I am going to do a posting a little about some paranormal/haunted places. The first town that I am going to start out with is St. Helen’s, Oregon. This is going to contain history, my experience, etc. I hope that none of what I have said in this article will fend no one. That is the last thing that I want to do. If I have then I appologize. So, I hope that you enjoy this article. I will do my best.
Also, James is working on his writing for his books. You can check out his page by clicking on the "The Offbeat Path" on the link on the right side of this page. His books are going to be about the Paranormal and Strange/Weird places.
St. Helen’s, Oregon.
The city has experienced economic booms, busts, and population fluctuation. Between 1834 and 1900 the Olde Town was settled.
This town started out around 5 small towns. The uptown was named Houlton and the downtown was called St. Helen’s. St. Helen’s was built in 1850. St Helen’s, was first named Plymouth that was founded in 1845 by Captain H.M Knighton. Milton, was the other town that later was named Houlton. Although I can not find when Houlton was established. The two towns were growing so rapidly that they combined the two and named it St. Helen’s. The St. Helen’s town started out as a main port. The port hand burnt down on a few occasions. It is rumored that the town of Portland had something to do with that the fires. It was said that the two towns, which were rivals and the reason why I say this is because Portland wanted to be the town for the main port. After, the last fire, Portland, Oregon became the new port. It turned out that eventually Portland got what they wanted.
St. Helen’s was a major logging and ship building center. It was what they called a deep-water seaport. The first saw Bartholomew White built mill as early as 1844.
I know there were other ways to do that instead of arson. It is called negotiation. I guess back then they did not know how to do that. My only guess is that they did want do that well in those times. But as I stop and think about it, in those days, I so think that they were so caught up in their hatred of other races that they could not concentrate on anything else. That is sad when man is so blinded by their hatred of other races. It is also sad that man thought/think that whites are an inferior to any other races. Well, let me tell you we all bleed the same, etc.
St. Helen’s, is known for paranormal activity from the Old Theater down to the Klondike. So, this brings me to this next thing that I am going to talk about. I am going to tell you about an incident that happened one night when we were out walking around down town one night. There were 5 people that night. A few of us girls had to gone to the bathroom. We were trying to scare James, but my uncle scared us first. I got an evp saying "Playing" which was a female voice.
There were many people that were hung and murdered all through out the St. Helen’s area because of their race. There is supposed to be an old cemetery that is located out in that area. How many people were innocently murdered because of their race and that were innocent? That is so wrong to judge someone on his or her race. There is good and bad in every race, so why did they murder them because of their nationality. That is so wrong to judge someone on his or her race. The trading with a sea captain that was purposely trading items that had the virus. Such as blankets, extra. The story is that the sea captain did it on purpose. Or, was it story of what they call " The Face of a White man" or is it like a hear say. What few were left was put on reservations. Did they treat the Chinook’s like they did the African Americans? Or did they just trade item with the Chinooks to kill them off? I know what the Indian’s went through back then. My feelings to this situtuation just trade item with the Chinooks to kill them off? I know what the Indian’s went through back then. My feelings to this situtuation just trade item with the Chinooks to kill them off? I know what the Indian’s went through a lot back then.
I know that there are people who still are this way. They have there little organizations and their beliefs. My belief is this; there are good and bad in every race. I know this for a reason and the reason is because OF a few things that have happened to me. One is that when I lived in St. Helen’s I was picked on a lot in school. Also, when I lived in Texas, I received a paper on my door that was KKK. That scared the crap out of me.
I know that there was a lot of hatred for the Indian’s back then. I know that some of the white man hated the Indians. I know that there was a few of the white man that would do anything to get rid of the Indians, no matter at what cost. Yet, there were a few that would trade with the Indians to make money weather they liked them or not. What I do not understand is how people can treat other people like that. The world was full of hatred and still is.
I the reasons why I say what I said above about the trading is it feels like I have been there. I know that one reason why I say that St. Helen’s, is so active. It is because of all the deaths that had taken place either brutally or other wise. They say hell is what you have done in you're life and it is what you have made it. Another words if you killed people or other things that were really bad then they are stuck and can not cross over. Hell is said to be "It is what you make it". Another words if a person has killed, etc. then that is what their hell will be.
There is a story that a local shop owner was working late and was hanging items up. He had put down the hammer and it just disappeared. The shop owner scolded the spirit and then the hammer appeared right after that. It is believed that there is a spirit of a small boy who inhabits the shop.
Let me tell you that I am very happy to see a mixture of people there now!
