Investigation Report for The Mansion at Griffin Gate - 06-30-05

Time of Investigation:

Began at 9:26 p.m. and ended at 11 44 p.m.

Solar Conditions:

Solar X-rays are Normal. Geomagnetic fields indicate Quiet.

Moon Phase:

6 days before Full Moon

Weather Conditions:

Scattered rain showers; temperature in the mid-80s.

Description of Location:

The Mansion at Griffin Gate is a two story antebellum home that was turned into a restaurant. It has an attic and basement as well. Both the first and second floors are used for seating restaurant patrons. The Blue Ash room is located on the second floor; according to the staff, this is the most active area in The Mansion. It is believed that this used to be the master bedroom.

Equipment readings:

Our first stop was the basement this evening. Our dowsing rods indicated activity in the storage area. We also went back to the Blue Ash Room for further research. In both areas, both our Cell sensor and Multidetector II Prof indicated fluctuations in electromagnetic fields in several areas; these areas did move around.

Investigators:

Starr Chaney, Jessi Chaney, Pryce Chaney, Nicki Chaney

Spectators:

Some of the staff of The Mansion at Griffin Gate

Investigation Setup:

I brought my dowsing rods, Canon A510 Digital 35mm camera, Sony Mavica FD100 Digital 35MM camera, Fuji 35mm camera, 2 standard cassette recorders with external omnidirectional microphones and a digital recorder. We set the camcorder at the midpoint of the Blue Ash Room, pointing down the inner part of the room. We set one recorder in the Blue Ash Room, on the mantle of the first fireplace. The other was set in the basement.

History of the Home/Area:

The historic two story antebellum mansion has undergone a succession of distinguished owners an architectural improvements since it was first built over 135 years ago.

The interior, furnished with antiques, paintings, polished fireplace mantles and twelve crystal chandeliers, evokes an atmosphere for gracious and relaxed dining. Built originally in 1854 as an Italian Villa, the two story brick home with a three-story tower, was home to David Colman and family until it was consumed by fire in December 1872.

Another house designed by Cincinnatus Shryrock was completed in 1873 and christened Highland Home.

The next owner, Alfred Marks, changed the name to Griffin Gate and added antique mantles and paneling.

The Mansion still has a few permanent residents, though they only stop by once in a while, they make their presence known. Our fireplaces turn off and on by themselves, and our lights will turn on and off by themselves, just so you know that "they" still live here.

The staff tells us that they often have sightings of a little girl on the staircase, they have nicknamed her Greta. They also report keys being moved, items being knocked off the mantles, the fireplaces turning off and on by themselves, feelings of being watched, instances of being touched by unseen hands, and cold spots.

Activity Witnessed:

After being in the basement for only about 10 minutes, Pryce had something touch his leg while in the area where the ice machine is located. Photos taken showed no anomalies, meter readings spiked once.

Around 10:20 - We have moved up to the Blue Ash Room. We were getting no readings on our meters, and no anomalies in our photos. So we initiated a game of hide and seek with Greta, and told her to hide and we would find her. We began circling the room, and our meter lead us under the tables (they had been set in one large group for a meeting the next morning). After finding her the meter reading dropped, so we looked elsewhere in the room. The meter then peaked behind the portable projector screen, and then under the cabinet in the common area just outside the Blue Ash Room, and lastly back under the tables again. No anomalies were captured by our cameras at these times.

Around 10:57 - The camera (Mavica) was hanging around Jessi's neck, Jessi had her hands in her jean pockets, and I was standing beside her leaning on the wall. We were discussing where we were going to go next, when the camera flash went off on its own. The photo shows part of a ghostly face, in full color. You can view it on our photo evidence page.

At 11:18 - While Pryce was checking the room with the meters once again, he began getting readings near the first window. While he was getting these readings we were able to capture several orbs with our cameras.

We had several instances of being touched while we were in the Blue Ash Room.

We observed one cold spot while in the Blue Ash Room. The temperature in the room was 82 degrees and the cold spot registered at 61 degrees on our thermocouple thermometer. You could feel the swirl of the energy, like a small tornado. No anomalies were captured by our cameras though.

At 11:28 - Our camcorder, which was sitting on a box in the Blue Ash room, was suddenly and sharply turned 180 degrees, to face the opposite direction. The entire team witnessed this phenomenon.

On our way downstairs to leave for the evening we noticed that the chandelier (next to the bottom of the stairs on the first floor) was swinging. We pointed it out to the Manager, Lee, who said that they never swung. After it came to rest, we ran back up the stairs to see if it had been caused by us coming down the stairs, but it didn't move in the slightest. Lee even hopped down the stairs in an effort to get it to move, but it didn't budge. Upon walking through the dining room to say our goodbyes, the chandelier in the dining room began swinging. This was witnessed by several staff members of The Mansion.

We also had many photos with anomalies; they can be viewed on our photo evidence page.

Investigation Findings:

We believe this property to indeed be haunted, and we hope to be able to continue to investigate it and gather evidence.