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The MCCORMACK WILLIAMSON WINERY

2010-01-03T01:07:52Z

Spirits we brought with us, resident ghosts, and more.
An interesting investigation was held by GOLD RUSH GHOSTS INTERNATIONAL PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS for the television show INVESTIGATING THE UNKNOWN on December 27th, 2009. We had been invited by the staff of the McCormack Williamson Winery to come and see what was going on, as strange things seemed to be happening in the building that they could not pin-point. As the Celebrities Psychic, I had been on a recent television investigation at this winery this last Halloween with KMAX GOOD DAY SACRAMENTO Channel 31. At that time I found the building to be rather interesting and exploratory in the true ghost/spirit sense. And so we jumped at the chance to take a second look.
The winery was originally built in 1868 as a granary, but in the early 1900’s it was converted into a winery. It was as recent as 2001 that the owners began producing Dancing Coyote wines, good, tasty stuff for those of you who like a great glass of wine on occasion. Located in the little town of Acampo, California, about 20 miles out of Sacramento, it is well worth the trip to enjoy the tasting room, even if you don’t encounter a ghost.
Today the facility boasts of having over 14,000 square feet of temperature controlled case storage areas holding up to 85,000 cases of wine, 10,000 square foot of temperature and humidity controlled barrel storage for up to 5,000 barrels, as well as 750,000 gallons of stainless steel tank storage capacity, allowing the organization to increase their production each year. All interesting information found in their brochure.
But back to the investigation! We are more interested in the unused upstairs rooms that were rumored to have been a living quarter for an old owner or manager of the winery. It is a rather spooky place that we were told was likely where he could spy and keep tabs on the workers. A hole in the wall to the vats below gave credence to that theory. There were strange EVP and EMF readings when we were there with KMAX, and I was able to identify a large vortex near an unused stairs access. Interesting!
Joining us on this current investigation would be Robert Reppert who owns and runs GRG, along with seasoned investigators Cat Noble, Bob King, Judy Cooper, Liz Harrison, Laura Martucci, Wayne Peterson, and new investigators to our group, Jen and Scott. Rookies yes, but very intelligent people willing and fast learning. Everyone on the team of GRG is scientifically minded as we are not a fun and game group taking a lot of people around making a mockery of the spirit world. Our five letter word is PROOF! When we arrived at our destination I was particularly disturbed by someone on the premises who spoke of a ‘psychic type’ who showed up at one point and said there were ‘evil’ spirits about. Because there was clearly nothing of the sort there, I disregarded that assessment for what it was, and made it known to him that I was not interested in games by amateurs and wannabees or anyone who cannot PROVE such things. I do not know why those that can’t always want to find and report ‘evil’! I assume it is out of stupidity, lack of education generally, but always a clear cry for attention, perhaps bringing them their one minute of fame.
Enclosed is the floor-plan so that I can take you through room for room.We started the investigation in the downstairs Tasting Room about 6:00 p.m. Little was felt from this section, so we decided to set up ‘shop’ here, all equipment would be monitored from this location, and we would drag the cables and equipment up the stairs to the second landing where most of the activity was associated. Equipment used this day would be EMF and Temperature meters as well as Reppert’s newest invention for condition and motion detection. The invention also detects humidity, temperature, and of course anyone moving around. I had asked seasoned investigator Cat Noble to couple with Scott as this was his first investigation with us, and I knew she could expertly show him the ropes. Noble is one that cannot be fooled or confused, so she was a great crash course teacher for him as he explored the unknown. Peterson would take Jen under his wing. It was obvious from the start the Scott would be a real asset to our group as he is analytical and clearly an intellect not given to foolhardy nonsense. He will be one to watch. Jen’s story on the other hand is that she had recently left another paranormal group asking us if she could join ours. She wanted to be a part of something that was NOT on any occasion foolhardy nonsense. This would be Jen’s first investigation with us, so it was hoped she had at least gained a little knowledge as far as what goes on in investigations from being associated elsewhere. This proving not the case, she came under our wings quickly with a logical mind and a willingness to learn. She had left her other group because she wanted to be a part of something more real, accurate and professional. She found it here and fit in with us immediately.
The first report of strange activity (and yet not unexpected to paranormal investigators), was reported by Wayne Peterson. “I was with Jen and we did not have any immediate EMF readings or Thermal Identification” he reported. “However, when I went upstairs, the battery went dead in my EMF reader.” It had been checked before coming on the investigation, and it was a new working battery. This happens all the time. Spirit and ghostly activity drains batteries and electrical equipment. Peterson continued with his story,” I came back downstairs and replaced the batteries and then went back upstairs where the meter worked fine.” Checking later when he got home he noticed, “The battery that went dead was ok when I got home.” Jen went on to take some pictures that produced orbs in them that was clearly not dust or particles in the air. Wayne told us, “While sitting upstairs in a circle, someone asked out loud if the spirit we felt was here with Scott and I heard a definite’ yes’ response.’ This spirit voice was later confirmed on the EVP recorder. “I did feel chills a couple of times” he noted, “but I don’t know if it was a breeze from one of the many openings in the walls or something else.” This is a perfect response from Peterson or anyone in our group. We look for the obvious first.
After observing from our television in the downstairs tasting room what was going on upstairs for about 45 minutes, Reppert asked that I should join the group upstairs and get things moving forward, which usually happens with my psychic energy. I climbed the dusty old stairs and found the group sitting in a circle. Sitting down with the group, I asked the spirits if they were there. At first there was a male voice that was heard, and then his energy left as the form of a woman appeared behind Scott. The energy was not flowing as well as I would have liked it, so I started an exercise I use in making conversation with spirits through the alphabet. “Let me know when to stop” I asked, and I began, “A (no response) B (nothing) C (nothing) D (nothing) E…and then I heard a woman’s voice respond, ‘yes’. Listening to the spirit now, the energy was raised. I could see that she was clearly staying close to Scott, putting her hand on his left shoulder. All meters showed activity around him at this point, and that part of the room was increasingly colder.
Directly behind where Scott was sitting was room number 3 and because it was set up with Infrared cameras and temperature meters, I asked the woman in spirit if we could move to that room instead. She clearly accommodated and I asked the group to follow me into room 3. We again sat on the floor, and the woman in spirit still went to Scott. I re-arranged the placement of some of the investigators so that we created the best flow of energy for the spirit to respond, which meant putting those in our group with psychic energy apart from those with healing ability. Clearly at this point I knew that the spirit we were dealing with was not with the building at all, but was someone Scott knew personally and who wanted to communicate with him. I asked her again what her name was and did it start with an ‘E’. She shook her head and gave me her name. I asked Scott “Do you know someone who has passed away by the name of Elizabeth.” “Yes” he said, “She is my grandmother.” As best I can recall right now she gave him a little message, and then he asked about another family member by the name of David. David then came in next to the grandmother and spoke for a minute. All and all, to this point, most spirit activity was not associated with the building at all, but with our new investigator and his loving deceased family. Later we were able to review the VIDEO from room 3 and saw the orbs and the spirit form of his grandmother standing behind him. To me this is beautiful, especially for a new investigator on a first investigation. I was delighted that she chose to come with him this day.
