Dale Kaczmarek, GRS President

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Autobiography

Dale David Kaczmarek

History: Dale Kaczmarek has been investigating paranormal phenomena since 1975. He co-founded the Ghost Trackers Club in 1977 with Martin V. Riccardo and worked for five years as its Research Assistant. In 1982, Mr. Kaczmarek assumed the sole owner of what would become the Ghost Research Society. He has investigated almost 4,100 cases around the world both public and private. He is frequently called upon to lecture at conferences, give workshops on the paranormal and ghost hunting techniques and teaches courses on the paranormal. Mr. Kaczmarek offers a free service for those interested in having photographs examined that might be deemed paranormal. He approaches the paranormal from a scientific standpoint but has worked with a number of psychics over the years. He is a believer in the paranormal but seasons his beliefs with a bit of skepticism. Dale has accumulated a wide array of the latest in state-of-the-art paranormal equipment that compliments his work in the field.

Attributes: President of the Ghost Research Society, past Editor of The Journal, Ghost Trackers Newsletter and The Ghostly Whisper,  Author of "Windy City Ghosts" and "Windy City Ghosts 2", "A Field Guide to Spirit Photography", "Illuminating the Darkness: The Mystery of Spooklights", "Field Guide to Ghost Hunting Techniques", "Field Guide to Haunted Highways and Bridges," Bibliography of Ghost Movies, Directory of Ghostly Websites, Glossary of Occult Terms, Greater Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana Psychic Directory, International Directory of Psychic Sciences, National Catalog of Occult Bookstores, National Register of Haunted Locations, Occult Publications Directory.

Memberships: American Association Electronic Voice Phenomena (AA- EVP), International Fortean Organization (INFO), Honorary Life Member of The Ghost Club, Society for the Investigation of the Unexplained, Ghost Safari and Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce.

Publications (appeared in): Albany (GA) Herald, Arkansas Gazette, Arizona Republic, Atlantic Constitution, Bakersfield Californian, Baltimore Jewish Times, Beacon Magazine, Boston Globe, Charleston Gazette, Chicago Sun- Times, Chicago Tribune, Chronicle Illinois, Cicero-Berwyn Life, Cincinnati Enquirer, Daily Herald, Daily Southtown, Dairy Food Magazine, Dallas Morning News, Daytona Beach News Journal, Des Plaines Valley News, Detroit News, The Dispatch, The Doings Newspapers, Drury Mirror, Electric Company Magazine, Expo Magazine, Fate Magazine, Friends Magazine, The Geneva Republican, Ghost Crime Tours, Glen Ellyn News, Hammond Times, Herald Newspaper (Sharon, PA), Holland (MI.) Sentinel, Home and Away Magazine, Illinois Entertainer, Independent Messenger, Indianapolis Star, Insider Magazine, Invisible Ink Catalog, Japanese External Trade Organization Newsletter, Joplin Globe, Kane County Chronicle, Kankakee Journal, Kansas City Star, LaPorte Herald Argus, Lerner Times, Long Beach Press Telegram, Los Angeles Times, National Enquirer, National Examiner, New York Times, The News Herald (Panama City, Florida), The News Herald (Joliet, Illinois), The News Rocket, News Sentinel, News Tribune and Herald, Oak Lawn Reporter, Occurrence (Oakton Community College), Omni, Patch Newspaper, Pioneer Press, The Polish Museum of America Newsletter, Pontiac Progressor, Premiere, Psychic News, Pursuit, Ralph Magazine, Redbook, The Register Star, Richmond Magazine, Ridgewood News, Rochester-Clarion, The Rock Island Argus, Saginaw News, Scandinavian Traveler,  TShopping Centers Today, Southtown Economist, Spartanburg Herald-Journal, Sue Darroch & Matthew Didier's Paranormal Blog, The Star, State Journal Register, Sun, Teen Speaking, Tennessee Illustrated Magazine, Time Out Chicago, Today (Singapore), Today's Chicago Woman, Tulsa World News, University of Evanston Newspaper, UR Chicago, USA Today, Village View Newspaper, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Washington Times, The Weekly (Seattle, WA), Wilmette Life and Woman and Home Magazine.

