Ghost Hunting in the Heartland

KTVO.com

(BENTONSPORT, IOWA) "I've had spirits visit me in the night," said ghost hunter Chris Moon of his visits to the Mason House Inn.

Now that may sound hard to believe but some say that indeed happens often at the Mason House.

Built in 1846 this building has served many purposes including a stint as Civil War hospital.

"When we first moved here we knew we were having experiences that it was, we knew it was haunted," said Mason House owner Chuck Hanson.

Chuck and Joy Hanson aren't the only ones who have experienced odd happenings at the Mason House.

"Our guests reported seeing children running down the halls," said Joy Hanson.

At first they kept these discoveries to themselves, that is until they connected with Chris Moon, a professional ghost hunter from Denver.

"We've dealt with dozens over the time we've been here they've come through, they like to talk," said Moon.

That's right, talk.

"We have the completed version of Thomas Edison's telephone to the dead we have actually have two way conversations not just hear it in a room but record it," insists Moon.

The device Moon says allows ghost hunting classes like this one communicate with the dead.

He teaches Ghost Hunting 101 at the Mason House Inn to those who believe and...

"I'm a real skeptical person, you need to change me," said a student.

So were we, so I asked Moon why should skeptics believe a word he says?

"What we ask them to do is use their own equipment use our equipment for themselves then give us a logical answer back of what it may or may not be," said Moon.

Which brings us back to the Civil War.

"We actually had a classroom of high school kids come her and actually photograph one of the spirits, we learned that he was a Civil War soldier and his name is Markie," said Chuck Hanson.

The picture shows a shadow in the window the teacher insists isn't one of her students.

Further magnification of the photo seems to show the outline of a figure that looks like it's wearing a Civil War era hat.

It's discoveries like this that keep people coming back.

"We've actually had eight different aberrations appear to us and our children and our guests," said Joy Hanson.

So you may be wondering, did I happen to see any spirits during my visit?

I'll let you be the judge of that.

--Anthony Miller, Reporting