Night at the Museum(s) with Ghosts
- Vicky
- Jul 1, 2024
- 5 min read
Missouri Ghost Girls reunited again for two highly anticipated experiences of the paranormal. First was the Museum of Shadows in Omaha, Nebraska and then an overnight stay across the state line at Pottawattamie County Squirrel Cage Jail in Council Bluff, Iowa. Our team today included: Amber, Lexi, Erin, Raisa, and myself. This was to be Erin and Raisa’s first paranormal investigation!
Museum of Shadows
This museum houses one of the world’s largest collections of haunted artifacts. The extensive collection includes: dolls, toys, clothing, mirrors, and more, each with a documented history of paranormal activity.
Amber and I had visited this museum at its old location and were very excited to experience the new location. The last time we heard a growl from behind us and were very much ready (though nervous) for what we might experience next.
Raisa and I had arrived first at the museum. I brought my K2 meter, a device primarily used for detecting electromagnetic fields (EMFs) which spirits can influences causing the meter to register changes by changing of lights. We looked over the many artifacts and read a short description about them. One particular artifact, a doll, seemed to be watching me as I made my way around the large first room. At one point when I went to read the description, I thought it’s eyes flashed green at me.
There is one section the museum that has a bunch of clowns. We all watched multiple times a clown in a glass jar seem to move from time to time while we were at the museum. Another section had a long wall of mirrors. One mirror in a corner freaked Amber out, though she didn’t know if it was the story or if she was getting a bad feeling from it as it has a report shadow figure attached to it. Another mirror gave a few of us headaches and even cause us to get lightheaded and those brave enough to stare into it felt like it was playing tricks on their eyes causing them to look suddenly a lot older.
Amber and I discussed if we should do the sit challenge. A challenge where you are in a dark room with a variety of haunted objects for ten minutes. Raisa was the first brave soul. We are able to watch her on a television that has four cameras scattered throughout the museum. We could tell something was happening as Raisa would move their head side to side as if hearing something. Though as we tried to watch them, we all started paying attention to the other screens as orbs and pulsating light started appearing at various times in the cameras in the basement (no living human was down there at the time).
After Raisa, Lexi and Amber went together. Then I finally decided to give it a go. You sit on a bench that is next to an old elevator shaft that has various dolls hanging in it and across from you are other objects including a mirror. As sitting there, I kept feeling as though something was touching my legs in a playful manner. When I dared to look at the shelf, mostly the mirror, I would notice it would have a dark figure in it from time to time. After I was done it was Erin’s turn, who got fed up with something playing with her toes and put her legs on the bench.
We then excitedly talked about our experiences like hearing scratching or ticking, or feeling something touch our legs, or what we saw moving. After these experiences we were ready to head to where we will be staying overnight.
Pottawattamie County Squirrel Cage Jail
Nestled in the heart of Council Bluffs, Iowa stands the historic Pottawattamie County Squirrel Cage Jail. It was constructed in 1855 and is one of the last remaining rotary jails in the United States. This jail features a cylindrical, three-story cell block that could rotate like a carousel. This allowed guards to be able to control prisoner access from a single point. The cells were wedge-shaped and held 2 prisoners each, normally (there were times when the jail was overcrowded). This jail would be decommissioned in 1969. Today, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as a museum.
The experience that Amber, Raisa, and myself were most excited about experiencing was the rumor ghost cats sightings. Other things we were excited about was trying the Estes Method. This is a paranormal technique that combines sensory deprivation with the use of a spirit box. One participant is blindfolded and has headphones on connected to the spirit box. While the others ask questions to potential spirits.
We first started the night with a tour of the jail, then followed by setting up our HQ spot in the old kitchen where the wife of the jailer would cook the meals for the prisoners. At times this room could get up to 114 degrees in the summer. We got out all our equipment, three camcorders, Mel meters, K2 meters, grid lights, cat balls, spirit box, and EVP recorder.
Our first stop was the first floor. Erin and Lexi are both very sensitive and things seem to be attracted to them. We began asking if anyone was around and who was with us. Erin got a feeling of being watched. We used one of the voice boxes and got a response “I fell.” This made us wonder if we got the prisoner that fell from ceiling while carving his name or one of the guards that also fell. As we wander around the 1st floor. We kept getting the feeling of being watched from the upper-level cells. We also felt as if something was going against our legs were these bugs or one of the ghost cats?
Amber got out her grid light because we felt like something was poking its head around the corner. We also used the cat balls not for the ghost cats but as motion activated sensors that if touch would light up. We were able to get them to light up on their own a few times. While asking questions and I taking pictures, Erin felt her back start hurting. We turn on the flashlights and discovered what looks like 4 nail imprints on her back. Later Amber felt her neck start burning.
After a break and regroup we decided to try the Estes Method. Erin volunteered to be the one blindfolded. She and Lexi sat on the floor of the kids ward. Yes, there is a section for children, most of the time it was used when the parents were in jail. Though there were cases of teens stealing chickens. Raisa, Amber, and myself sat on the second-floor cell block and had an EVP session. While none of the questions seemed to be related to what Erin and Lexi were experiencing it was definitely an experience. Erin thought she kept hearing a girl’s voice come through on the spirit box. While nothing appeared on my voice recorder, and my camcorder which was being used got corrupted. I did take out my camera and captured something hovering around Amber who also felt like she was being pressed down. Raisa reported that they thought they saw a large shadow in the other section of the floor.
While in the kitchen later, we kept hearing what sounded like walking and smelt hot coals. We think this was residual of morning duties. Later on, we ventured to the jailer quarters. We tried the dousing rods and were getting some responses. Amber felt a coldness against her leg. I came over and felt that it was indeed very cold and my hand was getting prickly. We think we got to “pet” one of the ghost cats. As Amber and I headed down the stairs we both thought we saw a woman standing by one of the beds.
These two museums didn’t disappoint in the paranormal aspects. Even if one isn’t interested in the paranormal a visit to the Pottawattamie County Squirrel Jail is worth a visit to learn about a bygone age of penal history and of it’s unique design.
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