PORT MATILDA — When Tom and Don Brown set out to investigate a property for paranormal activity, they do so with a healthy degree of skepticism.
The father-son team from Native Spirit Paranormal report that more times than not, they find no paranormal activity when they are on an investigation. They believe most of the popular “ghost-hunting” television shows are scripted and often faked. They are quick to point out that most orbs captured on camera are caused by dust, moisture or insects. If they capture a voice on their digital recorders or activity with an EMF reader, they look for all possible scientific explanations before claiming any activity is paranormal.
However, “We’ve come up with enough evidence in the six years we’ve been doing this to confirm that there’s something on the other side,’ said Tom Brown. ‘There’s definitely something out there.”
Based in Port Matilda, Native Spirit Paranormal mainly investigates homes and historic sites in Centre County, and Tom Brown explained their purpose is to help people “on both sides,” meaning living, breathing people, as well as people who have died but whose spirits remain on Earth.
While they do not claim to be able to rid a home of spirits, the goal of a typical investigation is basically twofold. First, the team tries to determine whether they can either debunk or substantiate claims of paranormal activity. Second, if there seems to be something paranormal happening, the Browns feel that their main role is to try to determine why any spirits are present.
“If the reason they’re hanging around is because they’re trying to pass on a message, and if we’re able to do so, we usually will finish what they’re there for,” Don Brown said. “But, sometimes, they’re just hanging around because they have a bad attitude.”
In that case, the Browns may suggest the owners call a priest to do a blessing. But so far, although they say they’ve encountered an occasional grouchy old soul, they do not feel they have run into any evil spirits or anything that frightened them.
The Native Spirit team uses scientific methods to investigate. Their equipment includes things such as digital voice recorders, cameras, white noise generators, electromagnetic field readers and even a simple, old-fashioned compass. In fact, the Browns claim a compass is one of the most reliable tools they have because it can pick up electromagnetic activity without being affected by manmade EMFs, such as those caused by cell phones or power lines.
“The theory is that spirits are able to use white noise and EMF to communicate. They use it sort of like a battery; they need to absorb that energy in order to communicate,” Don Brown explained.
His father added, “Digital voice recorders actually work very well when we’re trying to capture communication. Many times we’ve heard things on a recorder that we could not hear in person.”
For example, “We investigated Duffy’s Tavern (in Boalsburg) once. That was very interesting. Harry Duffy’s spirit is rumored to be there.
‘We were asking questions, and we asked who was there. When we listened to the recording afterward, we could hear a voice say, ‘Harry,’ as clear as day.”
Other local landmarks where the team believes they have uncovered paranormal activity include The Rowland Theatre, the VFW and the Simler House, all in Philipsburg.
Before getting involved in paranormal research, Tom Brown worked in security at Raytheon, retiring in 2011.
“I was looking for something new to occupy my time in retirement, and had been watching some of the ‘ghost-hunting’ TV shows, like ‘Paranormal State.’ I was curious and thought it would be interesting to find out how it all worked,” he said.
Don Brown’s interest may have been somewhat influenced by his own experience with the paranormal in the past.
“I was living in York in an old house that had been used as a field hospital during the Civil War. … My ex-wife kept saying she was hearing movement in the house. Once, she said she saw someone going up the stairs when no one else was home. Then, one night I came home from work and saw the same thing. It appeared to be a person wearing period-type clothing, and they kept going up through the ceiling even after they reached the landing,” he said.
“I was intrigued, so when my dad started talking about doing this, I thought, ‘Why not?’”
The two worked with a paranormal investigative team in Tyrone for a year before breaking off on their own. Today, Native Spirit Paranormal is made up of the two Browns and a third partner, Marsha Kondrick. They are available to investigate any property in Centre County that has experienced unexplained activity. They are a nonprofit organization and do not charge for their services, although they will accept donations.
“Anything we do, we do for free,” Tom Brown said. “A reputable team won’t charge. We’re not in this for the money or the glory.”
All investigations are kept confidential unless clients request otherwise, and clients receive copies of photographs, footage and any other evidence that is collected during the investigation.
For more information, visit www.nativespiritparanormal.com, call (814) 571-5910 or email nativespiritparanormal@yahoo.com.
