MASSACHUSETTS AREA PARANORMAL SOCIETY
("M.A.P.S.")
THE OLD MASONIC HALL
July 17th, 2009
It stood proudly like a beacon in the night, as the M.A.P.S Paranormal Team entered the gracious old Masonic Hall in East Bridgewater Village. In the past this majestic structure was the center of the community. The Masonic Hall once housed the East Bridgewater Public Library, the East Bridgewater Grange, a pool hall, grocery, bicycle, millinery and dress shops, barbers, shoe repair, the Woman's Relief Corp, funeral parlor, dancing school, and of course the meeting place for members of Satucket Lodge. As in previous investigations, the team was briefed by genealogist and team leader Wayne Nye, who had been researching the Masonic Hall for the past two years. Ms. Carr was unaware of the history of the building which was built in 1892. She was informed that it was once a Masonic Hall.
After agreeing on a floor plan, the team then divided into groups and began setting up their equipment. EVP ( Electronic voice phenomena) recorders as well as EMF ( Electro magnetic field) meters, motion, thermal detectors and digital cameras are just some of the equipment used. It was then time for lights out and the investigation was underway.
Almost immediately upon entering, Ms. Carr felt the presence of children playing in the kitchen, a small boy with the name Billy or Willy, and a young girl playing on the floor. She also sensed two male cats who felt quite at home in their surroundings. According to Dawn, there were four Masons in their ceremonial garb on the third floor. Some names she mentioned were Benjamin, Robert, Warren, Mary, a woman in the attic whose name began with a "D" and also a female with a "V" name such as Victoria or Vickie. As she gazed out the window, Dawn informed us of huge horses pulling a team down West Union Street, which resembled a horse drawn fire wagon. Wayne Nye validated the fact that the old fire station was located only three doors down during that era.
Throughout the evening, the team took many digital photos and captured numerous orbs. An orb is a spherical form of energy. Some experts believe orbs are energy of spiirits trying to manifest while others claim they are nothing more then dust or insects. On various occasions, we have caught them (orbs) stationary as well as in motion. Captured on film we have; a shadow person peering through a kitchen door window, the shadow of a woman in period clothing and what looks like a face in a picture.
Team members had personal experiences including; hearing what sounded like "little people" footsteps in a vacant room, the sound of tapping, a feeling of coldness and the feeling of being watched. One team member reported that he felt someone touched his back in the center of the third floor hall. Other members experienced a cool breeze on what was a stifling hot summer night. At the conclusion of the investigation, Wayne Nye closed all the doors before exiting the building. Upon realizing a piece of equipment had been left behind, he reentered the building to find several doors open. Ms. Carr announced that she felt some areas of the building were protected by a glowing light which we all found to be most comforting.
M.A.P.S. would like to thank members of the Club.....skeptics as well as believers for allowing us to explore this gracious, historic building. Also, a special thanks goes out to our guest, Psychic Medium Dawn Carr.
