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Features Archive:

2011 Archive:
 Paranormal Peeps and Holiday Traditions
December 29, 2011


Littlest Mummy (A Christmas Story) By Richard Senate
December 21, 2011


Wartime UFOs with Mack Maloney
December 20, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Electronic Voice Phenomenon (EVP) with Mike Markowicz
December 13, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Ghostly Lowdown on American Horror Story By Deonna Kelli Sayed
December 7, 2011


The Curse of H.H. Holmes with Jeff Mudgett
November 29, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Paranormal Roundtable with David Rountree and Paul Browning By Deonna Kelli Sayed
November 17, 2011


Legends Are Born in October By Christopher Balzano
October 17, 2011


Halloween Nation with Lesley Pratt Bannatyne
October 11, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

The Haunting of Major Graham Mansion by Deonna Kelli Sayed
October 5, 2011


The Hunt for Ohio's River Styx Ghost Train by Ken Summers
September 29, 2011


Evidence of Ancient Aliens with Peter Robbins
September 27, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Southern New England Haunts with Andrew Lake
September 20, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Pop Paranormal Culture and Middle Eastern Legends with Deonna Kelli Sayed
September 13, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Legend Tripping with AdventureMyths by Deonna Kelli Sayed
September 12, 2011


Out of Place in Time and Space with Lamont Wood
September 6, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

TAPS Academy Comes to Town by Deonna Kelli Sayed
September 1, 2011


The Amityville House with Christopher Quaratino (Lutz)
August 30, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Springfield, Missouri’s 150th by Debra Prosser
August 26, 2011

Column - regular feature

Paranormal Pastoring by Rev. Sherrie James
August 22, 2011


Live-ish From the Haunted Fearing Tavern
August 16, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

In Defense of Paranormal Reality TV by Deonna Kelli Sayed
August 8, 2011


Gone From Sight by Debra Prosser
August 3, 2011

Column - regular feature

The Psychology of Being Watched By Wayne Harris-Wyrick
August 2, 2011


The Paranormal Pastor Robin Swope
July 26, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Living Voices: Dr. Dave Oester By Deonna Kelli Sayed
July 20, 2011


Living Voices: Richard Senate By Bobby Garcia
July 13, 2011


What's in a Name? Let's Try "Paranormalogy!" By Rev. Sherrie James
July 6, 2011


Caged and Staged by Katie Mullaly
June 23, 2011


The Haunted Dibbuk Box with Jason Haxton
June 14, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Spring of Culture at Ghostvillage - Ghost Hunter's Grant Wilson
June 13, 2011


The Haunted Book by Lee Prosser
June 10, 2011

Column - regular feature

Raymond Cass - EVP Pioneer by Bobby Garcia
June 9, 2011


Illinois Haunts with Michael Kleen
June 7, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Spring of Culture at Ghostvillage - Artist Paulina Cassidy
June 2, 2011


Alien/Human Hybrids with Barbara Lamb
May 31, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Spring of Culture at Ghostvillage - Author Marley Harbuck Gibson
May 26, 2011


Biblical Apocalypse Prophecies with Dr. Robert M. Price
May 24, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

America's Strangest House by Deonna Kelli Sayed
May 23, 2011


Two-Year Anniversary Special
May 17, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Spring of Culture at Ghostvillage - Artist Jackie Williams
May 13, 2011


Wiliford by Lee Prosser
May 12, 2011

Column - regular feature

The Spirit Box with Psychic Chris Fleming
May 10, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Violating the 13th Amendment Paranormal Style by Reverend Sherrie James
May 6, 2011


Inside the Church of Satan with Joshua P. Warren
May 3, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Spring of Culture at Ghostvillage - Terri J. Garofalo, creator of Entities-R-Us
April 28, 2011


Haunted San Francisco with Loyd Auerbach
April 26, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Future Predictions with Dr. Louis Turi
April 12, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Spring of Culture at Ghostvillage - H.C. Noel, Creator of Tara Normal
April 7, 2011


Pennsylvania Bigfoot with Eric Altman
April 5, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Spontaneous Human Combustion with Larry Arnold
March 29, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Japanese Earthquake Ghosts, 2011 by Lee Prosser
March 28, 2011

Column - regular feature

UFOs with Stanton Friedman
February 8, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Ophiuchus with Astrologer Christopher Renstrom
February 1, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Crashing the Ghost Adventures Shoot
January 11, 2011

30 Odd Minutes - webcast

Marjorie Myrene Hart by Lee Prosser
January 3, 2011

Column - regular feature



May 23, 2011

New American Haunts: Korner's Folly - America's Strangest House


By Deonna Kelli Sayed

Ghostvillage has always provided insightful information on haunted sites. In fact, Ghostvillage vaults are so rich with spooky lore that Jeff Belanger wrote a best selling book from the archives. He is currently working on a new edition of that book, The World's Most Haunted Places: From the Secret Files of Ghostvillage.com, to be out in the September.

