Haunting stories draws paranormal investigators to PSU

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October 19, 2007

By DENISE A. RAYMO The Press Republican Fri Oct 19, 2007, 12:00 AM EDT

MALONE -- The curious and the fearful hope to learn this weekend whether Macdonough Hall on the campus of Plattsburgh State is haunted.

A team from the Northern New York Paranormal Research Society will conduct its investigation Friday night and share its findings with the public at 4 p.m. Saturday during a presentation at the hallowed hall.

Based in Malone, with a second team in Albany, the Research Society has conducted paranormal investigations throughout the region, at both private homes and public buildings, since 2001.

Research Society President Merrill McKee, who founded the group, said it is different from other paranormal investigators because it uses both scientific instrumentation and para-psychological means, such as psychic readings and crystals, to gain results.

"We believe in the metaphysical side and the scientific," he said, adding that the co-founder of the organization, who goes only by the name Dale, is a certified parapsychologist as well as a psychic and medium.

McKee, who works as a correction officer at Adirondack Correctional Facility in Saranac Lake, said he has been fascinated with the out-of-the-ordinary since he was a child.

"The first book I ever remember taking out of the library was about Big Foot," he said, referring to the legendary man-beast believed to live in the Pacific Northwest.

"I've always been drawn to the paranormal, and I've always wanted to know the truth," he said. "Seek truth' is our teams' motto."

The society has been invited to investigate reports at nearly a dozen sites in Malone, a few in the Village of Brushton and two in Fort Covington, in addition to the cases handled in the Albany area by the second team.

He said Macdonough Hall has a long-standing reputation for having the most frequent reports of odd events.

Macdonough was built in 1948 and during construction, two gravestones were discovered, according to an article in Plattsburgh State's All Points North magazine. They were moved so work could continue, but the next day, the gravestones were gone and have never been found.

Since then, students living in Macdonough Hall have occasionally reported hearing strange sounds or seeing lights flicker on and off.

Sometimes, students say they hear music from empty rooms or children laughing in the hallways.

"A lot of people think it was built on an old cemetery, but personally, I think it wasn't," McKee said.

This weekend's investigation was prompted by a call from a residence-hall director at MacDonough who said students want to learn if there truly are spirits lingering in the building and to hear more paranormal stories.

The investigations are conducted free of charge, and the Saturday seminar is free, although a $1 donation at the door would be appreciated to go toward the cost of equipment and travel.

draymo@pressrepublican.com