66: Hobby Hauntings: When Ghost Hunting Becomes a Passion 👻
Ever wondered what it's like to chase ghosts? This week's episode might just inspire you to grab a flashlight and start exploring!
We're sitting down with Dr. Kristy Sumner, founder of Soul Sisters Paranormal, who turned her fascination with the afterlife into a full-fledged paranormal investigation business. Dr. Sumner shares how a girls' trip to a haunted penitentiary sparked a journey that led her from the corporate world to co-owning a haunted jail museum. Talk about a career change!
In this episode, you'll discover:
How to start ghost hunting as a hobby (spoiler: you don't need fancy equipment!)
The importance of respecting both history and spirits
Tips for conducting your own paranormal investigations
How a spooky hobby can turn into a thriving business
Whether you're a skeptic, a believer, or just curious about things that go bump in the night, this episode is packed with fascinating stories and practical advice. Who knows? You might find yourself planning a ghostly adventure of your own!
So grab your headphones, dim the lights, and join us for a spine-tingling exploration of the paranormal world. Don't miss this episode – it's to die for! (Pun absolutely intended 😉)
Key points from the episode:
00:02:03 - Dr. Sumner recounts her first paranormal investigation at West Virginia State Penitentiary
00:09:17 - The unique approach of Soul Sisters Paranormal as an all-female investigation team
00:10:48 - How the team conducts thorough environmental assessments before investigations
00:13:38 - Methods for finding haunted locations to investigate
00:14:42 - Advice for beginners interested in paranormal investigation as a hobby
Mentioned In This Episode
Where you can find Kristy: Soul Sisters Paranormal website, Facebook and YouTube
Exploring the Paranormal: A Journey into History and the Unknown
Have you ever wondered what lies beyond this life? Are you fascinated by tales of haunted places and unexplained phenomena?
Dr. Kristy Sumner, founder of Soul Sisters Paranormal and co-owner of the historic Scott County Jail and Museum, has turned her curiosity about the afterlife into a thriving business that combines historical preservation with paranormal investigation.
In a recent podcast episode, Dr. Sumner shared her journey from corporate executive to paranormal investigator, offering insights into the world of ghost hunting and the importance of respecting both history and the spirits we seek to contact.
Let's dive into the fascinating world of paranormal investigation and explore how you too can pursue this intriguing hobby.
From Corporate Career to Paranormal Pursuits
Dr. Sumner's journey into paranormal investigation began in 2014 when she and her sisters decided to spend a night at the West Virginia State Penitentiary. What started as a unique girls' trip quickly turned into a life-changing experience.
They encountered unexplained phenomena - footsteps, slamming doors, and disembodied voices - that sparked their curiosity and led to the formation of Soul Sisters Paranormal.
"We left that experience with what we felt was compelling, unexplainable evidence," Dr. Sumner recounts. This pivotal moment inspired them to create a professional paranormal investigation team, complete with a logo and theme music, aiming to elevate the field of paranormal research.
The Soul Sisters Approach: Respect, History, and Science
What sets Soul Sisters Paranormal apart from other ghost hunting groups? Dr. Sumner emphasizes their unique approach:
Respect for locations and spirits
Focus on historical accuracy
Scientific rigor in investigations
"Without that history, we wouldn't really have the paranormal. And for us, unless you tell the historical perspective accurately, there's really no reason to do what we do," Dr. Sumner explains. This commitment to history not only enhances their investigations but also contributes to the preservation of important historical sites.
The team's scientific approach involves thorough environmental assessments before each investigation. They analyze factors like traffic patterns, airplane routes, and local noises that could be mistaken for paranormal activity. This attention to detail helps separate genuine unexplained phenomena from easily explainable occurrences.
Turning a Passion into a Business: The Historic Scott County Jail
Dr. Sumner's paranormal hobby has evolved into a successful business venture. Along with her business partner Miranda Young, she now co-owns and operates the historic Scott County Jail and Museum in Tennessee. This unique attraction combines a crime and punishment museum with paranormal investigations, offering visitors a blend of history, law enforcement appreciation, and ghostly encounters.
"It's really a perfect blend of true crime and law enforcement and paranormal, and people love it because we're going from the historical preservation perspective, which we're both very passionate about, to the paranormal perspective," Dr. Sumner shares enthusiastically.
