Granger House

Arrival

The group arrived on location at 2:45 pm and met with Adam. Upon their arrival, a book signing event was in process in the parking lot area of the Granger House. In the meantime, the group took exterior pictures and group photos of the location while they waited for Adam and the event to complete. At 3:15 pm, the group was allowed to unload their gear into the house and set up base camp in the Dining Room. At 3:23 pm, Gravy started his control recorder for documentation purposes.

At 3:41 pm, Adam gave the group a tour of the house and provided them information of where claims of activity occur. At 4:07 pm, Noah and Gravy continued the tour with Adam in the Carriage House while the rest of the group remained in the house and began setting up their equipment. When the tour ended at 4:25 pm, Noah and Gravy joined the rest of the group back at the Granger House to assist in setting up.

A Sony FDR-AX100 4K camcorder was placed in the Music Room facing the piano and the entrance way into the Living Room. A white Zoom H1 audio recorder was placed in the Music Room alongside an orange EDI+ datalogger and a touch flashlight. The EDI+ datalogs and graphs on a timeline several variables including: EMF, barometric pressure, humidity and ambient air temperature. It also has a vibration sensor, similar to a geophone.

The touch flashlight is activated by two contacts being touched, thus completing a circuit and turning the light on. The touch flashlight is used in lieu of a flashlight that has had the battery compartment or on/off switch manipulated to function in a way that is not intended and as a result, can create false positives.

A Sony HDR-CX440 full spectrum camera was placed in the Living Room facing the Foyer and hallway leading to the front door.

A Sony FDR-AX53 4K camera was placed in the Foyer facing towards the Living Room. A Zoom H1 audio recorder was placed here as well and would be used to cover the audio in the Living Room and Foyer.

A Sony HDR-CX160 full spectrum camera was placed at the end of the Hallway of the 2nd Floor facing the bedroom doors. A Zoom H1 audio recorder was placed at the top of the stairs in the Hallway as well. A geophone was placed in the Hallway to document the claim of footsteps heard on the 2nd Floor. Custom built by PIM, the geophone senses seismic vibrations and has adjustable sensitivity. It was placed on the floor of the Hallway in case the claims of footsteps heard have any physical impact on the wooden floor. The geophone was also a good indicator of vibrations the building would endure throughout the night from passing traffic or trains, the investigators walking through the building, and any other vibrations that might be felt throughout the night.

A Sony HDR-CX160 full spectrum camera was placed in the Boy’s Room facing the rocking chair at the top of the stairs. In view of the camera, atop of another chair, a trigger object bank was set up. Trigger objects are miscellaneous items that are strategically chosen in hopes to invoke a response. The trigger objects placed on top of the chair were a baseball, a small horse, a Crucifix, a Bible, a cigar, a pair of die, whiskey, 1 bullet, a deck of cards (Jack of Clubs face up), a cigarette, and holy water. Baseline photos are taken before and after the investigation to document the starting positions of said objects. Placed alongside the trigger object bank was a touch flashlight and the DM X-930 Dark Matter detector.

The Dark Matter Detector is a device that measures EMF, temperature, barometric pressure and has a high quality audio recorder. This device also datalogs these measurements for later review should something occur and would need to be referenced.

The PIM Platter was also placed on the floor next to the chair where the trigger object bank was set up. The PIM Platter is a plate with letters (A-Z) and numbers (0-9) around the outer rim of the plate. A metal rod on a swivel in the middle of the plate is positioned in a neutral location of the rim. The premise of the PIM Platter is to allow something to manipulate the metal rod in the direction of a letter or number in response to questions asked by investigators.

A gray EDI+ datalogger was placed on top of the rocking chair in the event the chair would move, the seismic vibration would be datalogged by the EDI+.

A Zoom H1 audio recorder and a Mel-8704REM/SDD were placed in the Basement.

A Zoom H1 audio recorder was placed in the Carriage House.
At 5:45 pm, Gravy went around the house and took 360 degree photos of several rooms throughout the house. Meanwhile, Amber and Brandon took baseline EMF (electromagnetic field) readings and indoor temperature readings of the areas to be investigated throughout the house. These were taken with a single-axis EMF MEL-8704R.

