Graveyard X Investigation

Graveyard X. The name conjures up strange images and was specifically named as such to prevent any vandalism to the cemetery by individuals who might not respect the site. It's located in rural county in Central Illinois not far from Decatur. Unless you know where to look, you might simply bypass this small, picturesque graveyard. This cemetery is located on land that once belonged to a farmer and prior to 1867, the graveyard was nothing more than a wooded section of his property. According to history, it did not become a burial place until the internment of a small child in the 1870s or 1880s.

The cemetery, while not well known in the area for being haunted, has been the scene of inexplicable events such as mysterious cold chills, unexplained lights and voices of children that have been heard echoing in the darkness. Many strange and unusual photographs have been taken there in the past by investigators and ordinary people just out there to visit the site.

Tim Harte and Mike Hollinshead, creators of the sophisticated computer system known as MESA attempted experiments at the cemetery. This system was designed to take readings of an alleged haunted location and then analyze the gathered data and determine the nature of the haunting. The system can read changes in electro- magnetic fields, temperature fluctuations, visible light changes, seismic vibrations and other areas. The experiments conducted that evening and which were filmed on location, were closely controlled and monitored. It was decided to employ a Ouija board in a section of the cemetery. Segments of the videotape of the experiment are amazing! According to the read-outs and graphs, there were things occurring in the cemetery during the séance that could not be explained! There were anomalous energy spikes picked up by Tri-Field Meters that were totally out of the ordinary. Even stranger still was the fact that these fluctuations were occurring in response to the questions asked by those who were actually using the Ouija board! It seemed to some as though some sort of intelligent energy was present in the graveyard. Another fascinating event was picked up by the Infrared-based Non-contact Thermometer guns that were being used by members of the group. The readings were incredibly cold and seemed to coincide with sitters complaints of an icy chill touch that was experienced by some. Many strange unexplainable images were also taken that evening, leading most to believe that they were actually in touch with ghosts of the dead.

On August 23, 2003, a number of Ghost Research Society members assembled at Graveyard X for a thorough investigation with high-tech gear, Sony nightvision cameras, tape recorders and conventional 35mm cameras. Those GRS members in attendance that afternoon and early evening included: Dale and Ruth Kaczmarek, Stan Suho, Jim Graczyk, Matt Hucke, Howard Hight, Jeff Volmer, Kimberly Hellon and Mark and Christina Wallbruch. Teams of two were chosen and members walked through the cemetery using hand-held devices which included: Tri-Field Meters, Geiger counters, Negative Ion Detector, other EMF meters, tape recorders, Field Strength Meters and jotted down their readings on clipboards. They also were instructed to note any of their own psychic feelings, smells, sights, sounds, etc. that they might experience.

While there was very little to actually be picked up that afternoon or evening, some electro-magnetic fluctuations were much above the norm. Suho had set up a portable, open-reel tape recorder near the site of the previous investigation conducted by the AGS and Adventures Unlimited. While there were plenty of crickets and locusts to be heard and the eerie screeching of a hoot owl, Suho picked up a very strange electrical disturbance or hum that almost literally drowned out the sounds of the night. A very similar sound was also picked up during the AGS investigation. Needless to say, there are no high energy field or high-tension electrical towers anywhere near the cemetery. Surely this sound is truly unexplainable at present and might suggest something quite paranormal.

As you can imagine in the heat of the summer, there were plenty of insects that glided through our Sony nightvision cameras and might have been picked up on some of the 35mm cameras as well. This is one of the most interesting photographs that was taken that evening by Jim Graczyk. Could this simply be an insect that was illuminated by the flash strobe or are we looking at something else here? It's truly hard to say.

However, the Ghost Research Society, may plan yet another trip to this cemetery in the future for some follow-up observations. The best time I would suggest visiting the site is in the late Fall after some heavy frosts have occurred. This way most of the insect life should have been killed off and there is less likely that something explainable will float through the camera lens.