While Ghostvillage continues to offer readers information on personal encounters and ghost related topics, many paranormal teams around the US (and the world) are discovering awesome new haunts. Ghostvillage will share insights about these newly emerging spooky sites. One does not have to believe in ghosts to appreciate how public paranormal interest can benefit a historic location. After all, these places and their spirit inhabitants are the real "paracelebrities!"

Ghostvillage starts with one historic home dear to me: Korner's Folly , aptly named America's Strangest House. A chapter from my forthcoming book, Paranormal Obsession: America's Fascination with Ghosts, Hauntings, Spooks & Spirits, looks at how paranormal interest has changed the way the public experiences this whimsical house museum. Below is an article about the history - and the spirits - behind this enchanting home.


On Main Street in Kernersville, North Carolina sits one of the strangest houses in America: Korner's Folly.

The home spans over seven floors and 22 rooms, with no doorway, window or hallway alike. Over 130 stairs are throughout the property. All steps lead to Cupid's Park on the top floor, which is considered to be America's first community theater. The home is imaginative in nature, very much like a Victorian Willa Wonka estate. Jule Korner started construction on the home in 1878 and deliberately created the house to showcase his art, furniture, and interior design catalog.

Mr. Korner built the home to be a visual experience. Little did he know that in 2009, the Korner's Folly experience would include little girl ghosts and other wonders.

Jule Korner, Creative Genius

The home was constructed originally as a bachelor's pad. A relative made fun of its quirky design and dubbed it "Korner's Folly" intending to insult. Jule, a genius with a sense of humor, liked the jab and christened it as such. When he married his wife, Polly Alice, she insisted that they remain in the charming home.

Korner's Folly bustled with their two children, in-house artists, musicians, Aunt Dealy the governess, and a staff. The Korners were strong supporters of the arts and ran Kernersville's first public library out of a small room on the first floor. They also hosted the Junior Lyceum where local children performed Shakespeare. Cupid's Park was turned into a full theater with a stage, a small orchestra area and room for a crowd. The Folly was a happy home and the served as the town's artistic and social hub.

Today, architects wonder at Jule Korner's creative genius regarding the home's design and concept. The entire site is a work of art.

Mr. Korner died in the master bedroom on Thanksgiving Day in 1924. Polly Alice passed away ten years later. Korner's Folly fell into disrepair and remained vacant for years. Twenty-six local families saved the home from demolition. Today, the location is managed by the non-profit Korner's Folly Foundation and is open for public tours, private events, and meetings.

And, of course, it is open for paranormal investigation.

The Stories

Volunteers say that they have never experienced anything unusual, although some have commented that they "always feel observed" while in the home. Paranormal investigators, however, have uncovered a seemingly intellectual, playful spirit layer to Korner's Folly.

While volunteers may not experience activity, local residents have long suggested Korner's Folly housed more than history. One Kernersville resident shared with me how his grandmother used to clean the home during its vacant years. On one occasion, she distinctly heard footsteps descending the staircase even though she verified that no one else was inside.

Kernersville community theater actors often use Cupid's Park for rehearsal. They have reported that lights in the theater mysteriously come back on after being turned off. Upon discovering this, the house has to be unlocked and someone must walk seven lights of stairs to turn the lights off - again!

A technician was working on the air-conditioning unit in Cupid's Park when something tapped three times on his hat's brim. He was so startled that he abandoned his tools and never returned. Interestingly, a male investigator during a Haunted North Carolina investigation experienced a similar incident. While on stage, his shoulder was tapped three times! We measured a 10 degree surface temperature difference between that area and the rest of his back. The place where he had been touched was cooler. This investigator was unaware that another person had experienced a similar incident in the same location.

One local resident insists that she often sees a little girl standing on the front porch late in the evening. I have lectured several times at this property, and occasionally someone in the audience will tell me that they see a little girl on stage.