On further evaluation Jen stated, “I could definitely feel spirit energy or ghostly presence around us when we first started the séance in the main room. There was a drop in temperature that seemed to envelope the investigators & while the temperature seemed to go up and down to my right side, it remained lower on my left side. Come to find out, after proceeding with the séance in Room 3, where most of the activity was felt by Nancy & the other investigators, we found out that Scott’s grandmother, who passed away in the 90’s was around him. That explained the reason why the temperature remained low on my left side during the first part of the séance in the main room…because Scott was sitting to the left of me. The last area in which I felt something unusual was in a small room off the 3rd floor. As Wayne and I were taking pictures on the 3rd floor, I turned my back towards this small room and heard a definite male breathing sound coming from there. I turned & took some pictures.”
Liz Harrison, who runs the INVESTIGATING THE UNKNOWN television show, and certainly not someone new to investigations, reported the following: “The McCormack Winery was an interesting investigation as the energy seemed to move rather quickly. Laura and I investigated the upper level and the area with the catwalks seemed to be different. I had an additional infrared attachment that was added to my camera that worked in the first location but then did not seem to work in the other areas.” (There we go again!) We noticed orbs as we took pictures and you could feel the difference in the thickness of the air and temperatures from one area to the other.
“We then were asked to go to one of the rooms with the camera in it. We could feel the energy so we started to ask questions out loud. While standing in the room I had the feeling of someone picking up my hair in the back and was later informed that it showed up on the camera and television screen that there was an orb and it had traveled up the back of my legs, stroking my back and the back of my head, and then go over me and across the room. This was very interesting and upon looking at the area around me there was no living person or any vents that could have created this abnormality or feeling. We then tried sitting on the floor (in a circle) and you could feel the energy and the temperature change in the area in the center of us. There were several times when the temperature changed and moved about. All focus soon went to Scott who seemed to have a big connect with a particular spirit as the temperature was very different around him.
“We were then instructed by Nancy to go into the closed room and we all sat in a circle and again found the energy circling around Scott. We experimented with the spirit wands and they also seemed to go to Scott or between Scott and myself. I had a very noticeable temperature difference from the side Scott was on and the side that Laura and Judy were on. Nancy identified the spirit of his grandmother around him by name, and another come in as well. We separated at this point and walked around the upstairs of the winery a little more looking for spirits that were perhaps a part of the building. We then met back downstairs and compared some findings of orbs in pictures and on the video.”
From the records of Cat Noble, “Scott and I didn’t get any significant readings with the temperature gauge and the EMF meter at first. We both took photos with Laura’s camera. We briefly looked at the photos, but didn’t see anything strange or unexplained – just a lot of dust in the warehouse. I used Wayne’s EVP recorder and I listened to the recordings later, but didn’t detect anything with the ‘naked ear.’ Nothing but the temperature reading on the FLIR when I used it. The following is my complete impression:
“The massive brick building housing the winery was imposing in the dark, but there was a welcoming yellow light pouring from an open door. I entered to find a lovely tasting room and the rest of the investigators waiting there. Scott and I collected the tools of our investigation: EMF meter, voice recorder, flashlight, temperature gauge, and clipboard with a diagram of the building’s layout.
“We headed upstairs to the second floor rooms on the south side of the building. Circling the rooms with our instruments, Scott noted readings and I recorded them on the diagram. We headed up a small flight of stairs and then another –the building was like a labyrinth. On each of the three floors, we read the instruments and took a recording, asking for some cooperation from any unseen entities, but we were not obliged. Nevertheless, I was still hopeful as I stepped into the vortex that Nancy had identified in that area, and I felt as though I was falling forward. I reached out to brace myself on the nearby wall and I wondered how many and what type of spirit energy had accessed that vortex. We crossed to the north side of the building, climbed a narrow set of stairs and found ourselves on a catwalk in the warehouse, high above the oak and stainless steel casks of wine. The catwalk swayed as we stepped, and I tried not to dwell on how far down the concrete floor below us seemed. While on the catwalk in the warehouse Scott and I heard Roberts MOTION SENSERS GO OFF and there was no living person in that room. I believe Scott took photographs while on the catwalk, but the only thing he caught were particles of dust.” (Spirits move so fast that often we have to slow film down to get an image.) “We then carefully retraced our steps and returned to the ground floor to report and see what Reppert had seen and observed from our cameras and television screens. Research from Robert Reppert was to acknowledge there was visible activity in both rooms and also Orbs in the main room. With photos of Scott’s grandmother, and orbs in room 3 and EVPs saying “Yes” and singing was recorded on the ground floor storage room.
Robert Reppert, after reviewing the material from his vantage point and watching the television camera from all the rooms upstairs gave us his evaluation;
“Upon arrival, I established the Tasting room as the command center. Robert King and I unloaded the equipment from the truck and started to unload the meters from their cases. We, along with Scott then ran the infrared cameras and the Motion detectors to the upstairs rooms and locked the area down as to get a clean video of the area. We observed several Orb activities as well as recording an EVP of a female, someone singing. When the crew assembled, we divided the teams into two separate areas for investigation. I was directing the crew from the central area and monitored the cameras for activity. From my vantage point in watching the equipment I observed several Orbs and at different times, a shadow on the video. Upon review the crew pointed out several places of activity and movement while they were in the different rooms. The newest equipment I placed in the rooms was measuring not only temperature but relative humidity and high and low points of both as the camera recorded the place being measured. The most discernable meter spikes were when the motion detector was set off and there was no living person in the area to set it off. The camera clearly shows this and the audio of the camera recorded the alarm. The meter also picked up a 10 degree difference in room number 3 as well as the alarm. The newest additions to our arsenal seem to have performed to task and will be very helpful in future investigations.
Martucci was to later tell us “I did have a feeling of not being alone in that building. We DID have company!” She thought she had seen a thin blond woman in spirit on the property, a farming woman and working hard. She was unfortunately unable to actually access or provide prove of the existence on camera or voice recorder, so the information had to be discarded. She wondered if this person came with one of the investigators or with the property or area. However, again we did not pick up this person in spirit on camera so we cannot prove this assessment. However, she did testify “The first time Liz and I walked the catwalk we heard no sensor. The second time when Cat, Scott, Liz and I walked it we heard Robert’s sensor go off several times. Something was in the other room.” (The room was empty of LIVE people when they walked the catwalk.)
For investigator Judy Cooper, the energy at the winery was light and ‘fun like’ and she noted, “Maybe because of the dogs running around it made it more pleasant. I did get a little bit of an eerie feeling upstairs in one of the very back rooms. I was able to pick up a lot of orbs in the upstairs rooms, and it seems like the spirits were traveling in groups.”
For me, any investigation that included live animals about, cats, dogs, happy animals of any kind, makes for a good investigation. They bring in wonderful energy. I was delighted to meet DAISY DOG on the first investigation I did with Good Day Sacramento KMAX, and she was here this night as well, as was big and beautiful friendly JACK! We enjoyed sharing our snacks with them, and noted what a friendly place this was. ALL places that cater to animals is a good place.
But spirits are elusive. They come and go. On another investigation we likely would find more, OR less spirit or ghost activity, you never know. We were happy to wrap this one up as interesting and on the eventful scale of 1 to 10, maybe a 5 for actual resident spirits or ghosts. But we will be back. Fun and adventures with GOLD RUSH GHOSTS.
Copyright@ Jan 1, 2010 NANCY BRADLEY. All rights reserved.
.For more information about GOLD RUSH GHOSTS or to tell us about your experiences, or have a personal Reading with NANCY please go to:
WWW.GOLDRUSHGHOSTS.COM and
WWW.NANCYBRADLEY.ORG

