An Eerie Evening at Patchett House with Linda Zimmermann
Written by Donna Davies
Patchett House
Montgomery, NY— On a chilly fall evening we arrived at the Patchett House located in Montgomery, NY, which is now home to the Wallkill River School for Artists. The Patchett House is a Colonial style home built in the early 1800’s that once served as an inn, a personal residence, and a funeral parlor that holds an unsolved mystery. This haunted house has its share of ghost stories from personal accounts to investigative reportings. This would be my first ghost investigation experience and being a fan of Linda Zimmermann’s Ghost Investigator series, I was curious about her experiences. I had no expectation of what the events the evening would hold. Let’s just say at times, the chill I felt was not from the cold.
Patchett House is a beautifully restored home that feels warm and cozy. I was warmly greeted by the Director, Shawn Dell Joyce. Shawn was delightfully clad in period attire suitable for a haunting. There was an impressive turnout for this event. We grabbed our complimentary copy of Ghost Investigator Volume 9 Back from the Dead
It’s Presentation Time!
Linda’s enthusiasm and sense of humor radiates throughout her presentation. You can’t help but absorb her excitement for the unknown. Having lived in the Hudson Valley all my life, I was excited to learn about these haunted destinations that were within my reach in the surrounding area. Linda shared the experiences of her team’s recent investigations of the Tamarack Inn, Iron Island, O&W Train Station, Cliff Park, Patchett House, and The Columns all located within driving distance of the Hudson Valley.
Ghost Investigator 9
We sat at the edge of our seats intently listening as Linda shared her knowledge of her connections with the spirits that remain tied to these locations. The most memorable stories are the incidents at the Tamarack Inn, The O&W Train Station, and The Columns. The Tamarack Inn’s tumultuous past of drugs, suicides, and accidents that contributed to 157 deaths is a prime setting for a haunting. A dark, mysterious figure engages Linda and she immediately goes into hot pursuit. As the aggressive game of cat and mouse continues, she is unsuccessful at capturing the image that any ghost investigator would want to claim rights to—a shadowy image on film. The O&W Train Station, also known as the Rusty Nail Restaurant, dishes up a ghostly prank that costs her a 25-cent toll, which takes place at the hand of a spirited apparition determined to make his substantiated presence known. Finally, a visit to The Columns gives Linda a hair-raising experience as phantom fingers run through her tresses. The spirit continues to aggressively show her who the mistress of this realm is. This active specter calls Linda out in an intense way. This spirit desperately wants to communicate the fact that she knows Linda and is determined to prove it. After a series of encounters with this female ghost, Linda put the pieces of the puzzle together and is guided to a file cabinet where she retrieves an article that bares her name. I think that is a fantastic example of a unique ghost investigation.
The most chilling experience was a photo that Linda shared with us that she deemed to be her best ghostly image taken at a home in Pamona, NY. There were 2 photos shown. The first photo was of a dimly lit room. The second photo was of the same dimly lit room with a huge, dark, shadowy figure within it. It reminded me of the large ghostly shadow of a huge monster in a Scooby-Doo cartoon only real. It was extremely disturbing and sent a chill down my spine. The crowd in the room gasped in amazement, and had I been the one taking the photo, I would have been running for the hills! I think the entire crowd felt the same way. This photo and story can be found in Ghost Investigator Volume 6 Dark Shadows
The Patchett House Hauntings
Embalming Table
As stated earlier, Patchett House was an inn and a personal residence before it was a funeral home. In 1977, the funeral home director mysteriously vanished and the house was vacant for more than 20 years. Know one knows what happened to the man. This remains an unsolved mystery today. Maybe the rumored ghosts that inhabit the embalming room of Patchett House scared him away.
Linda shared her findings of her previous investigation, she clearly described the activity that occurred in the embalming room. A mounted motion activated camera generated blurred images, which could only have happened if something or someone was moving the cameras. The camera produced an irregular shadow within the image. Good to know as we enter through the Bilco style doors of the basement!
The first thing you notice when you enter the dark, dank, room is the embalming table, which looks like nothing more than a triple sink. There is a slight chemical odor. This is where the bodies were laid out and the draining and embalmed occurred. You would think that there would have been more sophisticated equipment used even in the 1970’s.
EMF Demonstration
Linda demonstrated how the EMF (Electromagnetic Fluctuation) monitor works while trying to detect changes in energy in the room. She clearly explained how you can get irregular readings due to cell phone and normal electrical interference. We did get a few short readings on the meter; nothing significant. No one should have the expectation that you can walk 25 people into a room and have an experience. In my opinion, if something is going to happen to you, it will be very personal.
We then ventured back upstairs where Shawn Dell Joyce, the Director, continued the tour. Shawn is very passionate about Patchett House and its history. Shawn shared some of her experiences in the home. She explained that at one time she and students heard a phone ringing; an old-fashion bell-type ring. There is an old phone in the house, but it was not connected. There have also been issues with lights being turned on and off and when no electricity was connected in the house. Repair men have actually walked off jobs after working in the basement claiming they felt something down there with them.
Shawn fondly spoke of the ghost of Emma who was born and died while living in Patchett house. It was her only home. She lived through the late 1800’s and passed in 1976 at the age of 97 years. Once a Patchett family member drove past the house and just happened to look in the window of the second floor and was shocked to see his Aunt Emma looking out. You see, Emma had been deceased for quite some time. Emma is also particular about her house. If she doesn’t like the doors and windows open, she will let you know about it. She will just close them for you. There is one room is the home that is Emma’s room. It is a shrine to her memory as she was a very caring and generous woman. Shawn feels very comforted by her presence and feels that it is her spirit that protects her ancestral home and she will not leave it behind.
No Souvenirs
The lecture and tour of the Patchett House was very informative and interesting. Linda Zimmermann is an engaging and dynamic speaker. One thing I will always remember is her clear warning to “Never bring anything home with you!” That means spirit or otherwise.
The Patchett house is a beautiful, well-preserved home that serves as an educational institution for artists. I am certain that Emma is proud of that fact. Visitors to Patchett House have sensed and even visualized the presence of a woman in the home. I don’t think Emma ever left her domicile. This strong presence of Emma could signify a deep love for the home in which she lived in for 97 years. Maybe she just doesn’t want to leave it behind, but we would have to. It was time to venture home.
I was exhausted from our trip and the mind does play tricks. I rolled into bed and slept soundly. I woke up at about 5:30 a.m. The light was on in the hall. I was certain I had turned it off. It would have kept me up all night if I hadn’t. I hope Emma didn’t reconsider and follow me home!
Learn more about Linda Zimmermann
Learn more about Patchett House