At 6:12 pm, Amber, with the help of Brandon, took weather conditions using a Kestrel 3500 weather station. During this time, the rest of the group went around the house and began starting and time stamping all of their equipment. Time stamps, from a designated atomic watch, are used as a point of reference and make cross referencing easier during evidence review.

Environmental Data

At 6:15 pm, Gravy began to cover windows with a black 3mil plastic. This is done to limit light contamination coming into the building from outside sources that has the potential to cause light anomalies and/or eye tricks for the investigators. It was noted during setup, there were several mannequins placed throughout the house as decorations. Adam disclosed to Gravy they sometimes place a mannequin wearing a white dress in a window. This mannequin is often the subject of one of the claims of activity where people mistakenly experiencing an apparition of a women in white seen in the window.

At 7:00 pm, the group left the house to allow the recording equipment to get baseline readings of the house with no living humans inside. Baseline readings give investigators a baseline of the building to compare possible activity with. Since the group was not given a key to the house, Brandon stayed behind while the rest of the group went to dinner. Brandon remained in the carriage house and did a mini investigation via Facebook Live. This allowed viewers a sneak peek into how the group investigates and into the Carriage House where they would otherwise not get a chance to see.

The rest of the group returned with dinner at around 7:25 pm and ate outside the house. It was noted during this time, children were heard singing as a car passed on the street in front of the house. It was also noted there was a cat hanging around the outside of the building, neighbors could be heard talking from across the street and the cicadas could be heard clearly even when inside the house. At 7:57 pm, the group re-entered the house and started and time stamped their control recorders. Time stamps, from a designated atomic watch, are used as a point of reference and make cross referencing easier during evidence review. From this point on, PIM members are required to speak in full voice and tag any noise they make.

Tagging is the process of calling out noises investigators make during an investigation. Noises investigators make can be anything from bodily sounds, such as stomach or breathing noises, to external noises, like squeaky shoes, shifting or chairs creaking. Tagging is required from the moment a piece of equipment is recording to the time it is turned off. This allows for easy identification of noises heard when reviewing evidence. When an investigator makes a noise, it is their responsibility to tag it or say “that was me”.

Every member of PIM is equipped with a Zoom H1 audio recorder, which is used as their control recorder and Extech RHT50 datalogger. Control recorders are not only used as another recording device but also to document the sound contamination that an investigator might create during an investigation. Control recorders are started and time stamped first before any other equipment is started and they are turned off last to ensure any anomalous noises can be cross-checked. Control recorders are also placed in a Faraday cage, if possible. A Faraday cage is a container that can block EMF frequencies. The construction of the cage will determine how many different EMF frequencies the cage will be able to block. Faraday cages work by generating an external static electrical field which causes the electric charges within the cage’s conducting material to be distributed such that they cancel the field’s effect in the cage’s interior. PIM’s cages are designed to specifically block out FM, and some AM, radio frequencies from interfering with their audio recorders, thus creating false EVPs. The Extech RHT50 datalogger takes a temperature, humidity, and barometric pressure readings once a minute, and is used to try and correlate environmental data with any personal experiences an investigator might encounter during an investigation or anomalous audio/video data captured during an investigation.

At 8:00 pm, the group brought in their sleeping gear from the van and placed it in the Kitchen.

The group began the investigation by attempting to debunk the claim of the stick figure seen in the Living Room on the couch with the use of the SLS camera. Using a SLS camera acquired from, fellow investigator Kenny Biddle, the group wanted to use the camera to demonstrate how the camera can erroneously capture stick figures. PIM does not believe the SLS camera is a reliable device to capture paranormal activity. The stick figures often captured in SLS cameras is a design of the program to look for figures that can appear human in shape. With a limited light source and the use of infrared light, the camera searches for objects in a room that could appear to be similar to arms, legs, torso or a head and fills in the remaining body parts. Many investigative teams claim these stick figures to be paranormal in nature when in reality they are only a product of the camera’s software programming.

