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October 2005
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The Haunted Barn of the Carson Valley
By Richard Senate

The place stands on a remote farm today.   It isn't marked on any map nor does the site have a marker of any sort to let the passing parade of traffic know that this isn't just any barn.  This place once knew violence and death  and some believe that it is scarred by the blood of those who ended their lives here.   Few passing today could imagine that this farm was once the site of a community, a town of sorts that never grew.    It was on a major road at the time and even boasted a hotel and saloon.   These places are gone now and all that remains of the hotel is a basement--now under the barn.     The Cotton Hotel was well known throughout the Carson Valley and the small community that grew around it was called Fairview.  But, for some reason the place seemed to attract the worst sort.  In the early days of Nevada history a brutal gang held sway here. They were called the border ruffians and no one was safe from their wrath.   It is said that a burley mountain man came to the hotel long ago. His name is unknown  to us but he was called old Sawtooth.   It was rumored that he, and he alone, knew the location of Snowshoe Thompson's lost mine.   It is said that he worked the ledge of gold above Genoa and kept it hidden. From time to time he came to town to buy whiskey and supplies. These he paid for with gold nuggets from his mine.   The Border Ruffians tried to follow him back and learn the location of his diggings but, the old mountain man was too smart in the ways of the wild for them and they never discovered the mine, it is still lost to this very day.    When he came to town again old Sawtooth was murdered for the gold in his pockets. Some say they tried to force  him to tell the location of the mine and he died under an awful red-hot bowie knife.   They took the body to the  basement, and buried it under the bags of potatoes.   They say that the body of old Sawtooth is still there,  in the earthen floor of the basement.     But the murder of the mountain man isn't the only tragedy to mar the site. Years later another infamous man rode his horse to Fairview. His name was Sam Brown and he had quite a reputation in the area.  He was a gunfighter who killed a man at an early age.  Everyone feared the boastful and savage brute.   To speak a word against him was to invite your destruction.   He had killed eleven men and, so they say, he was looking to make it an even dozen.   He was drinking at a Carson City saloon boasting that he would kill one of the local farmers for the crime of loaning a pistol to an enemy of the gunman.   A local man overheard the boast of Sam Brown and ran off to warn the intended victim.   But  Brown had overlooked the character of the farmer.   He didn't run, he loaded his shot gun and went after him.   He knew Sam Brown and when he saw him at the barn  he unloaded both barrels into the man's chest, ending any threat to his family or person forever.  As it was in the west, no one condemned his action.  Facing a mad-dog killer like Brown on the street would have been  foolish.  They took the body down the steps to the basement of the Cotton Hotel  and placed it next to the potatoes.   In time they would take the body to Genoa where the man who lived by the gun, died by the gun., was buried.     In time the hotel burned to the ground and the town that never grew vanished from the maps.  A farmer built a barn here, using the old basement.   It was not long before people told of ghosts there in that barn . They remembered to tales of Sawtooth and Sam Brown. They say their ghosts haunt the place.  It seems they don't like each other, these ghosts of yore.  The gunfighter and the mountain man throw potatoes at each other and move things in the night. Woe to any who come into that basement when they are angry at one another.  Is it a legend?  Who knows, but a local farmer once said he knew the place was haunted because he felt himself picked up and thrown by an invisible spirit.  Was it the burly Sawtooth or the murderous Sam Brown? He didn't know.   The barn should be examined for any clues or bones. Perhaps if the body of Sawtooth could be found, and given a decent Christian burial his ghost would rest at long last.

13 Places Mr. Senate would love to investigate:  

 1.  The White House in Washington DC. I would love to spend a night in the Lincoln Bedroom and try to communicate with the 16th President.  Many have seen and heard him in that historic chamber.

2. Falcon's Lair, in Beverly Hills, the former home of Rudolph Valentino. I would love to hold a séance in the room where the silent heart throb once conducted séances in 1925. Richard's aunt once spent a chilling night in the house back in 1930 and saw the ghost of Valentino.

3. Castle Dracula, Transylvania, Romania. There is something about Vlad the Impaler that captures the imagination. To spend a night in the ruined castle would be a lifelong dream.

4.  Longleat House, Bath, UK.  Here a ghostly woman walks the halls. I would love to spend a sleepless night in the haunted gallery looking for the green lady.  Once I almost got my wish to visit the place. Sadly, the owner wasn't able to meet with him.

5. Little Round Top, Gettysburg , PA.  The three day Civil War Battle took many lives. One Union Soldier who fell was a relation of mine. Strangely enough, a Confederate soldier related to my wife ,Debbie, also fell at Gettysburg.  To spend a night at Little Round Top and tour the place so well known for ghosts would be one of my fondest dreams. 

6. Fort Warren, Boston, Mass.  The Fort is haunted by a lady convicted of being a spy during the Civil War. Many have seen ghosts here.  It is said that Edgar Allen Poe served here once and that his ghost may well haunt. To stand on the old battlements at dawn would be a treat--as would seeing the ghost lady.

7.  Heber Castle, Sussex, UK.  Here Anne Boleyn is said to walk on moonless nights.  Yes, castles seem to hold a special place for all ghost hunters. For me Heber Castle would be my ideal. Here Anne Boleyn, Henry VIII's second wife wanders with or without her head. I would watch from a tower and see if the queen of all English ghosts makes an appearance.

8.  Hitler's Bunker, Berlin, Germany.  The place where the Nazi dictator took his own life must be haunted--at least that's what I believe.  I would bet that the old bunker is haunted because of all the deaths that took places there at the end of the war.  If evil exists it must linger there. To spend a night at that place would be both scary and exciting.

9.  The Fortress of King Henry, Cap Haitian. Haiti.  The fort high on a hill was a man-killer built for the cruel king of the island nation. Prisoners and enemies of the tyrant were worked to death to build the place. It is an extremely haunted place. One ghost is that of the fat king himself. Seeing the moonlight from the walls of that old fort at Cap Haitian would be a real dream. If any place is haunted it would be.

10. Abu Simbal, Temple, Aswan, Egypt.  This temple is rumored to hold several spirits that date back to Ancient Egypt.  A night there would be grand--but I would not want to be there alone!

11.  Lincoln's Tomb, Springfield Ill.  Many have heard Lincoln walking the pavement before the tomb. I believe that the ghost isn't Abraham but that of his son, Robert. I would like to find out who haunts this place.

