A Night of the Paranormal
Perched on top of a hill on the corner of Route 6N and Route 18, between Albion and Edinboro, you’ll find the Wellsburg Church. The leafy-green molding around the doors and windows stand in contrast with the white siding, providing an aesthetically pleasing picture for the changing autumn season.
Known to locals as “The Little Church on the Hill,” this quaint establishment was founded in 1855 and has provided the community with a place to worship, celebrate, and gather. But more recently, the church has served as a place to discover the phenomena of the paranormal.
Around 6 p.m., on the breezy evening of Oct. 22, a small group of local individuals gathered (with popcorn in hand) in the pews of the dimly lit Wellsburg Church for a viewing of a documentary titled, There’s Nobody At The Bridge. It follows local paranormal investigator James McCann’s life-changing experiences and the history that still resides at the notorious Gudgeonville Covered Bridge in Girard, which was burnt down by arsonists in 2008.
The event was open to the public, with McCann explaining the phenomena of the paranormal and answer questions the audience had.
Despite the realm of paranormal being tied in with his livelihood, McCann claims he didn’t recall having any connection with the paranormal earlier in his life.
“I’m one of those people who hasn’t really had any paranormal experiences when they were younger. If I did, I wasn’t aware of it. I always tell people how I basically got into this is because I believe it was something that was meant to happen,” he said before showing the film.
In the film, McCann recalls the spark that led him to become fascinated by the paranormal.
“My first stint with the paranormal was simply reading books and living in New Orleans for about a year. The culture and history kind of sucked me in and I got interested in it.”
In 2003, after living in New Orleans from 2001 to 2002, McCann moved back to Erie with a deeper hunger for the paranormal and a desire to be more “hands-on” within the field. He read books and joined in on investigations with another local team, but as time passed, he found himself wanting an even deeper connection. Thus, A Paranormal Group, Erie County Pennsylvania (A.P.G/E.C.P) was born.
McCann’s paranormal resume includes locations such as The Battles Museum, The Knickerbocker Hotel, Gettysburg, and even his own excerpt on the show “My Ghost Story”, where he explored his family roots in the spooky town of Centralia, Pennsylvania. However, the Gudgeonville Bridge remains his favorite, from the strong energy surrounding the location and his calling to keep coming back. He didn’t always catch activity when he first began investigating the bridge. He believes, however, if you approach spirits with respect instead of taunting and yelling, you’ll have a better chance of capturing evidence.
“When investigating, I always make sure there is positive energy,” McCann said. “ If you work towards it with respect, you’re going to get something.”
After viewing the 30-minute documentary, time allowed for questions, followed by a deeper look into the compelling video clips, E.V.Ps (electronic voice phenomenon), and photographs McCann has captured over the years.
Photographs depicted a nebulous-like pattern of fog and mist, which McCann claims to enjoy working with because he believes spiritual energy can manifest itself easier in that environment. McCann went through each photo with the group, pointing out what he sees in the photo, with the opportunity for discussion about what members of the audience believe to see.
McCann explained that sometimes, when debunking and studying footage, it is common to hear or see something different from what someone else sees. More commonly than video or photo footage, voices captured by E.V.Ps can be interpreted entirely differently between individuals.
“What you’re hearing may only be meant for me or you,” explained McCann. “You can decide on your own what you want to believe.”
McCann closed out his 3-hour presentation with a small tip about the field of paranormal investigating.
“It’s a difficult field to be in. If you work at it and are respectful, it’s out there.”
Attendees of the event expressed their satisfaction with McCann’s presentation. Matthew Thompson, from nearby Conneaut, Ohio, found McCann’s hard work and experience in the field to be commendable and intriguing.
“I think what I found most interesting was just how hard James has worked for so many years to capture everything that he has. He clearly takes his investigations seriously and tries to be as objective as possible.”
Jason Callan from Cranesville gave positive reviews about the event on his YouTube channel. He claims the smaller crowd enhanced the experience.
“I think the smaller crowd gave it a more intimate atmosphere.”
In regards to the film and presentation, he feels it was important to learn about the legends and history of the area.
“I think the movie was compelling because it was something that was ‘ours.’ I think it is important to learn about local haunting and history because it makes for interesting conversation and makes you a more rounded person.”
Whether you are a believer or a skeptic, the dimension of the unknown has been a topic of cultural storytelling and investigation for centuries. Erie County, Pennsylvania relishes in the abundance of its historical legends and lore passed down from generation to generation, and they’re still waiting to be investigated.