The jail, which operated from 1904 to 2008, has become a hotspot for paranormal activity. Dr. Sumner reports that nearly 60 investigation teams have visited, with many capturing compelling evidence of ghostly encounters.
Getting Started in Paranormal Investigation: Tips for Beginners
Inspired to try paranormal investigation yourself? Dr. Sumner offers some valuable advice for beginners:
Have the right intentions: Approach investigations with respect for both the location and any spirits you might encounter.
Start simple: Begin with a basic voice recorder and visit reportedly haunted locations in your area.
Be patient: "Don't give up. Sit there, ask questions and then go back and really listen to the audio that you just captured," Dr. Sumner advises.
Educate yourself: Learn about the history of the locations you're investigating.
Join the community: Connect with other paranormal investigators to share experiences and learn from each other.
Remember, paranormal investigation isn't about getting quick thrills or jump scares. It's a serious pursuit that requires dedication, patience, and a genuine interest in uncovering the mysteries of the afterlife.
Conclusion: The Intersection of History, Mystery, and Entrepreneurship
Dr. Kristy Sumner's journey from curious amateur to professional paranormal investigator and business owner is a testament to the power of following your passions. By combining a respect for history, scientific methodology, and a genuine fascination with the unknown, she and her team at Soul Sisters Paranormal have carved out a unique niche in the world of ghost hunting.
Whether you're a skeptic, a believer, or simply curious about the paranormal, there's no denying the allure of exploring the unknown. As Dr. Sumner puts it, "These are just legitimate spirits who want to tell their stories, and so to be able to allow others to have that experience, what we experience on a daily basis to us is just fascinating."
Are you ready to embark on your own paranormal journey? Remember to approach it with respect, patience, and an open mind. Who knows what mysteries you might uncover in the shadows of history?
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Transcript:
Dr. Destini Copp [00:00:04]:
Welcome to the HobbyScool podcast. Whether you're a seasoned hobbyist or just getting started, HobbyScool is the perfect place to learn something new. My name is Dr. Destini Copp, and I'm your host of the podcast. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the episode. And today, my special guest is Kristy Sumner. Kristy is the founder of Soul Sisters Paranormal and co owner of the historic Scott County Jail and Museum. And, Kristy, thank you so much for joining me. I am super excited to jump in with you today on our topic, which is haunted hobby.
Dr. Destini Copp [00:00:50]:
We're gonna be talking about paranormal investigation, and I am absolutely fascinated by this. But before we get into all the questions I have for you, can you tell the audience a little bit more about you, your background, and how you got into paranormal investigation?
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:01:12]:
Well, first of all, thank you for having me. I think this is gonna be a very fun conversation, and I always enjoy when I talk to people who are as fascinated by it as I am. But my name is Dr. Kristy Sumner, and as you said, I'm the founder of Soul Sisters Paranormal. Prior to forming Soul Sisters Paranormal, my sisters and I, we've always had a fascination with the afterlife and the belief that there is something after this, that we just don't cease to be once we die. My personal background or my professional background is as, a senior director of a registered traveler company focused on biometrics for, aviation and access control at airports. And so, you know, I had the opportunity to travel a lot, see some different things. And because my sisters and I are located in different parts of the country, we would routinely get together to have girls' trips. We'd meet up in different cities just to have a weekend where we could enjoy each other's company.
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:02:02]:
And so, in 2014, we decided to meet up in Moundsville, West Virginia, which is where the West Virginia State Penitentiary is located. And, we had a family friend that sat on the board of that facility, and he said, while you're here for the weekend, why don't you take one of your nights and stay in the former penitentiary and see if you can communicate with any of our resident spirits? And so we absolutely jumped at that chance. And so we had a few voice recorders, a few night vision video cameras, and we left that experience with what we felt was compelling, unexplainable evidence. We heard footsteps. We heard doors slamming and cell blocks when they we knew that no no one was there. We heard men speaking when we knew there were no men present. And so for us, it was just a fascinating experience, so much so that we decided to form Soul Sisters Paranormal, and we had our logo created. We had our theme music created because in our minds, we really wanted to try as best as we could elevate this subculture of paranormal into a more mainstream conversation.
