Investigation Date: 11-02-2007
Site: Mantorville Restoration House
Location: Mantorville, MN
Number of Investigations: 1
Evidence: EVP

Research and Background on the Property

The Restoration House, which originally served as a residence, was built in 1856. Two years later it was leased to the County Commissioners and was used as the first Court House. The house was acquired by the Mantorville Restoration Association in 1963 and was restored and furnished as a late 1800’s residence. The basement of the Restoration House holds the only jail cell in Dodge County.

Investigation Details

Weather Conditions
Temperature: 30.2°F
Barometer: 30.11
Dew Point: 26.8°
Wind: 16 mph
Moon: 30% Full

TCPS had four teams on this night of our Mantorville Investigation Weekend. Each team was accompanied by Mal, who is part of the Mantorville Restoration Assoc. The first team to investigate this property experienced multiple camera malfunctions, both upstairs and in the basement/jail area. While in the basement, one member from this team was sitting in the jail cell and noted a significant temperature increase of about ten degrees. The cause for the temperature spike could not be found. On the top floor of the Restoration House, the team noticed that one of the beds in the front bedroom looked as though someone had sat on it. The team did not remember seeing this during the original tour of the house and no one is allowed to sit or be on any of the furniture. The team noted they straightened the sheets on the bed before they left.

To save time, on the next round we had two teams in the house – one on the top floor and one in the basement. Mal stayed with the team that investigated the top floor. The base readings for the EMF in the upstairs were zero, as there is only one outlet at the top of the stairs; the rest of the rooms upstairs have no electricity. The first noted activity from this team happened twelve minutes into the investigation when the EMF meter spiked. When asked if there was a spirit with them causing the meter to go off, the meter lit up again. About a minute later, each member from this team stated they felt a drop in the room temperature. Temp readings were done but no change was noted on the thermometers. The team continued to ask questions and got responses from the EMF meter. At one point the EMF was not spiking as high as it was previously, so the team asked if the spirit moved into a different room. The EMF lit up again and the team asked if the spirit wanted the team to go into a different room and the EMF spiked topped out on the meter’s readings. Around twenty minutes later, the team heard what sounded like the front door opening, footsteps, and banging noises from down on the main level of the house. The team on the top floor called down to see if the team from the basement had come into the house and got no response. Mal went downstairs to see who was there and found the main floor of the house to be empty. Later when asked, the team who was down in the basement at the time stated they did not come upstairs until much later during the investigation. At one point upstairs, one member from the team was drawn to a small room filled with old toys and children’s clothes. The team could not physically go into this room as it was blocked off by a small gate. The team was able to reach over the gate and hold the EMF meter into the room, which originally registered zero. The member who was drawn to this room asked if a spirit was in there who liked playing with the toys and the EMF lit up. The team asked if the spirit was female and again the EMF spiked. Sources for the EMF spikes are not known as there are no electrical currents running through the room. Before the team left, they decided to check out a room which contained a lot of old photographs and a large old camera. The team asked if there were any spirits in the room who wanted to communicate with them, the EMF meter, which again previously registered zero, spiked. The team began asking questions about the photographs in the room and the EMF continued to light up after the questions. Mal then told the team about a woman who used to live in Mantorville, named Stella, who was at the time a famous photographer in the area. The entire time Mal was telling the team about Stella, the EMF meter’s readings were off the chart. Upon walking through to go downstairs, this team noticed that one of the beds in the front bedroom looked as though two people had sat on the side of the bed. None of the members noticed this on the bed from earlier on during the investigation and noted they straightened out the sheets before they left.

The team who investigated the basement/jail of the Restoration House on this second round of the night did not have many personal experiences. The group did have a few camera malfunctions and one of the members’ camera batteries drained completely. Interestingly, upon reviewing this team’s audio from the basement, they captured two loud banging noises. Both of these noises sounded like a metal door being slammed. The team did not recall hearing such sounds during their time in the basement and stated at no point did they slam or shut the jail cell door.

The final team to investigate the Restoration House began their investigation on the top floor. Upon entering the front bedroom, the team noticed the bed looked disheveled as though someone had sat on the side of the bed. Mal then told this team that both teams who previously investigated upstairs saw the same phenomena and each time fixed the sheets so the bed looked “freshly made”. (It should be noted the only people in and out of the property this night was TCPS and after each team left the house, the doors were locked.) Voices which sounded like they were coming from the main floor parlor room were heard by two members of the team. All members in the house at this time were in the same room and no other people were in the house but our team. Before the investigation was over, the team headed back upstairs to check out reports of EMF spikes in the nursery/children’s room. When they entered one room, the team again noticed it looked as though someone had sat on the bed. Mal then told the team that this activity happens all the time in the house even though no one is allowed to sit or use any of the furniture inside the Restoration House.

Final Analysis

TCPS was able to capture four EVP’s from this location. Although the teams had many personal experiences throughout the night, we conclude that we do not have much evidence to back up the activity which was experienced here. We believe there is a possibility of both an intelligent and residual style haunting at this location but would like more time to investigate the Restoration House to see if we can debunk some of our own experiences. TCPS will keep you updated on this case as we are anxious to go back to this location again.