Update Archive
October 2012 Update:
Hello, Phantasms!
This summer was brutal, no buts about it. It put a damper on quite a lot, for everyone. But we made it.
Now, Autumn.
The leaves have turned, and started to drop. The days are cooler; some still mild enough to forgo a jacket. The evenings are crisp; the first frosts. End of vegetable gardens, and the start of holiday decorating.
For some, thoughts turn slightly maudlin and melancholy; the ends of things, instead of Spring’s beginnings. The death of things, and the hope of rebirth. The grey days and the shadowy evenings. But, there is quiet, now. A peace and calm that Summer does not share. Clarity that Winter tends to keep closely guarded; buried. Now is the time for reflection; for gazing in all directions. For seeing what was hidden amongst Summer’s showy folds. The truth is revealed, at last. The Earth’s energy is withdrawn; held safe and waiting. Pools of expectation amongst the gloom. The glow of a candle in a pumpkin, the smell of a fireplace; of burning leaves. The world is russet and amber; jewels for all. Things to treasure.
Please hold safe all the wonders of this season; please protect them and show respect when you venture out into the world. Light the nights with your energies and expectations, and leave no footprint behind. Wisdom comes if you listen.
Nebraska Phantasm’s Autumn hits the ground running; two investigations in the space of two weeks. And then all the Halloween Happenings. We will post updates as they become available.
Be safe this season. Have a wonderful Autumn!
Thank you very much for reading!
~A
This summer was brutal, no buts about it. It put a damper on quite a lot, for everyone. But we made it.
Now, Autumn.
The leaves have turned, and started to drop. The days are cooler; some still mild enough to forgo a jacket. The evenings are crisp; the first frosts. End of vegetable gardens, and the start of holiday decorating.
For some, thoughts turn slightly maudlin and melancholy; the ends of things, instead of Spring’s beginnings. The death of things, and the hope of rebirth. The grey days and the shadowy evenings. But, there is quiet, now. A peace and calm that Summer does not share. Clarity that Winter tends to keep closely guarded; buried. Now is the time for reflection; for gazing in all directions. For seeing what was hidden amongst Summer’s showy folds. The truth is revealed, at last. The Earth’s energy is withdrawn; held safe and waiting. Pools of expectation amongst the gloom. The glow of a candle in a pumpkin, the smell of a fireplace; of burning leaves. The world is russet and amber; jewels for all. Things to treasure.
Please hold safe all the wonders of this season; please protect them and show respect when you venture out into the world. Light the nights with your energies and expectations, and leave no footprint behind. Wisdom comes if you listen.
Nebraska Phantasm’s Autumn hits the ground running; two investigations in the space of two weeks. And then all the Halloween Happenings. We will post updates as they become available.
Be safe this season. Have a wonderful Autumn!
Thank you very much for reading!
~A
July 2012 Update:
Well, here we are; it has been two years already! Time has flown by! And, it has been an interesting two years, at that. Lots of lessens learned and experience gained.
We are celebrating our 2nd anniversary with an investigation; one with a historical leaning. It should prove to be educational and interesting.
As usual, this time of year brings it's own set of challenges to investigations; heat, dehydration, fire safety... to name a few.
As always, remember to tread lightly and to leave as small a footprint as possible while out and about, Phantasms.
Stay safe this summer, and thank you so very much for reading!
~Angela.
We are celebrating our 2nd anniversary with an investigation; one with a historical leaning. It should prove to be educational and interesting.
As usual, this time of year brings it's own set of challenges to investigations; heat, dehydration, fire safety... to name a few.
As always, remember to tread lightly and to leave as small a footprint as possible while out and about, Phantasms.
Stay safe this summer, and thank you so very much for reading!
~Angela.
