HarryCarter Posted September 6, 2011 Report Share Posted September 6, 2011 Here's an article describing an investigation into paranormal activity in Vivian's former Stanford, CT home on Old Long Ridge Road. There are some nice photos of the house accompanying the article. LINK HERE STAMFORD -- One of the earliest episodes of the 1950s television sitcom "I Love Lucy" featured a seance, with Lucy's sidekick, Ethel Mertz, acting as the medium. "Everybody join hands," Mertz said in a voice heavy with exaggerated solemnity. "Now everybody close your eyes and keep them tightly closed. The spirits must not see the whites of your eyes. I am now going into a trance." Vivian Vance, a former Stamford resident who played Mertz, was the focus of a paranormal inquiry again last week. Nearly 60 years after the program aired, members of the Norwalk Paranormal Research Group marched through Vance's former home, a white house on Old Long Ridge Road, equipped with video cameras, laser grids and electromagnetic field detectors. The investigators were trying to see if Vance -- or any other spirits that the owner believes inhabit the historic home -- were interested in communicating. The house's current owner, longtime Stamford resident Melissa Leigh, attended high school in Stamford with one of NPRG's members, Phil Peluso. The organization, which comprises about a dozen local residents with a passion for the paranormal, investigates historic homes, buildings and properties. "It's kind of to bring back history with a fresh perspective," Peluso said. "Because a lot of people drive by those places and never know anything about them." Leigh, a graphic designer, keeps a photo of Vance on a table in the foyer, near a copy of "The Other Side of Ethel Mertz: The Life Story of Vivian Vance." The book contains descriptions of the actress' Connecticut home, including mentions of its barn and rock garden. Vance sold the house in the late 1960s and moved to California, where she lived until her death at age 70. "I always just thought of her as Ethel," Leigh said Friday as she flipped through the book. "You never would have imagined just how beautiful she was. I don't know if the female presence is her." By female presence, Leigh was referring to one of the ghosts and spirits that live with her in the house, which has been in her family since 1976. Leigh said she often feels a presence which she believes to be that of her late father as she moves throughout the rooms. But lately Chris, a son's friend living with her in the home, has sensed a female spirit when he enters the guest bedroom. Leigh's house is part of the historic Long Ridge Village, which contains homes and buildings dating to 1750. Leigh said she believes her property has been owned by only four or five families since the 1600s. Leigh's parents, who were international industrial designers, bought the house in 1976. She said she took clarinet lessons from legendary musician Benny Goodman, who lived nearby. NPRG representatives were intrigued by the house's history, even before they knew it had once been owned by Vance. After talking with Leigh about the home, the investigators decided to begin in Vance's old bedroom, a first-floor room that looks out onto the backyard pool. Leigh sat cross-legged on the bed as NPRG co-founder Lisa Harrington called out questions. "Is there anybody here who wants to talk to us tonight?" Harrington asked. "Is this your home? We're not here to harm you in any way; we just want to communicate with you. Do you have a message for someone?" Receiving no reply, the group moved upstairs to Leigh's son's bedroom, which used to be occupied by her father. Leigh brought with her what the NPRG investigators call "trigger items," physical objects that may hold a special significance to departed spirits. Once upstairs, Harrington put her electromagnetic field detector on the floor. The meter displayed a single green light, which would flicker, or change color if a spirit was nearby. "When a spirit is trying to manifest itself it will cause a disturbance in the electromagnetic field," Peluso said. "If someone is there, it lights up." Clutching her father's wedding ring and blue flannel shirt, Leigh called out questions. "Are you there, Daddy?" she asked. "He's here. I can feel him." The meter displayed a steady green light throughout the questioning, but flickered to yellow and orange when Leigh mentioned her children's names. Later, in the light of the kitchen, Leigh sipped a soda and said she was eager to see what else the paranormal researchers would find during their investigation. "I'm not freaked out at all by this," she said. "It's in subtle little ways, I know my father's just helping me along." NPRG was at Leigh's house until after midnight Friday night. The electromagnetic field detector showed particularly high paranormal activity in the guest bedroom, where Chris reported feeling chills. "It went absolutely nuts as soon as you went in there," Harrington said. "We definitely believe that there's something there. To say it's haunted, at this point I can't really say that. But there is definitely some type of presence in that house. Whether good or bad -- we're not 100 percent on that." Much of the NPRG's work takes place in the light of day, after they spend a late night investigating homes or properties believed to be haunted. Members of the group make video and audio recordings of everything, and spend hours watching and listening to the tapes. This sort of documentation is how Harrington, originally a skeptic, said she became convinced that the spirits are out there. "It's a little much to take in at first, but you get used to it," she said. "When you have an experience, there's no way that you can not believe." Harrington said her husband, NPRG co-founder Todd Harrington, first drew her into the realm of the paranormal. Todd Harrington said he has been investigating the supernatural