12.  El Moro, Habana Harbor, Cuba. The old Spanish fort has long been rumored to hold ghosts. Once used to house prisoners of Castro's Cuba, its ghostly population may have grown over the years. The Moro in Havana has ghosts, so I am told. I would love to spend a night touring the place where so many died over the centuries.

13.  Ground Zero, New York City, USA.  Where the two towers fell taking so many innocent lives.  Yes, I have heard the stories that the place called ground zero is haunted. I would love to spend a night at the footprint to the two great towers. I believe there will be something there and maybe I can help them. 

Richard Senate's 13 most haunted places in the South:

1. Old Town Inn, Manassas, Virginia.  Miss Lucy haunts room number 52 in the old section of the Inn. But this unhappy soul wanders the whole establishment spending much time in the restaurant.  She likes to play pranks such as messing up sheets on the beds and getting into surprised guests beds with them   

  2. Birdstone Bridge, Baumstown, Pennsylvania. For 100 years the ghostly image of a woman has been seen on this bridge. Believed to be the spirit of a woman who took her own life here long ago. Sometimes she even speaks to those who see her always talking about life after death and urging them to join her on the Other Side. (Bridge now gone)    

3. Fort Fisher, State Historic site, New Hanover, North Carolina. The  sad ghost of General William Whiting wanders the cite of the Civil War fort he once commanded.
He was killed here and, so they say, still commands his ghostly Confederate troops. Seen mostly at dusk near the Old Parapet.  

4. Glenwood Plantation site, Natchez, Mississippi.  The ghost of mad Dick Dana haunts here where he murdered Jennie Merrill. He was tried but got off due to lack of evidence ,but he slowly went mad with guilt and now still haunts. It is said that his victim also wanders here crying out at dusk.   Site became known as Goat Castile.  

  5. Poe House, Baltimore, Maryland.  Now a museum this was once the home of grim poet Edgar Allan Poe.  His ghost doesn't haunted here. The spirit reported is that of a woman. 
Some say it's the spirit of Poe's wife, Virginia.  The ghost is said to tap people on the shoulder.  He is buried in a near-by cemetery. ( 203 N. Amity Street). The house is now a museum.    

6.   Coffin House, Nantucket, Massachusetts.  This 1797 house was built for William Coffin, a bank director. He was falsely accused of taking money and had his reputation and life ruined. He is seen wandering the halls in 18th Century clothing. Now the Coffin House Restaurant on Union Street.  

 7. Liberty Hall, Frankfort, Kentucky.  The ghost who walks here is known as the Gray Lady. Some believe it's the unhappy shade of Mrs. Margaret Varick who passed away in the house. She was buried in the garden. She is seen looking out the windows. The gray lady is not alone as no less than two other ghosts dwell here. House is now a museum.    

8. Truman House, Independence, Missouri. The ghost of the former president walks here. He is seen in the living room relaxing. Smells with a supernatural origins are also encountered.  (223 North Main Street)    

9. Hull House, Chicago, Illinois.  Built in 1856 this house is haunted by the infamous Devil Baby the spawn of Satan, who was housed here.  The ghost is said to haunt the upper floors and strange mists have been seen and photographed from time to time.  Odd things seen in the attic window. House is now a museum (800 S. Halsted Street)    

10.  Molly Brown House, Denver, Colorado.  The ghost of the Unsinkable Molly Brown is said to haunt her house. Apparitions, footsteps and an party complete with clinking glasses has been encountered her. House is now a museum. ( 1340 Pennsylvania Street).    

11. San Carlos Hotel, Phoenix, Arizona.  A ghostly woman in white haunts this Inn. She is the spirit of Leone Jensen who took her own life here in 1928 by leaping from the seven-story hotel.  There are several more ghosts here including three young boys  and phantom laughter.  (202 N. Central Street.)    

12.  Mizpah Hotel, Tonopah, Nevada. The fifth floor is haunted in this 1908 hotel. The ghost of a murdered lady of the night still walks the place where she was stabbed to death. She is known to enter people's rooms and disturb their sleep. She may well be seeking her killer. (100 Main Street).    

13. Andre Pico Adobe, San Fernando, California. The ghost of Andre Pico and his wife Katerina haunt this two-story adobe building. The woman is mostly seen at dusk and many have taken her picture over the years. The library, where Katerina died, is the center of the haunting.  

Richard Senate's  13 most haunted places on planet Earth.  

1. The Tower of London, London, United Kingdom. The Bloody tower was used to house royal prisoners for most of its 900 years of existence. There are more ghosts here than any other spot in all of haunted England.  The most haunted area is the white tower.  The place where de-capitations were held is also haunted by a grim shadow.  It is best to visit this old castle in the morning and, if at all possible, in a rain storm as that's when the ghosts are most likely to be out.  The Beefeaters who guard the place have many stories to tell of the supernatural at the Tower.    

2.  Ballygally Castle, Northern Ireland.  This 1625 castle has a number of ghosts that appear persistently. Today it serves as a 30 room hotel and restaurant.  Perhaps the most seen ghost is that of Lady Isobel Shaw who knocks on the doors at night. She took her own life by casting herself from the window of her rooms into the bay below.  The basement has  a ghostly woman as well. The most haunted room is Number 1625 .    

3. Versailles, Paris, France.  This huge royal palace is the most haunted place in France. Some believe that the gardens hold a Psychic Vortex where the past and present meet. Some have seen images of the past and the ghosts of  the French Royal Family.  Many sightings are linked to the small Petit Trianon mini-palace.  Ghostly servants and staff are seen every few years.   

  4.  Falkenstein Castle, Saxony, Germany. This castle hold several ghosts but most focus on a haunted bed that is locked in one room. Today the castle is open to the public but the ghost has not gone away. It is one of the most haunted spots in Europe.  Ghost Hunters have gotten amazing photographs here over the years.  

  5. Pavlovsk Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia,  Located south of St. Petersburg this 18th Century pile is haunted by the White Lady who walks the halls and appears in the Cavalier's Room.   The Tyrant Czar Peter lived here until his years of misrule ended in murder.  Killed by his son Alexander (who became Czar) he became a hero of the Russian People.  Some say Alexander faked his death. When Lenin took over after the revolution, the grave of Alexander was dug up. The ornate coffin held only rocks. Now a museum.    

