The Setting
North Western Oklahoma, Woodward
As the week progressed, the possiblity of performing an investigation at the Old Woodward Hospital was looking better and better. We had received an invitation many many months ago, but had yet to make it a reality. Since now we had more manpower, we finally had the time and effort to devote to this venture. I had passed the info to Logan only about a week prior, and he immediately acted on it.
As members started stating an interest in going, it slowly became clear that everyone wanted to ride together. Mostly for gas savings, but also for simple companionship on the long drive. Ed was the last member to be picked up, and it became instantly apparent that those 3 full grown guys in the back seat were in for one memorable ride.
Without an inch of breathing room to spare, we start the journey into the dark night. As we exited off the main interstate onto the state highway that would take us the remainder of the 1.5 hours, the darkness seemed to swallow the okcgc blazer. Headlights barely penetrated 20 feet of the oozing blackness, and there were no streetlights for a hundred miles.
Often times there were sharp turns that seemed to come out of nowhere with our limited visibility, needless to say, no one fell asleep on the drive! As we pull into town, the guys can't wait to arrive, and get out to stretch. Made a couple of wrong turns just top off the evening, we end up at the home of the caretakers. Rauchell bounds out the front door to greet us, obviously full of energy despite the late hour of eleven pm. Next we're introduced to Tom and his wife Sheri. Great people who we have now come to think of as extended family.
After looking over a few pictures they had taken, we head to the site, and begin the evening's activities.
Interviews
When we arrived at the Woodward Hospital, I proceeded to sit down and interview the caretakers' daughter. She was below the age of eighteen years and in high school. She started by telling me that she and a lot of her friends had spent a great deal of time in the old hospital. She stated they had witnessed a lot of sightings from the outside of the building such as figures looking out of the windows and/or just passing by the windows. She also told me that they had used an ouija board on a few occasions and talked to spirits that died during the April 9, 1947 Woodward (F5 on the Fujita Scale) tornado.
The second interview was the mother of the first interview. She started by telling me a little history about the hospital. She stated that the hospital started as a home built by a doctor in the late 1800.s or early 1900.s and was then expanded into a hospital. This can clearly be seen in the construction of the building. See also stated that she had the feeling of being watched in and out of the building.
The History
Woodward - April 9, 1947
It came without warning and hit about 9 p.m. Afterward, survivors pulled themselves and one another from piles of debris. Muddied and bloodied, they plodded along littered city streets, making their way toward the town's lone hospital. A fire chief's log notation compared the night to hell. Mangled bodies were everywhere. Buildings were gone. Fires erupted. Business lobbies became morgues. Casualties were flown to Oklahoma City, Wichita, and elsewhere for medical treatment. When it was over, 200 city blocks had been destroyed; 116 people lay dead, and hundreds more were injured as half of the Woodward County seat was literally flattened. The tornado remains the benchmark of local history, the great trauma, the boundary between then and now.
Joan Gay Croft
A neighbor of the Croft family in the 2100 block on West Main picked up the two girls and took them to the hospital for treatment. She reported that Joan had a leg injury.
Relatives of Joan Gay Croft were trying to find the child after her sister Jerry said she was taken from the Woodward Memorial Hospital during the night of the storm by a group of men. The child is a blond four-year-old with light blue eyes.
Both of her parents were reported dead, but her father H. O. Croft is alive, though badly injured. Funeral services were held for the child's mother Sunday.
NOTE: Joan Gay Croft has never been found.
The Team
Brandon & Jeremy (OKCGC)
Erik & Laura (OKCGC)
Ed (OKCGC)
Logan (PROS)
The Equipment
DCR-TRV520 Sony Digital Nightshot camcorder
Sony Digital Nightshot camcorder
Sony Hi8 Nightshot camcorder
Digital audio recorders
Analog audio recorders
Hp318 Digital Still camera
Digital Still cameras
2 Gaussmaster EMF meters
Magnometer EMF meters
GhostMeter EMF meters
IR non contact Thermal
PT100 Temp probe
1 EMF array meters
Data
Oct 7th Sweep
10/07/05
Team 1 Walk Through summary:
Team One had some unusual feeling, but no anomalies
Team 2 Walk Through summary:
Team Two had no anomalies in the basement,
However, on the first floor, we had a temperature change of 5 degrees or more within a 1 to 2 foot range, steady and constant (non-contact sensor PT101). A video cam battery also went from 100 min to 0 min (battery died).
