Rolling Hills Asylum at Bethany in the state of New York used to be a hospital for poor and psychiatric patients in the nineteenth century. From mid-twentieth century onwards however, it was used solely as a nursing home. It closed down in 1974. However since 2004 the asylum opened its doors to those interested in paranormal phenomenon. In 2005 there was an episode on Ghost Hunters in which the asylum was explored by paranormal investigators from Rhode Island.
The Rolling hills asylum is located at Bethany in New York. Historical records show that the property was bought by the county in 1826 and the poor house was opened in 1827. Throughout the nineteenth century, the place served as an asylum for the insane as well as an orphanage. During this time it was also used as the county’s poor house to accommodate those destitute individuals without a home and on the streets.
By the 1940s, the Rolling hills asylum had become a nursing home. It finally closed down in 1974. Apparently around a thousand people died in the asylum over a period of a century and a half. The county has a record of those people who died in the asylum from 1827 to 1974. The woman who currently owns it is named Lori Carlson.
The Rolling hills asylum opened itself to ghost hunts from 2004. On August 5, 2005 the asylum was explored by a ghost hunting team. Apparently several electronic voice phenomena were captured on digital voice recorders and camcorders. Many legends of ghosts and spirits of the past survive from the time when the place was used as an asylum and an orphanage. Rumors of figures in windows, strange noises and eerie stories have circulated among the residents of the neighboring area for a century and a half.
The building of the Rolling hills asylum has a long, torturous history of a former poor house, insane asylum, orphanage and nursing home. It took in the paupers, the insane, the orphans, unwed mothers, transients, elderly and all those who were unable to care for themselves. Interestingly the asylum was completely self sufficient as the inmates farmed on the hundreds of acres of land belonging to the county.
After the asylum closed down in 1974, the residents were shifted to the new facility in Batavia. The building was empty for nearly twenty years. In 1992, it reopened as Carriage Village, a mall of unique shops. In January 2003 it was renamed Rolling Hills County Mall and became a co-operative in January 2004. That same year ghost hunting was allowed on the site and thus Rolling hills asylum became the first historical site in the state of New York to be opened to the public for overnight ghost hunts.
Source Cited: ParanormalNews and EncycloCentral
History of the Genesee County Home
Investigating the Unknown
ORLEANS COUNTY: Investigating the unknown
By Miranda Vaggvaggm@gnnewspaper.com
Most people naturally get scared, maybe a little spooked, when things go bump in the night.
There’s one group of local residents who run in the direction of the unknown in search of the source of mysterious sounds. They’re eager to see if there’s an apparition waiting around the corner of any dark hallway.
The members of the Center for Paranormal Investigation Association have had different experiences with the paranormal and have individual reasons for joining the group, said lead investigator David Condoluci of Albion. The member list is made up of spiritualists, scientists, skeptics, psychics and those who are open-minded and curious.
“You’ll find out each of the members are amazing in their own way,” David said.
In 2001, his friend, Tim Davis, CPIA director, established the association, and David joined soon after.
“We have a huge mix of people, which, in my estimation is the best group to have,” Davis said, a self-proclaimed skeptic of the unknown.
Today, the group has about 25 members, including Davis’ brother, Steve, and David Condoluci’s mother, local psychic Donna Condoluci. They have been called to investigate activities throughout Western New York and several other states. Investigations take anywhere from four to eight hours for one location, with CPIA members using high-tech gadgets to catch a glimpse of the other side.
According to Condoluci , the group uses handheld video cameras with night shot, infrared camera, parabolic microphones and digital voice recorders that have caught the ghostly whispers of those from beyond.
In his mid-20s now, Condoluci became interested in the paranormal when he was 15 years old. Growing up in a haunted house, he began seeing a person’s shadow in his bedroom, which drove the family pet, a Jack Russell Terrier, crazy, he said.
“I used to see a gentleman in the middle of the night,” Condoluci said. “It wasn’t until I was going through a photo album (much later) that, come to find out, it was my grandfather.”
With growing interest, Condoluci began studying texts about the paranormal and eventually began performing investigations on his own.
Davis’ first experience with the paranormal happened on a back road somewhere between Shelby and Albion that was rumored to be haunted. That night, he and his friends drove out to the secluded spot, parked and got out of the vehicle. It was shortly after that that Davis witnessed a glass bottle fly through the air in front of him and shatter on the ground.
Without any feasible reason for it to happen, Davis said he went in search of who threw it, but found nothing in the dark, besides himself and those he went with.
“I got really interested in it after (that),” he said.
