Poinsett Bridge

Investigation

11/15/08
Greenville County, SC
CAPS – Charlotte Area Paranormal Society
Charlotte, North Carolina

Investigators present:
Tina McSwain
Nancy Weisberg
Frank Burns
Karyn Blue
Sandy Harrington

(We met some locals, Dawn and her friends, and they observed and assisted with the investigation.)

Equipment Used:
Raytek ST60 IR Temp Gun
KII EMF meter (3)
Gauss EMF Meter
FLIR Thermal Imaging Camera
Digital Voice Recorders (4)
35mm Cannon Sure Shot Owl
Digital Camera (5)

Base Readings:

Base EMF and temperature readings were taken after our arrival; approximately 8PM. Temperature at start of investigation was 39 – 37 degrees F. The temperature remained constant for the duration of our time there. It was somewhat windy. It was a clear night with clouds starting to roll in. There was a cold front coming through, making the overhead skies partially cloudy. EMF readings from one side of the bridge to the other were normal, showing nothing. We scanned the sides and top of the bridge as well. We also walked around the proximity of the ends of the bridge and underneath.

Location History:

For the history of this bridge, I am posting the photo below of the Stone Marker on site.

Reported Activity

Nothing is known of the history of the area other than what is stated on the sign above, but we do know that other Ghost Hunting Groups have investigated this site. In addition to personal experiences, they have reported mists, strange lights, sightings of figures and anomalies in their pictures. We interviewed the locals we met and they told us they had been coming there since they were teens., some 20 years now. They said they had observed a great deal of paranormal activity over the years at this site. They told us they had heard voices, seen apparitions, and saw strange lights, and heard strange sounds. The also told us that the later it got, the more the activity occurred.

The Investigation:

Arrival at 8:10PM. Started investigation approximately 8:15PM. We begin to walk around the area and take readings. We took pictures and attempted EVP work. We would gather in an area, and all of a sudden, the KII EMF Meters would spike as if someone was walking between us. This happened several times throughout the night. Frank, Nancy, and I all got several spikes on our KIIs. We would be standing on opposite sides of the bridge, and the meters would go off as if something had walked between us. Other times, we would all be beside each other and the meters would go off in that fashion also, like someone was walking by. Below is a photo taken by Sandy when Frank’s EMF Meter was spiking. Karyn and Tina are in the background.

Karyn had a different type of EMF Meter, but was getting high activity as well. The EMF spikes occurred along the sides of the bridge, and at the different ends. Frank, Nancy and I all had KII’s and they all reacted to something. We have no explanation for these spikes as there is no electricity in the area. It is very remote, on a small mountain, extremely dark, and there are no power lines either.

All of us had digital cameras, and we all took hundreds of pictures. We did captured anomalies in our photographs. We conducted several EVP sessions. There was a great deal of EMF activity as evidenced by our KII meters. The EMF activity appeared to move about the area, because it was never in the same place. It seemed like something was walking between and around us for a good portion of the time we were standing still on the bridge. However, when we would go back in an effort to debunk the reading, the KII would now not spike in that area. We stayed in one area, grouped up for quite awhile, Then we would move from one end of the bridge to the other, stay still, and wait for more activity to start. Sandy and Karyn went to the vehicle at one point to warm up. They returned later and reported a personal experience that they had.

This site produced some of the highest levels of EMF activity I have seen in quite awhile. At one point, I saw a dark figure move across the far end of the bridge. Sandy thought at one point Frank was standing beside her, when she turned to look at “him”, she saw a white figure standing there. Sandy had stated earlier that she felt a presence here.

The Evidence:

The EMF Readings were random and of a very high level with no conventional explanation. EMF levels and spikes were confirmed by four separate meters. High EMF activity continued into the night. We also seemed to get interaction from the entity with the KII Meters. We performed question and answer sessions using manipulation of the KII’s lights by the entity.

Frank’s Observations

The following CAPS team members conducted an investigation on 11/15/08 from 2000 to 0100 hrs; Tina McSwain, Nancy Weisberg, Frank Burns, Karyn Blue and Sandy Harrington of a reputedly haunted bridge (Poinsett Bridge in Greenville County, SC.) With our K2 meters in use, the meters indicated levels of EMF. The fact that there were no electrical sources in the vicinity indicated paranormal activity. Poinsett bridge showed considerable more activity with several of the team members getting high K2 readings. I personally have never experienced such high spikes on previous investigations. It was as if the spirit was moving back and forth between us. Sandy and Karyn had some interesting personal experience that they may want to report. It certainly was a very eventful investigation and I would conclude that there is paranormal activity

at this site. Poinsett bridge is a fascinating structure built in 1820 with reportedly Indian slave labor. The bridge was well constructed as you can see on the photos that I took.

