A Roadtrip to Kerrville to scout for Totality

In case you don't know there is going to be a Total Solar Eclipse that will travel across part of Mexico, the USA, and Canada.

I am making weekly videos on TIKTOK about the eclipse and why people need to make the trip to see Totality (99.9 is not good enough). So for fun I will update this blog post on the bottom with those. I may also go to different areas in the path and if I do I will link future trips posts at the bottom similar to what I did when we drove the 48.

Also at the bottom is some real good links to follow for eclipse info so if that is what you are looking for scroll down.

If you came here looking for info about our paranormal investigations please follow this link: Travelers Paranormal that will get you to all social media.

But now on to Kerrville!

So after working overnight Tuesday-Wednesday on 4/26 we got a cup of coffee from Street Coffee in Pleasant View TN, packed, and headed west to Texas to check out where we wanted to watch the eclipse. Now as you can see from this map there are locations far closer to our home in TN than Kerrville so first let me explain why I chose that spot.

When the 2017 eclipse passed over my house that day was literally burned into my mind as an amazing experience. And I knew I wanted to experience it again. In that eclipse our time of Totality was a little over 2 minutes and to me it felt like so much longer. I had a party at my house that day and I remember at one point during Totality getting concerned that I had lost track of time and needed to start warning people about using their solar glasses again. I looked at my timer and realized there was still a full minute left. In Kerrville Totality will be 4 minutes and 25 seconds! Double the 2017 time... Also there was one phenomenon that we couldn't experience from our location and that was seeing the shadow of the moon approaching. I don't know if the Texas Hill Country will be high enough but I thought it would give me a good chance. I also selected this location because the 2023 Annular Eclipse will pass that same area and I can pick a spot for the Annular and judge whether that seems a good place to return for the Total.

For basic info about eclipses this is a blog I wrote in 2017 with some info I used to present at a library, charter school, and community center leading up to the eclipse.

Eclipse Info

This is a blog about the day of the 2017 eclipse

The Day!

Now for the trip. As I said we had worked overnight so I wasn't sure how far we would drive Wednesday before stopping but I knew it was going to be a leisurely drive. Our first stop will become a road trip tradition....we stopped at the Memphis Ikea for lunch, you got to eat somewhere so why not have some Swedish meatballs and lingonberry jam. The trick is to find all the short cuts to get to the restaurant without looking around and trying to buy something.

I didn't realize how much of our drive was actually in the Path of Totality but basically from the time we passed Little Rock Arkansas and on to highway 30 we were in the Path. Obviously there are varying degrees of time and cloud cover probability but that is a lot of area for people to come visit. 

We stopped for the night in Sulphur Springs, Texas. There was bad weather coming in and I didn't want to be driving in rain at night. We went to Backstory Brewing because the name was great and reviews showed food however they did not have food at that time. 

We ordered a flight to try several beers and pick one to potentially bring back to the hotel with us. While we were there we began talking with a couple of guys at the bar. They told us that Superior Bathhouse Brewery in Hot Springs Arkansas was the best brewery in America. Which I have to say seemed like a big claim but these guys were certain it would stand against any brewery. 

The next morning we were off on our way after a quick breakfast at the hotel. We only had 6 hours left to drive and were hoping to get to Kerrville around 1-2pm. Well you know what they say about the best laid plans...

We had stopped at a gas station in Waxahachie Texas and while trying to fill my car the gas kept stopping. I thought that it was an issue with the pump and so only put in five gallons before leaving. Awhile later I stopped at a Buc-ees and I had a similar experience. Then when I turned on the car the "check engine light" came on. Which is never something you want on a road trip. I went to a couple of auto shops to see if they could read the error code but our hybrid was not connecting to their portable machine so we made our way to Johnson Brothers Ford in Temple, Texas. The staff there was great! We told them we were on a road trip- the TN plates were a give away as well.  They worked us in to the schedule and were able to diagnosis the issue. Unfortunately the part for repair would need to be ordered which didn't make sense for just passing through. We were able to drive and they gave us the info to bring to our repair shop when we got home. We were delayed from our original time table but it wasn't horrible so we set back out towards Kerrville. 

When we reached Kerrville we had a list of things to do.

1st stop and get the official eclipse shirts and glasses on sale at the local park.

2nd visit the tourism office to find out about upcoming plans.

3rd check in with the hotel where I have rooms reserved for the Annular Eclipse. I know this is a smaller event but I made the reservation a year in advance and wanted to be sure the reservation still looked good. In 2017 I saw several people refer to hotels canceling on them and changing rates. Which sounds terrible but I also know that not only is there high demand from people looking to travel but it doesn't help that people will make reservations in three or four cities planning on canceling last minute depending on the weather. So I wanted to reiterate that this was my only hotel I was not canceling this was it for me.

4th was a stop at the Kerrville Hills Winery where we stopped in and had a tasting and relaxed.

This was one location I wanted to look at for potential viewing however the Total Eclipse is a Monday and they are closed on Mondays. Whether the owner does decide to open or not will be up to them. However the location is beautiful. And for eclipse viewing it is perfect since you drive up a hill to the winery. There is a very large open viewing area around it. The parking lot is small but if they were open I would consider this a great spot. Also the owner sounds like a fantastic human being who not only loves producing wine but also facilitates others to create their own by allowing them use of his incubator. He has helped with the production of over 30 wine brands.

5th was a stop at Cafe at the Ridge. I have been following them on facebook for awhile and the food looks amazing! And it tastes as good as it looks!.

The Cafe has a back seating area and an open parking lot in front. This definitely looks like a good location to comfortably watch the eclipse and I know they are planning some kind of event I just don't know details. 

6th and final stop for the day was at the Pint and Plow Brewing Company in Kerrville. This was another potential viewing location. Beer was good and they had a very comfortable seating area also something about the hobo writing adorning the building facade felt very welcoming. There were some trees and other buildings around but the eclipse will be high in the sky and should be visible.  Having just eaten at the Cafe we weren't looking at food but they do have a food menu and they have a coffee menu! One thing I have learned from travel to all 48 contiguous states and just an in general love of craft beer is that brewers pay close attention to ingredients. 

