Larsen - Haunted Mantorville: trailing the ghosts of old Minnesota

Published by Haunted America

A Divisoin of The History Press

Charleston, SC 29403

www.historypress.net

Copyright 2011 by Christopher S. Larsen

All rights reserved

Images are courtesy of the author unless otherwise noted.

First published 2011

e-book edition 2013

Manufactured in the United States

ISBN 978.1.62584.159.9

Larsen, C. S. (Christopher Sterling), 1966

Haunted Mantorville : trailing the ghosts of old Minnesota / Christopher S. Larsen.

p. cm.

print edition ISBN 978-1-60949-109-3

1. Haunted places--Minnesota--Mantorville. 2. Ghosts--Minnesota--Mantorville. I. Title.

BF1472.U6L377 2011

133.109776153--dc23

2011022062

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 all those who explore the mysterious world of the paranormal. To the investigators who face fear and stretch the boundaries and comfort of our limited reality.

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

First and foremost, Id like to thank the people of Mantorville. Their openness and willingness to investigate the unknown has always been an inspiration to me. In particular, Id like to thank Paul Larsen (no relation, although he could easily be an older brother), Theresa Hoaglund and Ann Driver. Without their assistance, this book would have been boring and nothing but a paperweight (and perhaps cannon fodder).

It also goes without saying that many thanks go out to Twin Cities Paranormal Society (TCPS). This organizations patience, knowledge and willingness to find time to investigate Mantorville has been supernatural to say the least. This book would be pointless without a team like TCPS keeping things honest and real. Id especially like to thank Julie Panaro, Mike and Lily Sweeney, Dan Firestone and, most importantly, Will Ventling and Tam Prose.

Id also like to thank Ben Gibson and Ryan Finn at The History Press for their insight and, very importantly, patience. Writing books can sometimes take more time than one thinks, but a good publisher will keep you moving forward!

Lastly, Id like to thank you, dear reader. This book is meant for you, whether youre a seasoned veteran of the paranormal or someone who simply has a strong fascination. Regardless, I hope you enjoy the book and end up with a better appreciation of the things that go bump in the night.

Introduction

SEARCHING FOR THE TRUTH

Do you believe in ghosts? Whenever I get on the subject of ghost huntingor paranormal investigation, more politically correctI always like to ask a person, Do you believe in ghosts? Its a great question and always hard to answer. Whats interesting is that very few people say, Absolutely not. Most are either a definite yes or a solid maybe.

For those of you who are living in the absolutely not group, I doubt youre reading this book of your own free will. Unless, of course, youre doing it for purely scientific reasons. Im okay with that. After all, maybe this book will convert you, leading you to the dark side.

For those of you who are in the definite yes camp, kudos to you. You apparently have had some type of paranormal experience that has convinced you that ghosts exist. You need no further proofit has already stared you in the face. This book may not enlighten you in any way, but it may entertain you. Hopefully you can relate to the stories within and the investigations mapped out that occurred.

Lastly, for those on the fence in the solid maybe group, this book is for you. You see, I tend to be in that same group as well. Sure, there have been times in my life where I have confronted hard-core paranormal evidence and have been converted. But as the weeks and months pass by, that belief dwindles, and Im left sitting on the fence once again.

Sadly, it seems to be extremely difficult to capture that all-encompassing proofthat elusive picture, recording or footprint (if partaking in the festive monster-hunting lore). It always seems to be just out of reach or too blurry or the sound isnt quite clear enough. Perhaps theres a reason for that. Maybe the supernatural is beyond our realm and doesnt want to be found.

Picture of downtown Mantorville in the mid-1800s, perhaps showing a few locals who would one day haunt the town. Courtesy Dodge County Historical Museum.

In the paranormal investigation and monster hunting that Ive done, Ive seen a recurring theme: evidence is always personal (and sometimes very personal). Sure, every once in a while you capture an EVP (electronic voice phenomena) with a strange ghostly voice or a picture with a haunting shadow. Better yet, you capture a video of a door closing by itself or maybe even the Holy Grail of paranormal investigations: a full-body apparition. Regardless, no matter how many friends and skeptics you show your proof to, they are not entirely amused.

It makes you wonder if we will ever find enough evidence that will turn the world upside down on the paranormal front, transforming the supernatural into the natural. When will there be enough proof? Do we need Mr. Ghost to be interviewed by David Letterman, Oprah or Jay Leno? Part of me believes that even then most of the world would still not believe. Perhaps there will always be three groupsthe believers, the nonbelievers and the wanna-believers.

This leads me to the basis of this book. I have asked the question, Do you believe? to myself hundreds if not thousands of times throughout my life. And my answer always comes back the same: Im not sure. Ill admit that Id like to believe, but the logic and science I grew up with seem to battle and win every timethe scientist within me conquers all, demanding a hypothesis and hard evidence. Facts speak loudly; ideas of the mind are but a whisper in the wind.

Yet I would like to know once and for all if ghosts exist. Watching Ghost Hunters or Ghost Adventures makes me think that the paranormal is definitely real. There are so many instances where they capture some awesome evidence. But what if they are faking it? How can I know for sureshould I go and meet with Jason and Grant or Zach, Nick and Aaron? And even then, will I be convinced by their direct word of mouth? Sadly, I would have to say no.

In the end, the proof is in the ectoplasmic pudding. If you dont take the time to look for the paranormal, well, its pretty rare for it to just drop in your lap. The only obvious way to know for sure that ghosts are real is to find them on your ownfirsthand experience. What better proof is there than that?

That pretty much sums up this book. Its about me and my search for the truth about the paranormal. The setting is in the town of Mantorville, which I believe to be one of the most haunted towns in Minnesota. Will I find any paranormal activity? Who knows. Hopefully, by the end of my expedition, and the end of this book, I can rest comfortably knowing that ghosts are real. Of course, if I truly knew that they were all around us, while Im writing this book (and while youre reading it), living as invisible as a cellphone signal, every now and then transcending into our world, Im not sure how well Id actually sleep at night.