Books (appeared in): The Common Sense Approach To Ghosts by Robert L. Gruzdis, Dead Zones by Sharon Jarvis, Earth Lights Revelation by Paul Devereux, The Encyclopedia of Ghosts and Spirits by Rosemary Ellen Guiley, Real Ghosts Don't Wear Sheets by Don Farrant, More Haunted Houses by Joan Bingham and Dolores Riccio, True Tales of the Unknown: The Uninvited by Sharon Jarvis, Parapsychology New Age and The Occult by Cheryl Klein Lacoff, National Directory of Haunted Places by William Hauck, Natural or Supernatural by Martin Caidin, Mysteries Of Strange Appearances From Beyond by Phyllis Raybin Emert, The 25 Scariest Places In The World by Phyllis Raybin Emert, Atlas of the Mysterious in North America by Rosemary Ellen Guiley, Sightings by Susan Michaels, Ghost Stories of Illinois by Jo-Anne Christensen, The International Directory of Haunted Places by Dennis William Hauck, The Complete Idiot's Guide to Ghosts and Hauntings by Tom Ogden, Relax, It's Only a Ghost by Echo Bodine, A Field Guide to Chicago Hauntings by Jim Graczyk, Ghostly Graveyards and Spooky Spots by Cameron Banks, Field Guide to the Land of Lincoln by Jim Graczyk, Field Guide to Mysterious Waters by Jim Graczyk, Ghost Hunting Handbook by Marc Tyler Nobleman, Haunted Highway: The Spirits of Route 66 by Ellen Robson & Dianne Halicki, Graveyards of Chicago by Matt Hucke, Small Town Ghosts by Barb Huyser, Haunted Chicago by Troy Taylor, Haunted Illinois by Troy Taylor, Paranormal Metro-Chicago by Carl Chutro, Weird Illinois by Troy Taylor, Ghosthunting Illinois by John Kachuba, Field Guide to Haunted Graveyards by Troy Taylor, Beyond The Grave by Troy Taylor, Ghost Tech by Vince Wilson, The Everything Ghost Book by Jason Rich, Chicago Hauntings For Teens by Jim Graczyk, Haunted Cemeteries by Edrick Thay, The World's Most Haunted Houses by Jeff Belanger, Ghostly Adventures by Christopher Balzano, Picture Yourself Ghost Hunting by Christopher Balzano, Ultimate Ghost Hunter by Vince Wilson, Field Guide to Southern California Hauntings by Nicole Strickland, A History of Ghosts by Peter H. Aykroyd, The Haunted Queen of The Seas by Nicole Strickland, The Everything Ghost Hunting Book by Melissa Martin Ellis, Mysteries, Legends and Unexplained Phenomena by Rosemary Ellen Guiley, Delving Into The Unknown by Joey Tito, Ghosts of Gettysburg IV by Mark Nesbitt, Ghosthunting Virginia by Michael J. Varhola, Extreme Paranormal Investigations by Marcus F. Griffin, Monster Hunters By Ted Krulos, Haunted Bachelor's Grove by Ursula Bielski, Haunted Rockford Illinois by Kathi Kresol, Myths and Mysteries of Illinois by Richard Moreno, Fractured Souls by Sylvia Shults, Haunted Aurora by Diane A. Ladley, Ghosts of the Black Hawk Wars by Dan Norvell & Larry Eissler, Myths and Mysteries of Illinois by Richard Moreno, Ghost Hunting by Dr. Leo Ruickbie, The Complete Guide to the Supernatural, World’s Scariest Places, Where the Tour Buses Don't Go by Gerry Lekas, The Girl's Ghost Hunting Guide by Stacey Graham, Ghost Hunters A Guide to Investigating the Paranormal by Yvette Fielding and Ciaran O'Keeffe, Celebrity Ghosts and Notorious Hauntings by Marie D. Jones. 

