The Bush House
written by Maureen Nelson
& David Raddatz




The Bush House Resturant and Hotel was Established in 1898, and is nestled in the mountains off of Hiway 2 heading eastbound towards Stevens Pass. The menu serves some of the best food east of Monroe, and its Chefs take delight in preparing your Gourmet meals, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. And if you are a weary traveler, their quaint 11 rooms offer comfort from home, without the bother of a phone or television. But if you plan on staying at the Bush House, there is one thing for sure, and is well known up and down the Skykomish Valley, The Bush House is Haunted.



Maureen, the photographer for WSGS recently booked an overnight investigation to the Bush House on February 23, 2001.
With her cameras, and WSGS's Psychic Investigator, David Raddatz, former members Claire, and Anita, along with a couple of invited AGHOST guests. These eight Paranormal Investigators set out for an adventure they soon won't forget
As a someone who was born to the Valley, I've grown up hearing stories of hauntings at the Bush House Resturant. My interest in the Paranormal had caught my attention in listening to these stories, and it wasn't until I learned that I could use my digital camera to capture spirit energies, and when I found Henry Bailey of the Washington State Ghost Society last fall, I thought, why not do an investigation at The Bush House.


Pre Investigation Visit


On my first visit to the Bush House in Late January of 2001 to book an investigation and room, I felt an overwhelming feeling I was being watched. I parked on the east side of the building, and proceeded to the front desk to talk with someone about visiting. My sense of history, energy and sadness caught up with me, as I knew right away, this would make a very good investigation. The maid had walked me through the main floor, telling me about some of the staffs encounters with a ghost, she referred to as "Annabelle", and it wasn't until later in the evening that we learned that her name was indeed Alice.


The Main Ghost

Alice presided in room 9, her lover worked in the mines outside of town. Someone had told her that her lover had been killed in a mining accident, and she lost hope for living and committed suicide, by hanging herself. As it turned out, her lover had not died; he came home and found her dead. I believe theres many ghosts here, as I saw in my preliminary photos that I took. Poor Alices spirit has wandered the Bush House for many years since.


The Investigation

We arrived at the Bush House at 1:00 pm, February 23, 2001 and checked in, and met with several invited guests and members in the dining room. After everyone was settled in their rooms, we discussed our hopes for an eventful evening. We then talked with several staff members, including the chef, Robbie, got some of the stories of their encounters of the infamous Bush House spirits, then proceeded outside to wander around for a couple hours, getting the feel of the present energy around us and to gather some photographic data.

Robbie allowed our investigators to do several walk throughs of the cottage during the daylight hours to familarize ourselves with the area and allowed us to set up equipment in the cottage next door after nightfall, to obtain evidence of paranormal acitivity. I caught several orbs in the kitchen area, and some possible ectoplasm in the living room before the sun had set. There had apparently been an exorcism several years before in the cottage, which appeared to be fruitless, due to the amount energy we captured on photo, and video.

Evening quickly approached, as well as the change in weather as it started to rain lightly. Several of us wandered around outside of the resturant, and the cottage next door, where many of the hauntings also occured. The psychics were gathering their impressions of the entities around these two buildings, which mainly were 3 children, as one of these children was fairly upset. David Raddatz is a medium and voice channeler for our group, and asked this particular child to stay with him during our walk thrus. During my investigating and photographing, I had sensed on several occasions, that someone was with me. Our guest, Ross, had taken several photos of possible ectoplasm and orbs around me. I had given David the camcord that I had brought, and he caught some possible ecto mist on tape. Later, I had caught a possible EVP (electronic voice phenomenom) on the camcord also, of someone saying, "Gabriel."

There was actually quite a bit of photographic, of orbs and possible mist, as well audio evidence captured by many of us during this visit. But as the evening drew much later towards midnight, it began to snow heavily, so much of the outdoor photographic evidence can't be completely counted as completely paranormal in nature.

Much energy was felt by everyone throughout the investigation, and voices were audible. On one instant while walking through the back of the dining room, I was alone, taking pictures, as I like to do, when I heard a child laughing at me, so in the direction of his laugh, I snapped a photo, and captured a bright orb, in the kitchen doorway.

The night turned to 1:00 am as several of us still awake gathered into Alices room nine, for David to give voice and channel the energies that we all encountered throughout our visit.. One energy that I encountered was at the end of the channeling session, was an older female who had started to rub my leg. I told David that someone was here to speak. He then channeled this older lady by the name of Abigail. She was a frequent energy at the Bush House, who was very happy to be there, looking after the guests, and letting them know her presence by the smell of her lavendar perfume. Abigails room was room eight, on the south side of the upper 2nd story floor. I was very touched by her presence, a warm, grandmotherly feeling of protection came with her, one that I will never forget, and I hope to encounter her again soon.