6.  The Coliseum, Rome, Italy.  This ancient arena is said to be the most haunted in all of Italy.  The old stone and cement building has hundreds of ghosts. Most are seen at night and appear to be ancient spirits. Best time to view the spirits is in the winter months at dawn or dusk.    

7. Temple of Kali, Mirzapur, India.  This temple to the death goddess Kali is haunted by members of the cult who murdered victims by strangling them as offerings to their goddess. Today the cult is known as the Dacoites. The best time to hear the gasps of the spirits is at 3 pm. The whole place is chilled by the negative energies of the death cult from their last reign of terror in the 19th Century.    

8. Hachiioji Castle, Outside of Tokyo, Japan. Built in 1570 the castle is now a ruin but even so it is the most haunted site in all Japan, and Japan is a very haunted nation. When the castle fell in 1590. The women jumped to their deaths by leaping from the walls to a ravine below.  The screams of their last leap still echo here.  So many died that waterfalls of blood were formed in the rocks below.   Many ghosts photographs have been taken here.    

9. Corregidor Island, Manila, Philippines. This rocky island was the scene of a terrible battle in the Second World War.  A ghostly woman dressed as a US nurse haunts the entrance of a tunnel. Other ghosts wander the island beached including those of Japanese servicemen who lost their lives when the Americans re-took the island in 1944.      

10. Rose Hall, Montego Bay, Jamaica.  The great house of Annie Palmer is said to be the most haunted house in the Americas.  Built in 1780, Annie Palmer killed her three husbands and many slave lovers while she ruled  her sugar plantation.  She became known as the White Witch of Rose Hall.  Restored today it is still very haunted and  many visitors and seen and felt the cold chill of the ghost. Many ghost pictures have been taken here as well.    

11.  MacKenzie House, Toronto, Canada. William Lyon MacKenzie haunts his former home, now a museum. He  Was a firebrand political leader who served as Mayor of Toronto in the 19th Century. His ghost and that of his wife are encountered in the basement and bedroom. Attempts have been made to rid the house of the ghosts  but they have ended in failure. This house is said to be the most haunted in all Canada.    

12. The Octagon House, Washington DC, United States of America. The White House has many ghosts but the chances of seeing them on a tour are rare indeed. A better place to encounter ghosts is the Octagon House, now a museum. The ghost seem most at this unique building is the spirit of Dolly Madison, wife of President Madison. After the British burned the White House in the War of 1812, this building was used as the presidential residence.   Strange smells, footsteps and even apparitions are seen here.    

13. Alcatraz Island, San Francisco Bay, California, United States of America.  Many ghosts seen and heard at the old Federal Prison, now a museum.  Screams are heard, voices echo in the cell block. Punishment cell 12 and 15 are haunted by an evil presence.   Some believe the ghost is a Mob hit man named Butcher who was killed while doing time on the Rock. Alcatraz is indeed one of the most haunted places in the United States.    

GHOSTBLOG date March 15, 2005 AD

This is a big deal in the video world! Read below.

MARSHAN  PRODUCTIONS AWARDED 5 TELLY AWARDS

Oxnard, CA-The winners of the 26th annual Telly awards
have been announced and MarShan Productions has been
awarded a record 5 Telly Awards for various productions.

The hour long episode of Ghost Stalker, starring
Richard Senate and produced by Mary J. Davis, won the
Bronze Telly for Documentary.  Shane J.Davis received
the Bronze Telly for Use of Special Effects and the
Silver Telly for editing.  MarShan Productions' demo
reel and an 8-minute comedy short entitled "Searching
for Inspiration" also won awards.  "Searching for
Inspiration" was a collaborative effort with GMI
Productions, owned by Scott Bolton and James De Ruvo.

GHOSTBLOG date Feb. 26, 2005 AD

We are receiving ghost story submissions. Go here to read them! Submit yours to me if you have one you want to share. Addresses are not posted. - Richard Senate

GHOSTBLOG date Feb. 24, 2005

Webmaster John is making the attempt to do some updating of the site, as you might have noticed, so look for new things to be posted, and of course, my usual commentaries. Some things added are: some EVP samples, some photos of my past, very successful ghost tours.  Check the slider at the left for new stuff. --- Richard Senate from Carson  City

PS: I just noticed some strange "comments from Christians"  on my guest book- guess I will leave them on the guest book and you can respond. Thank you! - RS

GHOSTBLOG date Feb. 21, 2005

Richard Senate will be giving the following ghost  tours, sponsored by Phantom Bookshop.

Alcatraz Island--March 13th  from 12 to 4 pm.    

May 7, 2005  Ventura's Haunted Hotels. Meet at lobby of the Bella m. at 1 pm. Three hour tour. With special hand out (haunted southland Map)  Cost:  $25 per person, $45 per couple. Will sign books.  

August tour TBA--Haunted Ventura. (same as above)   

GHOSTBLOG date Feb. 21, 2005

The site stays! Overwhelming protest squelched the painful decision to close this site that was being considered. Please support us by donating or buying books! These are tough economic times and you will be blessed!- Email me to just say "hi" or if you have some ghost problem. I am residing in Carson City, Nevada and you can reach me at  HaintHunter@aol.com . I answer all e-mail. If you did not hear back from me, I never got your mail.  This is a rare service, I know, and most ghost hunters will not answer every e- mail, but we are different. I am here for you! - Richard Senate 

Thanks everyone. - John Anthony Miller

A while back a woman placed the ghost of her father on e-Bay. The ghost was linked to the cane the old man had owned before he passed over. The woman said that  the sale of the ghost (and cane) was so that her son would not be frightened about encountering the ghost of his grandfather in their family home. The sale of a ghost  got on the wire service and the numbers went higher and higher as one bid followed another. This was seen as a sort of joke because the secular and hard-headed editors of the main stream media do not believe in ghosts.  But, many Americans do, and this opens a whole new line of thought.  Is it ethical to sell your grandfathers ghost?  Maybe this sale is a terrible moral crime.  Maybe the ghost of the grandfather might have imparted some wisdom to his grandson? Maybe the ghost could have saved his grandson from some mishap, many have reported such things in the past.  Selling a ghost is a bit like selling an elderly parent and only acceptable to people who do not believe such things exist.    The idea that one can sell a ghost brings out the concept that ghosts "belong" to someone and can there for be traded on the open market.  I fear that  with the monetary success of this e-bay transaction more and more people will come forward with "ghosts for sale."  I believe that this will cause more harm than good and give fuel to the so- called skeptics and debunkers  who go out of their was to make ghost hunters and believe look like fools.  

