Dr. Mark Farley's Personal Blog

You can tell a professional paranormal team from a thrill-seeking team by the amount of preparation they do before the investigation. The actual investigation is only the tip of the spear. Researching the site and interviewing witnesses is the basic foundation of any paranormal investigation. Because without research, how does your team know what they are investigating?

I was reading a Facebook post on another paranormal page that talked about the problems in our community. I do admit that our community does have its problems

One of the biggest misconceptions that new investigators have is that a house is haunted; it’s haunted twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. They can walk in at any time and witness paranormal activity. For years, I have heard members of the paranormal community say, “If a house is haunted, you should witness paranormal activity both day and night.” From my experience, this is absolutely wrong.

I am rather strict during the investigation because the last thing I want is a team full of thrill seekers. I want professionals; I want standards; and I want quality. If our field is going to be accepted as a legitimate field of study. These are the three traits I feel every team must strive for.

The last story I heard was about human sacrifices allegedly occurring at the Seven Gates of Hell. There is evidence to suggest that this actually happened. On June 20, 1990, a Jane Doe was found near the Seven Gates of Hell. She was found in a farmer's field with her sexual organs removed, along with deep cuts in specific areas.

One of St. Louis’ greatest sins has been its willingness to tear down its past in favor of something new. This was almost the fate of the Lemp Mansion and Lemp Brewery. In 1956, President Eisenhower signed the Interstate Commerce Act. This revolutionary bill paved the way for the construction of our present-day interstate system. Forever changing how Americans travel and conduct commerce across our vast country. St. Louis’ geographical location made it a prime candidate for

One of the biggest Lemp urban legends concerns the Cherokee Caves. Ever since I learned about the Lemp Mansion, people have told me it's connected to the Cherokee Caves and that William Lemp Sr. used the caves daily to travel between the mansion and the brewery.

Sitting on top of the highest point in Bellefontaine Cemetery is the Lemp Family’s Mausoleum. Built in 1902 for the staggering cost of $60,000, equivalent to over $2.1 million today. The Lemp Family Mausoleum is the largest in Bellefontaine Cemetery, with a total capacity of thirty-two internments, of which eighteen are currently occupied.

There are two shipwrecks along the St. Louis Riverfront. The first is the Mine Sweeper, U.S.S. Inaugural, which was swept away by the...