t  h  e     f  i  r  s  t     a  n  n  u  a  l
chicago ghost conference
O  C  T  O  B  E  R    26 - 28, 2 0 0 7

Sponsored by:

Featuring Mark Macy, Sally Rhine Feather, Brian Leffler, John Kachuba, 
 Gregory Myers, Michael McDowell, Nate Larson, Elizabeth Rintoul, and Edward Shanahan.  
Hosted by Ursula Bielski and Michael McDowell.
Evening Session hosted by Scott Markus.


"The dead say nothing
And the dead know much
And the dead hold
Under their tongues
A locked-up story."

-Carl Sandburg

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The first-ever Chicago Ghost Conference was a smashing success, and will definitely be an annual event.  
For the conference report and photos, please visit http://www.hauntedamericatours.com/confrences/ChicagoGhostConference.phps

Due to difficulties in securing the desired venue, our second conference--originally set for October 2008--has been rescheduled for 2009.  The final date will be set soon and registration will be open in January.
Check back soon for details and join our mailing list for early notice.

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About the Chicago Ghost Conference:

One of the city's most beloved poets, Carl Sandburg, knew a thing or two about the ghosts of the prairie.  This Halloween, we attempt to unlock the "locked up stories" of the spirits of Chicago--and beyond--at the Midwest's premier ghost hunting event of the season.  The Chicago Ghost Conference will go down in history as the first ghosthunters' convention ever held in the city of Chicago. For the first time, field investigators, authors, historians, folklorists, artists, sensitives, and enthusiasts from every walk of life will come together in one of the world's most haunted cities for a weekend of learning, discovery, and--of course--ghosthunting.  All are welcome, whether you have merely a ghost of an interest in the paranormal, are looking to celebrate Halloween in a unique way, or whether you're a seasoned ghosthunter actively engaged in the science of paranormal investigation.  Full day tickets to the conference are just $40 per person ($15 for students), and include admission to the Friday evening reception (cash bar) all Saturday day and evening speakers, and door prize ticket.  Or, attend just the evening session for $15 at the door. Optional evening event tickets are now sold out.

 TO REGISTER FOR THE CHICAGO GHOST CONFERENCE, CLICK HERE!

 

Conference Location:

The conference headquarters will be the sumptuous and haunted Florentine Ballroom at the historic Congress Plaza Hotel, located in downtown Chicago, right on Michigan Avenue.  The hotel is situated across from beautiful Buckingham Fountain and Grant Park, right on Chicago’s Lakefront, and is a five-minute cab ride from the River North area, where some

The Chicago Hauntings Tour picks up one block from the Excalibur and takes passengers on a whirlwind tour of one of the world’s most haunted cities, visiting the sites of the Great Chicago Fire and the Eastland 

Scott Markus (evening session host)

S P E A K E R S

Mark Macy
"Instrumental TransCommunication"

Mark Macy was an atheist in the early 1980s, firmly convinced that notions of God and afterlife were no more than wishful thinking. Lately he’s talked on the phone with departed colleagues, and as part of an international panel of frontier scientists and researchers, he’s been in direct contact with ethereal beings—angels—who have accompanied our world for many thousands of years and have shared with us a bit of their ageless wisdom. Go figure. Mark Macy was born in 1949, grew up in Windsor, Colorado, earned journalism and electronics degrees after high school, then spent two decades as a professional writer and editor on newspapers and in technical writing departments of high-technology corporations. Also during this period he launched a series of anthologies on world peace, with the collaboration of many bright minds from around the world. He became convinced of spiritual reality in 1991 and immersed himself in the young field of ITC (instrumental transcommunication), which is the use of electronic equipment to get information from the spirit worlds in the form of voices, images, and text. As a founder of INIT (the International Network for Instrumental Transcommunication), Macy arranged funding for the annual meetings of its members—scientists and ITC researchers from various countries. They attracted ethereal beings into the project, providing miraculous advances in ITC research. Macy gathered the research results of the various members and published the group’s journal several times a year. He also spread the word about ITC research through presentations, radio and TV interviews, books, audiocassettes, and videotapes. His latest book, Miracles in the Storm, tells the story of those fascinating years that bridged Heaven and Earth. Mark graduated from high school in Windsor, Colorado, received electronics training in the Navy, did undergraduate studies at Colorado State University and the University of Northern Colorado, and did post-graduate work through independent studies and in connection with the International Institute for Integral Human Studies in Montreal, earning a doctorate in Therapeutic Counseling, Ph.D. (T.C.), from the Open International University for Complementary Medicines in Colombo in July 2003, in affiliation with the University of Arizona College of Medicine.


