Knoxville Journal readers who enjoy a good ghost story every now and then may have read the article that ran on March 12, “Journal haunted?”

The article discussed several unexplainable events that have occurred in the building and an investigation by the East Tennessee Paranormal Research Society.

ETPRS visited The Knoxville Journal on April 7 to present their findings from the investigation.

As far as recorded evidence, ETPRS took a photograph of what they believe is an orb, or a sphere of light that could show supernatural energy.

“The more it glows, the more energy that is there. We’ve had pictures of some that light up like light bulbs,” said Holly Henry, ETPRS investigator and promotions director.

The investigators attempted to interact with any spirits that may have been present during the investigation by asking a series of questions regarding its identity and personality and requesting either vocal or tapping responses.

“We asked if they knew who the president is currently, and we recorded an EVP that sounds like they said, ‘Obama.’,” Henry said. “This means it is an intelligent haunting, as opposed to something that is more like a video that is being replayed over and over again. It seems to know current events.”

Another investigator asked if the “ghost” was a mother, and it responded with a single tap.

While investigating the office, where many of the strange occurrences take place, ETPRS   Case Manager/Administrative Director Kristy Carmack saw something out of the ordinary.

“It looked like someone peeked their head through the door to the office to look at us,” Carmack said.

“We looked in the hallway to see if someone had walked back there, but no one had.”

Based on their short investigation, which lasted about two hours, the team has decided that they believe that there is some sort of supernatural presence at The Knoxville Journal.

“It doesn’t seem like it means anyone any harm,” Henry said.

And most Knoxville Journal employees tend to agree with Henry — that there is something strange going on, but nothing dangerous. Some don’t believe in the supernatural at all, and a few of the skeptics have been made into believers.

Graphic designer Pat Griffeth was among the most skeptical until she saw the apparition of a beautiful young woman, wearing period dress.

Even more surprised by a supernatural encounter were Cindy Treadway and Lynda Graves, who work in the office, where much of the strange activities have happened.

“I asked Cindy to plug the printer cord into the wall so I could print something. While she still had the cord in her hand (the printer was not plugged into the wall) the pages started printing. How do you explain that?” Graves asked.

No one has a logical answer for many of the events that have occurred at The Knoxville Journal, and as for whether the building is haunted or not, there may never be a definite answer.

Knoxville Journal Article