Finally (with a growler from Pint and Plow in hand) we went back to the hotel where we will stay for the annular eclipse and made our way to our room for the night. We watched some youtube videos and finished the growler before heading to sleep. Tomorrow we were going to go to San Antonio to see the Alamo, check on my hotel there for the total eclipse, and then start the long drive home.

The next morning we had breakfast at the hotel and then before taking the road to San Antonio, we stopped at our last planned Kerrville stop. PAX Coffee. PAX is located in the heart of Kerrville just steps away from the Guadeloupe River.  I know the town is planning events and I assume aside from their large beautiful park the river front will be another gathering place for visitors. 

Whether I will view the eclipse from any of the businesses I visited in Kerrville or not I'm not sure but I know I will be back to all of them. Each one was unique and speaking to the staff they were inviting and welcoming. It will be interesting to feel the change in town between a regular Thursday to the day of the Annular Eclipse and finally the Total Eclipse.

The drive to San Antonio from Kerrville was a very important step in the trip because on the day of the eclipse we will need to take highway 10 from San Antonio north about 60 minutes to get to Kerrville. Now this has been much debated in my mind. Because I know I want to leave extra time to get there. The drive should be an hour but with a crunch of people heading to the hill country what will it look like on the actual day? Highway 10 is in good shape. For the most part it is two lanes in either direction. There is a service road on the side for a bit and a few times where it opens to three lanes for a short time. So I am feeling confident that with car loaded already the day of the eclipse we should be able to eat breakfast the hotel and then be on the road by 6:30am. We will see the eclipse. Our hotel is in the path (but only 40seconds of totality). Within a 20 minute drive we will be over 2 minutes of Totality. It will just be more comfortable at an actual place rather than on the highway.

When we reached San Antonio we went to try and see the Alamo... note try.. if you clicked on the link above that says 48 contiguous states you saw the first road trip was called "My Luck right" and earlier in this one we had to stop at a Ford Dealer for repairs. Well luck and I have always had an on again off again partnership. Its ok it builds character and a helpful appreciation for disappointment. Though this was also on me a bit. I did not know that there is a month long festival in San Antonio that culminates in the last week of April where basically the whole city is shut down, parking is way to expensive, and lots of people are everywhere. One kind Texas Ranger offered for us to leave our car, if we were going to be 20 minutes, with  the vendors who were unloading but seeing the Alamo takes longer and since we know we will be returning to San Antonio we decided to skip it.

Next I went over to my hotel which is surrounded by all the shopping you could ever imagine or want! In fact a lot of what we saw of San Antonio was all the shopping you could ever want. I spoke to the clerk there to look at my reservation, confirm I did need it, that we would be traveling with a dog, and  a pet fee was no issue. She said it all looks good but did advise me to call maybe three months out. I am probably going to continue calling each month and check in again in person when I go for the annular eclipse. Anything I can do to confirm yes I need and want that booking!

From there it was time to head home. It was almost noon so the drive home was going to be split in two days just like the drive there. And since it was going to take two days....... we stopped at Hot Springs Arkansas to try Superior Bathhouse Brewing.

It is a really good brewery and while I don't know if it is the best in America it is easily in my top five of breweries which is a list that spans across America. From the monster Bath flight board to the food to the interior decor to everything this brewery was the full package. Also for those keeping track of the fact that I said most of our drive was in the path of Totality.... this brewery and hot Springs will be a destination location for the big event! The large National Park will most certainly be an attractive location for anyone who wants an experience alone in nature for the eclipse. The town is a vacation town so those looking to party also seem like they will find many options on the main road. Now the only down side is like I said before the sun is in the sky and the eclipse is close to midday so it will be high. Hot Springs is very closed in (at least the main tourist road is as is the tree covered national park). Make sure you know what direction is what when looking to the sky.

From there the drive home was easy and we were home by midday Saturday.

TIKTOK videos

There will be an eclipse!

Road trip to Kerrville

Humans Interested

Celestron Eclipsmart

Don't be afraid to ask!

Be safe Be Mindful

Jackpot!

Bon Jour Ste. Geneveive, MO

The ingredients are ready for awesome!

Find your spot in Totality!

Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Indianapolis and the Sun and Moon Cafe

Eclipse humor

Paducah, KY

Cape Girardeau

Explore More and make a trip out of it!

Bailey's Beads

99.9% is not enough!

Kokomo thinks you should see the eclipse

Make it a trip!

Size and distance makes the eclipse

The Sun Spotter!

Visiting the Sun King

Make it a trip!

Special guest coming up!

Annular eclipse this week!

The Ring of Fire

Great Resources!

Interactive map by Xavier M. Jubier

Mr. Eclipse

Time and Date

Dr. Kate Russo

Go See The Eclipse

Exploring the Abandoned Indiana State Sanatorium

For Historical Information about the beautiful Indiana State Sanatorium please check out our previous blog post: Haunting Beauty

When Indiana State Sanatorium opened up for paranormal investigations I booked as soon as I could whether we found anything or not in the way of evidence I wanted to be one of the first to try. We were a little nervous going in but the buildings and property did not disappoint. The night was filled with slamming doors, sounds of foot steps, and disembodied voices. We had the property for 19 hours and wanted to make sure we made every minute count. 

We decided to leave audio recorders in several buildings so that even while we weren't there we could collect evidence. First we left one in the Superintendent's House because we thought since that building was separate from the others that was the one we were most likely to miss or spend the least time. We also left an audio recorder in room 509 of the five story building. There are rumors about a potential patient suicide in that room though I did not find a death record to confirm it. At the nurses station in the center of the nursing home we left an audio recorder and motion activated trap camera. One of the audio cameras did pick up some strange noises and I wish I had enough video cameras to leave with each audio recorder. 

