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Sunday, August 08, 2004
— Time: 3:41:52 AM EST
Paranormal issues normal fare at annual conference
By BELINDA CAPEL
PARKERSBURG - Ghosts, fairies, spirits and things that go bump in the night were just a few topics of discussion at the 2004 Haunted West Virginia Ghost Hunters and Spirituality Conference.
The conference, which started Friday and runs through today at the Parkersburg Art Center, is in its third year.
Susan Sheppard, coordinator of the event, originally started the convention as a way for people to get advice on paranormal experiences from the experts.
"After doing my Haunted Parkersburg tours for ten years, I would have people come up to me and ask me about pictures they had taken, so I wanted to bring in the experts to explain them," said Sheppard.
The theme for this year's convention was "The Ghosts of the Civil War."
"We picked the Civil War as a theme because there were five different Civil War hospitals in Parkersburg," said Sheppard.
One of the hospitals was located at Quincy Hill. The Hill's hospital was a tent overflow hospital. Quincy Hill, the location for the conference's Saturday evening Ghost Hunt, is well-known for its hauntings.
Even the location of the conference was a haunted place. The Parkersburg Art Center sits on the former location of the Camden Theater. The theater burned to the ground in 1928.
In 1926, Harry Houdini performed at the theater.
People in the buildings on the city block where the theater was built often smell hot buttered popcorn and notice heavy objects being lifted and falling over, said Sheppard.
This year around 100 people attended the conference. Most in attendance were from out of town, said Sheppard.
"About 60 percent of the people at the conference are from out of the area," said Sheppard.
The conference began Friday with the Haunted Parkersburg tour. After the tour, conference attendees and presenters attended an informal reception at the Blennerhassett Hotel.
The conference continued early Saturday morning with a day of workshops.
Presenters included Troy Taylor, founder of the American Ghost Society, author Rosemary Ellen Guiley, Rick and Bobbie Atristain of the Virginia Ghost and Hauntings Research Society, Allison Lynch of the International Ghost Hunters Society and local Civil War expert Brian Kesterson as well as members of the Haunted West Virginia and Haunted Parkersburg Ghost Hunters.
Saturday's workshop topics included "Ghosts of the Civil War," "How to Conduct One's Own Ghost Hunt, "The Science and Art of Ghost Hunting," and "Investigating the Spirit World in the 21st Century."
During a meet-the-panel session, presenters stressed the importance of history in ghost hunting.
"Knowing the real history and people involved is important in understanding the psychic history," said Rick Atristain.
"Unless you have a structured history behind (the experience,) there's no basis," said Taylor.
Presenters also talked about their ideas regarding ghosts, hauntings and the supernatural during the panel discussion.
"What determines an experience is the place, time and our own state of mind," said Guiley.
Guiley said she tries to explore what happens under what conditions as well as how the person explains the phenomena to himself.
As part of the conference, vendors set up booths and sold their wares throughout the day.
Lisa Brussl and her partner Christopher Okonski travelled from Akron, Ohio to sell their books and accoutrements for spiritual living such as stones and crystals. Brussl and Okonski met Sheppard at a convention in Pennsylvania and decided the convention in Parkersburg would be a fun summer activity, said Brussl.
Okonski also performed energy healing at the convention. He is certified in Amanohuna healing and Karuna Reiki healing.
"It's an impressive group (in attendance,)" said Brussl.
The Rev. Rose St. John, owner of Lilyrose Curios in New Brighton, Pa., came to the conference to sell metaphysical, divination tools and New Age merchandise. St. John and her husband Frank like to travel, meet people and go ghosthunting. They attended the convention last year as well.
"I loved the convention last year," said St. John. "It's a lot of fun and everyone's so friendly and helpful. Susan and Roger (Sheppard) just bend over backward to make sure everyone's happy, especially the vendors."
Sherry Ruais of Dale City, Va. attended the convention with her mother, Beatrice Davis of Parkersburg.
Ruais had originally planned on visiting Parkersburg for a family reunion and accidentally found out about the convention through the Internet.
"I just decided to come a few days early so I could come to the convention," said Ruais.
Davis said that she and Ruais were especially interested in the paintings by Parkersburg artist Lily Irene Jackson currently on display at the center.
Conference attendees were encouraged to view the paintings as Jackson is one of the "most active and entertaining spirits" on Sheppard's tour. Davis and Ruais are descendants of the Jackson family.
"As a child I always grew up hearing stories about Lily because my mother's family were Jacksons," said Davis.
Members of the 4th U.S. Cavalry were on hand throughout the day to lend an ambiance to the convention and provide historical background on the presenters' topics.
Area re-enactors camped on Quincy Hill Saturday afternoon and then led conference attendees on the walk up the Hill for Saturday evening's Ghost Hunt with experts Taylor, Lynch and the Atristains.
Saturday morning the re-enactors shared experiences with the paranormal during Civil War re-enactments and investigations.
"A lot of people see those who have seen apparitions or had experiences as kooks, but until you see it yourself, you just don't understand," said Kesterson.
The convention continues today. Visit http://www.hauntedparkersburg.com for schedules and more information.
http://www.newsandsentinel.com/news/story/088202004_new04_ghosts.asp
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Some other links:
WV Ghost story books:
http://www.prairieghosts.com/wv_books.html
http://www.wvghosts.com
West Virginia Hauntings:
http://www.callwva.com/hauntings/
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Although they seem big on ghost over in that neck of the woods letss not forget other WV discussion here:
Mothman:
http://www.forteantimes.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=46
http://www.forteantimes.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2069
http://www.forteantimes.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1027
Point Pleasant serial killer (or not):
http://www.forteantimes.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=2648