Chapter One: What Is a Ghost?

By Kevin Fike

What Is a Ghost?

I think this question has to be the single most asked question I get, followed closely by “how do I know it isn’t a demon?” or “Isn’t it a demon since it isn’t in heaven or because it’s away from God?”  All are great questions and are actually more similar than you would think at first. But, to start this explanation let me establish a really simple ground rule.  A ghost is a ghost and a demon is a demon.  Demons never were human or even “alive” and by alive I refer to life as we know it as living beings on this earth.  Demons started off in whatever state we call the “afterlife” and were never born to this world. But this is a topic for another post.  I am also not going to get into Heaven and Hell, and judgement in this post because here I am addressing the Ghost, not where they goes after dying, depending on how they lived their life.

So, What is a ghost?

Ghosts are simply you and me, our fathers and mothers, sons, daughters and grandparents.  They are people who, for whatever reason, haven’t quite moved on yet.  In my belief I know that they will, at some point, move on to heaven.  I believe that for the vast majority of us the transition takes place quickly if not instantaneously. I think we are off to join loved ones without much thought and probably little choice. But, for some the process doesn’t happen like it does for most of us and for whatever reason when they die it isn’t automatic.  They may see the “light” or whatever conduit is there to help us move on but now, faced with a choice, they aren’t quite ready to go through it.  Maybe, for some, they are afraid to go through it because in their eyes, it shouldn’t be here and through it means judgement or the God that shouldn’t exist.

Some may be hesitant to leave because of love. Think for a minute about that little old couple we’ve all seen walking down the sidewalk or through the mall.  They walk hand in hand as they have for 70 years until one day, he passes away.  Now, remember that sometimes it isn’t automatic and he finds himself standing there knowing he should go on to heaven but he wants to wait on her so they can go through together.  In terms of eternity time isn’t time like we know it and years flash by in the blink of an eye.  He still waits for his wife to join him unaware that she passed years ago and she’s now waiting on him in heaven.  Hundreds of years go by as people talk about seeing the ghost of an old man in a now haunted house.  Does this make him evil or a demon or simply a sweet old man looking for his wife?

What about freewill?  As awful a thought of a child dying is, let’s consider another scenario where I can touch base on both free will and another frequently asked question. When I am talking to people it’s about now that I get asked “what about children?” and “how can God leave behind a child?”.  The answer is simple…  He Doesn’t!  Take the ghost of a little boy that passed and again, like above, he doesn’t move on to heaven right away.  He sees the light and maybe even sees his “Nanny” standing in it calling him to come and go with her to heaven.  But… there’s that apple tree he always wanted to play on but was never allowed.  He’s a kid after all and just like when he was alive he still has freewill, so off he runs to the tree.  He plays for just a little bit but he leaves us talking for years about the haunted, creepy giggles of a child out by the old gnarled apple tree. Is this ghost something scary?

You can argue that both of these people or ghosts are away from God, but I would have to ask “Are they really?” and if they are “How long are they away from God?”.   A blink of an eye?  Hundreds of years may be a long time here but I’m not about to think I understand God’s timeframe.  In these cases, I believe God simply tells those waiting on them in heaven, “Don’t worry… They’ll be here in a second.”.

I have to think that the saddest part to these ghost stories would be when we as investigators forget who they are and burst into the home or storm the apple tree calling them names or taunting them in ways we would never do to their faces were they alive.

So, What is a ghost?
Simply put, a ghost is someone that hasn’t moved on yet.   Let’s make sure we aren’t forgetting the “someone” part.

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Chapter 2: What are EVPs?

By Kevin Fike

Electric Voice Phenomena or EVP
Electric Voice Phenomena or EVP is an unexplained event in which voices or other noises imprint on an electronic recording device. Many people believe this is one of the ways that the dead may contact the living, while others think it may be caused by environmental factors, electronic interference, or other natural explanations.

Most of the time, nothing unusual is heard by those present during the recording. It is only later, during the review process, that voices, words, or unexplained sounds are discovered when the recording is played back.

