Haunted Asylum triggers Government Response

[Ron Caliburn]

Fri Mar 28, 1:20 AM

By The Associated Press

IOWA CITY, Iowa - County officials have given their informal OK for ghost hunters to check out a one-time Iowa insane asylum to see if any spirits are lurking about.

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors took the initial action on the request from the Johnson County Historical Society, which gives tours of the 153-year-old building.

Brandon Cochran, museum operations assistant for the historical society, said there have never been reports of ghosts or bizarre happenings at the building and bringing in a paranormal team is "kind of taking the pre-emptive approach."

He wants an Iowa-based paranormal investigative team to come in for one night. Cochran said he hopes they don't find any paranormal activity and the investigation can put to rest any speculation.

A four-person Carroll Area Paranormal Team will use thermal imaging equipment and voice-recording systems, Cochran said.

A date for an investigation wasn't set and an agreement will have to be drafted releasing the county of any liability before the supervisors formally approve the request, Cochran said.

The remaining wing was built in 1855 and housed mentally ill patients who were deemed insane. It was a self-sufficient 65-hectare site with residents growing corn, potatoes, wheat, hay and tobacco.

The building is now called Chatham Oaks and houses people with physical and mental disabilities. Chatham Oaks officials said there wouldn't be a problem with the paranormal team coming in as long as it didn't disturb residents.

Nice to see a government actually trying to get to the truth of these things.

[Logan]

Been tryin at that for a long time there, Caliburn. Nice that they are admitting interest, and letting some outside groups make some findings for public consumtion.

[Ron Caliburn]

Hopefully we might get an official "positive."

[Logan]

I dunno, Caliburn, I spent an awefull lot of time helping people like your self remember to stay in the shadows, while keeping the unbelieving sheep in the dark to think they would open a place that would pop reliable traces to leave a good positive.

More likely, soem brass somewhere has read a review on the location from one or more teams liked the ones I worked with and is ready to have an outside source publicly admit that the haunting may be "possible" and even "plausible".

We'll see. If you remember how the stock market reacted to the attacks on September eleventh 2001, then you knwo exactly why the government has not released anythign of real value (and has actively interferred with attempts to bring this scirmish out of the shadows.)

[Ron Caliburn]

We gotta start getting people clued in somewhere. Might as well be here.

[GhostSpider]

Hopefully we might get an official "positive."

You're joking, right?

[Ron Caliburn]

Hopefully we might get an official "positive."

You're joking, right?

Of course not.


I doubt it will happen, but I can still hope for it.

[KonThaak]

Now the Society is against proving the supernatural exists?

I dunno what this is a response to, directly, but as for myself, there are things that're paranormal, and there're things that aren't, but are presented as paranormal. The latter outweighs the former, and that fact alone makes people believe that the former doesn't happen at all. I work to debunk the bunk, and to try and spread awareness about that which isn't bunk.

[GhostSpider]

Now the Society is against proving the supernatural exists?

Not at all. I simply know that the U.S Goverment would never knowingly admit that the supernatural exists. Too many powers in the shadows will work to see that that never happens. My father and the group he represents being one of them.

[Ron Caliburn]

Which is why we need to get local government to officially admit something first.


Stepping stones.