Now before each investigation, the group researches where they are going, so they understand the history of the building. That information is privileged, to a point. Donna Condoluci and fellow psychic, Debbie Pritt, are not given the information before going into an investigation — what they call “going in cold.”
“They try not to tell us about it,” she said.
Both psychics were born with the gift, they said, and have paid attention to their natural abilities. While Pritt can see spirits, Condoluci cannot, because her specialties lie in another area.
“She sees them. I feel them and hear them,” said Condoluci, relating a story about the spirit of a child who followed her around an investigation one night, clinging to her jacket. Though she could not see the child’s ghost, Condoluci could feel the tugging and Pritt was able to give a full description of the little spirit.
“My grandmother was psychic, and so was my father, though he wouldn’t admit it,” Pritt said. “(Donna and I) feed off each other.”
Contact reporter Miranda Vagg at 798-1400, ext. 2225.
View the PDF version of the Journal-Register Front Page Here.
EMF Electromagnetic Fields
Methods for investigating using EMF meters.
Everyone has heard about EMF from Ghost hunting shows, etc. But not too many people understand what EMF really is.
EMF Defined:
The electromagnetic field is a physical field produced by electrically charged objects. It affects the behaviour of charged objects in the vicinity of the field.
Everything gives off a EM field. You emit and manipulate the EM field of your couch when you sit on it, the Doritos that you are eating have a measurable amount of EM radiation, everything that you see has some form of Electromagnetism that is detectable in one form or another. There are a few ways paranormal researchers use EMF meters to detect supernatural forces. How do you do it?
First, you get a baseline reading of your surroundings. Start by walking around the room and writing down and mapping the room. TV's Speakers, Microwaves, Clocks, Computers, Nuclear reactors, and anything electronic that can be plugged into the wall will give a noticeable reading,Then document the reading for each and plot it on your diagram of the room. Then walk to spots where the EM contamination from those electronic devices do not interfere with your readings. Document your highest and lowest readings for the room and choose a spot, free of interference to measure later.
Then when you return for your investigation, you should know what readings you should have for each spot.
Lets say you choose a spot in the center of the room as your reading spot. The baseline reading for your spot is .03 Milligauss. Sit in this spot and place the meter where you can read it clearly. If there is an entity in the vicinity, the belief is that the meter will register a fluctuation in the constant of the EM field.
So lets say that you have finished that bag of Doritos, and all of the sudden your meter spikes from .03 to 4.9 and jumps around from there for about 30 seconds, then stops.....What now?
Well, think to yourself what could have caused the meter to go crazy when I am just sitting here? Go back to basics.... Check the room again, are all of the readings on electronic devices the same as before? Document the time and check with your colleagues later. It's possible that someone started up the microwave, turned on the tv in the next room, or something else which caused the meter to move. If all of your groupies are accounted for, and nobody was at fault, what could you have done to make the meter move yourself? Did your cell phone go off at that time? Did you place a 2 way radio near the meter? If not, then it seems more likely that it was an anomaly than interference from a near by source.
Now when checking your evidence, such as EVP recordings, Video, and Photos taken at that time, (and you should have been recording these at the same time) compare with the time of the EMF spike. If you pick up something to go along with the meter spike, such as a floating librarian standing next to you on the video..... then that goes a long way to help prove that it wasn't just a fluke.
To make a long story short.......
"everything gives of EMF, find out the normal level so you can find out what isn't so normal."
I hope this was semi-informative.
-Tim Davis
CPIA Director
The Science Behind "The Creeps"
Infrasound Experiments
Patricia Reaney
Reuters
Monday, 8 September 2003
Scientists produced soundless music using a large pipe to test their theory (Laura Davis)
Shivers down the spine and other weird feelings may not be due to the presence of ghosts in haunted houses but to very low frequency sound that is inaudible to humans, according to a controlled experiment by British scientists.
Harry Potter works his magic again!
People fill the bookstores and shopping centers all over the world as the release of the seventh and final installment of Harry Potter goes on sale. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is perhaps the biggest and most anticipated release since the premiere of the movie Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.
People from all walks of life crowd this local Wal*Mart in Albion, New York awaiting the 12:01 release of the book. Each person reserving their copy of the book with a colored bracelet representing one of the four "houses" from Hogwarts School.
Fans, and curious people of all ages wait their turn. Before we knew it, the books were being passed out and everyone was thumbing the pages of the book before leaving the store. Just about everyone was here, including some people who just came to watch the people wait in line. Fan or not, the books sold quickly. Everyone was excited about the event, there were even a few who dressed as characters from the book.
As the night comes to an end, we can only imagine another event like this until perhaps the final movie comes to theaters.
