The History
Established in 1886, The Crescent Hotel has changed many times over the years. It started out as a hotel, followed by a women's beauty college, then fell into the hands of "Dr" Norman Baker and became a "Cancer Cure Hospital" and finally back to the hotel it is today. The Crescent is said to be home to many different spirits. Many of these are believed to be from the time when Norman Baker had patients at his cancer cure hospital.
Norman Baker was never a licensed doctor but practiced many experiments in the hopes of curing cancer to his unsuspecting patients. In 1914, Norman Baker became wealthy when he invented a new type of organ and sold many of them making him about 200,000 a year. This gave him the funds to move on to other interests. He formed his own radio station KTNT and developed an interest in the cure of cancer. He created an elixir type fluid that he claimed would cure cancer. It was nothing more than a mix of watermelon seed, brown corn silk, alcohol, and carbolic acid. In one public demonstration, he opened the skull of a conscious cancer patient and poured the formula on the cancerous tissue. Again, he failed in the hope of curing cancer. However, he went on claiming that he had the cure with associates posing as cured patients.
After his arrest in 1939, it was estimated that Norman took over 4 million dollars from his unsuspecting patients. He served 4 years in Leavenworth Prison and was fined 4 thousand dollars for his crimes. He later became the victim of cancer himself and died in Florida in 1958. If indeed the Crescent Hotel is haunted perhaps its some of Dr Baker's patients looking for his "cure".
One of the reported ghosts is Michael, who haunts room 218. Michael is an Irishman that fell to his death during the construction of the building and his body landed in what is today room 218. There is another story of a woman that some say was pushed off the building, others say she committed suicide. She is seen looking through the windows of the lobby/dining room on rainy nights and in the garden. Other spirits reported in the building are Nurses, Patients, and even Dr. Baker himself had been sensed at times. Some of the more active rooms in the Crescent are said to be Rooms 218, 319, 419, North Penthouse Suite, Basement/Autopsy Room, Dining Room/Kitchen, Gardens, and Hallways.
The Setting
Northern Arkansas
The Case
This has to be one of the most groundbreaking, anticipated investigations in OKCGC history. We could not wait to get to Arkansas and start the Crescent Investigation. Let me start from the beginning. I (Logan) set this investigation up little over a month ago. I had been to the Crescent before, investigated it, and came up with some interesting results and I felt that it should be done better and documented with my fellow investigators there to experience it. So I made the arrangements to go and the day finally came for us to leave. We didn't leave quite on the mark. We were a few hours late due to forgetting a valuable piece of research equipment and we had to stop at Steak & Shake to eat before we left.
We finally got on the highway and headed up toward Arkansas. One of the things that was different about this investigation was the fact that this was the first trip that we would use the newly designed "car cams". Each cam was set up to capture each team member (Brandon excluded) talking, acting, reacting, etc. The trip was needless to say interesting. I knew there was a Copeland's of New Orleans restaurant in Rogers Arkansas and I knew we had to go through Rogers to get to Eureka Springs. However, it had to wait until the trip home.
We headed on towards the Crescent. We stopped for gas one more time and traveled through the Arkansas Mountains. Going through what seemed to be an eternity of twists and turns at almost 90 degree angles made some of us a little light headed and nauseas. We also got to see some things you just don't see in Oklahoma..like The Road Kill Cafe for instance.
Through navigating Eureka Springs, we finally arrived at the Crescent. I don't think Erik, Laura, and Brandon expected to see such a beautiful building because the pictures just don't do it any justice. Once I checked us into the hotel and Boyd the bell captain lugged all of our equipment and luggage up to our room, we decided on what would go on from that point. We decided to grab some food for dinner and head to Wal-Mart to pick up a few things we needed.
We arrived at Dos Rios Mexican restaurant for dinner and were approached by two officers from the local sheriff's office. They wanted to know what the back of our shirts stood for. We told them and they seemed amazed, then left. The meal was very good. We headed to Wal-Mart for snacks and adapters. Erik bought a wireless adapter so we could have internet access. Another plan that was devised on the way up here was that we would do something that has never been done before. We would broadcast a live investigation via the internet at The Crescent Hotel with webcams and audio so the audience will be there with us.
We headed back to the room and decided that we would start the cam show tomorrow night. Until then, we would sweep what we were allowed to. The ghost tour of the building started at 8 and lasted until about 10. After 10, we were allowed in the basement for sweep/sitdown.
During the first basement sitdown, Erik and Laura sensed a negative presence in the doorway of a male. Sounds were heard but nothing visable was seen aside from the figure in the door nor were the arrays activated. We also did a sweep of the Crystal Dining Room. I saw a woman go into a door through a mirror. She vanished into the door. Erik picked up a cold spot in one of the chairs.