THE GLEN MOREY HOUSE GIVES UP HER SECRETS

2009-11-30T20:05:33Z

By
The Celebrities Psychic
NANCY BRADLEY

The spirit sprinted in front of me, seemingly without a care in the world. She looked back at me several times, smiling, inviting me to follow. But on this day she did not want to go inside. As I went to open the door she disappeared, back into the yard, poof and gone. I guess the active young one was suddenly bored with me and had other interests to pursue. I hoped our time together was not over for this trip. She is a lovely child of about three years old and full of energy. She is gone in life but still hanging around. She lived here once, enjoys the garden. But then, who wouldn’t?
The Glen Morey Country House was built in 1859, and today as a bed and Breakfast, hosts Scottish hospitality. The one story estate is surrounded by 1.6 acres of wooden glen, which provides just the right atmosphere for ghosts, spirits, goblins (If you are so inclined to believe) living breathing woodland creatures and otherwise, just right for paranormal activity. Situated high on a hill overlooking the old section of Placerville, (Old Hangtown) in Northern California, the place is a case in history all right. We were contacted not long ago by the current owners, Alison and Tom Loeprich because of the strange activity they and their guests were having inside their building. Having just given birth to a new baby, Alison thought it a good idea to find out just who is hanging around the place in spirit, and to make certain they are friendly. Shush! Don’t wake the baby. We were on the case!
According to Danielle Carpenter, heading this investigation for GOLD RUSH GHOSTS PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS, and a major investigator with our crew for our television show INVESTIGATING THE UNKNOWN WITH GRG, she found the following interesting through her research “The website for the establishment is www.placervillebedandbreakfast.com, however, the name of the Inn is actually the Glen Morey Country House, B&B Inn. Glen Morey was one of the old owners in the 1800s.”
Historically the house was originally an old farm house owned by Dr. Isaac “Seba” Titus M.D. He owned the home from 1859-1872. A respected practicing physician in Placerville, he was, sadly, even with all his medical knowledge of the day, unable to save two of his children from death and they died in the home. Little Mary Titus died 5/18/1865 at the age of three, and her brother Albert Titus, born 1/6/1866 died as an infant 5/1/1866. Ah the little girl!
The farmhouse was then sold to G.E. Morey in 1872. Three generations of Morey’s lived in the house. G.E Morey died here on the premises 7/25/1889, and his wife Ellen (3/15/1835 -4/1/1908) took her leave of this world in her bedroom in the house. From there the little farmhouse changed hands several times. Seven years ago the Loeprich family fell in love with the house, purchased it, and renamed it the Glen Morey Country House to honor the Morey Family that lived there, and to honor their Scottish heritage with the Glen.”
Things should by rights be calm and accounted, but there is more! We know that in 1910 an addition was built onto the old farmhouse. The current Inn owners made the decision to live in this newer section of their Inn and they sometimes rent out 2 of the other rooms. They quickly started hearing stories from folks of strange things happening, activity of unknown origin, right there in their addition, as well as in the original part of the building. Charting the stories and accounts, they noted that the most often talked about activity was in the shared dining and living area, part of the original 1859 home. Folks staying at the Inn had stories to tell. Considering this part of the house, the owners tell us they are particularly interested in the Inverness Room. Tom Loeprich has had several of his own experiences there, such as hearing voices when nobody was awake in their home. He wondered if they could have come from outside. But this late at night? And where would they have come from? Logical explanations were explored. Guests have also seen a woman dressed in white in the rooms, and heard doorknobs jiggling. Upon inspecting, the owners saw no guests there, at least not from OUR world!
Back to the addition, the owners talk of hearing footsteps to their bedroom in the middle of the night. When they come to the door to investigate it stops. “It is not uncommon to get up in the middle of the night to see who it is only to find nobody is awake” Alison told us. Alison thinks that the woman in white was/is Ellen Morey after all she did die in bed right here at her lovely farmhouse. Obviously we needed to find out if she was in a while nightgown at the time of her death. As I said before, two of the Titus children also passed away here. Could all this activity be imprints, simply ghostly activity of when they were there? Or are we dealing with spirit activity, those passed on that would like to communicate with us? Maybe both!
I had seen the little girl on an earlier visit, cute, vivacious, and clearly comfortable in her surroundings. She told me her name was Mary so she is clearly the child of Dr. Titus. She is a bubble of happiness. She is a spirit who sprints, a lovely entity.
Our organization set up our investigation for 4:00 pm on Sunday March 15th, and it did not disappoint. For all of you that are serious paranormal investigators, we know that statistically only one in about 8 to 12 investigations proves to have activity. Others unfortunately must be discounted for many reasons, electric sockets offering false readings and other things clearly associated and originated within this planet not elsewhere. We relate with Tom Loeprich, as our first job is to look for the obvious. Whenever we can find logical explanations once examining the evidence of possible paranormal activity, we have to sometimes sadly burst bubbles. That is what we do we are an honest organization, which is why we are generally called on to be first on the scene of possible strange occurrences. It’s a slippery slope, sometimes our job is not a popularity contest. We are most aware that sometimes over zealous or heart-felt vulnerable folks are looking and hoping for activity. Our job is to give folks clarity, hope, and truth with as little stress as possible.
To be fair, spirits move around as we do, sometimes you can investigate a site and get nothing, and then go back and something appears of unknown origin. Sometimes in an investigation you become so energized by activity you set another time to go back, only to be disappointed by lack of spirit participation. This investigation proved to be a slam-dunk! Not only do we have spirit activity, we have ghostly imprint as well, an investigators dream!
With us on this investigation besides Carpenter were investigators Liz Harrison, Laura Martucci, Judy Cooper, Bob King and Robert Reppert. Upon entering the building Harrison made the following observations “I was able to pick up high meter readings in the dining room. The cold ectoplasmic activity that I felt was only up to my legs and no higher which would indicate a smaller spirit like a child. The other energies I felt were more intense.”
Martucci initial findings stated “Liz and I picked up a lot of energy in the dining room. The other rooms with the most activity were the bathroom in the St. Andrew room. In the dining room the meter went from 7.0 to 7.2. All through the B&B the EMF readings would jump from 0-8, high numbers, and then back to 0 without our moving it around at all.” Following the spirits around was tricky. “They were moving so fast I could not write the readings down because they peaked like a flash and then went back down again. The spirits were moving in and out. Yet I had the feeling of comfort, not threatening, I felt the place was lovely and welcoming.”
Cooper stated “In the Inverness Room I started feeling high anxiety, which for me means there is energy in the room. The whole place felt peaceful though. There were a lot of cold spots in the Dining Room. I also felt a little extra energy in the baby’s room but again it felt warm, peaceful energy. I feel Alison and her little one can rest easy.”
“In the dining room where Liz, Laura and I felt energy moving all over this room I was able to snap pictures of the orbs” Carpenter said. “It was in the St. Andrews Room where Liz and Laura felt energy and wanted me to take photos. There were orbs in this room as well, and in the bathroom while Liz and Laura were trying to make contact with the spirit. I could also feel the room get colder. The EMF also carried from 0.1 -0.4 around the edge of the bed as well as around the bath tub. The rest of the house was just warm.”
Carpenter was anxious to continue to tell us her feelings. “While I was in the St. Andrews room I got a feeling that there was a little girl in the room. Playful. I connected to this because of the old dress they have hanging on the wall. I also felt there was a child in the living room area watching the owner’s little boy playing with the piano. I took a picture of the little boy there, hoping something to validate would come through.” We shall see.
Well, lets take another look!
Investigators felt a presence in the bedroom occupied by the owners. Upon entering, it was clear I saw the form of a woman in a white nightshirt or nightgown. She was ill, coughing. The nightshirt was loose fitting cotton, fitting tighter at the wrists and then fuller at the hand level. It looked warn and the neck was a V shape. Again, as all nightgowns, it was loose fitting but you could not see through it. I was surprised at this, as it was clear she was sweating, the night shirt was wet with perspiration. On the bed stand there was a porcelain bucket, white with red trim. It is being kept warm, and there is a white rag in it. The woman does not acknowledge us. Obviously at this point we are dealing with a ghostly image, a videotape if you will, a phenomena recorded in time. The woman coughed again and placed her hands over her chest. It was labored breathing, heaving, slowly, up and down. She then turned her head to the wall and expired to a painless place, smile on her face.
Why do we have ghostly activity? Whenever there is an event that is charged, such as death, excitement, confusion, laughter, a strong imprint is left. Everyday events are also measured and kept in some as yet unknown time capsule, which gives great credibility to time warp and travel philosophy, something I will talk about at a later date. So in actuality when you hear the story of the women in the flowing gown in the Victorian mansion, coming down the stairs with the candle in her hands late at night, and people experience her over and over, wearing the same thing, you can be certain you are dealing with an imprint. The woman is not there any longer, the activity of when she was there is what remains. Lets’ look at it logically! WHAT WOMAN IS GOING TO WEAR THE SAME DRESS THROUGH ETERNITY? I rest my case!
Back now to the Glen Morey House I walked to the dining area. Again I can see this woman, and this time she is healthy and walking around. She is dressed in blue, long skirt and white blouse-like top. The skirt is long, you can barely see her shoes but they are black, the toes are pointed. She is scolding a child, a boy, and he is ignoring her. Soon he runs off and she picks up a broom to sweep up what he left behind. Interesting. I know we are dealing with Ellen Morey, this time again, an imprint. Although the crew was able to pick up readings in the St. Andrew Room, it proved to have no activity when I was there. I was surprised to find heavy male energy and male voices in the Inverness Room however. Male voices are heard on the EVP hand meter. Although the voices are muted and low, we shall research these further with our equipment in the office. The smell was of cigar type smoke, musty. A liquor smell was present, brandy was in the air.
In the child’s room however we have the image of the same woman, Ellen Morey, but this time it is clear she has come back as a Spirit. Our EVP reader is able to record her saying “I am helping.” She is a loving spirit. I want to bring the little girl and Ellen home with me, but alas they are quite comfortable here. I will tell the Loeprichs they should let them stay.
As our investigation raps up and I go to put our paranormal equipment in the truck, the sweetness is again in the garden. This time she is circling the statue of a woman, she is having fun. She is coy and makes no acknowledgment of me except to look up and smile. She is a flirt, a Spirit, and a happy one. The current owners have several children that will benefit from the energy of this lovely one.
The crew thanked Alison and Tom for their gracious hospitality, and let them know this has been a wonderful investigation. I will be back on less official business, simply to stay a night for recreation and enjoy the spirits therein. Pleasure this next time will supersede adventure and investigation. You can’t work all the time.

