Our all night investigation at the Fairbanks House...

Five TAPS Home Team members, Myself (Traci Boiselle), Jess Hardman, Demetria Walter, Rob Moccio, and Brian Stephenson spent the night of Saturday, September 28 at this amazing piece of history in Dedham, MA.  The night started with our hosts Lynn Fairbank, Lee Anne White Hodson and Frank Carvino took us on a tour of the home telling us of the history of the Fairbank family and of the homestead.  Thought to have been originally built in 1637, the house has a long history.  Each room is filled with artifacts donated by members of the Fairbank family from around the country and from different time periods.  We all agreed that will so many artifacts that were personal pieces of Fairbank history there could be opportunity for spirit attachment.  Many times spirits will attach themselves to objects of significance to them, and we were hopeful that this would bring out some of the Fairbanks family members from another time.

Once our tour was complete and we knew all the ins and outs of our home for the night, we were left alone with our overnight chaperon Justin Fairbank.  The first step to any investigation is to set up equipment and to decide how we will split up into teams, and lastly who will investigate where.  The Fairbank House, because of its age, required special consideration.  The age of the floor boards and the delicate structure of the house required us to respect weight restrictions on certain floors and limit our numbers to accommodate these requirements.  The other major obstacle was the fact that the only electricity in the house runs the alarm system, and there is only one outlet in the entire house.  This is a circumstance that the Home Team obviously does not encounter in modern homes, so we had to come prepared with extension cords and surge protectors so that we could power IR illuminators and cameras as well as to charge our equipment if need be.  Another strange situation was that EMF (Electromagnetic Frequency Readings) in certain parts of the house were extremely high despite the lack of electricity.   This was later traced back to poles and wiring out on the street in front of the house.

Jess, Justin and I started in the basement while Rob, Brian and Demetria investigated on the top floor of the house.  Throughout the night we moved from site to site, in our groups,  conducting EVP sessions, trying to experience any temperature changes or sense any possible paranormal phenomena.  Since we had all night, it allowed us to take our time and have some fun as well while investigating...getting to know each other and hanging out with other team members.  Since all of us are spread out all over New England and even in upstate New York it was nice to have the opportunity to spend time together just laughing and having a good time.  There is nothing like having a Domino's picnic around a 17th century well to say the least...

We wrapped up the investigation at around three o'clock in the morning and spread out our sleeping bags in the gift shop with cameras rolling to catch a couple of hours of sleep.  We fell asleep wondering what the possible spirits might think of us spending the night in their home where no one had slept in likely 120 years.

Now, a week later the team is in the midst of reviewing audio and video evidence from the evening.  With a longer investigation like this one... comes many hours of careful listening and watching...We are all excited to see what evidence we will catch...

Investigator Profile: Traci Boiselle, Team Lead

For as long as I can remember I have been intrigued by the paranormal, the notion that a person could go on after death.  Though I didn't grow up in a house that was haunted or have paranormal encounters as a child I read every book that I could.  Books full of ghost stories and tales of hauntings.  When Ghost Hunters first aired on Sci Fi it seemed totally naturally to me that it was something I would become an avid fan of.  It seemed that the TAPS team founded by Jay Hawes and Grant Wilson looked at things the way that I did...analytically and logically.  From them I learned about debunking, the process of trying to disprove a haunting by looking for reasonable, explainable causes for the claims of the client.  For fourteen years I worked as a research scientist for a major pharmaceutical company so research and experimentation made me search for answers with physical evidence as is the cornerstone for the TAPS philosophy. 

In August 2008 I was invited to join the TAPS Home Team and I could not have been more honored or excited.  I was about to begin an adventure which would change my life.  I was learning from the most knowledgeable researchers in the paranormal field and I was visiting amazing places beyond my imagination.  Over the past two years with the group I have had some incredible experiences that have made me sure that the other side is closer than we think...that it is all around us if we just look for it.  Now as the Team Lead  and Case Manager for the TAPS Home Team, I am so proud of what the group stands for.  The thrill of seeing our team work together to help those in need, and to have a great time investigating and just being a family is more rewarding than I can describe.

Besides paranormal investigation,  my hobbies include horseback riding, hiking and enjoying the outdoors.  I am a certified personal trainer and currently work at the Mystic Aquarium and Institute for Exploration in Mystic, Ct as an exhibit interpreter.  Surrounded by amazing marine mammals, fish and birds I get to spend my work day teaching guests to appreciate and protect our oceans.

TAPS Home Team Attending Fund Raiser in November for Fort Mifflin

PARA Fort Mifflin Fundraiser Nov 6th
Time November 6 at 3:00pm - November 7 at 7:00am
Location Fort Mifflin, Philadelphia PA
More Info go to www.para-help.com and click on events for more information

Saturday November 6, 2010, $50 per person, from 3pm - 12am (Raffle winner and group stays until 2am): Fort Mifflin one night fund raiser for Fort Mifflin
... All proceeds collected from this event will go directly to Fort Mifflin.

Another FUN FILLED public investigation of the Historic Fort Mifflin! This year we are having the event the Saturday after Halloween! so we will have all kinds of fun things in store for you including a costume contest!

Get your Tickets TODAY please call Lorraine at: 215-685-4167

Fort Mifflin on the Delaware
Hog Island & Fort Mifflin Rds.
Philadelphia, PA 19153

RAFFLES - PRIZES - CONTESTS - INVESTIGATION
This years Guests:

Kenny Biddle - Author of "Orbs or Dust" and "Haunted Lehigh Valley" will be doing a joint lecture on photography with Paul Michael Kane


Paul Michael Kane - Noted photographer and all around amazing guy doing a joint lecture with Kenny Biddle on Photography

LeeAnne and Angela of Spirited History - will be on hand the whole night, but will also be doing a lecture on history and the paranormal!

