Are There Ghosts in the Museum?

The Archives' "Obituary Room" lies apart from the main archives area, where visitors stop by with questions, chat with the Archives helpers, and quietly peruse items on the big public conference table.

Ducking under the low brick arch, so low it regularly whacks one 6'5" former wrestler and Archives helper, the explorer of the Obituary Room enters a silent chamber. One obituary file silently slides open to reveal hundreds of index cards. Historians from decades past have helped amass these tiny records of former Ypsilantians.

"You'll learn, as you look at these cards, who made mistakes and who cut corners," advised Archives helper J., as I began adding new obituary cards today. Some cards show spidery pencil handwriting. Others have yellowed newspaper clippings glued on. Others have ambiguous old handwriting leaving the visitor wondering, "is that a W...or a D...?"
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Absorbed in delving through the thousands of tiny cards, the visitor senses that the room gets even quieter than silence. The light looks oddly harsh. The opened drawer of cards suddenly seems like a crowd at a party, with each card with something to say. The temperature drops. In the corner of your eye--er, what was that?

Are there ghosts in the museum?

Three paranormal groups have investigated the Museum and Archives. Here is a recent report from the South Lyon Paranormal Society. Transcript below (click on image for larger version).

"We came on the 27th of March. We came at 9 p.m. and investigated until around 1 a.m. We had some very interesting experiences while we are there. Jennifer who is the historian and ghost hunter, saw a woman for a quick second by the piano in the parlor. Cam who is a ghost hunter heard a knock on the attic door and heard the door open a bit behind him. However, these are just personal experiences and we have only our stories to prove these things ever happened. However we did get some photographs with some interesting things in them.

"One of the best ones was when we were up in the attic looking down the stairs at the open door. In the open door are two white balls, which we believe are orbs. We sometime say the balls of light are not those; however there was a picture taken after the white balls were gone, when it is dust it stays around to the next picture.

"We had a fun time at the museum and would love to come back. On us saying it is haunted or not, we believe that it might be. We didn't get any sounds, however hte pictures say a lot. But who ever is here was very shy when we were there.

"They were around but stayed one step ahead of us.

"Thank you,

"South Lyon Paranormal Society."