Here it is folks: Rolling Hills Paranormal Research Center—the tour! A three minute walk through the dank dark corridors and rooms of the old Genesee County Home. All of the sound is natural sound: audio picked up from the walk, which is why you will hear the photographer, Sonia, asking after the ghosts from time to time. As I said, we didn't run into any.
Sonia, however, picked up a few "orbs" on camera. What's an "orb," you ask. Well, orbs are supposed to be floating spirits that get picked up on camera when you take pictures. Not every floating ball of light is an orb, however. Sometimes it's just dust, says Lori Carlson, owner of Rolling Hills.
We'll leave it up to your discretion if you want to believe these blips of fuzzy light to the right here are spiritual orbs or just some dust motes that got too close to the lens.
You'll hear in the beginning of the video when Sonia says that she caught an orb on the window. That photograph is below, as well as another photograph taken a few seconds before with the orb in a different spot.
Anyhow, all orbs aside, Rolling Hills was a fascinating space, and I had no need of talking ghosts or ghost shapes to find the place eerie and disquieting and interesting, especially as an historic artifact. If you haven't already heard Lori talk about the history of the place, make sure and do that. This building has a lot of stories to tell, and you don't necessarily need ghosts to tell those stories. Some of the rooms speak well enough on their own.
Enough of my babble. Let's get to the show...
Here are those other orb pictures:
I like that SS sink or
I like that SS sink or whatever it is
Nothing wrong with making money
Thank you Lazario. But I
Thank you Lazario. But I thought you should know: in the 6 1/2 years I've owned the place, I have yet to make any money. I'd love to, of course, but I do this for other reasons. I love the building, the souls still here, and the research to prove their existence. If someday it becomes profitable, I'll take it as payment for all my hard work. But if it never does, it will still be worth it to me. Thanks for viewing it. And have a great day!
I'd also like to say that
I'd also like to say that those photos above are just dust. Unfortunately we don't always get shots of the energy orbs. I don't believe the energy orbs are the actual spirits. In my opinion, they are masses of energy created by the spirits for them to use in manifesting. Orbs are a huge controversy in paranormal research. Everyone has a different opinion on what they are. But I am positive that the photos above are dust particles the camera picked up. Energy orbs look much different.
Sorry Phil and Sonia. Maybe you will get luckier next time and get an actual apparition. But those are much harder to get here than the dust. Great having you out!
-Lori
Lori: Hey! Did you see the
Lori: Hey! Did you see the other videos? There's the interview with you and another one with Sue Conklin using the dowsing rods. Thanks again for having us. Sonia and I had a great time!
Lori wrote, "I'd also like to
Lori wrote, "I'd also like to say that those photos above are just dust. Unfortunately we don't always get shots of the energy orbs."
<p>
An honest answer from someone who is not just in this
to make a buck. Way to go, Lori.<p>
You could have easily agreed that the spots were orbs, but you didn't.<p>
I love that old place. I hope to visit soon.<p>
Bea: You should check it out.
Bea: You should check it out. Very cool space. Full of history.
I recall being there when it
I recall being there when it was the County Home and then, later, when it had a handful of enterprising craft shops.
An ancestor of mine was interviewed by the local paper because he witnessed a hanging at the county home. I'm trying to find the link to that - sadly, my computer died and with it much of those links - I know the story is online somewhere.
However, I did find this bit of information while searching for information on the whereabouts of three children who were sent to the poor house, then bought from the poormaster and SOLD to different families. http://www.poorhousestory.com/GENESEE.htm
1857 INVESTIGATION:
Located in the town of Bethany, it consists of a single main building attached to which is a wing designed and used for the accommodation of the insane. The main structure is of brick, thirty by forty feet, the addition of stone, forty by thirty feet. Connected is a farm of 133 acres, yielding a revenue of $1,300.00. There are no basements. There is no ventilation; the main building is warmed by stoves, the asylum by a furnace.
The number of inmates was seventy-five, forty-five males, thirty females; of these twenty-five are foreign born, fifty native, embracing fifteen children under sixteen years of age. The sexes are separated during the night but mingle together during the day. They are under four keepers, two males, two females. In the house are thirty rooms or wards, ten of which are occupied by the insane. In those occupied by the paupers ten persons are sometimes placed; in the asylum, but one.
The average number of inmates is ninety, supported at a weekly cost of seventy-two cents each, in addition to the products of the farm. Able bodied men amoung the paupers are employed on the farm, the women about the house. The house has been visited once during the year by the board of supervisors. It is supplied with Bibles and in the summer a Sunday school is sustained with occasional religious service. For about seven months in the year a common school is taught in the house. The superintendents of the poor in conjunction with the supervisors, procure supplies for the house and prescribe rules regulating the diet. At suitable ages the children are bound out by the superintendents. A physician is employed by the year. During the past year there have been two births and seventeen deaths. A shower bath and tub is provided for bathing. There is no pest house. Of the inmates, twenty are lunatics, seven males and thirteen females. Five of these are received from other counties. Fifteen are paupers. Five lunatics have been admitted during the year. They are under the care of the keeper assisted by two attendants, and receive medical assistance only from the house physician. But a single one is confined and he by a chain in his room. The rest are restrained in separate rooms at night, though mostly at liberty during the day. Two have been cured during the past year, and one-fourth are considered improved. The construction of the house is such as to permit their classification. The power of discharge is exercised only by the superintendent. The lunatic asylum has been erected about ten years. Since its erection the condition of the insane is materially improved. Classification is allowed, ventilation is in a measure, though not sufficiently introduced and the rooms are well warmed.
The accommodations are so ample that the superintendents receive and provide for the insane poor of adjoining counties, at a charge to those counties of the actual expense of their support. It is believed by the management, that of the new cases committed here, as many are cured as at other asylums. Of the paupers, about ten are idiotic, four males and six females. One blind. About one-third of the paupers are reduced to their present condition through intemperance.