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 Post subject: Our Investigations Of The 4th Ward School & Hebrew Cemetery
PostPosted: Tue Oct 14, 2014 12:51 pm 
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Location: Las Vegas, NV
Our Investigations Of The 4th Ward School & Virginia City Hebrew Cemetery -10/11

For the past few years it has been our tradition to bring our viewers a taste of Virginia City in October of every year. Slowly but surely I am getting all sorts of locations investigated if not for ghosts for the history and it appears that everyone has really enjoyed our VC journeys.

Virginia City for me is like stepping back into a time machine although most of the town at one time was destroyed with two great fires many original buildings do remain and most of them are haunted. Most ghost groups go here with the intent of thrills but I go here with the intent of documenting these haunted sites and to bring you guys something you can learn out of it.

In this case we would take on the 4th Ward Historic School and the Hebrew Cemetery. Its hard to believe that I finally made it to both last year they closed did not make it there in time and for nearly three years I spent my time offroading trying to find this cemetery which is in the back country of VC. So both places been on my bucket list for awhile.

You have to understand that its important the work we do its not just about ghosts or thrills. Their is a real goal at preserving these sites so that your kids kids can enjoy all they have to offer historically. When anything involves Mark Twain or some remote burial ground that has been forgotten we really aim to bring our viewers more then just a ghost hunt.

I always enjoy packing a picnic lunch before I head up to Virginia City maybe stopping for a coffee this time a Guatemalan cup of Joe enjoying the scenic ride up into the Virginia Hills. It is a high desert but one with trees, canyons, offbeat roads and semi ghost towns Its a nice drive and it never gets old. For me I have access to Virginia City anytime I want it but our trips are special they involve more then just walking around the boardwalks.

We would eventually make it up to the top of the range where we would go to the visitor center believe it or not if you visit there first you can get all sorts of good information. I even gave the camel a hug something new they added there actually its a representation of the camel races held in Virginia City. I bet some of you did not know it but wild camels use to roam some of the mountains nearby till they went extinct in NV. Which in turn might be maps to locations or historical overviews no less it comes in handy if your going to investigate any location. Jarrod and I brought a whole backpack of Halloween costumes its PGS tradition that you wear various costumes throughout the holidays however getting my GF to do so well that is a bit more of a task lol.

4th Ward Historic School

Believe me when I say this their is no other school left in the country like this one its hard to believe they jam packed 1000 kids here. But what kid would not want to go to school here think about it on a clear day you could see over 100 miles in the vast wilderness of Nevada.

I did not realize it was actually confused when I seen a sign that stated caution Zombies ahead I was like WTF till Tammy told me their 2nd annual Zombie run was being held then I relaxed. I thought at first things were going to turn out like The Walking Dead and instead of ghost hunting id be zombie hunting instead lol.

. Their was a lady who operated the museum she tells me two other ghost groups are scheduled for the day and talking as if I am supposed to know who they are. I do not brag but I run one of the largest paranormal sites on the web does not matter how you cut it all the work is our own and we have done allot of work over the years. But allot of groups never leave Virginia City nor do they put the time or effort into the places that we do because most people only care about one thing that is the ghosts not the history, nature, views, artifacts etc

So as an owner of a paranormal group I make sure each place now is done with care but also with allot of heart. We might get a million people who might view one of our cases so its important to get it done right the first time and not just post one EVP and say we investigated it. Investigating it involves so much more then just an EVP or an anomaly.

The fourth floor to the school and basement were on lock down so I was only able to bring you guys the first and second floors sorry. But both of those floors have plenty of classrooms, artifacts, history and scenic views out the window to enjoy.

We decided to head up to the 2nd story first it was in the morning very quiet and I just loved how the wood stairwells/floors creaked. Upstairs had four very large classrooms of course the principals office was locked on up but I could see through the window it was nothing fancy believe me.

The first classroom I went into was the Mark Twain room it had allot of desk, chalk boards surrounding it then a locked room with a printing press. Their was old type writers and all sorts of other artifacts that perhaps an author might use or even a student. The printing press room was locked up but you could see it through the glass. Their was allot of artifacts and history associated with Mark Twain.

This room was a bit cool but what struck me the most is that one of the desk I had gotten some major EMF spikes at. Its kind of interesting when you look at the desk and see all sorts of doodling on it like names or random words. Its kind like the historic graffiti when you climb the stairs its all over the walls from students who either graduated here or wrote it prior tot he school closing down.

