
A Haunted Cabin with Bill Stark
Season 2 Episode 7 | 27m 33sVideo has Closed Captions
Louisville native Bill Stark shares the story of his "haunted" cabin in Red River Gorge.
Louisville native Bill Stark and his wife Charisse were looking for a peaceful getaway outside the city when they purchased a cabin in Red River Gorge ten years ago. It wasn't long before they discovered they might not be living there alone. Bill Stark shares the story of his "haunted" cabin in the woods that has been featured on the Discovery Channel, HBO and in a new book.
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Inside Louisville is a local public television program presented by KET

A Haunted Cabin with Bill Stark
Season 2 Episode 7 | 27m 33sVideo has Closed Captions
Louisville native Bill Stark and his wife Charisse were looking for a peaceful getaway outside the city when they purchased a cabin in Red River Gorge ten years ago. It wasn't long before they discovered they might not be living there alone. Bill Stark shares the story of his "haunted" cabin in the woods that has been featured on the Discovery Channel, HBO and in a new book.
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Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship>> HI AND WELCOME TO "INSIDE LOUISVILLE," WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.
THIS WEEK, WE TAKE YOU TO A HAUNTED HOUSE, A HAUNTED CABIN, ACTUALLY.
LOUISVILLE NATIVE BILL STARK IS KNOWN AROUND HERE AS BILL FROM THE VILLE.
HE AND WIFE CHARISSE WANTED A PLACE OUTSIDE THE CITY TO GET AWAY AND FOUND THE PERFECT SPOT IN A CABIN AT RED RIVER GORGE.
TEN YEARS LATER THE CABIN HAS BEEN FEATURED ON THE DISCOVERY NETWORK, HBO AND IS THE SUBJECT OF A NEW BOOK, ALL BECAUSE OF THE STRANGE HAPPENINGS THAT BILL HAS DOCUMENTED.
HERE'S SOME OF HIS GHOST STORY.
>> WE WERE STANDING ON THE TOP OF OXFORD RIDGE, LOOKING OUT OVER, WATCHING THE SUN GO DOWN, LOVING LIFE.
HOW PRETTY THIS AREA IS.
TOP OF THE TRAIL.
HEY, NOW, DID YOU THROW THAT AT ME?
>> A BEAUTIFUL, ISOLATED GETAWAY IN THE RED RIVER GORGE WAS WHAT BILL AND CHARISSE STARK DREAMED OF FOR YEARS.
BUT IT WASN'T LONG THEY DISCOVERED THEY MIGHT NOT BE THERE ALONE.
>> THAT THING IS HUGE!
>> IT'S JUST WEIRD.
IT'S ALMOST SUBHUMAN.
>> THAT'S WHERE WE WALKED YESTERDAY.
>> RIGHT IN THE SAME AREA.
THESE ARE FRESH FROM LAST NIGHT.
>> STRANGE FRONTS APPEARED IN THE SNOW LEADING TO A SEEMINGLY DESERTED CAVE.
THEY SET UP SECURITY CAMERAS AROUND THE PROPERTY AND FOUND EVEN MORE INTERESTING VISITORS.
>> WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS AN UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECT THAT MAKES SERIOUS MOVES, LIKE UNBELIEVABLY METHODICAL MOVES.
RIGHT HERE, I THINK.
LOOKS LIKE IT HAS WINGS, OR AT LEAST -- DID YOU SEE HOW IT JUST FLOATED AND PASSED?
NOW YOU CAN SEE THE WINGS LEFT TO THE RIGHT OF IT.
YOU'RE WONDERING WHAT IT IS AND YOU GO, OKAY, HANG ON.
SO I'M GOING TO PAN OUT, PULL BACK.
WE'RE, LIKE, OH, IS IT A BUG?
AND IT HEARS US.
>> IT'S BACK, FOLKS.
SEE HOW IT GOES OVER THE WATER SPOTS AND IT'S MUCH DARKER?
MUCH MORE SYMMETRICAL.
I'LL TRY TO LOOK OUT THE WINDOW AND SEE IF I CAN SEE IT IN THE DRIVEWAY.