Television Appearances: ABC News Channel, Champaign, IL, "A Closer Look" WMAQ-TV, "AM Chicago", "Chicago Ghost Stories" with Janet Davies, "Haunted Highways", "Magical Mystery Tour", "Haunted Houses" The Other Side (Dr. Will Miller), WLS- TV, Barrington Patch, Cablevision of Chicago, Capital City's Omnicom, Channel 27 (Michigan City, IN.), "Chicago Live" WMAQ-TV, "Chicago Today" with Richard Steele WCIU- TV, Comcast Cablevision, "Common Ground" WBBM-TV, CTV Television Network W-Five Toronto, Discover Magazine (Discovery Channel), "Encounters: The Hidden Truth" (Fox 32), Exploring the Unknown, (Fox Family Network), "4U" (Time-Warner Cable), Fox News Chicago (WFLD-TV), "Hellava Halloween 7" (Jones Intercable), FX (Fox Cable), "Hunters of Ghosts" (Mona-Lisa Productions), "Lifestyles" & Channel 6 (Continental Cable), Metrovision, The New 9:30 (Fox 32),"The Other Side" (WMAQ-TV), Rolanda (WLS-TV), "Sightings" ("Ghosts of Gettysburg" and "Wandering Souls:"), Fox-32 (Robin Robinson), UPN 50, "Today In Chicago" WMAQ-TV, United Cable TV of Northwest Indiana, Univision of Chicago, WBBM News, WGN News, WLS News, WMAQ News, Fox News, The Sci-Fi Channel ("Mysteries, Magic and Miracles"), Discovery Channel ("Real Ghosthunters", "Phantom Photos" & "It Happened Here"), Space: Inside the Ghost Research Society (The Reader), TV6 Morning Show (Big Bear Lake, CA), The Travel Channel ("The World's Most Terrifying Places #7"), Paranormal Survivor ("Family Phantoms"), World's Most Unexplained (Coincidence or Curse & Mysteries Made in the USA).

Radio Shows: Coast To Coast with Art Bell & George Noory, WBBM, WBEZ, WBMX, WCRX, WFYR, WGCI, WGN, WHPK, WIND, WJJD, WLS, WLUP, WMRO, WOJO, WSEX, WVON - Chicago, KARN (Little Rock, AR), KCMO (Kansas City, MO), KEEN (Ventura, CA), KFRX (Lincoln, NE), KidsTV6 (Big Bear Lake, CA), KLLY (Bakersfield, CA), KNBR (San Francisco, CA), KQV (Pittsburgh, PA), KSDO (San Diego, CA), KSL (Salt Lake City, UT), KTTS (Minneapolis, MN), KVAS (Astoria, OR), KXL (Portland, OR), KYYS (Kansas City, MO), KZUM (Lincoln, NE. Exploring Unexplained Mysteries), UPI Radio Network, Vancouver Live VU13 (Vancouver, BC), Voice of America, WALE (Fall River, MA), WARG (Argo, IL), WCAU (Philadelphia, PA), WCCO (Minneapolis, MN), WCMJ (Cambridge, OH), WCSJ (Morris, IL), WCSJ (Sioux Falls, IA), WFBQ (Indianapolis, IN), WHBQ (Memphis, TN), WILL (Urbana, IL), WIMS (Michigan City, IN), WINK (Fort Myers, FL), WIZF (Cincinnati, OH), WJNT (Jackson, MS), WKDR (Burlington, VT), WKRC (Cincinnati, OH), WKXD (Cockville, TN), WLIR (Granite City, NY), WMBZ (Joplin, MO), WMEL (Jacksonville, FL), WNBD (Peoria, IL), WNDE (Indianapolis, IN), WNUR (Evanston, IL), WOC (Davenport, IA), WONC (Naperville, IL), WPGU (Champaign, IL), WPZA (Ann Arbor, MI), WRC (Silver Spring, MD), WROK (Rockford, IL), WRRG (River Grove, IL), WRZX (Indianapolis, IN), WSIU (Carbondale, IL), WSRY (Syracuse, NY), WSOY (Decatur, IL), WTAE (Pittsburgh, PA), WTAQ (Hodgkins, IL), WTDY (Madison, WI), WTKN (Tampa Bay, FL), WTRX (Flint, MI), WWWW (Detroit, MI) and WZBQ (Terre Haute, IN).