May 2012 Update:
Well, Memorial Day weekend has passed. Always a weekend filled with mixed emotions for most. The start of the Summer Season, and a reminder of the fragility of life. Of sacrifices made. Of loss and love. For most, Memorial Day/Weekend is the only time of the year that folks step foot inside a cemetery. And, that is a shame. Cemeteries can stir up negative emotions, yes. Even more reason to visit, methinks. What better, safer area to express melancholy or sadness than within those quiet gates? Personally, I find the cemeteries, whether investigating or otherwise, to be quiet and soothing. Almost comforting. I do feel sad, though, to walk the rows; looking at the neglected older headstones... the headstones of children... I feel an urge to brush off each one; to place a flower upon them all. To care for them expresses my own desire to not be forgotten when my time in this realm has finally passed. To show children this, to pass it on, is to pass on respect and kindness. If something has fallen; right it. If something is shrouded; clear it. Care and respect returns to those who give it. May your Summer months be filled with flowers, sunshine, stones and freshly cut grass; ours will. Happy hunting, Phantasms. :-)
~Angela.
~Angela.
Spring 2012 Update:
Phellow Phantasms!
It almost seems like Nebraska has only two seasons: Winter and Summer. And this year, it seems Mother Nature has gone straight from one to the other!
So far, we've had one short investigation this spring; five of us made the trek to Boot Hill, south of Gibbon, as we've done each March for the past several years. Of course, the good ol' Nebraska wind was blowing 40 mph that night. We did get a couple of interesting EVPs, though.
The coming warm months hold a lot of promise for potential investigations. We're planning to get back to the Homerville Cemetery in April, before the bugs get really active, and we've discussed several historical locations in the local area we'd like to gain access to.
All in all, it looks to be a busy, ghostly summer!
Thank you for coming to the site!
~D
It almost seems like Nebraska has only two seasons: Winter and Summer. And this year, it seems Mother Nature has gone straight from one to the other!
So far, we've had one short investigation this spring; five of us made the trek to Boot Hill, south of Gibbon, as we've done each March for the past several years. Of course, the good ol' Nebraska wind was blowing 40 mph that night. We did get a couple of interesting EVPs, though.
The coming warm months hold a lot of promise for potential investigations. We're planning to get back to the Homerville Cemetery in April, before the bugs get really active, and we've discussed several historical locations in the local area we'd like to gain access to.
All in all, it looks to be a busy, ghostly summer!
Thank you for coming to the site!
~D
New Year's Update 2011:
_
Well, Phellow Phantasms, another year is soon behind
us! Let's hope that the Mayan calendar is wrong, right? ;-)
In 2011, Nebraska Phantasms had a pretty interesting year, to say the least! Starting the year, it took a while for schedules to fall into place before we really got going.
We investigated an establishment in Kearney, NE at the request of a friend who had experienced some strange noises and interesting occurrences when working there at night or when alone. Results of that investigation are, at this point, inconclusive and we hope to get back for another try.
Mid-year found us investigating the long abandoned Shelton Hotel in Shelton, NE. We came away with promising results and, with the permission and encouragement of the owner, returned three more times, capturing some really outstanding EVPs which have been posted. As one can imagine, reviewing all of that audio took quite a bit of the summer to review and debate.
Next we ventured into Gosper County to investigate the Homerville Cemetery. It was tough to get definitive sounds from our recorders as the crickets, etc created such sound pollution; but we did get one really good EVP and hope to get back there again.
We also made two trips to the Cameron Cemetery in Hall County. Again, insects were a huge annoyance but we got some interesting sounds.
We're looking forward to at least a handful of potential sites for 2012!
Thank you for visiting and for checking in with our Facebook page! We really appreciate it!
Happy New Year!
~ D
In 2011, Nebraska Phantasms had a pretty interesting year, to say the least! Starting the year, it took a while for schedules to fall into place before we really got going.
We investigated an establishment in Kearney, NE at the request of a friend who had experienced some strange noises and interesting occurrences when working there at night or when alone. Results of that investigation are, at this point, inconclusive and we hope to get back for another try.
Mid-year found us investigating the long abandoned Shelton Hotel in Shelton, NE. We came away with promising results and, with the permission and encouragement of the owner, returned three more times, capturing some really outstanding EVPs which have been posted. As one can imagine, reviewing all of that audio took quite a bit of the summer to review and debate.
