Local ghost hunters seek scientific evidence at Gilbert Museum

From Examiner.com: Local ghost hunters seek scientific evidence at Gilbert Museum

According to the Dark Cliff Paranormal Research organization, visitors to the Gilbert Historical Museum claim to have experienced “disembodied voices, phantom music and other paranormal activity.” Not the type to shy away from a challenge, Dark Cliff is going to investigate these claims on Friday, August 26, 2011, and they are inviting anyone from the public who would like to try their hand at ghost hunting. They call it a Ghost Hunting Preview Event.

To get to know the group better I sent them a list of questions…

When was Dark Cliff created an who were its founders?

Dark Cliff was created in 2010 by Shaun Jacob, Kris Godinez, Robert Everson and Steve Gresser.

Why was Dark Cliff created?

Dark Cliff was created with the intention of increasing public knowledge about what paranormal investigation really is, gathering data with peer-reviewed sensors and sharing that data both with the scientific community and with other groups. We want to increase the communication and cooperation between groups to increase the amount of data gathered and share thoughts and ideas among investigators. Right now, it feels like many groups treat their methods and their data like a state secret. We want to share as much as possible of anything we find, and to have people examine it for themselves, criticize it, and disagree with us if they have a legitimate concern.


How was the name chosen?

We wanted a name which would be immediately evocative and make people ask us questions. It had to be short, and not an acronym. It had to avoid the usual gothic or showmanship feel. We want people to ask us what we’re about and not decide for themselves just based on our name.

Why do you believe there are ghosts to investigate?

Our goal is to gather data in places where there are claims of paranormal activity, specifically ghosts or hauntings. Despite our own belief systems or experiences, we are doing our best to remain objective and focus on gathering data.

How does Dark Cliff stand out from other paranormal groups?

To achieve our goal, our focus is first and foremost data collection, particularly with sensors recognized as measuring something useful by the scientific community. We also focus on creating the best possible environment for our group’s members. This should be something enjoyable for them. And, we are holding tours for the public to help demystify the phenomenon and the people and methods used to investigate it.

What has been your most memorable investigation?

Every investigation is exciting and interesting, but the investigations we enjoy the most are the ones with the richest history. Because of that, we have to say most of our investigations in Tombstone have been among our most memorable. Just about every time we are in one of the more historical buildings in Tombstone, we each have some sort of personal experience. We understand why Tombstone is often called one of the most significant locations for paranormal investigation in the nation!

What has been your most scary moment on an investigation?

There was an investigation at a bar/restaurant where the claims involved a reaction to provoking, which is pretty much the only time we would consider doing so. Kris and I were in front of the bar and Shaun was behind it, doing some provoking. He decided to join us in front of the bar and as he went through the small passageway from back to the front, he was shoved several feet and landed flat on his face. The sound alone was startling, because besides Shaun hitting the floor it sounded like half of the boxes of beer or wine there were also pushed a bit. Our first concern, of course, was whether Shaun had been hurt (he had not), but we were also rather shocked at the level of reaction we had gotten.

What are your criteria for declaring a location haunted?

We have not ever declared a location haunted. We have come across places which have unexplainable activity, but we have yet to capture the type of evidence which would stand up to the scrutiny of the scientific community.

What made you decide to start holding preview events, and what can an attendee expect if they go?

We decided to hold a Preview Event for the public so we could get feedback on how to hold events the public would enjoy. We always welcome feedback as we see it as an opportunity to improve!

Someone coming to the event can expect to meet Dark Cliff, and to spend time in three rooms at the Gilbert Historical Museum in the dark. Basically, they get a chance to be an investigator for the night!

What do you envision for the future of Dark Cliff?

Dark Cliff will continue to grow into a group with associations with other paranormal investigators around the country and around the world. These associations will allow us to share information, data, ideas and investigating techniques. Our hope for the future is by building an association of groups serious about gathering useable data, we will help end people dismissing the phenomenon as simply not happening.

Is there anything else you like to add that you think people should know about you?

Our philosophy, our group’s information, our blog and our contact information is all on the website. Come check us out, we look forward to meeting you!

For more information visit the Dark Cliff Paranormal Research website.