New Ghostly Project

Mr. Senate has embarked upon a new book project for 2005. This will be a collection of ghosts and haunted places in the Carson Valley of Nevada. These include the towns of Genoa, Minden and Gardnerville.  The book will include the haunted cemetery of Genoa, The Dake house ghost, the haunted barn, The haunted theater, the ghosts of the Carson Valley Museum and the haunted Logan Building. If you have any ghostly accounts of this area please feel free to contact  Senate via e-mail.    

New Ghost Pilot Finished

After one full year in the making (has it been that long?)  the Ghoststalker-haunted adobe video is done. Made by Marshane productions of Oxnard this one hour documentary makes a strong case for the belief in ghosts. Much of the data  in the form of eyewitness accounts of those who saw ghosts at the Historic Olivas Adobe in Ventura, California.  The video includes photographs of ghostly forms taken at the adobe.  The video is now being shopped to the Discovery Channel and other cable networks.  The video was co-produced, written a  hosted by Richard Senate. It was a project he longed to do for the past five years.  The Olivas Adobe ghosts seemed more than happy to comply and strut there ectoplasm stuff before the witnesses and cameras. If this project sells Mr. Senate has more haunted house investigations planned in future months. If you would like to be a part of future projects let Mr. Senate know as soon as possible.  

New Ghost Sighting in Virginia City    

The snow covered streets of Virginia City have known the tread of millionaire, gunfighter and con-man over the last 160 years.  The ghost of Mark Twain is said to walk the streets he trod when he worked as a simple newspaperman here in the 1860s.  Many ghosts call this place home. 

Perhaps one of the most persistent haunts is found at the bar of the Washoe Club.  It a man wearing a cowboy hat and black duster. As many historic re-enactors come to this living museum of a town such dress isn't that odd.  Also, many miners and real cowboys call this town home and their dress isn't that different from the clothing worn a century ago.  The ghostly cowboy sits quietly at the end of the bar. One legends says that when people buy him a drink he tips his hat to them and then drains the glass . After his libation he vanishes away.  The ghostly cowboy isn't content to just sit at the bar--sometimes, late at night, he likes to take a bit of a walk through town.

A local sheriff found himself assigned to duties at Virginia City. He thought this would be easy duty with just a few drunken tourists as diversion  in his long hours patrolling the historic district. He didn't believe in ghosts then. Late one night, about two AM, he saw a man walking down "C" Street. The man was wearing a cowboy hat and a long black duster. He assumed the man's car had broken down.  He pulled up to the walking man and asked if he could use some help with his car. The man didn't look at him of speak. The pale man just kept walking along the wooden sidewalk.  The deputy felt something was wrong. Maybe there was something wrong with the man, maybe he was suffering from some mental problem!   He drove up twenty feet and stopped the car. He got out to see what the story was about the odd man in the long coat. When he stopped the man had vanished.  He looked for him in the ditch, side streets but he had vanished.  It was the strangest thing he had ever seen.  The next day he told some of the locals about the vanishing man. They asked him to describe the fellow. When he did they agreed it was the phantom cowboy of the Washoe Club-just out for a stroll. The very next day the deputy put in for a transfer.   

CONTEST--- BEST GHOST STORY
Mr. Senate would like to offer a unique contest. Tell us your true encounter with ghosts and haunted houses. The best stories will be presented in upcoming issues of this newsletter or published on this website for the entire world to read. Stories should be true accounts. They should be between 200 and 300 words, They can include photographs as well.  The best story will win a signed copy of Mr. Senates new book "Psychic Search for the Ghost of James Dean."   Second best story will win a copy of Mr. Senate's Book "The Haunted Southland."   Please include your mailing address with submissions.  

Send your story to HaintHunter@aol.com  

WOULD YOU BUY A PAGE FROM A HAUNTED BOOK?

In his many travels Mr. Senate has collected a museum of strange artifacts from all over the world from a brick that once was witness to the terrible last murder of Jack the Ripper in 1888 to ancient statues from an Egyptian tomb.  Perhaps the strangest artifact in his collection  is a book. It is without a cover and all printed in neat Spanish. The book was a gift to him from a padres at one of the California Missions.  The book is printed on rag paper and dates to 1810.  The book is also haunted.  Those who have borrowed to book tell of seeing a phantom padre in a gray robe wandering their home. Others tell of odd dreams of old California. One man dreamed of being a Native American ringing the bells, another dreamed of witnessing a bull fight.
People say that the book also causes things to happen. Things are moved about by unseen hands and pictures are moved from walls.  What ever haunts the book it seems to like religious things and will not touch them.  The haunted book has  moved by itself going from one box to another.  

What is the cause of these strange happenings?  Mr. Senate had several psychics hold the book and they came away with several impressions.  One saw a pious monk linked to the book. This early missionary is still trying to convert the heathen peoples he encounters. Another saw a ghostly Native American woman who was the focus on a young padre's lust.  Still another saw murder and death.   After several months of reflection Mr. Senate has agreed to  take the book apart and sell each page of the book for those who would like the challenge of owning a haunted book. The page can be framed or used in experiments. All he asks is that your supernatural events linked to the book be forwarded to him. He also asks that the pages be handled reverently.  Each page will be sent with a document of authenticity and account of supernatural events.
Each page will be offered at a price of $19.94 cents.  For your part of the haunted book contact me at HaintHunter@aol.com or The Phantom Bookshop  phantom@phantoms.com   

TOURS WITH A GHOSTLY TWIST  

New tours coming in the winter months.  

HAUNTED ALCATRAZ.  The ghosts of Alcatraz Island have long been the focus of TV shows and books. Mr. Senate would like to offer a tour of the haunted Rock for all those in the bay area who would like his unique take on this most haunted place.  Yes, Mr. Senate saw a ghost there quite recently while taping a TV show for Discovery Channel.  The tour will include tips on seeing ghosts and how to feel their presence.