Next we ventured into Gosper County to investigate the Homerville Cemetery. It was tough to get definitive sounds from our recorders as the crickets, etc created such sound pollution; but we did get one really good EVP and hope to get back there again.
We also made two trips to the Cameron Cemetery in Hall County. Again, insects were a huge annoyance but we got some interesting sounds.
We're looking forward to at least a handful of potential sites for 2012!
Thank you for visiting and for checking in with our Facebook page! We really appreciate it!
Happy New Year!
~ D
End of Year Update 2011:
Well, Phantasms, it is already shaping-up to be an interesting winter. Our attempt in Late November to revisit one of the more interesting cemeteries was thwarted by 60+ mph winds and below 30 temperatures! Still, the weather (so far) seems to be holding out. We shall see what we can accomplish before the heavy snows hit the area.
We keep chipping away at all of the audio; there have been some interesting captures, for sure, but we like to post only the choice sounds for your listening pleasure. Hopefully we can have something new and interesting posted soon.
Photos of our t-shirts are finally posted. (Look under Headstones) The feedback has been positive all around; thank you. We have already received inquiries into how someone might obtain a shirt; we are working on a more definitive answer. Our biggest challenge is to have some on-hand, and ready to fulfill as requests come in.
As usual, during the Holiday season, all of our free time is stretched thin. Still, we will try to fit in, here and there, what we can – as time allows. We will post as we have new and interesting tidbits!
Thank you all for coming to the site, and following our ventures into the lost and unknown.
From all the members of Nebraska Phantasms, to all of you; we wish you a happy and safe holiday season. Take care, and see you in 2012 – potentially a very interesting year, indeed! :-)
We keep chipping away at all of the audio; there have been some interesting captures, for sure, but we like to post only the choice sounds for your listening pleasure. Hopefully we can have something new and interesting posted soon.
Photos of our t-shirts are finally posted. (Look under Headstones) The feedback has been positive all around; thank you. We have already received inquiries into how someone might obtain a shirt; we are working on a more definitive answer. Our biggest challenge is to have some on-hand, and ready to fulfill as requests come in.
As usual, during the Holiday season, all of our free time is stretched thin. Still, we will try to fit in, here and there, what we can – as time allows. We will post as we have new and interesting tidbits!
Thank you all for coming to the site, and following our ventures into the lost and unknown.
From all the members of Nebraska Phantasms, to all of you; we wish you a happy and safe holiday season. Take care, and see you in 2012 – potentially a very interesting year, indeed! :-)
Fall 2011 Update:
It is Halloween already, Phantasms! How the year has flown by!
This season always brings to mind the supernatural, the unearthly, the ghostly. It's a great time of year, in our opinion; the hoards of insects have gone! It brings it's own challenges, though; the trappings of Harvest in rural Nebraska. Still, we are constantly getting new ideas for investigations. As with any season, our main challenges are the weather and conflicting schedules. We hope to get in at least one more investigation before the weather makes it too difficult.
On another note, we have delivered our first run of Nebraska Phantasms t-shirts! They look fantastic, thanks to the great work of Impact Merchandising! We hope to get to the point where we can offer the t-shirts to the general public. Pictures will be posted soon! Watch here and on our Facebook page for updates.
http://impactmerch.com/
This season always brings to mind the supernatural, the unearthly, the ghostly. It's a great time of year, in our opinion; the hoards of insects have gone! It brings it's own challenges, though; the trappings of Harvest in rural Nebraska. Still, we are constantly getting new ideas for investigations. As with any season, our main challenges are the weather and conflicting schedules. We hope to get in at least one more investigation before the weather makes it too difficult.
On another note, we have delivered our first run of Nebraska Phantasms t-shirts! They look fantastic, thanks to the great work of Impact Merchandising! We hope to get to the point where we can offer the t-shirts to the general public. Pictures will be posted soon! Watch here and on our Facebook page for updates.
http://impactmerch.com/
August 2011 Update:
Hello fellow Phantasms…
It has been a busy summer! We were involved in several investigations and the inhabitants on the “other side of life” (to quote the Moody Blues) proved that they were not on summer vacation!
