Iron Island Museum, Buffalo, New York was perhaps one of those most interesting episodes of “Ghost Hunters” ever. I was incredibly lucky to interview Linda Hastreiter about this amazing facility. She not only provided me lots of information about others who have studied the place, but also gave me lots of quality EVPs to listen to that impressed the heck out of me.
As a recap, the episode featuring Iron Island Museum included many incredible occurrences. Kris was standing in the hall speaking to the other Kris when she saw a shadow shape move in front of the door and the door opened and closed (it had been definitely locked). Later on, Grant climbed the ladder to the old church attic and saw a dark figure and a heard voice and then ducked as it came towards him. They got some great footsteps and some amazing EVPs and disembodied voices. They even sent Tango up there to cuss at some of the ghosts and goad them.
There are occasionally episodes on “Ghost Hunters” when TAPS gets things that ring so true to me that I don’t even have to think about whether it’s haunted or not. This place had the exact kind of features found where I grew up and it was so familiar to me that my hairs on my arms stood up. When I did my previous study of 50 haunted places around the country for my haunted formula, the Iron Island Museum scored 6/6! Deservedly so.
Linda is a very gracious and enthusiastic experiencer of the paranormal. She reports that the museum is light and comfortable and cheerful in the daytime, but when nighttime comes, the tone of it changes drastically. I have my own theories that being in the hub of railroad tracks, there could be a static electricity issue that makes it more possible for spirits to manifest. The geology of the area is also very promising for haunting issues, as well. The history of the building; however, is very intriguing. It has been a church and a funeral parlor. Can you get better conditions?
Many people have reported incidents in the building including Linda who would rather not go there alone at nighttime. It’s known to create sounds of furniture moving, a shadow man, voices, footsteps, and reports of women, children, men, cat and dog spirits. It seems to show activity no matter what the time of year or conditions. In fact, it’s so haunted that when TAPS was there, the geomagnetic activity was quiet and yet they found success!
I asked Linda if she had ever spoken out loud to the ghosts. (Anyone who’s experienced this at some point has to do this—it’s a natural reaction to strike a bargain). She appears to have as charming and helpful a relationship with the ghosts that she does with people who inquire about the museum. Linda says she likes to greet them hello and inquire about their well being. She realizes that there is a fine line one must walk between understanding a place is haunted and actually having daily unexpected occurrences. It appears she’s made the transition an amicable and inquisitive one, seeking to know more about the entities that linger.
Since the showing of the episode, they’ve had teams from 41 states and 5 countries come to visit the museum and study it. The activity is so frequent that it’s as close to a sure-thing as hunters are likely to come across. When Chip Coffey, the psychic, came to visit, he was able to name off some of the spirits who haunt the place and these identities in the building’s history were uncovered.
Class A EVPs (these are EVPs that are so clearly language and so clearly understandable that anyone listening will know just what they’re saying—the highest level you can achieve in EVPs) are commonly captured there. In fact, they have gotten a woman speaking Polish, a cat meow, gunfire, and even evidence of intelligent hauntings with direct answers to direct questions.
Do you live near Buffalo or want to go to an amazingly haunted place that won’t waste your time? The museum allows ghost hunts 7 days a week from 7 or 8 pm to 3-4 am. Next time I'm in the east, it's up at the top of my list. You can learn more about it at their site.