The former Federal Prison started out as a Civil War era fort and was used to house POWs from the Confederate Navy. In the 1930s it was turned into a prison for the worst of the worst prisoners in the federal system.  In those early years it was a horrific place where even talking could result in 19 days in the punishment cells. The place was closed in the 1960s, occupied by Native Americans and lastly opened as a museum.   Many believe it is the most haunted spot in the United States today.  The tour will start at pier 41 in San Francisco and take a boat to the former prison.  The tour will last two and a half hours.   The fee is $48 per-person. This includes trip to island, admission to prison site and hand out information.  Trips are planned for February 12, 2005.  New dates will be selected for March and April.   Please contact Mr. Senate at HaintHunter@aol.com if you are interested in this tour and a chance to meet with, and work with one of the pioneers in psychic research in the United States.   The tours will start at 1:00 pm and  end at 3:30 pm.  It is encouraged to take cameras, tape recorders and dress warmly.  Alacatraz is a grim place but, it offers some of the best chances of seeing a ghost in the USA.    

GHOST RADIO ON MR. SENATE'S BLOG SITE  

  I would like to introduce a fairly new feature on my website: Ghost Radio. We hope to present different radio features that will go into many aspects of ghost hunting and the psychic world. It will include tips for ghost hunting, strange stories, and unsolved mysteries. We hope to change this  feature so that when you check there will be new programs on the world of the paranormal. It is our hope that we can present some new and innovative features to the site over the next eight weeks.   So keep checking back with us! -- Richard Senate  

WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE ON THIS BLOG SITE?  Let us know! Contact John at Phantom Bookshop at phantom@phantoms.com or me at  HaintHunter@aol.com

1.  Real pictures of Ghosts	2.  True accounts of ghosts	3. What Mr. Senate is up to.	4.  Where to look for ghosts	5.  Tips on ghost hunting.	6.   EVP and ghost voices.
7.  Reviews of TV shows and movies about ghosts	8.   Articles on UFOs	9  Articles on famous haunted houses	10. Stories on psychics and ghost hunting	11.  New movie projects by Mr. Senate	12.  TV shows where Mr. Senate is appearing

13.  Something else?

Visit me at iOffer! phantom1949

;                                               
BUY YOUR HISTORIC CD NOW! We did only a few of these.
 Music, captions, good photos in a haunted place! 
Produced by Phantom Bookshop, photos and layout by John Anthony Miller, artist.

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The price for both the book and the CD in case is just $25.00  including shipping. You can send a check to Phantom Bookshop, 2929 Foothill Road, Ventura, CA 93003 or call with a CC# at 805-641-3844 
or use Pay Pal (our Pay Pal ID is phantom@phantoms.com). 

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Books by Richard Senate
Each is $12.50 incl. shipping. Price exceptions are Psychic Search for the ghost of James Dean (has soil sample from crash site for psychic experiments w/book and book offered here is one of only 50 uncorrected proof copies). Ghost Stalkers Guide to Haunted Calif. is out of print, we have only a few copies in stock. All are perfect bound paperbacks. Each is signed by Richard Senate. Click on the button, payment is made through Pay Pal, or you may call us at 805-641-3844 to place your order.

Archived Ghost Blogs

Website/design/maintenance: J. A. Miller
Director/advisor: Richard L. Senate
Paranormal consultant: Debbie Senate
Contents/Images  Copyright 2005 Richard Senate

 

GHOSTBLOG DATE 01-23-05

I have just seen the improved musical slide show CD of my Nov. 18th Ventura farewell party that John Anthony Miller put together, and I must say it is pretty good. Besides capturing the spirit of the day, the photographs and layout are good. Order one....if you dare! Who knows, it might be haunted! More ghostly information will be posted shortly!- Richard Senate.

Jasmine Lilly Christenson, Newest addition!

In the near future Phantom Bookshop Productions will be producing more Richard Senate Audio CDs and some visual works as well. We are working on one now pertaining to old radio interviews I did when we had a the internet radio show (Haunted Radio) some years back. I will add some very creepy EVP that I recorded into the CD as well. There is some good ghost hunting information that Richard Senate gave that aspiring ghost hunters, or anyone interested in the paranormal, can use. Keep tuned!

Also! Happy Birthday Sarah Senate! She is 18 today!! Such a pretty and talented young girl. Very intelligent also! But I think she knows this already!

More later!-- John Anthony Miller at Phantom Bookshop in Ventura, CA

GHOSTBLOG DATE 11-17-04

Here is an excerpt from the latest, soon to be published book by Richard Senate THE GHOSTLY TRAVELER. This lifted portion of this ghostly book  is entitled  Life With RIchard Senate: Ventura's Own Ghosthunter  by Psychic Debbie Christenson Senate.

"Everyone sees my husband Richard in one way. He is a local historian, psychic researcher (he calls himself a ghost hunter) and lecturer. To me he is husband, father and friend. He is very human. He never picks up his socks..." 

Want to read more?  Then click here to find out more startling revelations into that rare personage and Renaissance Man, whom we know as Richard Senate, Ghost Hunter... 
-- John Anthony Miller

GHOSTBLOG DATE 11-16-04

Richard Senate Officially Retires and Will Relocate to Carson City, Nevada.
Ghost hunting will never be the same in Ventura, CA, ever again without Richard Senate. "Look out" ghosts in Nevada. We want you to know, that this web site will continue, the base of origin will be from Ventura, and it will be probably better than ever the way we see it. Richard will return once in a while for a private tour or two, so stay tuned. 

No small honor...
Richard has left his mark, literally engraved in bronze, in Ventura, CA. 
This bronze plaque was made up to commemorate and honor Richard Senate for his years of invaluable service and loyalty to the people of Ventura and its City and was presented 
by The City of Ventura. This artifact will be affixed into the adobe wall at the 
Olivas Adobe Exhibit Hall in Ventura, CA. 
Photo by John Anthony Miller, 11-16-04.

Richard Senate will now shortly be relocating, probably forever,  to Carson City, Nevada. Ventura, California's loss is Carson City's gain. As I told Richard today at his "farewell" party (including the Mayor of Ventura and many other notables) at Olivas Adobe in Ventura, CA..."You are Mr. Ventura..." The City of Ventura named a building in honor of Richard Senate at The Olivas Adobe. This is a pretty big deal as not many people get entire buildings named after them. I took some photos of the event today at the Olivas Adobe, you can click here to see them (it is a "slideshow of dozans of  photos, including a panorama of Olivas Adobe. I tried to get the essence of the event on this beautiful day in Ventura, CA.

