I recently went ghost hunting.
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Now, you may remember from my blog post last week that I’m actually a bit of a skeptic when it comes to ghosts. I don’t completely believe in them, but I’m also not brave or foolish enough to declare myself immune to them. Lack of hubris is how they get you.
I settled for a happy medium, a philosophy I’d describe as, “Probably not real, but we won’t rule it out.” And that was the attitude I took into ghost hunting at Hayner Library.
Last week, Hayner Public Library District hosted a “Haunted Hayner” experience for patrons. Along with Alton Odyssey Tours, the library presented information about Alton’s history and theories on why Alton is so haunted. The evening ended with a ghost hunt around Hayner’s Genealogy and Local History Library.
I sat attentively through the presentation, eager to hear exactly how Alton has developed its reputation as one of the most haunted small towns in America. I may be a skeptic, but I grew up around Alton’s ghost stories just like everyone else. There are places in Alton that creep me out inherently, mostly because I know the stories associated with them.
You’d never catch me at Mineral Springs Mall after dark, is what I’m trying to say.
But as I listened, Alton took on a new light. Did you know that the limestone bricks that made up the Confederate prison are now in buildings across the city? When they tore down the prison, the bricks were used to build different buildings, retaining walls and more around town.
That was enough for me. I’m convinced; no wonder this city is haunted.
The tour guides went on to say that the water is another reason why spirits are called to Alton. The river is a conduit for electromagnetic energy, and ghosts tend to manipulate electromagnetic fields to send messages or share that they are present. As Alton is famously the meeting of three rivers, it’s no surprise that ghosts are all over.
Lacy McDonald, who manages the Genealogy and Local History Library and regularly contributes to RiverBender.com, stepped up to the podium to share some history of the library. And it’s a fascinating history, for sure. I won’t do it justice, but at its core, Hayner has always been made up of devoted women who fought to keep the library running. It’s not a stretch, then, to suggest that a few of them might still be hanging around.
After hearing the history, I was ready to ghost hunt. I had never done this before, and I was intrigued by what all it entailed.
As it turns out, there’s special equipment you can use to track a ghost, some of which Hayner has available in its Library of Things. I held an EMF reader, which is supposed to light up when a ghost is near.
Indeed, the little device lit up orange, then green, then orange again as we passed it around the room. I don’t know what’s up with that, but it seems to suggest there were some energy shifts in the turret of the Genealogy and Local History Library.
The real surprise, though, came when I held the dowsing rods. These copper rods move around of their own accord even as you hold them completely still. I didn’t believe it until I held them myself, and then I was shocked to discover that no matter how steady my hands were, the rods still spun and crossed in front of me.
Manipulated by spirits? Maybe. Weird and sort of creepy? Definitely.
If ghosts are real, you can absolutely find them in Hayner Library, and I mean that as a highest compliment. It was awesome. I might still be a skeptic, but ghost hunting had me more convinced than ever before. Turns out when you’re at Hayner, you can always find plenty of “boo”ks!
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