Klondike
The Klondike was built in the 1900's as the St. Helen’s Hotel. It is rumored that a gentleman had died a tragic death in one of the rooms on the second floor. It is said that there was a strong feeling of death. It was later called The Klondike. It is also said that it is haunted of an old owner who had it.
This is a place that I would not mind investigating. I would jump to the chance to be able to run some epv, take pics, etc.
My personal experience there was a few good pics along with one of the pics with a partial apparition. When I was taking pictures of the out side of the building I had this felling that I was being watched. It was a harmless feeling. I think that maybe the presence is courious, maybe they are earthbound for some reason, or wondering what we are doing. Maybe it is a little of that. There are rumors that a St. Helen’s Police Officer had driven by the Klondike and saw someone standing at the door. He got out of police car to check to see if the person was all right. When he arrived at the door and started to ask if the person was ok, the officer then noticed that there were no legs or feet. Then when he looked up the apparition dissipated and the officer went back to his car and left. I am sure that there is more history to this location.
As for the schools I am going to list a few of them and their history. It may be a little confusing at first. The reason I say this is that a few of the schools bounced back and forth from elementary schools to high school, etc.
St. Helen’s, is known for having a lot of paranormal activity. It is also said that there has been a lot of UFO experiences. St. Helen’s might be a small town; it is also famous for theses. I do not know which it has the most of. We all know that back in the 1950's, the UFO's were a hush hush kind of ordeal.
John Gumm School
The school was names after Mr. John Gumm. The elementary school was established in 1919. He is buried at the Masonic Cemetery. Although, I could not find where he is buried. The main reason is that there are a lot of head stones that are missing and or destroyed.
Condon School
The elementary school was established in 1800's. There is a tower on the S.E side corner of the Cascade Hall, which is graced by Thomas Condon. Mr. Thomas Condon came to St. Helen’s as a congressional missionary in 1852. Mr. Condon was with other towns such as Forest Grove and finally The Dalles.
Thomas Condon taught the first school in St. Helen’s.
St. Helen’s High School
It is rumored that the drama class received costumes from Portland. It is said that a female ghost is attached to the wardrobe and came with it to the high school. It is said that she roams the auditorium. The reason why I say this is that I know first hand from a person who has the knowledge about this issue.
The Old Court House
It was built in 1906. IT is rumored that there might be paranormal activity.
The reason why I say this is because there is really no proof or is there any document that may say different. It looks like that the only way to find out is to do an investigation.
Masonic Cemetery
This is a cemetery that has a lot of history for the St. Helen’s area. Theses people were the pioneers that started the town/towns that St Helen’s was eventually made.
As we drove up to the cemetery I have noticed that there are a lot of head stones that are either missing, destroyed vandalism and not really being taken care of. This is sad. The reason why I am saying this is because it is a part of history for this area. It is sad that it is not taken better care of. I have been to a lot of cemeteries that are old and that are kept in immaculate conditions. I just pray that someday it will be taken care of.
I had gone to the Masonic Cemetery. I did get a few EVP’s. I have one that say’s " Talk to you" and the other one says "Talk".
Although this is history that has to do with the St. Helen’s history.
Like I said earlier it does need attended to. It is definitely not well taken care of.
The Stairs
There are these stairs that have some runners. We had gone there to run some evp. When we got back home and ran it through Cool Edit. At the very beginning you here a females voice starting to say right before Mylissa started saying the same thing it is "Slide down the banister" and then we heard a lot of knocking sounds. There is a rumor about a man dying there.
Although when we were there we picked up a lot of voices not only male but females also. I was having an experience to where the air around me was a lot colder than anywhere else.
Stay tuned for more on St. Helen’s. There will be The Masonic Cemetery and more on the courthouse.
Stay tuned for the next article.
Diane B.
30 July, 2008
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10 comments:
hi i am from yankton wich is right outside ofst.helens.but i went to school in st.helens.and hung out with my friends there all the time. my sister told me that the high school auditorium ghost is named vira, thats what they call her anyway. also i heard that the klondike was also the operation site for a lot of botched abortions. and the women died with their babies. ive been there but when my friends and i asked to go to the basement to check itout they said the guy with the key wasnt there, but they would be willing to let us look around.i still havnt.someday maybe.
