Fawn Twp. house's ghost stories: 'All kinds of stuff here'

/Home/Haunted Locations/Haunted US/Haunted Pennsylvania

Fawn Twp. house's ghost stories: 'All kinds of stuff here'
October 31, 2010
By TERESA ANN BOECKEL
ydr.com

York, PA - Terri Marsteller has seen an old woman in her house twice, including one morning a couple months ago while she was putting laundry away in a bedroom.

She and her husband, Richard, have awoken in the middle of the night to the sound of footsteps in the attic of their old farmhouse in Fawn Township.

And a customer recently told the Marstellers that he saw a young boy some time ago in the potato cellar, where the couple's auto business used to be. His description of the boy matched the elementary-age child that Terri Marsteller has seen.

The Marstellers have reported all sorts of strange goings on at their rural southern York County property: lights turning on, doors slamming and the smell of baking cinnamon rolls even though no one is using the oven.

For the past year, the York County Paranormal Research Team has been investigating the experiences that the Marstellers have had.

"This place is great," director Darren Holland said. "We've documented all kinds of stuff here."

The team has been using the Marsteller home to test out technology developed by renowned engineer Gary Galka, who has created gear used on popular television shows such as "Ghost Hunters International," "Ghost Adventures" and "Destination
Terri Marsteller sits in her bedroom next to the attic door with the clicking latch. The alarm on the door triggers if the attic door opens. She said the family leaves the lampshade (far wall) tilted because it s usually like that when they wake up anyway. (Daily Record/Sunday News -- Paul Kuehnel)
Truth."

Galka said he started developing the technology after having experiences with his oldest daughter. She died in a car crash about six years ago.

He has developed all sorts of instruments, including the RT-EVP, which helps to capture electronic voice phenomena in real time.

"For me, it's all about the evidence more than anything else," Galka said.

Holland and Marsteller played an audio clip of the investigators getting a response from a disembodied voice while using an electromagnetic field meter and a trifield meter, which reacts only to natural energy sources.

They also showed a video from over the summer of a pod picking up something hitting the dresser after the attic door apparently slams. The pod picks up on
Darren Holland, part of a paranormal research team who has been working in the Marstellers house, has a meter that detects electromagnetic fields and temperature changes. (Daily Record/Sunday News -- Paul Kuehnel)
fluctuations in static electricity as well as vibration, Holland said.

Some people are genuinely afraid of the unknown, but Holland said he hasn't seen evidence that people should be fearful for their safety.

The local paranormal research team usually holds forums in October because of increased interest around Halloween, Holland said. It will take a look at cases after the holiday.

Rick Marsteller was a skeptic at first about what was happening, his wife said. The couple hosted a Halloween party last year, and her husband was making fun of her. Terri Marsteller warned him that he would understand when something grabs him by the leg, and they laughed about it.

The next morning, the couple was getting ready to go to church when
Paranormal researcher Darren Holland's meter that detects small vibrations. (Daily Record/Sunday News -- Paul Kuehnel)
her husband stumbled as he was walking out of the bedroom door.

"Did you do that?" he asked his wife, who was on the other side of the bed. "Something just grabbed my leg."

Her husband looked for something that would have caused him to trip, but he couldn't find anything, Terri Marsteller said.

Relatives have witnessed unusual things as well in their home, such as a black shadow in the attic blocking the light. One relative has refused to stay overnight.

Terri Marsteller said she has run into the black shadow in the hallway upstairs. She has gotten so used to the experiences that when she came around the corner, she said, "Oh, excuse me" like people do when they run into somebody at the store.

"I'm more curious about the whole thing than afraid of it," she said. "And I'm not moving so they're going to have to get used to it."

Terri Marsteller said she has been researching the history of the house, trying to figure out who these people are. She's back to 1851 so far.

Her husband, Rick, said sometimes it does get old hearing the noise late at night.

"You have to holler up, 'I want some sleep now,'" he said.

MORE

Terri Marsteller is starting a support group for people who experience paranormal activities and want a safe haven in which to discuss their experiences. She can be reached at parasupport@wildblue.net.

You can learn more about the York County Paranormal Research Team and its experiences by visiting www.ycprt.com.