Pythian Castle
Location Information
Date: 18 September 2021 Type: Historic Building
Location Title: Pythian Castle
City/State: Springfield, MO
Investigation Times: 09:00 PM - 3:00 AM
Status: Analysis
Weather Information
Sunrise: 06:37 AM Sunset: 07:42 PM
High Temperature: 82 °F Low Temperature: 57 °F
Sky Condition: Clear Wind: W at five mph
Humidity: 94% Precipitation: 0 in
Lunar Phase: Waning Gibbous % disk visible: 53%
Solar X-Rays: Normal Geomagnetic Field: Quiet
Pressure: 30.00 mmHg
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Investigators Present
Becky Ray
Jennifer Sprague
Tania Rounds
Christina Quentin
Edward Quentin
Lindsey Kadri
Neshela Duke
Sarah Crowe
Tina Edholm
James Henderson
Investigators Notes
Jennifer Sprague, Lead Investigator:
Many thanks to Tamara for having us out. Pythian Castle is a beautiful place! Also, thanks to Lindsey for helping co-lead on this investigation. We started with a tour on this investigation and then broke up into two separate groups with three people choosing to participate in a “Fear Experiment.” We also created another experiment in “Petey’s Room,” We set up a plasma ball and EM Pump to put more electromagnetic and static energy in the air to see if it made any difference in the activity.
Our equipment consisted of video and audio recorders, grid lights, flashlights, EM pumps, and cameras.
Personal Experiences:
Edward:
12:05 AM - Reported a shadow movement in the theater he could not explain.
12:25 AM - Reported feeling very drained after the “Fear Experiment.”
Sarah:
1:35 AM - Reported seeing a pale-faced man with a beard in the tunnel. And later on in the theater, she reported that her head was hurting, and then afterward, in “Petey’s Room,” she reported something tickling her right arm.
Tina:
Although Tina did not have a lot of personal experiences, she did capture a photo of interest in the cell area in the gargoyle room and many EVPS. This includes an audible whistle we all heard while in the cell area of the castle.
Tania:
10:00 PM - Reported hairs standing on end during the tour.
10:15 PM - Reported seeing a white ball of light near the gargoyle.
12:27 AM - Reported feeling nauseous in the theater.
2:05 AM - Reported feeling nauseous in the “interrogation room.”
Neshela:
12:44 AM - Had an issue with recording apps opening and closing randomly
During the “Fear Experiment,” she reported that the sounds on the video made her feel edgy, but she became less anxious as the video went on.
1:46 AM - Reported becoming emotional and physically ill while in the theater.
Jennifer:
2:25 AM - Reported the feeling of walking through cobwebs while leaving Petey’s Room while Sarah reported something tickling her right arm. I could not find the source of what would cause these feelings.
James:
Reported feeling very uneasy while in the theater.
Becky:
Becky missed out on most of the investigation due to setting up and running her Fear Experiment. The experiment location was not ideal, and things did not run smoothly due to having to pull in people who were busy investigating other places. Due to this, she will not be continuing these experiments during investigations unless she is the lead investigator.
Possible Photo of Entity:
Tina: "I view photography as well as videos as a tool in our toolbox. Changes in a photo can be a result of shutter drag, light interference, and pure manipulation. Orbs or light anomalies are typically a result of a dragging shutter speed. The longer a shutter is open, it will result in a blurred image or multiple images such as the one attached. For the images with a line of light, it is possibly blurring due to light and speed. Nikon is a new mirrorless camera that has technology that allows for low light and slow shutter speeds. At this time, I am unable to explain the changes between these images taken within milliseconds of each other."
Sarah: "It's certainly interesting. My thought is it could be digital noise because it was shot in low light conditions at what I assume was a high ISO. That combined with slight lighting changes because there were those "candle" flickering lights at the base of the staircases on either side of the gargoyle. The fact that there is a progression of three photos shot rapidly with slight changes in the face is what makes it compelling. And the light reflection to the left of it almost seems to be blocked by the face in the first photo."
Possible Explanations of Activity:
The “footsteps” reported in the “Mr. Boots” tunnel could be coming from a water heater located at the entrance of the location. Both separate groups reported that it creates a popping and ticking sound that might be mistaken for footsteps.
It is important to note that we set up a grid light and motion detector in the tunnel to see if we could record any movement. We did not capture anything. However, we did have a personal experience with Sarah (as noted above), and we did note that there were some pipes toward the end of the tunnel that could mess with vision, but this would not explain what she saw.
While Sarah, Tania, Lindsey, Edward, and I were in the theater, we did notice some odd flickering of the lights at strange times, but this may be due to bad wiring; this also happened with a section of lights while a group was in the tunnel. According to Pythian staff, they believe it is electrical.
Points of Interest:
More than one investigator from both separate groups felt varying amounts of physical and emotional feelings in the theater.
Our most active places seem to be the gargoyle area and theater.
Out of all our investigators, Tina got the most EVPs. Even though we all were recording in the same group, none had anything similar to what she recorded.
Tina caught a strange photo in a cell when Tania saw a bright circle of light near the gargoyle.
Overall, it was an exciting place, and we look forward to going back!
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LOCATION HISTORY
In Springfield, Missouri, the Pythian Home of Missouri, also known as Pythian Castle, was built in 1913 by the Knights of Pythias and later owned by the U.S. military. During World War II, German and Italian prisoners of war were assigned here for medical treatment and as laborers. Some prisoners were kept in the detached powerhouse and laundry room behind the castle. The U.S. Army still owns the laundry room.
The building was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on October 7, 2009. It is privately owned and open to the public for tours by appointment.
EVPS
At 10:29 pm in the tunnel, Edward, Jennifer, and Tina set up motion detectors. At 10:31 pm Tina heard whistling and attempted to debunk by hitting the tunnel pipe.
Submitted by Tina
Piano music? Edward, Jennifer, and Tina moved further towards the outer part of the tunnel.
Submitted by Tina
In the Ballroom, Tina showed Edward a photo on her camera. He comments about vibes in there. I comment it has its own personality. “voice,” maybe “ok.”
Submitted by Tina
In the Ballroom Jennifer states that she is going to go upstairs, then there is a “voice.”
Submitted by Tina
Tina placed the toy bear upstairs and joined the group coming down from the women’s room. Tina comments about getting a stair workout. Then there is a ladies/child’s voice.
Submitted by Tina
In the Ballroom, Jennifer says she is going to check on Becky, then you hear walking and then child’s voice.
Submitted by Tina
Most of the group was in the kitchen area (except Becky, Edward, Jennifer, and the monitor person). Tina asks, “Was there a growl or something?” followed by three or four words, “xx lives.”
Submitted by Tina
It was asked if anyone wanted to come to say “hi” to us in the Kitchen. Response (maybe no).
Submitted by Tina
In the Kitchen, James commented about light play in the room after Tina walked a bit. Then there are words or a sound. Tina asks the group if anyone made a sound.
Submitted by Tina
In the Ballroom. Possible Singing in a Child or lady's voice.
Submitted by Tina
Becky, James, and Tina were playing on the bouncy floor in the basement. Tina asks, “Do you like to come down here and play?” Followed by a whistle.
Submitted by Tina
James and Tina were at the monitor as everyone else left for the theatre and downstairs. There was silence as they watched. On the recording, it sounds like two words and then a click.
Submitted by Tina
PHOTOS
photo by Edward