Sally Rhine Feather
"The Gift"

Sally Rhine Feather is one of the most well-known and respected psi researchers in the world and could be called the "Princess of Parapsychology." She was practically raised in the world's first parapsychology laboratory, the one her parents, J.B. and Louisa Rhine, founded at Duke University in the 1930s. As a teenager, Dr. Feather's first job was serving as her father's assistant,  rechecking experimental test data.  She served as a research assistant both before and after college, meeting most of the well-known parapsychologists and various visiting dignitaries who came through the Duke Parapsychology Laboratory. After obtaining a Bachelor's Degree in Biology, Dr. Feather returned to her father's laboratory to work on experiments exploring possible ESP exhibited by animals, as well as research into the relationship between memory and ESP and the effect of emotional moods on psychokinesis (mind over matter). She subsequently went on to earn a Doctorate in Experimental Psychology  from Duke University. Dr. Feather's current parapsychology focus is developing the Rhine Research Center's research program investigating the possibility of applying psi ability to the health and healing field. She is an active member of the Parapsychological Association. Dr. Feather is also a licensed clinical psychologist, completing her postdoctoral fellowship in clinical psychology at the University of North Carolina. Today she brings these skills to the investigation of ESP and its effects on people who have had spontaneous psychic experiences. She founded the  Psychic Experience Group (PEG) at the Rhine Research Center which functions as a support group, allowing people who have had  spontaneous psychic experiences to meet and share those experiences without fear of ridicule or judgment. In her PEG group, she has heard hundreds of remarkable stories, told by sincere and honest people, describing unusual and often disconcerting psychic experiences. Her book, The Gift: ESP: The Extraordinary Experiences of Ordinary People, examines nearly two hundred cases from the RRC's ever-growing case files of spontaneous phenomena.  Dr. Feather is a frequent guest on local and national radio and TV shows dealing with the subject of ESP. In addition to her work as a director of the Rhine Research Center, Dr. Feather maintains a psychotherapy practice in Hillsborough, North Carolina where she lives with her husband, Bill.

Brian Leffler:
"More than Just a Paranormal Experience"

Brian Leffler is a Minnesota-based paranormal investigator known nationwide for his meticulous investigative techniques.  Before becoming involved in investigation, he would have laughed at anyone telling him ghosts are real. Then, out of nowhere Brian moved into a house that provided him with a multitude of paranormal experiences that eventually cracked the hardened shell that is hard-nosed skepticism. Because of his own experiences, Brian began to study the paranormal and eventually became a paranormal investigator. Today, Brian continues his research into the paranormal and is also an emerging author, having been published on the Internet, in Fate Magazine and in his own volume, Minnesota Ghosts. Brian has been known by paranormal enthusiasts everywhere as a sharp and gracious radio host of some of the world's most popular paranormal-themed broadcasts. Brian credits his success to the fact that he loves to conduct interviews with his peers in the paranormal field.  Brian is also an in-demand public speaker and is a member of the Robbie Thomas Team, now on extensive tour throughout the United States, and he looks forward to meeting many of his listeners on the road. What Brian is most proud of are the advances that he has contributed to the field of paranormal research.  You can find Brian nowadays partnered with Scottie Stamper; together they have created ShadowTalk Paranormal Radio which, is quickly heading for the top of the paranormal talk radio charts!

                                                                                    

John Kachuba: 

"Ghosthunters: On the Trail of Mediums, Dowsers, Spirit-Seekers and other Invesigators of America's Paranormal World"

John Kachuba is one of the most respected "Ghost Writers" in the nation and an in-demand speaker and radio guest in the paranormal--and normal--worlds.  Author of the popular Haunted Heartland series, John's newest volume, Ghosthunters: On the Trail of Medium's Dowsers, Spirit Seekers and Other Investigators of America's Paranormal World, was released this Summer by New Page Books.  John's short fiction and nonfiction have been widely published in such publications as: Tin House, Hawai’i  Pacific Review, Connecticut Review, Dogwood, Savannah Literary Review, Antioch Review, Poets & Writers, America’s Civil War, Cincinnati Magazine, American Profile, and many others. He has received several awards for his fiction, including the 2004 Dogwood Fiction Prize.  John holds advanced degrees in Creative Writing from Antioch University (Yellow Springs, OH) and Ohio University. He has taught writing at both the University of Cincinnati and Ohio University. He is also on the faculty of the Gotham Writers Workshop. John is a noted conference speaker and presenter and has appeared at Wildacres Writing Workshop, Florida Suncoast Writers Conference, Columbus Writers Conference, Erma Bombeck Humor Writing Workshop, Blooming Grove Writers Conference, West Virginia Ghost Hunters and Spirituality Conference, Haunted America Conference, and Victory of Light Psychic Festival. He has also spoken on many radio and television programs throughout the country and internationally. John lives in Athens, Ohio, with his wife Mary.

