Paranormal Activity Investigators

Location Information

Date: 04 January 2020     Type: Historic

Location Title: Inn

City/State: Liberty, MO

Investigation Times: 5:00 PM - 12:00 PM

Status: Analysis

 

Weather Information

Sunrise: 07:40 AM   Sunset: 05:09 PM

High Temperature: 43°F   Low Temperature: 25°F

Sky Condition: Fair  Wind: SSW at 12 mph

Humidity: 60%   Precipitation: 0%

Lunar Phase: Waxing Gibbous   % disk visible: 62%

Pressure: 29.14 mmHg  

 

Investigators Present

Becky Ray

Jennifer Sprague

Tania Rounds

Julie Klos Burch

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Investigators Notes

Julie, Lead Investigator: My REMpod went off in the following manners on the floor of Room 9 (and also on down the hall at one point) from the time I arrived through the time I left the next morning around 10 am. (1) not at all, (2) full-on and loud, (3) intermittently. It also went off twice while simply sitting up on the nightstand during the night.

I experimented with a plasma ball, which set off the REMpod (so I turned that off). The plasma ball did not seem to provide an energy source for other objects in the room to be moved. Nothing unusual was noted.

We did hear a random knocking sound from the ceiling area above the television, but it seemed to go on too long to be anything paranormal.

We experimented with motion-activated balls, which went off periodically and randomly in our room. One, in particular, would go off with Becky's laughter or other loud noise, even when there was no associated movement.

Nothing was noted as paranormal on the public floors except a motion-activated ball went off once or twice.

Other than that, in bed early Sunday morning I had flipped over and next to when one foot landed, I felt a distinct downward pressure on the bed. At first, I thought it was the comforter settling but then realized the comforter is not heavy enough to cause that! And I don’t think Becky’s foot could have caused that either. And right then another weird thing happened, it felt like the bed went down on the end as if someone was sitting on it, but I wasn’t as clear about the second experience. I do know I wasn’t dreaming. It was odd.

I didn't find anything I could deem paranormal in my photos or on audio.

Jennifer: On this investigation, I brought some sensor-activated trigger objects, but unfortunately was unable to properly record audio. The walls are very thin so noise echos making it hard to determine where sounds may be coming from at times. We did hear some tapping noises coming from the wall all through the night.

It is important to note that Rm 9 has a small area closed off that leads to some sort of small crawl space like an attic. So the noises could be coming from maybe animals up there or from the chimney/drainage pipe outside. I don't think it was paranormal-related.

We did get some motion-activated sensors to go off, but due to noise, wifi, electricity, and a myriad of plausible reasons combined with the steady and consistent prolonged way it was going off, makes me think it was something explainable.

There were a few times it went off intermittently, but to me, I think it would be more of interest to use such things like that in a faraday cage and then see if something still triggers it to go off since those things strongly block out frequencies we may not be aware of.

I look forward to going back! Our innkeeper was kind and I am always open to going back for another visit to rooms 9 as well as 2, and 5, which are also reportedly haunted.

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Location History

The oddly named Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) was formed in the United States in 1819 and grew from the original order that came up in England in the 18th century. It aimed to provide shelter and care to those in need, such as the elderly, widows, and orphans.

The fraternal order came first came to Missouri in 1835, and by the end of the century, they built the Odd Fellows Home, a 240-acre complex. It was a form of health and life insurance, and as long as members had a good record, they could depend on the Odd Fellows for help. The complex had its own farm and expected those who could to work. It also had its own hospital, an orphanage, a school, a nursing home, and a cemetery.

The society, like other fraternal organizations, conducted secret rituals, and one of the most important ones was the initiation. A key symbol in this ceremony was a skeleton, which served as a reminder of mortality. Today, a small room in the complex houses some interesting artifacts that the IOOF left behind, including “George”, the skeleton of an Odd Fellows member who died in the 1880s and donated his body to science. When the body was no longer needed for teaching, the bleached and articulated bones were returned to the IOOF, as per his agreement, for use in their initiation rituals. (All of the skeletons used by various IOOF halls are named George, so that is not the original member’s name.) The display also includes other curious objects left behind such as masks, books, and swords. 

Now consisting of four buildings and a few small outbuildings, the Odd Fellows Home sits on 36 remaining acres and has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1986. Three of the red-brick buildings exhibit the Jacobean-Revival style and well-known architect, William Ittner, who designed one of these structures, the Administration Building. The buildings are in a state of deterioration, with broken windows, doors, and damaged roofs. However one of the most impressive buildings, the Belvoir Winery and Inn, has renovated the first floor, and it is now a tasting room and event space for the winery.

From Atlas Obscura.