The Mark Twain Room like the other classrooms had a wood stove can you imagine being a student here it gets so cold up in Virginia City the teachers probably spent more time throwing wood in it then they did teaching in the cooler months.

The next classroom was called the dead end mine it was a cool room lots of mining machinery, mining exhibits, peep holes that peered inside what a mine would look like and history. Their was all sorts of gems in cabinets also we could see that were found here in these hills and well if you know me then you know I love Gems. We had gotten EMF spikes around some of the old artifacts its possible maybe something attached itself to them but it surely was not any power source causing the spikes.

The third and fourth classroom we went into was the E.L. Weigand Great Hall which is actually two classrooms but they can be opened by these large sliding doors. This is where the school auditorium was, plays and even recreation. The room features an organ actually almost every classroom had one. I guess that if you were in a given classroom your art, music, history, math etc would all be held in one place so the rooms were equipped to hold these kind of things.

The great hall was empty it was drafty here also learned about these vents below the windows which bring in ventilation from the outside. That room had a PC a few chairs and then two large panoramas of Virginia City before and now. You can see that at one time Virginia City prior to the fire a century ago was a large city today its big but only a third of its size much like Bodie is in California sad to say.

On our way down I tried to ring the school bell the curator told me it had to be pulled from the bottom I was like oops I had gotten a bit excited to ring it lol. I would say if there are any ghosts in the school the Mark Twain and Mining rooms have some very unusual Gauss readings unlike the Great Hall so its quite plausible to say that their may be something supernatural here.

We would eventually head downstairs to a place called the Vintage Classroom which had lots of desk including maps of geography as well as very old books. Their was also a dunce cap which I put on my head I thought it was pretty funny. I sat in the teachers desk holding the apple and opening up an old book we had our fun. Besides it really gets the ghosts more active or willing to talk with you via digital recorder. We rely heavily now on our EVP's when we investigate haunted locations so it will be exciting to hear what the dearly departed has to say to me.

They had in the vintage room some formulas which we solved, old newspaper and many maps. Their was also two pictures maybe newspaper clippings pieced together of Lincoln and Washington. I cant say they may have been pieces of old paintings students did or something who knows there was nothing about it so we can only assume.

Their were two separate bookshelves on each end of the room both had high Gauss readings. I noticed this upstairs also with a book shelf not sure why. I had come to a theory that if over the years thousands of times kids borrowed or used those books then their would have to be some kind of energy present surrounding these books. I had gotten mediocre readings at both bookshelves in the Vintage room. It was a pretty cool experience and just confirms my theories that maybe their are some haunts associated with the school itself or energies that attach themselves to some relevant areas within the schoolhouse even certain desk where students may have sat at one time.

Across from that room was another one this one houses allot of the old relics from the 1800's. You had the oldest bottle of Tabasco sauce here, artifacts from China town and even an old Roulette table. Their was also allot of old glass bottles, rubber stamper, lanterns and other tools. Like the mining room this also had old mining tools even a model for what a processing mill would look like from the outside and in. I been to plenty of these mills to investigate so it was nothing new to me but the model is good for folks who want to stay safe from a distance peering at one through a glass case. They even had old dresses the women would wear in the 1800's very Victorian looking and an old school camera tourist would use man that thing was bulky.

I have to admit this room had no activity whatsoever allot of powerful lights and exhibits not one set off my Gauss Meter so I do think I can compare that with the readings upstairs. Since upstairs very little power if any at all flows through the classrooms which means in comparison I believe the upstairs is more haunted.

The last area we would working with is the changing Gallery this room is a bit set up differently. For example their is a doorway leading down this narrow corridor with chalk boards all along it. The main room however in itself features an old phone, telegraph machine, pictures of Virginia City from the 1800's and mining history. Their was also a TNT blast box and even some old timber from a mine.

What I found strange about this room is that I was walking around when my EMF spiked for about 10 seconds then all of sudden the energy disappeared. I spent a good 15 minutes walking in circles trying to get something to interact with me and finally while I was filming it spiked randomly again. But earlier in the video the same spot had no readings so its really good evidence I can include to show that energy within the school is mobile and can appear at any given time as fast as it can leave.

The final classroom of our journey would be the alumni room which contain an old stove for home economic students to learn how to cook, organ and pictures of many of the students who attended here. Their was also was an honor roll plaque, pictures of students who ended up joining the US Military, artifacts from the school like emblems that get ironed onto school jackets, old clippings and yearbook class pictures of the students. The alumni room inspired me these photos were at one time of kids who eventually graduated to make lives for themselves in this region. They opened up big businesses, operated successful mines and some even served in the World Wars. While you look at some photos you can tell that some of these students died in war so the room kind of serves as a veterans memorial also.