Beginning in early May, we began investigating the long abandoned (and now demolished) Shelton Hotel in Shelton, Nebraska. By mid-July, we had been fortunate enough to make a total of four different visits with four sets of investigators (and even the owner, Richard, joined us for one investigation). The hotel proved to be one of the most active spots we've visited to date. Investigators collected several very clear EVPs ranging from what seems to be a middle aged woman's voice, to a young child, to what appears to be (judging by the way the phrase was voiced) a departed “Cheech and Chong” fan! Several pictures from the hotel also captured orbs; interesting, but the general consensus among investigators is still “undecided” as to what orbs really are and what their relationship is to the afterlife.
In July we traveled to Gosper County, Nebraska, and spent some time at the Homerville Cemetery. Despite the overwhelming cacophony of cicadas and crickets, we did pick up what some investigators believe to be a sad child's voice; that alone was enough to convince investigators that a return to the site was warranted - after the first frost eliminates the bugs.
In early August, Rick and Dennis (on a whim) revisited Boot Hill in Kearny County, south of Gibbon; last year some interesting EVPs were captured. Boot Hill didn't let them down - there were additional EVPs captured – they will be posted soon!
As autumn creeps towards the plains, Nebraska Phantasms has multiple investigations in the planning stage. Unfortunately, until we get our own TV show, investigations must be coordinated to fit amongst jobs and family life. Still, late summer and early autumn look promising; we will strive to keep this site and the Facebook page updated!
Thank you for reading!
D
It has been a busy summer! We were involved in several investigations and the inhabitants on the “other side of life” (to quote the Moody Blues) proved that they were not on summer vacation!
Beginning in early May, we began investigating the long abandoned (and now demolished) Shelton Hotel in Shelton, Nebraska. By mid-July, we had been fortunate enough to make a total of four different visits with four sets of investigators (and even the owner, Richard, joined us for one investigation). The hotel proved to be one of the most active spots we've visited to date. Investigators collected several very clear EVPs ranging from what seems to be a middle aged woman's voice, to a young child, to what appears to be (judging by the way the phrase was voiced) a departed “Cheech and Chong” fan! Several pictures from the hotel also captured orbs; interesting, but the general consensus among investigators is still “undecided” as to what orbs really are and what their relationship is to the afterlife.
In July we traveled to Gosper County, Nebraska, and spent some time at the Homerville Cemetery. Despite the overwhelming cacophony of cicadas and crickets, we did pick up what some investigators believe to be a sad child's voice; that alone was enough to convince investigators that a return to the site was warranted - after the first frost eliminates the bugs.
In early August, Rick and Dennis (on a whim) revisited Boot Hill in Kearny County, south of Gibbon; last year some interesting EVPs were captured. Boot Hill didn't let them down - there were additional EVPs captured – they will be posted soon!
As autumn creeps towards the plains, Nebraska Phantasms has multiple investigations in the planning stage. Unfortunately, until we get our own TV show, investigations must be coordinated to fit amongst jobs and family life. Still, late summer and early autumn look promising; we will strive to keep this site and the Facebook page updated!
Thank you for reading!
D
Summer 2011 Update:
This Summer has so far yielded a surprising treasure trove of experiences and information! The group has been privileged to be granted permission to do four investigations in the same interesting location, each with impressive results – which will be posted as soon as time allows. The increase in the number of digital recorders our investigators have at their disposal means the time required to review the audio also increases; so far, it's definitely been worth the extra work! Check back for updates, photos and more EVPs! There are also plans to investigate at least a couple of cemeteries this summer, if time permits.
Spring 2011 Update:
With spring finally upon the Great Plains, we finally got to go out and get some investigating done.
When we decided to form Nebraska Phantasms, our intent was to investigate sites and locations that either had no recorded history of unusual activity, or prairie cemeteries that had fallen through the cracks of the Paranormal Investigating World.
Naturally, those investigations depend on decent weather - which is hard to come by in March and April. Once the sun does come out, so does the wind, which makes outdoor investigating impossible.
