Devon Bell - Haunted Chippewa Valley

Published by Haunted America

A Division of The History Press

Charleston, SC 29403

www.historypress.net

Copyright 2013 by Devon Bell

All rights reserved

First published 2013

e-book edition 2013

Manufactured in the United States

ISBN 978.1.62584.045.5

Library of Congress CIP data applied for.

print edition ISBN 978.1.60949.977.8

Notice: The information in this book is true and complete to the best of our knowledge. It is offered without guarantee on the part of the author or The History Press. The author and The History Press disclaim all liability in connection with the use of this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form whatsoever without prior written permission from the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

I dedicate this book to the love of my life and best friend, Tony.

CONTENTS

PREFACE

Surely there had been no figure leaning on the back of his chair; no face looking over it. It is certain that no gliding footstep touched the floor, as he lifted up his head, with a start, and spoke. And yet there was no mirror in the room on whose surface his own form could have cast its shadow for a moment; and, Something had passed darkly and gone!

Charles Dickens, The Haunted Man

Ever have that feeling that you arent alone? It starts with an odd noise that makes you whip your head around with nervousness. Maybe you think you just felt a light wind on the back of your neck making the goose bumps pucker and stand up. Or perhaps a flash of something dark was captured out of the corner of your eye. You know that there is no one there and you are safe. But are we ever really, truly alone?

There are many possibilities as to why locations all over the world could be haunted: spirits of men who died a violent death on the battlefield and whose souls are forever attached to the spot where they died; an individual who passes away in his home and does not want to leave in death; a victim who was viciously murdered and is trying to communicate with anyone living so she can help avenge her death. Along with actual ghosts or spirits, I have always thought that some places simply have energy in certain areas, whether it is good or bad.

Along with energy, history is around us all everywhere we go. Here in the Chippewa Valley, we have a rustic old history of lumber barons, Native Americans, fur traders, explorers canoeing up and down the many different rivers and trains rumbling along the old rusted tracks. German and Norwegian settlers came here in search of a better future for their families. They tended the lands with careful hands and planted the seeds of what we can now today see in our local historical museums. What one cant see in these museums are the secrets and horrific stories that have also planted a seed of many ghosts who inhabit different areas throughout the Chippewa Valley.

In 2011, I was perusing the Internet and slightly bored, so I thought I would pay a visit to the Unexplained Research discussion forum. Once I had logged in, I clicked on the category that said, Wisconsin Ghosts. I started scrolling through the different topics, and one caught my eye and made me stop dead in my tracks. It was a thread called, Bloomer Massacre. I immediately started reading about this. I grew up and spent a great deal of my life in Bloomer, Wisconsin. Nothing ever happened in Bloomer; I always thought it was the most unexciting place ever. I have learned throughout my experiences in legend tripping, paranormal investigating and writing about these locations that you should never judge a book by its cover and that any peaceful place can definitely have a dark past.

With history comes mystery, and like I always say, Without history, there would be no ghost lore. Id like to invite you to come with me now, and lets explore the histories and mysteries of the Haunted Chippewa Valley.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to start out by saying thank you to my wonderful husband of nearly five years, Tony. You are my best friend and greatest supporter, and you always encourage me to delve into anything I have an interest in. Thanks to my parents, Lance and Peggy, who have always told me I can do anything I set my mind to. My friends and family are all great supporters, and without their encouragement and, oftentimes, input, I probably never would have started writing!

Thank you to Ben Gibson at The History Press for giving me this wonderful opportunity. Thanks to Terry Fisk for all your knowledge and help and for telling me about this great series, Haunted America, and also for pointing me in the right direction. For Chad Lewis, I owe a great deal of thanks for answering every little e-mail I have ever sent his way and helping or guiding me in the best possible way.