Thanks for looking. If you get impatient you can see the photos individually clicking here:   http://www.ghost-stalker.com/RichardSenateFarewell/images or better yet order a slide show CD from us with the text and music.

(For a huge full size panorama of Olivas Adobe, click here: Panorama)

                Thanks, John Anthony Miller, Phantom Bookshop in Ventura, CA

 
"So long for now, but I'll be back."

GHOSTBLOG DATE 12-10-04

Due to a lot of interest in internet radio these days, webmaster John Anthony Miller and myself decided to resurrect the old "Haunted Radio" internet broadcasting shows we did years ago with "GiveMeTalk Radio" which is no longer in service. We did manage to find the second broadcast that was done in 1999, and it is linked here. There will be more current ones listed.  (On the streaming audio, you will hear announcements by the software company...until we get some funds to purchase and register  the software, we will have to just keep the ads in the streaming audio.) We will be doing some CD and DVD projects as well as soon as we can find time. I had John move the older GhostBlogs to another page, just in case there are those of you interested in past history. I was also informed that this site seems to have the World's first "GhostBlog" -- which is just short for "Ghost Web Log"--maybe we should have called it Ghlog! Maybe we will. I am doing well here in Carson City, Nevada. I miss all my friends in California, but as Arnie says " I'll be back!" Keep logging into the site. Ventura tours will be coming. Meanwhile check out Janice's ghost site: Haunted Nevada - Richard Senate

p.s. Congratulations to Kyle and the new baby! Here is the link: I tried, but the links are all messed up! Her name is JASMINE and she has a link somewhere on www.growingfamily.com. The hospital is St. Francis, and the city is Indianapolis. If anyone finds the actual link, send it to my webmaster John Anthony Miller!

GHOSTBLOG DATE 11-29-04

Well, I am recovering somewhat. A bit depressed this last month for sure. Ventura is just not the same without Richard Senate in town. When my best friend moves to Carson City, Nevada even the ghosts are not too happy here. Anyway, Richard is with his family in cold Carson City where it is snowing and 10 degrees. Ventura does not know what snow looks like and it is certainly not 10 degrees here (although I did have to put a small heater in my orchid greenhouse tonight).

I made Richard sign a pact with me that he will return for some special ghost hunts in the upcoming months, so I will post this information in the newsletter and on the site. Lately,  Phantom Bookshop has been getting lots of phone calls for Richard Senate books and general inquiries about Richard. So here is his new e-mail address: HaintHunter@aol.com and be sure to give some time for his hands to thaw out while waiting for a response. I suspected as much as for the increased peak of interest. I have seen it happen a few times before in my sordid life: Famous Guy in town for many years. Take Mr. Famous Guy  for granted. Famous Guy moves out of town--oh no! We lost him! What did we have? Too late!

I produced a small token for Ventura folks (or any RS fan)  to remember Richard Senate by. It is a CD slide show, with music and text, with many  high resolution photos of his November 16, 2004 Farewell Party at the very haunted Olivas Adobe here in Ventura, CA. I have posted a smaller version on this site, but this CD has crisper photos and a caption page before each photo. There is also Mexican music on the CD as well, just like the cool Mexican band that played at his party. The CD is some kind of collectible in its own right. Also thrown in with the CD is his famous book of Historic Adobes of Ventura County. A photo:

GHOSTBLOG DATE 11-02-04

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT. You have to call the number below, as this is a special tour by the City of Ventura.

I will be doing a Special Ghosts and Ghouls tour on November 10 (Wednesday) from 7 to 9 pm. Starts on the steps of Ventura City Hall 
It is Number 11502.  Fee is $9  for tickets call 805-658-4726   All other tours are full.  Open new tour due to popular demand-  Thanks.   Richard Senate

GHOSTBLOG DATE 10-22-04

NEW...Richard Senate Ghost Tours sponsored by Phantom Bookshop (for those who could not get into a City of Ventura sponsored ghost tour)

The Ventura City ghost tours conducted by Richard Senate have all been booked up for October and November. There was a large newspaper article in the Ventura Star about Richard and his relocation to Nevada, and that clinched the remaining spaces on the tours. However, I did manage to arrange TWO tours, to be privately conducted by Richard Senate sponsored as before by Phantom Bookshop. These will be the last Ventura ghost tours he will conduct before relocating permanently to Carson City, Nevada. There may be some future tours we will arrange at some future date, but nothing has been planned. Thank you, John Anthony Miller at Phantom Bookshop in Ventura.

GHOSTBLOG DATE 10-18-04

Richard and Debbie Senate article in Issue number 7 (Oct. 2004) of Mysteries Magazine.  Article is by Sean Casteel and is on haunted Hollywood.

