Spotlight on ghost investigator Linda Zimmerman

By M.J. Hanley-Goff
October 19, 2007

For the Times Herald-Record

Linda Zimmerman, local ghost investigator and Orange County native, has been conducting investigations for more than 10 years and says that the emergence of psychics like John Edward — whom she describes as "very credible and likable" — and who then reach celebrity status has made communicating with the spirit world almost trendy. She has a full roster of Hudson Valley library lectures and ghost investigations open to the public and more and more she finds, these events are well-attended and many sell out.

Unlike other ghost investigators, Zimmerman prefers to work with just one partner to eliminate the possibility that a big group will cause interference and dilute the integrity of what is found.

"I have been on investigations where possible EVPs could not be considered as evidence because others in attendance could've been the cause," she says. "And since I come from a scientific background, I need to see real evidence that cannot be explained by faulty pipes, missing door latches, or any other reasonable explanation."

For that reason, Zimmermann finds herself extremely busy as a ghost investigator — an irony since she never intended to be one. With a degree in chemistry and English literature, she enjoyed a career as a lecturer and author on subjects like astronomy and the Civil War.

"But during one of my lectures I was asked if I'd seen any ghosts. I told one ghost story, and that was it," Zimmermann explains. Since then, she does more than 40 ghost story lectures a year, and has written seven books on ghost investigations and hauntings in the Hudson Valley.

She recounts one notable haunted site in Orange County, Monroe's McGarrah's Inn. Built in the 1700s, the inn is one of the oldest Masonic Lodges in the country. Unexplainable footsteps and ghostly apparitions have been frequently reported, and Zimmermann has confirmed that there is a spirit residing there with unfinished business. It is believed that hauntings can be one of three types.

A residual haunting is where a figure repeats a certain action, like walking past a window at the same time. A poltergeist will move objects and cause general nonmalicious mischief. A demonic haunting involves an angry force causing violence and can be a real danger to the inhabitants. In times like these, a rite of exorcism may be performed by a demonic expert.

Zimmermann was once called to help a mother who said her house was haunted by little children.

"She told me that her children told stories of hearing children laughing and running around, sometimes poking them while they slept," she says.

On subsequent investigations, Zimmermannn was able to confirm the reports and discovered what might have been causing the activity.

"After finding out some facts about the previous owners of the house, there must have been some resolution since things quieted down soon after," she says.

And it's a comforting thought that in cases like these, there is someone to call in to confirm the reports and leave the owner knowing they aren't crazy.

Zimmermann, who takes every SOS call with a grain of salt, conducts an initial phone interview, and visits the site before committing to an investigation.

"I also want them to meet me, to feel comfortable with what I'm looking to do," she says. Zimmerman, like other reputable ghost investigators, doesn't charge a fee to do an investigation because she can't promise anything.

"I can't say that I will clear their house," she says, "but when the evidence points to it, I can say that their house is probably haunted, and that may be all they needed to hear. It confirms that they aren't crazy. At that point, it's their choice whether to accept it and learn to live with the mischief or move on."

Visit www.ghostinvestigator.com for more information about Zimmermann and a calendar of events.