Nate Larson:
"Conjecture, Curiosities, and Wonder" 

Nate Larson is a Chicago artist whose photographic work uses visual and textual narrative to explore the way that we construct meaning in contemporary culture, through the lenses of religion, consumer behavior, and secular mythologies. His stories weave tales of ordinary days gone peculiar, obsessive methods of analysis and insignificant objects that suddenly take on extraordinary significance. Miraculous pennies arrive in the mail, healing spells transfer through television programming, and fortune cookie numbers win the lotto. Through this darkly humorous storytelling he dissects the line between belief and skepticism, while examining ideas of personal truth and common misperceptions surrounding photographic documents. Nate's artwork has been shown extensively across the US and internationally in Canada, Greece, and the UK. His work has been reviewed by numerous publications, including the New York Times. His photoworks are included in the MPP Collection of the Museum of Contemporary Photography, the artist book collection of the Banff Center, the permanent collection of McHenry County College, and the permanent collection of the Center for Photography at Woodstock, among others. His artwork has received multiple grants from the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and and the Illinois Arts Council. Nate's recent solo exhibitions have included showings at the University of the Arts, Philadelphia, Duke University in North Carolina, and Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Nate Larson holds a tenured teaching appointment at Elgin Community College, where he teaches courses in photography and digital manipulation.  Nate holds an MFA in Photography from Ohio State University and a BA with Distinction from Purdue University.

Gregory Myers:
"Para-Dangers: Risks of Investigating the Unknown"

Greg has had personal paranormal encounters since being a teen and has years of paranormal
investigative experience. He is well versed with haunting classifications, paranormal investigative
techniques and leadership through example. Greg has served as a technician and supervisor while serving in the military and has further enhanced his education and abilities with legal issues while
serving over ten years in the legal field. With his background of legal issues, lobbying experience and issue advocation, he hopes to apply these skills to the enactment and strengthening of "haunted house" and "psychological impact" disclosure laws for prospective property owners, tenets and lessees. Greg also has an extensive background in genealogical research and familiarization with record research vital to the research of potential haunted properties. Greg is one that shares the philosophy that paranormal investigations can come with many unknown dangers which are not properly addressed by most of the paranormal research field. This and other important issues are overlooked and need further advocation to current and future researchers and investigators within this field. Greg adheres to a Humanistic Approach to investigations which always places the client first above everything else. Greg became part of Missouri Parnormal Research™ in August of 2005, serving as a co-administrator, lead investigator and EVP specialist. While serving with MPR, Greg became an instrumental element in the collection and analysis of evidence in a case involving an extreme "inhuman" haunting and possession. This haunting was featured on the Discovery Channel's "A Haunting" series as the Season 3 opener in October 2006. Greg then co-founded Paranormal Task Force, Inc. in October 2006, a not for profit corporation which educates and promotes the awareness of paranormal research as well as other historical and paranormal, related issues, along with providing assistance to the public and other organizations. MPR now serves as its non-extreme investigative and research division while other divisions will be launched, making Paranormal Task Force™, Inc. a "One Stop" resource for all paranormal needs of clients, the public and other organizations as well.  Greg has been a featured guest on many radio stations across the US, UK, and Canada and has completed filming earlier this year (2007) with Keith Age and The Booth Brothers for "Children of the Grave, which will be released on October 2, 2007. He also served as a Location Manager for that project. He also completed filming for the Exspiro Productions documentary "The Other Side" which was released earlier this year (2007). Greg has also authored articles and short stories concerning his experiences within the paranormal realms and theories related to such which are published on the World Wide Web. Some of these articles and stories have been selected for inclusion in “Weird Hauntings II” and “Weird Missouri” which will be published in the near future.
Greg has also recently been added to the League of Paranormal Gentlemen.