We then began systematically exploring the buildings starting with the admin building.  This building would have contained dr. offices, x-ray, and the morgue during the tuberculosis days and I assume into the nursing home time.  In the five story structure we started by marching up to the fifth floor and then walked each hall. We stopped and tried several Estes Method SBOX sessions but every time we did there would be noises from the hall that would distract me away from the session.  We both came to the conclusion that the reason we were hearing disembodied voices and doors slamming may actually be because the location is so new. When we go to places like Waverly Hills Sanatorium the spirits are used to investigators and the equipment that we carry. But at Rockville I was turning on the SBOX and asking them to communicate and I have no way of telling them how to use it. So we weren't getting responses on the SBOX but we were getting slamming doors in the hall. We also got some of the clearest disembodied voices we have ever heard. To the point where there were several times when we stopped and basically called out "you won't be in trouble just let us know you are here." No live person ever showed up and it was 30 degrees out so I don't think anyone was roaming the halls and woods of the sanatorium. It was overall a very cool experience. 

I really can't get over how cool it was to walk around the buildings seeing the remnants of lives that just moved on without notice and leaving so much behind. But also considering it has been just over 10 years since the building was abandoned the amount of places where nature had found its way in to the building. There were several points where vines were growing through the window frames. 

Speaking of windows when reviewing video we did have one strange moment where we noticed the words "Never Alone" written in the condensation of a window. Then there is the sound of a door slamming and as we turn a figure moves across the window. I slowed the video down here I don't believe it is reflecting from us.

figure in the window

After exploring the five story we then walked through the nursing home walking to the center nurse station and from there going left and right down the arms before finishing back through to the admin building. We did stop at the nurse station again for an Estes method SBOX session. At this point we went out front of the admin building and looked up at the beautiful night sky. Meg set up her camera to take some long exposure night sky pictures.

We then systematically walked through the Superintendent House, checking on our recorder when we approached it again. We stopped for an SBox session Estes Method in one of the upstairs bedrooms. Let me take a moment to talk about what we mean by Estes Method. This Method is called Estes because it was first used at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park Colorado by Karl Pfeiffer, Connor Randall, and Michelle Tate. One person wears noise canceling headphones and listens to an SBOX or Spirit Box. A second person asks questions with the hope that spirits will be able to manipulate the radio waves to give an answer.  The advantage to wearing the noise canceling head phones is that the person listening to the SBox does not know what question was asked and so their brain can't try and make sense of the noises to get an answer. Sometimes the person listening to the SBox is also blindfolded which helps focus on attention on what is being heard through the headphones. I think a good session is somewhere between 20-25 minutes. 

Once we finished the loop of all the properties we stopped in the commercial building to warm up before again repeating that pattern. It meant we were moving a lot only stopping at a few spots for an extended time but the goal of this visit was to explore the property and then on a future visit we would be able to focus on specific areas. We again stopped for an SBox session in the five story and at the nurses station. This is the video from our SBox at the nurse station.

After  completing this loop we returned to the commercial building to take a nap before going out and investigating again. But first Meg sat down and read a children's story. The commercial building is a newer building but it stands where the children's ward would have been during the tuberculosis days. Reading a children's story is something we like to do in places said to be haunted by children because the hope is we give some entertainment or comfort to the spirits and maybe something that would seem familiar. 

After sleeping we got up again to explore and now in the light of day you can really see how cool the buildings look. 

This next video is a compilation of a lot of the evps, disembodied voices, and strange noises that we recorded through out the night. I used our photos of the property to show off the beauty of the property.  

Finally here is the full video of all evidence collected. 

Also in a growing series of what I call "what paranormal investigations really look like" here is some of our shorts showing funny moments or sarcasm from the night because, to be honest, when you are walking around a property at 2am it is much less screaming at hearing a demon and way more enjoying the quiet and the company and being sarcastic.... at least for us.

"choose your own adventure"

Sarcasm!

Thank you for reading and watching. We do plan on going back and this time I think we will spend more time in the Superintendent's House. Being separate from the other buildings we spent the least amount of time there but we had a lot of activity on the recorder that we left there. 

If you have enjoyed this please consider subscribing on the following platforms. We do put up evidence as we find it on tiktok and we have been using youtube shorts as well .The full videos will always be put on youtube but that is one of the last things we will do when finishing evidence review. Follow on facebook or twitter to see what investigations we have coming up. Currently we are working on evidence review from our stay at the Thomas House in Red Boiling Springs, TN and that will be followed by evidence review from The Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. This was a return investigation and our first multi night investigation. We spent two nights at the hotel in the most haunted rooms. Here is our original blog post from our first stay: Visiting the Crescent for the first time

For all social media links please see this post: Socials

Part 2 Harriman TN: The Investigation

This is Part 2 of our blog about Harriman Hospital in Harriman TN. For the history of the hospital/town please look back at Part 1.

We arrived in Harriman a few hours before the investigation in order to walk around the building and take some photos outside. While there had already been several investigations at Harriman Hospital this day was the official Grand Opening. We knew being a public investigation we would have little control over when and where we investigated so we did not go into the investigation with plans, rather we saw it as an exciting opportunity to get in to a new location, to scout for when we do eventually return for a private investigation, and also meet the special guests Richard Estep and J. B. Coates. 

The event was well organized starting with an introduction and history of the building, moving on to the always appreciated pizza, and finally the investigation. Meg and I were in the red group (there were four groups which would rotate through the four different designated locations). Volunteers brought each group to their location while other volunteers were specifically assigned to the location to help facilitate investigating. I will say that part of what I like most about public investigations is having people of all different skill/knowledge levels. Some people had their own equipment and others were along for the ride looking to learn about investigating.

As stated above since this was public Meg and I didn't have any specific plans. For the rest of the post I will share some links to short videos I uploaded on TikTok of Evps and notable interactions. At the end will be several Youtube videos with video from the night including an angry spirit turning off Meg's camera, me being pushed, and a fantastic Estes Method Communication with a child spirit named April.

Our first stop was in the A3 Hall:

As we were walking in the hall we recorded an evp that sounds like a child's voice saying "Hear Me."

