- Hello, I'm Mickey.

- I'm Cera.

- And I'm Ryan.

- [All] And this is "Hiseerie."

(eerie music) - We grew up watching paranormal investigators like Zak Bagans on "Ghost Adventures", Ryan and Shane on "Unsolved" or "Ghost Files", and Sam and Colby on YouTube.

It gave us a curiosity or a need to know what it was really like, to understand the world that we can't see.

The semi-casual investigations, people just trying to connect to those who are no longer around or something we just can't understand yet.

All throughout history, different cultures have believed in the paranormal, divine gods, spirits, aliens, shaman, witchcraft, and divination, just to name a few.

Supernatural occurrences are reported all around the world and have become ingrained into pop culture.

Since the beginning of humanity, people have been questioning the bigger picture of existence.

What is really out there?

Where do we go when we die?

Are there aliens, ghosts, Bigfoot?

Tonight we went to The Historic Palmer House in Sauk Centre, Minnesota.

The Palmer House has been explored by many investigators from around the country.

- The three of us are from different departments at Pioneer PBS in Granite Falls, but share a strong interest in all things paranormal.

- There's such a rich history of supernatural around the state and we are so lucky to be able to share that with you guys.

- If you like this episode, please like, subscribe, and comment down below where you want us to go next.

- Now sit back and enjoy as we explore the spiritual world of The Palmer House.

(eerie music) - I think I've had so many moments that keep drawing me back.

I wouldn't know where to start completely.

I saw my first shadow person here in the basement.

I've seen the snowman move when he doesn't have a power pack.

I have a little girl that said my name.

I've got dogs barking in the basement.

I just saw another shadow person two weeks ago.

(laughing) I've had them touch, pull my hair, sit in the chair next to the bed.

Yeah, it just goes on and on.

I've probably forgot more experiences than I remembered.

- The Palmer House was built in 1901 by Ralph L. Palmer and Christena J. Palmer.

The Palmer's children Hazel and Carlisle lived and worked in the hotel as a family with Christena's mother and brother.

- The hotel was built to replace the old Sauk Centre house that burned to the ground a year earlier.

Many in the community believed the fire to be intentional and were relieved of its destruction due to its reputation of attracting unsavory characters.

- It was the first building in Sauk Centre to have electricity, giving it the status of being a high end destination.

- The hotel opened its doors to the public on October 17th, 1901, functioning as a salesman stop for many riding the train.

It was bustling with people from all around and locals alike.

- The Palmer House is also known in the literary world.

The Nobel Prize winning author Sinclair Lewis was employed at the Palmer House shortly after it opened in 1902.

He was rumored to be fired due to writing too much on the job.

In Lewis' 1920 novel "Main Street", the Palmer is referred to as the Minniemashie House.

- Throughout the years, the hotel would change hands many times, being updated and changed by each owner.

In 1974, The Palmer would be purchased by Al Tingley and Dick Schwartz, who had the goal to restore the hotel back to its original glory.

- The hotel was listed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1982 for having local significance in the themes of commerce and social history furthering is protection from destruction.

- In 1993, the hotel got its biggest makeover changing the original 38 small rooms with common necessary room down the hall to 19 rooms, each with their own bathroom.

- The house is currently owned by Kelly Freese who opened the hotel for historical and paranormal tours to the public.

The Palmer House has a long history of paranormal activity.

People report seeing shadow figures, hearing disembodied voices and footsteps and having objects move on their own.

- There are many different theories as to why so many spirits hang around the hotel.

Some say that bodies and bones are buried beneath the basement.

Others say people died in fire or even spirits of those who have died in the hotel over the years.

- To me, I think it's just because, I mean, if you look at it, it's 123 years old.

It's built on Highway 71, which would've been the I-94 of its day.

So there was people, you can go from Canada to Louisiana, you had the railroad, you had the river, you had all these salesmen here.

In the early days of Sauk Centre, it was a fort Sauk Centre.

So there would've been conflict between the indigenous people here and the settlers that were here.

Plus, like I said, you've got the river.

