From The Wellington Daily News: Haunted Wellington?
Wellington, Kan. — At over 140-years old, it can't be denied that Wellington has a lot of history. With that kind of age, the town is also a potential hot-bed for paranormal activity.
Over the past few years, paranormal investigators have visited the city to perform ghost hunts for local fundraising efforts. Several of those events have been conducted by Paranormal Investigations of Wichita (PIW). Saturday, April 28 the group will be back in Wellington.
This time PIW will be taking people through the Memorial Auditorium, along with the Smith, Bales and Buckman buildings downtown, followed by the Regent Theatre.
"We're going to do something that we've never done before," said PIW's Tom Tongue. "We're going to do a live ghost hunt, in a building we've never been in." That building used to house Blossoms by Bridgett.
"I'm going to do an orientation at the Memorial Auditorium before each of the ghost hunts," Tongue explained. "...We'll give people a chance to ask questions, see how we do it, and what kind of equipment we're using." PIW is also bringing in someone with "sixth sense abilities."
"And this will be her first time in the building, so we'll get an opportunity to watch her walk through the building and see what she picks up as well," Tongue continued. As previously stated, this isn't the first time for the paranormal group to visit Wellington.
"You've got to remember, your city was founded back in the 1870's..." Tongue said. "It had a tornado, you've had a rebuilding, and it's really a very cool downtown." He noted that a lot of the downtown has been restored and is easily navigable for the ghost-hunters.
Tongue's group has been on ghost hunts in the Chisholm Trail Museum, and the Old Junior High School Building in Wellington; along with the buildings scheduled for this upcoming hunt.
"We've investigated a lot of private homes, and some private businesses..." he said. "There's a hell of a lot more going on down there than just what you read about us." So Why Wellington?
"When you've got that much history in one location, and you've got people in town who are interested in what we have to say about it, it works out pretty well," Tongue said. With PIW's past experiences in the upcoming ghost hunt locations, Tongue said people's senses are going to get a workout.
"In the auditorium, they may be able to smell something, in the Buckman building they may be able to feel something, and hear something," he explained. "In the Smith building, there's a very good chance they're going to hear and possibly see something."
For a $20 donation, people can go on the 7:30 p.m. ghost hunt on April 28. There is a VIP session at 10 p.m., at the Regent that is for a minimum of a $30 donation. All money raised during the event will go towards the restoration of the Memorial Auditorium, and the Regent.
Tickets are still on sale, and can be purchased from Pam Hinman. Anyone interested in tickets can call her at 620-326-2162 or 316-650-3930. Event organizers are asking people to wear "sensible shoes," and to bring a flashlight. Ghost hunt participants "must be in good physical health, and 16 or older."
While the town may have a lot of history, Tongue said just because a building has been a round for a long time isn't the only factor when it comes to hauntings
"It doesn't necessarily have to be aged," Tongue said. "It just has to be a place where there's been some tragedy or a place where spirits feel comfortable to return to."
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