Perched on top of a hill on the corner of Route 6N and Route 18, between Albion and Edinboro, you’ll find the Wellsburg Church. The leafy-green molding around the doors and windows stand in contrast with the white siding, providing an aesthetically pleasing picture for the changing autumn season.
Known to locals as “The Little Church on the Hill,” this quaint establishment was founded in 1855 and has provided the community with a place to worship, celebrate, and gather. But more recently, the church has served as a place to discover the phenomena of the paranormal.
Around 6 p.m., on the breezy evening of Oct. 22, a small group of local individuals gathered (with popcorn in hand) in the pews of the dimly lit Wellsburg Church for a viewing of a documentary titled, There’s Nobody At The Bridge. It follows local paranormal investigator James McCann’s life-changing experiences and the history that still resides at the notorious Gudgeonville Covered Bridge in Girard, which was burnt down by arsonists in 2008.
The event was open to the public, with McCann explaining the phenomena of the paranormal and answer questions the audience had.
Despite the realm of paranormal being tied in with his livelihood, McCann claims he didn’t recall having any connection with the paranormal earlier in his life.
“I’m one of those people who hasn’t really had any paranormal experiences when they were younger. If I did, I wasn’t aware of it. I always tell people how I basically got into this is because I believe it was something that was meant to happen,” he said before showing the film.
In the film, McCann recalls the spark that led him to become fascinated by the paranormal.
“My first stint with the paranormal was simply reading books and living in New Orleans for about a year. The culture and history kind of sucked me in and I got interested in it.”
In 2003, after living in New Orleans from 2001 to 2002, McCann moved back to Erie with a deeper hunger for the paranormal and a desire to be more “hands-on” within the field. He read books and joined in on investigations with another local team, but as time passed, he found himself wanting an even deeper connection. Thus, A Paranormal Group, Erie County Pennsylvania (A.P.G/E.C.P) was born.
McCann’s paranormal resume includes locations such as The Battles Museum, The Knickerbocker Hotel, Gettysburg, and even his own excerpt on the show “My Ghost Story”, where he explored his family roots in the spooky town of Centralia, Pennsylvania. However, the Gudgeonville Bridge remains his favorite, from the strong energy surrounding the location and his calling to keep coming back. He didn’t always catch activity when he first began investigating the bridge. He believes, however, if you approach spirits with respect instead of taunting and yelling, you’ll have a better chance of capturing evidence.
“When investigating, I always make sure there is positive energy,” McCann said. “ If you work towards it with respect, you’re going to get something.”
After viewing the 30-minute documentary, time allowed for questions, followed by a deeper look into the compelling video clips, E.V.Ps (electronic voice phenomenon), and photographs McCann has captured over the years.
Photographs depicted a nebulous-like pattern of fog and mist, which McCann claims to enjoy working with because he believes spiritual energy can manifest itself easier in that environment. McCann went through each photo with the group, pointing out what he sees in the photo, with the opportunity for discussion about what members of the audience believe to see.
McCann explained that sometimes, when debunking and studying footage, it is common to hear or see something different from what someone else sees. More commonly than video or photo footage, voices captured by E.V.Ps can be interpreted entirely differently between individuals.
“What you’re hearing may only be meant for me or you,” explained McCann. “You can decide on your own what you want to believe.”
McCann closed out his 3-hour presentation with a small tip about the field of paranormal investigating.
“It’s a difficult field to be in. If you work at it and are respectful, it’s out there.”
Attendees of the event expressed their satisfaction with McCann’s presentation. Matthew Thompson, from nearby Conneaut, Ohio, found McCann’s hard work and experience in the field to be commendable and intriguing.
“I think what I found most interesting was just how hard James has worked for so many years to capture everything that he has. He clearly takes his investigations seriously and tries to be as objective as possible.”
Jason Callan from Cranesville gave positive reviews about the event on his YouTube channel. He claims the smaller crowd enhanced the experience.
“I think the smaller crowd gave it a more intimate atmosphere.”
In regards to the film and presentation, he feels it was important to learn about the legends and history of the area.
“I think the movie was compelling because it was something that was ‘ours.’ I think it is important to learn about local haunting and history because it makes for interesting conversation and makes you a more rounded person.”
Whether you are a believer or a skeptic, the dimension of the unknown has been a topic of cultural storytelling and investigation for centuries. Erie County, Pennsylvania relishes in the abundance of its historical legends and lore passed down from generation to generation, and they’re still waiting to be investigated.
Allison Duda is a writer for EdinboroNow.
