Conclusion
| Albert Shafsky House |
| The smell of cherry pipe tobacco, books flying off shelves, pennies being left around the house, candy being removed from a candy dish, shoes being placed in order underneath a bed, heavy footsteps being heard on the second floor, seeing he shape of a man near the stairway. These are only some of the things experienced at the Shafsky House in Placerville, California. Owners Rita Timewell and Stephanie Carlson also tell stories of guests saying their feet were tickled or touched as they slept. |
| The Victorian home, now a bed and breakfast, was built in 1902 by former Placerville mayor, Albert Shafsky. He lived in the home with his wife Kitty, and their four daughters and one son. Shafsky owned a department store on Main Street in Placerville. This department store was the first store to feature display windows for those passing by on the street. |
| History |
| Investigators |
| Charlotte John Ruth |
| Equipment |
| Four camera IR surveillance system Digital thermometer Trifield Meter Cell Sensor meter KII meter Digital Voice recorders Walkie talkies Dowsing rods Digital Camera |
| You will need sound canceling headphones to hear these. |
| Photo by Charlotte |
John takes a trifield reading in a downstairs bedroom of the Shafsky
House in Placerville.
House in Placerville.
Photo by Charlotte
Patrick, Noel and John investigate a downstairs
bedroom at the Shafsky House in Placerville.
bedroom at the Shafsky House in Placerville.
| Guests/Observers |
| Noel, Patrick, Christine |
| Sensitive Investigators |
| Nancy Betty |
Upon arrival at about 7:30 p.m., the property owners were interviewed.
While Charlotte set up the surveillance system, the rest of the team determined where the cameras should be
located throughout the house. Special efforts were made to position the cameras so they would avoid
reflective surfaces and be least likely to capture the headlights of passing cars.
The investigation began at 8:15 p.m. with lights out.
While Charlotte set up the surveillance system, the rest of the team determined where the cameras should be
located throughout the house. Special efforts were made to position the cameras so they would avoid
reflective surfaces and be least likely to capture the headlights of passing cars.
The investigation began at 8:15 p.m. with lights out.
Investigation
Team A: Charlotte, John, Noel and Patrick
Team B: Ruth, Betty and Christine
Team A remained downstairs while Team B investigated
the upstairs rooms. For the first 30 minutes of the
investigation, Charlotte remained at the monitoring station
while the other members of Team A began investigating
throughout the downstairs area. While sitting at the dining
room table, Charlotte caught whiffs of a sweet smell that
seemed to move around her location.
Charlotte joined Team A in the living room for an EVP
session. Patrick and Noel were seated on the couch
against the wall and John on a chair near the coffee table.
During the session, Patrick noted a slight change on the
Team B: Ruth, Betty and Christine
Team A remained downstairs while Team B investigated
the upstairs rooms. For the first 30 minutes of the
investigation, Charlotte remained at the monitoring station
while the other members of Team A began investigating
throughout the downstairs area. While sitting at the dining
room table, Charlotte caught whiffs of a sweet smell that
seemed to move around her location.
Charlotte joined Team A in the living room for an EVP
session. Patrick and Noel were seated on the couch
against the wall and John on a chair near the coffee table.
During the session, Patrick noted a slight change on the
Cell Sensor at one corner of the couch. The fluctuations seemed to move along the couch. He also reported
feeling a cold spot but a thermometer was unavailable. Slight EMF reading increases in the couch area were
recorded using the Trifield meter. Team A then moved into the bedroom at the southeast corner of the home
where the candy is reportedly removed from a dish on a night table. No abnormal readings on either the Cell
Sensor or Trifield meter were reported. An EVP session was conducted in this room.
During their upstairs investigation, Team B was accompanied by one of the home owners. Dowsing rods were
used to identify spirit activity, but no specific indication was experienced. Control photos were taken in the
upstairs area, and the team conducted an EVP session in the room known as Alberta’s Attic, as well as the
white bedroom, which flanked Alberta’s Attic. In the bedroom closest to the street, one of the investigators
thought she felt an unusual breeze on her calves, but this was explained by a slight draft coming in through
one of the windows.
feeling a cold spot but a thermometer was unavailable. Slight EMF reading increases in the couch area were
recorded using the Trifield meter. Team A then moved into the bedroom at the southeast corner of the home
where the candy is reportedly removed from a dish on a night table. No abnormal readings on either the Cell
Sensor or Trifield meter were reported. An EVP session was conducted in this room.
During their upstairs investigation, Team B was accompanied by one of the home owners. Dowsing rods were
used to identify spirit activity, but no specific indication was experienced. Control photos were taken in the
upstairs area, and the team conducted an EVP session in the room known as Alberta’s Attic, as well as the
white bedroom, which flanked Alberta’s Attic. In the bedroom closest to the street, one of the investigators
thought she felt an unusual breeze on her calves, but this was explained by a slight draft coming in through
one of the windows.