In early April we were tasked to investigate a building by a fellow investigator - with the promise that its location not be revealed. We investigated, capturing sounds that we can’t explain; banging on a large metal pole and possible mumbling voices. We experienced what sounded like pounding somewhere in the building, but we couldn’t locate. In one - and only one - picture of a hallway, we captured multiple orbs, which may (or may not) indicate a presence.
As of this writing, our hectic schedules have not allowed for much more than sifting through the captured audio and documenting the findings. We hope to have another opportunity to re-investigate the location, as the wind was blowing fairly hard the day we were there; it may have accounted for some (but not all) of the sounds we captured.
I had set up an investigation of a cemetery south of Elwood on May 7, with investigators Rick and Julie.
Two days before that investigation, NP was given the opportunity to investigate the over 100 year-old Shelton-Pacific Hotel (on Highway 30 in Shelton). It is currently in the early stages of demolition, making way for a new car wash. We spent some time inside and will post the results of the investigation when our audio is all reviewed. Of the multiple pictures taken, only one has orbs. Maybe its dust… but they don’t appear in any of the other photos.
With gas prices climbing almost daily, some of our planned investigations may have to be shelved for a while, but this summer promises to be a full one for the team.
With spring finally upon the Great Plains, we finally got to go out and get some investigating done.
When we decided to form Nebraska Phantasms, our intent was to investigate sites and locations that either had no recorded history of unusual activity, or prairie cemeteries that had fallen through the cracks of the Paranormal Investigating World.
Naturally, those investigations depend on decent weather - which is hard to come by in March and April. Once the sun does come out, so does the wind, which makes outdoor investigating impossible.
In early April we were tasked to investigate a building by a fellow investigator - with the promise that its location not be revealed. We investigated, capturing sounds that we can’t explain; banging on a large metal pole and possible mumbling voices. We experienced what sounded like pounding somewhere in the building, but we couldn’t locate. In one - and only one - picture of a hallway, we captured multiple orbs, which may (or may not) indicate a presence.
As of this writing, our hectic schedules have not allowed for much more than sifting through the captured audio and documenting the findings. We hope to have another opportunity to re-investigate the location, as the wind was blowing fairly hard the day we were there; it may have accounted for some (but not all) of the sounds we captured.
I had set up an investigation of a cemetery south of Elwood on May 7, with investigators Rick and Julie.
Two days before that investigation, NP was given the opportunity to investigate the over 100 year-old Shelton-Pacific Hotel (on Highway 30 in Shelton). It is currently in the early stages of demolition, making way for a new car wash. We spent some time inside and will post the results of the investigation when our audio is all reviewed. Of the multiple pictures taken, only one has orbs. Maybe its dust… but they don’t appear in any of the other photos.
With gas prices climbing almost daily, some of our planned investigations may have to be shelved for a while, but this summer promises to be a full one for the team.
February 2011 update
After getting through the holidays, computer crashes and various personal
matters, the NP crew is gearing up for more investigations in 2011.
Our reveal for the Frederick Hotel investigation happened in mid-January and the gracious owners, George and Judy, were pleased with the sounds we captured in the unique Loup City venue. In reviewing the photos taken near the infamous room 17 (where a man is alleged to have taken his life in the 1940s), there appears to be two orbs. Whether or not these indicate a spirit presence, dust,etc is up for debate. The McFaddens have graciously invited us back for a follow-up investigation at some point this summer; adding to the approximately eight potential investigations we are considering.
This is shaping up to be an exciting spring and summer!
Our reveal for the Frederick Hotel investigation happened in mid-January and the gracious owners, George and Judy, were pleased with the sounds we captured in the unique Loup City venue. In reviewing the photos taken near the infamous room 17 (where a man is alleged to have taken his life in the 1940s), there appears to be two orbs. Whether or not these indicate a spirit presence, dust,etc is up for debate. The McFaddens have graciously invited us back for a follow-up investigation at some point this summer; adding to the approximately eight potential investigations we are considering.
