Ghost Hunting Class Investigations Paranormal Activity Investigations Haunted Bed And Breakfast Inn

*******Our first Ghost Hunting class on May 21, 2005, was a huge success! And the class on Sept. 3, 2005 was amazing!! The Feb 4, 2006 paranormal investigation brought unexpected results! The May 13, 2006 ghost hunt was a sell out! The Aug. 5 and Nov. 18, 2006 classes had some surprising interaction! Markie went to the Light during the Feb. 2 and 3 class! We talked to Frederick Hancock about the Underground Railroad during the May 5, 2007 session! And Lewis Mason led us to an Underground Railroad hiding place! And now he has started the "Earthbound Railroad"! What will happen next? *******

Christopher Moon, a Professional Ghost Hunter from Colorado, will hold classes here at the Mason House Inn entitled "Ghost Hunting 101" and "Ghost Hunting 102, 103, or 104". For all you ghost hunting enthusiasts, this is an excellent opportunity to learn from an expert and explore a real haunted hotel. The "Today Show" has named us as one of the most haunted places in America. Now, we are not promising that you will see a ghost or anything like that, but this is likely to be a very interesting evening. (Read Joy's Journal to see the latest happenings!)

Christopher Moon and Haunted Times Magazine will be conducting a Ghost Hunter University Weekend Retreat at the Mason House Inn Bed and Breakfast on Saturday, February 18th and Sunday, February 19th. It is a two part event that begins on Saturday afternoon, with Christopher's popular Ghost Hunting 101 seminar. This 3-hour seminar covers the basics of ghost hunting, from ghost hunting protocol, to equipment used in the field, to definitions and examples of positive and false-positive evidence. Following this seminar, a buffet dinner is served to attendees, and includes a haunted history lesson of the Mason House Inn by the owners, Chuck and Joy Hanson. The highlight of the evening is the interactive "Telephone to the Dead" session which follows, and the night is completed with an evidence sharing and wrap-up session. The following afternoon, Sunday, Christopher will have a NEW 104 class called "Haunted Adventures in the Gypsy Van. He and Paulette will talk about some of the more haunted and scary places they have visited while crossing America in their Gypsy Van. As with the Ghost Hunting 101 class, a dinner follows the seminar. Following dinner, guests will be treated to a second night of learning, as Chuck and Joy share physical evidence of the hauntings by previous guests. And, of course, we'll have another session with the "Telephone to the Dead". Evidence sharing and a wrap-up session conclude the event.

What? Two classes on ghost hunting, dinners, spend the nights at the Mason House Inn, and breakfasts the next morning.

When? The next class of Ghost Hunting 101 is Saturday, February 18th, 2011, with 104 on Sunday the 19th. There is still room in the classes. We are taking reservations for them now. Rooms are limited for staying overnight in the Inn, but you may also come to the class without staying overnight. The Saturday and Sunday classes start at 2pm. We need to have a minimum of 15 people to hold the class or it will be cancelled .

When can I arrive and check in? You may arrive around 1 to 1:30pm. Earlier is better. Eat lunch first as there is no where in Bentonsport to grab a bite. (Supper is here at the Inn.)

What time? The Saturday 101 and Sunday classes start at 2pm. Both classes will go till about 8 or 9pm. Dinner is included around 5pm on Saturday and 4pm on Sunday.

How much? For each class and dinner, it is only $75 (plus tax) per person, and it is even more fun to spend the night and see what happens! If you want to spend the night, you just pay the regular room rate for the room you choose. (See our Tour of Rooms page to choose a room.) We do have some "safe" rooms if you wish a quiet night. Or be brave and stay in the main house on the second floor. The room rate includes breakfast in the morning. The class, room, and dinner fee must be pre-paid and is nonrefundable. Reservations must be made in advance with a credit or debit card. (MasterCard or Visa). Or a check can be mailed for the entire amount. Checks must be received within a week of your reservation or we cannot guarantee your reservation.

Saturday night rooms are for Saturday class attendees only, and Sunday night rooms are for Sunday class attendees only.

How many? Class size is limited to 32 people maximum. The Mason House has 9 rooms and they will be filled to capacity (as much as is feasible). A class of 15 minimum must be reached to hold the class.

