Jerred Albaugh, 14, said he doesn't
think the stories about paranormal
activity or ghosts are creepy.
"It's pretty cool," the Iowa City
teen said.
Albaugh said he's been on a ghost
tour of Chicago -- where he snapped a
couple pictures of what he thinks are
ghost orbs -- and been to see Iowa
City's Black Angel.
On Wednesday night, Albaugh and about
120 others attended a presentation at
the Coralville Public Library to learn
about other haunted locations throughout
the state.
Paranormal researcher Chad Lewis is
the co-author of the book "The
Iowa Road Guide to Haunted Locations."
Although his educational background is
in psychology, Lewis said he's spent the
last 14 years traveling the globe in
search of the paranormal.
"If it's weird in the world, I've
traveled in search of it," he said.
Lewis shared spots where paranormal
activity has been reported throughout
the state.
At the Pleasant Ridge Cemetery in
Palo, 12 steps lead up to the cemetery
during the day, Lewis said. At night,
however, a 13th stair appears, he said.
"If you are afraid of ghosts, this
may be one place you want to avoid,"
Lewis said.
In Iowa City, there is the "Black
Angel of Death." The legend is that the
bronze statue turns darker and darker
black every Halloween because of the
souls it harvests each year, Lewis said.
Cemeteries aren't the only place to
find stories of paranormal activity, he
said. In Iowa, many of these places have
been turned into tourist locations, he
said.
One example is the Villisca Axe
Murder House, where two adults and six
children were murdered in 1912. The
house is available for people to rent
for the evening if people want to spend
the night, Lewis said.
People who have stayed there have
reported hearing screaming children and
seeing a man walking around with a
bloody ax, he said. About 80 percent of
people who try do not stay the entire
night, Lewis said.
In his 14 years of traveling, Lewis
said he has "yet to have anything take
place that I would say is 100 percent
paranormal."
Lewis encouraged the audience to not
just believe stories of the paranormal,
but go on their own road adventures.
"You live in one heck of a weird
state," he said.
