THE HAUNTED CONGRESS HOTEL IN CHICAGO-SEE WHAT I FOUND!

The beautiful Ball Room


If you have not stayed at the Congress Hotel in Chicago....you should!!!  It is reportedly the most haunted hotel in the city.  I was lucky enough to get a room at this hotel to do an investigation as a Christmas Present from my boyfriend and I loved every minute of it!!!  I was also lucky enough to have one of my FAVORITE paranormal groups White Dog Paranormal to meet me there.  We had a great time!

Ok....I know, you guys don't care about all that....you just want to know if we saw any GHOSTS!!!
First here is a little bit about this wonderful place.  It was built to help house visitors of the World Fair in 1893.  It was also owned at one point by the one and only Al Capone.  Supposedly the most haunted floors are the 4th and the 12th(I stayed on the 12th).  Some of the spirits roaming this place is none other than Al himself along with a mother and two sons, whom supposedly was waiting for the arrival of her husband and when she found out he wasn't coming, she through her two boys over the 12th floor balcony and then jumped herself.  Then there's Peg Leg Johnny, a hobo that was murdered in the hotel.  And the MOST HAUNTED ROOM OF ALL #441.  YES, I did request to stay in that room but was told the whole 4th floor was closed!  Of course, we had to go check it out ourselves and found that the 4th floor was completely dark!  Did we leave......of course not!!!  We just sat down in the floor, in the dark and started conducting an EVP Session.

The very top of the creepy stairwell

Creepy stairway

Stairwell



When you start asking questions about the spirits that haunt the hotel you will find out quickly that some of the people DON'T want to talk about it, but a couple of the bell hops were willing to share their stories.  We were lucky enough to meet Johnny the late night security guard who has worked at the Congress for about 18 years.  At first, he wasn't willing to talk, but he couldn't resist my Texas accent!!! LOL  He eventually warmed up to us and took us on a tour all around the hotel and to places we normally wouldn't have access to.  THANK YOU JOHNNY!!!!  He told us story after story of paranormal activity.  Even as recent as the week before we were there, of people leaving their rooms claiming things were moving, they were touched, etc.

After we left Johnny, we investigated on our own.  Yep...you guessed it, we went places not many people could or WOULD not go.  We had a lot of activity in a little stairwell we found behind an unmarked door.  Be sure and watch the video I am posting of that session.   You DON'T want to miss it!!!

In front of room #441

Room #441

Creepy stairs leading from the 12th floor.



Where's Al??? The little room where Al Capone
played cards.

Room all boarded up. hhuuummm??? Wonder why?



Everybody

Room #666 Completely covered over!



Room #666 you can run your hand over where
the door was and can see the outline of the room!

Dan, Michele, Me, Anthony, Tony and taking
the picture Deak.

WHAT COULD THIS BE???? CONTEST

What the heck is that???  A little video I shot this past weekend.  Let's see what kind of ghost hunter you are.....be the first to answer this correctly and I'll send you a prize!!!  It has to be the exact answer.  Be the first to email me with the correct answer and when!!!  Becksghosthunters@yahoo.com  On your mark.........get set...........go........!!!!  OHHHHH I can't wait to hear from you........ :)

WHAT TYPE OF GHOST WILL YOU BE??? TAKE THE TEST AND FIND OUT!!!

This is soooooo fun I just had to share it with all my followers!!!  Take this quick test to see what type of ghost you will be.


http://www.buzzfeed.com/katieheaney/what-type-of-ghost-will-you-be

I'm going to be an Orb!  So, when I die....please don't think I'm dust!!! LOL

You got: Orb

Via appalachianparanormalcenter.com

You’ll be carefree and easygoing, content to just float around wherever saying nothing. “Cool, man!” you’ll think to yourself as you waft over a lake. “Neat,” you’ll think as you’re captured by a human’s picture of another human standing in a dark forest at night. Most people who see you in print think you are dust, and for the most part you don’t let this get to you, but sometimes you can’t help

Be sure and leave a comment with what kind of ghost you will be!  Have fun.... :)
 

IT'S ALL ABOUT LOCATION....LOCATION....LOCATION.

So, now you have decided that you want to go on a real ghost hunt.  You pick your location...because you have researched and researched on the internet to find just the right spot!

You pick your date to go..... and the perfect time at night, you get your group of friends or team together and you jump in the car....and away you go!!!!!  Right???................WRONG!!!!

Ghost hunting is know different from anything else.  You have to have safety guidelines to follow.  You don't want anyone getting hurt during an investigation.  It can be very dangerous if not done properly.

