2009 Backus Mill Investigation.

This investigation took place on June 26th, 27, and 28th 2009. Present were John M. Michelle M. Matthew M., Robin Bellamy, Rob S., Doug B and John David. We found Backus Mill and the investigation of the Backhouse Homestead to be one of the most compelling and interesting investigations ever! The reception of our group was outstanding and we were made to feel very welcome by  staff.

The following includes some eyewitness testimony, and experiences while on-site.
 
1.  There are several eye-witness accounts from staffers, although a handful were asked to be kept completely confidential.
 
2.  One of the custodians mentioned how a creature was seen at campsites 44-45-46 they chased it, but it kept moving away. In his description it had yellow eyes.
 
3. There was also a report to our sister website PSICAN that a visitor saw a gargoyle at the cemetery.
 
4.  A female custodian mentioned how they tried to move a table into another room at the homestead. All of a sudden there was a bad smell described as "the smell of death" another female staffer went into a trance like or catatonic state. She knew what was going on but could not move or speak. The other person she was with dragged her out of the house. She recovered and then they both went back in and put the table back to its original position as they felt this might have caused the strange happenings. Perhaps the family wishes to keep the parlor room the way it is?

 5. One of the staff members was attempting to light candles on the mantle piece of the homestead this occurred around Christmas time and as they were preparing for the season she bent over a rocking chair to reach the mantle and she felt as if she were being pushed. She lost her balanced and fell into the rocking chair damaging it.

 6. In the case of myself for the two-week period before the investigation conversations were heard around my house my wife complained that she could hear people talking in other parts of the house. She also mentioned that she periodically heard someone knocking at the back door I personally heard a conversation in the back bedroom of the house I thought the TV was on or the clock radio however when I went to investigate they were both off. My daughter was also experiencing conversations between two men in the same room as mentioned. My daughter also experienced while sitting in the living room with a friend who also experienced it was someone knocking on the back door of the house six or seven times in one night. Given the line of work I do I didn't pay much attention to this until during the actual investigation Rob experienced hearing the front door being knocked on but no one was there and no sound was heard on tape. The night of our return my wife, and I both experienced someone knocking on the back door and no one was there. Something I found odd was on the Saturday of the investigation a psychic had visited the homestead and through Amanda gave us the message that they were upset and they did not like our equipment. I found this odd because they hadn't even seen our equipment. My equipment is very unique so how did they know we had any? Unless of course they had already seen it at our house. Since the investigation my family has experienced no paranormal activity.

7.    On the way to the investigation Rob our other investigator saw a person that looked shabbily dressed in old clothes walking on the left shoulder of the 401 He was afraid that the old man wouldn't get hurt so he pulled out his cell phone to dial 911 but when he looked back the man was gone. I again didn't give much attention to the report until I took into account my own experiences and the eyewitness testimony of the staff.

9.  A custodian mentioned that while she was in the homestead she was setting the alarm to leave. She then heard someone come down the stairs and exit the door She followed and saw two men dressed like “Quakers”.  Thought they were visitors still in the house. She asked them why they did not lock the door as they were leaving. They both looked at her with a puzzled look and said “They never lock the door “ and they walked away.
 
10.  During the investigation a staffer walked upstairs. When we got to the top the bathroom door swung open which mad a spooky creaking sound and the staffer said that she might not have latched the door properly and upon further inspection by myself. The door was unleveled and opened by itself when not latched. Debunked
 
11.  During the mill investigation an employee, myself, Michelle and another staffer were talking when we heard one of the mill doors open no one was there at the time the employee mentioned that he was sure he had latched it closed and then re-latched the door and tried to open it but it would not open on its accord. No explanation
 
12.  During the investigation on Sunday One of our investigators (Robin Bellamy) was in the front room with myself and a staffer She noticed that a tapestry was hiding a connecting door to the “winter Kitchen” Robin mentioned that she would like to open that door and see where it leads. The staffer explained it to Robin and offered to take us into the winter kitchen by the other door if we would like but she said that there was really nothing in there. We went around the entrance from the hall and the staff member opened the door and went in. I however got the most overwhelming feeling to not go in there John David was in front of me I held his shoulders tightly and said don’t go in. I then turned to Robin and said are you feeling what I am feeling?  She said “yes” and we did not enter. Upon play back of the audio evidence we received an EVP during the time when Robin was in the front door asking where the door lead to which confirms to us our feeling towards the winter kitchen. There is an EVP that states “No.” but it is difficult to hear without special equipment.
 
13.  When we first entered the home on the Saturday the older lady who works at the restaurant said she had some connections to the family and the house. She said that the spirits that were there were not comfortable with us. Now moving on to Sunday two staff members, Rob and I were talking in the back Summer kitchen of the house John David was also present while I was talking to the staffers John David was talking but I was not paying attention to what he was saying. After reviewing the tapes I listened to what he was saying he said, “They were not comfortable noooooooo”. It occurred to me after that he used the same words as said before by the staffer on the Saturday. When questioned he said that he heard it on his walkie-talkies. He also said that heard a baby crying from the direction of a toy pram that was in the corner.

14. In further conversation with a staff member after the investigation he mentioned that paranormal activity increased after we left and that an eight year old boy who belongs to one of the directors was struck on the head or back.

 
15.  During a conversation between a staff member and Rob the staffer mentions a cane that is located in an umbrella holder at the front door when people try to move it always moves back to its original position.

Please see next page for EVP collection