>> IF THEY ARE WATER SPOTS, BUT THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TRACKING RIGHT HERE.
SEE THE CIRCLE?
TRANSLUCENT.
THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE.
LOOK WHERE IT'S FLYING, YOU CAN SEE THE ROCKS THROUGH IT.
>> IT WASN'T ONLY HAPPENING OUTSIDE THE CABIN.
SOME THINGS WERE COMING FROM WITHIN.
LIGHTS, TVs, OTHER ELECTRONICS WOULD SEEMINGLY TURN ON AND OFF WITHOUT A SWITCH.
SO, BILL, A VIDEO PRODUCER BY TRADE, STARTED DOCUMENTING EVERYTHING.
>> WE'LL JUST ROLL A LITTLE BIT.
>> WOW... WOW... OH, MY GOD.
OH, MY GOD.
OH-MY-GOD.
AS SOON AS I SIT BACK DOWN IN MY CHAIR -- YOU'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME.
>> OKAY.
WELL, BILL STARK IS THE WRITER OF THE BOOK NOW "IN SHADOWS CANYON RED, OUR HAUNTED CABIN IN RED RIVER GORGE."
SO, BILL, LET'S GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING.
WHY DID YOU MOVE TO THE CABIN IN THE FIRST PLACE?
>> GOOD QUESTION.
I WENT TO THE RED RIVER GORGE WHEN I WAS 15 YEARS OLD WITH SOME FRIENDS AND WE JUST ROLLED OUT SLEEPING BAGS AND PULLED OUT GUITARS AND THAT'S WHERE MY LOVE OF THE RED RIVER GORGE CAME INTO MY LIFE.
>> AND YOU JUST WANTED A PLACE OUTSIDE THE CITY TO GET AWAY?
>> I DID.
IT WAS KIND OF A VACATION HOME WHEN WE FIRST WERE LOOKING AROUND, AND THEN IT BECAME A PERMANENT HOME HERE JUST RECENTLY.
>> OKAY.
BUT BEFORE THIS, WERE YOU ALWAYS A BELIEVER IN THE SUPERNATURAL?
>> NO.
>> OKAY.
>> I WOULD SAY OPEN MINDED, MAYBE, TO IT, YOU KNOW, BUT IT WASN'T UNTIL THINGS KIND OF HIT ME IN CALIFORNIA THAT OPENED MY EYES AND THE ROAD TO THE GABBEN STARTED THERE IN JOSHUA TREE, CALIFORNIA.
>> YOU WRITE ABOUT THAT IN THE BOOK.
TELL US ABOUT THAT.
>> I HAD BEEN INVITED TO A MUSIC FESTIVAL.
A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE PRODUCES IT.
HE HAS A FIVE-ACRE RANCH OUT THERE.
I WAS STAYING AT HIS PLACE.
THERE WERE PREVIOUS TENANTS THAT UNFORTUNATELY DID DOG FIGHTING ON THE PROPERTY AND, WHEN I WAS SHOWING THE PROPERTY BY MY BUDDY, I SAID, WHAT ARE THESE MAKE' SHIFT PVC PIPE CROSSES WE'RE GOING ON?
HE SAID STAY AWAY FROM THAT AREA.
IT'S UNFORTUNATELY WHERE DOGS WERE BURIED.
I KIND OF GOT A GUT REACTION TO IT.
I WAS, LIKE, THAT'S REALLY BAD MOJO.
SO DIDN'T THINK MUCH OF IT.
WENT TO THE JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK, ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES ON THE PLANET NEXT TO THE GORGE TO DO STAR GAZING AND METEOR WATCHING, AND I THOUGHT WHEN I CAME BACK TO THE COMPOUND EVERYBODY WOULD BE AWAKE.
BUT THEY GO DOWN EARLY IN THE DESERT.
I PARKED WHERE I THOUGHT I COULD FIND.
IT WAS PITCH DARK AND I COULDN'T SEE WHERE I WAS GOING AND UNFORTUNATELY I PARKED ON TOP OF THE MOUNDS OF THE GRAVES WHERE FOR THE DOGS.
