This photo was taken at the Glenwood Cemetery in Park City, Utah. It's one of my favorite places to go, whether I'm investigating or not.
The Glenwood Cemetery was originally established as a burial ground for a number of fraternal organizations. Visitors can spot many of their symbols etched into the grave markers. Its beginnings date to 1885 when Park City businessman Edward Thiriot sold three acres to the group for a total of $100, then donated the other two that make up the five-acre parcel. Miners, many of them immigrants, joined these private lodges to assure themselves health insurance, religious support and a decent burial at a reasonable cost. It is the final resting place for many of Park City's first families.
When mining declined in the 1950s the fraternal organizations lost members and either dissolved or left the area. With no one to care for the cemetery, it suffered vandalism and the effects of neglect. Restoration started in the 1980s with a small but enthusiastic volunteer group who brought it back to life. It was listed on the National Historic Register in 1981. In 2016 the Park City Museum acquired the cemetery and has committed to continuing the preservation and careful stewardship of this lovely piece of history. Recently the cemetery received several preservation awards acknowledging its success.
Approximately 900 people are buried here covering nearly half the grounds. Paths meander through the large trees and along the clear mountain stream
It was a clear, fall evening. I felt as though I was standing in the middle of a crowd, although everyone else on the investigation was about 40 feet away listening to a ghost box.
I turned the camera into the dark behind me and shot this photo. What do you think?
For some EVP's from that night, go to the EVP page.
My father's family is from Echo, Utah. I don't have words for how much this little town means to me.
Echo's History
Originally, Echo was comprised of mostly non-Mormon residents. Trappers, hand-cart companies, stage coaches from the Overland Express and eventually, passengers on the Union Pacific Transcontinental Railroad would pass through the craggy cliffs on their way east or west. Residents were eclectic in origin, many residents were employed by the railroad to serve the mining businesses in the area.
As the town grew, a local school district was established and in 1914, a 2 room school house was built for the increasing number of children. The Mormon Church subsequently purchased the Echo Church and School to use for their local church services.
Church & School Building
The building is built of hand made brick, fired on site. The structure measures only 25 feet wide by 50 feet long. At one point, as many as 50 children attended the school, their ages ranged from 6 to the mid-teens. Native Americans resided in the valley as well and were known to often play with the growing number of children that lived in the area.
Mary Jane Asper Weaver was the 1st school teacher hired by the local school district in Echo. In 1880 the school underwent some remodeling and to defray costs, Mary Jane donated $4 of her meager $4.50 a month salary to help pay for construction.
I got permission to investigate the old schoolhouse a few years ago. There were three of us on the investigation around 2:00pm.
These three photos were taken that day. I don't put much stock in orbs, but this one was taken just a minute before the two of the exterior of the schoolhouse (below). This is the inside of the schoolhouse and the window in the far corner is the same window in the next two photos (outside).
When I zoomed in on the photo, I saw a figure in the window (far left) in both shots.
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After seeing this figure I took some debunking photos. The first is the same corner of the schoolhouse, but the figure had disappeared. The second is the sign that is reflected in the window. It shows the section just above the figure's head. There is nothing that would have created a figure-shaped reflection. Perhaps the orb was created by the figure. I think it looks like a little girl holding a doll. First she is looking out, then up. What do you think?
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