By Rich Davis   Evansville Courier and Press.

EVANSVILLE - Evansville's favorite ghost, the Grey Lady of Willard Library, was featured over the weekend in a Chicago Tribune roundup of the best Midwest haunts - a dozen places known for unexplained sounds or mysterious objects that lure ghost chasers and paranormal investigators.

Besides Willard, other sites mentioned included the Lincoln Square Theatre in Decatur, Ill., where Houdini once performed; the Barbee hotel and restaurant in Warsaw, Ind., where Al Capone slept in Room 301; and the Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio, featured in the filming of 1994's "The Shawshank Redemption."

There were others in Michigan, Wisconsin and Iowa.

Willard Library, an imposing example of Victorian Gothic architecture, opened in the 1880s and was a gift of Willard Carpenter, who made his fortune in railroads and real estate.

However, Grey Lady's first appearance wasn't reported until the 1930s. Since then, she supposedly has spooked countless people in the basement Children's Room with apparitions that include perfume, noises and books being moved.

Grey Lady fans are in for a treat next week. The annual Grey Lady ghost tours, which are free, begin Thursday from 7 to 9 p.m., then continue Friday and Oct. 24 and Oct. 29-30. Call (812) 425-4309 for reservations.

Also, from 11:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Oct. 24 there will be a live webcast from Willard featuring a visit by paranormal investigators.

The event, presented by the House of Lecter and the Olde Courthouse Catacombs haunted houses, will include video interviews with the librarians.

The Willard Library Overnight Investigation 2009 is set for Saturday, October 24th, at 11 P.M.  

According to our schedule, the featured Willard Library paranormal investigation teams for 2009 will be:

Ghost Chasers International, the St. Louis Area Association for Paranormal Investigations, the Willard Library Ghostchatters, and the MESA Project.   It is always a fun time and we are looking forward to this year's event.  

Thanks for your support.  

Tim Harte

The Willard Library Overnight Investigation 2009 is set for Saturday, October 24th, at 11 P.M.  

According to our schedule, the featured Willard Library paranormal investigation teams for 2009 will be:

This year, the groups will be Ghost Chasers International, the St. Louis Area Association for Paranormal Investigations, the Willard Library Ghostchatters, and the MESA Project.   It is always a fun time and we are looking forward to this year's event.  

Thanks for your support.  

Tim Harte

MESA will be doing an investigation in the Springfield, IL area on July 11th, 2009.   We are still working on the case for the new sensors.  

Tim Harte

I want to commend Davy on his post, "Dude, Where's My Prophet?"   It made me think of some of the philosophy behind parapsychology, and paranormal phenomena.   The myths of the past and the story itself make a labyrynthian process of trying to find out what is real, and what is not.   George Hansen and others call this "liminality," a place between places, between realities, and boundaries.   When we start to do research, we find more questions, and it becomes a maze of frustration.   I have started writing several articles about MESA, and will try to post them at www.mesaproject.com, and here if I can complete them.   One is about all of the sites MESA has been to, another is about children having imaginary friends.

Tim       

MESA is working on a new equipment case.   The sensors, A/D box, and other instruments will be enclosed in a single case.   It will be easier to transport and set up when completed.   I will try to send a picture of the new case when I can.   Thanks for your interest in MESA.  

Tim Harte

Pizzaroma

1401 Carter Road
Owensboro, KY 42301
Date:  April 18-19, 2009  11:52 PM - 12:52 AM

Summary:    The owner of a pizza parlor, Mary Ann Leucht at Pizzaroma, invited MESA (Multifrequency Energy Sensor Array) to do an investigation of the restaurant.   MESA was referred to the owner by Greg Hager, the Director of the Willard Library in Evansville, IN.   MESA has conducted many investigations at the library, and we were happy to be invited.   The owner and several employees reported apparitions, sensed presences, tactile sensations, erratic functioning of lights, and object movement.   Most of the phenomena were noticed over the last three years or less.  MESA conducted an investigation and recorded some unusual infrared light, and geomagnetic fields.    