Christine, during the investigation of the Shafsky House in
Placerville.
Placerville.
Photo by Charlotte
The two teams concluded the first phase of the
investigation and switched positions. Moving upstairs,
Team A settled in the room designated as Alberta’s
Attic, near a chest, where the Cell Sensor picked up a
high energy reading that seemed to move in a
rectangular direction back and forth. The team found it
interesting that at times the energy would disappear
altogether then register again when the meter was
moved toward the room’s ceiling. Patrick felt that at
times, the energy reading seemed to have a human
shape. Other team members observed Patrick moving
the meter in what appeared to be the outline of a
distinguishable shape.
investigation and switched positions. Moving upstairs,
Team A settled in the room designated as Alberta’s
Attic, near a chest, where the Cell Sensor picked up a
high energy reading that seemed to move in a
rectangular direction back and forth. The team found it
interesting that at times the energy would disappear
altogether then register again when the meter was
moved toward the room’s ceiling. Patrick felt that at
times, the energy reading seemed to have a human
shape. Other team members observed Patrick moving
the meter in what appeared to be the outline of a
distinguishable shape.
Team B focused on the living room area when they moved downstairs for the second half of their
investigation. An EVP session was conducted, and two members of the team reported picking up on the odor
of sweet-smelling pipe tobacco. It was suggested that this might be fragrance from one of the many candles
decorating the downstairs area.
Sensitive-Investigator’s Report:
Christine: I had a vision while in the other bedroom (Alberta's Attic) of people making love in that bed. It was
investigation. An EVP session was conducted, and two members of the team reported picking up on the odor
of sweet-smelling pipe tobacco. It was suggested that this might be fragrance from one of the many candles
decorating the downstairs area.
Sensitive-Investigator’s Report:
Christine: I had a vision while in the other bedroom (Alberta's Attic) of people making love in that bed. It was
Patrick takes readings on the
cell sensor during the
investigation.
cell sensor during the
investigation.
Photo by Charlotte
very vivid! That's a first for me. They looked like they were in their thirties. I
couldn't tell, but I'm thinking I picked up an imprint, not spirits. Betty told me
she picked up the same thing in that room. I felt definite presences in the
sitting room of Alberta's Attic. Two children near the toy box and my meter
went nuts there as well.
Betty: Picked up one male figure that was very low key; he was just happy to
be there. I also picked up three women. They were some sort of Spanish
dancers. They wore shoes and their clothing was very colorful. The three
women were upstairs in the first bedroom facing the street.
Nancy: After reviewing photos of the location, she felt there was a vortex that
ran from the first floor of the home to the attic; one that would be going
through the center of the house.
Investigation concluded at 10:30 p.m.
Four possible EVP’s, nothing in photos, nothing caught on video.
couldn't tell, but I'm thinking I picked up an imprint, not spirits. Betty told me
she picked up the same thing in that room. I felt definite presences in the
sitting room of Alberta's Attic. Two children near the toy box and my meter
went nuts there as well.
Betty: Picked up one male figure that was very low key; he was just happy to
be there. I also picked up three women. They were some sort of Spanish
dancers. They wore shoes and their clothing was very colorful. The three
women were upstairs in the first bedroom facing the street.
Nancy: After reviewing photos of the location, she felt there was a vortex that
ran from the first floor of the home to the attic; one that would be going
through the center of the house.
Investigation concluded at 10:30 p.m.
Four possible EVP’s, nothing in photos, nothing caught on video.
We do not have sufficient scientific evidence to prove the location is haunted. While we did get four possible
EVP’s, there was a lot of outside traffic noise that could be heard in the house. We did not get any strong,
corroborative evidence of a haunting, and we have no scientific data to support the impressions of the
sensitive-investigators, other than the high EMF meter readings near the toy box. The odor that investigators
smelled in the home is most likely attributable to the numerous scented candles placed throughout the first
floor. The high EMF reading upstairs could have been caused by a cable TV line which runs into the front of
the house and into the bedroom where the readings were taken.
EVP’s, there was a lot of outside traffic noise that could be heard in the house. We did not get any strong,
corroborative evidence of a haunting, and we have no scientific data to support the impressions of the
sensitive-investigators, other than the high EMF meter readings near the toy box. The odor that investigators
smelled in the home is most likely attributable to the numerous scented candles placed throughout the first
floor. The high EMF reading upstairs could have been caused by a cable TV line which runs into the front of
the house and into the bedroom where the readings were taken.