NANCY BRADLEY can be reached at:
WWW.NANCYBRADLEY.ORG
WWW.GOLDRUSHGHOSTS.COM

THE DISCOVERY/HISTORY MUSEUM IN OLDTOWN SACRAMENTO, CA

2009-11-25T22:57:25Z

By
The Celebrities Psychic
NANCY BRADLEY

Sometimes a building is not haunted itself; the artifacts it holds are. This is the fantastic case of the Discovery/History Museum in Old Town Sacramento, California, located on Ist Street in Old Sac.
It was not too long ago that as the Celebrities Psychic I received a call from the Discovery Museum. They had been hearing strange noises. Employees talked of things being put one place and found in another. Most of the activity was happening upstairs they told me. One employee said “I saw a person upstairs at the old carriage. It was before we opened the doors for the day. The person was dressed in ‘old time’ clothes and I thought, well, they must have put in another mannequin. I went up to see, but then it disappeared! I came back downstairs quickly and waited by the door for the other employees to get here! It was very frightening.”
Other employees spoke of the elevator starting up by itself, the computer in the office just above the downstairs print shop turning itself on, and things being flung to the floor. Obviously, as any reasonable people, they were looking for answers.
The Discovery Museum building was built in 1984. Not that newer buildings don’t see their share of ghosts. Of course they do. Sometimes what you see are the people who lived at the site prior to the new building being built. Sometimes they are just passing through, and sometimes they represent someone you love or a passage in time. Some are simply comfortable where they are and decide to stay.
But as we related to you before, there are two types of activity – ghost and spirit. Spirits are people who choose to visit us from the other side of life. Ghosts, as you remember, are an imprint in time, a videotape, if you will, of when someone was there. They are gone now, but you are tapping into the energy of when they were around. We do not know of any building or house that is not “haunted” at one time or another. We were here to see just what and which type of activity the Discovery Museum was experiencing.
“To me it appears the majority of the energy is connected with the carriage upstairs and the mannequins in the period costumes” according to the employees that have had experiences. Going upstairs it was easy for me to pick up the ghost of an old doctor around the display of ancient medical tools, and I told my crew “He is a ghost, an imprint. He is not there at all, just his energy is.” You cannot have conversation with a ghost as again, it is a videotape of when someone was there, nothing more.
As we walked on, fans, onlookers and employees following, I was able to see two people that were spirits. Ah, communication! The female told me her name was Dolly, and the man next to her was George. She is short, her hair blond, slender. The man is much taller than her, his hair white like spun silk. He says he is her father, and that she is a young girl of 17 years, inexperienced and vulnerable and so he is concerned with keeping her close. “We are going to pick up Martin, her intended” he told us. Although this is clearly a reenactment of an event that happened in the past, these are real entities, drawn to this place by the carriage that brought them happiness. I watched as she gets into the carriage, and the father stands outside next to the mannequin placed at the carriage. A dog barks, and they disappear into the ether, leaving the carriage behind, but NOT before she was to tell me what happened. “Martin died falling from a horse just before we got married” she told me. “We are together again now” she continues, “but I love this old carriage and what it represented, and so I follow it to wherever it goes.” Ah, memories, we all have them and follow them in one way or another.
The ghostly imprint at the medical instruments is a doctor. His hair is dark and he is about 5’ll”. He is wearing a long brown coat, down almost to his ankles. He appears to be about 165 lbs., and we believe intuitively and through impression that in life, he traveled back and forth when people needed him. The name was Bill, William Wayne Smithe if you prefer.
Moving further down the path, we see period costumes. As I psychically Read the old clothing, it was clear to me what happened to the wearer. “He made it through the war” I could definitely determine about the man that wore the military attire. “The woman who wore this nurse’s uniforms name was Anne.” She went on to live on Long Island in New York and then went on to Canada where she raised three children.
We then passed the interment camp exhibit and I shuddered. “Such terrible things to have done and been a part of”. I was anxious to move forward, the exhibit made me sick to my stomach. In passing I said “Good to have it here as a reminder that it should never happen again.”
We walked to a table on display of a 1950s type kitchen and the energy brightened. “Such good memories there…” I could see the imprints. Using the table at one time was a young mother, thin and full of energy. Her husband and three kids sat at it, two boys and a girl. The mother was pregnant again, and very happy.”
The displays at the museum rotate and new ones come in all the time. Yes, the artifacts at the Discovery Museum in Old Town Sacramento were clearly haunted with memories when we were there. Not, again, by the building, but by the changing exhibits that come and go. So, clearly, there are new ghosts and spirits to explore all the time at the Museum, a Mecca for real investigators.
And as different exhibits come and go, so will the ghosts, as they pass through this time to the other and from exhibit to exhibit. Spirits can eventually get off the merry-go-round and get on to other things, ghostly imprints cannot. Everything holds an energy, and it is a strange phenomena, isn’t it?
When we were commissioned to check out the building the employees were willing to show us around and tell us their tales. Perhaps they will do it for you too. Of course now that there are so many paranormal groups around and they get sick of dealing with it, maybe they won’t any longer. Still, coming here makes for a fun afternoon.

