Date: 6/15/09

Weather conditions: Severe thunderstorms

Type of establishment: Theatre

Temple Building- University of Nebraska

Known History: Constructed in 1906 to be a student activity center and theatre. John Rockefeller matched funding for this building. The building now houses the UNL radio station, offices and 2 main theatres. In the 1940’s, a student fell from the overhead in the main theatre and succumbed to his injuries. Dallas Williams, Theatre Department Chairman from 1944-1971, was know for his dramatic theatre teachings such as throwing chairs during class.

Claim of events: Apparition of a man seen near the stage, shadow figure seen in sound booth, thumping noise from attic, mess was cleaned up after attic was locked up, sound of chairs being thrown, someone walking across the balcony and a seat is pushed down as if someone was sitting in it, entity seen in basement, sound of someone practicing tap dancing on the stage.

Investigators on site: Laura, Robin, Jim, Chris, Carl, Lisa, Mark

Equipment used: Digital and 35mm film cameras, several styles of video cameras, EMF detectors, digital and microcassette tape audio recorders

Findings: In the attic of this building is where the stage props are housed. It was very humid and hot, 85 degrees was the base reading. Several personal experiences occurred. Feelings of being on edge, cold chills and goose bumps several times although there was no notable change in temperature, shadows seen walking by door, voices heard and caught on tape, chair vibrating when someone sitting in it.

High EMF readings in basement due to set up of lighting and computers. No paranormal evidence noted in basement.

No paranormal events noted in either of the theatres.

Case status: Ongoing

PHOTOS

NPS tours the Lab Theater. L-R: Mark, our host, Lisa, Robin, Chris, Laura.

Photo by Jim Shorney

Chris checks out the Scene Shop

Photo by Jim Shorney

The platform off the main stage.

Photo by Jim Shorney

Carl and Lisa check out the basement.

Photo by Jim Shorney

Chris relaxes during an EVP session in the Lab Theater

Photo by Jim Shorney

Flowers for a ghost. We set this up at the intersection in the attic where items are reported to have been mysteriously moved or put away.

Carl's Temple pictures on Flickr (opens in new window)

EVP CLIPS

Clip #1, Attic, Laura and Robin

Clip #2, Attic, Laura and Robin

Clip #3, Attic, Laura and Robin

Clip #4, Attic, Laura and Robin

Investigator's Reports

Case #: 2-LIN-Tem - Temple Theater, Lincoln, NE October 16, 2009, 09:50:54 PM by JimS July 15, 2009. Investigators on site: Laura, Robin, Jim, Chris, Carl, Lisa, Mark http://www.nebraskaghosts.org/Investigations/Lincoln/Temple/index.php Write Comment Replies: Pages: [1] Re: Case #: 2-LIN-Tem - Temple Theater, Lincoln, NE Reply 1: October 30, 2009, 02:22:21 PM by Laura During our investigation of the Temple Building, I had the following personal experiences.  Upon walking into the main theater, I noticed a change in the atmosphere.  The air seemed heavier with a kind of charged energy to it.  When we set up our equiptment in the attic, where all of the props are stored, things seemed very different.  Almost immediately I began to hear voices.  There were no windows in the attic except the small 6"x6" glass blocks in the roof. The team members in the theater below us were men.  The voices I heard were that of a female although I could not understand what she was saying.  Some were louder than others.  The voices were also heard on the audio recorder.  The temperature in the attic was 85 degrees and very humid.  Circulating air would have been welcomed but was not the case.  I had many experiences of feeling cold chills and would get goose bumps for no apparent reason.  There was severe thunderstorms while we were in the attic.  Rain and thunder were very strong at one point.  I cannot justify the voices I heard as being someone outside, 4 stories down while sounds of the rain and thunder and hail was muffled. Re: Case #: 2-LIN-Tem - Temple Theater, Lincoln, NE Reply 2: November 01, 2009, 06:32:57 PM by Robin H In the attic I had my experiences. While Laura and I were sitting doing EVP sessions, I was seeing what I thought was someone passing in front of a lighted doorway. I thought it was other team members going to play a joke on us. I went to check it out, no-one was there. It was a very creepy feeling in the attic. We seen flashes on light that turned out to be the lightning coming through the small block windows. We heard voices, and experienced chills. We were able to get unexplained audio. I look forward to doing a follow-up. Great place. Re: Case #: 2-LIN-Tem - Temple Theater, Lincoln, NE Reply 3: November 02, 2009, 05:38:34 PM by mgscherer In the Howell Theater, Lisa and I were sitting and trying to come up with possible ideas of the sounds that we were hearing. We came up with a few. Lisa was on stage left and felt a cold spot and I took a picture of that area and found some cool lights and an orb. I know we don't value orbs, but the coincidence was amazing.  Several times we heard faint noises and I got up to go to the spot and only once did I feel like it was a bad place to be. One of those times was when I was in the balcony taking pictures and felt like some one was right next to me and felt some tightness in my chest. I wasn't scared just had a creepy feeling. So, as you all know, I stayed up there cause I like that and really wanted to catch something while I was up there. I even caught a living guy. I was sitting on the stage and Lisa was in the seats and we were talking and I heard a door open and shut and footsteps. Wow, my heart was racing and I sprung up and took off to the site where I thought I had heard those noises. I looked and looked and wow, to my amazement, nothing was to be found. I was walking back and there was this kid standing there. I about jumped to the roof. I think I caught him off guard as well. He said he was the stage manager for the play the university was doing,, and I said who I was and we went on our ways. Re: Case #: 2-LIN-Tem - Temple Theater, Lincoln, NE Reply 4: November 03, 2009, 10:41:53 PM by JimS The only thing that happened to me at Temple that was out of the ordinary involved the radios. Chris, Carl and I were using 2-way VHF radios to communicate with each other as we were in different parts of the building. Chris and I were in the Lab Theater when I tried to use my radio. It would not turn on. I had come with two freshly charged battery packs, so I swapped the spare battery pack on to the radio. Still nothing. I checked to see that the rechargeable batteries were properly seated in each battery pack, and even swapped the rechargeables out for fresh alkaline batteries in one pack, and could not get the radio to work. After I got home later that evening, I checked the first battery pack with a voltmeter. It measured fully charged, so I swapped it back on to the radio and it worked. I repeated the process with the second battery pack, and it also worked. I could not find any reason for the failure to operate while at Temple. So, paranormal interference or a balky power switch? I don't know. This radio has been very reliable in the past. I have used it for public service events and storm spotting with the ham radio club, and on other NPS outings since this night, with no problems. Re: Case #: 2-LIN-Tem - Temple Theater, Lincoln, NE Reply 5: November 18, 2009, 07:04:07 PM by cjbne This was my favorite investigation so far.  There is a lot of history at the Temple Theatre and I can't help but want to return sometime for another investigation.  -Chris Re: Case #: 2-LIN-Tem - Temple Theater, Lincoln, NE Reply 6: December 08, 2009, 12:04:19 AM by Carl This was a great place, with some pretty interesting history.  There were a story or two about the theater, and as far as I can tell, at least one was debunked.  We'll have to do some deeper research to be sure.  I had a great time and it gave us a good chance to work with some of our equipment.  I didn't find anything from our digital recorders, but I'd like a chance to go back and try again. Pages: [1]