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:03:02]:
And so we felt by being a professional group, one that had a a look and feel of those that are legitimately doing this for scientific reasons, that we felt that we could, really elevate that. We formed Soul Sisters Paranormal, like I said, and we've been investigating some of the most haunted, locations across the country, really telling the historical narrative first and then coupling that with any unexplained evidence that we find during those investigations.
Dr. Destini Copp [00:03:27]:
And I like how you're kinda combining that historical element to your investigation because I think that's important, right, to set the stage there. So can you tell us if you've been, you know, I went to your website and it looked like you had been at least to around, you know, 28 or maybe even more places that you've investigated. Can you tell us a little bit about what has been your most interesting investigation and why?
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:03:54]:
Absolutely. And just to go back for a second, you know, the historical perspective, like I said, is really what drives us. And to your point, the reason we we spend so much time on that is because without that history, we wouldn't really have the paranormal. And for us, unless you tell the historical perspective, accurately, there's really no reason to do what we do. That's the reason why we focus heavily on the historical aspect, and then we bring in the paranormal aspect after that. But, to your point, yes, we've been we've been to a lot of locations around the country, and each of them are so unique because they have a different historical narrative. For example, it's very hard to compare the St. Augustine Lighthouse with Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary or, the Villisca Axe Murder House.
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:04:36]:
But I'd say probably one of the most fascinating ones that we've gone to is Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary that's located in Petros, Tennessee. This was a maximum security penitentiary that was in operation from 18 it's where they held the worst of the worst in Tennessee. And its start really got started after the civil war when the state of Tennessee was looking for a way to get revenue. So it built this penitentiary to force the prisoners to work the coal mines. And so there's a lot of history behind it, a lot of negative history behind it. And so when it closed in 2009, it said vacant for a few years, and then the current owners now allow paranormal investigations to take place. So we've actually been to Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary twice. Both of those times have been fascinating.
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:05:22]:
We've captured shadow figures. We've heard voices, disembodied voices when nobody's standing there. We set up night vision video cameras and night vision or a a stationary voice recorders in various locations around, the building or the property that we're investigating. So there were numerous times where we heard people talking when we knew that there was nobody else in the cell block. And so that that's a very fascinating location, Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary, the Lizzie Borden House, the Villisca Axe Murder House, the museum that I currently co own in Tennessee. These are all locations that, to me, are fascinating for the historical narrative, but also for the paranormal perspective as well.
Dr. Destini Copp [00:06:01]:
Tell us a little bit more about the historic Scott County Jail that you are coowner of. Why did you purchase that, and is has there been some paranormal activity there also?
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:06:12]:
Mhmm. Absolutely. So we we haven't actually purchased it. We we leased it from the town of Huntsville, Tennessee. About 4 years ago, I met my best friend and business partner, Miranda Young, from Ghost Biker Explorations. She is also a paranormal investigator. So we met up to collaborate on an investigation in North Carolina, and we found that our approach was extremely similar with regard to historic preservation, paranormal investigations, true crime. That all fascinated us.
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:06:42]:
And so she's from, Scott County, which is where the Huntsville, jail is located. Last year, she said, would you come up and, open this museum with me? I think we can make a a really great partnership business partnership with this. And, because she's got a a great background in marketing and, advertising, and then I've got, some business background. So neither one of us had done done anything like this before. And so we approached the town and said, will you allow us to open a museum in what we call a paranormal research center? And they said, absolutely. So, last year in September, we opened the doors to the historic Scott County Jail and Museum. And to date, we've had almost 60 paranormal investigation teams come in and investigate the building. And I can honestly say it's probably one of the most active locations that I've been in.
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:07:30]:
And I'm not just saying that because I co own it and work there. It is legitimately haunted. We've captured shadow figures, disembodied voices, footsteps, door slams, objects moving. Most teams that come in have similar experiences where they're able to capture something compelling. And, to us, it's a great building. There's nothing we would call dark or evil or demonic. These are just legitimate spirits who wanna tell their stories. And, to be able to allow others to have that experience is just fascinating.