-Tim Davis
Rolling Hills Benefit - Success!
Rolling Hills Benefit is a success.
Due to recent unfortunate events and financial difficulties, the Lori Carlson and family were forced to close Rolling Hills Country Mall recently. The property owned by the Carlsons was once a poor farm, county home and Nursing Home and was most recently a craft and antique co-op mall. The recent events such as a water main break caused financial hardship and the eventual closing of the mall. The benefit on July 14th helped the family enough to catch up on financial obligations and keep the building running. (Details at the RH website)
Congratulations on a successful fund raiser. We look forward to visiting Rolling Hills for years to come. Best of luck to Lori and her family.
You can visit Rolling Hills' website for details on how you can take your own ghost tours through the historic property.
-Tim Davis
CPIA Director
Is Your House Haunted?
SIGNS THAT YOUR HOME MAY BE HAUNTED
The first step is to determine, as best you can, whether or not you truly have a legitimate case of a haunting. Not all hauntings are alike, and they may exhibit a variety of phenomena. Some hauntings feature a single phenomenon - such as a particular door slamming shut that occurs repeatedly - while others consist of many different phenomena, ranging from odd noises to full-blown apparitions.
Here's a partial list of phenomena that might indicate that your house is haunted:
- Unexplained noises - footsteps; knocks, banging, rapping; scratching sounds; sounds of something being dropped. Sometimes these noises can be subtle and other times they can be quite loud.
- Doors, cabinets and cupboards opening and closing - most often, these phenomena are not seen directly. The experiencer either hears the distinct sounds of the doors opening and closing (homeowners get to know quite well the distinctive sounds their houses make) or the experiencer will return to a room to find a door open or closed when they are certain that it was left in the opposite position. Sometimes furniture, like kitchen chairs, are perceived to have been moved. Very rarely will the experiencer actually witness the phenomenon taking place.
- Lights turning off and on - likewise, these events are seldom seen actually occurring, but the lights are switched on or off when the experiencer knows they were not left that way. This can also happen with TVs, radios and other electrically powered items.
- Items disappearing and reappearing - this phenomenon, which we have dubbed "the DOPler Effect" (DOP = Disappearing Object Phenomenon), has been examined in the article "The DOPler Effect." Others have called this "the borrowers" phenomenon, and it's the familiar experience of not being able to find a regularly used item - say, your set of car keys - which you believe you placed in a spot you routinely place them. But they're gone and you look high and low for them with no success. Some time later, the keys are found - in exactly the place you normally put them. It's as if the object was borrowed by someone or something for a short time, then returned. Sometimes they are not returned for days or even weeks, but when they are, it's in an obvious place that could not have been missed by even a casual search.
- Unexplained shadows - the sighting of fleeting shapes and shadows, usually seen out of the corner of the eye. This phenomenon has also been discussed in some detail in "Shadow People." Many times, the shadows have vaguely human forms, while other times they are less distinguishable or smaller.
- Strange animal behavior - a dog, cat or other pet behaves strangely. Dogs may bark at something unseen, cower without apparent reason or refuse to enter a room they normally do. Cats may seem to be "watching" something cross a room. Animals have sharper senses than humans, and many researchers think their psychic abilities might be more finely tuned also. (See "Animals and Ghosts" )
- Feelings of being watched - this is not an uncommon feeling and can be attributed to many things, but it could have a paranormal source if the feeling consistently occurs in a particular part of the house at a particular time.
The following phenomena are more rare, but could be stronger evidence of a haunting:
- Mild psychokinetic phenomena - hearing a door open or close is one thing. Actually seeing it happen is quite another. Similarly, actually seeing a light go on or off by itself is greater proof that something unexplained is happening. Do you see the TV or radio turn on? Or perhaps you're present when a child's powered toy begins to operate on its own. Doors and windows are locked or unlocked. Some people report that when they are in bed they can feel and/or hear something sitting on the bed.
- Feelings of being touched - the feeling of being watched is one thing, and actually feeling like you are being touched is quite another. Some people feel something brush past them, something touching their hair or "a hand" on the shoulder. Some feel a gentle poke, push or nudge.
- Cries and whispers - on occasion, muffled voices, whispering and crying can be heard. Sometimes it's music from some unknown source. People hear their names being said. This phenomenon, as is true for the one above, gains more credibility if more than one person hears or sees the same thing at the same time.
- Cold or hot spots - cold spots are classic haunting symptoms, but any instance of a noticeable variance in temperature without a discernable cause could be evidence.