Issue #7 Feature Articles in Mysteries Magazine (Oct. 2004) An Interview with Psychic and Medium James VanPraagh Delaware's Headless Horseman While many young men volunteered their services to the Patriot cause, only one brief battle during the American Revolution was fought on Delaware soil. Though the battle was relatively insignificant, it remains firmly etched in the consciousness of locals because of the engaging ghost story of the Headless Horseman that surrounds it. Haunted Hollywood The coordinator for historical programming for the city of Ventura, CA, a local historian, and the author of nine books, Richard Senate conducts tours of haunted Hollywood. Together with his psychic wife Debbie, Senate has made contact with a number of Hollywood’s most famous ghosts. GHOSTBLOG DATE 10-17-04 Richard Senate Health Update! Richard did not need any major heart surgery after many tests and numerous doctor's visits. A procedure was used to go in through a upper major vein to correct a defective heart valve. For some reason a membrane of tissue that developed over time kept the valve from operating properly. This was serious enough though and Richard had to recover from this over a period of weeks. His breathing is pretty much back to normal and his energy is returning. He is getting stronger every day. He will be able to conduct some (perhaps all of the remaining) of his famous ghost tours this month and then it will be off to Carson City, Nevada to relocate. Now is your last chance to go on City of Ventura ghost tour with Richard Senate. There will be no more after October 2004. Information is on the link to the left. Richard considers himself very fortunate. His doctors say he is very "lucky." Things could have turned out much worse. Also, Richard wants to thank all of you who have sent him cards and get well wishes. Seems like all your prayers worked! The "invisible world" is very powerful. More later. - John Anthony Miller GHOSTBLOG DATE 09-27-04 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT! Richard Senate to be having heart surgery.  by John Anthony Miller, owner of Phantom Bookshop, artist Richard Senate entered the hospital Friday, September 24th for exploratory tests on his heart. This procedure determined, in part,  the extent of damage to his heart and the nature of future surgery. Apparently, one of his valves is failing and will need replacement.  He has told me that his condition (shortness of breath, no stamina and chest pains) is getting worse. This is a difficult time for Mr. Senate and his family, and he will be forced to cancel many (if not all) of his Halloween Tours and plans.  "I just started to feel pains in my chest and a constant shortness of breath," he recalls. "I knew I needed to see a doctor."  After many tests it was determined that he will need surgery.  Asked if he was afraid of major surgery, Richard Senate answered; "Hunting ghosts gives you nerves of steel." (I should be so unnerved about all this. Guess hunting ghosts for so many years is responsible for this state of mind) This will be a difficult time for Mr. Senate and we are asking you to send your positive thoughts, prayers, and good wishes his way during this ordeal. He will be undergoing surgery in Ventura, California in the very near future. He will be having another battery of heart tests this Wednesday, the 29th of September.  You can send your letters and cards to: Richard Senate c/o Phantom Bookshop  2989 Foothill Road Ventura, CA 93003. I will give each and every letter and card that you send to him personally.  He would love to hear from you, especially now in this time of change, financial and emotional burden and uncertain physical outcome. As of this morning when I talked to him, he was still  very tired and resting from his last test and having some difficulty breathing. Keep Richard in your prayers, please! One of the pioneers of psychic research in the United States, Mr. Richard Senate has been involved in ghost hunting for the last 22 years. he was the first to use the internet in this study and has worked with some of the best known names in the field including, Dr. Thelma Moss. He has done work for major film studios as well as TV production companies.  For a time he had a small TV cable program called "Ghost Hunters" that interviewed such well know figures as Hans Holzer, Dr. Kenny Kingston, and the late D. Scott Rogo. [Note: As best as I could research, I believe he was the first ghost hunter in California to do "ghost tours."  I do know that he was definitely doing these tours before they became common like they are now. It looks like the last week's private tour sponsored by Phantom Bookshop, the Ghost Tour of Ventura's  Haunted Hotels was the last 2004 Richard Senate ghost tour (private or public with the City of Ventura).  The City of Ventura's October 2004  Halloween ghost tours will most likely all be cancelled from what it looks like now.]   He is the author of numerous books on the paranormal and is currently working on a book to be titled "The Legends of the Heritage Valley."   In many ways he tries to keep a scientific approach to the subject of ghosts and haunted houses. One psychic called him "a believer who tries hard not to believe."  He is still searching for the truth about this topic as he has been since that summer night in 1978 that he encountered a ghostly monk at the old Spanish Mission of San Antonio de Padua.  Let us hope he can continue his life's work.    Updates will appear in the next GhostWatch Newsletter as well as this website. ____________________________________________________________ BLOG DATE 08-16-04 GhostWatch Newsletter was sent out. You may go to our archived site to read it (link at left) or subscribe (link at left). New Richard Senate Tour Information posted (link at left). Richard will be relocating to Carson City, Nevada probably in November and will not be conducting any more tours in this area. There are a number of them listed in the Tours page (link at left), so this will be your last chance to go on one of these legendary tours by Richard Senate, if you have not done so. Keep in mind that Richard Senate started all this ghost tour stuff way before the rest of the nation followed the trend. Richard was a true original pioneer in this area, and would not it be nice to say that you actually went on one of these tours if someone asked you in the future? Besides that, those of you who have been on his tours know what kind of results can be seen and felt. Not Hollywood, just a Richard Senate Ghost Tour.  Books by Richard Senate have been added to the "Books" link at the left. There is a click on button to order a book. Ghost Stalkers Guide To Haunted California is out of print, we have a few copies left, and you might consider getting a fresh, unmarred copy here while we have a few. This is a good book on the subject, many consider the best book on the subject. Upcoming Richard Senate Events Richard Senate  will be featured on Discovery Kids Channel on a show called Mystery Hunters. The show was filmed on Alcatraz Island, San Francisco. Richard  also has a large feature story titled “Haunted Books”  in the current issue of    FATE Fate Magazine is the most famous paranormal magazine in the world. The haunted bookshop article is about Phantom Bookshop in Ventura and is quite strange. A review of my new book Hollywood Ghosts will be featured in the magazine Mystery, October 2004 issue. Mr. Senate’s Newest Book: Ventura Ghosts is available at K.B. Roberts  store on California Street-or you can email Phantom Bookshop in Ventura.  Mr. Senate is now working on a book called: The Legends of the Heritage Valley and has finished  The Psychic Search for the Ghost of James Dean  (link to order this one is below)    BLOG DATE 08-10-04 Richard Senate has a large article with photos that just came out in  magazine about a certain haunted bookshop in Ventura. Fate is the leading paranormal magazine in the world. Also, Ghostwatch newsletter will be going out on the 13th. Tour dates and other strange information will be given. Sign up to get this newsletter if you haven't.    