Haunted Mohawk Valley

The History Press

Contents

THE STANLEY THEATER

Utica, New York, November 2008

The marquee in front of the Stanley Theater noted, "Players of Utica Presents Scrooge, December 12th," yet it wasn't a live actor show I was there for, but rather a performance of another kind — a performance of the spiritual, one on electronic magnetic field (EMF) recorders, digital tape recorders in the form of electronic voice phenomena (EVP), motion detectors and digital film. It was to be a theater of the ghost.

The Stanley Theater was opened on September 10, 1928, and is located in Utica, New York. It is one of the city's downtown landmarks. The architect, Thomas Lamb, designed the 2,945-seat theater with "Mexican Baroque" styling. The interior is a lavish display of gold leaf columns and staircases adorned with cherubs, lions and Indians. The staircases are wide and inviting, with the legendary "Grand Staircase" possibly designed to represent the grand staircase on the ocean liner Titanic. The elegant, brooding and rich interior is complemented by the jutting Art Deco marquee, inviting all lovers of entertainment into the Stanley Theater's artistic bosom. The Central New York Community Arts Council Inc. (CNYCAC) purchased the Stanley Theater in 1974 and has upgraded all facets of the operation, from electrical and safety systems and the new carpeting that replicates the original patterns to the plush, velvet-covered patron seats.

The Stanley Theater moved beyond being just a place to show movies when it started hosting live events with Munson-Williams-Proctor Institute, Broadway Theater League, the Utica Symphony and the Mohawk Valley Ballet, all displaying world-class entertainers.

The Stanley Theater sits in the heart of downtown Utica, New York, a city that was incorporated in 1832 and has more than sixty thousand residents in the midst of the Mohawk Valley of Central New York. It's a marvel inside and out, and the CNYCAC granted permission to the Ghost Seekers of Central New York to conduct the first-ever spiritual investigation of the theater. The Stanley Theater has enthralled and entertained hundreds of thousands of Central New Yorkers and has hosted hundreds of world-class entertainers since its establishment, including a skinny boy who watched Star Wars for the first time for one dollar in the late 1970s. I was hoping that the Stanley Theater would be a hotbed of psychic and otherworldly activity, especially those spirits that so enjoyed the theater in this world that they wished to continue their theatrical pursuits in another.

The Stanley Theater has had a long reputation of being haunted, especially the legendary "ghost row," which is the last row straight from the stage, seats 101 through 113. Tales have been told of one haunted seat in this row that has never been sold, although this is an urban legend. The reason surmised for this being called "ghost row" comes from the olden days, when men greased their hair back. They would then lean their heads against the wallpaper, thus leaving a smeared head print. This remnant would look like ghosts sitting across the back aisle. In the current remodel, a piece of Plexiglas has been set in place so this will not be repeated. This, along with the fact that there are thirteen seats in this row, has fueled the stories. The Ghost Seekers of CNY informed me that tales and legends can be sometimes cause fact to lie behind the myth. We were about to find out if the Stanley Theater was truly haunted.

The late afternoon of November 15 was one during which torrential rain and wind tore across the Mohawk Valley in the midst of a balmy fifty-seven degrees, making darkness hit Utica at 4:30 p.m.. The wake of the storm left a gibbous moon lighting up the sky as slivers of wispy clouds sliced across the lunar glow, enhanced by mist and fog rising up, creating a foreshadow of things to come. I arrived at the Stanley Theater at 9:00 p.m., and the Ghost Seekers of CNY members were setting up their equipment. I was greeted by the night watchman, Bob, a tattoo-covered man with a sweet smile and an accommodating attitude. He allowed Bernadette and the rest of the team to come and go and set up their equipment with no interference. The other members of the team, Len, Ed, Kathy, David and a special observer, Linda*, greeted me with a smile. Bernadette stated that the geomagnetic field was strong, which could mean a positive hunt.

The Ghost Seekers of Central New York had arrived armed to scour the historic landmark for spirits, ready to perform in the Mexican Baroque theater that had never once been investigated for ghosts since its opening in 1928. The team members were wearing identical khaki vests with a multitude of pockets filled with flashlights, recording devices, batteries and hand-held thermal guns. I walked in as newlyweds were posing for pictures on the grand staircase with their wedding party. I wondered what they thought as cameras were being set up and wires strung?

Bernadette informed me that when the ghost seekers were in the theater earlier to do a walkthrough, they videotaped the entire event. Upon reviewing the footage, they found that they had captured an image of a shadowy figure at the bottom of the stairs that leads to the basement ladies' room. They were unable to debunk or re-create this shadow figure. I had a feeling that this would be a hot spot and that I was soon to get the thrill of a lifetime in the same area.

