran Fowler Chapman
CC: Mike Deitzer
CC: Mike Deitzer
So my immersion trip was really fun. We saw several cities and the trans Allegheny lunatic asylum. This was the best part for me. We had several flashlight conversations with ghosts. we asked yes or no questions to the ghosts and they responded positively or negatively by turning the light on or off. I helped get answers out of ghosts that didn't know they had died. One conversation with a patient who was in the seclusion area (for violent patients) said he wanted us to leave by turning on the flashlight.
The storyteller at the Farnsworth house was really funny. He described how much someone swore by saying it would have made kanye west blush. He also had several really interesting stories. The woods around the Farnsworth house near cemetery hill were fun because we got to use night vision scopes.
Those events were the best parts of my trip and were really fun.
The storyteller at the Farnsworth house was really funny. He described how much someone swore by saying it would have made kanye west blush. He also had several really interesting stories. The woods around the Farnsworth house near cemetery hill were fun because we got to use night vision scopes.
Those events were the best parts of my trip and were really fun.
I liked the bus tour of the battle of Gettysburg ...The field was huge, and a mile long line of soldiers charged across it
Robert Parke
ghost part:
In the Trans-Allegany Lunatic Asylum, my group of people had a tour guide named copperhead. He started some flashlight sessions, and one of them worked (he used a new flashlight, so it would respond). I dont think it was all that wonderful, because the questions are phrased so that whatever happens to the flashlight, it makes sense (turn the flashlight on if you are a boy. If your are a girl, leave the flashlight off).
history part:
I liked the bus tour of the battle of Gettysburg, because I could see where everything took place, and I could understand the different things the guide said about the terrain better with the ground in front of me. I liked the view of the union "base", and seeing the field that the confederates charged in Picketts charge. The field was huge, and a mile long line of soldiers charged across it, and huge amounts of them died. It would have been/was a shocking amount of dead.
ghost part:
In the Trans-Allegany Lunatic Asylum, my group of people had a tour guide named copperhead. He started some flashlight sessions, and one of them worked (he used a new flashlight, so it would respond). I dont think it was all that wonderful, because the questions are phrased so that whatever happens to the flashlight, it makes sense (turn the flashlight on if you are a boy. If your are a girl, leave the flashlight off).
history part:
I liked the bus tour of the battle of Gettysburg, because I could see where everything took place, and I could understand the different things the guide said about the terrain better with the ground in front of me. I liked the view of the union "base", and seeing the field that the confederates charged in Picketts charge. The field was huge, and a mile long line of soldiers charged across it, and huge amounts of them died. It would have been/was a shocking amount of dead.
In Gettysberg I learned about the strategy that both sides used
Zeb Hare
In Gettysberg I learned about the strategy that both sides used, but I stilll want to learn more about the battle because on the second and third day the union was in a hook shape and I think the confederates could of sent a party behind the hook and attack from behind, but I want to learn more about military strategy because of this trip
Before this trip I was kinda skeptical about the existance of ghosts but after the Farnesworth house I started to believe in ghosts because during the story telling it felt like something was watching me and when in the attic the door would open without anyone touching it and I looked around for strings and there where none and at the Trans-Alleghany Lunatic Asylum we had flashlight sessions where we set up a flashlight and ask the ghost yes or no questions turning the light on and using the flashlight we talked to a couple ghosts one of which floated past a couple feet to the right of me because the k2 scanner went to yellow and then the flashlight lit up and we started talking with the ghosts
In Gettysberg I learned about the strategy that both sides used, but I stilll want to learn more about the battle because on the second and third day the union was in a hook shape and I think the confederates could of sent a party behind the hook and attack from behind, but I want to learn more about military strategy because of this trip
Before this trip I was kinda skeptical about the existance of ghosts but after the Farnesworth house I started to believe in ghosts because during the story telling it felt like something was watching me and when in the attic the door would open without anyone touching it and I looked around for strings and there where none and at the Trans-Alleghany Lunatic Asylum we had flashlight sessions where we set up a flashlight and ask the ghost yes or no questions turning the light on and using the flashlight we talked to a couple ghosts one of which floated past a couple feet to the right of me because the k2 scanner went to yellow and then the flashlight lit up and we started talking with the ghosts
While we were listening, we heard footsteps on the stairs and the door swung open.
