A Word From Beyond

June 2024 - Vol. 4 Issue 4

We are celebrating another milestone anniversary this month! "The Shadows Within: Houghton Mansion" was published on June 20, 2014.

UPCOMING EVENTS!

Saturday, July 13, 2024 - 7:00 pm - midnight
Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum

Lenox, Mass. 

Join us on July 13, 2024 as we communicate with the spirits that still call this beautiful mansion their home. Activity has been picking up throughout the years, we can't wait to see what they have in store for us this year!

Before the investigation, we will provide a brief history of the lives that once graced the hallways – and possibly still reside within. We will also share some of his favorite evidence from previous investigations and will be happy to answer any questions about paranormal investigations. This event is perfect for everyone; from someone who has never been on a paranormal investigation to the seasoned investigator.

Non-refundable tickets for this exciting event are $40 per person with a reduced rate of $25 for ages 12–18 and 19-23 with student ID and are limited. Reservations are required. No walk-ins. You can purchase your tickets online by clicking on the following: (https://gildedage.org/products/paranormal-investigation) All of the proceeds from ticket sales will go towards the preservation and restoration of Ventfort Hall.

Friday, July 19, 2024 - 8:00 pm - midnight
Fort Adams

Newport, Rhode Island

Explore a haunted fort! Tickets for our group paranormal investigations at Fort Adams in Newport, Rhode Island are available! Book your adventure now!

Tickets for all of our events at Fort Adams in 2024 are available, including:

Friday, July 19 -- 8:00pm - midnight

Saturday, August 17 --8:00pm - midnight

Friday, October 24 - 8:00pm - midnight

Cost: $42.40/person (after online ticketing fees) - all ticket proceeds to benefit Fort Adams!

For tickets: https://fortadams.org/visit-fort-adams/tour-the-fortress/

Please note that if you are planning to investigate Fort Adams with us, we will be walking on uneven surfaces and exposed to the weather as we walk from location to location. Please dress comfortably with appropriate footwear (open-toe shoes or heels not recommended!) Please be sure to bring a water bottle. In case of rain, please bring an umbrella or raincoat. Unfortunately, this event is not handicapped accessible and involves many stairs and ramps requiring a full range of motion from participants. Bring a lightweight folding camping chair if you get uncomfortable standing after a period of time.alues like name, email and more.

CELEBRATING TEN YEARS

-  The Shadows Within: Houghton Mansion -

We can't believe that it has been ten years since The Shadows Within: Houghton Mansion has been published. On June 8, 2014, David Raby was invited to Houghton Mansion to present the masonic lodge members a history of the Houghton family, providing information that he dug up as part of the process for the book. Then in the evening, there was a special event with Katrina Weidman and Kris Williams in which he provided the guests with the history of the mansion and helped during the group paranormal investigation that occurred later that evening. He brought a proof of the book to drum up interest. On June 18, 2014, the final proof of the book was received and approved. The book hit its debut on the market on June 20, 2014.

A lot has happened in that ten years. Three other books were published, and six more books are in draft stage. Technology and new techniques in paranormal investigations have been introduced. Gone are the days of a small toolbox with paranormal equipment - replaced by big and bulky cases to prep and lug around. We're obviously older too, hopefully a little wiser - but I joke at this age when I learn new things, important older information seems to float away into the abyss.

This year, we are looking back at our past with an eye on the future. So, we'll take a little stroll down memory lane and talk a little bit about The Shadows Within: Houghton Mansion. Writing a book was never part of my life's ambition. It became a very clear goal for me in the early morning on Sunday, October 9, 2011, when I woke up on an air mattress in Houghton Mansion itself. My wife Christiana and I as well as friends Vanessa and Chris spent an overnight conducting a paranormal investigation at Houghton Mansion, our second investigation there. Honestly, it is very difficult to sleep in a haunted location - I gained so much more perspective and became much more understanding with our private clients who experienced such difficulty on a nightly basis. But when I woke up from a couple of hours of very light sleep, I had a very strong sense that I needed to write a book about the Houghton family. Within this strong sense was the feeling that some groups treated the spirits in the mansion as carnival attractions whose only existence was to perform for guests. I felt that if I provided a history of the joys and suffering, of dreams and ambitions of these spirits, perhaps people would be more compassionate towards the spirits.

When I told Christiana my intention to write a book, she looked at me with bewilderment as this thought was way out in left field for me. Of course, she was fully supportive and onboard for this challenging task. With a full-time job, a paranormal investigation group, a house and two children who were under four at the time - you can imagine finding time would be an enormous challenge. Research took two years, thankfully, many historical records and newspapers were online, and when I hit a dead-end, I travelled to the North Adams Public Library to go through seemingly endless amounts of microfiche files. I discovered a passion for writing that was previously untapped. Sure, I wrote many online articles about the paranormal, but that is different than writing a book.

While writing, I had a few unusual experiences detailed in my book "Walking Amongst the Shadows: Houghton Mansion". I discovered that I could channel and felt that I had help from one of the spirits in the mansion. I even had two bizarre experiences where I felt like I seen Mary Houghton after her sister had died and I felt the pain that Cordelia Houghton felt after the terrible car accident on August 1, 1914 - as a result two Houghton family members, one loyal employee and a family friend died. Certain phrases popped into my mind, and I immediately wrote them into the book. During the editing phase, my attention was called out to the fact that I was using phrases that were used in the late 1800's/early 1900's and were not part of current speech patterns. While writing about the Pierce Arrow automobile that was involved in the wreck, the words were clearly not mine - I was visibly angry, and it shows in the words on the page. During my first visit to a medium (full disclosure - I am a skeptic), Janine, who did not know what I was doing, described in great detail Houghton Mansion and of the matriarch - and told me that she was helping me write. I knew deep-down that I was receiving help, but to hear it confirmed by a third-party, that was eye-opening! When editing was done, I was stubborn and made sure that most of those words that I felt were not mine stayed in the published book. I do feel guilty that some were edited, but perhaps a second edition with new information will return those words and phrases to their rightful spots.

Publishing that book was a great achievement and ten years later, I cannot help but look back at the amazing process that unfolded in the change of my life's plans, the mysterious circumstances when the idea was given to me, the miraculous channeling and visions received, and what that book did for me personally and for our new group. There's a special honor for Houghton Mansion in my heart because it gave me a new purpose, great memories, and many friends that are still part of my life.

While Houghton Mansion is currently closed for public events by their current owner, we have maintained relationships with our current partners and met a whole new slew of spirits and friends (of the living category) and we hope to one day publish books based on the histories of those buildings and the spirits that remain within. Those places also have a special place in our hearts, and we look forward to seeing you at one of these events in the future!  

At a special event at Houghton Mansion on June 8, 2014, with Kris Williams (Ghost Hunters, Ghost Hunters International) and Katrina Weidman (Paranormal State, Paranormal Lockdown, and Portals to Hell). David Raby presented the Masonic Lodge with the history of Albert C. Houghton's family in the afternoon and presented the history of the mansion to paid guests later in the evening, before helping during the group paranormal investigation.

2024 EVENTS

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