| October , 31 2011 The Placerville Mountain Democrat |
“They changed the bathrooms so George hangs out in the women’s bathroom now,” said owner Cindy Southerland. “The lady in the back room … as long as you guys don’t insult her, she’ll be fine. We have the 9-year-old boy, Charles. I had six thermometers laid out and one started spinning. I felt this little hand on my back and it stopped spinning. “Sometimes I’ll come in and the pannini makers are always unplugged and they stay at the same temperature and we’ll come in and the temperature has been changed on it because we didn’t check it and things just start burning.” On Tuesday of last week the California Haunts team set up cameras in the women’s bathroom, a back storage room, the main dining area and a stairwell that is located to the right of the |
| By Charlotte Sanchez-Kosa Special to the Democrat Apparently there’s a new ghost at an old haunt in downtown Placerville. Two years ago the California Haunts Paranormal Investigation Team investigated a building on Main Street that was reportedly haunted by the spirits of two men, an older woman and a young boy. Now the team found itself returning to the same building as reports of paranormal activity have seemed to increase. The building, which houses the Prospector’s Cafe, at 372 Main St., was built in the 1800s and has served twice as an ice cream parlor, once as a bar and as a bakery. Current business owners have reported seeing a young boy, 9, in the dining area of the building. They have also reported a male presence in the women’s bathroom. In addition, reports among owners and employees range from objects being moved around the building to feelings of being watched. |
| Psychic Caren Clarke checks her digital camera after taking a picture of the corner of the room where she felt a presence could possibly show up on the picture. |
Photo by Charlotte Sanchez-Kosa
| men’s bathroom. Investigators Laurel McFarland of Auburn, Lyn and |
| Courtnie Braziele of Elk Grove, Patrick Brennan of Cameron Park and psychic Caren Clarke of Sacramento, began their investigation divided into three teams armed with various pieces of equipment ranging from electromagnetic meters to digital voice recorders. As the night progressed all had the opportunity to conduct electromagnetic voice phenomena sessions in an effort to try to communicate by asking questions and hoping to hear a response later via a digital voice recorder. “I picked up on an older woman who must have died in her late 50s or early 60s. In life she had a bun, grayish- brown hair, medium build, stern eyes, pronounced eyebrows and wore dark colored, high collared dresses,” said Clarke after walking through the back storage area. “Her personality is stern, prickly and inquisitive. She resides in the storage room; although she can be found all throughout the café. I picked up that the woman was a stern schoolmarm type, and she used to do a lot of cooking and baking in her physical loving days.” Clarke also claimed to have contacted a little girl with red hair in the same area as the stern woman. In the stairway area, investigators reported getting spikes on EMF meters that were random and could not be explained. The author of this story, Charlotte Sanchez-Kosa, a member of the team, conducted an EVP session on the stairway using a Mag light. The Mag light is unscrewed so that it barely turns on in the hope that an unseen hand will turn it on in order to answer yes to questions. Sanchez-Kosa appeared to be in contact with a male spirit who, through use of the light, stated he was 37 years old. “Going into the investigation, I knew nothing of the history of the cafe or the previous investigations,” McFarland said. “On my initial walk-through, my instincts told me there was something strange about the stairwell, and I always find it valuable to listen to my instincts. Sure enough, as the evening progressed, Courtnie and I were each getting numerous spikes there on our K2 meters, even though we could find no cause for electrical interference. It was no surprise to me that Charlotte conducted a successful EVP session in the stairwell later that evening.” As this was a follow-up investigation, all evidence gathered will be scrutinized by team members and posted at californiahaunts.org at a later date. |