AND THAT IS UNBEKNOWNST TO ME, I'M PARKED ON TOP OF THIS THING.
I PULLED OUT MY CHAIR TO STAR GAZE BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT TO WAKE EVERYBODY UP.
NEXT THING, A GUTTURAL GROWL CAME POINT BLANK IN MY LEFT EAR, LIKE, ROAR!
AND BLEW ME OUT OF MY CHAIR.
IT STILL SENDS GOOSEBUMPS.
AND I WAS TERRIFIED.
I ENDED UP TRYING TO GET BACK IN THE CAR, STARTED HOLLERING FOR MY FRIENDS AND NOBODY CAME UP, NOBODY WOKE UP, I WAS FAR AWAY FROM THE HOUSE.
I DECIDED TO DRIVE UP TO THE POMP AND TRY TO GET PEOPLE'S ATTENTION WITH FLASHING MY LIGHTS AND NOBODY CAME OUT.
AND THEN I DECIDED TO PULL EVEN CLOSER TO HIS FRONT DOOR SO I PULLED UP ON THE POMP AND WAS TOO TERRIFIED TO GET OUT OF THE CAR.
I CALL IT THE PAR NORMAL PANDORA'S BOX WAS OPENED FOR ME.
THE FOLLOW UP IS I FELT SO BAD I DESECRATED THOSE DOGS' GRAVES BY ACCIDENT THAT, AFTER THE MUSIC FEST FESTIVAL, I CAME BACK TO THE COMPOUND AND WAS JUST COMPELLED TO START CLEANING UP THE GRAVES AND ADONORRING THEM WITH BEAUTIFUL ROCKS HE HAD ON HIS PROPERTY.
IT BECAME AN ICON FOR THE RANCH.
IT WAS REDEMPTION AT THE PET CEMETERY.
I SPENT MY LAST NIGHT SLEEPING NEXT TO THE CEMETERY ON THE FLOOR OF THE DESERT WITH A BLOWUP MATTRESS AND A TARP AND JUST TO -- >> WEREN'T YOU SCARED?
>> YOU KNOW WHAT?
YES, I WAS, BUT I FELT LIKE, YOU KNOW, I HAD MADE SUCH PEACE BECAUSE I PUT HEART-SHAPED ROCKS AROUND THE GRAVES.
THERE WERE, LIKE, NINE GRAVES SO IT WAS A LOT OF WORK.
WHEN THE CREW CAME BACK, THEY'RE, LIKE, ARE YOU SURE YOU NEED TO BE OUT HERE AT 112-DEGREE HEAT LIFTING ROCKS?
I WAS, LIKE, YEAH, I NEED TO GET THIS DONE.
>> HOW DID THAT STORY LEAD YOU TO THE CABIN IN RED RIVER GORGE.
>> GREAT QUESTION.
I WENT UP TO RENT CABINS ON A REGULAR BASIS.
WE WOULD RENT CABINS AND STAY IN THE LODGE AND GET CAMP SITES AND BE ALL OVER THE GORGE.
BUT WHEN I PULLED UP TO THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR CABIN, IT REALLY CALLED TO ME, IT WAS, LIKE, THIS IS YOUR HOME.
IT WAS REALLY STRANGE BECAUSE IT DID ECHO THAT IN MY HEAD.
I WAS, LIKE, OH, YOU FOUND A NICE HOME HERE AND YOU NEED TO BE HERE.
SO I WAS, LIKE, OKAY, I'LL GIVE IT A SHOT.
I SAID, GOD, YOU KNOW, DO YOU HAVE -- I SAID TO THE GUY, DO YOU HAVE AN INKLING TO SELL THE PLACE?
HE SAID I HAVE 60 CABINS AND I CAN LET THIS GO.
PRETTY SURE HE WANTED TO GET OUT FOR SOME REASON.
>> SO YOU MOVE IN, HOW SOON AFTER DO YOU START NOTICING ODD HAPPENINGS?
