Return to the Darkness: Madison Seminary

In our experience, few places we've investigated rise to the level of Madison Seminary when it

comes to paranormal activity. A building on the National Register of Historic Places, Madison Seminary has a rich history dating all the way back to 1847 when it served as a school, which remained the case until 1891, at which time it was taken over by the Women's Relief Corps. Here's a more in-depth look at Madison Seminary's history.

When the Women's Relief Corps took over, the building was reconditioned primarily to provide support services for wives, sisters and mothers who had lost their loved ones as a

result of the Civil War. During this trip to Madison Seminary, however, I was shocked to learn that the building was once home to Elizabeth Stiles - a woman hand-picked by President Abraham Lincoln to serve as a spy for the Union. Elizabeth spent more than a year behind enemy lines gathering intel from Confederate soldiers and officers. Check out Elizabeth's story here.

Elizabeth was laid to rest just down the street from Madison Seminary, in an unassuming burial site that hardly seems fit for someone who was truly a hero. COPS Paranormal co-founder Annie and I found where she was buried, and equally interesting, Annie found where a young girl, around 5 or 6 years old, was buried next to her father, who passed away only a couple years after she did. Both died around the year 1855. The young girl's name matched the name of a spirit encountered several times at Madison Seminary, who sometimes had trouble communicating because another spirit would prevent her from doing so. Could it be that she and her father still inhabit the building, and perhaps her father prevents her from speaking? It's certainly possible.

As for the investigation itself, Madison Seminary never disappoints. This was the first

investigation during which we livestreamed eight infrared cameras placed throughout the building, and we kept the livestream going during the entire investigation. COPS Paranormal did the livestream from their Facebook page, and we shared it onto our page, giving those watching a real-time look into the investigation. The feedback seemed positive, and it's something we definitely want to do again.

While reviewing the footage from that livestream, Annie noticed what seems to be a shadow peeking into the room where last time we were there, I watched a closet door close on its own. Take a look at the video clip and let us know what you think:

We're very thankful to Adam Kimmel and Resident Undead for allowing us the opportunity to investigate Madison Seminary, and we'd like especially thank our good friend and host Jeff Fent for staying with us during the trip. As always, it was truly a pleasure, and we hope to be back again soon for a visit.