So lets go over a couple of safety tips before you do an investigation.

1.  ALWAYS check out the location in the daytime and preferably the day OF the investigation so that you see exactly what objects are in the area.  If it is an outdoor location, check for unlevel  ground and holes, places where people might trip or fall.  Objects that  people could run in to.....fences...large tree branches, etc.  This is very import.  And let me give you a word of advice..... if you are investigating in old cemeteries  you need to walk around carefully and if possible mark "soft spots" in the ground or places that seem to "sink in" in front of headstones.  The reason for this is back a long time ago, coffins were made of wood and you know what happens to wood when you put it in the ground for a long period of time.....that's right......it rots!!!  And let me tell you from experience..............if you think running into a ghost is bad.....just wait until you step on top of a grave and it caves in with your leg going straight through the coffin....................let me tell you......that old saying "fast as lightening" That ain't nothing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

And if you are doing an investigation inside, still take a good look around for things that could possibly be hazardous to you or your team members.  See an example below.

 

HOW GOOD ARE YOU???  In the pictures below, let's say you are going to do an investigation at this location, what potential hazards do you see?  No peeking.....I have posted just a FEW I see at the end of this page.

Can you find more than me?

I found at least 10
Bonus Points if you find the Orb!

I found at least 7

I found at least 7

I found at least 5

2.  Never go alone!  Actually this should be #1 but I am to lazy to go back and delete and paste and re-paste this tip ….lol   But really, never go alone.  This way if something happens…you fall, trip or hurt yourself in someway, you will have someone there to help you or can call for help.  (and in the case of craving in a grave with your leg........someone to chase you down while your running and yell "hey....you forgot your shoe!!!!" LOL

3. Make sure you have an alternative light source.  Say your batteries are drained and you run out of extra batteries, make sure you have either a lighter or candles, or both. Preferably a Bic lighter, that way if you drop it, it won’t start a fire(hopefully). Glow sticks are an excellent source of light.  Always have a "backup plan" for lighting.

4.  Something that people don’t always think of (myself included, I know you thought I was perfect…but no..lol) tell someone who ISN’T going on the investigation with you, where you will be and if possible, about what time you will return.  Ok.... this is for obvious reasons....like a ghost gets you!!! LOL

5.  And last, make sure you have a first aid kit available for small “boo boo's".
Ok.  That is more than a couple of tips but I wanted you guys to be safe out there.  Also, bring water if you are going to be out for long periods of time......well, you may get thirsty....who knows? :)


OK...below are the pictures from above that I have pointed out some potential hazardous objects.  How well did you do????

On a quick note....stay tuned for my posting on the Haunted Congress Hotel in Chicago.  I just got back yesterday and will be going through the evidence.  I think you will find it VERY interesting!

FLORA COLEMAN ANNIS-DIED AUG. 23, 1892 HELP ME TELL THIS LOVELY SPIRIT'S STORY

A couple of months ago I posted several pictures from Roswell, GA of a very bright PINK orb.  I have been doing this for many, many years and have NEVER seen one that looked like this one.  I posted it on my Facebook page and was contacted by a very nice lady that told me the PINK orb was a young girl, in her twenties with dark hair and a curl up toward her face.  So she and I have been trying to find out who she is and what happened to her.  Below is what we have found out so far, so I thought I would ask for you guys to help us.  My friends on FB are also trying to research and see what we can find out about this lovely young spirit.  I fell she wants her story told....we just have to find out what it is.

Ok....Let's find out Flora's story. For those of you who are helping me find out about this lovely spirit... here are the pictures that Laura Creslaw drew. She did an AMAZING job!!!! Here is the information we have at this time...any additional "feelings" or information you can find out about our Flora please let me know...you can message me or post here whichever you prefer. And if you can draw her as Laura did that would be wonderful to!    Let's tell Flora's story....She may be gone but is not forgotten.  FLORA COLEMAN ANNIS WIFE OF B.F. ANNIS BORN SEPT. 27, 1872 DIED AUG. 23, 1892 AT THE AGE OF 20. SHE IS BURIED AT THE PRESBYTERIAN CEMETERY IN ROSWELL, GA. SHE HAS DARK HAIR AND IS WEARING A BLUE SHAWL.  HER MOTHER'S NAME IS NANCY COLEMAN ALSO BURIED AT THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN ROSWELL, GA.  SHE WAS BORN OCT.16, 1854 AND DIED AUG 29, 1898.  HER FATHER'S NAME IS WILLIAM COLEMAN AND WE DO NOT MUCH ABOUT HIM.  WHEN FLORA WAS BORN HER MOTHER WAS 16 AND HER FATHER WAS 20.  SHE MARRIED A MAN NAMED BENJAMIN FRANKLIN ANNIS ON AUG.23, 1891(WE BELIEVE THIS IS THE CORRECT MARRIAGE DATE) WHICH MEANS FLORA DIED EXACTLY ONE YEAR TO THE DAY FROM THE DAY SHE GOT MARRIED!  May have a young son maybe around the age of 3 or 4. Possibility was hit by horses and carriage on a busy street-could be they were both run over by horses? Her husband lived til old age.