"Hear Me" EVP

Once we reached the hall our group broke off exploring down the main hall and nurse station as well as a second hall. Most of our investigating was at the nurse station because  it is believed a nurse named Joanna haunts that location. Joanna worked for years at the hospital and sadly passed away of a heart related ailment at the hospital. After her passing her fellow coworkers would remark that they felt her presence still.  Furthermore just days earlier a video was shared from that nurse station of a dark shadow figure moving in and out of the camera's view. 

Several in the group thought they saw shadows moving but we did not  record any shadow figures however when teasing that someone was sitting in Joanna's chair we recorded an EVP.

"Get Out" EVP

Meg also at one point used her experience of being in the hospital to take a moment to thank Joanna, and any other staff who still remain. 

"Me too" EVP

The second location we went to we also got to investigate with special guest J. B. Coates. While sitting outside the morgue of the hospital we conducted an Estes Method session using the Spiritus App. While one member of the group sat in the morgue isolated the rest of us were in the hall outside of radiology.  Earlier in the session a spirit had said to stop filming. At the time I turned off one video camera but Meg still had her body camera and I eventually turned my video camera back on.... then this happened.

"Beep" Spiritus Estes Method

Our third location was outside the recovery room where Billy and Tonya from the Nightstalkers were waiting to help guide the interactions. 

At first we sat in the hall listening to the building before breaking off in to the recovery room to use our SBox. Meg put on her headphones and closed her eyes as she listened to the box and I stood by the desk. As I was standing against the desk I felt a push on my right shoulder and moved forward a little. I asked if someone was with us and Meg responded "hopefully" and then "I can see you." Here is a short clip and the full exchange will be below in the youtube video.

Pushed from behind

The fourth location was split between the operating rooms and a hall said to be haunted by a child spirit named April. There Terry, Chris, and Steven from Mid-Tenn Paranormal were waiting.  We began in April's hall with an S-Box session where Meg took the headphones and blindfolded herself as well. This is just a moment of the exchange the whole session will be in the youtube videos and is definitely worth the watch!

Accurate answer from April

I tried to upload one video to youtube but my computer is not cooperating so it will be four separate videos.

Video 1: This is part one of our Estes Method communication with April.

Video 2: You guessed it- part two with April.

Video 3: Part three with April and some really fantastic interactions.

Video 4: This video is a compilation of our different experiences in Harriman Hospital and includes some evps, Meg's camera being shut off, and me being pushed in the recovery room.

Thank you for watching please like and subscribe we are on facebook, twitter, tiktok,  instagram, and youtube.

Harriman TN: Washed in Water and Forged by Fire

With each paranormal investigation we try and do at least some historical research to understand the location and area. So once I bought two tickets to a public investigation at Harriman Hospital in Harriman, TN we began researching not just the building but the whole area.

Harriman is located in Roane County in East Tennessee. 

TN became a state on June 1st, 1796 and five years later in 1801 Roane County was formed. The area's main geographical features are the meeting of the Tennessee, Clinch, and Emory Rivers into Watts Bar Lake and it sits on the boundary between the Tennessee Valley and the Cumberland Plateau.

The American Civil War has been characterized as neighbor versus neighbor and that was keenly felt in East Tennessee. On June 7th, 1861 future President Andrew Johnson spoke against secession on the steps of the Roane County Courthouse in Kingston, TN. The next day the county voted on the manner and voted 1,568 to 454 in favor of remaining in the Union. Unfortunately the statewide vote finished at 102,172 - 47,328 in favor of secession. East Tennessee was out-voted and the state joined the Confederacy. On a side note if you ever get the chance to visit the Civil War Battlefield in Vicksburg there is a fantastic statue representing Kentucky click here for my blog from that trip. 

Robert King Byrd was a local farmer, experienced military man, pioneer, trader, and political figure. He was the son of Joseph Byrd  who had served as Roane County Sheriff and had assisted in the 1836 forced removal of the Cherokee Nation from the area. Robert was against secession because he believed the Union should stand. However he also owned slaves but when faced with a choice between the two he would rather preserve the Union. Of his eight brothers four would serve in the Union army while two joined the Confederacy. Byrd had made a name for himself during the Mexican War and faced with a threat to the Union he founded the 1st Tennessee Infantry and lead almost 2,000 men for the Union from 1861-1864, which included the majority of the adult male population of Roane County. His troops and leadership played major roles in several battles including Mills Springs, Cumberland Gap, Sander's Raid on Knoxville, Stone River, and the Battle of Atlanta. Under Sherman in Atlanta his troops were the first to cross the Chattahoochee six miles upstream of Pace's Ferry. At Cumberland Gap he was shot in the left side below his heart but returned to his command four weeks later. At Stone River his horse was shot from under him and his clothes had bullet holes but he was unharmed and commended on his bravery by two generals. 

In 1864 he returned home to Roane County and his wife Mary. During the war she had also left home after a warrant for her arrest was issued by the Confederates as a "dangerous enemy of the South." Oliver Perry Temple, an attorney and organizer of East Tennessee Unionist as well as co-founder of Rugby TN, described Mary by saying "[n]o one could look into her piercing eyes without recognizing that there was within her frail form an unconquerable will and a dauntless spirit." Robert would live in the area and spend his days trying to preserve and repair the damage done to the Union until his death in 1885. Due, in part, to his work Tennessee was the first Confederate State to rejoin the Union on July 24th, 1866. In his own words "I went into war to save my country from the foolishness of my friends... We saved the country. Now, in the name of God, let us preserve our liberty." 

The Byrd property was split by the Emory River. On one side was Robert and Mary's home. On the south side was their coal mine which was said to be the best coal in the Cumberland Plateau. Not only was the land rich with coal but it also was full of limestone. In 1889, four years after Robert passed away, Captain J.W. Ayers representing the East Tennessee Land Company purchased the property from Mary. She would stay in the area and passed away in 1902. Mary is buried in Bethel Cemetery in Kingston, Tennessee and was mentioned in the "Statement of Significance" section on the cemetery's application to be listed on the National Register Of Historical Places.

