Post by Eric on Oct 16, 2008 8:16:11 GMT -5
A haunted bed and breakfast
By Nick Danna
10/14/2008
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PHOENIXVILLE - There's a story that's been circulating among guests at the Phoenixville bed and breakfast The Manor House for a number of years.
According to most versions of the story, guests occasionally stop cold at the bottom of the stairs to the house's third floor, hearing the eerie echoes of children happily playing, though there are no children in the house.
"We have had 11 guests from all over the world tell us the exact same story. These people have no relationship to each other and the reports stretch over 17 years," said Harriet Chachkes, who owns and operates The Manor House with her husband Chaim. "I've never felt or heard that kind of activity, but when that many guests point it out, you have to start paying attention."
Given the legendary status of the house's ghost story, Chachkes was more than willing to welcome a local paranormal investigation team into the home. The Chester County Paranormal Research Society, a group based in West Chester, conducted an initial investigation of the home in April and reported their findings to the Chachkes on Saturday night.
"This is a very active house," said the CCPRS' Carole Starr, who has been interested in paranormal activity since a personal experience sparked her curiosity at a young age. "There are lots of voices here."
The group, headed by founder Mark Sarro, presented a thick dossier of evidence collected at the house during the April investigation, including photographs of an unexplained light source that appeared near Starr's head. There were also a multitude of audio recordings that those in paranormal investigation circles refer to as EVPs, or electronic voice phenomena, including one that CCPRS members say sounds exactly like two children slamming a door and laughing on the third floor.
This evidence was to be bolstered by an investigation conducted late into the night Saturday, as well as by another that will be open to the public on Halloween night. That night's events will include a dinner, briefing and overnight investigation for those interested in local ghost legends.
Sarro, who has recently published the book "Ghosts of West Chester" through Schiffer Publishing, began a deep fascination in his teen years that was recently reignited after moving into his West Chester home.
"There's a lot of activity in that home, especially one room," Sarro said. "I founded the CCPRS because of that and we've all trained and learned to use our equipment in that home."
For those thinking that members of the CCPRS take their passion lightly, the members are quick to point out that they are more than just ghost chasers.
"We are not ghost hunters," said Mary Gasparo, the CCPRS' case administrator. "There's a big difference between that and what we do.
"Everything that we collect is transcribed and documented," said Starr. "We want to be able to prove, beyond that shadow of a doubt, that what we observe is actually happening. We back up everything with research and evidence. We look at it as research."
The group collects their evidence with a host of cutting-edge and basic tools, from digital audio recorders, video cameras and still cameras to thermometers and devices that measure electrommagnetic activity.
The group takes their work so seriously, Starr said, that they never charge to conduct investigations and always present the full evidence record to property owners.
"This is a passion that we all believe in," Starr said.
Chachkes, though she's never personally experienced the phenomena that her guests have relayed to her over the years, has nevertheless been impressed with the CCPRS' methodology.
"I've been impressed that they don't take money and that they've asked us not to tell them ahead of time what we know, so as not to influence them," Chachkes said. "I've been impressed by their legitimacy."
As for the stories themselves, especially how they affect the guests at The Manor House, Chachkes said that she has found curiosity to be the dominant response.
"There hasn't been any fear over it," she said. "Just interest and excitement. The people who have told the story say that this is a very warm place and there was nothing threatening about it, just something playful. And really, who wouldn't want a house full of children you don't have to feed or discipline?"
For more information on the Halloween investigation, visit the CCPRS' Web site at www.chestercountyprs.com. .
paranormal.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=paranormal&cdn=newsissues&tm=11&f=22&su=p504.1.336.ip_&tt=2&bt=0&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.pottstownmercury.com/site/news.cfm%3Fnewsid%3D20163308%26BRD%3D1674%26PAG%3D461%26dept_id%3D635486%26rfi%3D6
By Nick Danna
10/14/2008
email this storyEmail to a friendpost a commentPost a Commentprinter friendlyPrinter-friendly
PHOENIXVILLE - There's a story that's been circulating among guests at the Phoenixville bed and breakfast The Manor House for a number of years.
According to most versions of the story, guests occasionally stop cold at the bottom of the stairs to the house's third floor, hearing the eerie echoes of children happily playing, though there are no children in the house.
"We have had 11 guests from all over the world tell us the exact same story. These people have no relationship to each other and the reports stretch over 17 years," said Harriet Chachkes, who owns and operates The Manor House with her husband Chaim. "I've never felt or heard that kind of activity, but when that many guests point it out, you have to start paying attention."
Given the legendary status of the house's ghost story, Chachkes was more than willing to welcome a local paranormal investigation team into the home. The Chester County Paranormal Research Society, a group based in West Chester, conducted an initial investigation of the home in April and reported their findings to the Chachkes on Saturday night.
"This is a very active house," said the CCPRS' Carole Starr, who has been interested in paranormal activity since a personal experience sparked her curiosity at a young age. "There are lots of voices here."
The group, headed by founder Mark Sarro, presented a thick dossier of evidence collected at the house during the April investigation, including photographs of an unexplained light source that appeared near Starr's head. There were also a multitude of audio recordings that those in paranormal investigation circles refer to as EVPs, or electronic voice phenomena, including one that CCPRS members say sounds exactly like two children slamming a door and laughing on the third floor.
This evidence was to be bolstered by an investigation conducted late into the night Saturday, as well as by another that will be open to the public on Halloween night. That night's events will include a dinner, briefing and overnight investigation for those interested in local ghost legends.
Sarro, who has recently published the book "Ghosts of West Chester" through Schiffer Publishing, began a deep fascination in his teen years that was recently reignited after moving into his West Chester home.
"There's a lot of activity in that home, especially one room," Sarro said. "I founded the CCPRS because of that and we've all trained and learned to use our equipment in that home."
For those thinking that members of the CCPRS take their passion lightly, the members are quick to point out that they are more than just ghost chasers.
"We are not ghost hunters," said Mary Gasparo, the CCPRS' case administrator. "There's a big difference between that and what we do.
"Everything that we collect is transcribed and documented," said Starr. "We want to be able to prove, beyond that shadow of a doubt, that what we observe is actually happening. We back up everything with research and evidence. We look at it as research."
The group collects their evidence with a host of cutting-edge and basic tools, from digital audio recorders, video cameras and still cameras to thermometers and devices that measure electrommagnetic activity.
The group takes their work so seriously, Starr said, that they never charge to conduct investigations and always present the full evidence record to property owners.
"This is a passion that we all believe in," Starr said.
Chachkes, though she's never personally experienced the phenomena that her guests have relayed to her over the years, has nevertheless been impressed with the CCPRS' methodology.
"I've been impressed that they don't take money and that they've asked us not to tell them ahead of time what we know, so as not to influence them," Chachkes said. "I've been impressed by their legitimacy."
As for the stories themselves, especially how they affect the guests at The Manor House, Chachkes said that she has found curiosity to be the dominant response.
"There hasn't been any fear over it," she said. "Just interest and excitement. The people who have told the story say that this is a very warm place and there was nothing threatening about it, just something playful. And really, who wouldn't want a house full of children you don't have to feed or discipline?"
For more information on the Halloween investigation, visit the CCPRS' Web site at www.chestercountyprs.com. .
paranormal.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ&sdn=paranormal&cdn=newsissues&tm=11&f=22&su=p504.1.336.ip_&tt=2&bt=0&bts=1&zu=http%3A//www.pottstownmercury.com/site/news.cfm%3Fnewsid%3D20163308%26BRD%3D1674%26PAG%3D461%26dept_id%3D635486%26rfi%3D6