Dr. Destini Copp [00:08:02]:
So that is now on my list. I'm on my list. We're a big coconut. I definitely have to check that out. So, you know, you're doing this, I believe, with your twin sister as part of Soul Sisters Paranormal. Can you tell us kinda what sets you guys apart? I know that some of the, you know, myself and some of the people who might be listening this, we've been exposed to this right from TV shows. Can you tell us a little bit about you guys and what you might do a little bit differently than other people?
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:08:31]:
Sure. Absolutely. So just to backtrack just a second. So Soul Sisters Paranormal is an all female group. And, like I said, we started in 2014, and it was my twin sister, our younger sister, and then 2 female family friends. And we really felt that the dynamics of an all female group would be something that's a little bit different. We don't go in with bravado. We don't go in with chest thumping.
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:08:53]:
We go in with respect for the location, as well as respect for the spirits that we're attempting to communicate with. In 2020, moving into 2021, because of COVID and some family dynamics, we went to a 2 person investigation. It's just my twin sister and I that conduct the bulk of the investigations. The others will join us as they can. 1 of them got a promotion. One had a grandbaby. 1 moved across the country. So it's it's just easier for Jenny and I to conduct the investigations as a duo now rather than a team of 5.
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:09:25]:
And to your point, what I I think what really sets Soul Sisters Paranormal apart is, like I said, first, we go in with a respect for the location. And I think that's extremely important because if you don't respect the location, then you're not gonna respect the the spirits or the entities that are said to reside there. Right? And so for us, we go in and we actually take a day tour before we start the investigation because we want to look at locations or we wanna look at at what we consider environmental factors that could influence the investigation that we can explain away or what we think could be causing someone's perception of a haunting. And by that, I mean, we look at traffic patterns, airplane patterns, train traffic, dogs in the neighborhood, kids in the neighborhood, street lights, anything that at night, when those things occur, if somebody could perceive them as paranormal, then, you know, we say, no. It's not paranormal. It's environmental. And, so we take very copious notes on that daytime process of walking through. And that also allows us to find locations where we want to leave our stationary equipment during the nighttime investigation.
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:10:31]:
After that, we'll go in for the night, set up all of our equipment. We'll set up night vision video cameras and stationary voice recorders that we leave around the the building or the property that we're investigating. And that really allows us to have eyes and ears on as much of of the location as we can. And so then we will go through and we will conduct what we call EVP sessions. That's basically where we sit in a room in the dark and we ask questions. We have voice recorders running. We have various pieces of handheld equipment that we'll use in an attempt to measure energy or that we feel a spirit could act upon to let us know that it's there and wants to communicate. And so then after that and and typically, our investigations range anywhere from 8 hours to 24 hours.
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:11:15]:
And so it just depends on the location. And then after that, we collect everything, and we sit and listen to everything we recorded, and we watch everything that we recorded as well, because we feel that we want to really look at it and listen to it in the raw, I. E. We don't put it through any software, to listen to it. We don't put it through any video enhancing techniques to look at it. We watch it as it was recorded, and we listen to it as it was recorded. So that does take a lot of time, but for us, we feel it's worth the effort to make sure that that we that we listen to and watch everything that we captured. And I think that's where that deviates a little bit from popular television shows.
Dr. Kristy Sumnerr [00:11:53]:
You know, when these TV shows go into a location, they have a crew. They have funding, which, you know, all of what we do is self funded, and they have time. A lot of these investigations on television, they're not there for just a night. They're there for a week, and so they have time to investigate more so than what we do. That's where it really differs a lot from what we do.
Dr. Destini Copp [00:12:17]:
How do you find the size that you are going to investigate? Do people come to you? Do you go out searching for them? How does all of that come into play?
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:12:28]:
It's it's actually both. We've had locations that will find us on YouTube or Facebook, and they'll invite us to come and investigate their location, or we just scout it out. We do a lot of research into locations that are considered haunted or that have a haunting legend or lore that we can go and investigate. And then, also, there's a very big community of paranormal investigators. And so we talk to each other. You know, we message one another. We keep up with what each other is doing. And so if I see another team that has gone to a location that looks interesting, then I'll reach out to that location.
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:13:01]:
Or, you know, like I said, it it does base it it's all on a lot of research that we do as well.
Dr. Destini Copp [00:13:07]:
So let's just say somebody's listening to this, and they're like, you know, I am extremely fascinated by this, and I'll put myself in this category. How would they and they wanted to get started in paranormal investigation as a hobby. How would you suggest they get started?
