By: Denise Bollinger
A visit to Haunted Hill View Manor is always an experience and adventure. Although there are many spirits who have been favorites over the years there are many more to be discovered. Two spirits who have been discovered not so long ago are Isabella and Courtney. They are found in the basement in the Artifacts room. An area of long-forgotten and abandoned personal items that once belonged to the residents who called Hill View Manor home. Isabella made her presence known in a simple way, talking about Italian cooking and her love of it. Courtney appeared to an investigator who spent time in that room during an overnight hunt.
Isabella. She is a bit of a character who through her responses to intelligent questions gave us a new spirit to enjoy. Responses and making her presence known was discovered using one piece of equipment, a K-2 meter or another name EMF detector. It is a simple handheld piece of equipment that lights up colors from green to red when a spirit is present. Spirits who can find the energy to come forward will use electronic devices to communicate with us and Isabella did this in a big way. She found the energy to light up not just a few of the colored lights but all the way to red, meaning a high presence. She is an immigrant from Italy and loves it when she hears familiar old-world Italian phrases or hymns.
During one investigation she shared with one of our staff family members that she did not approve of young women pursuing careers outside of the home. True to her heritage she firmly believes women should be in the home taking care of the daily life chores of women. When she was told that that’s not how it works today, she stopped communicating with me for a while. One day she suddenly appeared again seemingly distraught over an item that was nearby. Upon further investigation, the item was found. It was a small ceramic statue of the Blessed Mother and Infant Jesus. Not only did the K-2 light up, but it also strobed wildly something never before seen. I asked her if this what was she was upset about and clearly, it was. I promised to take it to her room on the second floor. When you visit you will find it in Isabella’s original room, 213 the very item she requested be placed there. A big thank you to Dale Rogers for making sure she had it where she wanted it.
Little Miss Courtney is a little treasured spirit among the artifacts in that room. She is believed to be an orphan who was most likely there during the poor farm days. Courtney can be much more active than Isabella. Her spirit is a kind of “spunky” only a child could share with anyone who investigates. She revealed herself by a simple coin placed on one of the 2 chairs placed side by side in the area she is located. An investigator asked if anyone was there to bounce the coin. Sure enough, she did it. Further investigation and a little help from a psychic we were able to learn more about this young spirit. She is truly a high-spirited little girl who will interact with investigators using any equipment that sparkles, glows, and lights up. She seems fascinated by the many colors that never glowed in her world all those years ago.
Her favorite activities include jumping back and forth on the 2 chairs that are located side by side, a pink one, and a gold tone. When asked why do you do that, in typical 5-year-old fashion stated, ‘ because I can.” Being able to do that for her must be so freeing to her young spirit because the poor farm was not the best place for the orphans to enjoy their lives. Most of them were abandoned there for a variety of reasons. Families during that time period could not afford to feed or shelter their children so they would be dropped off in the hope that they would have some of those necessary life-sustaining opportunities, the only thing that was not given was the love and understanding to thrive. Many of the orphans do reach out to people who can give them some understanding or companionship they never had. Some investigators and sensitive people have found that Courtney likes to get attention by tugging on the corner of the shirt they are wearing. Some have also shared that she is waiting for someone to play with her, “ring around the Rosey” or one of the other games children played back in the day. A visit with this little girl can warm the heart because she is open and receptive to those who want to spend some time with her.
I can only speculate that these 2 spirits will welcome a visit from everyone who spends some time with them. I am certain that after a long winter’s rest they will welcome back all of the investigators back in the spring with much joy in their hearts.