Philadelphia Ghostbusters - just to make sure we have tons of fun this event, the Philadelphia Ghostbusters will be there to show us a good time and to judge the costume contest.



XStreamPara.com -XStreamPara.com - Investigate with Paranormal Zone TV (now Xstreampara) Norene Balovich, Nancy Bowman, Karen Adamski and Richard Schofield! please check out this site!

TAPS home team members and investigators
With investigators from some of our favorite groups, like Mass Paranormal, PIRA and Philadelpha Area Paranormal Society

SCHEDULE:

The doors will open at 3pm and we encourage everyone to show up at that time, take a look at the vendor tables of some of our great guests that are attending and get to know your staff members who will be guiding you through the fort that evening.

4pm - Lectures begin
7:45 - Costume Contest
8pm - Investigation begins - at this time you will be split into your groups according to the color on your bracelet that you get upon entrance, there will be experienced paranormal investigators guiding you through the fort and leading an investigation for you.

There will be a full outline of the exact schedule here as we get closer to the event, also updates on some SPECIAL guests we have attending. I will have all this information updated as soon as I can. if you have questions please email me and I will get back to you.

Home Investigation

Last night 9 members of the team headed out to Woonsocket RI to investigate the home of a family that reported paranormal activity.  Investigations of family homes are the most common type of investigations that the TAPS Home Team conducts. 

When an email is received from a potential client, I will respond requesting a phone interview.  During the phone interview I will ask a series of questions which will help me to learn more about the type of activity that the client is reporting as well as to learn more about the clients themselves.  The phone interview which generally lasts about an hour will also help me to complete a case file.  Determined during the phone interview are possible dates for an investigation if that is the outcome that the client is looking for.   The completed case file is then posted on our group board and any members of the group that are available and interested will respond.

Investigations are usually scheduled on Saturday nights as all of our members have day jobs, and we are also spread throughout CT, RI, MA, NY and NH so travel time an be a factor.  The attending team members will meet about one half hour before case time at a pre-determined location...usually a Dunkin Donuts as coffee is a must for long nights in dark basements.  During our pre-case meeting team members will review the case file and ask any questions that they may have. Once completed...it is off to the home.

The first part of the investigation involves the client walk through.  During this time the homeowner will take the group on a tour of the home and property relaying situations of possible paranormal activity and pointing out where events have occured.  The walk through is recorded on audio and video.  Baseline EMF and temperature readings are also taken at this time.

Upon completion of the walk through equipment is set up stragecially around the home in order to document some of the activity that the client may be reporting.  Next comes lights out...and the investigation begins...

More on actual investigation techniques to come...

-Traci B

Fairbanks House

This September, the TAPS Home Team will become the first group ever to investigate the Fairbanks House in Dedham Mass (http://www.fairbankshouse.org/).  This invitation is an honor that we are so grateful for!

Built  for a family of Puritan immigrants from Yorkshire in England, Jonathan and Grace Fairebanke and their six children, the Fairbanks House is thought to be the oldest timber frame structure in North America.  It was built in 1641. It has been home to eight generations of the Fairbanks family and stands as it did in the 18th century when it was last added on to. The homestead has nine rooms,  a sand cellar and a stone foundation. 

This amazing historical gem is open to the public from May to October and tours are available Tuesday through Sunday.  Visit the website for hours and more information.  If you visit, consider bringing a donation of D batteries as it is reported that battery drain has become a costly problem!

Traci B-Team Lead

Belcourt Castle Investigation with RISEUP Paranormal

Last night five members of the Home Team, Traci Boiselle, Joe Chin, Jess Hardman, Christine Downes, and Tom Carroll visited Belcourt Castle in Newport RI.  For those of you who have not been to Belcourt, if you are interested in stories of hauntings Belcourt Castle is a fascinating site to research.

Belcourt Castle is a Louis XIII style hunting lodge and was designed by Richard Morris Hunt and completed in 1894. Belcourt Castle is home to an extensive collection of art and antiques from over 30 countries spanning diverse cultures and centuries. The collection includes 13th century European stained glass, 10th to 20th century furniture from around the world, 17th to 20th century paintings, Renaissance armor, and a gold coronation coach. It is also extremely haunted.

Everytime we are invited to Belcourt Castle it does not disappoint.  Harle Tinney, the homes owner and resident is a beautiful and graceous host who welcomes all that visit the castle with warmth and hospitality.  Mrs.  Tinney has just published her first book called The Ghosts of Belcourt, which chronicals the paranormal events at Belcourt Castle which has been her home for almost 50 years.  Last night was especially active and the five of us had some amazing and unexplainable experiences.  From, disembodied voices and humming to physical contact and just an overwhelming feeling of "something just out of sight" each of us had our own personal experiences. 

We started on the second floor conducting and EVP session with Ken Decosta, the founder of RISEUP in the Tinney Master Bedroom.  Moving on the music room some of us were touched heard tapping and knocking sounds and the voices of those unseen. We also, several times, witnessed a light controlled by motion sensors turn on and off with no investigators in the room. Jess and Tom followed footsteps up a spiral staircase, calling out to whomever was there.  Hearing a door close on the third floor, they found no one.  One of my favorite rooms in the Belcourt is Ruth Tinney's bedroom.  Placing KII detectors on her desk we seemed to be having a coversation with the former lady of the house as she sat at her writing desk.

The entire night was a blast and RISEUP have become family to the Home Team.  We are lucky to have them and very grateful that they are so willing to share their castle with us.  Now on to the evidence review. Hopefully there will be some evidence to post soon.
-Traci, Team Lead/Case Manager

Blog