NWA Ghost Connection releases official report
Published: August 04, 2006
Alan Smith, T-H Staff Writer

The Northwest Arkansas Ghost Connection, the non-profit organization
that spent two nights in mid-July at the St. Francis County Museum, has
released its official report on the ghostly activity at the facility.
Lori Arhangelsky, the case manager, director and founder of the
Northwest Arkansas Ghost Connection, recently discussed the time they
spent in an earlier story, but wanted to wait until several hours of
both audio and video tapes were analyzed before filing a final report.
"On the 13th and 14th of July, the Northwest Arkansas Ghost Connection
was invited to conduct an investigation of the paranormal activity at
the St. Francis County Museum,"

Arhangelsky wrote in the report. "Prior to our investigation, we
conducted extensive research on the history of the museum using
materials provided by Harvey Hanna, the museum's manager, information
provided by the Internet, local newspaper articles and personal
experiences of locals."
The report explains what the research found before entering the museum.
"Reported hauntings include, but are not limited to, relocation of
objects, strange unexplained noises and sightings of both a woman in a
blue dress and a man wearing overalls. The woman in the blue dress has
often been witnessed standing in the south bedroom window, while the man
in overalls has occasionally been seen standing on the front porch,
There is a trophy case in the main hallway of the museum where trophies
reportedly move around inside the showcase by themselves."

In the report, Arhangelsky thanks the local community for information
provided to them. "It greatly aided our research and investigation," she
said.
The report then outlines the group's observations during their two
nights at the museum.
"During the first night of the investigation, we had many encounters
with the spirits that dwell within the walls of the museum. One of our
team members heard a woman talking to her while she was in the upstairs
hallway. Another witnessed a visage of a woman in a white dress manifest
before

him in the same hallway. Downstairs, two members walked around the
corner and came to an immediate halt as a six-foot tall man with a
mustache and wearing a dark suit stood before them in the artifact room.
"The team's EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) captured the distinct
voices of two different females as well as two different males. One
member saw a shadow walk across the floor before her and was lucky
enough to capture that very apparition on video," continues the report.
It also mentions that several different light anomalies were witnessed
throughout the night by several different team members.

According to the report, on the second night of the investigation, the
spirits became more "physical" with some of the team.
"Two members followed a shadow into the parlor only to be pushed through
with such force that one member received a bruise on her arm while
another had his glasses knocked crooked on his face. We don't feel that
the spirit intended any harm, it just reacted like an animal would if it
was cornered and scared. Spirits can be dangerous if they feel
threatened.
"Later that night, one of our members was 'attacked' in the artifact
room. She was feeling pin pricks on her cheek and when another member
told the spirit to leave her alone, she was clawed across the face,
resulting in scratch marks on her cheek."

In previous stories, Arhangelsky stated that she felt that the spirits
were not malevolent, but would not know for sure until after the
investigation. She said that she holds to her initial feelings, despite
what happened.
"I believe the spirit reacted that way because it was cornered," said
Arhangelsky in an interview this morning. "The scratches actually
happened to me. I think that they got more physical on the second night
because we were there doing the same things. This is not a residual
haunting where the spirits don't know where they are and are doing the
same things over and over. This is an intelligent haunting, they are
there because they want to be there. I think they saw us with our
equipment and the first night just wanted to check us out, but the
second night, they felt threatened."

But should people be afraid to go to the museum because they might be
attacked? Arhangelsky says no.
"They felt threatened by us because we were trying to call them out,"
explained Arhangelsky. "I do not believe that on any given day or week
anyone will be attacked. Visiting the museum is not going to threaten
them. People shouldn't be scared to go to the museum."
She also commented on those wanting to go to the museum to see "ghosts."
" Ghosts do not perform for people," stated Arhangelsky. "If you want to
know about the history of St. Francis County, go to the museum. If you
want to see ghosts, it probably will not happen, but that does not mean
that they are not there, they just do not perform."

According to Arhangelsky, the group has plans to visit the museum again,
possibly as early as this December.
The report states that the St. Francis County Museum is "Rich with
history and legend," and thanks both Hanna and his wife Caroline, a man
named Charles, for whom Arhangelsky did not know his last name but
provided help with the location's history, and the citizens of Forrest
City for inviting them in and making them feel welcome.