But if you think of 123 years of a minimum of 40 people a day coming through that door, that's four million people that have come through this building.

(laughing) And everybody, when they go to an all hands hotel, it could be for happy reasons, it could be a sad reason, it could be a business reason.

It could be having trauma in their life.

All that energy comes in and you know, kind of just leave a piece of yourself behind wherever you go.

- Tonight we are joined with Sherry and Joy, two of the amazing tour guides here at The Palmer House who both have their own personal tie to the place.

- I am Joy and I am from Wisconsin and I came here for an event about seven years ago and I just have been coming back ever since.

And now I work here full time.

- I'm Sherry, I'm from Minnesota.

And Fred brought me here in 2005 for my birthday and next year will be my 20th anniversary of coming here and it's my happy place.

Yeah, ever since the first time I came here, I've always been interested in the paranormal and I've just got hooked on the place.

It feels welcoming, like you said, it feels like going to somebody's house.

- We're all here to protect The Palmer House and they are too.

We're all going here for the same thing.

- Yeah, I feel very protective of the spirits here and like they are family and yeah, it's a special place.

We call it The Palmer House effect because once you come here and experience stuff here, you're always gonna wanna come back.

(ominous music) - Tools of the Trade.

Spirit Box.

Scans radio frequencies for spirits to communicate through the white noise and words.

- [Joy] Hi, guys.

We brought some friends down here.

We just wondering if you wanna come and say hi.

- [Ryan] My back is extremely cold right now.

I'm not sure if it's just a breeze or what, it's like surrounding me, almost like a hug.

Feels like its wrapped around my whole body.

- [Joy] Who's here with us right now?

Can you try and say something?

You don't have to be shy.

We're not here to harm you or kick you out or anything.

We know this is your home.

(clearing throat) Joy.

- [Mickey] There was just like a shadow.

- I am really cold now.

- Like orb thing.

- [Ryan] Ive got the goosebumps - [Sherry] Are you hugging up right now?

(Ryan laughing) - Do you like him?

- It's just on my back.

It's not on my sides.

Not on the front.

It is just on my back.

- [Mickey] I'm gonna take some photos of you just so you know.

- Don't show me them until tomorrow.

- Okay.

(group laughing) - [Mickey] Cold (indistinct).

(group laughing) - My nose feels cold.

- It's very cold here.

- You feel that too?

- It feels very cold here.

- Wait, Cera, (indistinct)?

- [Cera] Yep.

- Okay.

Should we take three?

- Yep.

- See who's taking care of him.

- [Mickey] Yeah, there's definitely a noticeable difference.

(Ryan inhaling sharply) - [Joy] Have you introduced yourself to them down here yet?

- Mm-mm.

- [Joy] Should introduce yourselves so they who they're talking to.

- [Ryan] My name is Ryan.

- [Cera] Hi everyone.

My name is Cera.

- [Mickey] And I'm Mickey.

- [Ryan] Yeah, it's right around this chair.

(camera rustling) It's like a cold as well.

- It's very cold here, Ryan.

- I know.

- It's freezing.

- It's just getting colder and colder.

- [Joy] Can you tap on that bed frame to let Ryan know you're there?

- [Ryan] Thought I saw something right there.

- Well, we can turn this on a little bit and see if we get any responses.

(switch clicks) (static crackling) - Hey.

- Hey.

- Hi.

- Hi.

- You didn't even gimme a chance.

How you doing?

(static crackling) Come and say hi.

(tone whining) No, let go.

Yep.

- Thank you.

- [Spirit Box] Guess what?

- Sounded like, "Guess what?"

(Sherry laughing) I'll slow it down for you.

Okay?

Who was hugging Ryan?

- [Spirit Box] Please.

- Please?

(Sherry laughing) - [Spirit Box] Stop.

- [Joy] Which was also a female voice.

- Mm-hm.

- It was the first female voice we've gotten.

Hi.

What's your name?

- [Speaker Box] Joy.

- They just said Joy's name.

- Yeah.

- Did they really?

- Yeah.

