Ghost Research at Fairmont's Dixie Theater

If you've been on social media in the last ten years or so, you've more than likely seen those memes asking something along the lines of "Would you stay in this haunted house overnight for X amount of money?" Or, "Would you work the overnight shift at this haunted graveyard?"  Everyone has their price, and most people would actually jump at the chance to stay in a haunted location overnight, money or not. But...these are always hypothetical situations.

If you lived in Fairmont, WV in 1920, however, you could actually prove how brave you really were!  

I found the newspaper clipping above in the April 3rd, 1920 edition of The West Virginian. It was right there, under the WANTED ads. Depending on your gender and race, you could earn anywhere from $25 to $75 for spending the night alone in a local cemetery.  You had to stay there all night, absolutely alone, but you could bring a gun with you, just in case.  Oh, and you also had to spend the entire night CHAINED TO A BED.  Granted, it was guaranteed that the bed would be warm and comfortable, and it was all in the interest of science. 

Wait, WHAT? There's a lot to unpack in this short lil' Help Wanted ad. Why would being a woman of color net you $50 more than being a white dude? Were they actually just going to dump a BED in the middle of a cemetery, and then CHAIN YOU TO IT? What was this experiment setting out to accomplish?  And why the hell should interested parties contact the manager of the Dixie Theater?

Obviously, this sent me on a frustrating search for more information---a search that I'm still working on.  What I found, however, was that the Dixie Theater in Fairmont was located at 240 Main Street. Around the time of this article, it appears that the manager was a man named Russell Linn or Reno Fleming.  And...this little Wanted Ad  wasn't the only connection to spiritualism associated with the theater.

In December of 1918, the Dixie Theater hosted a lecture by Evangelist H.B. Wescott on the topic of spiritualism. Apparently, spirit photographs were shown on the theater's screen, and Wescott lectured on a biblical explanation of spiritualism. It's noted in the article, found in the December 28, 1918 edition of The West Virginian, that he had spoken previously on the subject, and there was such an interest that he was asked to come back. Is it possible that the experiment in 1920 was connected to another lecture or event on spiritualism hosted by the theater?  

The topic of Spiritualism in West Virginia has recently become an interest of mine, and there are a couple of more blogs in the works about various mediums and spiritualist groups from around the Mountain State. If you can't wait, here's another interesting newspaper article to tide you over.  It's about a Hungarian widow from Thurmond, WV who traveled to Huntington to seek clues in her husband's death from the famed spiritualist medium, Elizabeth Blake!

HUNGARIAN WOMAN SOUGHT MURDER CLUE FROM SPIRITS

On the Trail of a Ghost

I love a good West Virginia ghost story!  This vintage tale comes from the December 2, 1913 edition of the Fairmont West Virginian newspaper and is a good reminder that not everything is what it seems...

ON THE TRAIL OF A GHOST

Party of First Warders Make Search of White Rock

A real ghost is believed to exist by residents living in the vicinity of White Rock about four or five miles from this city.  Residents of that section report that frequently after the shadows of night fall, a ghost resembling a woman carrying an infant child and crying aloud, is seen in that vicinity and has caused a few of the fearful minded to stick close to their homes and firesides and has been the cause of careful investigation on the part of the less fearful. 

The fact that the ghost had been seen, was circulated in this city and caused a squad of brave minded parties, who had from infancy desired to see a real ghost, to band together last evening and explore that region in hopes of finding said ghost.

Consequently a band of 25 or 30 citizens of the First Ward, employees of the Monongah Glass plant and others started on the quest last night.  The trip was made overland through the mud and clay to the spot the ghost was said to frequent.

As the party neared the haunted spot, what appeared to be a ghost hove into view. Careful investigation disclosed and abandoned old white lime kiln near which a dummy had been strung across the road.

Sorely disappointed over the fact that the ghost had proved a fallacy, the party, tired, muddy, and foot sore limped back into town, with their desire to see a ghost unsatisfied and much the worse for their harrowing experience.

While the local party was thoroughly satisfied that no ghost exists a number of the citizens of that place still hail from Missouri and refuse to accept the theory and be comforted, but are still watching for the nightly appearance of the ghost. 

Theresa's Note:  This newspaper article can be found on the Library of Congress' Chronicling America site. I personally found it interesting that employees from the Monongah Glass plant in Fairmont, WV were cited as making up a portion of the search party!  From what sources I could find, it seems as if the Monongah Glass plant was only in operation from 1904 to 1933...and it was known for using child labor.  The photo below, from WV History on View, shows some of the child workers at the Fairmont plant.  Could some of these young boys have been hunting ghosts that night in 1913?

Child workers at Monongah Glass-WV History on View