Elizabeth Rintoul:
"Generations of Evidence: the Case for Ghostlore"

When educators construct mission statements or develop course curricula, at least in liberal arts studies, they usually attempt to provide a lesson in culture, either to foster the interest in students’ own, or to connect it to the cultures of others.  There are strong cultural ties in the literary arts that connect cultures through folklore, mythology and, most notably, through ghostlore.   Often looked upon as a lesser study of literary art, ghostlore has been placed in the realm of superstition, studied by those drawn in by old wives tales or those “taken to drink.”  They hold a very lowly place in the literary world; yet, in academia we always examine these works as crucial to the understanding of a culture's hopes and fears.  Bram Stoker and his Dracula, or Mary Shelley and her Monster in Frankenstein, gothic horror though they may be, were amongst the most popular of their day, and they appeal, even today, to those darker fascinations in human nature.   For Elizabeth Rintoul, the classroom isn't the only place for paranormal study.  An engaging high school English instructor, she spends her summers extending her classroom boundaries to host student "field work" in ghostlore--in the dark corners of Chicago,  Ireland, Scotland, France and Australia, all places where ghost stories have captured the very heart of the people--and where these stories speak not only to local culture, but serve as a bind to cultures who share similar stories.

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f e a t u r e d   e x h i b i t o r s:

• Throughout the day, attendees will be free to visit our many exhibit booths. featuring numerous local and national ghosthunting groups, regional and national authors, paranormal radio broadcasters, metaphysical and ghost hunting vendors and others. The Chicago Ghost Conference will also house a proud satellite gallery of the annual Halloween Art Exhibit, the national showcase of original, collectible Halloween art by today's top & upcoming talents in all forms of creative media.  
• For a preview, click on the exhibit's banner below:

Edward Shanahan &
The Unexplained World

Edward L. Shanahan is one of Chicago's most respected and astute psychic feelers, and is also gifted in the art of psychometry--deducing spiritual truths from the personal items of loved ones.  Ed, a native of Chicago's richly storied Southwest side, began his lifelong involvement with the unknown as a young child,  when his mom bought him his first magic set at Ford City. Magic did not long hold Ed's attention; however. He soon discovered Real Magick and, accordingly, became engaged in exploring the realities of the unseen world.  As a young man, Ed was intrigued by the work of his uncle, a handwriting analyst, who sometimes appeared on Eddie Schwartz's popular Chicago radio show, and he was intrigued by the stories told by famed Chicago personality Richard Crowe, one of the world's first full-time "ghost hunters." As a teenager, Ed began his first wide-eyed journeys into Chicago's paranormal underworld to explore some of Chicago's most notoriously haunted sites, including Bachelors Grove Cemetery, his first-ever outing to a haunted site.  Ever since, Ed's joy has been exploring both the spiritual and paranormal realms with fellow travelers from around Chicago and around the world, but he's also explored the world of high celebrity in the Pro-Wrestling and Glamour industries.  Today, Ed's web community, "The Unexplained World," draws thousands of visitors each week, many of whom tune in to his popular and acclaimed webcast of the same name.  Ed Shanahan remains a popular reader at private and public gatherings throughout the Chicago area and, recently,began hosting Beyond the Veil events, which he co-founded with Ursula Bielski, escorting guests to haunted and spiritual locations around the Midwest.  Ed has contributed to Jeff Belanger's Encyclopedia of Haunted Places and Scott Markus' Voices from the Chicago Grave, as well as Ursula Bielski's forthcoming Chicago Haunts 3: From the Secret Files of Chicago Hauntings, Inc.  To join Ed on his first return to Bachelors Grove, visit the Unexplained World's archived selection at: http://www.metacafe.com/watch/231080/haunted_bachelors_grove_cemetery_tour/

Doug and Scott L.
of Ghostly Talk Paranormal Radio

Ghostly Talk remains one of the most popular and beloved paranormal-centered radio broadcasts in the nation, thanks in great part to the teamwork of award-winning hosts Doug and Scott L.  The Chicago Ghost Conference is delighted to announce that Ghostly Talk will be recording throughout the conference day, covering the conference lineup and commenting on the day's events.  Stop by the recording booth for more information on Ghostly Talk and let the guys know what you think of the First Chicago Ghost Conference!  



   Also Exhibiting:

• The Indiana Ghost Trackers
• Will County Ghost Hunters Society
• Chicago Hauntings Tours and Investigations
• The Bachelors Grove Restoration Project
  
• Southern Wisconsin Paranormal Research Group
• Northern Minnesota Paranormal Investigators
• Missouri Paranormal Research
• Paranomral Research & Investigative Studies Midwest (P.R.I.S.M.)
• ShadowTalk Paranormal Radio
• Scott Markus/Voices from the Chicago Grave
• Mark Macy/World ITC
• Author John Kachuba
• Artist Nate Larson
• Sally Rhine Feather/Rhine Resesarch Center
• Beyond the Veil Events
• Twilight Tales Reading Series
  
• Lake Claremont Press
• The Haunted Treehouse--Just for Kids!