- They said your name.

- [Joy] Hi, how are you?

- [Speaker Box] Hi, (indistinct).

- Hi somebody.

- [Joy] You know us, so you can come closer.

- [Speaker Box] Door.

- Door.

- Door.

- Door.

Are you down in the doorway?

You can come join us.

(spirit box yells) Ooh.

We're friendly.

We only bring friendly people here.

(spirit box speaking indistinctly) - It say "them"?

- Kind of sounded like it.

They would love to have some interactions with you.

Let go of the speaker.

Will you?

I'm not touching the speaker.

It shouldn't be turned down like that on its own.

- Oh wow.

- Right.

- Right.

- Right.

(group laughing) Is that you messing with the sound?

- I did.

- I did.

(group laughing) - Thank you.

- It's very impressive.

Thank you.

- You gonna do it again, huh?

- I (indistinct).

- I... (group laughing) - Can you turn it up so we can hear you better?

- Okay.

- Okay.

(laughing) - Thank you.

- Thank you.

- A little bit more.

(static crackling) (ominous music) - [Cera] Where are we, Mickey?

- We're about to go into the kid's room up on the third floor.

Ryan's room is across the hall over there.

- Down there.

- We've heard that there's some active child spirits in this room and there's lots of toys for them to play with.

See, let's get on in.

(ominous music) - [Mickey] Tools of the Trade.

Cat Balls.

React to touch.

Flashlight.

If set between on and off, it's believed to enable spirits to communicate through the light.

(ominous music) - Should we try some flashlights?

- [Mickey] Sure.

Can you hold this for a sec?

- Yeah.

- I can't tell if it's just a little drafty or because of the door or if I'm feeling a cold air right now.

Like on this arm and on this arm.

- Yeah.

- That's... Look outside.

- She wouldn't be coming up.

- It didn't come up (indistinct).

- [Mickey] I thought it was the.

- What was I trying to put... I thought it was the third floor (indistinct).

- [Ryan] Now (indistinct).

- [Mickey] Was that you or was that Joy?

- Is she down there?

- [Ryan] Yeah I don't see- - [Cera] Oh my God, I almost died on the stairs.

- I don't see anyone.

I don't see anyone, I don't hear anyone.

It's up there.

- If that was you, could you turn that flashlight off, please?

Thank you.

- [Cera] We literally don't see her.

- [Mickey] Weird.

I wish I knew where she was staying.

- [Cera] You know we could have asked her actually.

(indistinct) Exactly.

Yes, it is.

(laughing) - [Mickey] I don't feel anything in this room.

- [Cera] I haven't really felt anything.

Oh.

Except... - [Ryan] I feel something in my gut, but I can't tell if it's because of this room or like what happened earlier.

- Yeah.

- What happened?

- I felt sick after the basement.

Basement was a lot.

- [Mickey] Is there anyone in this room with us?

Could you turn on either of those flashlights or move one of the cat balls?

Can you just go up and tap one of these little black things?

- [Cera] Oh.

- [Mickey] Could you turn that light off if you were the one moving that car earlier that Cera saw?

(group laughing) I told you.

- That one's a (indistinct).

- [Mickey] Thank you for communicating with us.

Would you like us to try and communicate with you using the Estes method?

- That was yesterday.

- That was instant.

- [Cera] Put me under the Estes method.

- [Mickey] Tools of the Trade.

Estes Method.

(upbeat music) Uses a spirit box then one investigator wears an eye mask and headphones while the other investigator asks questions to help eliminate bias.

- [Mickey] You think that's a good pace or do you want- - Spirit box.

- They say a good pace.

- [Cera] Oh, I just already heard stuff.

Okay.

- I was gonna say that one's silent.

- Yeah.

I don't know.

- Hopefully it worked.

- Somebody- - Are you ready to talk?

Is that why the flashlights are going?

- What?

- There's voices coming through that.

- Yes.

I can hear.

- I just heard, I thought I heard someone walking out, but I- - Okay.

- No, I heard like a little kid's voice or a female voice come through that, it was high pitch.