THE BRICKSIDE RESTAURANT IN OLD TOWN SACRAMENTO

2009-11-24T17:51:10Z

Old Town Sacramento, California, the states capitol, is an interesting place in any event, boasting old buildings and a history of underground tunnels and opium dens in the early day of the Gold Rush fever in California. This particular building, now called the Brickside Restaurant was recently explored for our television show, INVESTIGATING THE UNKNOWN WITH GOLD RUSH GHOSTS INTERNATIONAL PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS. The building has strange and uncanny stories to tell. Located at 106 J. Street in old town Sacramento, the place has its own interesting history as well, which of course, in itself, brings on more ghosts and spirits, as well as remnants of the same.
Originally the structure was built in 1849 by Sam Brannan, the man who gave the secret away about the original gold find at Sutter’s Mill thus starting the massive migration to California by those seeking fortune. As fate would have its way as it did with so many of the buildings of the day, it unceremoniously burned to the ground shortly thereafter in 1852. Undaunted because he was rather rich from his share of the Mormon tithing from the original gold find at Sutter’s Mill, he rebuilt the structure, this time incorporating fire resistant bricks, thinking himself a smart man.
But fire proved not to be his only enemy. In 1865 following the worse of many years of seasonal floods that plagued the area, city councilmen realized that the only way to salvage this part of Sacramento was to being earth in and raise the street level. Still willing to hang on and “go with the flow” (pun intended) Brannan built a top story to his building which would secure the top of it from flood waters, and it is just in that area that as the Brickside, caters to customers as a bar and restaurant. For us as investigators however, the downstairs, the oldest part of the building, was to prove to have the most energy. Downstairs now hosts another bar, a banquet room, kitchen and restrooms, and a slew of strange ongoing phenomena. The extraordinary energy downstairs was evident from the moment we walked down the wooden stairs to the original level.
But back to the past, Sam Brannan, going on to other endeavors, eventually sold the property and over the years the building has housed many a business. There was a Produce House, Druggist, several Auctioneers, Jewelers, Clothiers, the ever present Saloons, and a California Stage Company.
In the mid-1960’s, looking a bit grungy and worse for wear, the business folk in the area started it redevelopment stage. The current private owners of the Brickside were selected to restore and redevelop this property in 1975. It took two to three years to plan a course of action and rebuild the building to its original form. It has been a restaurant and bar for the past thirty years.
It was at one of my “Friday’s With Nancy Psychic Development Classes” that a student by the name of LaDona Mendoza asked me if I could come out and look at her Mother’s property. She stated many strange things happening in the building. I turned it over to the crew of GRG and a date was set for *********** for us to come and investigate. On this investigation would be seasoned investigators only; Wayne Peterson, Cat Noble, Millieanne Jackson, Liz Harrison, Judy Cooper, on cameras Bob King and owner and founder of Gold Rush Ghosts paranormal, Robert Reppert. Guest investigator Kelly Symone from 101.9THE WOLF Radio was invited to join us, and three contest winners from her show, listeners that won a chance to go on the investigation. I took up to head the investigation as psychic in charge. We arrived at the building at about 7:00 pm. and began interviewing the owners and staff.
It was during this interviewing process the buildings owner Dona Mendoza told us “I have owned the business since around 1975. The strangest thing over the years was when we tried to take photos of the place, inside or out. We would experience disturbances in the pictures clouds over our heads, strange round spots and other abnormalities. Over the years we thought “not ALL this film can be bad” or “What is wrong with our flash?” Of course now we know it was likely not that at all. Over the years there were also a lot of quirky things that would happen that we would try and logic away. We would try and pass these things off because we were busy.”
Richard Mendoza, manager of the Brickside and son of Dona told us, “I have experience a few instances going in and out of the office to the banquet room downstairs. One time I vividly saw an image of a person. I grabbed a hammer and walked around to confront them but no one was there.”
Brian Burgess, the Head Chef told us “Most of the activity I have felt has been downstairs, in and around the kitchen area, and at the storage area at the same level. Once, when a fellow employee went upstairs to clock out for a break I was left alone in the building. About four minutes after he left, I saw someone walk right past me and go into the office. Thinking someone had somehow been left in the building I went in to see if someone needed help, and no one was there.
Burgess continued, “Generally there is a feeling in the downstairs office of someone else being there when you are alone. It is rather eerie, not necessarily threatening, more like they are watching over your shoulder to make certain you are doing things correctly. It is a masculine presence.
“In the back there is the storage area that we call the ‘bakery’ because in actually it was one for a previous owner. There is a couch in there now, and we often go there to relax. You always have the feeling of not being alone, the overall feeling that there might even be many people in there – watching you. Another time as I was heading out of the kitchen with other employees we heard a heavy shaking, rattling, like someone was shaking a set of keys right next to us. We instinctively turned around to see who it way and no one was there.
“When I open the door in the morning I always feel like someone is already there only not in ‘live’ human form, so I say ‘Hello’ to whomever is here and I say ‘I am here to work’. It seems respectful to do that. I have been here a short time, but it has been an interesting time.”
The owner daughter no longer works in the building, but did so about 10 years ago. LaDona Mendoza told us “When I worked here for family parties we took photos of the events and the film would not make clear pictures. We would make excuses for it. Downstairs there was cold air around you when no one was in the building. There would be tapping, walking, and chatting sounds, but I was never able to make out the voices, although it seemed they were mostly female. And at night, when I was closing up and the last one to leave, I would say ‘I’m almost done!’ I grew up here, and the one thing that I most remember was there was an iron gate and it would move by itself when no one was around it. I often saw spirits walking through, quickly passing.”
Christopher Diringer, another chef in the building shared his experiences with us.
“I did some handyman work for the owner. Downstairs tools and miscellaneous things would turn up missing. Once there was the distinct smell of garlic bread, but of course no one was there and all the appliances had been disconnected because of the remodeling. So, I went outside to see if the smell was coming from there. The town was dead so I went back inside to work. I had locked the doors and was alone in the building. Someone walked up behind me. I turned around startled, and saw a shadow run out of the room. I reluctantly checked on it, and no one was there. I got a weird feeling and thought ‘I can’t handle this right now, and so I am leaving.’ I left the tools where they were.”
He told us what happened the next day when he returned. “The next day when I returned I found the saw was not where I had left it, but in ANOTHER ROOM! No one had been in the building between the time I left and the time I returned, I locked it and had the key.” Remembering back he added, “During the remodel process tools disappeared all the time and then came back later in another place.”
Kaitlyn Conkling-Methot, the hostess had a few stories to tell also. “I was downstairs waiting for someone who went upstairs to get some keys. I heard someone scream my name. I looked around and no one was there. When the employee returned I asked if they had called my name and no one had done so.
“One day it was really slow and I had decided to play cards, Solitaire. I was placing red on black as is the way you play. When I glanced around and then came back to my game they were black on black. Thinking I had done it myself somehow, I fixed the cards and continued playing. Distracted again, I looked away, and when I looked back they were red on red. My heart pounded and I ran outside screaming ‘Oh my Gaud!’ It has not happened since, but it really frightened me. REALLY frightened me!”
Okay, they had our attention!
It was decided after the interviews that a séance would be the best plan of action to connect with the departed on the lower level. Meter readings were off the charts as the investigators walked around the building, but there were many electrical appliances and outlets in the building, and they could account for at least 80% of the spikes, making them useless to us as far as proof of haunting. We sat at the table, me in the middle with Symone on my right, and Judy Cooper on my left, good mixture of healing and psychic energy. From there we balanced psychic/healing energy evenly between the crew, leaving spaces for the owner of the building and her daughter to be a part, and also friends of 101.9 the wolf who had won a spot to be on this shoot. We began by aligning our charkas, balancing energy around the room, which called for a few seat changes, and I did a group healing before we started, offering my group the chance to go into light trance. At each end of the table were two strong men, Wayne Peterson and guest Greg Bield.
As is custom with our group, we circled energy around the room, back and forth to energize spirits. Certainly there were many imprints, ghosts if you will, that are as a videotape of when activity was going on in the building a long time ago. Of course you cannot talk to a ghost as the person is not there, just the energy of when they were around remains. We were more interested in talking to the spirits in the room, those who had passed on and never left, or have come back for whatever reason, they either loved the building, or were revisiting a site of some unnatural or charged occurrence. We set up in the ballroom, but unfortunately we were right next door to the kitchen where it was bustling with noise as they prepared the meals for the guests upstairs. Other than that disruption, the room was eerily quiet. We were ready to begin.
A name that came forward at the séance was ELLEN. After asking around, it turned out that ELLEN was Dona Mendoza’s mother. It was lovely that she came to share the evening with the equally lovely Dona. We decided to move on and I asked this spirit to remain with us. Our camera crew alerted us to orbs they could see through their lens that began to float around, all immediately seen on the screen. Cooper saw and then felt a large bird circle the table and then land in the middle. It is recorded on tape. Chills began to engulf us, as anyone who is in the paranormal field knows a room gets chilly, starting at the lower extremities, feet and legs and works up. This is attributed to the fact that spirits do not have blood in their bodies to assure heat, so when in the presence we can feel the temperature change. Rather nice on hot summer days.
“I began to feel dizzy. It was overpowering, and I put my hand on Coopers shoulder to balance. As it dispensed it was easy to see the form of a man take shape in front of me. He smiled, whisked around, and walked through the wall. Interesting. He was then followed by a woman in a long flowing heavy looking gown, dressed nicely the colors were white and blue. She identified herself as ‘Clara’, and I asked the owner to look up the records of the building at some point to see if she could identify the entity. She stuck around for about five minutes as we went on to other things, and then was gone, no one saw her leave so we do not know if she walked away or simply disappeared. The kitchen noise started up again, and we had to stop the process for a few minutes.
When we began again, orbs filled the room. Those new to the process were getting their money’s worth. Many entities filled the room, and we were able to record several of them. One was a Michael or Miguel, and a woman that stated she made “tortias’. Possible, the restaurant prior had been a Spanish Food establishment. A man in spirit ran through called Sam, and another, a short, bald man, hefty and out of breath. Neither took the time to address us. We laughed. “Rather rude right?” We spent the better part of an hour at the séance at which time lights flickered, the room became filmy with a fog like texture, and a spirit cat and dog went through, chasing and playing with each other. There was a young child, girl, named Amie that ran through, with a big smile on her face and a devilish look in her eye as if she had done something naughty and was not wanting to get caught. I smiled at her assuring her that her secret was safe with us.
The guest investigator, radio personality from 101.9THE WOLF RADIO, Kelly Symone, said: “I really didn’t know what to expect or what experiences I would have on my first ghost hunt. Working with Nancy and the crew of GOLD RUSH GHOSTS was amazing. They are all so in tune with what is going on beyond our realm that they were able to communicate it to me which made me aware of feelings and things happening that I wasn’t aware of.
“I was having feelings that I didn’t mention because I didn’t even realize that they had anything to do with the spirit activity in the room.
“During the investigation, I felt unexplained moments of heaviness in my chest and couldn’t breathe and (there were) pockets of cold air in the room. During the séance I kept feeling like someone was brushing my shoulder, I even felt a nudge which was impossible because we were all sitting completely still and holding hands. When looking at the photos later, we found there were orbs over my shoulder!”
Winner of the 101.9TheWolf contest to accompany us, Greg Bield said “Investigating the Brickside was an incredible experience. The energy in that building was amazing. Not being able to scientifically explain the strange EMF readings during the investigation had me intrigued, however, having Nancy expand on my impressions during the séance left me baffled. I did not verbalize my entire impression, and when Nancy described in details parts of my impression, the parts that I had not said anything about, it was amazing.”
Is the building haunted? Yes. Will GOLD RUSH GHOSTS INTERNAIONAL PARANORMAL be back? Yes. AND, does GOLD RUSH GHOSTS suggest this one to other reputable paranormal groups? YES. It has been picked up by the media and we WILL be reporting on this one for several local and national television shows, including INVESTIGATING THE UNKNOWN and others for Halloween, along with our new book BE A GHOST BUSTER with GOLD RUSH GHOSTS.
Not a bad day’s work for GRG.
Happy Ghost Hunting.For more about NANCY and GOLD RUSH GHOSTS: WWW.GOLDRUSHGHOSTS.COM and WWW.NANCYBRADLEY.ORG