Robert Gregg
On this trip we saw some interesting stuff in the paranormal field. Like in the Farnsworth house we listened to a guide talk about all the different experiences he had in the house. While we were listening, we heard footsteps on the stairs and the door swung open. We closed it several times but it kept repeating. The guide thought it was a ghost named Jeremy who died there when he was eight. We then looked for ghosts in the woods but found none. In the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum we found a lot of paranormal activity. When we stood still and quiet, we could hear sounds behind doors and faint whispers in the air. When we asked questions with a flashlight as an answer indicator, we got quick, distinct answers on the light or K2 meter. Mr. Deitzer got a photograph of what we think is a face in a hallway. The guide kept telling us about all the things she had experienced in the Asylum. The experience has changed my opinions on ghosts. I am now not so skeptical about their existence. That is most of the paranormal activity we experienced on this trip.
We also toured some historic sites and learned a lot about them on the trip. In Gettysburg we did a driving tour of the battlefield and saw a lot of the monuments erected by the Confederate and Union troops after the war. We saw all of the places on the battlefield where the major fighting happened and where the confederates were driven back for a Union victory. In the Farnsworth house we learned that the only civilian who died in the battle died in that house. Also, 18 Confederate sharpshooters died in that house, and it served as a field hospital and all the corpses had been dragged to the basement. There were bullet holes all over one wall where Union soldiers had shot back at the sharpshooters in the house. When we visited Pittsburgh we rode the Duquesne Incline, which was built in the late 1800s to provide easy transport up Mt. Washington. And in Philadelphia we toured Independence Hall and saw Benjamin Franklin's house (or where it had been) We saw where the Constitution and Declaration of Independence were negotiated and signed. We also saw the liberty bell, which rang to announce the reading of the Declaration of Independence on July eighth.
On this trip we saw some interesting stuff in the paranormal field. Like in the Farnsworth house we listened to a guide talk about all the different experiences he had in the house. While we were listening, we heard footsteps on the stairs and the door swung open. We closed it several times but it kept repeating. The guide thought it was a ghost named Jeremy who died there when he was eight. We then looked for ghosts in the woods but found none. In the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum we found a lot of paranormal activity. When we stood still and quiet, we could hear sounds behind doors and faint whispers in the air. When we asked questions with a flashlight as an answer indicator, we got quick, distinct answers on the light or K2 meter. Mr. Deitzer got a photograph of what we think is a face in a hallway. The guide kept telling us about all the things she had experienced in the Asylum. The experience has changed my opinions on ghosts. I am now not so skeptical about their existence. That is most of the paranormal activity we experienced on this trip.
We also toured some historic sites and learned a lot about them on the trip. In Gettysburg we did a driving tour of the battlefield and saw a lot of the monuments erected by the Confederate and Union troops after the war. We saw all of the places on the battlefield where the major fighting happened and where the confederates were driven back for a Union victory. In the Farnsworth house we learned that the only civilian who died in the battle died in that house. Also, 18 Confederate sharpshooters died in that house, and it served as a field hospital and all the corpses had been dragged to the basement. There were bullet holes all over one wall where Union soldiers had shot back at the sharpshooters in the house. When we visited Pittsburgh we rode the Duquesne Incline, which was built in the late 1800s to provide easy transport up Mt. Washington. And in Philadelphia we toured Independence Hall and saw Benjamin Franklin's house (or where it had been) We saw where the Constitution and Declaration of Independence were negotiated and signed. We also saw the liberty bell, which rang to announce the reading of the Declaration of Independence on July eighth.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Any anomalies in this photo?