BLOG DATE 07-23-04 The Psychic Search for Ghost of James Dean book is out in a very limited number of Uncorrected Proof copies (only 50-more than half have been sold through our newsletter recently-to those who ordered, your book is in the mail!)  Order here from Amazon.com. PS: I am offering my PERSONAL annotated (by Richard Senate) copy  of this book with MUCH additional information by Richard Senate in it...and with the sample of James Dean crash site soil as well. UNIQUE! Only ONE copy is available!  E-mail me if interested. The price on this collectible is $85, which includes shipping. -  Thanks, John Anthony Miller at Phantom Bookshop BLOG DATE 07-01-04 Ghost Hunting 101 A class in the new science of Phantomology by Richard Senate By Ms. April John This E-Class is designed to instruct anyone who has an interest in the subject of ghosts and haunted houses. It is based upon Mr. Senate’s 22 years of investigations at haunted sites all over the world. The class is made up of readings, experiences and hands on activities. There is a reading list as well as a movie list to see (many you have seen over the years I am sure). There are also worksheets with each lesion that Mr. Senate will review as well as essays. In the end, if you measure up to Mr. Senate’s standards, you will be awarded a certificate as a Ghost Hunter/Psychic Researcher. There are 13 lessons to master. This isn’t a give away class. It will take both time and commitment on your part. If you wish to carry on you will be entering into a world that is on the cutting edge of investigation. Psychic Research, as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle observed, is the last great adventure open to mankind. It isn’t a study to take lightly; there are dangers and few rewards. But, it is a journey into an uncharted land and one that changes everyone who embarks upon this path. You will not be the same person at its end. Mr. Senate has assembled a set of lesson plans and tasks that will take up to the very limits of your beliefs and assumptions. If you are set in your ways, if you do not wish to be challenged, then turn away from this class. If you want excitement beyond your imagination-keep reading and sign up for GHOST HUNTING 101-Phantomology the birth of a new science. A personal message from the founder of the Phantomological Institute. “Ghosts have been with mankind for thousands of years but we are still in the dark about their true nature. Only in the late 19th Century did science begin to study reports of apparitions and ghosts. I want to welcome you to the world of ghost hunting. It is a journey of discovery that I believe will open your mind to the many possibilities that exist all around us. Many start this path, not everyone will finish. But, if you are dedicated and study my lessons you may well be rewarded with experiences others only dream about. You will see and hear things enjoyed by others only in special effects dominated films. It will be your duty to carry on the work-to advance the study well into the Twenty-first Century. I bid you welcome and Happy Hauntings!” Professor Richard L. Senate The Class will start when you send in your check or money order to The Phantom Bookshop. The fee is 25 dollars. Books and other tools (mostly inexpensive) are the responsibility of the student. When you enroll you will begin class at the next day. Lessons will be e-mailed to you. All papers will be graded by Mr. Senate himself. He doesn’t grade on a curve. Extra Credit is assigned if papers do not meet his high standards. He can be reached for questions at set times only-these will be provided to you upon enrollment in the institute. Lessons. 1. Why Ghost Hunting? 2. Tools, Books and Tasks -The Essay Test 3. Ghosts of the ancient world 4. Into the Séance Room. 5. Haunted places and curses 6. The Living Ghost and the Poltergeist. 7. The Cemetery and the Crypt 8. Dangers in Ghost Hunting and Protection (you must pass this to continue) 9. The Interview-and Stake out. Do's and Don’ts 10. The Experiments. Automatisms and Electro-Magnetic fields 11. The Report-and historical research. 12. Finding the Haunted House-Outline of an investigation. 13. Wrap-up and terminology-Towards a new science. Diploma Certificate award. Life membership. Address of Phantom Bookshop: Phantom Bookshop 2989 Foothill Road Ventura, CA 93003     BLOG DATE 06-26-04 Richard Senate is working on several new books: The Ghost of James Dean, The Ghost of Jack London, and some other mysterious things which will be posted later. The books are finished and in publication process now.  Read about Richard Senate's psychic investigation of Alcatraz while filming  a special that will be aired the United Kingdom. This will be in the "Ghost Watch Newsletter" coming out shortly. Also Richard's thoughts of Ronald Reagan, The Great Communicator. Good stuff! BLOG DATE 03-29-04 Hey Guys, Peter James' website is http://www.ghostencounters.com Thanks so much, Bonnie Vent OPI San Diego Paranormal Research Project www.sdparanormal.com (Bonnie:I know I am "brain dead" now...sorry for the mistake! Not Richard's fault. Have had way too much going on in my life these days, mainly not ghost-related!- John Anthony Miller) BLOG DATE 02-09-04. An open letter of apology to Ms. Corinna Renteria and Venturahaunts: It has been brought to my attention that no credit was previously given to the great ghost head photo at the Current Ghost Sighting Link.  An appreciative line of credit goes to Ms. Corinna Renteria of Venturahaunts (their link is on the links page). This omission has now been corrected on the Current Ghost Sightings Page. This omission was merely an oversight of the Blogmaster John Anthony Millert, not Richard Senate's. He leaves the website up to me to post. Also, as I was not there at the time of the recording of the ghost head. All I did was try to give my interpretation of the photo with Richard Senate---my main focus was to interpret and then write text for the web site.  The implication in an e-mail I received late Feb. 9th, 2004 indicated that Richard Senate and myself intended to "discredit" the involvement of Venturahaunts, as follows: 'But in your column on your site concerning the face in the window, it clearly shows that you want to discredit any involvement of Venturahaunts in this column...'and that 'Corinna Renteria thought you would be grateful that she lent you her camera. You even went as far as saying it was your camera in this part of your column.' It was never my, nor especially, Richard Senate's intention, to discredit any group or individual. The omission was entirely an oversight of an overworked Blogger and for this I offer this open apology.The the lack of credits given was entirely my responsibility.-John Anthony Miller BLOG DATE 02-07-04. Frank Manis says:  'John, You do a great job with Richard's website. The idea of a Blog is great!' Here is his website, click on the graphic to get there: This Blog Block was ammended on 08-16-94 GOD BLESS YOU FRANK! WE MISS YOU, REST IN PEACE.  We will leave this banner up as a memorial to Frank.  There is no link now.  BLOG DATE 02-07-04.  New RLS Ghostly Guestbook, Calendar of Richard's events added! Ghost photo taken by Richard Senate at the Olivas Adobe in Ventura, CA (this place has been the topic of numerous TV shows, and ghost hunts over the years).  We even have a photo of the ghost as he was in his physical earth life and his name. Pretty good. This would again give "evidence" of survival of life after death. The link at the left. Or if you are a ghost inside your machine to the right.  It is real, no fancy digital touch-ups. We promise you that. Pretty spooky. One of the better ghost photos, and 100% real.  Richard Senate's evening with world-famous psychic Peter James The Ghost of James Dean by Richard Senate Psychic Detection-James Dean Operation "Ghost-a-float." We constantly need financial support, especially in this "recovering" economy...which is not really "recovering."   Senate Ghost Tour 2003 Website maintained by Richard Senate's compadre and blogmaster, John Anthony Miller.  Contents © 2004 Richard L. Senate, John Anthony Miller       @ %  ___  ~ *** ***~~  *** ( :-) .." ---XXX*** ***OOO--- .. ____< >  ____   +++++                 ***                ?++> .....for our previous subscribers. More coming.