- Oh.

Actually- - Manager.

- [Ryan] I heard manager or man here.

Cat ball just went off.

- [Mickey] Is there a man here with us?

That light just went on.

- Yes.

- [Ryan] That said yes.

I swear to God I heard it from you.

- [Cera] No, that just said yes.

That said yes.

- What was that?

- I (indistinct).

- Oh, I'm Mickey and he's, the guy over there is Ryan.

And then our friend who will be able to hear you, who's named Cera.

We really love to talk to you.

- [Ryan] I saw a shadow and the cat ball went off and now the flashlight just went off.

- [Mickey] Could you let us know if you're here?

- [Ryan] It just went off again.

Both flashlights.

- I can hear things coming in, but they go by so fast.

- Should I turn it down once?

- Yeah, you can.

- Can you hear it?

- Is that a good rate for you?

- Yeah, it was going too fast before.

- Is this how fast you want it to go?

(static crackling) I thought it said, "Yeah", so we're good.

(Mickey laughing) - Yep, I would say that's a yes.

- I saw it turn on.

That's crazy that that cat ball won't stop going off either 'cause it's right next to where I was standing and not once did it go off.

There it went off again.

- See?

And then that just went on and then that one went on.

- [Ryan] It is a three-way thing with flashlights and cat balls in the kids' room.

- [Mickey] Are you trying to show us your pattern?

- You got the something.

- [Mickey] Do you wanna introduce ourselves again?

- Please.

- [Mickey] Okay.

I'm Mickey.

- [Ryan] My name is Ryan.

- And then you're talking to our friend Cera right now.

Could you introduce yourself?

Let us know who we're speaking to.

Sebastian?

Could you turn one of the flashlights on if you just said your name for Cera?

- Oh, that was instant.

- That was instant.

All right.

Could you turn the flashlight off for me for a second?

Could you turn that flashlight on again if your name is Sebastian?

Was that one?

- Are we close?

- Yeah?

Can you try and introduce yourself one more time?

Get us a little bit closer to it.

- The guy who, I don't know, they cut off.

I heard piano music.

- Are you a piano player?

Can you turn that flashlight off if you're a piano player?

- [Ryan] Cat ball just went off.

Oh my gosh.

- Did you stay at The Palmer Hotel?

Oh.

With a double white.

- Oh my God.

Sorry.

- Oh my gosh, Cera.

- It's 'cause like these loud (beep) statics will come in for like a few seconds.

- [Mickey] That's a car.

- I can hear things.

They're just going by so fast that I can't make it out or they sound too- - You can go down one more rate.

You want to?

- Yeah.

Let's do that.

- Cat ball went off again.

- Oh!

- And the flashlight.

We'll slow it down for you if that will help.

- Oh, okay.

Slow it down.

Maybe that's what they want.

And then music keeps coming in too.

- [Mickey] Yeah, I'm pretty sure we're talking to a pianist.

- Oh!

- We were asking questions.

It was making sense, so.

- Okay, okay, okay.

I'm like- - I swear the dog just moved in the corner of my eye.

- No, it didn't.

(indistinct) question.

- [Ryan] What did that say?

- I don't know bit I heard a- - He said, "We did."

- [Ryan] I thought it said, "What if it did?"

- It did.

(laughing) They just confirmed it.

- [Mickey] Is that, "Yes, we did" or ask us?

- I heard ask us.

- I heard ask us.

- [Mickey] I don't know what's going on.

(spirit box speaking indistinctly) - [Cera] Hotel something.

- [Ryan] The cat ball just went off again.

- Oh!

(group laughing) - [Mickey] It'll be cat ball, that light every time.

Same time.

- Every time.

- Same time.

Same time.

- Every time.

- Yep.

(group laughing) - [Ryan] It hasn't stopped.

- [Mickey] Can you turn the flashlights on if you want us to turn the speed down a little bit?

Okay, not at all.

(indistinct) there we go.

- It's slow, but... - [Mickey] All right.

Cera is back.

She can hear you guys again.