- Unexplained smells - the distinct fragrance of a perfume or cologne that you do not have in your house. This phenomenon comes and goes without any apparent cause and may accompany other phenomena, such as shadows, voices or psychokinetic phenomena. Foul odors can happen in the same way.
Rarer still are more extreme phenomena, some of which have been called poltergeist phenomena, and can be quite strong evidence of a true haunting:
- Moving or levitating objects (severe psychokinetic phenomena) - dinner plates sliding across the table; pictures flying off walls; doors slamming shut with great force; furniture sliding across the floor.
- Physical assault - scratches, slaps and hard shoves. This kind of personal assault is extremely rare, but obviously highly disturbing.
- Other physical evidence - unexplained writing on paper or walls; handprints and footprints.
- Apparitions - physical manifestation of a spirit or entity. These phenomena are also very rare and can take many forms: human-shaped mists or forming mists of some indistinguishable shape; transparent human forms that disappear quickly; and most rarely, human forms that look as real and solid as any living person, but that disappear into a room or even while being viewed.
Original Article By: Stephen Wagner
At:About.com - Paranormal Phenomena
NCC News - Investigation in Syracuse
We recently did a case in Syracuse, NY where the family living in a century old house were experiencing strange events. Watch the Video to see the News Report about that case.
(*A Special Thanks to Hank Flynn for doing the news report.)
Press Release - January 2007
Orleans County, New York - Have you ever experienced something strange that you could not explain? People from all places and religions around the world report seeing ghosts, spirits, UFO's and the like. How can you tell what is truth and what is a work of fiction? Call a paranormal investigation group. The Center for Paranormal Investigation (CPIA for short) has been investigating claims of the paranormal since 2001 and has seen its share of the paranormal. The CPIA investigates private homes, businesses, and most anyone who calls them with a plea for help. The CPIA takes a skeptical approach at investigating claims of the supernatural. If you call them to investigate an alleged haunting in your home, they will try to find out what the cause of the problem is. Not only do they search for a "paranormal" cause, but in some cases the events can be explained with more rational means. "People that call us really have nobody else to turn to". Says Tim Davis, CPIA Director. "In this modern world, religion, ghosts, and the supernatural are believed to be things of the past when people were 'less enlightened', and thats simply not the case". If you have questions, stories or need your home investigated, you can contact the Center for Paranormal online at www.centerforparanormal.org or calling them at (585)576-4759.
Article Courtesy of Google.com
EVP and ITC
EVP or Electronic Voice Phenomena is one of the more common, yet misunderstood events that can occur in the paranormal world.
Electronic Voice Phenomena (EVP) is the term traditionally used to describe unexpected sounds or voices sometimes found on recording media. EVP initially involved audio tape recorders, but in later years, virtually any recording medium became a vehicle for phenomena.
The term Instrumental TransCommunication (ITC) came into being to describe these expanded modes of audio- and video-format communication. Other acronyms used in the literature include Electronic Disturbance Phenomena (EDP) and Trans-Dimensional Communication (TDC).
These voices are usually reported on analog or digital voice recorders, but in some cases EVP's have been found on devices such as answering machines, voice mail, radios, and even e-mails.
Ectoplasm
Ectoplasm is one of the less common forms of paranormal event. The belief is that ectoplasm is the result of an entity attempting to manifest itself. This phenomena commonly takes the appearance of a fog or a mist in a photograph or video. Below are a few examples of an ectoplasm. Though this paranormal event is less common, there are some more common natural events that could be mistaken for ecto. Fog, Cigarette Smoke, Bug Swarms, Steam, and even a persons breath can be mistaken for an ecto.
Orbs
Perhaps one of the most common and most misunderstood of all paranormal phenomena. There are several things about orbs that people assume.
1.) Orbs are spirits or energy that shows up in photographs and film
2.)Orbs are ghosts
Both of the above statements are false. Orbs are indeed energy in one form or another, but does not necessarily mean that it is a spirit, ghost, or even supernatural at all. Orbs have been noted to appear in places with an abnormally high electromagnetic field or high voltage areas such as factories and power plants. The energy in these areas are passed through the air and can show up as a ''ball of energy''. That is where the paranormal aspect of orbs comes in. Ghosts, spirits, entitles, etc. Must draw energy from the surroundings to manifest itself. The result is a concentrated orb of energy and in some cases cold spots (resulting from heat energy being drawn from the air). Natural elements can be mistakenly interpreted as orbs. These include, but are not limited to: Dust, Snow, Rain, Tree Sap, Lens Flares, Bugs, Background Lighting, Street Signs, and fog. Below are some examples of actual orb photos, In some photos the orb is circled to show their location.