your site is really good so far, keep it goin. blessed be jacqueline
Hi, My name is Mary. I am also a resident of St. Helens. I have lived here for the past 12 years. Although I have heard of the paranormal activities and ghost that roam the old town I only have one experience that I can say of. I used to have a business on the second floor of the Muckle Building right behind the Klondike. I was there by myself one night doing some after hours clean up and paperwork. As I was walking through my class room one of the windows looked strait accross into the second floor of the Klondike. It was always dark and looks as if they store a bunch of construction supplies up there.This spacific night I happened to look out the window with the feeling of someone watching me and notice a shadow of someone walking by the window. To this day I dont know if there was someone on the second floor that day or if it was one of the known spirits that walk the second floor! My husband also went to St. Helens High School and has told me stories of vira the ghost in the auditorium. I was also told that underneith the muckle building there was caverns/caves underneith where the captain would take and kill people. I have always felt a very negative vibe in this town. I have wanted to move for years. It just doesnt ever seem like the right time! I lived in a new housing development when I first moved out to St. Helens. I could swear I was told that were my house was built was an old anncient indian burial ground. Nothing but bad came from that place. People dieing of heart attacks at a very young age, filling bankrupcy and divorce. There are only a few of the origional people living in that particular development. I think it was cursed. I myself ended up divorced and filed a BK. It was horrible! Thanks again for interesting reading!
There are a lot of things that happened in the St Helens area. I was going to do a part 2 to this blog.
I have not done it yet in fear that it might upset people and have a bad recoil.
I know that there are a lot of the facts that are not going to come out. All I want is the trut to come out. And, we know how that turns out.
So, stay tuned for a further follow ups.
Thank you for all you're commenst.
Please do part 2! I live in Vancouver and I am always looking for places with paranormal acitivity nearby to visit and research... This article is a wealth of information, thanks for posting it.
Hi I'm Chloe and I've lived in St. Helens for nearly my entire life, and I used to live near olde town. I have a friend who lives on N 5th Street near Olde Town and her house is believed to be extremely haunted. And I mean, bad, very bad. Everybody that goes into her house has a story or just gets negative vibes. We've been listening to music in her house before and the volume knob will turn up by itself, on time it was so loud we had to turn it off because the volume would keep re-adjusting itself, the drums downstairs will bang around from time to time as if someone fell into the whole set, but the scariest experience I ever had there that scarred me forever was once I burned a CD downstairs in a computer room, which is said to be the mose haunter room in the house, and the burn when completely fine, until I took it upstairs to play it back on the stereo. Everys ong except one, one I play constantly at her house, had a clear what sounded male, voice recorded over the track. I asked my friend if the ghost she knew of was a boy and she said no, I then stretched the track out on an audio program I have and it was a female voice, crying almost like a help me message. I was highly disturbed and so were a lot of people that normally went there, so I haven't gone there much since that. I've been trying to research if any shanghai or hangings have happened in that area but have found nothing. I was hoping maybe you could help me or turn it into one of your own projects. The track is pretty disturbing, but I could email it to you or post it in a blog for you to check out.
Hello. I am finding you comments very interesting. For years while I was a child in ST. Helens those places you mention were always a hot topic for us children. The stairs were always reported to have faces in the stone and the cemetary was ever more interesting with the graves sticking out of the earth from settling. The Klondike basement was nothing more than a work shop for Dennis to work on his Triumph motorcycles. I slept on the couch down there many time between breaks.
Another hot spot that was actually put on television by the paranormal group out of Portland was the old Pythian building ballroom.My husband and I ran the Time and allroom there for almost six years.We lived up ther for most of that time.Activity included voices,air changes,electronic tampering,movement.I became very comfortable with them. When the new owner took over the building we had to leave and it felt like I was leaving a part of my family. If you would like to talk more you can reach me at debrajacobus@yahoo.com
Not sure if the st helens hotel is the same hotel as the Columbia hotel in st helens circa 1923. My Grandmother was the Proprietress. I have pictures to go with. She died during ownership very young from a tortured death. Any history please contact me: engine13port@yahoo.com
Hey Diane! My name is Aaron, I live in an old 1910 farm house by Pittsburg RD off of highway 30. My wife and I have three children, one being almost a year old, one is almost five and another that will be seven the day before Halloween. My two older kids refuse to be upstairs for a long period of time, my wife and kids have told me they have seen a man woman and child in the house, I'm not one to believe in such things but... I've heard walking around upstairs, and in my room towards the foot of my bed, we have all heard whispering (I don't talk about it with my children much). I've felt extremely negative energy but have also felt positive energy. I love my home and have no intentions of moving (we love Saint Helens) anytime soon if at all. I plan on going under the house with a metal detector and see what I can dig up! Let me know if your ever in the neighborhood Mailaarons@gmail.com and we'll give you a little tour.
@ Aaron Stevens, we are right now in Alaska. WE will be back down there this coming summer and if you like we can do an investigation if that is what you are looking for and see what we find.
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