With Halloween around the corner, ghosts are everywhere. But for two men in Massachusetts, the idea of paranormal activity is on their mind year-round.
Matt Warner and Kyle Palmer are in the ghost hunting business.
Recently, they took WBZ to Rockland, Massachusetts for a night inside a historic building to see what might be hiding in the shadows.
Grand Army of the Republic Hall
Built in 1899 as a meeting place for Civil War veterans, Rockland’s Grand Army of the Republic Hall stands as a reminder of the past. By day, it’s a historic landmark. After dark, some believe it’s something more.
“It was built as a communal meeting place for Civil War soldiers and their families to come together,” said Warner, who spends nights inside the hall trying to document what others can’t explain. “I’ve always labeled myself as a skeptical believer. I know what’s happened to me, but I have to prove it.”
The night began a few blocks away at a small cemetery, where a headstone marked the grave of a former Confederate soldier named Samuel Burnette. Minutes after the team powered up their equipment, the crew said Burnette’s name could be heard through the static of what they refer to as a spirit box.
Back at the hall, investigators said they believe Samuel often gathers near the main staircase. Some nights, they say, you can even hear the sound of footsteps moving across the old wooden steps.
Rockland, Massachusetts ghost hunting
Inside, the building seems to breathe. The floorboards groan, the doors shift, and every sound feels amplified in the quiet.
“You’re going to notice how loud these stairs are,” Warner said. “Which then you’ll understand why we hear what we hear in this building.”
At the leading of the stairs sits an attic filled with artifacts, including an old coffin and plenty of creepy, old kids’ toys. Warner calls it one of the most active rooms in the building and believes a spirit named Sean lives there.
“Standing right here at this pillar, looking at me, about six feet tall, very gaunt, shoulder-length, scraggly hair. I just saw a full-blown ghost,” Warner claims.
Not long after Warner said that, a sharp bang echoed through the hall. What it was, no one knows.
Back near the staircase, the team began a “spirit box” session. Almost immediately, a small device called a “REM BOT” began to beep.
Whether the sounds came from beyond or from the building itself, it’s hard to ignore how alive the old hall feels.
Warner and Palmer continue to study Rockland’s Grand Army of the Republic Hall, documenting their findings for anyone curious enough to listen.
You can get more information on Warner’s website and Palmer’s Instagram account if you are interested in paranormal activity.
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