I also found a superintendents safety box for valuables and even an old wood chest. I guess what fascinates me more then anything is the fact that so much has been saved or preserved. Your looking at times dating back to over 100 years ago in some cases even older then that. These remnants were at one time a huge part of Virginia City and they had gotten their fair amount of use.

This room also had allot of information about the school and the changes it had undergone through the years. I expected there to be allot of EMF activity here but it was very mild nothing to be alarming about. However looking at over at pictures and B&Ws of various students who attended the school gave an eerie feeling. I mean most of the people you see in these photos they are no longer here with us but at one time they were students who attended this school they were a part of what was and is today.

The last area I would investigate was the museum it had allot of older children's toys their was a huge case behind glass of glass wear and bottles. Their was archives of old documents and of course gifts you could buy if you wanted to. I noticed when I was in the classroom I would see on some of the desk laminated the students rules or Math homework etc. I have to say even schooling a century ago has not changed much many of the studies done in schools today were similar to back in the day even the math.

When I finally had gotten out of the school I did not realize I was in there for so long I had missed the zombie parade. But I did finish up the investigation by walking around the property. I came to realize that their are parts of the school like doors, halls and areas that are off limits period. There is allot more to see and maybe someday ill return to see if I can get in the areas that are extensions off the side of the school which might house some of the artifacts not in use or store some things its hard telling since I am not the curator here.

I did come back into the museum to give the curator a stack of my business cards only then did she let me ring the school bell and I have to say that was the funnest part of this trip. To ring the old school bell was like being a kid at a candy store more exciting then the ghosts. I know I got EVP's and video footage of high EMF readings so the evidence captured is not in question but to stand there pulling a rope so that the entire city can hear the school bell that means something!

We would eventually park downtown it was quite busy believe it or not the Zombie Run was going full force you had zombies running all over the streets then people running from them. Each runner gets 3 flags if a zombie gets all three or zombies your out of the game. I seen so much stupidity during that event like people panicking running into zombies knocking them over while I seen a lady fall and get trampled by a group of people. I just do not get human nature people will kill to win serious!

Generally when I ghost hunt in Virginia City I spend time downtown ill go to various shops I almost bought me a skull cane I really need one for my bad knee when it acts up. We went tot he leather shop even went to the gem store which has all sorts of stuff including Megalodon Shark teeth. So many shops so much stuff to see it really is hard to know what you want or want to buy.

All the runners in the Zombie Run have numbers on their backs and red flags around there waist of course I did not. I ended up running down main street with my cape and top hat on screaming with my hands up. People were in shock it was hilarious some were laughing but others were freaking pissed off. The news was even filming me lol. Probably thought who the hell is that crazy guy he is not part of the event. Ehhh it was all good fun my point I guess I am making is people pay so much to be a part of this event it should be free it really should its just for fun. Anybody can run down main street screaming and acting all scared of someone wearing zombie mask ya know? lol

After my run it was time to go eat I generally like eating at the Delta Saloon its from the mid 1800's the food is good the service is great the Pale Suicide Ale is some of the best beer I have ever drank in my life. I love to get a few pounders get tipsy and walk the boardwalk in VC lol.

We had a nice lunch Tammy ordered Chicken Fingers, Jarrod a quesadilla and me a Philly cheese steak with homemade onion rings with dipping au jus sauce. I ordered a suicide pale ale and watched the Zombie Run from the big glass windows. They were letting runners out of these giant shipping crates it was pretty cool. Actually I did not feel so bad wearing costumes downtown considering how many others were to so I blended in of course the curator at the school probably thought I was nuts she seen in me in about 7 costumes probably thought this guy is whacked out haha.

After lunch we went to one of the shops I bought me a dragon shirt going to wear it this Saturday for our expedition up near Lake Tahoe. Its our last Bigfoot adventure of the year so we want to make it a good one for our viewers plus I am big on T-shirts never like to wear the same thing for my investigations kind of like Nick Cannon he has a million suits lol.

I did spend time photographing some of the zombies and filming some of the runners downtown. Ill integrate that into our website considering its something pretty funny to see and you guys will enjoy it. Virginia City has allot of cool activities all year around so to attend one was pretty cool.

I did take a bunch of photos in Virginia City for the site also to go with the school. As some of you know I do not half ass my work if I am going to do something I am going to do it on a much larger scale. I like to have fun but my main goal is the preservation of history and giving our viewers a reality to what real paranormal investigating is like. TV shows and allot of other groups mask things I try to give you a real look into what really goes on behind the scenes.