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:13:23]:
Personally, I would say the first thing that you have to do is you have to have the right intentions. And by that, I mean, you have to go in with a respect for the location and a respect for any spirits that you're attempting to communicate with. Without that, there's really no point in what we're doing. It's not something that you do to get a jump scare on a Friday or a Saturday night, and it's not something that you go into just to sit in a a cemetery at night. You really have to have that respect level. The next thing I would suggest is to get a voice recorder, just a simple Sony dictation voice recorder, and go to a location that is reported to be haunted, whether it be a cemetery or a home or a park in your area or your community, and just sit and ask questions. Don't get discouraged because it it's kinda like fishing. Right? These spirits, they're not actors.
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:14:09]:
They're not there to respond on command. So don't give up. Sit there, ask questions, and then go back and really listen to the audio that you've just captured. It takes time, and it takes patience and dedication. But once you hear your first EVP or you see your first shadow figure, you're really hooked at that point. Believe me.
Dr. Destini Copp [00:14:30]:
So, Khristy, you took this hobby and you turned it into a business, I would say, a thriving business. Can you tell us a little bit more about how you did that in that process?
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:14:41]:
Well and and that's a great question because for me, when we started paranormal investigation or Solstice is paranormal to conduct paranormal investigations, it really was for us an exploration into the unknown. We always had, like I said, always had a fascination with the afterlife and what happens next. I really started putting the videos together because my family was asking what it was like. You know, for the first few investigations, you know, we didn't put anything together. We just went and had the experience. And then my aunts and uncles from across the country were saying, what did it feel like? What did you experience? What did you see? And that's really why I started producing the videos that we put out there now. And with that came a fan base, some people that watch regularly, that communicate with us on Facebook or reach out to us on our website or YouTube, but it was never meant to be as big as that has become. Now don't get me wrong.
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:15:34]:
I'm I'm having a blast with it and what it's doing, but for me, it was never about that. It really led me to meet up with Miranda from Ghost Biker Explorations because I had been following her episodes and she had been following Soul Sisters. And so I reached out to her and I said, you know, would you like to do a collaboration investigation? And she said, sure. And through that really formed this great friendship and partnership on on a business level because we we both decided that we wanted to pursue this a little bit further than just hobbies. Her father, unfortunately, ended up dying there in Scott County where she's from. And so she wanted to go back and and help her mom and be there for her mother. And she obviously needed something to do and pursue while she was up there. And so she said, you know, the, the historic Scott County Jail is just sitting vacant.
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:16:21]:
Would you be willing to go into this venture with me? And I said, sure, let's do this. And what we have built, I'm extremely proud of. Inside this little county jail, took this building that was just sitting there, and we've created a very robust crime and punishment museum. We have a law enforcement appreciation, section to that museum as well. And, we also allow paranormal investigators to come in and investigate this historic building. And it's the perfect blend of true crime, law enforcement, and paranormal. People love it, because we're going from the historical preservation perspective, which we're both very passionate about, to the paranormal perspective, which we're both very passionate about. And we were able to take this hobby and turn it into a a viable business that, people are really responding to.
Dr. Destini Copp [00:17:12]:
So, Kristy, if somebody would like to learn more about your business or how they might want to watch you on YouTube, where would they be able to find you online?
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:17:22]:
Our website is www.soulsistersparanormal.com. We're also very active on Facebook under Soul Sisters Paranormal, and our YouTube channel is Soul Sisters Paranormal.
Dr. Destini Copp [00:17:33]:
Okay. We will make sure that all of those links are in the show notes so people can just click on them and find you. And, Chrissy, thank you so much for joining me today. I am completely fascinated by all of this, and I am definitely gonna put that on my bucket list to go visit you guys at your museum.
Dr. Kristy Sumner [00:17:51]:
Thank you so much. I appreciate it.
Dr. Destini Copp [00:17:52]:
Thank you so much for listening today. Don't forget to sign up for the wait list so you'll be the 1st to know when our next free HobbyScool Online Learning Summit launches. The link is in the show notes for this episode, or you can go to HobbyScool.com, and that's HobbyScool with school without an h in it.