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santa fe depot

4/3/2003

General Information

Investigators:     Christy, Andy, Justin, Ron, Becky, Eric and Laura 

 

Equipment used:  CCD-TRV37 Sony 8mm nightshot camcorder, DCR-TRV520 digital Sony nightshot camcorder, Analog audio recorders, 2 Hp318 Digital Still camera, Kodak DX3500 Digital Still camera, Olympus 410 Digital Still camera, Olympus 510 Digital Still camera, Sony Mavica Digital Still camera, 200A EMF Meter 8 EMF array meters 

Video Cams are set up in the controlled areas.


Area 1. Front Blue Train Car
Area 2. Ballroom
Area 3. Basement
Area 4. Dining Room Hallway

Historical/Factual/Relevant Info:

The town of Guthrie has a rich past history. The town was first named Deer Creek, but was later changed to Guthrie after a Judge of the District Court in Topeka, Kansas.   In the 1800’s, the Rail Roads were booming and the first tracks reached Guthrie on February 8, 1887. A train depot had been constructed in Guthrie prior to its opening. Housing inside the depot was constructed to accommodate the track men during the construction of the railroad. This was common for most of the Santa Fe Depots.  The Guthrie Santa Fe Depot was completed on April 16, 1889 and the first train brought an estimated 1000 people to Guthrie. The following 10 trains brought 9000 more new homesteaders.

The Guthrie Santa Fe Depot was the only railway into Oklahoma territory and the only direct connection with the outside world for the chaotic days of 1889. The original depot was only a small red frame building located on the West side of the tracks. It wasn’t until 1903   

that the present day Guthrie depot was complete with a two-story red brick station which housed passenger service, mail service, news stands & employee living quarters which were employees of the new Harvey House Restaurant.  The Harvey House Restaurants became well known for the Santa Fe Depots.

throughout the Southwest. In agreement with Mr. Harvey, the Santa Fe shared the building costs and gave Mr. Harvey space on their trains to ship food, equipment and supplies. At one time, there were 84 Harvey House Restaurants established at different Rail Roads Depots.

The average Harvey House Restaurant seated approximately 48 people around a large horse shoe shaped counter. On the ground floor of the Depot, there was a kitchen, a bakery, a news stand and a gift shop. The 2nd floor consisted of living quarters for the manager, his family, and bedrooms for the single employees.  With the beginning of the Harvey House Restaurants, Mr. Harvey found it difficult to find hired help. The West was very young and was not yet attracting the type of ladies that Mr. Harvey wanted to hire to serve in his restaurants. It was then that Mr. Harvey placed ads for workers in Eastern & Midwestern newspapers that read: “Wanted, young women of good character, attractive, and intelligent, 18-30”. His add attracted many young women who

were brave enough to venture out West in hopes of a better way of life.

Fred Harvey made sure his workers were trained to high standards for prompt and courteous service. They were also trained to serve hundreds of customers in an allotted 20 minutes which was the length of the time a train would need for servicing every 4 hours.   The working girls were given the name “Harvey House Girls” and were closely supervised by their manager or Manager’s wife. They worked hard 8 hour shifts and were paid $17.50 per month plus tips, room, board and train passes.  Mr. Harvey insisted on strict curfews for his girls and upon their agreement for employment, he asked them not to marry for at least 1 year. The girls wore matching uniforms which consisted of long sleeved black dresses with an Elsie collar, black shoes & stockings. They were furnished a wrap around apron that was so stiffly starched, it had to be pinned to their corset.  For many of these young women, the change to work at a Harvey House was a golden opportunity. Most were looking for a husband and the chance to start a family of their own. They were given the chance to travel farther West by working at one Harvey House,

saving money while waiting to catch the next train that would take them to the next Harvey House and deeper into the unexplored West. It is estimated that more than 5000 women married and settled in the West as a result of the Harvey Houses.

They were started by a man named Fred Harvey, who at the age of 15, left his home country of England for the United States.   Upon arriving in the States, Fred Harvey resided in New York where he began working in the restaurant business.  Since the Civil War made the restaurant business hard to stay afloat, Mr. Harvey changed careers and moved West ward to work for the rail roads. He never forgot his love for the restaurant business and while traveling for the rail road, he realized that improvement was needed in the food area.  Mr. Harvey had an idea for a depot restaurant, but was turned down by the Burlington Rail Road before he approached the Santa Fe. It wasn’t until 1870 in Kansas, that Mr. Harvey met Charlie Morse, President of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railways. It was then that Mr. Harvey was given the opportunity to start his own restaurant and share his dream of good food at reasonable prices

Investigation Report

“The Present”

This 100 year old depot has not been destroyed by age. As a matter of fact, it has been listed on the National Registry of Historical Places.   Our OPRA group discovered this place first as a casual dining restaurant called “Arties” which is located within the train depot in the original location of the first Harvey House. The restaurant’s style has changed a bit since Mr. Harvey owned it, but the atmosphere and food are still wonderful.   Our group was discussing the historical architecture of the building and commenting on the different interesting aspects the building held. We commented on how we would like to conduct an investigation of the old historical building, so we