Unfortunately for PIM, the SLS camera’s software only works on Windows 8 or earlier and the computer PIM had with them had windows 10. After about 45 mins, the group decided to give up on the SLS camera and begin investigating.

Investigation

1st Floor – 8:57 pm

The group spread out on the 1st Floor and began the investigation by observing control silence, from 8:57 pm until 8:59 pm, before starting an EVP session at 9:02 pm. Tom and Marilsa sat in the Music Room. Gravy and Noah sat in the Living Room. Amber and Brandon sat in the Foyer. It was noted during control silence traffic from passing cars could be heard. The air conditioning could also be heard inside the house. Cicadas were also heard from outside and sounded like a constant hum.

An EVP (electronic voice phenomenon) session is the practice of asking questions and leaving ten seconds of silence in between, in hopes of capturing a response via an audio recording device. Rarely is a response heard by the investigator’s ears and when a response is heard by human ears it is called a disembodied voice.
It was noted during the EVP session there was light play from passing vehicle’s headlights reflecting off the glass surfaces in the rooms giving the appearance of movement and shadows throughout the rooms. Since the house was on the corner, the headlights came from multiple directions.

At 9:16 pm, the EDI+ in the Music Room registered a change in pressure with the blinking light indicator on the device.

No other activity occurred and nothing else was captured via audio or video recording devices. The group decided to move on to the next location.

Boy’s Room – 9:23 pm

At 9:23 pm, the group went to the 2nd Floor and attempted to debunk the moving rocking chair in the Boy’s Room. Noah stood approximately six inches from the chair and shifted his weight up and down without jumping. This was enough force to make the chair move drastically but it wouldn’t explain why it might appear to move on its own. Even just by walking passed the chair, the chair moved enough to be noticeable. Noah proceeded to cautiously step on various floor boards to see if one was loose enough to make the rocking chair move. It was quickly determined that the fourth floor board from the stairs was loose and stepping on it even from three feet away was enough force to make the rocking chair move. Multiple investigators of various weights stepped on the floor board. An investigator weighing 170 pounds from three feet away was able to make the chair rock but an investigator weighing 130 pounds from the same distance could not. By moving closer to the chair, less weight was needed on the floor board to make the chair rock. It is PIM’s opinion that an investigator could walk through the room and by stepping in the right location, make the chair rock thus giving the appearance that it is rocking on its own. Even stepping on the fourth floor board, walking to the doorway and turning around to look, the chair could still be seen rocking.

2nd Floor – 9:39 pm

From 9:39 pm to 9:41 pm the group observed control silence as the team members were spread throughout the 2nd Floor. Noah sat a third of the way down the stairs. Amber sat in the Girl’s Room. Marilsa sat in the Master Bedroom. Tom and Brandon sat in the Boy’s Room and Gravy sat in the Hallway outside the Sewing Room. It was noted during control silence vehicle traffic could be heard from outside. Tom claimed to hear a woman’s voice also coming from outside. A car playing music was heard passing by as well. Amber noted there was a lot of light play as cars passed by the house in the room she was sitting in.

At 9:43 pm, the group began an EVP session. After asking several questions, no response was captured during the EVP session. At 9:56 pm, Amber heard an exhaled breath to her right. This was not in response to any question asked and was also not captured via audio recorder.

At 9:56 pm, several single tone electronic beeps were heard from within the lower levels of the house. Thinking it was possibly the shadow detector, Gravy and Noah went downstairs to check their devices. It was not determined which device was making the noise nor was it determined it was any of the equipment that PIM had placed out.

This concluded the EVP session of the 2nd Floor as the team decided to take a short break.

At 10:03 pm, the group did a Facebook Live video to discuss their debunking of the rocking chair and talk about how the investigation was going.