What do I bring? A real digital camera (not the one-time-use kind). If you have a digital voice recorder, bring it for EVP readings. If you have an External Digital Thermometer, bring it to find "cold spots". If you have a video camera with night vision capability, bring it to capture moving orbs. Christopher will be bringing his sophisticated electronic ghost detecting equipment and will explain their uses and findings.

Who ya gonna call? GHOST BUSTERS!!!! No really, call Chuck or Joy at the Mason House to make a reservation. 800-592-3133

**********The 2012 class dates: Feb. 18 & 19, May 5 & 6, Aug. 11 & 12, Nov. 10 & 11 ************

I would like to say that we do not do any séances or allow Ouija boards on the Inn property! We do not ask to talk to anybody's dead relatives or friends. The purpose of these ghost hunting classes are to educate people on how to conduct a ghost hunt properly. Chris Moon does use his "Edison's Telephone to the Dead" to talk to the spirits here, but it is only to find out who is here and why they are here. This is not a séance. Do not bring a Ouija board. Also, due to recent problems with "spirit boxes" , "ghost boxes", "word boxes", "radio shack hacks", etc., here, we no longer allow any kind of these devices inside the Inn. (Except for Chris Moon.) Thank you.

See Christopher Moon's web site at http://www.hauntedtimes.com (If this web site does not load properly, delete the / and any other letters until you have just the .com, this should work.)

On March 1, 2007, the Coast to Coast AM radio show interviewed Chris Moon about the Frank Box that he uses at the ghost hunt classes, also known as "Edison's Telephone to the Dead". Chuck called in and talked for a while during the last half of the 4th hour session. Read the transcript from Chuck's interview by clicking here.

Read a Mt. Pleasant News article written by Carolyn Noon about her experiences at a GHU 101 class.

AAA Living Magazine featured the Mason House in their Sept/Oct 2007 issue, by Lori Erickson: AAA Magazine Article

To see a You Tube version of the IPRA investigation here in 2007, go to www.youtube.com and type Mason House Inn in the search area. You'll see Chuck and me give an interview of some of the stuff that happens around here, along with some of the evidence they collected in their investigation. There are five film segments.

Here's a clip from Public Iowa Television about the Villages of Van Buren. They say something about the Mason House Inn during the Bentonsport tour. http://www.iptv.org/video/detail.cfm/1102

The SRSOI group, who was here in February 2009, have posted the investigation on their web site: www.srsoi.com . Click on "Investigations" on the left side, then click on "2009", then click on "Mason House Inn". Or just click this link: http://supernaturalresearchsocietyofiowa.com/investigations/09/masonhouseinn/ There is a YouTube video that shows a glowing orb zoom out of Room 5. But watch the cookie jar...it moves too!

A note to Paranormal Investigation groups who want to come and do their own investigation:

Yes, we do have alot of paranormal activity here. Many investigation teams have found positive evidence. We do allow investigation teams here when we don't have any other guests in the Main House. We have three options, charge-wise. The first option is for your group to rent out the entire 6 bedrooms in the Main House for $500.00, and ensure that you will be the only ones here. You can sleep in the beds and use the restrooms, and have breakfast in the morning (the whole B&B experience). You can investigate the entire second floor and the dining room and parlor on the first floor and not have to worry about anybody else being here. Or you can pay $35 per person, not sleep in the beds (you can nap ON the bed but not IN it), use one bathroom, and no breakfast in the morning. You just do your investigation and leave when you are done. But we won't hold the entire Main House with that option, so you take your chances that there may be somebody staying who is not with your group. The third option is that you rent enough rooms to house your investigators at the regular room rate and you can investigate those rooms you rented, the dining room and parlor. Again this does not guarantee that you will be the only people here and you will have to be courteous of the other guests, if there are any. But you can sleep in the rooms you rent and have breakfast in the morning like a regular guest. Week days work better for the second two options, or winter when it is slower. I do have two outer rooms that are not haunted and I will try to put non-ghost hunting people out there first, so you don't have false readings. But if I get more people wanting to stay in the main building I will have to do that. This is our bread-and-butter living and I will not turn away guests. So if you want to make sure you are the only people in the main house, you must rent out the entire main house. Or you can take your chances. Like I said before, during the week and the winter it is slower.

Sound interesting? A little frightening? Go ahead and give it a try - you may find a daring new hobby! Call the Mason House Inn to make your reservations quickly - before your chance mysteriously disappears! 800-592-3133