The goal of the East Tennessee Land Company, directed by Walter Harriman, was to build a planned city grounded in the Temperance Movement, a social movement against the consumption of alcoholic beverages. The other primary founders of the town were  Minister Frederick Gates, Isaac Funk, AW Wagnalls, Clinton Fisk, and Ferdinand Schumacker. Gates thought the ideals of Temperance would guide the residents and businesses into prosperity. They planned the layout of the town putting the industrial area along the river for easy transport and continuing out with residential, business, and downtown areas. Walter Harriman was from the North East as were most of the founders but the location was selected due to Harriman's father. He had marched through East Tennessee during the Civil War and returned to tell his son about a spot along the Emory River that seemed perfect for a settlement. 

In February of 1890 from the porch of the Byrd home a land sale was held for the 10,000 acres that would become Harriman. Over 3,000 men from 18 states  came to the auction J. C Woodward of Lexington, Kentucky, was the first purchaser securing his plat at $70 a front foot. On the third day of the sale John C. Snow of Brockton, Massachusetts, purchased land for $275 a front foot and within thirty minutes was offered $300 a foot but declined. By the end of the land sale 573 lots had been purchased for $604,705.  Every resident and business that purchased land or operated a business signed an agreement that they would not partake, serve, or sell alcohol. Harriman would be called "The Town That Temperance Built."

The downtown area was planned as the heart of the city. At the corner of Cumberland and Devonia street a private company planned to build a state of the art hotel. Architect Rudolph Gill was commissioned to design the property. When the private company fell into bankruptcy the East Tennessee Land Company took over the property and building of the hotel.  The hotel could accommodate up to 150 people and featured steam heat and "the best table in the entire region."

The first two years of Harriman saw a growing thriving city with 4,000 residents and numerous industries. In a booklet published to commemorate the town's two year anniversary a poem entitled "Our Harriman" showed off the town's pride:

Our Harriman

Lift up your voice in glad acclaim,
O ye who gather here to-day.
And echo every heart the name
To which we loving tribute pay.

O Harriman, dear Harriman!
May peace be thine, forever thine!
Brave hearts, and true, in love thy ways defend,
While heaven's blessings on thy homes descend.

Here field and forest waited long

The music of the hammer's ring,

The thrill of Labor's cheerful song.

And bounty that the years might bring.

O Harriman, dear Harriman!

Thy mountain look with pride on thee;

Hope, faith and courage here have builded well, 

Long may their faith and works thy people tell!

Here loyal hearts and willing hands

Have lifted high their banners brave, 

And heeding Love's divine commands

Have sought the tempted soul to save.

O Harriman, young Harriman,

Grow strong and bold through all the years,

As if within thy pulses run

The blood of thine own pioneers.

O Harriman, our Harriman!

The skies above in blessings bend;

Heav'n hear thy prayer for thee that each heart lifts,

And fill thy future with its choicest gifts.

However in November of 1893 the East Tennessee Land Company declared bankruptcy.  Many returned to their home states but others choose to stay and make Harriman their home. In 1918 Harriman faced one of many challenges that would visit the town over the next century. The Influenza Outbreak of 1918 effected Tennessee very severely. One town in neighboring Morgan County, Coalfield, saw 98% of residents infected with the disease. In Harriman the city's two funeral homes did not have the ability to keep up with calls and issued a printed apology to the residents. 

 I do not know the local numbers but in total in Tennessee alone 7,721 lost their lives due to the fast spreading illness. 

In 1921 the Cumberland Hotel was destroyed by fire, the first of several fires that would plague the town.

Then on March 23, 1929, Harriman faced its greatest natural disaster. After a particularly rainy February a strong storm traveling from the Gulf northeast dropped nine inches of rain in the span of 24 hours. At noon on 3/22 the Emory river was 35 feet below its top bank. As the rain fell it began to rise reaching a rate of nine feet per hour. Harriman's idyllic spot in the bend of the Emory helped with transportation for industry. It also set it up for disaster when the water ran over its banks. As quickly as the flood waters came they then receded and by 10:30 pm on the 23 the Emory was within its bank. The rushing waters made recovery difficult and of the 20 lives lost only 10 bodies were found. In total fifty homes were washed away and over 3.5 million dollars of damage was left behind. However beyond the physical damage of the flood waters was the emotional damage and toll it took on the residents. Every resident of Harriman. 

One of the worst stories of the flood was the story of Boy Scout Troop 45 that lost seven members and their Scout leader during the flood. 

James Tarwater Wright had been trying to bring the troop out for a camping trip but the rainy month had postponed most his plans. When the day came for the planned camping trip to a cabin near Whites Creek he did not want to cancel. After a day of activities Dick Gilbreath brought two of the boys home. The rest and their troop leader set up for the night. Whites Creek is normally 70 feet wide. As the water rose it spread to 600 feet and the cabin was surrounded. James had the boys climb to the roof for safety. The boys who survived noted how their Scoutmaster joked and kept them calm. At first it seemed they would be able to wait out the storm on the roof. However a railroad bridge among several others upstream had been knocked loose and along with other debris began being carried by the current.  The cabin was hit and broke into pieces. Some of the boys were able to grab branches and climb into trees for safety but others were thrown from the roof. James Tarwater Wright dove in after his boys and despite being a strong swimmer he was killed by the flood waters. There are some accounts of people being pulled to safety by him however he was not able to find any of the boys who had been thrown off the cabin. In total seven of the boys were killed that night.

Tom Douglas was the youngest member of the Troop and in 1978 gave an account of the night and following day. He described James keeping the boys calm and then diving in after the cabin had been broken. He also told how his brother, Willie, and another boy pulled him from the water and his brother moved him from tree to tree to keep him safe. Willie pulled others from the water and would eventually be awarded a gold medal form the Boy Scouts of America for his actions during the flood. The story of the Scouts made newspapers across the State and when visiting Harriman at any mention of the flood of 1929 it will not take long for someone to add "that is the flood with the Boy Scout Troop."