PSYCHIC ‘UNCOVERS’ GHOSTS IN BOOK STORE!

2009-11-23T19:23:56Z

By The Celebrities Psychic NANCY BRADLEY
Disembodied voices in an empty room. Glasses clinking when no one is there. A few years ago, David Mintz, then owner/manager of Rivendell Books at 352 Main Street, Placerville, California, heart of the gold rush country, made an astonishing find. His store was haunted. What started as an ordinary day would prove fateful. This particular cloudy winter morning he stepped from his car as he always did, and walked the few steps to the front door of his business. It was there he crossed the threshold to the unknown. As he fumbled to put the key in the lock to open the store for the day, he heard voices. Startled, he carefully and silently removed the key from the lock and listened intently. Just as he suspected! The voices were coming from inside. “There were people laughing and glasses clinking” he told this paranormal investigative reporter. “I knew I wasn’t imagining things. I grabbed my phone to call the police.” But then it stopped. As surely as the voices came from inside the book store, the silence was now baffling. “My reasoning told me that no one could be in the building” he said, thoughtfully. “I had the only key. The door was locked. Yet I definitely heard people in there. I thought, ‘there must be an explanation’!” Mintz slowly regained his composure and reinserted the key. He entered his book store, leaving the door open behind him. All was quiet inside, and nothing seemed disturbed.

