COSHOCTON -- About 70 people learned a bit more about the haunted side of Coshocton Saturday night during the Haunted History Tour of Coshocton fundraiser benefiting First Step Family Violence Intervention Services.
A lecture and dinner took place at the Warehouse Steak and Stein with featured speaker Sonya Horstman, a well-known Cleveland-area clairvoyant and spiritualist, along with members of the Munroe Falls Paranormal Society. Tours of nine sites were part in the tour, including The Warehouse Steak and Stein, Medbery Market Place, Uncorked, Roscoe General Store, Dr. Maro Johnson House, Triple Locks Theater, Sport Zone, WTNS Radio and Oak Ridge Cemetery.
Horstman shared her findings and impressions of each of the locations involved in the tour.
"Many people have seen a man in black hanging around the Warehouse over the years," she said. "We feel this is probably Arnold Medbery, the man who originally built the building. Some people have seen a man in a plaid shirt. I have also seen a little boy looking out the rounded attic window of that building. I think this same 'little boy' spends time across the street at the Medbery Market Place."
Horstman said the boy probably has been up to some mischief at the Medbery Market Place.
"One of the shopkeepers at the Medbery building shared with me that items are being knocked off the shelves right in front of them," she said. "Ghosts will often bug you like that to feed off your energy. I also sense some residual energy from a murder that took place in the upper floor of that building, as well as intelligent haunting activity."
Horstman said it is her responsibility as a spirit banisher to help the earthbound spirits move on to the light if they choose.
"If I have the building owner's permission, I will help them get rid of the ghosts that may be present," she said. "The worst thing you can say to a ghost is, 'I know you are here, but just stay in the basement,' for example. That, essentially, gives the ghost permission to stay with you forever."
The MFPS team spent the night at the Warehouse Steak and Stein Building on Saturday night to investigate the activity that might be taking place there. Horstman explained that the "ghost hunting" programs on television are different from reality.
"Ghosts take a long time to respond," she said. "You don't see that waiting time on TV. It's all Hollywood and not true to life."
Eric Haney, founder and lead investigator with MFPS agreed that the TV programs are not accurate.
"The TV shows often portray hauntings as frightening, and this is actually extremely rare," he said. "We travel all over Ohio and several other states performing scientific investigations of this kind. Last year alone we conducted over 50 of these kinds of studies."
Haney explained a big difference exists between "ghost hunting" and paranormal investigations.
"Ghost hunters simply head out for a night looking for ghosts and hope they find one," he said. "The paranormal investigations that we do involve a much longer process of background research, interviews with property owners and other studies before we determine if there is enough evidence to conduct a full investigation like the one we are doing here tonight. Often we make several visits to the same location and then continue to work with the property owners even after we have completed our research. Our goal is to help the building owners understand what is happening. Our success is really high."
Scott Wells, lead investigator with MFPS, said participants follow a protocol when investigating ghost activity.
"We always introduce ourselves to them first," he said. "We don't want to scare them. Sometimes the ghosts really want to talk to us and sometimes they don't. It's important to remember that most ghosts really aren't dangerous."
Proceeds raised from the Haunted History of Coshocton Tour benefit First Step, a United Way Agency. Sponsors for the event included The Warehouse Steak and Stein, Medbery Market Place, Uncorked, Triple Locks Theater, Gress Construction, Cloud Pals, Bowman's Sportswear, Sonya Horstman and the Munroe Falls Paranormal Society.
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