Over the years, many theories have been offered to explain EVP. One popular theory suggests that spirits speak at a higher frequency that is not heard by the naked ear but can be picked up by recording devices. I personally feel that this theory only explains part of the phenomenon.

I have to wonder how, if it’s being recorded at a higher frequency, we can hear it on playback when a standard recorder wouldn’t change the frequency, meaning that is still out of the human range of hearing. I think EVPs have more to do with energy than frequency.

When we, as living individuals, speak, sound is created through the vibrations of our vocal cords using our own energy and air. When a spirit speaks, or tries to, the energy is still there but they don’t have the necessary vibration of vocal cords. The key is that The Energy Is Still There! And we can record this energy with a microphone. A microphone is just a backwards speaker, so when the microphone hits the energy of the spirit trying to communicate, their energy causes the diaphragm in the microphone to vibrate rather than vocal cords. While we may not hear the process as it occurs, the microphone “hears” the vibration and preserves it in a way that later becomes audible during playback.

Of course, this is only one possible explanation and should be considered speculation rather than fact. Like many aspects of paranormal research, EVP remains a subject of ongoing discussion and debate.

That being said…

Throughout this website, I will be sharing EVP recordings collected by Historic Ghost Watch and Investigation over the years. I encourage you to listen carefully and decide for yourself what you hear.

Please remember that Electronic Voice Phenomena is highly subjective. By its very nature, EVP is open to interpretation by the listener. While we will share what investigators believe they hear within a recording, our interpretation represents only one possible conclusion among many.

Listen first.

Then decide for yourself.

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Chapter 3: Investigation Conditions

Introduction

Every investigation takes place under a unique set of environmental conditions. For decades, paranormal researchers have documented factors such as weather, moon phases, solar activity, and geomagnetic conditions alongside witness reports and collected evidence.

While the influence of these conditions remains a topic of debate, many investigators believe they provide valuable context and may help identify patterns when investigations are examined over long periods of time.

A Tradition Since 2004

Since the early days of Historic Ghost Watch & Investigation, environmental conditions have been documented alongside investigation notes, witness reports, and collected evidence. One of the original features of the Historic Ghost Watch website provided investigators with current weather, moon phase, solar activity, and geomagnetic information that could be referenced before and during investigations.

While technology has changed considerably over the years, the principle remains the same: record the conditions, preserve the data, and look for patterns over time.

Why Record Environmental Conditions?

One of the goals of any investigation is to document as much relevant information as possible. Environmental conditions have long been discussed within the paranormal field, and many investigators continue to record them as part of the investigative process.

Whether these factors directly influence reported paranormal activity remains a matter of ongoing discussion. However, consistent documentation allows researchers to compare investigations over time, identify possible trends, and examine correlations that might otherwise go unnoticed.

If patterns exist, they can only be discovered if the information has been recorded and preserved.

Current Investigation Conditions

The live environmental conditions displayed below are provided as a reference for investigators and researchers. Conditions are updated automatically and may be used alongside investigation notes, witness reports, and collected evidence.

Live environmental data and investigation reference tools will appear here shortly. Additional weather, solar, and geomagnetic data modules are currently being added.

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Commonly Recorded Conditions

Environmental conditions documented by investigators may include:

• Weather conditions
• Temperature and humidity
• Moon phase
• Solar activity
• Geomagnetic activity
• Seasonal factors
• Time of day

Not every investigation records every condition, but maintaining consistent records allows researchers to compare cases over time and establish a more complete historical record.

A Note on Interpretation

Environmental conditions remain one of the most discussed topics within paranormal research. Some investigators believe factors such as weather patterns, solar activity, geomagnetic fluctuations, and moon phases may influence reported experiences, while others view them primarily as contextual information.

HGWI does not consider environmental conditions to be evidence of paranormal activity on their own. However, we believe they are worth documenting and preserving as part of a complete investigation record.

The purpose of recording these conditions is not to reach conclusions in advance, but to gather information that may help identify patterns, trends, or correlations over time.