Female ghost hunters explore paranormal in Gettysburg
During a ghost hunting investigation at the David Stewart Farm, Brigid Goode called out taunts to what she believed to be a spirit of a Confederate soldier.
“Did you go AWOL? Did you leave your troops? Are you yellow?”
After not hearing any response on her equipment, Jenny Thomas came in with a softer approach, asking if the soldier needed tending to his wounds.
“Would you tell me how I can help you get home?” Thomas asked.
Goode and Thomas are members of Gettysburg Ghost Gals, an all-female ghost hunting team based in Gettysburg. Formed in 2012, Gettysburg Ghost Gals distinguish themselves not just by gender, but with a tight bond and light-hearted dynamic.
“We’re kind of like wise guys,” Goode said. “I think that’s what people enjoy about us. We’re a breath of fresh air. We’re not always so serious.”
Although the new Ghostbusters film with a female cast may be coming to a theater near you in July, the Gettysburg Ghost Gals insist the real deal already exists.
Armed with equipment like electronic voice phenomena recorders and ghost hunting apps, Thomas and Goode investigated the David Stewart farmhouse for paranormal activity on Saturday. The farm, they explained, was used by Confederate soldiers during the Civil War as a field hospital when they were retreating from the Battle of Gettysburg.
“This property has a lot of interesting occurrences,” Goode said.
The battle makes Gettysburg — where just about every other building is haunted or contains some activity — rife with possibilities for paranormal investigators, Goode said.
“There’s so much sadness and tragedy stuck in time here,” Thomas said.
As the group’s medium, Thomas said she has a heightened sensitivity for spirits, although she admits it’s not perfect.
“I’m a human being,” Thomas said. "My mind plays tricks tricks on me just like anybody else.”
Each member of the crew brings something different to the table. Goode has a scientific background with about 20 years experience as a lab technician.
“This is an unproven field,” said Goode. “There’s nothing 100 percent.”
The third team member is Morgan Maguire, described as the “tech girl” and historian. During investigations, Maguire will watch apps and offer guidance to Goode and Thomas.
“We’ll go running to wherever she tells us to go,” Thomas said. “She’s like our Bosley.”
The Gettysburg Ghost Gals stand out for their femininity, but Goode said that has never held them back in the field. However, they do take issue with the representation on television, which they said is lacking.
“Are we represented on television well enough? No, we’re not,” Goode said. “There’s never any female group leaders. It’s always women working underneath a group of men. You may find one woman on a team. I would like to see an all-female ghost hunting team.”
The Gettysburg Ghost Gals are currently shopping a television show and said they are excited for the upcoming Ghostbusters remake, despite its trailer earning the recent distinction as the most disliked video on YouTube.
“I think it brings more recognition to female paranormal investigators,” Goode said.
Another distinction of Gettysburg Ghost Gals is all their investigations are free of charge; they instead earn money through published books, lectures and conferences.
“We don’t scam anybody,” Goode said. “We don’t take money from anybody. There is no money involved when it comes to private home investigations.”
.jpg)
The Gettysburg Ghost Gals take their job seriously, keeping in mind they are dealing with spirits that existed as living, breathing human beings at one time, Thomas said. However, that doesn’t stop them from sharing a sense of humor about their adventures.
“We don’t laugh at other people,” Thomas said. “We don’t laugh at the misfortunes of other people. We laugh at one another.”
Thomas described an investigation at the Ohio State Reformatory, where she said she witnessed a “headless being” pull Goode’s hair.
“It was hysterical to me because she got her head pulled back pretty dang hard,” Thomas said.
Like the upcoming Paul Feig comedy, the Gettysburg Ghost Gals don’t mind getting a little silly. The ghosts don’t seem to mind.
“We’re not just friends,” Thomas said. “We’re like a family. We’re like sisters.”
