The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Lake County Historical Society hosts Ghost Hunt
Halloween may have come and gone but that doesn’t mean the spooky season is over.
The Lake County Historical Center is hosting “Ghost Hunt at Para-X” on Nov. 2 at the History Center, 315 Riverside Drive, Painesville Township.
The event, limited to 40 people, sold out in less than two hours after tickets went on sale. It will allow patrons to explore the far-reaching history that the 1876 Italian Gothic building boasts, as well as the opportunity to test just how haunted it may be.
The 37,000-square-foot structure was originally constructed in 1876 to serve as a “poorhouse” to indigent transients. Within the dormitory, men and women were housed separately, and allowed only a single possession, a copy of the bible.
Those that showed symptoms of mental illness along with anyone who did not follow the house’s strict rules were placed in dank jail cells in the bowels of the building. These depths, which are typically restricted to the public, will be a part of the night’s guided exploration.
The poorhouse was renamed the Lake County Home in 1970 and operated as a modern boarding home until it closed in 2004.
Repurposed as the current Lake County History Center, the site’s potential haunted nature appears to have remained. The A&E Network featured the building on a past episode of Paranormal State entitled, “Ghosts of the Forgotten.”
Differing from the more casual Haunted Lantern tour that the center also puts on, PARA-X is an event geared for the consummate ghost hunter. Conducted by self-affirmed “ghost lady” Cathi Weber, tour-goers are encouraged to investigate the presence of any potential ghostly occupants. During which, they will be shown how to use ghostdetection devices, including EMF detectors and audio recordings by veteran ghost-chasers who will also be on hand.
Due to the nature of the event, tickets were only available to those 18 years or older and a liability waiver must be signed before embarking on the haunted tour.