While the team went about setting up the equipment with military-like precision, I wandered a little bit with my mind open and my heart ready to embrace anything that happened to come my way. I went up to the balcony area of seats and watched Bernadette and Kathy walking across the stage, talking and pointing up to the area where I was standing. I was by exit no. 5 when I felt a cool chill hit me across the back of my neck that made the hairs rise on my arms. I turned, but there was nothing there. I felt all over for any kind of air blowing, yet there was nothing. I took a step and the chill was gone, only to return when I went back through the same spot. When I met Bernadette downstairs, I mentioned my feelings, and she marveled that she had the same feeling toward that upper-right corner — she was pointing at something when I had my experience.

Dave, Ed, Len, Kathy, Bernadette, Linda and I all held hands in a circle for the team's opening prayer. I felt comfortable and safe as Bernadette recited a prayer: Holy Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our safeguard against the wickedness and snares of the devil, and do thou prince of the heavenly host, by the power of God, cast into hell Satan and all the evil spirits who wander the world seeking the ruin of souls. Amen.

Ed finished her sentiments, asking only friendly spirits to reveal themselves and assuring them that we meant no harm. I felt that this was a great way to begin my first-ever ghost investigation. Many years earlier, I had been on a ghost hunt with another passionate group of spiritual hunters, yet it had been nothing like being with the Ghost Seekers of CNY. This was scientific, technical, serious and thrilling. They had me, the amateur, in their midst, yet they were steadfast and had their game faces on. There would be no tomfoolery.

The amount of equipment set up was staggering. The digital cameras were set up at the bottom of the grand staircase shooting upward, one in each aisle filming the stage, one in the basement ladies' room and a wireless camera on the stage shooting up to the right corner where I had felt a chill and where Bernadette's senses had spiked. Wiring from each snaked into the lobby, where a large split-screen monitor showed the view while a hard drive burned the images onto a DVD. I tried to make myself useful by taping the wiring down on the floor so that we wouldn't trip and knock a camera to the floor in the dark. Each ghost seeker carried a flashlight, extra batteries, a two-way radio tuned to channel 7, a hand-held electromagnetic indicator, a hand-held thermal gun and a small digital recording device. No wonder they had the multiple-pocket vests on — they were going on a ghost safari.

Before we split up into groups, Len and Dave were trying to fix the camera on the stage. The black-and-white monitor's picture was flickering and acting up, giving me an impression that something was there playing around. We were soon to find out what it was.

The team was divided into two groups: Bernadette, David and Kathy went down to the men's room in the basement, while I went with Len, Linda and Ed into the ladies' room in the basement. Len pointed out the spot where the team had videotaped the ghost at the bottom of the landing. We walked around until Len decided to set his camera up in the lavish waiting room that was straight across from the toilets.

It was 10:22 p.m. We sat in the plush chairs while Len set everything up. He took out a small flashlight and loosened the end cap until the batteries were disconnected. He tried the on/off button, verifying that the flashlight would not illuminate with human touch. He set it on the table next to the camera and the gauss EMF (electromagnetic field) detector. Ed killed the lights, and we sat in complete darkness. Len had his hand-held recording device. He and Ed started out by letting the spirits know that we meant them no harm and that we were there in friendship and mutual understanding. He then began asking questions of the spirits. I sat in silence throughout all of the questions, trying not to be an interference but rather an active watcher and listener. I kept getting the feeling that something was approaching from the other room. I looked over my shoulder and saw nothing. Then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw a light twitch, a beam bend that I thought was a hallucination until Linda exclaimed that she'd seen the light flicker and move. Between the video with the ghost at the bottom of the stairs and this, I knew we were in a paranormal hangout.

The questioning went on for at least half an hour, with Ed apologizing for us men being adjacent to the ladies' room, assuring the spirits that we were gentlemen. Len asked that if there were a spirit in the room, would it please light up the flashlight. The flashlight slowly flickered and then came to full beam. My jaw dropped as I felt a chill down my spine, along with every hair on my arms raising and bringing goose bumps along for the spiritual ride. Ed thanked the spirit and asked it to shut off the flashlight if it was a female. The flashlight shut off. After a few minutes of amazed and stunned silence, Ed thanked the ghost and requested that it please turn the light back on. Again, the flashlight gained brilliance as it came to full power until a steady beam pierced the blackness of the ladies' waiting room. All I could do was breathe and listen to the singular dripping from the sink in the other room.

The EMF meter spiked, causing a quick burst of excitement, until Len proved that it was a false reading being caused by the walkie-talkies.

We wrapped up the proceedings and went upstairs, where we met Bernadette, Kathy and Dave. Even the levelheaded and cool Len was excited about the flashlight, and the always optimistic Ed was chattering and gesturing about our success with connecting to the other side. The term I was given for what had happened was an "intelligent haunting," which means that it was an independent ghost that moves and manipulates of its own free will, unlike a "residual haunting," which is a ghost that repeats the same maneuvers over and over, as if it were a spiritual rerun.

