By: Daylon Bonner, Staff Writer
On the night of Aug 31, I took a trip to the world of the ethereal. I participated in a paranormal investigation downtown in which I explored the history of the Harper-Fowlkes house. The site of this ghostly undertaking is well-over one-hundred years old and has served as the stomping grounds for a plethora of people throughout the history of Savannah.
The host of the event was local company 6th Sense World. Rich Lane, Tami Sabo and Noah Baekelandt of 6th Sense World, began the evening with some general history of the families who lived in the house while explaining some of the devices on hand to interact with the spirits. After that, we split into two groups with half exploring the upper levels of the house while the other half ventured into the basement.
I initially started on the top floor, which was not added until years after the initial completion of the house. It is said to have been the residential area of Irish servants in the waning years of the 1800s.
Initially, the readings from the equipment we used did not lead to any examples of paranormal activity until we reached a spot which used to hold a bathroom. It was without question a hotspot as our frequency readers lit up heavily, and a notable temperature variance occurred. The spirits spoke to us in a cryptic language describing a hanging, fire and a wolf pack.
Our guide, Rich Lane, told us that members of the house had been known to entertain people in some of the rooms on this level.
Some of them may have been members of the Society of Cincinnati, which was a hereditary society with branches from France and the US. According to their official website, it was comprised of descendants of soldiers who fought in the Revolutionary War.
While today’s present technology cannot explain everything, I was curious as to whether the investigation we were performing could be backed up via scientific means.
I asked Lane whether the ghosts vibrated at a certain frequency. Given that humans vibrate at a certain frequency (around five to ten Hertz), one could infer that the spirits would have their own frequency as well. Unfortunately, he did not have a definite answer for me as he postulated that, depending on who it specifically is, our friends from beyond potentially could vibrate at several different frequencies.
My group then ventured downstairs to explore the kitchen areas and the in-house vault. On this level, the spirits were more active in addition to speaking in less opaque language.
Two different spirits spoke with our group. It turned out they both, apparently, were fond of jazz and orchestral tunes. According to the hostess, Tami Sabo, one of them is known to wax poetic on life. This night backed up her words when the spirit spoke of the moments that mold and shape a person and how life can end in an instant.
I then ventured into the study of Alida Harper. While I did not encounter any spirits, I still stopped and sat there for good 15 minutes because there was something eerily calming about the room.
I am not completely sure how to explain it, but something in that room allowed me to calm my mind. It may have been the spirit of Mrs. Harper relaxing me. It may not have been. In either case, I legitimately felt something in that study.
This was an interesting experience. I would be lying if I said I did not go into it as a skeptic, and a single encounter is not going to change that. There is something about the Harper-Fowlkes house that has people intrigued. In any case, I recommend participating in the investigation and seeing for yourself whether you believe or not.
The Harper-Fowlkes House hosts a paranormal investigation every Friday starting at 8:30 pm. If you would like buy tickets or look into other events, go to www.6thSenseWorld.com. Tickets are $50.