This is shaping up to be an exciting spring and summer!
Fall 2010 update
Fall was kind of busy for the Nebraska Phantasms investigators. Busy for us, at least.
We had three investigations beginning in mid-September with a small, three person trek to St. Joseph’s Cemetery south of Ravenna. Although it yielded only one hard to explain EVP, it was a beautiful evening to be outside and watch the sunset, even though we had to listen to an irrigation motor near the site.
Next, we decided to break in a new investigator, Tim, and stake out Boot Hill, southeast of Lowell (see the history of the site and that of St. Joseph’s under the sites-cemetery page). All four investigators enjoyed the evening and experienced hearing not only coyotes but something that may or may not have been a bird overhead. Reviewing the digital recorders yielded almost a dozen EVPs from whispers to growls to groans. We had another beautiful Nebraska sunset and outstanding weather.
And recently, we had the privilege of being allowed to be the first team of investigators to check out the Frederick Hotel in Loup City on October 30, the night before Halloween! A local newspaper ran a story earlier in the year about the hotel, fixating on one room where a suicide had occurred at least sixty years ago. That wasn’t our sole reason for investigating; it proved to be a fun evening as we introduced yet another new investigator, Jane. A full report will appear on this site when all the review work is completed and sorted through. This investigation we had an old VHS video camera to use as well as a newer hand-held camera (which didn’t find any phantoms, etc but did record some very interesting audio). Investigators heard whispers and had at least one physical experience.
As we all have jobs, families, etc, N.P. investigations will probably trickle to a halt until after the New Year. 2011 may yield some sites near Loup City and definitely more cemeteries in the area!
We had three investigations beginning in mid-September with a small, three person trek to St. Joseph’s Cemetery south of Ravenna. Although it yielded only one hard to explain EVP, it was a beautiful evening to be outside and watch the sunset, even though we had to listen to an irrigation motor near the site.
Next, we decided to break in a new investigator, Tim, and stake out Boot Hill, southeast of Lowell (see the history of the site and that of St. Joseph’s under the sites-cemetery page). All four investigators enjoyed the evening and experienced hearing not only coyotes but something that may or may not have been a bird overhead. Reviewing the digital recorders yielded almost a dozen EVPs from whispers to growls to groans. We had another beautiful Nebraska sunset and outstanding weather.
And recently, we had the privilege of being allowed to be the first team of investigators to check out the Frederick Hotel in Loup City on October 30, the night before Halloween! A local newspaper ran a story earlier in the year about the hotel, fixating on one room where a suicide had occurred at least sixty years ago. That wasn’t our sole reason for investigating; it proved to be a fun evening as we introduced yet another new investigator, Jane. A full report will appear on this site when all the review work is completed and sorted through. This investigation we had an old VHS video camera to use as well as a newer hand-held camera (which didn’t find any phantoms, etc but did record some very interesting audio). Investigators heard whispers and had at least one physical experience.
As we all have jobs, families, etc, N.P. investigations will probably trickle to a halt until after the New Year. 2011 may yield some sites near Loup City and definitely more cemeteries in the area!
January 2010
Since the movie Ghostbusters in 1984, and the television show Ghost Hunters nearly ten years ago, a huge number of “ghost hunting organizations” have sprung up world-wide. Just like Pet Rocks in the 70’s, Rubik's Cubes in the 80’s and Nirvana t-shirts in the 90’s, ghost hunting is again trendy. An EMF detector is the newest “must have” fashion accessory.
Just like any organization which faces over-saturation in its chosen field, a ghost hunting group, in our opinion, should strive to be different than anyone else in the field.
Nebraska Phantasms is a group founded on the tenants of curiosity and simplicity. Unlike some of our contemporaries, we are not investigating paranormal activity or high strangeness in order to garner publicity or financial gain. We have created a space for others to access our simple investigations of Nebraska cemeteries, ghost towns and other sites that may (or may not) have a reputation for weird or fear-invoking occurrences. We have decided that the old pioneer cemetery down the road may yield just as much evidence of a haunting or residual energy from past occupants as a well-known, well-documented location. We acknowledge that there is more to the world of the paranormal than simply ghosts, and will look into anything out of the ordinary; UFOs, cattle mutilations, phantom animals, historical sightings, abandoned spaces or Elvis sightings. It is all fair game.