Mr. Deitzer's Final Blog
Day 4 This is a sad day indeed. There is no more ghost hunting left. However, there are some interesting sights yet to see. After breakfast, we loaded the bus and left West Virginia. For lunch, we stopped at the Big Mac Museum. I thought that this place was a McDonald's museum, giving the history of the franchise. Rather, it was a restaurant that pays homage to the Big Mac. The creator of the sandwich owns that restaurant and as ran it for over 40 years. His children and grandchildren has turned this McDonald's to honor their father and grandfather. In the end, I can now say that I ate a Big Mac at the Big Mac Museum. Right after lunch, we stopped at nearby Pittsburgh. There, we picked up Woody, who took us on a tour of the city. He showed us many the popular buildings, especially the building where Mr. Roger's neighborhood was shot. He took us into the University of Pittsburgh to tour the national classrooms. These rooms are decorated by various artists to display authentic classrooms in various countries. We went to the Czechoslovakian, Italian, German, and Early American rooms. I cannot picture being in one of these classrooms as a student trying to focus on a lesson. I would be way to distracted. After the National Classrooms, we rode the Duquesene Incline. This Incline was made for coal miners who had to travel up the hill to go to work. Instead of taking the 14,000 stairs, they would take the Incline. This rail is a true testament to ingenuity of American engineering. The Incline was built in the 1800s and is still used today. The only thing that is different are the cables. They get replaced every 2 years for safety. It still works! Amazing. After the Incline, we headed home. The trip is now closed. I would like to thank all of the people who made this trip as memorable as possible. First, my sister planned the whole thing. She found the remote places that turned out to be gems (like Hickory House BBQ). She also dealt with last minute changes to the schedule. Second, I could have not done any of this without a strong support of teachers. A big thanks to Mr. Steve Powell, Mrs. Tammy Giancola, Mrs. Polaske, and Miss Scirri. Without any of you, this trip would have failed. I would like to thank the bus driver, Joe David. He was truly helpful and a great guy. He helped in all aspects besides driving. He was a true lifesaver. Also, he became an active member on the trip. He joined in all of the ghost hunts and allowed me to use the bus's radio to hear evp work. Also, I would like to thank all of the tour guides, from Corning to Philadelphia to Gettysburg to Farnsworth House to Trans-Allegheny Lunatic to Pittsburgh. They were very informative and somewhat interesting. Finally, and most importantly, I could not have done ANY of this without the students. You were great! The Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum's ghost hunters expressed the extreme pleasure with the group. I was so happy with the lot of you. Now, when the students read this, please go and thank your parents. Without them, you would have not been here at all. I have to say that I was truly invested in this program. I hope that the students and faculty enjoyed everything that they saw and heard. Perhaps now we will reconsider how we feel when we hear and see things that go bump in the night. Hello? Is there anyone here to communicate with me? I am not here to hurt you, only to communicate. I would like to thank you for your time and speaking with me. Please be at peace.
Thank you Mr. Deitzer for the great trip!
Thanks again Mr. Deitzer for all of your hard work tand for working with the myriad of logistical details you had to coordinate. Your personal enthusiasm and passion for this project really helped!For myself, I had a great time getting a chance to see some of our students step up at the critical moment. When the chips were down so to speak, they all delivered.
I am also impressed with their rational thinking in the face of overwhelming emotional stimulus. They were able to develop alternative theories as to the causal mechanisms of what their emotions, social pressures, and senses were telling them.
-Mr. Powell
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Mr. Deitzer's report, Day 3
After checking out of the hotel this morning, we went to the battle fields of Gettysburg. We started at the Visitor Center, where we watched a movie about the battle. It was very informative and well done (Morgan Freeman narrated it). After the movie, we went up into an observational post. This is not a post to see the outdoors, but to see a 360 degree oil-on-canvas painting of the battle. With lights and sound effects, we saw how the three-day battle took place. We boarded the bus and went on a 2 hour tour of the battle fields. I was in awe of the place. We started with the South's approach and moved over to the North's defense. Thanks to Gar who explained the battle to us. Words cannot express this solemn place. This three-day battle caused 51,000 casualties. To be in the place where men bled and fought for our country, I was truly humbled. If you have not been here, you must go and visit. The 4.5 hour bus ride was our longest one yet. We went through Maryland to get through to West Virginia. The scenery was beautiful. Going through the Appalachian Mountains was pretty cool, though slow uphill. We went to the Hickory House BBQ. Unbelievable! The pulled pork was delicious. Pulled pork, beans, apples, cole slaw, salad, and freshly made rolls, life does not get any better. Oh wait, they gave us a brownie sundae for dessert. Yum! Down the street, we met up at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. Awesome! This place is huge! I am so happy to have shared this experience with my fellow chaperons, the students, and the bus driver. Everybody experienced something. For me, my favorite spot was in a corner in the physical therapy wing. We started to communicate by using a flashlight. We discovered that there were over 12 spirits with us. I found out that there was a spirit by the name of "Mike." It was great to discover this. Our group guide, Chad, led us into the different wards, explaining how the inmates were treated. The students tried to communicate with the ghost children in the children's ward. In the end, the students did a great job! Even Chad commented on how well they were. I will post many evp's and visual pictures for you to listen and see. Help us explain the unexplainable.
