Historic Rawls

September 16, 2009
The Enterprise Ledger

By Carole Brand
staff writer

ENTERPRISE, Ala. - There are those things that can be explained using scientific methods — and then there are things left unexplainable. These are the things believed by some to be the paranormal.

“There are just some things that you see or things that happen you can’t explain,” said Wiregrass Ghosthunters lead investigator Darryl Campbell, who, with a dozen team investigators, converged on the historic Rawls in Enterprise Monday night, leading an expedition with scientific equipment of temperature gauges, digital cameras and recorders, lasers and even vintage ghosthunting techniques.

“We use most all the scientific equipment that is available in our investigations,” Campbell said. “A lot of times, people may tell us a place is haunted and when we investigate, you have energy and electromagnetic fluctuations coming from air and heating systems. We do find answers most of the time for people — it’s just not always the paranormal kind, but sometimes we’re left with things we can’t explain.”

Campbell and his team use equipment such as the mel-meter, an electromagnetic field detector that “is more sensitive than the similar K-2 meter. The one we use was invented to be a lot more sensitive.”

The EMF meter is used for measuring electromagnetic fields. This instrument records spikes in temperature, which ghosthunting investigators believe can detect spirits.

The team also uses laser beam lights in what they believe detects spirits that can walk back and forth, leaving a vacancy in the beam for a split second.

Night-vision video recorders and basic digital cameras are used, along with the meters and EVP (electronic voice phenomenon) recorders. These devices are supposed to go below the human hearing range and detect any voices or spirits who would like to make contact.

The group has investigated the Sloss Furnace in Birmingham, Fort Morgan in Pensacola, Montevallo College, Fort McClain in Texas and the well-known “haunted mortuary” in Louisiana. Locally, the team has gone to Covington Manor in Opp and investigated the Jaycees Haunted House in Dothan.

“We’ve also done private investigations of homes where people have asked us to come and try to find out what’s going on.”

Ghosthunting investigators describe several types of “spirits.” A “residual haunting” is believed to be spirits that are unknown to a human’s presence. An “intelligent haunting” is when a spirit tries to make contact.

For each team member, the reason for becoming part of the group stems from brushes with the supernatural.

Group researcher Anna Sawvell, who has been with the group for two years, said all the members “want to learn about the paranormal. We’ve all had personal experiences we can’t explain. Some have even had experiences as a child and we want to help kids understand.”

Member Mandy Ham joined the group with her husband and brother.

“It drew my interest, but I also wanted to associate with a group that understands what you may have been going through. A lot of people don’t believe you or think you’re crazy. These members don’t because each of them know there’s something out there no one can explain right now. That’s why we search for the truth.”

During the investigation at the Rawls, several batteries in various cameras were drained of energy as ghosthunters believe spirits use up energy in any form. It was reported no children were heard, which had been rumored to be on the first and third floors and no locks broke off during the investigation. A few laser beam lights were sporadically broken, but no apparitions appeared during the night.

While many will continue to believe the Rawls is “haunted,” as has been reported for more than 50 years, the ghosts didn’t welcome any visitors Monday evening.

Perhaps they simply decided to slip underneath the staircase and watch.

Wiregrass Ghosthunters lead investigator Darryl Campbell and group researcher Anna Sawvell unpack the ghosthunting equipment.