Sandy’s Observations

At approximately 9pm, Karyn Blue and I got chilled and hiked up to my car hoping to warm up. Once inside I decided to turn my SUV around so I would not be backing onto a rural highway when we decided to leave. As I was moving the car, I remarked to Karyn that I hoped we hadn’t driven all this distance for nothing. I backed the car up a sloped hill, making the rear higher elevated than the front end and turned off the motor. I immediately got the sensation I was still moving backwards. I continuously looked in my in the rear view mirror as I kept my foot on the brake hoping I wouldn’t hit the car behind me. At the same time, I felt like the earth was rolling from left to right. Catching my breath, I turned to Karyn and asked if she noticed anything strange. She immediately replied, “Yes, we’re moving. Pull up your emergency brake.” I did as she suggested but still had the sensation I was backing up at the same time I was rolling from left to right. Within moments, I became nauseated. Karyn complained of a severe headache. We got out of the car and returned to the group across the street to tell our weird story.

While we were relating the activity we had just experienced, two EMF detectors Tina and Frank had brought with them started reacting to an unknown source, lighting up from yellow to red. They were so excited about the paranormal activity they paid little attention to our tale of woe. In time, at least two spirits present cooperated with our requests and lit the EMF lights in an effort to communicate.

While most of the investigative team was standing in a circle on the far right side of Poinsett Bridge watching the EMF detectors light up, I decided to take a picture. Thinking Frank was standing to my right, I stretched out my arm motioning for him to move out of camera range. Instantaneously, I turned my head to look in that direction. Much to my surprise, I discovered it wasn’t Frank standing beside me. It was actually a white ghostly figure several inches taller than Frank. I tried to focus on this unknown entity but it de-materialized before my eyes. It was at this point, I realized a ghost had been standing between Frank and me. When I gasped and brought attention to his presence, Nancy took a picture. I don’t know if she captured him on film. I got the distinct impression it was an Indian shaman.

When we got ready to leave, I pulled my car out on the pavement and parked on the side of the road, waiting for Tina to lead me out of the area. This time my car was heading uphill, making the front end higher than the rear. Again, I got the sensation of being pulled backwards. Before I became nauseated for a second time, Tina pulled out and I was able to follow her out of the area.

In all my years, I’ve never experienced such a weird and nauseating sensation. I’ve never had motion sickness. I sent an email sharing this experience to my friend, Brad Steiger, who is a noted paranormal author and investigator. I have included his comments.

Dear Sandy: Ah, you’ve hit one of those bizarre anitigravity spots. Often the story is about a busload of kids who died on the spot due to a car hitting the bus or a train or whatever and the moving of the car is reportedly due to their little hands. There are several of these vortex areas in nearly every state–probably every state if you really researched it. It is one of the most common accounts that people call in when I do radio programs. Everyone swears that they are not delusional, were not drunk or on drugs, and that it really happens. Often, before the program is over, someone else from the area will call in and confirm the account. Once I started to make a list of all the vortex areas where such phenomena occur. Lord knows where that list is now. It would make a good research project … Love and Light Brad

During our investigation on Saturday, 11-15-08, I witnessed Tina and Frank’s EMF detectors light up on numerous occasions. While at Poinsett Bridge, several people heard a loud yell but I didn’t hear it. I believe this bridge is a hotbed for paranormal activity. I hate that all the members of CAPS were not present to experience these events firsthand. I hope you all have the opportunity to go there in the near future.

Of Interest

On our initial “daytime recon” trip of Labor Day Weekend, Nancy Weisberg, Kathy Crowley and I located the site and completed a preliminary survey of the area. It was dark by the time we got there. While we were walking up, I saw a bluish ball of light shoot off the left side of the bridge. We got some EMF activity while we were there. Kathy said she felt like there was a presence there. We had only been there a short time when a carload of people drove up. They crossed the road and walked over to the bridge. They were another Paranormal Group, the Boo Crew, out of the local area. They told us they had been there on several occasions, and had seen strange lights out there and heard strange noises. They had also seen figures moving about. Due to the late hour, we were not able to stay any longer, but decided this was definitely a location we wanted to investigate.

Conclusion

Although “Orbs” are present in several of the photos above, CAPS does not consider an “Orb” as proof of paranormal activity. As a scientific based research group, we will consider all manner of evidence colleted, environmental factors, investigative discoveries, and personal experiences before deeming a place as having paranormal activity or as being “haunted” or not.

In the above case, based on the EMF activity, noises heard, sightings of figures by separate people, photographs and personal experiences, all of which we have no explanation for, I would say this site has definite paranormal activity.

Tina R. McSwain,

Founder & President

CAPS – Charlotte Area Paranormal Society

Photos From the Investigation. Although “orbs” are present, CAPS does not consider them valid unless they are accompanied by additional evidence.