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Monday, August 20, 2007

Day 3: Ghost Hunting

posted by on August 20 at 12:03 PM

PIdoorsalley6.jpg

Christina is a grad student at UC Santa Cruz who enjoys traveling to shuttered mental institutions and sites of massacres. She hopes to one day work for “Ghost Hunters” on the Sci Fi Channel. She was in town to make a short film about ghost hunting in Seattle, needed some help, and asked the Stranger if she could borrow the public intern.

She picked me up at 7:00 pm and we drove down to the International District to visit the site of the Wah Mee Massacre. Fourteen people were robbed, hogtied, and shot to death in the speakeasy in 1983. The club has been padlocked ever since and no one has been allowed inside.

PIoutsidewahalley8.jpg

The alley leading to the club was tucked between two Asian restaurants and smelled like rotting garbage. My job was to hold Christine’s digital camera while she explained the history of the site. Then I got to help Christine lower a camera on a string through a crack in the boarded up doors to the club. Christine hoped that if we put her camera on self-timer, it would take a picture of a ghost’s face.

PIinsidewahalley5.jpg

It didn’t.

Ghost hunting was emotionally exhausting. Christina kept on seeing faces in the window of the Wah Mee club but when I looked in all I could see was a dark room. She made twilight zone noises. Christina pretended she saw something through the door and gasped. I bolted down the alley and didn’t stop until I heard her laughing.

Christina was good on camera; she enunciated in a slow, methodical way that reminded me of Lonelygirl15. She knew what she was doing. But I was not very cool, calm or collected. I had trouble looking at the door for too long and I would jump when I heard a chicken squawk or a car alarm start. I stuttered, said fuck a lot and made bad jokes about the graffiti being haunted. Christina chuckled politely. I think she felt belittled.

We didn’t see any ghosts on our hunt but Christina told me later in the car that ghosts often follow people after they leave haunted places. Then she laughed and told me she was just joking. Here’s the video we made…

RSS icon Comments

1

Sweet Jesus! She's hot.

Posted by david | August 20, 2007 12:20 PM
2

Wow. That's a very sad place. Apparently, it's a big no-no to bring up the Wah Mee in Chinatown, as the wounds are still painful for many.

Also, Chinese ghosts probably wouldn't haunt the Wah Mee, they tend to follow their descendents, rather than random people. That's why Chinese people do ancestor worship... or at least part of the reason.

But it is ghost month! Who knows...

Posted by brappy | August 20, 2007 12:20 PM
3

Yes, it's impossible to be scared when your guide is so damn hot.

Posted by Matthew | August 20, 2007 12:25 PM
4

No dice on the ghost sightings, but it was great being the glue that held the Public Intern together whenever a pidgeon would fly over head.

Thanks Public Intern!

And hey fellas, I'm single! Can a sister get a date with a noncrazy Seattlite???

Posted by Christina! | August 20, 2007 12:46 PM
5

No dice on the ghost sightings, but it was great being the glue that held the Public Intern together whenever a pidgeon would fly over head.

Thanks Public Intern!

And hey fellas, I'm single! Can a sister get a date with a noncrazy Seattlite???

Posted by Christina! | August 20, 2007 12:46 PM
6

Then there's the tiny little problem of ghosts exisiting only in the imaginations of those who don't have a firm grip on reality.

Posted by getReal | August 20, 2007 1:09 PM
7

Then there's the tiny little problem of ghosts exisiting only in the imaginations of those who don't have a firm grip on reality.

Posted by getReal | August 20, 2007 1:15 PM
8

getReal: You're an idiot.

Posted by JessB | August 20, 2007 1:59 PM
9

getReal: You're right.

Posted by RBones | August 20, 2007 2:22 PM
10

Christina: you're both hot AND a ghostbuster.

Although I don't know about that hat. Does it provide protection against ghosts?

Posted by Horace | August 20, 2007 3:09 PM
11

Christina: you're both attractive AND a ghostbuster. Best person ever!

Posted by Horace | August 20, 2007 3:13 PM
12

Question for Christina: Have you asked the building owner if you would be able to go inside ? I have been interested in this building and story since I was a lil tike and was so happy to see that someone is doing a story on this. Also have you read the Seattle Times story from when this happened? I for some reason recall something about a doll that they would post in the window to let patrons know that the speakeasy was open.

Thanks,
JR

Posted by Winners Circle | August 20, 2007 3:33 PM
13

JR - I went on a "Haunted Seattle" tour where the tour guide Jake told us that they have no interest opening up the building for anyone for any reason. I cut that explaination out of the video for some reason, but yea, it would be next to impossible to get the owners to let someone in. Maybe the Public Intern should look into that more. Although, like someone mentioned above, it is still a super sensitive place for many residents.
I haven't heard of the doll thing though. That adds to the creep factor for sure!

Posted by Christina! | August 20, 2007 8:36 PM
14

MORE MORE MORE!


For the love of the sweet baby jesus, that chick is smokin hot. I'd go on a ghost hunt with her anywhere. I fully expected to see some batty broad going on about some ghost bullshit, but judging from the video, I think she knows exactly what she's doing, and the joke is on all of us.... if you're reading this Christine, send me an email STAT.

Posted by William Wu | August 21, 2007 1:42 AM
15

actually, all of china town smells like rotting garbage. not just the alley ways.

Posted by brad | August 21, 2007 12:07 PM
16

Best HUMP! location scout ever.

Posted by kid icarus | August 21, 2007 8:57 PM
17

Christina,
So I went to the location yesterday after reading the article and did some snooping and picture taking of and around the building (which ironically same block has address of 666)and was wondering if you are planning on going back ? If so you should email me as I got a really good idea on getting inside flicks.

Thanks
JR


http://www.myspace.com/winnerscircleseattle

Posted by Winners Circle | August 22, 2007 12:43 AM
18

Christina is faboo, and I'd like to see The Stranger get her to do a few more segments at other creepy, ghostly locations. Like the lower levels of the Pike Place Market. Or the Mayor's office.

Posted by Susan Frye | August 22, 2007 2:46 AM
19

Yikes! I actually jumped at the scary part even though there was no scary music! haha. Cool! Good Job Public Intern!

Posted by Kristin Bell | August 23, 2007 8:12 AM
20

is she serious, she seems to think it's a joke? I think if more ghosthunting were to go on in SEattle there are better people to cover it, that aren't giggling and have more experience...

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