When I was eating at the Delta these two brunettes wanted to take pictures of Tammy, Jarrod and I. I guess they thought we looked cool. Jarrod gave them some PGS cards since we are a reputable word of mouth family run paranormal group. Were not out to get famous we just want people, schools and fans to enjoy the locations we bring you. We try to keep it fun and educational all at the same time. Do I think the school is haunted? Yeah I think their are some ghost that roam those classrooms I been doing this for years some places have it some don't the school has it!

After we made our way back to the truck we were about an hour maybe 90 minutes from sundown so we had to get into gear we spent allot of our time in Virginia City shopping and checking out places. We would now have to take the jeep offroading in the back country of the Flowery mountains to find the old Hebrew Cemetery.

Virginia City Hebrew Cemetery

When you reach the old Silver Terrace Cemeteries you can actually go behind them and their is a whole back country to Virginia City. This back country is filled with old mill remnants, mines, TNT boxes, canyons and very pretty high desert. Trust me it gets remote real fast and their are no guard rails along any of the cliffs so if you roll your truck your done.

I been back here looking for this cemetery four to five times years ago I smashed the side of my truck up as it was stuck ice and slide into a tree all trying to find this graveyard. Its not really visible from the road unless you know what to look for. Lets face it all the graves have been smashed so from high up above it just looks like a patch of grass from high above so its very easy to miss.

Tammy and I followed the cliffs around where I parked at this old wagon road which led down to the bottom of this canyon on a hillside. Because of the hill the cemetery makes it hard to view from the road below this is why a year ago when I had a full team we never seen it because it sat on top of a hill which to us at the time had snow on it and looked like part of the high desert.

I could see through some big trees wrought iron fencing it was just a massive 120' x 120' square it was obvious the metal fencing was much newer. But prior to that the cemetery had a wooden fence and you could see the old wood post near the gate in the front where that once stood but today only a few post remain.

The road we were on was overgrown and so narrow if I took the jeep id been stuck probably because it comes around the back end of the cemetery through high desert. The road turns very sandy and its just very rugged back here which is why people don't find this place that easily.

When we reached about half around the old cemetery wagon road we seen six wild horses grazes right up along the perimeter of the cemetery fence. I slowly walked up to the horses trust me its dangerous you do not want to do it unless you know what your doing just like filming bear or any other wild animal it has to be done with caution. Jarrod and Tammy stayed back eventually they moved a few feet away from the fence then I went around the front end of the fence entering into the cemetery.

Eventually the wild horses would go up into a canyon but I got some great stills and great close up video footage including me doing a selfie video of me walking a few feet from them. One of the horses was not liking it though his hair stood up and he was making weird sounds at me eventually I got him to calm down walk away and go graze. No less I never in my life walked amongst the wild horses do you guys now understand why I love the wild west so much? You cant do that back east but you can do it here!

The cemetery was in disrepair the front entrance list the names on a memorial buried here however inside the cemetery nothing is legible. I seen over 20 gravestone smashed to pieces. As a matter in fact with every gravesite almost all that was left was a pedestal. One tombstone was smashed in 40 pieces while another smashed one was all in Hebrew. One grave was in tact standing in some wrought iron fencing while another very beautiful stone was laying on the ground otherwise everything else was just a crumbling pile of stones.

Also the Star Of David found back here on the side of the mountain was gone. At night during my first year out this way I use to see it lit not this time it was just missing like someone took it. I hate vandals its one thing to go to a cemetery and party I get it its fun but do not harm these peoples grave sites not cool!

Tammy and Jarrod sat down near the wrought iron grave when a black old mere approached the front gate then walked around to both of them stuck his head over the fence looked at them both. I have video footage and stills of the horse but he was by himself. While the other six horses already went up into the canyon. This horse was older had white and gray very intelligent hell I may have been able to even pet him from the fence if I approached him slowly I think. But he was checking us out like we were him!

I did do Gauss EMF readings in the cemetery for some reason the only time I ever had gotten mediocre readings was a series of three to four gravesites all close to eachother. All that remained of that family plot were pedestals and again they were not high readings but enough to tell me some energy in that area of the cemetery was present therefore I focused allot of my EVP recordings in that given area.