The group decided to go to the Basement. At 10:18 pm, as the group was about to enter the Basement, a faint electronic chime was heard by a few of the members. The chime sounded as if it was further away. Gravy opened and closed the basement door to see if the sound was from the batteries dyeing on the sensor that was attached to the door. After further investigating, it was determined the sensor is connected to a chime found in a closed closet in the Living Room which gave the sound its faint distant attributes.

Basement – 10:25 pm

The group spread themselves out in the Basement. Control silence was observed from 10:25 pm until 10:28 pm followed by an EVP session. It was noted the air conditioner and vehicle traffic could be heard. The large window in the Basement was covered to remove light contamination. A piece of electrical tape was used to cover the blinking light on the smoke detector.

At 10:37 pm, Amber heard what she described as two heavy footsteps on the concrete floor of the Basement. This was also not in response to any question asked at the time and it was asked for the sound to be repeated with no response. No other team members heard what Amber had heard and could not confirm it. No audio recorders captured the sound either. After several questions were asked with no known response, the group ended the EVP session and decided to move out to the Carriage House.

Carriage House – 11:02 pm

The group situated themselves throughout the first level of the Carriage House. Tom and Gravy sat in the Stall Area. Marilsa and Amber sat in the Carriage Room while Noah and Brandon sat in the back Storage Area. Control silence was observed from 11:02 pm until 11:05 pm followed by an EVP session.

It was noted vehicle traffic could be heard passing by. People talking from the nearby houses, and crickets were also heard. A mouse was seen traveling around in the carriage area and it was believed there was a good chance there were others in the building.

The Carriage House is an out building and is not climate controlled. It is possible for small animals to enter the building. Although the group did not see any bats at the time, it is possible for them to enter the building. This is important to note when there are claims of feeling a breeze, shadow movement, or hearing the inhale/exhale of breathing. Flying animals that may not always be seen by investigators can be a natural explanation for these claims. No team members experienced any of these claims and no responses to the many questions asked were heard or captured via audio recorders.

At 11:20 pm, the group took a short break back in the Granger House.

1st Floor – 11:58 pm

Once again the group spread throughout the 1st Floor and began an EVP session immediately. Since control silence was observed during a previous session in this area, it was not needed again.

Noah and Amber sat in the Living Room. Brandon and Gravy sat in the Music Room. Tom and Marilsa sat in the Foyer.

During the EVP session, Gravy used a marquee app on his Amazon Fire 7 tablet to ask questions. Since there are no definitive knowns regarding the paranormal, Gravy wanted to test if maybe communication could be established visually. Gravy had preset several questions in the app. He would select one at a time and read them out loud once the marquee displayed the question, leaving ten seconds of silence in between each question. Reading the question out loud allowed the question to be documented on audio recorders should there be a response to the question on the marquee. This was done from 12:21 am until 12:25 am. There were no documented responses to the questions presented on the marquee during this time.

No other responses were heard or recorded during the EVP session so the group decided to continue the investigation upstairs.

2nd Floor – 12:21 am

The group sat throughout the 2nd Floor. Gravy sat at the top of the stairs. Tom sat in the hallway outside the Sewing Room. Brandon sat in the Girl’s Room. Amber sat in the Master Bedroom. Noah and Marilsa sat in the Boy’s Room.

To start the EVP session, Gravy did another session using the marquee app on his tablet. From 12:21 am until 12:25 am, Gravy played predetermined questions, reading it aloud once for recording purposes and waiting ten seconds for a response. After running through the list of questions and getting no responses, the team continued with asking questions.

At 12:32 am, Noah and Marilsa both described hearing a single knock on the carpeted floor of the room they were in. Around the same time, Gravy tagged himself shifting on the stairs. Thinking it might have been his movement that caused the knocking noise, Gravy shifted around again to see if it could be recreated. The noise was not recreated at the time and was too faint to be captured on the audio recorders that were in the Boy’s Room.
No other events of note occurred during this session, and the group decided to end the investigation of the main house.

At 12:48 am, the investigation was concluded in the Granger House. Equipment throughout the house was turned off and packed away. Everyone prepared their sleeping gear for the night. After Gravy, Amber and Tom finished setting up their sleeping arrangements, they returned to the Carriage House to further investigate while the rest of the team remained in the Granger House to get some sleep.