Sweeps:
Train Cars
10:30pm--First initial sweep was conducted in the blue 1935 train cars.
10:40pm--2 Unknown objects were thrown at Erik.
10:50pm--End of sweep--EMF baselines set--No EMF Readings above
baseline
11:02pm--1 hour of video set up in first blue train car.
12:02am--End of video

Interior Sweep
12:59am--(Entry Room)
Ceiling Temp: 64 degrees F.   Floor Temp: 65 degrees F.  Wall Temp:  67 degrees F.
1:02am--(Hall by Foyer)
Ceiling emp: 63 degrees F.  Floor Temp:  65 degrees F.  Wall Temp:  67 degrees F.
EMF Reading:
1:03am--Mary recorded an EMF reading on her gauss meter of 1-2 mg.
(undepressed)
1:05am--(Dining Room)
CeilingTemp: 64 degrees F.    Wall Temp:  64 degrees F.   Floor Temp:  66.9 degrees F.
EMF Reading
1:05am--Mary recorded an EMF reading on her gauss meter of 1-2 mg.
(undepressed)
1:09am--A single knock is heard on one of the tables.

1:11am--(Ballroom)
Ceiling Temp: 64 degrees F.   Wall Temp:  60 degrees F.   Floor Temp:  60 degrees F.
No EMF Readings above baseline.
1:12am--Thump is heard on North window
1:15am--Shadow movement is noticed by 2 investigators

1:21am--(East Corridor by Staircase)
Ceiling Temp: 63 degrees F.   Wall Temp:  61 degrees F.   Floor Temp:  65.8 degrees F.
No EMF Readings above baseline
1:25am--(North/South Hallway)
Ceiling Temp: 62 degrees F.   Wall Temp.  63 degrees F.   Floor Temp.  65.1 degrees F.
No EMF Readings above baseline
1:28--(Upstairs Area For Central Hallway)
Ceiling Temp: 64 degrees F.   Wall Temp.  63 degrees F.    Floor Temp:  68.1 degrees F.
1:30am--(South West Bedroom)
Ceiling Temp: 64 degrees F.   Wall Temp:  64 degrees F.   Floor Temp:  68.2 degrees F.
No EMF Readings above baseline
1:33am--(South East Bed Room)
Ceiling Temp: 65 degrees F.   Wall Temp:  63 degrees F.   Floor Temp:  68.2 degrees F.
NO EMF Readings above baseline
1:36am--(North West Bedroom)
Ceiling Temp: 62 degrees F.   Wall Temp:  62 degrees F.   Floor Temp:  68.2 degrees
No EMF Readings above baseline
1:39am--(North East Bed Room)
Ceiling Temp: 62 degrees F.   Wall Temp:  62 degrees F.   Floor Temp:  68.2 degrees F.
No EMF Readings above baseline
1:42am--(Upstairs Bathroom)
Ceiling Temp: 64 degrees F.  Wall Temp:  63 degrees F.   Floor Temp.  68.1 degrees F.
No EMF Readings above baseline
1:45am--

END OF SWEEP

2:24am
Video Cams are set up in the controlled areas.
Area 1. Front Blue Train Car
Area 2. Ballroom
Area 3. Basement
Area 4. Dining Room Hallway
2:34am
Sit down in Ballroom
3:24am
End of Video Cams
3:34am
End of Sit Down

Psychic Investigator’s Comments

 

This investigation was definitely a "walk back into time" for me.  I think that this investigation holds a lot of residual energy & then perhaps a little intelligent energy as well.  I saw the train depot as it was much back then & saw several people who appeared not to notice that time had changed and was no longer back in the era when the depot was very alive with passengers and daily activity.  For those intelligent

energies, they seemed not to notice us much & really didn't have a whole lot to say to us to communicate.  During the sit-down, Mary did communicate with a black gentleman who said he had drown in the creek in front of the depot when Guthrie had a bad flood over a hundred years ago. 

contacted the owner. A week later, we were able to meet with the owner who agreed to let us do a full investigation of the depot with an open invite for our group to come again. The owner graciously gave us a grand tour of the entire depot and we were amazed at how age had not destroyed its beauty.  The main rail station lobby has been turned into a large open area where the owner rents out the room for parties and social gatherings.  The upstairs are is currently not being utilized since it is in the process of being remodeled.  The two basement areas are much as they were 100 years ago with one even having an old coal shoot which is currently boarded up.  This same basement also has an old coal furnace. Modern day electrical wiring, heat, air, security, etc. has been added to this location.   On top of the grand tour and initial investigation, our group was allowed access into the old train cars sitting outside the depot on a dormant track. The other two set of tracks are in active use and are located about 20 feet outside of the depot’s North side door. The train cars that were investigated, date back to 1915 & 1935. They were train cars that were used for Bucklin & Santa Fe Rail Roads as well as Kansas & Dodge City.

evidence collected

There were 4 EVPs that were recorded during this investigation and 0 sound clips.  

There were no photos and no video clips.

EVPS

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