I did not know it but Tammy and Jarrod told me they found a wrought iron bar smashed outwards from within a cemetery. Were not sure what could have done it serious I mean horses are a bit tall to smash fencing that low to the ground. Its to bad they did not tell me till later because id filmed it but I think I have to check I have photos of it. Its an odd area my son and I were mountain climbing one winter when we found massive tracks in the wilderness here. Its strange their were only a few and they just vanished without a trace. So NOTHING surprises back here its weird, haunted and creepy especially at night offroading back here. This area dates back to as early as 1848 when the first miners and explorers came to this area to seek out fortunes.

I also toked a bowl up and drank a beer to honor the dearly departed. Some might think I go to these places to get lit but that is not true at all. I drink a beer or smoke one to honor those who have passed. Nobody visits this cemetery people have stopped caring about it and during WWII Anti-Semitic people went in here smashing everything to bits therefore since then nothing has been repaired and that saddens me greatly.

Most people do not even know about this place there is another Hebrew Cemetery but its overgrown and has two graves a mile away. But this place it has 25 to 50 burials most of them forgotten in the back country of Virginia City. If people even knew how to get here it might be a different story but there are no flowers on any graves or tokens of appreciation. I even tried to fix a few things but there is hardly anything left to fix.

The sunset was very pretty think about it I sat had a picnic in the Hebrew Cemetery watched a wild western sunset with wild horses all around me it does not get better then that whether your an explorer or paranormal investigator it was something we cherished as a family. Before we left Jarrod and I put on some costumes did our Halloween themed tradition we do every year then we decided before it became to dark we would head on out.

Getting out of here seemed harder then getting in my jeep was sliding along the edge of a cliff on loose stones and dirt. Then we had to find our way out of the many roads to get back to downtown. Its kind of funny because I had gotten out of my jeep to take a look and seen at least four hidden sites I hiked at or been to over the past few years such as Sugar Loaf Mountain and even some of the mills that surround this cemetery. One of those mills is built into the side of the canyon and something big roams back there because we left came back minutes later found huge old miner boots in the snow. Its a strange valley and canyon where the cemetery is I mean when you think about it one of the largest mines in this area left a huge debris pile 20' from the cemetery fence.

By the time I had driven downtown Virginia City the Zombie Run was over with. All the saloons, restaurants and boardwalks were still bustling with people. It was dark out just about and I relished our day we spent it in Virginia City. It was nice just to come home rent a movie chill for the night. I made my kids lemon pepper chicken and all in all it was a great day for our group.

I am excited about getting these locations up on our site the 4th Ward School will have historical artifacts, video footage, EVP's and all sorts of cool stuff. While ill take the decrypted Hebrew cemetery turning it into a place of beauty with all the pretty scenery, wild horses and mining remnants that surround it. Both will be as historic as they are beautiful on our site full of fun but also history, education and of course directed at preservation for years to come.

Our final adventure of October will come as of this Saturday as Jarrod and I are going to climb literally over the Tahoe Rim to this small hidden lake near an old saw mill site. This time of year the leaves are beautiful so are the views but it will be our last Bigfoot jaunt of the season then in Nov. will get into the mines, ghost towns and some of the more hidden strange places of Nevada.

My camera needs servicing again so after our Halloween Party and of course Halloween its being sent off to have servicing done so that the winter season we can bring you the best HD video we possibly can of UFOs or anything strange we find. Its been a good month for our group with the Mormon Fort Station, Maggie's Peak Expedition 2, 4th Ward Historic School, Hebrew Cemetery and this coming Saturdays adventure our hard work will show believe me when I say that.

Nothing however pleases me more then to have my family along side with me when we take on these projects. We keep things real, honest and our work is solid. There is no CGI or special effects just a few of us family members going out there and seeking out the truth.

Our next trip to Virginia City will be in the winter or close to it in December I always go as bad Santa and we take on some really great place. Then I go to the saloon great lit while everybody waves to Lord Rick Santy Claus lol so state tuned because we will go back near Xmas to enjoy the decor and take on another case or two till we finish EVERYTHING in Virginia City we can possibly do.

Its kind of strange because since I been going to Virginia City I have taken on so many locations and most of them we have gotten some really great evidence. But we put so much more into it on our website because to enjoy Virginia City you have to delve deeper into it then just a few ghost stories you really have to show off its history and remnants of the past that survived the fire to understand how classy and great of a boomtown at one time this was and still is! I would not trade the wild west for the world today you still will see some cowboys carrying guns, wild horses on the range and some of the best sunsets in the world! Add in some paranormal, brews, history and it makes it all 110 percent worthwhile!
Namaste,
Lord Rick
PGS Founder

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Love is like a ghost sometimes you cannot see it but it is There


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