Voices of the Dead

written by David Raddatz


We arrived at Bush House in Index, Maureen and I and were soon joined by Henry our coordinator. As much as possible I attempted to stay away from any details of possible hauntings.

We did walk around outside, go into the empty house next door to check for energy and to allow the photographers to take pictures, video, and also attempt to get EVPs, or sounds/voices recorded on tape. During this time, I made a connection with a young man (8 years old) or so, who began to cling to me. I told him I would assist him if he wanted my help. I had the sense of young children. His name was Gabriel.

At approximately one a.m. I sat down in my room to channel, or go into trance to allow any entities wishing to speak to come through me. I kept my promise as Gabriel came through and spoke briefly…he was very upset and scared. I sent him on quickly as I had promised.

Matthew, was a young man of about 8 or 9 who came through and told a story of being taken out to a work shed and being assaulted and was strangled by the handy man or farm helper. He told of how he was afraid, and how he had been hurt.

Then Alice came through. As “luck” would have it, Alice apparently had lived in that room (where I was staying) and had committed suicide after being told that her husband, who worked in the nearby mine, had been killed in a cave in. Alice had stayed there because of her strongly held Catholic beliefs about suicides not going to “heaven”. She told the audience she could not even look her husband in the eyes because of her suicide. I believe she remains there.

There were others.

Gabriel

First entity of a number of them…

Come forward, this is David (I had befriended/bonded with a young man named Gabriel. I had asked him to stick with me for the rest of the evening and if he did, I would assist him. What follows is a direct transcript of the recording with Gabriel.

“Okay, you promised me. I am here, I’ve been with you.”
Is this Gabriel?
“Yes, I am Gabriel, who are you?”
This is Claire, we came to talk with you.
“Thank you. I am a little bit afraid but David said I would be safe, he said he would take care of me. I am trusting you, can I trust you?”
You can trust me Gabriel. How old are you Gabriel?
“I am 8 years old.”
Do you know what year it is?
“1925 I think, but I am not sure, I am just a kid. I like to play and play hide and seek, but I’m afraid.”
Do you have any sisters or brothers?
“I have one sister, she is older than I am.”
Is your sister here too?
“No, she’s not here.”
I am glad that you came to talk with us though.
“Yes, but David said that he would help me. I want David to help me, he promised.”
What do you need help with Gabriel?
“He told me he would help me find my mommy, my daddy….(crying) I want my mommy and daddy, I want my mommy and daddy.”
Gabriel, can you tell me is there someone here besides David and you and I?
“Yes, they are waiting.”
They need to talk to us as well, don’t they?
“Yes.”
But before you go, can you tell us how we can help you?
“David can help me, David promised he would help me. I will let David help me….now…”
Okay, we will have David help you now. There is a light there Gabriel and David will help show you the light. And you need to walk toward the light. Your parents are there and you won’t be alone anymore.

Gabriel passed through. There were more entities remaining. More to come.

Matthew

Coming of Matthew---Mid 1930s?

I am David and I promised you no one will ever hurt you again. I, we won’t let them….come to me and I will assist you. (told him no one would hurt him and there were other kids to play with.)

(sobbing)
"Don’t let him hurt me, don’t let him hurt me.”
Is this Matthew?
(highly emotional)
“I am Matthew….don’t please don’t let him hurt me again…please…please…don’t let him hurt me, I’m so scared…I’m so scared…please.”
I know Matthew, you’re terribly frightened.
“I don’t know what to do, it wasn’t my fault…wasn’t my fault.”
You’re a beautiful little boy Matthew and you’ve done nothing wrong.
“He hurt me.”
And it wasn’t your fault.
“I was scared, I’m scared!”
You didn’t deserve to be hurt Matthew.
(crying)
“Read your bible everyday…pray….now I lay me down to sleep, now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep.”
Who is it that’s hurting you Matthew?
“That man, that man is supposed to …….”
What do they call him?
“Martin, Martin, he said he wanted to show me something, something wonderful. But he hurt me he hurt me. I am so scared….(crying)”
He should not have hurt you Matthew.
“But he hurt me, he hurt me.”
It wasn’t fair.
“I going to let David help me, he promised.”
Can you feel David here Matthew”
“Yes.”
He’s here to help you. (sobbing) He know’s your tired of waiting.
“I will do what he wants me to do. He promised me that lots of people would help me…...”
Do you see the light Matthew?
“…I won’t hurt anymore.”
Can you see the light Matthew?
“Yes, there’s a woman smiling at me, holding out her hand. Yes yes…”
Can you take her hand?
“So….she’s very nice, very kind, she’s crying…says she loves me. I don’t know her, she’s so nice…I will go. She wants me to go with her, I will go, I will go, I will go.”

Matthew went. Matthew told me he was killed, strangled by the gardener (I think)







The Bush House Photos