A Skeptic’s Night at the Farnsworth House- Continuation of the App Experiment

A Skeptic’s Night at the Farnsworth House

The Farnsworth House sits in the heart of Gettysburg, a building that saw the Civil War up close — and, according to legend, never really recovered from it. During the Battle of Gettysburg, Confederate sharpshooters reportedly occupied the attic, and the house later served as a place for wounded soldiers. That history alone is enough to give the place an uneasy reputation.

What really fuels the Farnsworth House’s status as one of Gettysburg’s most haunted locations, though, are the stories. Guests and staff frequently report heavy footsteps in empty rooms, shadowy figures moving through hallways, unexplained voices, and objects that appear to move on their own. Some claim multiple spirits linger here — soldiers and civilians alike — each with their own supposed personalities. EVP recordings are commonly reported, and the house is often labeled one of the most haunted inns in Gettysburg.

Of course, none of that is documented proof. These accounts come from personal experiences, tour lore, and amateur investigations. Old buildings make noise. Expectations influence perception. And Gettysburg is basically ground zero for ghost stories.

Those questions are exactly why my husband and I keep dragging ourselves into dark places like this one.

First Impressions: Old, Tight, and Very Thin Walls

When we arrived, the first thing that stood out wasn’t a ghost — it was how small and tight everything is. Narrow hallways, tiny door frames, random little steps everywhere just waiting to trip you. The walls are paper-thin. You can hear keys, footsteps, conversations — which is important to note right away because not every sound here is mysterious.

That said, the building itself is incredible. It’s overdone in a way that feels authentic — exactly how you’d imagine a place decorated in the 1800s. I spent a lot of time taking photos and video of the house itself everywhere we could go.

Because we were just renting a room and not on a formal tour, we didn’t have access to the attic or basement — which was disappointing, especially since the attic is tied to some of the most well-known Civil War lore associated with the house.

The Haunting Lore (and Why We Stay Skeptical)

The Farnsworth House has no shortage of named spirits in its stories. One frequently mentioned figure is a young boy named Jeremy, who reportedly died after being struck by a horse-drawn cart and is believed to haunt the house. Other stories involve soldiers, civilians, and general unexplained activity throughout the building.

But again — stories aren’t evidence. They’re part of the experience, and they absolutely set the mood, but they need to be tested.

Why We Investigated Early

Because the walls are so thin, we started our investigation earlier than usual. Spirit boxes and other noisy equipment can be disruptive, and we wanted to be respectful of other guests — even though everyone we encountered was enthusiastic and curious about what we were doing.

Our plan was simple:

• Loud equipment early

• Quieter experiments later

• Same controlled methods we use everywhere else

Consistency matters if you’re actually trying to test something.

EMF Sweeps, Uneven Floors, and the “Haunted Feeling”

We began with an EMF sweep of the room. There were random pockets of EMF, but nothing consistent. Some spikes could clearly be traced to electronics like phones or possibly the TV. Others appeared in the middle of the room without an obvious source.

This is where context matters.

There have been studies exploring whether EMF exposure can affect how people feel — dizziness, unease, discomfort — but nothing conclusive has been proven. It’s still being researched. In an old building like this, inconsistent EMF could easily be caused by aging wiring, Wi-Fi signals, or nearby power lines.

Another huge factor? The floors.

They’re extremely uneven and noticeably sloped. Walking around feels a bit like being on a boat. That sensation alone can cause dizziness or disorientation — similar to mild seasickness. Combine that with low lighting, historical expectations, and EMF fluctuations, and it’s easy to see how people might feel “off” and interpret that as something paranormal.

None of that requires a ghost.

Our Ongoing App Experiment: Ghost Tube & Spirit Talker

This investigation was part of our ongoing experiment across 10 different locations — some haunted, some not, and some with deaths but no haunting history.

At every location, we:

• Ask the same 20 questions

• Use Ghost Tube and Spirit Talker

• Track relevant answers, irrelevant answers, random answers, and no responses

• Compare results against chance (20%)

At the Farnsworth House, both apps were chatty — but once again, most responses were random, vague, or unrelated to the questions being asked.

A few responses stood out as interesting:

• “Gun” when asked about a favorite memory (which fits Civil War themes)

• “Simplicity” when asked about the most beautiful thing remembered

• “Portal” as a message to the world

• “I’m in pain” when asked if there was something we should know about the place

Interesting? Sure. Convincing? Not really.

Most questions went unanswered, and many answers didn’t clearly connect to what was being asked. That’s been consistent across locations.

Final Thoughts (So Far)

Once again, the apps didn’t perform well under controlled questioning. The results leaned heavily toward randomness, which doesn’t support them as reliable tools for communication.

That said, this investigation isn’t over.

We’ll be testing additional equipment at the Farnsworth House in upcoming videos, and possibly splitting this investigation into multiple parts.

If nothing else, the Farnsworth House is a fascinating place — historically rich, atmospheric, and absolutely perfect for testing how much of the “haunted” feeling comes from environment, expectation, and suggestion.

As always, we’ll keep asking the same questions, using the same methods, and following the data wherever it leads.

Thanks for coming along, spooky cats 🐾
More investigations coming soon.