After the sweep we headed back to the room. We did an interview with me on the balcony and went to sleep to prepare for the next day. The next day was a little more chaotic than we had hoped for. There was 4 weddings going on in the hotel all throughout the night and we were scheduled for the webcam show at 8pm. We had gotten up and made our way to downtown Eureka Springs to look around and have lunch. We ate lunch at the Basin Park Restaurant. Laura had a burger, Erik and I had the special (Calamari, Crab Rangoon, and seasoned fries.) and Brandon had the Chicken Strips. After eating we wondered around town. Erik and Laura went and had an old-timey picture made in western saloon type apparel. It was a great picture. I had to visit the Silly Chile to get some more of that great hot-sauce for cooking.
We headed back into town to see if Radio Shack was open for a part we needed. It was closed on Saturday. We decided to eat dinner at this place called the Forest Hills Restaurant. Now, we ordered the meal and with it, we got a salad bar/soup bar trip. We were in line waiting for each turn. (I don’t like salad BTW I was waiting to get to the soup) Erik was infront of me and Brandon was in the back. All of a sudden I saw lettuce flying over my shoulder. Curious, I turn around to look and Brandon's spilt his salad everywhere. Only a little remained on his plate. He simply stated "I caught all I could". He was trying to get the janitor to come clean it up by saying "Hey...Hey you...I spilt something...I need some assistance". The janitor ignored him and walked away. He still stood there wondering what was next. Erik and I looked at each other and moved down the salad bar as if nothing had happened. The meal arrived at the table. Erik and Laura shared a excellent cheese pizza. Brandon had a country fried steak meal. And I had pasta... very bad pasta. I couldn't eat half of it. I ended up sharing with Laura and Erik.
When the meal was over, we headed back to the hotel to prepare for the show. With live DJ's and receptions going on in the lobby as well as the 4th floor, it was very noisy and polluted/congested with people. We started the web cam and conducted somewhat of an interview with the folks watching from the internet. During the interview, an unusual know came at our hotel room door. Thinking it was just a fellow guest wanting to ask us some questions, we ignored it. Then the knock occured again. When the door was opened, no one was there, nor was there anyone anywhere in the hall.
We decided to proceed downstairs and interview Boyd while the ghost tour finished up. When we were finished, we took the audience down to the basement only to learn that the wireless connection stopped at the basement door. We proceeded inside to conduct another sitdown session. Nothing to report out of the ordinary with the second sitdown aside from the unusual noises we had heard. We then proceeded upstairs and finished the webcam show. It was then time to sweep the hallway. Now, keep in mind, I was ready to jump in bed and go to sleep. So I did the sweep in my Twilight Zone pajama bottoms (Watch the video for details). The sweep was pretty basic with temperatures and no EMF. We had an FP series of EMF Spikes that were directly related to the security system.
Overall this case was great. Boyd was a great help. We ran into some fellow Oklahoma people while we were there. One couple we had actually did an investigation for. We will be returning to the Crescent in the near future to sweep the rooms that we had missed (218,419, etc). On the way home we finally got to eat at Copeland's and it is the greatest Cajun food restaurant ever. It was truly a great conclusion to a great trip and many more in the future for the OKCGC. Enjoy the video!
The Team
Erik (OKCGC)
Laura (OKCGC)
Logan (OKCGC)
Brandon (OKCGC)
The Equipment
DCR-TRV520 Sony Digital Nightshot camcorder
Sony Digital Nightshot camcorder
Sony Hi8 Nightshot camcorder
Digital audio recorders
Analog audio recorders
Hp935 Digital Still camera
Digital Still cameras
2 Gaussmaster EMF meters
3 IR non contact Thermal
6 EMF array meters
Data
Crescent Hotel Sweep
Sweep Info:
Basement
Main Room:
59-82 F
0 EMF
Side Room 1:
66-72 F
0 EMF
Side Room 2:
64-70 F
0 EMF
Side Room 3:
56-76 F
0 EMF
Crystal Dining Room
63-67 F
0 EMF
10 degree cooler Temperature difference in 1 chair
1st Floor Hallway/Lobby
59-66 F
0 EMF
Loud Metallic Bang in Corner Gift Shop Area
2nd Floor Hallway
58-67 F
0 EMF
3rd Floor Hallway
64-67 F
0 EMF
4th Floor Hallway
64-68 F
0 EMF
North Penthouse Suite (Room 501)
Upstairs:
61-68 F
0 EMF
Downstairs:
63-68 F
0 EMF
Movies
Crescent Hotel Investigatio
Crescent Hotel Video Trailer
Photos
Group Outside Crescent
Historic Photo of Crescent
The Crescent Hotel Today
View from Roof
Outdoor Lounge Area
Room 313
North Penthouse
Baker's Body Freezer
Crescent Hallways
Dining
One of the Resident Crescent Kitties
Visual Anomalies
Half an Orb, or Orb passing through cabinet
Next Photo, No Anomaly
EVP's
Data being analyzed