Internet Radio Shows: Afterlife Chronicles, A.G.E Talk Radio, Alternative Perceptions, Behind the Paranormal, Black Dog Radio Show with Richard Awe, Blog Talk Radio, Bridge Between Two Worlds (Providence, RI), Bump In the Night, Chasing Spirits & The Paranormal with Dale Kaczmarek, Crawford County Illinois Ghost Hunter's Society Live Show, David Oates Radio Show, Dead Speak Radio, Double D's Paranormal Show, Ghost Call Radio Show, Ghosted UK, Ghostly Talk Radio, Ghostman & Demon Hunter, Grave Talks, Haunted Voices Radio, Horsefly Chronicles Radio, Howard Hughes Unexplained Show, Insane Asylum, Into the Paranormal, Kevin Smith Show, Midnight in the Desert, Midnight on Earth, New Trier Chicago Seminar, Night Dreams Talk Radio, One Foot Out of the Grave, Ozark Mountain Radio, Paranormal 911, Paranormal Asylum, Paranormal Journal, Paranormal Mojo, Paranormal Parlour, Paranormal Pickers, Paranormal Pioneer Radio, Paranormal Podcast with Jim Harold, Paranormal Straight Talk, Para-Nexus Radio, Parascience Journal, Python Radio, Shadow Hunters Hour, SPARC After Dark, Spotlight Radio, Strange Frequencies, The Dog Walk Podcast, The Edge of the Rabbit Hole, The Full Spectrum Project, The Grave Talks, The Insane Asylum, The Momo Show, The Paranormal Asylum, The Pure Paranormal Radio Show, The Shadow Hunters Hour, The Shadow Initiative TV, The Sunshine Show, 3 The Unexplained World with Edward Shanahan, Thresholds Into Other Realms, 30 Odd Minutes with Jeff Belanger, TIPSMN Radio, Universe of the Unknown Radio, Voices In The NYGHT, Webcrawlers Podcast, What You Didn't Know, Whispers Radio, X-Zone.

Personal Information: I have been actively investigating paranormal phenomena since 1975 although my interest goes far beyond that. I work with psychics which help to compliment my investigations, whether local or out-of-state. I have conducted many investigations concerning ghost lights, haunted houses, battlefields, cemeteries, Indian burial grounds, murder sites, churches and sacred sites. I am currently listed in the Encyclopedia of Associations, Directory of Newsletters, The Forensic Services Directory, Instant Information. I personally direct "Excursions Into The Unknown, Inc.", Haunted Chicagoland Tours, which is a part of the Oak Lawn Chamber of Commerce.

I have contributed a chapter for a book released by Bantam called "True Tales Of The Unknown: The Uninvited" and several chapters for "Dead Zones" released by Warner Books and both edited by Sharon Jarvis. I have written two books "Windy City Ghosts" and "Windy City Ghosts II" which deals with strange and unusual sightings around Chicago. I have also written a book detailing spirit photography entitled, "A Field Guide to Spirit Photography," "Illuminating the Darkness: They Mystery of Spooklights" and "A Field Guide to Ghost Hunting Techniques". My most recent book is titled "Field Guide to Haunted Highways and Bridges". I've been to England, Wales and across the United States seeking out the paranormal.

I am the Publisher of Ghost Research Society Press which produces and publishes fine quality books on the paranormal, mysterious and the supernatural since 2004.

