Privately Owned Residence - Wausau, Wisconsin

 

Synopsis

Our organization was contacted on December 8, 2015 by, the daughter in law of the client regarding some possible paranormal activity that has been occurring in her apartment located in Wausau over the past several months. I spoke with the client by email on December 9, 2015 and sent an interview questionnaire for the client to complete. I also researched information pertaining to the history of the site as well as any haunting activity in it’s past. The structure was built in approximately 1994 and has been occupied by hundreds of tenants over the past 22 years.

The site was originally owned by a former prominent citizen of the Wausau area. He came to Wausau in 1867 when he was 21 years old. During his life he was a river pilot, timber hand, school teacher, bookkeeper, judge, mayor, lawyer and historian. He built his home on the client’s site in 1878. He was married and they produced two children, Emma and Ervin. From 1940 to 1994 the house was used as an apartment building. In 1994 the house was slated to be razed but it was saved from the wrecking ball and moved. Many years later it was moved to its present site on Grand Avenue.

The client is widowed and lives alone in her apartment. She has lived at the site since May 2015. The activity began around September. Prior to the former structure being moved it was reported that residents had experienced minor paranormal activity there. Also the current apartment complex has had one report of an apparition of a young girl in turn of the century clothes being seen.

 

Paranormal Activity Reported

Notes were compiled from the phenomena log and an interview was conducted with the client on January 16, 2016. The following activity was noted as occurring in the home and is listed below:

·        Feelings of being watched, especially in the bedroom.

·        Feelings of someone touching or pushing on the side of the client’s bed at night recently.

·        Unusual sounds heard normally after midnight.

·        Client has heard what sounds like a creaking door or possible weight on a creaky floor board.

·        Client felt someone touch her foot and ankle while she was lying on her bed.

·        Tapping noises heard in the bedroom and living room.

·        Breathy sound heard in the living room area recently.

·        A sound that is heard in the living room that is described as electronic in nature.

·        Water dripping noises that seem to come from the closet near her bedroom.

 

Investigation

The WPRS investigated the apartment on Saturday January 16, 2016 from approximately 7:00PM to 2:00AM.  Investigators Blaschka, Sczygelski and Spialek were present.  We arrived at the client’s property and she gave us a tour of the property and explained where the above activity had occurred in the apartment. After the tour of the property was complete, the client and her daughter in law left so that we could conduct the investigation.

Basic equipment used during the investigation included digital cameras, digital voice recorders, Tri Field Electro Magnetic Field (EMF) meters, Geiger counter, infrared and full spectrum cameras, REM Pod, and infrared/ambient thermal probes.

We obtained temperature, EMF readings and radiation readings as well as prepared a sketch of the apartment’s floor plan. Many infrared and full spectrum photographs were taken in various areas inside the apartment. Temperatures were between 75 and 77 degrees F, with EMF readings ranging from 0.0 to 3.0 Milligauss. The highest readings were near the breaker box area. Geiger counter readings were low with no notable measurement. During the collection of our base line readings we found no anomalous EMF or temperature variances that could not be explained reasonably. The only reading that was of concern was a higher reading captured near the computer area. That high field is not paranormal but manmade.  

After our base readings were collected we formed into a group to perform EVP sessions in the living room/dining room area. We also performed an EVP session in the bedroom area. All of the team used digital voice recorders to try to collect audio evidence of paranormal activity (Electronic Voice Phenomena or EVP.) We used a Rem-Pod during our EVP sessions as a possible communication device. That Rem-Pod was placed on the client’s bed during the balance of the evening. During our EVP session in the living room the Rem-Pod alarmed sporadically several times. Each time it did, it did not seem to react to any of the questions we asked. We also placed an EMF meter in the living room and bath room areas for the balance of the evening. These meters periodically alarmed as well with no apparent correlation to our EVP sessions.

Upon later review of all our EVP evidence we found nothing of interest. We reviewed our Full Spectrum and Infrared photographs and found nothing paranormal in them.

During the investigation we spoke out loud several times to whatever presence may happen to be in the apartment. We relayed the fact that the client that resides at the property does not want to be disturbed any further. We set down ground rules that need to be followed and made it absolutely clear that nothing is allowed to be in the bedroom when the client is present. We asked that the presence leave the premises as it is no longer welcome there.

 

Conclusion and Recommendations

Upon review and consideration of all the claims made by the client we feel that it may be possible that the client has been experiencing some paranormal activity. However no definitive evidence was obtained to prove or disprove the claims. All of the sounds that the client reported to us were heard by the team during the investigation, most of which were reasonably explained as caused by the boiler heating system and an electronic bathroom deodorizer device. We could not reasonably explain what caused the EMF and Rem-Pod to alarm during the evening. We were also unable to pinpoint what was causing the creaking noise and the electronic sound heard in the living room. We also have not been able to explain the touching sensation that was felt by the client on her ankle. Alone this evidence lends some credibility to what has been happening at the site but it is by no means proof positive of a haunting. The activity that has been described by the client has not been harmful but rather unsettling. It is our hope that through the use of communication and setting ground rules in the apartment that it will render anything present to become peaceful. We may return in the future at the clients request.

 

*Any use or reproduction of this documentation is prohibited without the sole permission of Shawn Blaschka or the WPRS.