>> IT WAS ABOUT A WEEK TO TWO WEEKS.
IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG BECAUSE THERE WAS NO CELL PHONE, NO SERVICE, NO INTERNET, NO WI-FI, NOT EVEN A TELEVISION THAT WORKED.
>> VERY SECLUDED.
>> SUPER SECLUDED.
I DECIDED TO GO AHEAD AND GET SECURITY CAMERAS BECAUSE I WAS OUT THERE BY MYSELF A LOT.
MY WIFE CHARISSE WAS AT HOME HOLDING DOWN THE FORT IN LOUISVILLE.
I WOULD SAY WITHIN THE FIRST TEN DAYS, I STARTED SEEING STRANGE ANOMALIES SHOWING UP ON THE MONITOR THAT'S GOT THE SECURITY CAMERAS AROUND THE CABIN, AND IT FIRST STARTED WITH A BLACK, MISTY, GHOSTY FIGURE THAT WAS DISPLAYING ITSELF IN FRONT TO HAVE THE DETACHED GARAGE, AND I WOULD GO OUT THERE AND LOOK AND NOTHING WAS THERE.
I'M, LIKE, THIS IS STRANGE, IT SHOWS IT JUST ON THE INFRARED.
THE NEXT NIGHT, IT WAS A GREEN, SHADOWY MIST, AN ETHEREAL GREEN MIST IS WHAT WE CALL IT, ACTUALLY.
AND THAT THING JUST DANCED AROUND IN THE MONITOR.
I'M, LIKE, WHY CAN'T I SEE IT?
THIS DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE.
I DO A LITTLE VIDEO PRODUCTION, I SHOULD KNOW WHAT MAKES THINGS HAPPEN IN FRONT OF A CAMERA, AND THERE WAS JUST NO EXPLANATION.
SO I KIND OF CHALKED THAT ONE UP.
SHORTLY AFTER THEN, I WAS -- YOU KNOW, IT'S A REAL SPIRITUAL PLACE FOR ME.
IT GETS ME REALLY IN TOUCH WITH MOTHER NATURE AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, EVERYTHING THAT MEANS A LOT TO ME.
I WAS GRATEFUL, DOING PRAYERS, SAYING, THANK YOU, GOD, FOR THIS WONDERFUL CABIN AND HOW LUCKY I AM TO BE HERE.
I WAS GOING TO GO TO BED AND THE TV AND PLAY STATION CAME ON AT THE SAME TIME.
THAT WAS THE ONLY THING I HAD HOOKED UP IN THE CABIN AND NO OTHER DISTRACTION, JUST ME AND MY MONITOR FOR THE SECURITY CAMERAS, A TV AND A PLAY STATION.
IT CAME ON THE FIRST TIME, BOTH OF THEM TOGETHER, WHICH, UNLIKE -- WELL, YOU HAVE TO GO OVER AND DO A COUPLE OF SWITCHES ON THE PLAY STATION AND THE TV.
THAT'S NEVER HAPPENED.
SO I WAS TRYING TO FIGURE IT OUT AND COULDN'T, AND I JUST CHALKED IT UP TO BAD CABIN WIRING.
>> SURE.
>> IT'S A 60-YEAR-OLD CABIN, ON AN ABANDONED LOGGING ROAD, IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE.
I WAS, LIKE, OKLAHOMA, I'LL JUST SHRUG IT OFF LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE WOULD DO.
AND 15 MINUTES LATER RIGHT ON THE NOSE -- IT WAS 3:00 IN THE MORNING WHEN IT FIRST CAME ON.
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN A NIGHT OWL AND ENJOYED WRITING AT NIGHT AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHEN IT CAME BACK ON AGAIN I WAS, LIKE, THAT'S SUPER STRANGE.
NOW WE'VE GOT A PROBLEM BECAUSE SOMETHING IS SHORTING OUT THE TV OR PLAY STATION TO GET IT TO COME ON.
>> FIRST THOUGHT IS THERE'S A GHOST.