A monument was erected by local Boy Scout Troops from Harriman and Rockwood in honor of the lost boys and James Wright.

Today along the Emory River is a small water front park called David Webb River Front Park. In the park there is a bench in honor of another hero from the flood. Robert Underwood woke up to flooding near and around his home. He quickly loaded his family into a coal cart and moved them to safety. No one would have given it a second thought if he had remained with his family during that day. But he did not. Instead he returned to the rising waters with his cart and began helping others to safety. Eventually he was in the process of rescuing the Jenkins family when his cart overturned. One child, Felix Jenkins, would survive the accident however Robert and the rest of the family were killed. According to the information on the bench he is credited with saving the lives of 75 families.

Since its founding it is not just flooding which the people of Harriman have had to contend with. Fire has also struck several times. Not only was the Cumberland destroyed by fire in 1921 but the business district has been damaged multiple times. The art deco Princess Theater opened in 1926 and in 1932 it was damaged by fire from a faulty projector and then on January 25, 1939, the theater was destroyed by a fire that started in an adjacent building. 

The theater was rebuilt and still stands today showing films as well as hosting live productions. 

In 1938 one of the local schools was damaged by fire and had to be rebuilt. Then on January 31st, 1945, during a band recital the elementary school caught fire. The band played as long as they could before evacuating with the crowd. Besides that fire there were two other fires in town that day. A year later a temporary school was struck by fire, in 1969 another fire claimed a school in Harriman, and in March of 1969 the Baptist St. Andrews Church was damaged and had to be razed when a fire started during the service. 

Destruction by fire and flood was so frequent then that during a review of the year in the Harriman Record the columnist wrote an article remarking how there had been no disaster during the previous year.

However it should be noted that was January of 1939 looking back at 1938. So as mentioned above on January 25th, 1939, there would be a fire causing over $125,000 worth of damage to the business district followed on February 3, 1939, by a flood. 

On December 22, 2008, a containment pond at the nearby TVA Fossil Fuel Plant failed and 5.4 million cubic yards of coal ash was released into the Swan Pond Embayment, a recreational area used by many Harriman residents.  While dredging the coal ash workers discovered barrels that had been dumped in the preceding decades from the nearby Oakridge nuclear facility. Many of the clean up workers were not aware of the full extent of hazardous chemicals in the coal ash and would eventually become ill and be forced to file a lawsuit against Jacobs Engineering. In 2018 the company was found guilty of endangering the health of the workers and their families and began paying for medical expenses. 

After the Cumberland Hotel burnt down in 1921 it was replaced by a roller rink before finally being replaced by The Old Harriman Hospital (Roane County Medical Center). Throughout its time it was added on to multiple times including the addition of more surgical rooms, extended ICU, geriatric wing, psych ward, and a state of the art surgical ward. 

Around 2013 the hospital was closed when a new facility opened nearby. The Harriman Industrial Board took possession of the building and thought about bulldozing it to increase downtown parking. Thankfully they did not when they discovered it would cost almost 1 million to take it down. Instead Ronnie Dee, owner of Old South Pittsburg Hospital saw the potential in the building and the rich history. 

June 11th, 2022, was the Old Historic Harriman Hospital Opening night as it was opened up to Paranormal Investigators to discover the stories of the spirits who lived, died, or worked there throughout its many years.

Part 2: The Investigation

Part 1: Indiana State Sanatarium Haunting Beauty

Haunting Beauty

In 2021 we began seeing reports that the Indiana State Sanatarium which had been closed in 2011 was opening to the public for paranormal investigations. Meg and I were excited at the opportunity to investigate a location which had only just recently been opened and so reached out to book a date in early 2022. 

The History of the Indiana State Sanatarium in Rockville Indiana.

Long before European settlers came to America the area now known as Rockville, Indiana was inhabited by the Piankeshaw Indian tribe a subgroup of the Miami Tribe. Once a thriving community by the 1800s their numbers were falling as hostilities between the Tribe and the new settlers as well as harsh winter followed by draught took its toll. In 1805 the Piankeshaw were forced to cede their properties in Indiana and move West to Missouri joining with other Native Tribes. 

In 1821 Parke County was formed with the Wabash River serving as its western boundary. Three years later Rockville was laid out and the following year it became the county seat. In July of 1854 the citizens voted to incorporate the town. 

Property records show that the land where the Indiana State Sanatarium would eventually be built was registered to Jonathan Garrison on March 12, 1831. It would then change hands multiple times. At some point there was a distillery on the property, the furnaces were found while building the administration building, however the name and owner of the distillery is unknown though it is believed to date to the 1830s. 

What is known is that in 1907 Parke County began looking for a property to build a sanatarium due to the rising number of tuberculosis cases. They had a list of demands for the property ranging from access to railroads, height above sea level, and landscaping. This helped narrow the choices down to a few properties. On October 9th, 1907 the committee tasked with finding a suitable property came to visit Rockville. For its part the town and residents of Rockville did everything they could to show why they should be selected. They saw the addition of the Sanatarium to their community as a great opportunity to sell their farm fresh goods like eggs, milk, and meat. The building of such a large building would also provide a boost to the economy as jobs both in construction and eventually healthcare would become available. Their efforts paid off and the local paper on May 6, 1908 declared that the Little Raccoon site, named for the river that ran through it, was selected by the Hospital Commission and Governor. 

Before construction could begin the property had to be purchased. The entire tract was divided between seven different land owners: Edgar Adams owned 130 acres, Gary Connelly owned 126 acres, John Adams owned 80 acres, Theodore Jessup owned 49 acres,  William and Charles Bullion owned 44 acres, Claude Kent owned 41 acres, and James Myers owned 39 acres. Either the Bullions never wanted the Sanatarium or they soured on it after the fact but their property was eventually marked condemned as they would not agree to the proposed sale price. Finally in 1909 the first cornerstone of the multi-building facility was set and construction continued over the next two years. 

