The Living Arts and Science Center

Patti Starr is the President and owner of Ghost Chasers International, Inc., which is based in Lexington, Kentucky.  She leads an experienced, accomplished, group of investigators with a goal to prove that life goes on even after death.  Patti sets out to find and document paranormal activity in the field of ghost hunting with modest equipment such as the Dr. Gauss EMF meter, Multidetector II Profi, Cell Sensor meter, and the Raytec Mini Temp.

Her investigative research for ghosts includes electromagnetic field detection, observing electrostatic field disturbances, capturing anomalous images with infrared videography, 3-D photography, digital photography, 35 mm photography, recorded EVPs (Electronic Voice Phenomena) with audio recording devices, monitoring the temperature with laser thermal scanners, along with other advanced techniques to collect data.  Patti substantiates these findings by catching anomalies in her photos and videos, in addition to EVPs being captured on audio recorders and videos, along with the recorded results of the devices she uses to measure temperature changes and electromagnetic field disturbances.

 

 The Living Arts and Science Center alive during the day with classes of young students joining in to make art. The participants paint, mold clay, sing songs, and listen to stories. The staff members had agreed that there was something supernatural going on with items missing and showing back up in other places and noises that included bumping, whispers, and apparitions.

 

What We Did - Samples We Brought Back

Jul 14, 2001 My Arrival

As I unpacked my ghost hunting equipment at the Living Arts and Science Center, I could feel the nostalgic mood slowly start settling in as I noticed my surroundings that reflected the 1800’s structure. Fireplaces in almost every room with fabulous mantels, large doorways and high ceilings, creaky stairways leading to the second floor and then up to the attic, would put any ghost hunter in the mood to investigate. The smell of glue, crayons and paper reminded me of those summer days gone by, when as a child in Vacation Bible School I would make picture frames out of paper plates with dried macaroni noodles and jewelry boxes out of Popsicle sticks.

Just about everyone that was working there had left for the evening except for Jim, the Curator, and Judy, the Administrative Assistant, and her two girls, Katie and Lena. They were very eager to help us get going and showed us the areas where most of the paranormal activity had been noticed. We started first by using the EMF meter to see what kind of readings we would get in the basement. It was a typical, solemn, dark, dusty, cavity where you would think that any old ghost would love to haunt. Unfortunately we didn’t get any good readings in that area. Once we left the basement Lena and Katie led us to the classrooms upstairs and then on to the attic.

On the second floor I got some good readings with the EMF meter in Jim’s office and in the “Dark Room”. I got some good readings in two of the rooms up in the attic. It was really hot up there so we didn’t want to stay too long. We returned to the main floor and took our final EMF reading. Back in Marty’s office , the Director, which was located directly under Jim’s office, gave off some good vibrations that registered pretty high on the EMF meter. The kitchen area also gave off some good strong readings as well.

submitted by patti

Jul 14, 2001 The Drawing

Before Judy and her girls left to go home, Judy shared a story with me that involved one of her young students. A few months ago Judy had lost a beloved pet dog, Max, and was having a hard time dealing with the loss. One day during class she noticed one of her students humming a happy tune while she was drawing a picture. Now this little five-year-old girl, Dorothy, just recently had a loss herself when her daddy had died of cancer. As Dorothy was drawing her picture, Judy peered over the little girls shoulder to see what she had drawn. In the upper right hand corner of the paper she had drawn a smiley face with the word Dad written by the face. In the center she had drawn many hearts that were connected to a stem like flowers. On either side of the hearts Dorothy had traced her right and left hand. Then something in the lower left hand corner caught Judy’s eye. It was a drawing of a dog with straight-up pointed ears and a big fluffy tail. She asked Dorothy what she was drawing and Dorothy pointed to the upper right corner and said, “This is my daddy looking down on me. She pointed to the lower left of her picture and said, “This is your dog Max. This took Judy totally by surprise because her dog had pointed ears and a big fluffy tail just like Dorothy had drawn, but this child had never seen Judy’s dog. Also, Judy had not said anything to her students about her dog passing away. She asked Dorothy how she knew about her dog. She said, “Daddy told me about him and he is in heaven with Daddy. He says that he is a happy dog and that’s why I made him smile for you.”