It seems nowadays anyone with a video camera can walk around in the dark, in any supposedly “haunted” structure, and be considered an expert. We are not experts and we think we approach the observation and analysis of the unexplainable from many different directions and experiences than most groups.
We currently have members with spiritual, Christian, scientific, skeptical, and innocent views of the paranormal and will approach any investigations (be they of ghosts, UFOs, cattle mutilations, monsters, phantom cats, etc) with a fresh perspective; without the pressure to report our findings to any media outlets or package our findings to sell at the video store.
As of this writing, our group is preparing to embark on our biggest investigation yet - of which the client has requested that there be zero publicity. We have given assurances that no one will contact the media about what we find in our investigation (or more likely, don't find), and have relayed to them how grateful we are - simply for the opportunity to look into some of the mysterious claims that have been made.
Some of the findings of our investigations will be posted on our website, but in a discrete way - as to not draw attention to any person(s) or location(s) who do not want unneeded attention. That has never been our intent and never will be.
We invite those who have a site or situation they would like to have investigated to contact us.
The “truth” is out there somewhere; who knows, maybe we'll stumble upon it!
You are welcome to share your own experiences or send us a message via the contact form. Please note whether you would (or would not) like your message shared on the site.
Dennis Walker
Co-founder, Nebraska Phantasms
Since the movie Ghostbusters in 1984, and the television show Ghost Hunters nearly ten years ago, a huge number of “ghost hunting organizations” have sprung up world-wide. Just like Pet Rocks in the 70’s, Rubik's Cubes in the 80’s and Nirvana t-shirts in the 90’s, ghost hunting is again trendy. An EMF detector is the newest “must have” fashion accessory.
Just like any organization which faces over-saturation in its chosen field, a ghost hunting group, in our opinion, should strive to be different than anyone else in the field.
Nebraska Phantasms is a group founded on the tenants of curiosity and simplicity. Unlike some of our contemporaries, we are not investigating paranormal activity or high strangeness in order to garner publicity or financial gain. We have created a space for others to access our simple investigations of Nebraska cemeteries, ghost towns and other sites that may (or may not) have a reputation for weird or fear-invoking occurrences. We have decided that the old pioneer cemetery down the road may yield just as much evidence of a haunting or residual energy from past occupants as a well-known, well-documented location. We acknowledge that there is more to the world of the paranormal than simply ghosts, and will look into anything out of the ordinary; UFOs, cattle mutilations, phantom animals, historical sightings, abandoned spaces or Elvis sightings. It is all fair game.
It seems nowadays anyone with a video camera can walk around in the dark, in any supposedly “haunted” structure, and be considered an expert. We are not experts and we think we approach the observation and analysis of the unexplainable from many different directions and experiences than most groups.
We currently have members with spiritual, Christian, scientific, skeptical, and innocent views of the paranormal and will approach any investigations (be they of ghosts, UFOs, cattle mutilations, monsters, phantom cats, etc) with a fresh perspective; without the pressure to report our findings to any media outlets or package our findings to sell at the video store.
As of this writing, our group is preparing to embark on our biggest investigation yet - of which the client has requested that there be zero publicity. We have given assurances that no one will contact the media about what we find in our investigation (or more likely, don't find), and have relayed to them how grateful we are - simply for the opportunity to look into some of the mysterious claims that have been made.
Some of the findings of our investigations will be posted on our website, but in a discrete way - as to not draw attention to any person(s) or location(s) who do not want unneeded attention. That has never been our intent and never will be.
We invite those who have a site or situation they would like to have investigated to contact us.
The “truth” is out there somewhere; who knows, maybe we'll stumble upon it!
You are welcome to share your own experiences or send us a message via the contact form. Please note whether you would (or would not) like your message shared on the site.
Dennis Walker
Co-founder, Nebraska Phantasms