The Wausau Club - Wausau, Wisconsin

SYNOPSIS

      The Wausau Club is located at 309 McClellan St Wausau, WI. In 1865, Rufas P. Manson built a large home on the property to accommodate his family of 12. In 1897, Mr. and Mrs. Manson died and the house stood vacant until 1900 at which time it was purchased by private parties and split into two separate homes re-located to 509 and 515 Adams Street. In 1901 the Wausau Club was formed. The club moved a Colonial style home from Wausau’s east side to the McClellan Street location to serve as their clubhouse. In 1912, the Wausau Club was expanded to include a new kitchen and a café (the converted billiard room). In 1922, a 16 room dormitory was added to the west side to house visiting doctors, nurses and club members. The club was enlarged and redecorated. The refurbishment and addition cost $140,000.00. In the lower level of the club was a full sized bowling alley. During the prohibition era (1920-1933), a tunnel connected the club to the Wausau Pilot (presently the Shepherd and Schaller building) which allowed the members to move alcohol undetected to and from the premises. The tunnel has long since been sealed. Due to declining membership the Wausau Club closed its doors in December of 2004. Stories have circulated of a ghost of a woman named Martha who hanged herself in the North Room of the club. These stories and reports of paranormal phenomena from former staff members lead the WPRS to conduct an investigation of the Wausau Club on April 2, 2005.

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY THAT WAS REPORTED

      Accounts of paranormal activity that were relayed to us by the present caretaker and former staff members of the Wausau Club are listed below.

1. Martha’s apparition is often seen in front of the door to the North room.

2. Staff members have reported seeing shapes move about out of the corner of their eye.

3. An apparition has been seen on the Grand staircase looking over the rail as if waiting for someone.

4. Lights will turn on and off by unseen hands in the west wing and North room.

5. The chandelier in the second floor ballroom will swing on its own.

6. Numerous reports of footsteps being heard in the second floor ballroom when the room is empty.

7. A staff member reported a stack of formed plastic containers moved while he was working in the kitchen.

INVESTIGATION RESULTS

      WPRS members Blaschka, Roll, Geurink, and Coscio were joined by fellow Investigators Rick Hendricks (Weird Wisconsin, The Anomalist) and Kevin Nelson of the WPRC, Chad Lewis (Unexplained Research), and Noah Voss (GetGhostGear.com). The investigation took place on April 2, 2005 from approximately 7:00PM to 12:30PM. During the investigation 3 rolls of 400 speed color film were shot throughout the building. A Sony Night shot 8mm 120 minute video was set up to record in the dorm hallway looking south down. Nothing was captured on film. All members were paired up and shared a portable radio set on channel #10. On the first floor in the main lobby /lounge area the average temperature was 68-69 degrees. A static reading of 5 MG was recorded. Blaschka, Geurink and Coscio were ascending the Grand Staircase and we discussed previous sightings of the apparition at which time, Geurink began to experience static on her radio lasting a few moments. Neither Blaschka nor Coscio experienced any radio static. Upon reaching the top of the Grand Staircase Geurink experienced a presence “retreating” towards the women’s bathroom on the west end of the lobby. As Blaschka moved across the lobby, Geurink again sensed rolling wave of energy following him. Blaschka and Coscio entered the bathroom and both experienced an uneasy feeling. The area temperature was between 68-70 degrees along the south wall EMF readings were a static 2.5 and 1.25MG. The average room temperature in the Grand Ballroom was between 65-68 degrees. On the dance floor EMF readings ranged from .4 to 1.75 MG. Two EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) Session were conducted, one in the second floor main lobby and one in the Grand Ballroom. Upon reviewing the tape the following was heard. On side “A”, a voice which does not belong to any of the investigators present states, “Keep (inaudible) Here….Turn”. Another faint male voice asks “What !?” Side “B”, was held on the stage of the ballroom. Investigator Blaschka asked Martha if she likes to interfere with our equipment and a few moments later, Geurink’s portable radio again experienced static. It is important to note that neither Blaschka’s radio nor Coscio’s experienced any static. Geurink experienced two distinct physical episodes in the NE corner of the ballroom near the stage. The first while in the NE corner approximately 12-18 feet from the stage. Geurink experienced a female presence and then began to experience the type of nervousness a performer waiting to take the stage would have. This feeling was accompanied by the physical manifestation of being “hot and sweaty”. The next was after taking the stage and felt a “weightiness” in her chest and along with the anxiety of a performer ready to take the stage. Blaschka experienced a sensation of being in an area of much activity as if people were dancing by him on the dance floor. Coscio, while seated in the lounge area of the bar, experienced an impression of a male presence standing in the door way arch just to his left. He also could “see” a dark figure out of the corner of his eye standing in the arch. Upon reviewing the photographs of the second floor bar area two prints contained orbs, one in the main bar and the second where Coscio felt the male presence in the archway.  In conclusion, the WPRS obtained some evidence that could be considered paranormal in nature. We hope to visit the Wausau Club again to collect more evidence.

 

*Any use or reproduction of this documentation is prohibited without the sole permission of James Coscio and the WPRS.