On April 1st 1911 the Sanatarium opened as The Indiana State Tuberculosis Hospital and began receiving patients. At first the mortality rate was very high but within just a few years it lowered. For example in 1914 the annual report showed 53 deaths, in 1915 there were 24 deaths, in 1916 there were 30 deaths, and in 1917 there were 31 deaths. The staff worked to keep patients highly educated and involved about the disease and their treatment offering lectures 3 to 4 times a year about the disease, phases, symptoms, and treatments to help people understand and prepare for the duration of their stay. Some who recovered would help care for others. In fact the Sanatarium itself was self-sustaining with farmland, orchards, a hen house, and dairy to also help provide food for the residents.

In 1919 the name was changed to the Indiana State Sanatarium which would remain its name until 1968. 

The property consisted of the Administration Building which had doctor's offices, exam rooms, the surgery, and all records. On either side of the Administration Building connected by an enclosed passageway was a tuberculosis ward, one for men and one for women. The wards consisted of long open hallways to allow fresh air and sunlight, two of the main treatments for tuberculosis at the time, to fill the patients' rooms. Originally each ward was built to house 140 each however that number increased and eventually they also had a waiting list of over 400. 

Credit: Indiana State Historical Society

In 1913 the State Sanatarium Bridge was added over the Little Raccoon creek to help aid in travel to the hospital. The bridge is a Kingpost Truss Burr Arch structure spanning 154 feet designed by Joseph A. Britton. 

Unfortunately the tuberculosis wards no longer remain because they were removed and repurposed to build the nursing home. Only the tunnels below them used to access the steam pipes remain. Those steam pipes were heated by the coal burning power plant built on site to power the Sanatarium. As we drove around the area it was the smoke stack of the power plant that told us we were getting close, which makes me sad to know the stack is being removed due to structural issues.

 

As time passed more buildings were added including a children's ward and schoolhouse that at its height served 100 children. 

Indiana Historical Society

A five story building, Adams Hall, was also added in the 50s as staff housing and that building still remains having been repurposed over the years.

Around 1922 the Superintendent's Residence was added to the property. This two story structure had multiple entrances indicating that it may have been split between multiple families/staff. 

In the late 1800s and early 1900s many large facilities like the Indiana State Sanatarium opened throughout the country. Tuberculosis was a rising disease that had a lot of fear surrounding it because little was understood about it and treatment was very limited. For the majority of patients that came to Rockville the main prescription was clean air, sanitary conditions, and good food. However there were other treatments that today seem cruel. For example in 1914 they injected nitrogen between the chest wall and lungs in order to collapse the lung and allow it to "rest" and slow the spread of tuberculosis. In five of those they also removed the ribs to help collapse the lung. According to the Superintendent W.A. Geckler "[n]o patients are subject to [surgery] who have any possible chance of recovery without it. Surgery in diseases of the lung is and must remain a last resort." For the doctors and staff at the time I imagine the balance between  "do no harm" and also trying to save and preserve life weighed heavy on their minds. 

With the development of streptomycin to treat tuberculosis in 1943 by Selman Waksman, Elizabeth Bugie, and Albert Schatz large Sanatariums like the one at Rockville began to empty. The property was taken over by a conglomerate and renamed Lee Alan Bryant Healthcare Center. The five story building originally used to house staff became Adams Hall, a mental institution. On the first and second floor coed patients were housed, the third floor was reserved for woman, the fourth floor for men, and the fifth floor supposedly housed more dangerous patients. Between Adams Hall and the original Administration building a single story cross shaped 120 bed nursing home was added. 

Unfortunately as good as the Indiana State Sanatarium was at treating its patients Lee Alan Bryant was bad. There are allegations of abuse, suicides, escapes, and a murder suicide. There are reports of patients running away in the middle of the night and dying from exposure in the surrounding woods. There are stories of a woman who ran away and climbed to the top of the water tower. She was found frozen the next day. Some patients would be lost in the woods their remains found days or more later. Looking back now it looks like the whole situation was out of control for patients and staff. There are reports of attacks between patients and patients and staff. There was a murder suicide between two employees near the power plant with multiple stories about the dispute whether it was over a promotion, raise, drugs, or something else we are not sure. Throughout the building there are passive aggressive notes hanging on the walls warning staff and patients about acceptable and unacceptable behaviors. In 2012 after multiple complaints the state came to Lee Alan Bryant and shut it down. Patients were released or moved to other facilities. Staff were sent away. 

Today nature has worked hard at reclaiming the buildings. Vines grow through the windows and birds nest in the vents. Suitcases, personal belongings, pay slips, and hospital equipment remain. Drywall has fallen down and paint peels from the walls. 

Part 2 Coming Soon.

An Overdue Roadtrip

 It had been awhile since we hit the road and took a drive so it felt nice this weekend to get up at 4am and put the finishing touches on house chores and loading the car. 

The real reason for the trip was an overnight investigation at the Haunted Indiana State Sanatorium in Rockville, Indiana. I will have a blog about that later once we go through the 90 plus hours of audio recording, 40 plus hours of video recording, and over 900 photos. 

We left from Nashville on I-65 heading towards Louisville and made good time as traffic moved well through Tennessee and Kentucky. In Louisville we jumped off I-65 quick to drive through downtown and avoid the toll bridge because tolls are silly.

A few hours later of smooth sailing with the exception of Indianapolis and the highway being closed due to construction we made it to our first stop in Crawfordsville, Indiana. 

The rotary jail was a strange phase in jail building in the midwest where the cells actually rotate to the opening rather than having individual doors that open. The design came from architect William Brown and was built by an iron foundry company in Indianapolis, Indiana. Brown explained in the patent:

"The object of our inventions is to produce a jail in which prisoners can be controlled without the necessity of personal contact between them and the jailer or guard... it consists, first, of a circular cell structure of considerable size divided into several cells capable of being rotated, surrounded by a grating in close proximity thereto, which has only such number opening as is necessary for the convenient handling of prisoners."