University of Pittsburgh German Room
"Wherever they burn books they will also, in the end, burn human beings."
Heinrich Heine quotes (German Poet and Writer, 1797-1856)
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Mr. Deitzer's Update for Wednesday
Mr. Deitzer’s update
Day 1
What a night! There were two tornados that touch downed near Philadelphia. We got lightning storms and strong winds. I woke up early to watch some of the weather. While waiting for breakfast, we taught some students how to play euchre. I think that they need more time. Perhaps tomorrow morning.
After breakfast, we made our way to the inner city of Philadelphia. There, we met Miranda, who would lead us on a walking tour of the founding city. We started with the liberty bell, Independence Hall, Congress Hall, the Carpenter’s Hall (which is haunted, but we couldn’t go to the second floor), and the First and Second Banks of the United States. It blew my mind that we were in the same buildings as our forefathers. We walked on the same floors as Washington and Adams. What an amazing and humbling feeling! The tour ended with a trip to the greatest American’s (Ben Franklin) house. Not much remains of the house, but you could still see the all-important privy pit. We ended the tour with a trip to Franklin’s grave.
Before we left Philadelphia, we stopped at the Philadelphia Museum of Art for a quick run up the stairs. We all became Rocky Balboa for a moment! “Yo, Adrian!” An interesting side note, they built a statue of Rocky to put on top of the stair case. A short while later, the Museum moved the statue because more people were coming to see that statue and not the art. So, to keep the focal point on the art, they moved the statue to the side of the building. It is amazing how movies affect our daily lives.
After a brief check in with the hotel, we got ready for our dinner and our first ghost hunt at the Farnsworth House. We got to Tommy’s Pizzeria on-time at 6:30 pm. Once we sat and got our drinks, the pizza started to come, and come, and come! It was delicious! In fact, we have over four pies left over. Since we were done at 7:15 pm, we decided to walk to Farnsworth. It was a little chilly, around 50 degrees, but pleasant enough to walk up the street.
We arrived at Farnsworth a little bit early. I started looking at the building and noticed many bullet holes. There were over 150 known bullet holes on the outside of the house. These were the holes that the Union soldiers tried to kill the Confederate snipers. That’s when I knew that tonight was going to be a great night!
Before I continue, I would like to make something clear. Ghost hunting involves all of the senses and how we interpret what we hear, see, smell, feel, and “sense” (how you feel presences around you, like when your hair stands up on the back of your neck). So, what I am about to write is about what I felt. Each student will have their own story.
We met Cliff and MIke and split into two groups. My group went with Cliff up into the attic. There, he told us about some of the spirits that live in the house. Right now, they know of 14 different souls that live there. He told us of a boy named Jeremy who likes to untie shoes, tug on girls’ hair, and play small prank. Mary was a mid-wife and would gravitate to pregnant women and others in need. Her presence will be marked by a smell of roses. Then there is Isabella who dresses in all black and does not want you to be around, so she would charge at you. After these stories, Cliff showed us some ghost hunting equipment. While we were listening, the latch on the door lifted and opened! Our first sign! After reviewing the equipment, we went outside to the hill where Union soldiers were shot at by the snipers in Farnsworth. We broke into groups of two and went ghost hunting.
Stefano and I had a K-2 meter, my flip video, and a voice recorder. We walked into the woods and looked for spikes. Now, I thought my recorder was on, but when I checked later, nothing was recorder. Equipment malfunctions are a sign. (Our bus driver’s blackberry acted up as well). After finding a second spike, Stefano and I started communicating with the K-2 meter. We asked simple questions and waited for a response. We asked if he was a soldier and nothing showed. We asked if he was a boy and the lights blinked. We were able to get the K-2 meter light up to specific colors upon command. We have successfully communicated with a ghost!
Jazzed up, we went back to Farnsworth to meet Mike. He took us to the basement, where dead bodies were stored as soldiers died in the house. He told us many stories of personal experiences that he had and more on the spirits. He told us of Cecilia (Sissy), who was a little girl with blonde, curly hair. Sometimes, she would play with Jeremy.
Throughout the stories, the students said that they felt cold spots, itchy skin, hair pulling, and heavy breathing. I took a few pictures, and I think that I caught an orb. You be the judge.
We came back to the hotel around 11 pm. Excited, some students shared their experiences. I think more students are now ghost believers. What a night! I cannot wait until tomorrow’s trip to Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum.
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