After listening to such a beautiful story the mood was truly set to carry on this ghost investigation. We decided to put the video camera in the front door area to face the reception station straight ahead because of the positive readings I received from the EMF meter. Then we set up a recorder in the “Dark Room” and one in Jim’s room. I set up the third cassette recorder to carry with us while I dowsed to see if we would get any responses on tape from my “yes & no” questions.

submitted by patti
Jul 14, 2001 First Contacts

My first contact was in the back near the elevator. As I dowsed with “yes & no” questions I contacted a female spirit, middle aged, had previously work there at the Center, died of an illness, cancer, had been passed over more that 5 but less than 10 years, and was drawn back to this building because for her love of the children, she was a happy spirit and enjoyed being there.

The next contact was in the kitchen, a young male that had passed over about 50 years ago. He did not die of natural causes. As I tried to get more information on him the vibrations of the rods were too weak and I could not get a good reading. We went into the reception area and as I started to dowse there I was led back into the kitchen. I picked up the same your male ghost that I had tried to communicate with earlier but again the vibrations were just too weak and I lost him.

We decided to go into Jim’s office to see what I could get. While dowsing and using “yes & no” questions I contacted a group of small children. They were 5 little boys from the ages of 5 to 9. They are not related and at one time lived in an orphanage. They enjoy being at the Center with the other children. I lost contact before I could finish with my questions to see how long it had been since they had passed over.

submitted by patti
Jul 14, 2001 Spooky Room

We went to the attic and I showed Chuck the room where something fell off a shelf just after I walk in. The two girls were with me and they witnessed to also. He told me that he had gotten a spooky feeling in the other room so I decided to go and dowse in that room. I was not able to pick up anything so we left.

submitted by patti
Jul 14, 2001 We Depart

Once we had finished our dowsing I sat down to talk to Jim to see if he knew of anyone that fit the descriptions of any of the ghost that I had contacted. He said he thought there was an employee that had work at the center that died of cancer but he wasn’t sure what year that she past away. He thought it was more than 10 years. Later on during the week Jim did confirm with me that there was this female employee that had past away due to cancer in 1994. This information fell into the same time period that I had gotten when dowsing and asking how long had it been since she passed over. Her answer was more than 5, but less than 10 years.

As we started to pick up our gear I decided to take one last shot of the room where we had set up our equipment. We thanked Jim and I told him I would send him a full report if we picked up anything on our audiocassettes, video, and photos.

submitted by patti
Jul 14, 2001 Don't

Don't
The first thing I checked once we returned home was the audiocassette and I was really pleased that we got two EVP’s (Electronic Voice Phenomenon). The first one happened in the attic in the room where Chuck said he got a spooky feeling. Just as I say that I’m going to dowse in that room, you can hear a female voice say, “Don’t”.

submitted by patti
Jul 14, 2001 Twinkle twinkle

Twinkle twinkle
The second voice came right at the end of the investigation as we packing up our things to leave. You can hear us talking in the background and then out of nowhere a child says, “Twinkle, Twinkle”. It is very sweet and has a rhythm to it.

submitted by patti
Our Findings

Jul 14, 2001 Tape No Go

Visual (apparition, strange Lights, ORBs, UFOs, strange creatures)

Unfortunately, we didn’t get anything on video. I had incorrectly loaded the tape.

submitted by patti
Jul 14, 2001 Caring Environment

Subjective (feelings of dread, uncomfortable sensations, etc)

It was an easy and comforting ghost investigation that proved to have a few very caring and loving ghosts walking the rooms enjoying the company of the teachers and children.

submitted by patti

Jul 14, 2001 Historical Question

Notes

I would like to find out if the building had ever been used to house orphans or if there was an orphanage close by. That might explain why I picked up the group of little boys.

submitted by patti

Jul 14, 2001 Future Plans

Notes

Maybe I could return when the building has a lot more people there. When I ghost hunt in a busy area with people present, I find that the ghosts have more success at showing themselves in videos and photos because of the energy they can draw from the people in the building. Also, the ghosts are very curious. Many times they will come to check out what is going on when people gather to talk. They will sometimes comment on the subject that is being discussed and their voices will be picked up on the audiocassettes.

submitted by patti

Jul 14, 2001 Many Thanks!

Notes

I would like to thank Marty, Jim, Judy and the rest of the staff for giving us the opportunity to do the ghost hunt at the Living Arts and Science Center. I feel safe in saying that the ghosts at the Living Arts and Science Center love the staff and people that visit there and I’m sure that everyone involved will continue to co-exist with these sojourners from the spirit world.

submitted by patti

Jul 14, 2001 EVP

EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon)

EVP Exhibit 1
EVP Exhibit 2

Patti collected a couple of nice EVP sample on this safari, expecially the "Twinkle, twinkle" clip.

submitted by richard