The design was not a success and many of the jails were very quickly retrofitted with doors and the rotating mechanism was disabled. The exception to this was the rotating jail in Council Bluffs, Iowa which we stumbled across during a previous road trip. This rotating jail was the last to close in the 1960s. As of now only four are still standing though none are jails. Most have been turned into museums like this one in Indiana. In fact this is the only one where the rotary mechanism still functions.  

Our next location was a spot I had saved ever since our massive amount of road trips in 2020 (Drive the 48) 

The ball is the work of Mike Carmichael and his family. On January 1, 1977 Mike and his son put the first layer of paint on a baseball. His wife would also join in putting coats of paint on the baseball. They would paint it multiple times when it was small. Today it hangs from a suspension system in a specially built barn beside their house. Meg and I got to add layer 27,765. Mike had it primed and when we pulled up. We chose a nice light blue color and for a period of time we were World Record holders. As we painted the ball he told us about the history of the ball, the fact that this wasn't his first ball of paint, and how the barn was built for the over 8,000 pound ball.

If you would like to visit the Largest Ball of Paint check out Mike's website Largest Ball of Paint

Next was a mad dash down several dirt roads as we made our way to to Terre Haute, Indiana. That was where we were spending the night but also it was Ash Wednesday and I had found a Catholic Church there and the goal was to arrive in time for 6pm mass. 

After mass we checked into our Laquinta and then went looking for dinner. First we stopped at Terre Haute Brewing but they did not have food. So we purchased a flight to try several beers and pick a growler before going down the road to M Mogger's Restaurant. Both buildings are on the property of the original Terra Haute Brewing Company which opened in 1837 and around the turn of the century it became the seventh largest brewery in the USA and its flagship beer Champagne Velvet spread in popularity. The brewery compound covered several blocks and had multiple buildings including a wood shop where they would custom make bars for locations selling their Champagne Velvet. Despite Prohibition and a series of ownership changes the brewery has persevered. They no longer make Champagne Velvet and the current brewery is housed in just one of the original buildings. The taproom is welcoming and when we entered there was live music just finishing up their last set. The growler we chose was their Crossroads beer, a nod to Indiana calling itself the "Crossroad of America".

The next day we left the hotel a little earlier than originally intended and went to Highland Lawn Cemetery. We had used the website Find a Grave to look up notable people buried there and planned to spend some time exploring the cemetery that was opened in 1884 and placed on the National Registry in 1991.

The first stop we made in the cemetery was the mausoleum of M.A. and S.C Sheets. As the urban legend goes Martin Alonzo Sheets had a fear of being buried alive and so had a telephone installed in his mausoleum. He also was buried with a bottle of whiskey so that if he woke up he could call a taxi and have a drink while he waited. Of course there are stories of phantom phone rings and when Susan passed away in 1929 it is said that she was found at home clutching her telephone. 

Next we stopped at the tomb of Chauncy Rose. He was a businessman and philanthropist in Terre Haute. Through his success in business and especially in the railroad industry he was able to fund several projects like the Providence Hospital, the Rose Orphan Asylum, and the Rose Polytechnic Institute (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology). 

The next grave we stopped at is the grave of Eva Mozes Kor, a Holocaust survivor and truly inspiring woman. Born in 1934 in Romania her and her twin sister Miriam were held at the Auschwitz Concentration Camp and subject to cruel torture and experimentation by Josef Mengele. In 1984 she founded CANDLES (Children of Auschwitz Nazi Deadly Lab Experiments Survivors). The goal of the organization is to educate others about the Holocaust and the power of forgiveness. A 2006 documentary "Forgiving Dr. Mengele" was made about her and her story focusing on her use of forgiveness as a path to self healing. In 2015 she traveled to Germany to testify at the trial of Oskar Groning where she thanked him for testifying to the events. Her story has been told through several documentaries like "Voices of Auschwitz" and "Incredible Survivors" and recorded  for the University of Southern California's new "Dimensions in Testimony Project." Just the fact that she survived these experiences is inspiring but her ability to survive and share that experience with others to help educate them is amazing and her ability to forgive those who tortured her is truly amazing. Despite her early life to me she has a connection to humanity that goes beyond most. 

The cemetery was well cared for which is why as we were driving when Meg saw several graves covered in moss it stood out. 

On the way out we noticed a pyramid and stopped to see whose tomb that was. It belongs to Anna White who is a musician, pilot, and archeologist and also very much still alive. 

After leaving the cemetery we stopped at the Vigo County Museum. The side wall was painted with a large mural showcasing the connection Terre Haute has to Coca Cola. Apparently the glass bottle made famous by Coca Cola was made in Terre Haute by the Root Glass Company.

From there it was time to prepare for an overnight Paranormal Investigation at the Indiana State Sanatorium in Rockville Indiana. I'll say here it was an amazing investigation with slamming doors and disembodied voices throughout the night. As we finish our review of over 90 hours of audio recording, 40 hours of video recording, and over 900 photos I will make another blog post with more about it. 

On the way home we had two more stops. The first was Upland Brewing because they now own the rights to Terre Haute Brewing's Champagne Velvet beer. We stopped in at their brewery for a delicious lunch and two flights of beer to taste 8 different beers. 

Then we stopped in Mitchell, Indiana the birthplace of Astronaut Gus Grissom. Grissom took part in the Mercury, Gemini, and Apollo programs. In 1961 he became the second American to fly into space twice. I read that Gus Grissom was nearly disqualified from the exclusive NASA program due to Hay Fever however after arguing that it would not be an issue due to the lack of ragweed pollen in space he was allowed to continue. He passed away January 27, 1967 during a pre-launch for Apollo One along with Ed White and Roger Chaffey due to a fire started by faulty wiring. There are several memorials to Grissom and we stopped at one that was a recreation of a rocket. Around the base was a description of Grissom's life and accomplishments including his early life in Indiana, military service, and participation in the early space programs. 

There is also a museum but with several hours left to drive and after being up most the night investigating we had to keep moving. 

We got home around 8pm and went straight to sleep because the next morning we had to get up early to help with a town clean up project.