Ghost cat, part one

I wanted to put more up tonight, however, the same old, same old technical difficulties.

I wanted to post the audio of my ghost cat at the Old Funeral Home in Jacksonville, but Audacity is being a pain. More like, in the two years it’s been since I’ve used it to isolate and copy a piece, I’ve forgotten how to use it. So … I will have to delay the playing. But not for too terribly long. Sorry about the ineptitude - and I remember it being SO easy!

First I’ll start with a small bit. I work nights and many weekends, so it’s impossible for me to join a regular group. And, believe me, I’ve met some awesome people and groups. So much of what I do consists of trips and groups that are open to the public.

Have I had success with that? Yes. Has it been as good, as secure, as uncontaminated, etc., as in a controlled group? No. But I’ve met some great people with interesting ideas, I’ve visited some amazing places and I’ve had an awful lot of fun. So you give a little and you get a little.
I’ve been all around Decatur, I’ve been in Chicago, I’ve been to Tombstone and Bisbee, Arizona. I’ve been to St. Louis and that area. I’ve been to Gettysburg (twice!) and hopefully again. Anyone who is interested in traveling along, just speak up. You pay your own way and don’t cry if you get scared.

Anyway, I’m going to cover a rather recent experience, since I still haven’t dug my discs of photos out of my pit of an office. (I’ll never pass a white glove test, believe me, and not just because of the four black cats.)

First things first is the location. The old funeral home in Jacksonville, Illinois, refers to the former Williamson Funeral Home, which actually started its life as the Proffit Boarding House in the early 1900s. Many early touring actors and actresses stayed at the boarding house while traveling through to perform at the Strawn Opera House.

Later, the building became the Williamson Funeral Home for 55 years under the helm of Harlan Williamson. He began his career as a furniture maker. He also, obviously, made coffins at that time and worked his way into becoming an undertaker. He and his family lived in the upstairs of the home.

It has now entered its third life, in a case of something coming almost full circle, as home to the Jacksonville Theatre Guild.

So, we all know theaters are known to be highly haunted. We figure funeral homes are haunted. Paranormal investigators DO believe that objects can be haunted and that spirits can attach themselves to objects. If you poke your head to into any of the rooms at the guild, you will find an absolutely delightful array of clothing, furniture, props, hats, wedding dresses … anything that would fire up an actors’ imagination. So why is the building considered haunted?

This particular outing was part of an after-hours investigation during the 2011 Midwest Ghost Conference in Jacksonville. And while it wasn’t a dark and stormy night, exactly, it was a rainy one. So here’s where I’m going to leave you, with our intrepid band of adventurers at the old funeral parlor, armed with all our various cameras, recorders, flashlights … and waiting for something to happen.