for 15 years. Members of the NPRG have also investigated the Gallaher Mansion at Cranbury Park and the Smith Street Jail in Norwalk. They are scheduled to reveal their findings from the park to town officials and the Norwalk Historical Society this week. "I have grown to love it, honestly," Lisa Harrington said. "It's an addiction at this point. It's a very hard thing to explain, but once you're in it there's nothing like it." The Harringtons, who live in Norwalk and have three children, spend their daylight hours working in a grocery store and checking car emissions. They said they don't charge for their paranormal research, because it's often impossible to definitively identify a spirit, or be able to say why they're here or what they're intentions are. "I just honestly don't think it's right to charge people for that," Lisa Harrington said. "This is definitely not a money maker for us at all. It's more of a passion." Read more: http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/article/Ghosts-stand-chance-of-discovery-2155565.php#ixzz1XCA1xnum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Posted September 6, 2011 Report Share Posted September 6, 2011 Here's an article describing an investigation into paranormal activity in Vivian's former Stanford, CT home on Old Long Ridge Road. There are some nice photos of the house accompanying the article. LINK HERE Wow, cool. I do some of the ghost hunting myself. Too bad they can't find out if the female spirit is actually Vivian, but it's hard to get solid proof in that field. Beings the house is so old though it could be anybody. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted September 6, 2011 Report Share Posted September 6, 2011 "I always just thought of her as Ethel," Leigh said Friday as she flipped through the book. No wonder Viv's haunting the bejeezus out of this woman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoeySanJoaquin Posted September 6, 2011 Report Share Posted September 6, 2011 No wonder Viv's haunting the bejeezus out of this woman. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annaleigh Posted September 8, 2011 Report Share Posted September 8, 2011 Pull out the ouija board woman! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vivfantoo* Posted September 15, 2011 Report Share Posted September 15, 2011 Interesting -- maybe it is Viv, hanging out in the home she was happiest in. Brock, you crack me up! I thought the same thing when I read that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mot Morenzi Posted September 23, 2011 Report Share Posted September 23, 2011 "Melissa to Vivian, Melissa to Vivian. Come in Vivian. Over". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted June 24, 2012 Report Share Posted June 24, 2012 Seems the investigation into paranormal activity at the Dodds' house is ongoing. Here is a tape of them trying to make contact: Video tour of the house: (Apparently Vivian's decor has been overhauled by Better Homes & Garbage) And the team trying to make contact with their Spirit Box: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annaleigh Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 If this is real, that is pretty cool! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gypsy Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 as a ghost hunter as well, the spirit box session is interesting..they usually come up with some random stuff but sometimes they hit home. As for the decorating..the old things..old things can be something a spirit feels the need to cling to on earth. they feel the bond to an item and they stay..a house, a coffee table, a picture or a person...etc..anything. If they don't feel the closure of death..or if they just want to hang around. It would be neat if Vivian was still with us. Then again..there is a residual haunting..something that someone did every day for years can imprint on a home or on an item and make a "haunting" happen..it gradually will fade away but until then it sometimes is disturbing. Jmho. Gypsy Rose Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 as a ghost hunter as well, the spirit box session is interesting..they usually come up with some random stuff but sometimes they hit home. As for the decorating..the old things..old things can be something a spirit feels the need to cling to on earth. they feel the bond to an item and they stay..a house, a coffee table, a picture or a person...etc..anything. If they don't feel the closure of death..or if they just want to hang around. It would be neat if Vivian was still with us. Then again..there is a residual haunting..something that someone did every day for years can imprint on a home or on an item and make a "haunting" happen..it gradually will fade away but until then it sometimes is disturbing. Interesting! Have any good stories to share about your ghost hunting adventures? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vivfantoo* Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 Wow, very interesting! Thanks for sharing this, Brock, & please keep us posted if you come across any more clips about it. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annaleigh Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 I didn't know of your ghost hunting! That's really cool! I've wanted to attempt it, but haven't gotten the chance to yet. Only oujia board. But imagine being in contact with Vivian or Lucy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leenorman Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 [quote name=DroopyDrawers ' timestamp='1340608613' post='39598] I didn't know of your ghost hunting! That's really cool! I've wanted to attempt it, but haven't gotten the chance to yet. Only oujia board. But imagine being in contact with Vivian or Lucy! PLEASE, STAY AWAY FROM THE OUIJA BOARD!!!! JK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leenorman Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 Seems the investigation into paranormal activity at the Dodds' house is ongoing. Here is a tape of them trying to make contact: Video tour of the house: (Apparently Vivian's decor has been overhauled by Better Homes & Garbage) And the team trying to make contact with their Spirit Box: Brock: Do we KNOW who is caring for Vivian's old residence? Is it family; the village/town/city? Or, is it a museum-type? JK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 Brock: Do we KNOW who is caring for Vivian's old residence? Is it family; the village/town/city? Or, is it a museum-type? JK It sounds like it is a private home at the moment in Stamford, CT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 PLEASE, STAY AWAY FROM THE OUIJA BOARD!!!! JK Bad experience? Mr. Merriweather: Do you ouija? Lucy: What? Mr. Merriweather: Do you ouija! Lucy: I'm not sure... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 Interesting! Have any good stories to share about your ghost hunting adventures? We've got a few but I'll let Gypsy tell you. I'm at the airport typing on my phone right now lol. As for the Vivian 'haunting' I'm guessing it's residual. If there's a spirit present I don't think it's her. My guess is she's moved on. Since the house is so old it could be anybody really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 [quote name=DroopyDrawers ' timestamp='1340608613' post='39598] I didn't know of your ghost hunting! That's really cool! I've wanted to attempt it, but haven't gotten the chance to yet. Only oujia board. But imagine being in contact with Vivian or Lucy! Ouija boards are dangerous. Be very careful with those. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gypsy Posted June 25, 2012 Report Share Posted June 25, 2012 Ouija boards are VERY dangerous..they are notorious for opening up gateways to negative spirits. The spirits will tell you what you want to hear just to get access to your life and soul if it be. Anyway..Taylor and I have had many experiences. It's been years that we have been doing this. The town that we grew up in..the founder of the town lived in a house here..it is now vacant..anyway..we did an investigation there. Was pretty cool. Not too sure what it was that answered us, as we asked for the man who founded the town but anyone who had been passing through the nether world in that area could have answered us. As for Vivian's answering on the spirit box..I hope that she has passed on and if it was her that answered she was just peeking in..I'd hope that it was residual. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annaleigh Posted June 26, 2012 Report Share Posted June 26, 2012 Uh oh. I'll take your advice, that's pretty scary. The experience we had was very creepy also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gypsy Posted June 26, 2012 Report Share Posted June 26, 2012 Yep..they can be very bad. I had one as a child..never used it..put it behind my door as it scared the shit out of me (this was before I knew anything about them) and had nightmares and saw a shadow person standing at my door. We threw it away in the trash...never had another problem but who knows what happened with it after that. I had several experiences as a young child..say..4th grade-ish time period. The class went to an old site where there was a reconstruction of an Indian mound. (http://www.fortlincoln.com/historic-sites.html the on-a-slant Indian site) Anyway class went into one of the ti-pi's and I was instructed to follow along in. I couldn't. I had a feeling as if something was holding me back..and then some pressure pushed through my chest cavity, slowly, coldly..and then it pressed it's way through my back. I kind of blacked out for a while until I heard our teacher scream my name and to get my butt in the room. (as usual) lol..my first real experience..and it changed me forever. I know the spirit could have gone around me, gone above me (as I was a short little kid) but it went through me, and scared me but also opened my eyes forever.. I was terrified for years to go back there and back into the village but finally when I did conquer my fear it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought and it was eye opening for me to finally feel a connection to that place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gypsy Posted June 26, 2012 Report Share Posted June 26, 2012 Here is a few good links for why not to use ouija boards.. http://www.nearps.com/ouijaboards.php http://www.unsolvedmysteries.com/usm355631.html http://www.ghostresearch.org/articles/ouija.html Bad stuff.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annaleigh Posted June 26, 2012 Report Share Posted June 26, 2012 Scary! Yeah I was doing a ouija board that my friend owned for years. She first used it about 3 or 4 years ago and I guess a person was following her around then I finally did it again with her and he came in contact with her again. He said he's been following her for awhile, he also claimed the reason was because she was homosexual and he did not approve of that type of thing. It was very odd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Posted June 26, 2012 Report Share Posted June 26, 2012 [quote name=DroopyDrawers ' timestamp='1340746275' post='39650] Scary! Yeah I was doing a ouija board that my friend owned for years. She first used it about 3 or 4 years ago and I guess a person was following her around then I finally did it again with her and he came in contact with her again. He said he's been following her for awhile, he also claimed the reason was because she was homosexual and he did not approve of that type of thing. It was very odd. Yeah...that doesn't sound like a human entity. Sometimes nasties will pose as your deceased loved ones or stuff like that to mess with you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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