Investigation sites: I have personally investigated some of the most haunted locations around the world including: Airtight Bridge, Allegan Lodge, Allerton Manor, Andrew Woods House, Antietam Battlefield, Ashmore Estates, Avon Theater, Bachelor's Grove Cemetery, Barnes Mansion, Bartonville Asylum, Battle of Stillman's Run, Bellaire House, Berlin Tannery, Beverly Unitarian Church, Black Moon Manor, Bobby Mackey's Music World, Booth House, Brown Mountain Lights, Brumder Mansion, Buddy Holly crash site, Buxton Inn, Camp Douglas, Carter House, Casa Madrid, CBC River Treasures, Cheney House, Chet's Melody Lounge, Coliseum Ballroom, Conover Square, Coronado Theater, Crown Point Jail, Dinwiddle's Grand Opera House, Edinburgh Manor, Edna Collin's Bridge, Egyptian Theater, Elburn Community Center, Eldred House, Elgin Casket Factory, Evangelical Spiritualist Church, Excalibur Club, Fairport County Lighthouse, Farnsworth House, Farrar School, Flight 191 crash site, First Unitarian Church, First Ward Schoolhouse, Fort Donelson, Fort Mifflin, Fowler Theater, Fox Hollow Farm, Fredericksburg Battlefield, Fresno Flats, First Ward Schoolhouse, Gettysburg, Goldenrod Showboat, Graveyard X, Greenwood Cemetery, Griswold Auditorium, Guyer Opera House, Hannah House, Hillview Manor, Humphrey House, Iron Island Museum, Jacksonville Theater Guild, Jenny Wade House, Joplin Spooklight, Kellogg's Grove, Lake Shawnee Amusement Park, Lee Bakers Hodges House, Lemp Mansion, Lincoln Theater, Madison Seminary, Manny Mansion, Mansfield Reformatory, McInteer Villa, McKinley YMCA, McPike Mansion, Midway Village, Milton School, Mineral Springs Hotel, Monroe House, Morgan County Jail, Moundsville Prison, Nellie Dunton House, Nemacolin Castle, Oakwood Cemetery, Octagon Hall, Old Blackford County Jail, Old Charleston Memorial Hospital, Old Jail Museum, Old Lighthouse Museum, Old Orphanage Gettysburg, Old Rectory, Old Paris Hospital, Old South Pittsburg Hospital, Old St. Joseph's Hospital, Owen County Poor Farm, Patsy Cline crash site, Pennhurst Asylum, Poasttown Elementary School, Polish National Museum, Pollak Hospital,  Porter County Jail, Prospect Place, Randolph County Infirmary, R Theater,  Read Dunning Memorial Park, Reeder Road, Regent Theater, Revenant Acres Farm, Rialto Square Theater, Rico D's, Roadhouse Restaurant, Road's Hotel, Robinson Bowling Alley, Robinson Woods Indian Burial Grounds, Roff House, Rolling Hills Asylum, Sach's Bridge, Sallie House, Scutt Mansion, Sip Coffee House, Spring Lake Cemetery, Starved Rock, St. Alban's Sanatorium, That Steak Joynt, Theater Guild Webster Grove, Thomas House, Thornhaven Manor, Tinker Swiss Cottage, Tippecanoe Battlefield, Trans Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, USS North Carolina, Villisca Axe House, Waddams Grove, Waverly Hills Sanitarium, Westminster Catacombs, Whisper's Estates, Widow McCleary's, Willow Creek Farm and many others.

Personal goals: Through the research, study and investigations that I have completed and through continuing analysis, I hope to prove the existence of ghosts and life after death. I have amassed one of the world's largest collections of authentic spirit photographs, collected tape recorded voices and sounds of ghosts and some physical proof of their existence. I hope, in the upcoming years, to produce a paper on my studies of these elusive beings and further man's knowledge of what might lie beyond death's door.

Personal References: Excellent references upon request.

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