After the excitement, we took a quick coffee break and then went down to the men's room in the basement, hoping to repeat what had happened in the ladies' room. Len repeated the flashlight setup, and we sat on the floor. Ed asked the men to outdo the ladies. We could hear noise to the left, but the team quickly determined that the noise was coming from a restaurant adjacent to the Stanley that was open late, for we could hear a smidgen of talking and the clinking of plates. I didn't get the same feeling in the men's room that I did in the ladies' room. The flashlight never came on, nor did any other phenomena occur.

It was about midnight when we went up into the projection booth to set up the equipment. I was enthralled by the old projectors, and everyone respected the majestic theater by not touching anything other than the stairs and ladders. It was quite an honor to be in a place where so few have treaded. The rest of us went back down to the balcony to try to get some electronic voice phenomena, while Len stayed in the projection room and Ed stayed in the back with his digital camera.

The group sat quietly while many questions were asked of the spirits by Bernadette and Kathy. Dave was trolling around with the digital thermometer, scanning for cold spots. After a while, Ed came down and was happy with the large amount of orbs he was getting in most of his shots. He showed me an image taken from the balcony of the Stanley stage that was loaded with orbs. He explained that all the photos would have to be carefully reviewed for false occurrences. Len returned to the group and mentioned a real spike in the EMF meter in the projection room.

It was 1:00 a.m., and the group members felt satisfied with the amount of video footage, digital recordings and digital photos they had taken. They explained to me as I was assisting in the breakdown of the equipment that they had a lot of homework to do. The team had to carefully go through everything, rule out anything that could be explained and seek anything unexplained. I knew that the flashlight incident would be strong proof of a haunting, but I'd have to wait for the Ghost Seekers of CNY to get back to me with the findings. They also had to conduct a "reveal" with the manager of the Stanley Theater during which they would give their opinions on whether the theater was indeed haunted. I have to say that it was a very exciting evening, and I can understand the draw the world of the ghost seekers.

ADDITIONAL OBSERVATIONS FROM BERNADETTE OF THE GHOST SEEKERS OF CENTRAL NEW YORK

The Ghost Seekers members filmed for more than four hours on five different cameras, took hundreds of photographs and recorded hours of information that needed to be debunked, reviewed and analyzed for any possible evidence of a haunting at the Stanley Theater. Everything is scrutinized, with only the best possible evidence put forth as proof. Anything that was deemed false would be eliminated. In addition to my first-person account of the Stanley investigation, Bernadette provided me with her own personal account of incidents involving her, Kathy and other team members.

Exit 3 seemed to be a place everyone was drawn to, especially Bernadette and Kathy. They were drawn to the exit from up on the balcony. When they were up there, their equipment kept failing, and there was a large, visible orb that hung in the air and that was captured on their digital camera. It was as if it allowed itself to be photographed and then dispersed right in plain view.

Bernadette, Kathy and David were investigating the tunnels that snake below the theater when their K2 meter went crazy with wild readings while strange noises were heard, along with additional orbs. Everyone had a general feeling of discomfort. The group members kept hearing faint talking and whispers that they just couldn't hear clearly enough. Bernadette listened to the recordings later and heard a distinct EVP stating, "Where have they gone?"

The ladies' room was the hottest paranormal spot in the theater, given the earlier flashlight incident. While Bernadette meditated in the ladies' room, Kathy snapped pictures from many angles. All photography showed a hovering orb around Bernadette. The K2 meter was spiking high in the ladies' room when the orbs were making their appearances. The best evidence in the ladies' room was a distinct EVP that had responded to Kathy's question "Is there anyone here?" A distinct woman's voice is heard replying, "Laura." At this precise moment, an orb was captured on film going toward Bernadette and halting. When the group was leaving the ladies' room, Kathy had stated, "Ok, we better get going." Once again an EVP replied, with a "Hmmm."

At the end of the evening, when the group was cleaning up, a physical object was moved. The second-floor lobby bar was the location where the paranormal interacted with the solid of our dimension: Kathy witnessed coffee cups slide across the bar, moved by an unseen entity.

The conclusion of the Ghost Seekers of Central New York was that the Stanley Theater is indeed haunted.

HERKIMER COUNTY COURTHOUSE

Herkimer

I was thrilled with my next opportunity to conduct an investigation with the Ghost Seekers of Central New York. On the evening of January 8, 2011, we were to investigate the Herkimer County Courthouse. This three-story structure sits right across the street from the 1834 Herkimer County Courthouse. This three-story structure sits right across the street from the 1834 Herkimer County Jail. The jail had been investigated by the team previously and exhibited much paranormal activity, so I had a strong feeling that the spirits would traverse across the street.

The Herkimer County Courthouse is a wood and brick structure that, from a distance, resembles the appearance of a church, especially with the turret sticking high into the Mohawk Valley skyline. The current brick structure was rebuilt in 1873, with the earlier wooden structure that was built in 1834 having been burned down by inmates who had been housed there, according to online sources. The courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. The courthouse is rumored to have three hidden rooms that were sealed off in the renovation of 1939. The sheriff quickly squashed the other famous rumor — that there had been an underground tunnel connecting the courthouse to the jail across the street.