>> NO, FIRST THOUGHT IS BAD CABIN WIRING, AND SECOND THOUGHT IS SERIOUS PROBLEM SOMEWHERE.
>> SURE.
>> THIRD TIME, 15 MINUTES LATER, ACTUALLY, I WENT OUTSIDE AND CHECKED -- I WAS, LIKE, IS THERE A SQUIRREL JUMPING UP AND DOWN OR EATING THE POWER LINE?
I DON'T KNOW EVEN KNOW.
THERE WAS NOTHING TO EXPLAIN IT.
I DECIDED TO TRY TO GO TO BED.
I'VE GOT THE TV LINED UP IN FRONT OF THE BED, FROM THE BEDROOM TO THE LIVING ROOM I TOOK THE DOORS DOWN TO HAVE AN OPEN SPACE, IT'S A VERY SMALL CABIN.
AS SOON AS I LAID DOWN I STARTED LIVING MYSELF A HARD TIME BECAUSE I DID START TO FEEL STRANGE.
I WAS, LIKE, SOMETHING'S GOING ON HERE THAT I CAN'T EXPLAIN, AND I WAS AFRAID TO LOOK IN THE DIRECTION OF THE TV.
I MEAN, I WAS, LIKE, MAYBE I'LL JUST TRY TO HIDE UNDER THE COVERS A LITTLE BIT.
AND I SAID TO MYSELF, WHY DON'T YOU MAN UP AND JUST, YOU KNOW, TRY TO TAKE A GANDER AND SEE WHAT'S GOING ON IN THERE.
I LITERALLY REMEMBER PULLING THE SHEETS DOWN.
AS SOON AS MY EYES CAUGHT THE MONITOR IN THE LIVING ROOM, THE TV AND THE PLAY STATION CAME ON AGAIN, AND THAT'S WHEN -- LOOK WHAT HAPPENS.
EVERY TIME I TELL THIS STORY.
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.
>> GET IN THE CAR AND LEAVE!
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
I GRABBED MY KEYS, RAN OUT OF THE CABIN AND HOPPED IN THE CAR, DROVE TO THE END OF THE DRIVEWAY WHICH IS ABOUT A HUNDRED YARDS.
I GET TO THE MAIN ROAD AND SAID, MAYBE I NEED TO RECONSIDER THIS DRIVE.
I SAT THERE AND SAID, WHAT AM ILL GOING TO DO?
DRIVE HOME WITHOUT I.D.
IN MY UNDERWEAR AND EXPLAIN TO MY WIFE I GOT SCARED?
SO THAT WAS MY DECISION TO SLEEP IN MY CAR AT THE END OF MY DRIVEWAY.
WELCOME TO THE CABIN.
THAT'S HOW I GOT STARTED.
>> SO SINCE THEN, THESE STRANGE EVENTS HAVE CONTINUED TO OCCUR.
YOU'RE A VIDEO PRODUCER.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> YOU GET PEOPLE WHO SAY, ARE YOU MAKING IT UP?
>> RIGHT, EXACTLY.
>> RIGHT?
>> RIGHT.
I DON'T KNOW THAT MUCH ABOUT VIDEO TO MAKE THAT UP.
NO, I DON'T.
YOU KNOW, I TOTALLY WAS BLOWN AWAY WITH WHAT I WAS WITNESSING.
I MEAN, IT JUST CHANGES YOUR LIFE.
IT KIND OF OPENS YOUR MIND UP.
, SO FOR ALL OF THESE THINGS TO, YOU KNOW, COMPILE ONE RIGHT AFTER ANOTHER FOR ORE A DECADE, NOW, WE'VE HAD OVER 100 SUPERNATURAL EVENTS IN THE LAST TEN YEARS, AND, LUCKILY, I JUST STARTED WRITING THINGS DOWN AND VIDEOING WHERE I COULD.
I WAS, LIKE, NO ONE'S GOING TO BELIEVE THIS BECAUSE IT'S SO SUPERNATURAL.
IT'S UNBELIEVABLE.
>> RIGHT.
EXPLAIN SOME OF THE OTHER THINGS YOU'VE SEEN.
