Imagine the possibilities at the Lewiston Opera Hall

Lewiston Porter Sentinel, October 30, 2009
by Michelle Ann Kratts
Lewiston Public Library
michellekratts@yahoo.com

It was odd and it was spine tingling. It was a brisk Saturday evening sometime in March. The sky was clear and frosty as I drove into Lewiston and parked in front of the old Lewiston Opera Hall. Like a cake with yellow frosting, the Opera Hall sweetened all the other buildings that were layered beside her. She was bashful and welcoming. Tonight was her night and her upstairs windows blinked with light and anticipation. The ghost hunters from Niagara Falls Paranormal were coming to play and she was ready.

Eva Nicklas, the artistic director of Lewiston’s Council on the Arts and a member of the local Sacarissa- Bell Rose Lodge of the Odd Fellows in Lewiston, was our most gracious host for this spectacular evening. She lifted the crinkled veil that dangled carelessly at the bottom of the wooden stairs and invited us back in time as she told of the history of this remarkable building.

With intimate detail we learned that the Opera Hall had been the heartbeat of Lewiston. That old Hewitt place, or so it was called, had been the hub: of the early telephone operations; a butcher and slaughterhouse; the town hall; a meeting place of Christian celebration for those poor “river folk” not admitted to the regular churches; a unique musical experience for Lewiston’s young people who would rush out of their own churches and into this place in order to experience the passion of the off-beat music that had accompanied the “river folk;” the backdrop for masquerade balls; and, a gathering place for various secret societies, such as the Odd Fellows and the local temperance society. Today it functions primarily as the local IOOF Hall. It also features a dance studio and a collection of specialty shops and businesses.

The Odd Fellows granted permission to research their premises as they are interested themselves in uncovering the history of this establishment. A recently discovered treasure trove of artifacts has uncovered the possibility that the Lewiston Underground Railroad may have conducted some business in this building. A transcription of secret documents has piqued the interest of local historians.

Among other things, one peculiar line extracted from an 1846 Odd Fellow manuscript states that it was agreed upon to aid a “stranger…in distress.” Many researchers believe that a fugitive slave was often referred to as a “stranger” in order to elude authorities. Other local period documents also suggest that a “stranger” had been assisted.

It became apparent that this place of secrets, of young love, alcoholic confessions, trails of blood and musical medley could be the perfect stomping ground for the spirits of Lewiston. The ghost hunters of NF Paranormal, led by the modern-day “Nick and Norah” of ghostly investigation, Jimmy Silvaroli and Lisa Civisca, busily set up their equipment throughout the building and waited for some action. There had been the tale of a full-body apparition, a Victorian woman of sorts that had materialized to a woman in the building at one point. To some the building brought forth a general sense of unease at times – something commonly described by many Lewiston residents. As the history of this building was so full of energy, it seemed highly possible to those who study the paranormal that something might still linger, trapped between two worlds.

Weeks afterward, following the tedious task of going over all of the evidence, I was made aware of a chilling piece of evidence that could not be ignored. It seems that an EVP, or electronic voice phenomena, was recorded by the ghost hunters while in the basement. No matter how many times I find myself at this location, I cannot forget the sound of that voice saying (what sounds like) “please…” A small, weak voice … pleading for mercy, possibly.

Strange as it was, the evening had begun in the dark recesses of the basement with Eva’s flashlight suddenly drained of light and my cell phone, which had been newly charged, faded to black. Evidence was quietly collected and I watched from the command post, munching on my only sustenance, my bag of pretzels, as teams of psychic hunters covered every inch of wood and stone. Images of electrical snow, actually balls of dust, floated through the digital screen, as I scribbled in my notebook. But was it dust, or could they have been orbs (little compact blobs of light that show up on digital images that could possibly be the embodiment of a spirit)?

As the witching hour struck, equipment packed up and carried out, pictures taken and hands shaken, I was left alone in the darkness. I could hear all sorts of ghastly echoes as my shoes hit the wood floors, the human voices of the ghost hunters from outside, the hustle of the cars on Center Street…and then nothing. Terror struck me and the blood froze in my veins. Suddenly, I caught a break. One of the ghost hunters had come up the stairs with his flashlight and stayed with me as I turned the last key. I was touched by his kindness. This was something a man would have done many years ago in this very place. Perhaps this ghost hunt stirred up the best mankind has to offer. To help a “stranger in distress” may have been the call to action over 160 years ago … or, just a few months back, as one man, the one with the camera, sought to come to the aid of a much-tormented writer.

Please contact the author at the Lewiston Public Library or at michellekratts@yahoo.com if you are interested in including your location for an ongoing project documenting the paranormal history of Niagara. Investigations by NF Paranormal are free of charge. Check out their Web site at www.nfparanormal.com and their MySpace page at www.myspace.com/doppelganger7979.

Research collected will be considered for inclusion in a written compilation for the public’s future pleasure. Results of investigations, such as the investigation of the Lewiston Opera Hall, will be included in the published compilation.