ARE THERE GHOSTS ?

      Now I've been around long enough to hear many good ghost stories .

      Some ghost stories are on the humorous side. People play pranks on others using a ghost theme. 

      Other ghost stories are those that relate an incident which can be used to explain an incident that is odd. 

     Some ghost stories come from those who firmly think that there are ghosts. 

     If we go back in history there is much about ghosts. They used ghosts to explain many happenings. 

      The Arctic has generated many excellent ghost stories. Many people lived in very isolated areas and some saw very few people in a year. Traders would sometimes go for months without seeing anybody. Some of them were spooked. Many trappers lived alone for long periods of time. 

     Hudson Bay trading post buildings were built in the same style. They were small story and a half buildings. There are many stories about hearing steps moving across the second story floor. There have been stories about boots that seem to move . 

    One night visitors came to a lonely trader. The visitors knew about the trader's story. They carefully set up a situation with string so that they could move boots across the floor. The trader would hear steps and go up and check. Sure enough the boots had moved but there was nothing there. He would come down and continue his meal until the boots moved again. Needless to say, it was a fun evening and the visitors admitted their prank. 

     I was once on a church work party and I went up the stepladder to replace burned out light bulbs. The lights were about 14 ft up. I moved from light to light. Finally I got to the front right hand corner. When I was at the top of the ladder I heard a swishing sound between me and the wall. If I was still the noise swishing sound was less . If I moved the swishing became louder. So was there something up in the corner telling me to go away? It was an experience that I have never forgotten. 

     What do I think? I think that for some reason there was static electricity and when I moved the static electricity was more active. I've heard similar  stories and they are used to prove the absolute existence of ghosts. The stories go on about the many funerals held in the church and that some of the spirits are left and are angry. 

    Well, I find a good ghost story interesting. What about you? What is your thinking about ghosts.? Do you have some good ghost stories? 

Ghost?

      Many years ago I agreed to go to a work party at the church. It was one of those work parties where many little things needed to be looked after and all could be done by some work and effort. No special skills were needed.

      Since I was one of the younger men I agreed to climb the stepladder and replace bulbs in the lights. The lights were about 4 or 5 m (15 ft) from the floor. If I'd seen the step ladder before I opened my big mouth I would not have volunteered. The step ladder was an ancient rickety wood model and it was about 4 or 5 m ( 15 ft), but when it was opened it wasn't that high. So you had to stand on the second step from the top and balance. I had a nice fellow hold the step ladder for all the good that would do. There were only oak pews below me. 

     The changing of the bulbs went slowly and gradually we got to the last set of lights at the front right side of the church. As I was going up the ladder I heard a rustling sound in the  corner. The rustling noise seemed to be moving in a circular pattern. The noise went up and down. All the time I was up there the rustling was continuous. Sometimes it was quieter and some times louder. Sometimes rapid and other times slow. Whatever was making the noise knew I was there and didn't like me very much. I think as I moved from the back of the church to the front I chased the  whatever to the front and it was cornered and didn't like me one bit. 

     I have always wondered about this event. If I went back would I still hear the noise? What was really there?

    I like ghost stories but they are always somebody else's story and it's enjoyable to read or hear the story.

     This is the first time I've ever told this story and it happened in the early 1970's.

    Have you ever encountered something that was strange and eerie?

Ghost #5

    The fifth ghost done was to keep the story of Red Deer's most famous pig alive. Francis had been delivered to the local abattoir and escaped. He was on the loose for several weeks and was very difficult to catch. It was winter so he could be tracked. He was bated with food but would not take the bait. Finally they say him and used a tranquilizer dart. A local farmer took Francis, but Francis died a few days later because the tranquilizer dart had injured internal organs. 

    So the story of Francis was gripping but ended sadly. So this ghost honors poor old Francis.

Francis charging through the brush

Francis evading the trappers

Ghost #4

      Ghost number four is called Sounding the Alarm. It's  a tribute to local firefighters. There was a large tragic fire here in 1904 and after that the local fire department was formed.

      This is the most elaborate of all the statues as it has four separate figures and the fire wagon. 

      Sound the Alarm sits in front of the children's library which was at one time the main fire hall and before that an armory.

The the left side shows the  first phase of the local library . On the right is the old fire hall with Sound the Alarm right at to corner.  The brick building with the tower was the old fire hall.

Harnessing some high strung horses.

I think the artist caught the excitement in this statue with the horses and men getting ready to go to a fire.

The driver was doing all he could to keep control of his horses.

Ghost #2

                In a previous post , I described how I found 10 pieces of sculpture and that I would  show  what we have in Red Deer As far as sculpture is concerned.

               This sculpture shows a railway worker pleading with a little dog that has his foot on the worker's two dollar bill. The sculpture refers to the struggle the workers had to look after their money. Credit Unions were formed in the 1930's and 40's to look after worker's money. The local credit union funded the making of this sculpture and of course it sits in front of the Credit Union.

Carefully trying to retrieve his money

What is this guy trying to do?

A stand off!