I would also like to thank Robin Melland from the University of Wisconsin Stout Archives; you have always been there ready and willing to help, and I admire how much passion and drive you have for history. Also thanks to the University of WisconsinEau Claire Archives, the L.E. Phillips Memorial Library in Eau Claire and also to the La Crosse Public Library. During the process of writing this book, I had many contacts that helped me in my research, whether it was historical or paranormal. First, thanks to friend/paranormal investigator/author Chris Wiener for more information on the sordid history of Chippewa Falls. To Brad Sundell, who I hold in such high regard when it comes to history, thank you for all of your help when researching the Evangelical Cemetery. I truly admire all the hard work you put into this cemetery, which will not be forgotten by many, I can assure you. I cant forget to leave out psychic and friend Tamara for sharing openly her personal stories and also thanks to Sharon from the Cornell Library for sending me some great photos and historical information regarding the library.

I very much appreciate all the individuals from whom I received historical photographs. Thanks to Chris Schlais for sending me photos of Mary Schlais. To Gene at the Irvine Ghost Pub, thanks for your stories and help. Last but not least, a very big thank you to the Eau Claire City Hall for the use of so many historical photos that really captured the essence of Eau Claire many years ago.

I also want to say thank you to all those individuals who took the time to share either historical information or their own personal stories on any of these locations via the Internet that were referenced in this book. Many people helped me in my quest during this process, and I apologize if I have neglected to thank someone of the utmost importance to me. If this is you, please accept my deepest apology and know that I am so very grateful for all the help that went into the creation of this book.

CHAPTER 1

SPIRITS OF THE CHIPPEWA VALLEY

I dont know how many times I have heard the joke referring to every town or city in the state of Wisconsin consisting of churches and bars all lined up next to each other in a neat row. Many of these placesbe it church or barhave been a part of a towns history for quite some time. Residents still occupy the old wooden pews in the local church. The townies still hang out at the local tavern or pub, gossiping about anything and everything. But late at night when the doors are locked, the lights are down and no living soul is around, thats when shadows play on the walls and the spirits of the dead come out to play.

THE SHEELEY HOUSE

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, has somewhat of a violent past connected with the logging boom, including many fires that burnt down several buildings, boardinghouses and dozens of railroads as well. There is one building that was lucky enough to escape the wrathful flames that claimed many stores and shops. Situated on the corner of West River Street and Pine Street is the James Sheeley House. The building is a wonderful example of the Victorian elegance of the late 1800s. According to the official website for the Sheeley House, At the height of the logging era, it was one of thirty boarding houses that furnished a home to loggers, railroaders, drifters, and adventurers. Before the Civil War, the first buildings were erected where the Sheeley House sits today. In 1868, a man by the name of Carl Hering purchased the property and moved his family into a small house on River Street. Mr. Herings carriage and blacksmith shop were located behind his house. In 1884, a man named John B. Paul, who operated a boardinghouse about a block away, purchased Herings property from him. Paul tore down the carriage and blacksmith shop, surfacing the entire building with red brick. The Paul House had a saloon on the ground floor, living quarters on the first floor and a nice-sized kitchen along with the boarders dining room and second-floor bedrooms. A gentleman by the name of James Sheeley, an Irish immigrant, stayed at the Paul House while he was working on the railroad from Wabasha, Minnesota, to Chippewa Falls. Sheeley was a lumberman who was in failing health and could no longer work such a strenuous job, so he and his family decided to settle down into a more peaceful lifestyle. In 1905, he and his wife, Kate, bought the Paul House. James tended the bar while Kate and their children, Anna, William and Howard, cooked and cleaned rooms. Even after James passed away in 1913, his wife still served meals and rented rooms out but leased the bar. After Kates death in 1934, daughter Anna no longer served meals but still rented rooms to boarders. By the year 1981, Anna finally had to leave her home of seventy-six years. At that time, David and Sharon Raihle decided to restore the last boardinghouse still standing in Chippewa Falls. This couple did in-depth research, comparing old photos and mapping out every single detail of how the building would have looked in its prime. A fellow named Jim Bloms had heard of the James Sheeley House when it was shut down, and in 2001, he decided to purchase it, having had many years experience in the hospitality and tourism field.