Below is an amazing sketch done by Laura Creslaw of Flora.  And the original photo she saw.

DO THEY....OR DON'T THEY???

One of the questions I get asked a lot is "do ghosts or spirits PROTECT us?"  My first response is YES!!!  But here's the deal....spirits can act as that "little voice" in our heads that tells us to THINK TWICE sometimes when we normally wouldn't.  Kinda like.....I NORMALLY would take my dogs out every morning to go potty and never look down.....I would just open the door and let them out and step out right after them......been doing it the same way over and over again for years........BUT........on a particular  morning I got up and started my NORMAL routine as always to let the dogs out.  I opened the door......the dogs ran out.....and for SOME REASON.....I have NO idea WHY.......but this morning that "little voice" in my head.....said I needed to look down.  So.....I looked down before stepping out and thank goodness I DID because there was a BIG SNAKE laying right where I normally would have stepped.  Just Good Luck?....Intuition? or SOMEONE watching out for me!!!  I bet you can guess which ONE I think it was!!!

On Facebook, there is a group from Salem, Mass that is always posting the coolest pics so it made me think of a photo I took..... that I think shows spirits or ghosts whichever you prefer to call them...protecting a young boy.  Oh....I have to throw this in......if you don't follow me on Facebook please do!   It's Becky Vickers-Becksgh.  OK....back to the story.....

I went to Salem back in 2005 and I can tell you it was AMAZING!  For someone that is interested in the paranormal I can't think of a better place to be!!!  Anyway, I had taken a ghost tour around the city and of course we walked by an old cemetery where most of the "accused" witches where buried.  Around the cemetery was a rod iron fence with spikes on the top. You can see them in these pictures.




The above pics show the fence around the cemetery.  As we walked around listening to the tour guide, there was this young boy that wasn't at all interested in what was going on.  You know....he was just doing his OWN THING.  Anyway, we stopped in front of the cemetery and the little boy jumps up on a stone ledge that was around part of the cemetery.  I was trying to pay attention to our tour guide but I was sooooo uneasy about this little boy on this ledge!  He was hoping back and forth and his parents weren't paying any attention at all!  I remember thinking to myself......there are a lot of spirits here.....could you PLEASE watch over this young boy because IF he falls......one wrong move....he will fall straight onto those spikes on top of the fence!!!!  Well, below is the picture I took of him on the ledge..........and well......you tell me........do you think anyone heard me???  One on each side....

I DO believe spirits can PROTECT us, maybe not in a physical sense...but they can give us CLUES to help protect ourselves. They can come to us in a dream, we can hear a tiny little voice, see something we may have not noticed before....but they TRY to get our attention...the best way they can to help protect us and guide us in the direction that God intended us to go. :)  We can't have the mind set that our loved ones WILL ALWAYS protect us from harms way....but when they can.....THEY DO!!!

Close up of the orb in pic #2

I just wanted to post a couple more pics that I thought were so cool that I took at the same cemetery.  I don't think they were protecting anyone....but I think THEY definitely wanted to be seen.

Time Stamp-8:49:52Pm





Time Stamp 8:49:54Pm
 



Time Stamp 8:49:56Pm

Look how thin the headstones are.



A man was stoned to death in this exact spot
because he would not confess to being a witch.

Haunted Mills Cemetery "Smiley" Grave, Garland, Tx) July 27, 2013-Re-Post

I was asked if I would show this video again.  It is of me communicating with the "Smiley's".  I'm not going to re-write it, just read the information under the video and it will tell you the story of a devastating lose to the Smiley family.  I will say that there are SEVERAL stories relating to HOW this family died...the father murder them all......a tornado took the family as they slept... among others. I want to go on record saying that I DO NOT believe the father killed his family and I do not feel that there is any evil spirits here.  My encounter was with a loving family.   Hope you enjoy.  Just for the record....I really enjoyed my visit with the Smiley's.  :)