But the mystery continued. Over the next month strange things happened. Footsteps were heard when no one was there. The smell of stale cigarettes and old hay permeated the air. Plants would turn in their containers unseen hands were turning them to face the sun. When least expected books on the shelf would be flung to the floor. “They would not just fall mind you,” Mintz said. “But the books flew in the air and hit the floor about two feet away from the shelf.” More voices were heard, and angry tapings became commonplace. Unnerving as it was, Mintz and his employees continued to go about their day as always. But as things got more and more bizarre, they wanted an explanation. Could it be the work of ghosts? They made the call. On an evening shortly after that, GOLD RUSH GHOSTS INTERNATIONAL PARANORMAL INVESTIGATIONS came to investigate, bringing along all the standard state-of-the-art equipment needed to make a sure assessment. We were anxious to see if there was indeed another in the ever increasing ghost sightings in the gold rush country. It proved to be an interesting evening. I immediately jumped in on a spirit who called himself a hangman. “He likes to be called Darrell” I told the owner, clearing my throat as I continued to make a connection with him. “He just loves to come and go down Main Street. He hung men at the site of the old Hangman’s Tree Bar across the street, and also the big tree that stood just down the street where the Placerville Chamber of Commerce now is.” We looked in the direction of the Hangman’s Tree Bar, now closed, the building dilapidated and empty of live guests. We know the root of the hanging tree is still visible in the crawl space under the bar, we have seen it. Having explored that building as well as the Placerville Chamber a few years ago with a national television station, I was well aware of the activity that goes on there. People who work at the chamber were happy at that time to tell me all about the spirit man in a tall hat and black coat that walked the mezzanine before it was taken down and the building remodeled. Could it be the same man, the hangman standing at the exact height of the scaffolds of old? Probably! Zeroing back in on the man in the book store again, he was anxious to talk to me. “He says he is just making the rounds” I told the owner, his employees and their invited guests that had come to find out what was going on. I was able to identify three other spirits who were anxious to make their presence known as well. Willy and Agnes Grant stated they were workers in a lounge and store which in the 1800s was near this site. They came hand in hand, he a tall man, thin, and she a buxom yet slightly boned woman. “There is also a man here called Samuel Gordon.” I told them. “He calls himself ‘little Sammy’” Those that had congregated looked in the direction of the entity. “He is dressed in farm like attire and appears to me he could use a bath.” (I hoped I had not hurt his feelings.) “He loves a good joke and having his friends around him” I told them. “He is a social cat, and somewhat of a chatterbox. He wants to learn to read but says no one seems interested in teaching him. When he is aggravated at this situation, he removes the books from the shelves.” Well, I was putting it mildly! Looking more closely, I could see he had red hair, and had a woman with him called Sarah, who was more interested in picking at her nails than listening to him or for that matter teaching him to read... So now we know the book thrower! Looking around the building I could see there was a back door which I am told led to a mine way-back-when. There was still a large metal door leading to the outside. “It is in this way that ‘Little Sammy’ comes into the building and he is unaware of a front door.”

Mintz was able to confirm this to be true. “The back of the building was the front of the store at one time” he said. The atmosphere in the book store became rowdy, seemed more like a bar, saloon now. I could see it as a general store with people eating and drinking back then. “There are dogs lying about” I told the group, “and the silverware is dull and heavy. It is not a classy looking place to eat, nothing like today’s restaurants or lounge.” And it was then that it happened. So fast it startled all of us. A book was thrown from the shelf and landed hard onto the floor at the other side of the store… No ‘living’ person was on that side of the room, convincing everyone of the presence of something unseen. Walking back toward us, ‘little Sammy’ had a smirk on his face. Ah Hum! Something had to be done about him! “I immediately went to the shelf and retrieved the book. Next to me watching what was going on I could see another spirit, a short, heavy man dressed in what appeared to be a dark suit, and he was clearly not the man that threw the book. He had a matching vest and white shirt. He had a round face, and was bald on top. The man had a watch in his pocked, which was attached to a gold chair he took out from time to time to examine. It appeared that time was of the essence to him because he seemed to have somewhere he needed to go and be on time for. He was nervous. He mentioned that he “worked for the ‘hotel’ and needed to get back to his desk.” I watched him finish a shot glass full of amber liquid, and leave through the back door. It was then the smell of cigar smoke filled the room. It had been quite an evening. After a thorough investigation by GRG, we were more than convinced that the Rivendell Book Store is one of the most haunted places in all of the gold rush country. Meter readings rushed from .1 to 5.2 EMF and on examining photos later, orbs and forms showed up for all to see. Before leaving I asked Mintz if he wanted any of the spirits removed. “I don’t think so” he told me, “as long as they behave themselves!” I asked them, and especially ‘Little Sammy’ to respect the books on the shelves and that Mintz did not mind sharing them, but asked that they please not be damaged. “Be respectful of things” I asked them, “Do not knock anything else over or throw anything. These things are not yours to destroy.” I went back a few weeks later and according to Mintz it seemed to help. He told us that after we left the activity subsided somewhat. Unfortunately, after that, David Mintz and his family moved on. They sold the bookstore and went on to other pursuits. And guess what! Over the last few years the book store has changed hands several times. The new owners also stock my books and written works for sale and on one occasion or another someone in the store will mention to me of feeling, seeing, or hearing ghosts and spirits. I have taken little time to discuss the activity with the new owners about any strange activity going on inside. I just smile at them. I already know. Many times in my mind I go back and remember when were alone in the store, late that night. Employees talked about how they could feel spirits surrounding them, watching them, as they went through all the business transactions that one must complete in the course of the day and evening. I could feel it, everyone could, and the proof of energy showed up on our meters and cameras.

One thing is for sure. There is no doubt the building is haunted! “The ghosts are both a comfort and a hindrance” people in the store tell us. “And” they added, “sometimes just plain spooky!” We suggest you come in and see for yourself. Even for those who do not believe in ghosts, this place is a happening!
Copyright @ 2009 Nancy Bradley. All rights reserved.
For more about Gold Rush Ghosts International Paranormal Investigations please go to: WWW.GOLDRUSHGHOSTS.COM and WWW.NANCYBRADLEY.ORG

ANIMALS WE HAVE SEEN IN SPIRIT

2009-11-18T17:19:09Z

The Celebrities Psychic

NANCY BRADLEY

“UNTIL ONE HAS LOVED AN ANIMAL, A PART OF ONE’S SOUL REMAINS UNAWAKENED”

Anatole, French Novelist

There is only one statue in all of New York City that does not need to be polished in spite of weather, bird droppings, dust, grime and elements, and that is the statue of BALTO. Balto is the beautiful Siberian husky sled dog that is immortalized as one of the 150 dogs that brought relief in the form of serum to the citizens of Nome, Alaska in 1925-26 from the horrible diphtheria epidemic killing the residents. And the reason the statue does not need continual polishing and cleaning is because residents and guests to the site pet the statue continuously as if it were a real dog. This says something to all of us about our love of animals. All people with souls love animals.

And as running the largest and oldest paranormal investigative organization in the world, Gold Rush Ghosts International Paranormal Investigations, no investigation of the existence of life after death could be complete without the mention of ANIMALS WE HAVE SEEN IN SPIRIT. Because (in my opinion) animals are Angels, put only on this planet to help man to often times be treated abominably by the cruel and uncaring. And for the gift that animals give us and their unfortunate yet unnecessary sacrifice, it is clear to me that no loving Universe would deny them immortality, for they are so much more advanced than man. And so as we explore the depth of our own immortality, as investigators it is important to me that we must incorporate into that investigation animals that we have known and loved, and some that just show up from spirit to wish us well. Here are the stories of a few of them.

My dog Sammy, a Whippet adopted one of my cats many years ago. Little Second Chance was the sole survivor of a dog attack, and he came to me a wet few day old yellow kitten starving and fighting for life. For several weeks as I went about doing my Psychic Readings and Counseling Sessions as well as other daily chores he lived in a harness close to my heart, as I fed him hour by hour and allowed him to hear my heartbeat. We loved him from the start and as soon as he could waddle and walk he came into the unlikely care of our male dog Sammy who could not have loved him more.

As time went by the name Second Chance was shortened to Chance, and being yellow and white as is Sammy, their unlikely friendship took on the appearance of matching bookends, one a little smaller than the other. They were always together. Although my bed is always open at night for cats and dogs to jump up and cuddle, Sam and Chance took to bedding down on the couch at night, and they would cuddle up together and enjoy only being with each other. Both rescue animals, they had something in common, both being loved and finding a second beginning in our family.