Carriage House 2nd Floor – 1:19 am

Gravy, Amber and Tom situated themselves on the 2nd Floor of the Carriage House. Gravy carried his Sony HDR-CX160 full spectrum camera and a battery operated IR light for illumination.

During one of their breaks earlier in the night, Gravy had reviewed a YouTube video of a team claiming to see shadows blocking out light coming through a window on the 2nd Floor of the Carriage House. It was noted there was a neighboring house with an extremely high intensity spot light that was on and directed toward the window of the Carriage House. The light also traveled through a tree before entering the window of the 2nd Floor. Slight breezes outside caused the branches to sway and would create shadows in the room. Also when having the window in your peripheral view as opposed to directly looking at it, any object blocking the light or cars passing by gave the appearance that something moved in front of the window from inside of the room.

The group observed control silence from 1:23 am until 1:25 am before starting an EVP session. It was noted vehicle traffic, bugs and Tom’s stomach settling could be heard. Popping sounds from the wood floor as it was settling from the investigators walking on it moments before could also be heard.
No activity occurred during the EVP session and nothing was recorded via audio of video during this time.

Amber and Tom went down to the 1st Floor while Gravy remained on the 2nd Floor to test the claim of footsteps being heard in the Carriage House. Gravy, weighing approximately 240 pounds walked around the 2nd floor. Amber and Tom noted it was easy to hear someone walking around above them. It was also noted there were large enough cracks between floor boards to allow light from below to come up through which could also play tricks on the eyes of investigators.

Gravy noted a spot on the 2nd Floor, opposite the stairs, that was not level and slightly gave under his weight that caused him to have a vertigo sensation. This fun house effect can give people an uneasy or dizzy feeling. The fun house effect can also play other tricks of the mind that are often interpreted as paranormal activity.
No events occurred and so Gravy decided to join Amber and Tom downstairs to continue investigating.

Carriage House 1st Floor – 1:54 am

In the Storage Area, Gravy stood by the opening between the Carriage Room and Storage Area. This was the spot where a full body apparition was seen in the Carriage Room through the opening. Gravy aimed his camera through the opening as the group performed an EVP session.
Amber stood in the Carriage Room while Tom was across the doorway from Gravy in the Storage Area.

At one point during the EVP session, Gravy directed his camera at Tom with the open door on the right side of the camera frame. Gravy turned his head to the left while asking a question and upon turning his head back to face Tom, out of the corner of his eye he saw movement in the view finder of his camera. At first, Gravy though he captured a figure moving away from the Storage Area and entering through the open door towards the stalls. After a few minutes of requesting for the same event to occur to see if they could capture it again, Gravy played back the clip to confirm what was captured. The results showed an orb falling from the top center of the view finder and moving towards the right of the frame towards the door before disappearing out of frame. It was determined this was just a dust particle being illuminated by the IR light and was captured on camera as a large object. Gravy saw the motion in the view finder out of the corner of his eye at the time, which gave the appearance of something moving through the doorway. This was not considered paranormal.

The group ended the investigation at 2:06 am and returned to the Granger House to retire for the night.

The following morning, the group packed their equipment into the van. Gravy and Noah did one last sweep around the Granger House to make sure everything was as it was when they arrived. They locked up the house, notified Adam of their departure and left.

Evidence

AUDIO: None
VIDEO: None
PHOTO: Due to the nature of photo evidence, PIM does not believe photos are true evidence of the paranormal. However, photos are taken for baselines and documentation of trigger objects starting positions.

Conclusion

This was PIM’s first time investigating the Granger House. We would like to thank Sarah and Adam for the accommodations and being flexible with our schedule. The Granger House was unfortunate to suffer damage from a storm a week after PIM had investigated. We hope the museum will return to full functionality so PIM can visit again in the future to investigate this beautiful location. Although PIM had not captured any evidence of the paranormal during our investigation, we hope to return to continue our study of this historic location.