On the second floor, we had a visual anomaly of a shadow resembling a child, approximately 4.5 years of age, peeking first around a corner, then from a different room on west wing, and finally running down the hall to the south wing. All team 2 members and two caretakers corroborated. The PT101 sensor also recorded changes from 5 to 8 degrees during the sighting; however no EMF fluctuations were detected.
In the south wing we attempted communication with the shadow resembling a child. All of team 2 members and two caretakers witnessed and heard child laughing very loudly, and once softly, with movement around the area and a 5 to 8 degree temperature change during noise; however no EMF fluctuations were detected.
Oct 14th Sweep
Team 1
Team 1 sweep began with First floor South wing. No equipment anomalies were noted. However, movement was heard towar the North end of the hall with no apparent cause.
3:35 seconds into the sweep, a strange electical interference sound anomaly was captured on video camera.
East Wing continued with no noted equipment anomalies.
Team 1 next proceeded to the second floor. No equipment anomlies were noted in the East Wing.
No equipment anomalies in South Wing, however, similar to 1st floor sweep, another sound was heard coming from the north end of the wing with no apparent cause. Sound was best described as a door closing.
As the team was descending the stairs from the 2nd floor, an unusual spike was captured on the Gaussmaster EMF meter at approcimately 4 milligause.
Basement sweep also recorded zero anaomalies.
Upon leaving the basement by ascending the stairs, the Gaussmaster once again registered an unusual spike. of approximately 3 millgauss.
Team 2
Team 2 Sweep began in the basement. In the Kitchen area, Logan's audio recorder malfunctioned and began playing back the recorded audio. Shorlty thereafter, his digital camera batteries died. While Logan was replacing the batteries, a moan was heard from the adjacent dining room. The last anomaly noted in the basement was a sound of movement from the North end with no apparent cause. During the basement sweep, there were no equipment anomalies to note.
Next the team progressed upstairs to 1st floor to continue sweep. There were no equipment anomalies noted with 1st floor sweep. While investigating the South wing, a faint giggle was heard, as if from a girl child. All inspection turned up no apparent cause. While listneing for the giggle to repeat, a loud snap was heard in the adjacent room. The team decided to proceed upstairs to search for possible causes. As the team neared the stairwell, Erik's 2 way radio activated. While trying to determine why, it reoccured. Time was noted at 2332.
2nd Floor Sweep yeiled no equipment anomalies once again. While on South wing, two investigators witnessed a light anomaly. The video camera was unable to capture it. East wing provided no equipment anomalies, and a few Sound anomlies without apparent cause. While in the East wing, persons outisde securing the perimeter witnessed a loud bang near the lower floor South wing. This was not heard by Team 2 inside.
Nov 4th 2005
We headed out to revisit the old Woodward Hospital one day before visiting Fort Reno. Once again, Brandon and Logan rode with Erik and Laura for the long haul to Woodward. After riding 2 ˝ hours we arrived. We met with Tom and Sheri at the hospital and started the unpacking of the equipment. We entered the building and made sure it was secure. We each took 2 teams into the hospital for sweeps.
Team 1 was Erik, Laura, Tom and Brandon for filming. Team 2 was Logan and Sheri. They waited patiently outside for Team 1 to finish their sweep. When they exited the building, Tom decided to go by the house to get Rauchel. Logan accompanied him. When they got back, Team 2 (Rauchel added) entered the building for sweeps.
After all was said and done, we decided to conduct a sitdown in the main lobby area. During the sitdown we heard what appeared to be knocks or taps on the main hospital door. Shortly after the taps we heard a low voice say “Ooooo” We were convinced there was someone outside. Logan and Tom went to the front door and windows but could not see anyone outside. All of us went outside and circled the building in two teams. No one was out there to be found.
We left the hospital and stayed the night in Woodward. We went back to the hospital the next morning to get some daytime footage for Brandon and the video. After that was done we went back home and prepared (with what little time we had) to go to Fort Reno.
Movies
Old Woodward Hospital Investigation - Cable/DSL Version
Old Woodward Hospital Investigation - DialUp Version
Photos
Abandoned Woodward Hospital
Lobby
Hallway
Basement
Visual Anomalies
Control Photo No anomaly
Light anomaly caught on camera
Face in window, building empty
Face in window, building empty
EVP's
Voice Captured During Sitdown
Voice Captured During Sitdown