Fresno Flats Investigation

Fresno Flats Historical Park recaptures the flavor of 19th century life in the Sierra Nevada foothills and mountains of Central California. Eastern Madera County is the southern end of the historic Mother Lode gold fields, but the people who settled here came not so much for gold but more to build their lives and raise families, utilizing the rich natural resources of the mountains. They made their living as farmers, merchants and loggers in the lumber industry.

The museum complex is built around two restored and furnished homes dating to the 1870s. Both have been designated by the State of California as Points of Historical Interest for their unique construction styles once common throughout Northern California, but virtually unknown today. They are the Laramore-Lyman House and the Taylor Log House. They were saved from demolition and moved to Fresno Flats Historical Park and restored by the volunteers of the Sierra Historic Sites Association.

The Laramore-Lyman House built in the 1870s by early merchant, Robert Laramore, the house was constructed without studs in a fashion once common in the mountains. The house has been lived in for almost 100 years 1878-1975 by three different families. Robert Laramore and his wife, Mary Catherine (Newton) lived there from 1878 to 1906. In 1896 Robert was killed in a runaway buggy accident while returning from Ahwahnee. Mary Catherine sold the house in 1906 to another old Fresno Flats family, Cecil and Cora Westfall. The house was in turn sold to Ralph L. Lyman in 1911. He bought it for his mother, Alice, as a summer home. Alice's daughter, Marjorie, inherited the house in 1937. She arranged extensive remodeling, including wiring the house when electricity came to Oakhurst in 1942. She lived in the house many years. In 1973, her heirs sold the house to Dr. and Mrs. H. H. Baxter, who in turn donated it to the Sierra Historic Sites Association. In 1975 the house was moved from its original location at the junction of Roads 426 and 427, once the center of Fresno Flats, to the Fresno Flats Historical Park where it was restored to its original 1870s splendor.

Fresno Flats Investigation (Oakhurst , CA)

10-10-08

11pm

Equipment used: Digital camera 10 mp

EMF meter

While investigating the Laramore-Lyman House the EMF meter did give a couple of above average readings on the ground floor and also near the top of the stairs. Upon climbing the stairs I experienced a light-headedness which I'm sure wasn't because I was wandering around in a strange place in the dark. I often do just that with no ill feelings. Later as I descended the same staircase I experienced the same feeling but also as though I was getting sick to my stomach. When I later talked to others who were investigating that building a bit later, without telling what I had experienced, they had apparently felt the same type of feelings. Often where spirits are known to be, people often get a feeling of vertigo or a tightness or pressure on their chests.

Later while investigating an adjacent building equipped with a piano and chairs several locations yielded above average EMF readings including a back bathroom. As I first entered the room and held the EMF meter about waist height and approached the sink, I suddenly got a very strong reading which quickly dissipated but as I panned to my rear (180 degrees), I got the same high reading which also disappeared very suddenly as though whatever was there had moved right through me and out the doorway. Others who were with our group that evening felt a chill and a rush of wind exiting that same doorway. A later sweep of the area using the same EMF device did not yield anymore abnormal readings.

None of the other buildings seemed to as active as the two described above and no other readings or feelings were encountered or felt.

Research Assistant Jim Graczyk also joined in on this investigation and his report follows.

Equipment Used: Digital Camera 7.2 mp

I was part of a four person team that had an EMF meter and a couple digital cameras. The Laramore-Lyman House was a rather nice old historic home. The building has no electricity which made it a nice place to investigate. After I walked up the stairs to the second floor, I immediately turned the corner to my right and took a few steps. I got the light head sensation as if I walked through some sort of energy field. I backtracked and it felt the same as if being off balanced. The bedroom off to the immediate right was peaceful up until I walked directly across the room from the bed. This was where a rug was placed on the floor. It was in this area I got the light headed sensation along with the off balance feeling. I walked around the area and check for an unevenness of the floor. It was pretty dark but just walking around it really didn't seem uneven.

As we were leaving the second floor area I did not the light headed sensation near the stairs. I cannot explain nor have a reason for those two areas of that building.

I took a few pictures throughout the entire area of this historic location but did not get anything unusual to report. No other areas within this location seemed to affect me. I do think the Laramore-Lyman House needs to be further investigated.