Introduction:    MESA investigated the restaurant at 1401 Carter Road, Owensboro, KY 42301.    The restaurant first started in 1963, by Bob Leucht (pronounced \"liked\").   Before this, it was a convenience store for about two years or less, and before that, there was a little red schoolhouse, which was torn down to construct the store.   Mary Ann has been working here for 29 years.   The building was completed in approximately 1975.   Mary Ann and three other employees have felt taps on the shoulder, as if something or someone is trying to get their attention, but upon turning toward this, there is no one there.   Many experiences are reported by employees and patrons around the restroom area or in the restrooms.   This includes visual forms, moving shadows, some of these only \"felt,\" or sensed, and not seen.   A 2-liter bottle of Coca-Cola mysteriously moved from a counter to the floor.   Cold spots, sensed presences, and shadows or apparitions have been experienced by the owner, one male, and two of the female staff.   The male staff also reported that the home he lives in has haunt phenomena.   One female staff reports that chairs have been moved from a table to a hallway; a large, heavy fireplace grate was moved a few feet away from the fireplace, a particular phone rings for a long ring and when answered no one is there; candles, condiments and menus are moved to other areas of the restaurant; bathroom doors open of their own accord; the radio volume has been turned down many times; Christmas tree ornaments have been moved on the tree after hours; objects fly off the shelves in the back area; and some customers have reported to the staff that there are \"spirits\" in the building.   The fireplace grate was estimated to weigh 35 pounds, and is solid iron in construction.   It would take some power and strength to move it.   Many of the object movement episodes are noticed upon entry into the building the next day.    

Method:   MESA was set up in a booth closest to the restrooms area.   It sampled for one hour at 40 times per second.   An infrared video camera, 2 PZM (pressure zone microphones) connected a mixer, and then to a VHS video recorder were utilized.

Channel 1:   Infrared light sensor:  This sensor recorded unusual infrared light in this room from 30 to 38 footcandles.   The unusual events begin about 29 minutes into the sampling period, and continue until the end.   The researchers are not sure what would cause these unusual positive and negative fluctuations in this area.

Channel 2:   Visible light sensor:   The sensor recorded normal fluctuations.   There was a large screen television which was left on for the sampling period.   Researchers attempted to create the ambient light and electromagnetic fields as the same as when people have experienced unusual phenomena.

Channel 3:  Gamma ray detector:   The sensor recorded no unusual background radiation during this sampling period.

Channel 4:  Tri-Field Meter:  This sensor recorded normal electromagnetic fields from wiring during the sampling period.

 Channel 5:  No sensor attached.

Channel 6:  Static magnetic sensor WEST:   No unusual geomagnetic field fluctuations recorded.

Channel 7:  Static magnetic sensor UP:  This sensor recorded unusual fluctuations in the geomagnetic field.   At 15 minutes, there is a rise, to beyond 4 mG (milliGauss) then a drop to -2 mG at 25 minutes.   Then there is a rise to 2 mG at 35 minutes, and another drop to - 3 mG at 46 minutes.   This would cause sensed presences, or perhaps other phenomena in the area.

Channel 8:   Static magnetic sensor NORTH:   This sensor recorded a positive-negative-positive fluctuation at 15 minutes into the sampling period.   This is enough of a change in the geomagnetic field to cause a variety of anomalous experiences in this area. 

Photographs:  No unusual images were recorded on digital still camera.  

Video: No unusual video was recorded.

Audio: No unusual audio was recorded.

Ambient Tri-Field electromagnetic meter readings revealed some higher 60 Hz readings, but mostly around the television, the radio, and appliances in the kitchen.   This was not enough to cause any disturbances in the sampling period.  

Researchers did not experience any unusual phenomena during the investigation.  MESA energetic data report a different story, in that there were unusual fluctuations in the area.   The energy recorded in the room at the time is suggestive that people could have anomalous experiences.       

At this time MESA would like to thank the owner and staff of Pizzaroma for inviting us to do this investigation.   We had a great time, had some great cheese sticks, salad and pizza, and wonderful conversation.   We hope to go back at a future date and conduct another investigation.  

HELLO PEOPLE.

We are just beginning to put some articles, data, and stuff on the MESA website.   Eventually, I hope to have a lot of investigations, data, equipment, pictures, and all kinds of information about what we do.  

Why?   Because it's what we do.     We're MESA.    Little.   Evidence-based.   Different.   www.mesaproject.com

Tim Harte