We turned it down a little bit, so hopefully that'll be better.

Can you give us any information about yourself?

Is there anything you want tell us?

- Outside Heaven something.

It was a song and like lyrics.

- [Mickey] Are you stuck outside of heaven?

- [Ryan] Is it hard for you to speak to us?

- Yeah.

Do you want us to keep using the flashlights?

Could you turn either this one on or that one off?

Yeah.

Okay.

- [Ryan] It's like instant.

This is insane.

- You know, you're really good at those.

Thank you for being so communicative with us.

Can you try one more time to communicate with Cera?

- A woman's voice, but I couldn't hear it.

Melody.

- I swear it's a musician.

Did you used to play here at The Palmer House?

Well, the lights are turning on when I ask questions.

(laughing) I just really feel like- - Sounded like maid or something.

Music.

- [Mickey] Maybe there's a maid or musician here.

Are there two of you in here?

- They're talking about the main staircase.

- Yeah.

- [Ryan] And there's always shadows going in and out of the men's bathroom.

That just lit up too as soon as I said it.

- Me.

There's a like a girl's voice sounded like me or something.

- Are you the maid who goes in and out of the main staircase downstairs?

- [Ryan] Are you the lady in white?

- "This is a kid's room" it sounded like.

It was a woman's voice too.

- All right, I'm gonna count to five and unless you want us to leave her in, can you leave the lights?

Okay, well I guess you don't want us to leave or to take her out.

- [Ryan] Do you want someone else to talk to?

- Do you want try?

- I can.

- [Mickey] Okay.

(ominous music) - I do.

I like that when they touch you 'cause you're just kind of like, "Oh, what was that?"

You know?

And then you realize nobody was there, but you feel that poke or you feel that just that little caress, they're just kind of letting you know, hey, I'm right here.

People watch TV a lot, so they come here expecting something like that and it's really not, you know?

'Cause when you watch that on a TV show, they're there for probably a week and they put all the active spots, you know, in that little 42, 43 minute episode that you watch.

So, you know, I think people throw around the word demon way too much.

You know, it could be just a grumpy old man from back in his time and he's still grumpy, you know?

You don't know that.

- Yeah.

They see it on TV and they hear the word demon.

Well, it gets some good ratings on whatever show they're on.

- Right.

- I think, like Joy said, it's, to me, if it's something that's malevolent or mean, it's probably 'cause the person was crabby and mean and maybe a bully when they were alive.

So it's probably still that way while they're dead.

I think one of the funny things is that everybody goes, what is the most haunted room?

And I'm like, just walk in the door.

- Yeah.

- They're not locked in their rooms, they're free to roam.

Yeah, they can go wherever they want, whenever they want.

- Every phone call for every reservation, "I want the most haunted room."

- Just walk in the door.

- I can't give it to you because they're free to go wherever they want.

- It's 24/7, 365.

- Yep.

- Yeah and I think it, depending on what kind type of activity that we get, also kind of depends on the attitude and the energy of people that are on the tour.

I can have tours where stuff is just popping off left and right, and then the very next night I'll do another tour and hardly anything happens.

It's not like we can make the ghosts perform on demand.

I tell people, I said, you know, go down and have fun.

It doesn't have to be stoic and serious like you see on TV when you're just doing a mini tour like this.

Have fun with it.

Put out good energy.

I mean, if a spirit walked into a room and everybody's just staring at each other and nobody's talking, I don't think I would wanna interact with them either.

So why would a spirit wanna interact with you?

And it helps to be.... I mean, you can be skeptic, but still have an open mind.

Because if you're super skeptic, you can actually shut down an entire tour because you've put out that energy of nothing's gonna happen, why am I here, you know?

For one hour or two hours, have an open mind and be open to say, "Hey, maybe there's something to this.

And you'd be surprised sometimes what happens, so."

- We hope you enjoyed this episode.

And if you wanna support us and our station, you can see more behind the scenes content and full length uncut sessions on our Patreon at patreon.com/hiseerie.

(ominous music) (upbeat music)