Airtight Bridge Investigation Revisted 2018

The bridge is a Pratt through truss bridge with a steel structure, a wooden deck, and concrete piers. The bridge was built in 1914 by the Decatur Bridge Company and designed by engineer Claude L. James. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1981. It reportedly got its name from the unnatural stillness encountered when crossing it.

Total length is 188 feet, 4 inches, width of 15 feet, 7 inches and clearance of 13 feet, 7 inches.

On October 19, 1980, a dismembered corpse was found on the east bank of the river 30 yards downstream from the bridge, causing quite a stir in the local media. Police investigated for years, but were unable to determine the identity of the victim until 1992, when DNA testing produced a match to a missing person from Kankakee, Illinois. Once a cold case investigated by the Illinois State Police, the victim's husband was charged with the murder on March 2, 2017.

Address: 20033 Air Tight Rd., Charleston, Illinois61920; 8 miles NE of Charleston spanning the Embarras River in Coles County, Illinois

GPS: 39.3256.75, -88.535.75

Reports of apparitions that move across the bridge that almost looks like a “sheet”. They come across the bridge and right by observers on the other side. There have also been the sounds of screams in the distance and other strange noises.

The Ghost Research Society investigated Airtight Bridge August 3, 2018 and the team members included: Jim Piscopo, Mike Rosario and Dale Kaczmarek, with help from Jason Snider, Jason Dickerson, Riley Miller and Courtney Breanne from Crawford County Ghost Hunters Illinois Ghost Hunters Society

Equipment set up: Mobile equipment was used including a IR camcorder, tripod, IR illuminators, digital recorders, Ovilus X, X-Cam SLS system, Phasma Box and EMF meters.

Experiments performed: Ovilus X and Phasma Box sessions were conducted about half-way up the bridge and very near to where the murder had taken place in the past.

Personal experiences:

Jim Piscopo: We were met at the hotel by the crew of the Crawford County Ghost Hunters about 11:30 Saturday morning for a two day investigation of various places in the area .We did mostly bridges and cemeteries and one school house. It was very hot during the day with temps in the high 90s cooling down to the 70s at night. On some of the locations I used my Sony Handy Cam with night vision. We did many EVP sessions over the two days using the Phasma Box and the Ovilus. I did not get anything on video but got a few things on audio. I had one experience in the van when my headlamp came on by itself. Another thing happened at home when I was finalizing the discs on the camera. I had two discs that would not finalize which have never happened before. All in all it was a great trip and thanks to the Crawford County Ghost Hunters for their time and hospitality.

Mike Rosario: This was one ghost hunting adventure that I'll never forget! The Ghost Research Society had the exclusive honor and privilege of riding alongside another very notable and well-established ghost hunting team called the Crawford County Illinois Ghost Hunters Society! A few members of the GRS team were riding shotgun whilst CCGH were taking us on a trip to the amazing, and often rarely seen haunted locations of southeastern Illinois, and south western Indiana! Locations included: Airtight Bridge, Edna Collings Bridge, Purple Head Bridge, Redford Cemetery & Bellair Schoolhouse, Spook Light Hill, Hell's Gate (Tunnel), Pleasant View Cemetery & Church, Baker's Cemetery (first female [witch] hung in IL. in May, 1845), and even an old American Civil War and WWI cemetery right next to a run-down Victorian Amish Mansion, and more! There were some locations that we had missed, because of the only allowed time we had. However, we will definitely return to catch up on those that we had missed, and those that are in need for further exploration/investigating. Personally, this tour made it able for me to venture the outskirts of Illinois; places I've never been to that just have my mouth watering, and completely craving exploration! All team members included: Jason Snider, Jason Dickerson, Riley Miller, and Courtney Breanne from the Crawford County Illinois Ghost Hunters Society; and Dale Kaczmarek, Jim Piscopo, and me from the Ghost Research Society. This was a two-day weekend professional vehicle ghost excursion of some of the most infamous haunted locations in the northern Midwestern region!

I heard a female voice at the end of the bridge when I was far away from others.

Dale Kaczmarek: This was my second time to my favorite bridge in southern Illinois along with Jason Snider and the Crawford County Illinois Ghost Hunters Society. This time it was even more active and I used the Phasma Box almost exclusively for the EVP session.

Several people in the group had interesting audio or visual encounters. Mike said that he heard what sounded like a female voice at the end of the bridge where the van was parked. Courtney said that she saw something like a shadow walk from one side of the bridge to the other. My encounter was very interesting. In the middle of a Phasma Box session, I clearly saw what I thought was a “real” person dressed in a white t-shirt and white baseball cap suddenly appear at the end of the bridge and walk from left to right before disappearing. The odd thing about this sighting was that the figure was only seen from the waist up. Quickly Snider and Dickerson along with me went to search the area thinking it was a real person. It disappeared quickly and no sound of twigs snapping or someone walking through the brush and trees could be heard.

Snider almost lost a suitcase full of equipment as it was accidently kicked into the river when a car needed to cross and we had to remove our other equipment from the bridge. He actually took off most of his clothes and waded into the river which almost swallowed him up. The suitcase was fished out of the water without any apparent damage to the equipment inside. I commend Snider for his bravery. I know that I wouldn’t have done that. I would have chalked it up to some lost equipment.

Evidence collected:

Dale airtight.MPG – while conducting a Phasma Box session in the middle of the bridge; almost as soon as it was turned on the first thing said sounded like my name, “Dale.”

Did you know that religion airtight.MPG – while conducting a Phasma Box session, a whole clear sentence said, “Did you know that religion?”

Go fuck me laughter German airtight.MPG – while conducting a Phasma Box session, a deep male voice said, and “Go fuck me.” A question was then asked, “Is that you down there playing tricks on them?” Before the question was finished, the sound of someone laughing came through the Phasma Box followed by a few sentences that sounded like the German language.

Hatchetman on the bridge airtight.MPG – while conducting a Phasma Box session, a very clear male voice says, “Hatchetman.” (There is a cemetery not far away nicknamed Hatchetman Cemetery. This is followed by a frightening sentence that sounds like, “On the bridge.”

Helen Reed airtight.MPG – while conducting a Phasma Box session a very clear voice comes through that says a name, “Hellen Reed (Reeve?)”

I can see airtight.MPG – while conducting a Phasma Box session Kaczmarek sees an apparition of a man in a white t-shirt and white baseball cap at the end of the bridge. The device then says, “I can see….”

Mikey airtight.MPG – while conducting a Phasma Box session as Rosario (Mikey) was commenting about getting an IR light the device calls out, “Mikey…”

Conclusions: This bridge never fails to produce evidence each and every time that we have been there to investigate. The visual and auditory evidence collected here was outstanding. The apparition I saw in a white t-shirt and white baseball cap was very clear but momentary. It definitely wasn’t a real person and the fact that it appeared to be dressed in white which stood out against the black forest was incredible.

Two from the GRS had their names called out. Sorry, Jim but no one called your name. It was so active that I cannot wait to come back and try some more experiments with more equipment and a larger group to help set everything up.

I also wish to thank Jason Snider and all the members from the Crawford County Illinois Ghost Hunters Society for graciously showing us around in a van and taking the time to investigate with us. It always means a lot to me and cannot wait until we can return again in the future.