This went on for several years, until Chance suddenly died. Having a rocky beginning we could not expect that he would have a long life, who knows what damage was done to him before he could even walk. But Sammy and our family did have him for seven years, and when he died, the loss was almost too much for us to handle.

The day Chance passed my granddaughter was visiting. She had a special bond with Chance, and to this day she still maintains that same special bond with Sammy. Because it was she who found Second Chance and saved him from that vicious dog.

On the day of his death we were all in mourning. My husband suggested we take a picture of Sammy with our granddaughter right at the spot where Chance would curl up for the night in his paws. From the photo you can see that Chance has not left us at all. He is still there. Many times since his death we have seen him in Sam’s embrace and the two of them walking through the house together. Nothing changes except the etheric. No one and nothing really dies, just goes on to another place.

Here are a few other heartfelt stories of other animals in spirit.

“One of the most precious cats I ever had was Mr. Stubbs” states Judy Cooper, GRG investigator. “He was a black Manx without a tail weighting in at 15-16 lbs. He was such a love bug. When he was in the mood for attention, he would literally grab your face with his paw and pull it toward him. Once he passed away I’d catch him out of the corner of my eye by his food dish which is where he seemed to be most of the time while he was alive.

“A few months after he passed I was lying in bed and I felt him jump up on the bed. Startled for just a moment, I saw him come right up to me for some love, and felt the covers move as he walked towards me. Ever since that time I know he’s still around me. He evens shows up in my dreams. I know Stubbs will always be with me.”

“What I would like to say” stated paranormal investigator, and Sacramento Resident, Laura Martucci and great animal lover, “would take its own book about all the animals in my life, you know, it is very hard to keep it down to one. But Grover is the one pet for my husband Mark and I that has been with us consistently in spirit.

“Grover was the product of a golden retriever and Labrador/border collie mix. We rescued him in the parking lot of a shelter from the woman that raised him from a puppy. I do know that Grover was one of many she saved from the shelters. The women that gave him to us named all the dogs she rescued after Presidents. Grover’s full name was Grover Alexander Cleveland. He was playful and fun from the beginning, and he turned out to be an extremely smart dog, touching our lives in so many ways. He continues to do to so to this day.

His passing was a sad day for all of us. But he decided to stick around after death knowing we still needed him. Today he has the ability to let us know when he is with us, as he generally shows up in spirit when we are going through some hard times or maybe just having a bad day. After his death he came with me to my first reading with Nancy, and of course he was clearly the reason why I made the appointment. Mark was having a very hard time of getting over his death. This is very hard for me to convey, because Grover was very young when he died. He was only part of our family for four and a half years, so he died early at only 6 years old. Yet he was meant to be ours and though the years on THIS plane were short, the love and connection remains long. And he has been with us in spirit now almost as long as he was with us in life.

“I know that our current dog Nattie sees Grover. All of a sudden he will wake and be playing with something that only he and I can see. Grover.

“One recent morning I woke up and realized I could not move my legs. Looking down they had something laying across them. I could see that it was Grover. Not wanting to disturb him, I laid there still for a long time until he disappeared.”

According to GRG Investigator, also a Sacramento resident, Elizabeth Harrison, “The dog I have lost and feel the most still at my side is my little Pomeranian Sable who passed away from old age but still comes back and crawls into bed with me. I feel the movement as she gets under the covers, but when I awake I realize it is her spirit. She was only 4 lbs in life and yet it is a very distinct movement that I feel. She loved to curl up next to me when she was alive and I kept her warm and it was a comfort to both of us. I feel her around me often, and know that she still comes back to visit. I also periodically have Dakota our precious Rottweiler visit us since her death. I know because I will be walking down the hall and all of a sudden I bump into the wall. That is something that happened often to me when she was alive, as she would rush to walk beside me even when there was not room for the two of us. This was because she always wanted to go with me and wanted to be certain that I took her along. Nancy fell in love with her when she accompanied me to the television show THE PSYCHIC HOUR WITH NANCY BRADLEY, and insisted she sit on the stage with her. Dakota apparently liked her time there as well, as we still feel her at the television station.”

“Bandit showed up in our driveway in February” states Bob King, photographer for GRG Investigations. “Being in Sacramento California, it was a warm winter day, and this starving black half-dog, half-puppy walked the few steps down to our garage and collapsed in the yard. My younger sister Robin, a toddler, found old boxes we had in the garage, and made a makeshift enclosure around the dog so she would not leave. Bandit could have gotten up and jumped over them at any time if she had the strength, but she lay down, contented, and did not resist. Soon our mother came out of the house and saw the dog. A sucker for any animal, she fell in love immediately and Bandit became a treasured part of our family.

Now the new dog did not come with a name, and so when we took her to the vet for her first check-up and to have her spayed, the technician hearing the story of how we acquired her, said “Well, you are clearly a BANDIT, running away from something!” The vet seconded this opinion, adding that the dog was likely given to a family for Christmas, and it grew bigger than they had anticipated, or their kids did not take care of it, and so she had been dumped it on our cul-de-sac. Cruel as people can be, in this case it was a good ending for this helpless animal, they picked just the right house. The vet determined that Bandit was the cross between a collie and lab, pitch black, and regal. Her name was born that very day.

Bandit saw me through my adolescence, running around a pond at the end of our block, playing with friends, through my teenage years of hidden drugs and alcohol, to leaving for the military and coming out an accomplished man. Bandit saw my sister through several teenage crushes and heartaches, and my mother through an abusive marriage. She saved us from a burning hill behind our house by breaking through the door and pulling my mother out of the bathtub allowing her the opportunity to put the fire out before the fire department got there. One day we watched our Bandit come down the hill with a newborn kitten in her mouth, still wet from birth. A ferrel cat had obviously abandoned it, and Mama Bandit picked it up and carefully carried it to the house for Mom to care for. Bandit loved everything, rabbits, kittens, squirrels, anything in need of her help. The kitten survived and they became inseparable friends and the cat and Bandit moved with us wherever we went up until their deaths. Bandit was one of us kids.

Bandit was old when she died. Mom had doctored and cared for her through her years of arthritis and old age, and just could not bring herself to ‘put her to sleep’ regardless of what people thought would be the best thing to do. ‘Long as she is not in pain’ she would reason. But inevitably, one summer afternoon Mom came home from work to find her at the back door, soundly sleeping for the last time. Cuddling her, my mother’s heart broke. She was gone. I was not home at the time but the decision was made to bury her in that yard, the house she had known for 11 years. It was a hard decision because we knew we would be moving soon. Yet it seemed the right thing to do because it was the home and acreage that Bandit loved the most, and a place was found just under the trees where she loved to roam. We placed her body there in the country, a place where we knew she would never be disturbed. Every time we go by that old house today we always scream ‘HI BANDIT!’

But we don’t need to. Bandit is still with us wherever we go. I feel her around me all the time. Mom sees her in dreams and also when she is working late nights on her next book or novel, still lying at her feet. She accompanies her in the car, something Bandit hated in life. She is there for all occasions, Christmas, birthdays. Whenever we run and play, have an outing, Bandit is there.

We have many animals in our lifetime, and they are all special. Bandit was my childhood dog, and there are none to replace her. She lives in our hearts, and continues to walk with us to this day.” Those horrible people that ditched her those many years ago gave us the biggest gift of our lives. It’s one that lasts forever.”