WE SAW THE ORBS AND THAT TYPE OF THING.
THAT AIRED ON THE SHOW, TOO.
>> YEAH, WHAT IS THAT?
HOW DID YOU DISCOVERY IT?
>> WE PUT UP THOSE SECURITY CAMERAS AND THEY GIVE YOU ALERTS WHEN THEY PICK UP ANYTHING THAT'S GOT MOTION OR ANOMALIES GOING ON IN THE VIEW, AND CHARISSE AND I WERE ACTUALLY IN LOUISVILLE WHEN WE GOT THIS NOTIFICATION AND IT KEPT GOING OFF AND GOING OFF.
I'M, LIKE, WHAT'S GOING ON?
SO WE PULLED UP THE CAMERAS AND SAW THIS ORB EMANATE A WHITE BALL OF LIGHT, AND THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST PROFOUND.
THERE'S BEEN SEVERAL THAT THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE PROFOUND.
A WHITE BALL OF LIGHT EMANATED OUT OF THE GROUND.
IT SLOWLY WENT DOWN THE DRIVEWAY AND THEN IT MORPHED INTO THESE ANGELIC WINGS.
THE WHITE BALL OF LIGHT MORPHED INTO SOME ANGEL WINGS.
IT TURNED AND LOOKED AT THE CABIN FOR, LIKE, 30 SECONDS, AND IT'S JUST HOVERING, LOOKING AT THE CABIN, AND IT JUST RIPPED OUT OF FRAME.
AND I'M, LIKE, MAN, WE'VE GOT TO GET UP THERE.
SO I ACTUALLY HIGH TAILED IT UP TO THE CABIN AND ACTUALLY SHOT THE -- BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO WORK ALL THE CARDS AND STUFF.
I WAS, LIKE, I'M GOING TO SHOOT THE MONITOR, PLAY IT BACK.
THE STRANGE THING IS WHEN I PLAY STUFF BACK, IT HAS A TENDENCY TO DELETE ITSELF, IT'S LIKE THE EVIDENCE WANTS TO BE DESTROYED.
SO I WAS GLAD I GOT IT ON MY PHONE AND TEXTED IT TO CHARISSE AND HER SISTER FOR BACKUPS.
WE PUT A MANDAL THAT I LEARNED ABOUT IN CALIFORNIA, A MENDALA MADE OUT OF HEARTS AND NICE ROCKS WHERE THE WHITE ORB CAME OUT OF TO SHOW RESPECT BECAUSE WE FEEL IT'S SOMETHING CONNECTED TO THE PROPERTY.
>> AND, SO, WHY DO YOU STAY?
>> WHY DO I STAY?
IT'S OUR HOME, KELSEY, YOU KNOW.
I MEAN, WE'VE MADE IT OUR HOME.
THE AREA THAT WE LIVE IN IS BEAUTIFUL.
WE'VE GOT GREAT FRIENDS UP THERE, PEOPLE THAT WOULD DROP EVERYTHING THEY'RE DOING TO COME RUNNING TO HELP ME, WHICH THEY'VE DONE QUITE A BIT OVER THE LAST DECADE.
AND WE'VE KIND OF LEARNED TO CO-EXIST WITH THE ENERGIES THAT ARE GOING ON.
WE'VE LEARNED A BUNCH ABOUT -- I MEAN, I HAD NO CLUE ABOUT PARA NORMAL STUFF OR SUPER NATURAL THINGS.
>> YOU'VE DONE DIGGING ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE CABIN.
WHAT HAVE YOU FOUND ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE PLACE AND WHAT MAY HAVE LED TO THESE BEINGS BEING THERE?
>> EXACTLY.
WELL, I KNOW THERE WERE A FEW PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY THAT DID SOME WORK FOR ME AND KNEW THE PREVIOUS OWNERS.
ACTUALLY, ONE OF MY NEIGHBORS.
SO I DID GO AROUND AROUND AT ASKING QUESTIONS TO FIND OUT WHAT WAS GOING ON.