There was a short period when the home functioned as a funeral parlor and, at another time, an antique store. There are reports that employees would open the antique store in the morning to find the furniture rearranged. While no investigator has experienced this particular phenomenon, it is interesting to note that 80% of all furnishings currently in the home are original and mostly designed by Jule Korner himself. Likewise, he was a rather particular when it came to interior design. Perhaps Mr. Korner was unhappy with the decorating tastes.

The Evidence

The house is open for reputable paranormal investigation groups. It seems to be consistently active; all teams who have conducted investigations have captured EVP.

I was part of the first investigation in 2009 conducted by SPARS. Several strong EVP and personal experiences were documented. The property encouraged us to hold a press conference to announce the findings due to the large amount of evidence collected during that initial investigation. (Note: it is unusual to obtain a lot of evidence from any one investigation.) One of the most distinctive EVP samples captured was in the Children's Play Room of a little girl saying "peek-a-boo." Interestingly, two digital audio devices shut off just before the only working device caught the EVP. Likewise, a light anomaly was recorded on IR cameras in the area at that same time.

I have personally obtained EVP in the middle of the day and in numerous locations throughout the house. One was caught in the Children's Play Room and coincided with an EMF spike and one digital audio device failure. The working audio device recorded a male voice saying "haunted." This was in response to me jokingly requesting for new evidence to present at an upcoming public lecture.

Other teams have also captured light anomalies and other phenomena. North Carolina Paranormal Society filmed a light anomaly during their time in the theater (watch around the 13 second mark).


A different team recorded very bright sphere that glowed from within. This sphere seemed to follow an investigator around while he was in one corner of the room (the investigator was oblivious at the time to the anomaly). The light literally seemed to mimic the investigator; it stopped when he stopped! One is always careful to avoid using orbs as evidence, but this particular instance was something a bit beyond dust spores. However, it is difficult to suggest that it was a ghost or spirit.

The home has erratic EMF readings due to wiring and other environmental issues. However, there is one particular area where we often receive direct-response EMF. In fact, this has occurred during private investigation and public ghost hunts.

Some visitors also feel that they have recorded EVP while touring the home. One local resident was alone in the theater and recorded a male voice responding to her questions. Surprisingly, I have also captured EVP in the outhouse, and recovered a similar voice two hours later inside the home in the foyer.

Most teams who investigate feel there are three spirits or energies present: a man, woman, and child. Investigators also suggest that they have captured both intelligent and residual (place memory) EVP.

Paranormal Friendly

Korner's Folly is open to paranormal investigations. The site does ask for a donation to support Operation Restoration, the campaign aimed to raise money for preservation efforts. As Korner's Folly is a non-profit institution, teams can request a receipt and the donation is tax-deductible.

Bruce Frankel, the director of the Korner's Folly Foundation, enjoys working with the paranormal community. The location is sponsoring a Paranormal Weekend June 3rd and 4th. Friday, June 3rd, the general public is invited to attend a ghost hunt. Participants will enjoy hearing evidence gathered at the location while learning about investigation from several North Carolina teams. Tickets are $25. On Saturday, June 4th, Virginia and North Carolina paranormalists are invited to attend a gathering to meet, network, and discuss various issues of paranormal research. Haunted North Carolina, Para Probers, and Paranormal Scene Investigators (P.S.I.), North Carolina Paranormal Investigations, and Paranormal Investigators of North Carolina (PINC) are speaking or volunteering at the event. Tickets are $40 and all proceeds go to Korner's Folly.

The local community really enjoys having such a landmark on their Main Street. Jule Korner's granddaughter, Polly Wolfe Korner, once commented that her granddaddy would be "thrilled to know" his masterpiece now includes ghosts!

The site is open for self-guided and group tours, as well as private events. Visit Korner's Folly for more information.


Deonna Kelli Sayed is the author of the forthcoming book, Paranormal Obsession: America's Fascination with Ghosts, Hauntings, Spooks, & Spirits (Lewellyn, September 2011). Learn more about Deonna by visiting her Facebook Page.




2014 Haunted New England Wall Calendar by Jeff Belanger photography by Frank Grace
Check out the 2014 Haunted New England wall calendar by Jeff Belanger and photography by Frank Grace!


Paranormal Conferences and Lectures
Don't miss the following events and lectures:

Jeff Belanger and “The Bridgewater Triangle” at Dedham Community Theatre - April 6, 2014 9:00PM

The Spirits of the Mark Twain House - Hartford, Connecticut - April 12, 2014

Paracon Australia - East Maitland, New South Wales, Australia - May 10-12, 2014