Historic Church

History

The Church was built in 1915. Many prominent Wausau families attended the church.

The church struggled during the Great Depression, and was saved through the help of a group lead by a leading parishioner.

In 1980, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2007, the former parsonage was demolished, and a new wing was built.

Paranormal Activity Reported

An office employee, working in what used to be the parsonage, often heard the stairs creaking as if someone were walking down them. When she walked toward the stairway to investigate, the creaking would stop. The same employee frequently experienced the feeling that she was not alone.

A prior custodian of the church reported feeling that she was being watched. She never felt that she was alone when she was in the building.

Cigar smoke has been reported in the office area that used to be the old parsonage.

People have reported a “creepy” feeling in the basement recreation room, and some refuse to be alone in the area.

One church member reports that during services, she often senses a male presence lurking near a sound room door in the front of the church’s sanctuary. When she looks toward the door, no one is there.

Another member sensed the same presence, also believing that he wanders a little-used back hallway as well as a new stairwell near the offices.

Once, when a theater troupe was rehearsing, one of the members walked into the sanctuary and witnessed the apparition of a young lady with long red hair.

Investigation

The investigation took place on Friday, June 15, 2018. Investigators Blaschka, Duginski, Spialek, Beaudry, von Gnechten, Sczygelski, Abrams, and Syring were present. Equipment used during the investigation included digital cameras, digital voice recorders, EMF Detectors, DVR System, IR Probe, Motion Detectors, Vibration Detectors, and REM-pods. The weather was warm, humid, and rainy.

The investigators toured the building, taking note of areas where activity has been reported. After the tour, temperature and EMF readings were taken. There were no anomalous temperature readings taken through the course of the investigation. The electro-magnetic field throughout the building was normal. Normal EMF levels are typically thought to be anything under 2.5 milliGaus. One exception to these normal readings occurred in and around the sound room, where two members have reported sensing a presence. Those levels were 10 – 100 milliGaus. High EMF levels can cause sensitive people to feel stress, anxiety, or paranoia. In some cases, the stereotypical feeling of “being watched” or “feeling as if you are not alone” can be contributed to EMF levels such as these. It is possible that the members who reported a presence were actually reacting to levels of High EMF.

Digital photos were taken during the course of the investigation, as well as infrared video. No anomalies were found.

A motion detector set in the front stairwell went off several times when no one was around. It is unusual for the detector to act in that manner. However, there is the possibility that movement was caused by a bat.

EVP sessions were carried out in the sanctuary, atrium, dining hall, and a basement classroom. There were no anomalous findings.

Conclusion

Investigators were not able to find scientific evidence of paranormal activity at the historic church. Further investigation may be

warranted.