THERE WAS A LADY THAT DID -- ACTUALLY, THE CABIN WAS BUILT FOR THIS -- THIS ONE MAN BUILT THE CABIN HIMSELF, AND HIS DAUGHTER LIVED THERE WITH HER KIDS, AND, UNFORTUNATELY, SHE DID PASS AWAY IN THE CABIN.
AND IT WASN'T, YOU KNOW, IT WASN'T DIVULGED TO ME BEFORE WE BOUGHT THE CABIN.
IT'S NOT A KENTUCKY REAL ESTATE LAW THAT YOU HAVE TO DIVULGE THAT BUT IT WOULD HAVE BEEN NICE IF SOMEBODY MAYBE SHARED THAT WITH ME.
BUT WE SHARE A COMMON NAME, TOO.
I'M NOT GOING TO USE IT BECAUSE I'M PROTECTING HER FAMILY AND THINGS, BUT WE SHARE A NAME TOGETHER, AND THAT IS ANOTHER STRANGE COINCIDENCE BECAUSE I HAVE A UNIQUE FIRST NAME, AND HER LAST NAME WAS MY FIRST NAME.
>> OKAY.
BECAUSE I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY STARK.
>> OKAY, I'LL SAY IT.
MY FIRST NAME IS WILLIS STARK AND I GO BY BILL, AND HER LAST NAME IS WILLIS, AND THAT KIND OF TIED US TOGETHER.
BUT I DID APOLOGIZE.
I DID USE HER NAME IN THE SHOW FOR DISCOVERY CHANNEL.
I ASKED THE PRODUCERS MAYBE TO CUT THAT OUT, BUT THEY LEFT IT IN AND KIND OF TURNED HER INTO A GREEN GHOST RUNNING AROUND.
I'M PRETTY SURE THAT'S NOT THE WAY SHE WOULD WANT IT.
>> LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT.
THE DISCOVERY CHANNEL.
IT'S BEEN ON HBO.
HOW DOES THIS COME ABOUT?
THEY APPROACH YOU, LIKE, WE'VE HEARD ABOUT YOUR HAUNTED CABIN?
>> YEAH, IT WAS VERY STRANGE.
AFTER A WINTER STORM PANDORA THAT CAME THROUGH IN 2013, LEFT 20 INCHES OF SNOW, BURIED ME SOLID IN THE CABIN.
POWER WENT OUT, I BUILT A LEAN-TO AT THE TOP TO HAVE THE MOUNTAIN AND I WAS STAYING OUT BY THE FIRE BECAUSE I COULD STAY WARM BY THE FIRE.
MY BUDDY CAME UP, WE DID SOME HIKING THROUGH THE THICK SNOW AND FOUND A STRANGE FRONT WITH A FOUR-INCH CLAW IN THE FRONT WITH ABOUT A FOUR-FOOT STRIDE.
WE TRACKED IT FOR A MILE TO A BIG ROCK SHELTER, CAVE AREA ON OUR PROPERTY, AND WE LOST THE TRAIL RIGHT AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE CAVE.
WE CALL THAT SNOW PRINT CAVE AND CALL THE PRINT THE SNOW PRINT BECAUSE IT WAS IN THE SNOW.
IT STILL REMAINS UNIDENTIFIED.
I POSTED IT ONLINE.
DOES ANYBODY KNOW WHAT THIS PRINT IS BECAUSE IT'S SO UNIQUE, YOU KNOW, IT RESEMBLES MORE LIKE A PUNCH IN THE SNOW THAN A HEAL DRAGGING, SO I THOUGHT IT WAS MORE LIKE AN OSTRICH.
I DON'T THINK IT'S A BIG FOOT BECAUSE IT'S NOT GOT DEFINED TOES BUT IT IS A WEIRD, STRANGE FOOTPRINT AND NOBODY COULD IDENTIFY IT.
I STARTED GETTING CALLS SAYING DISCOVERY CHANNEL WANTS TO SEE YOUR FOOTPRINT.
AND I SAID I COULD SHOW THEM THE GREEN MIST AND THE STRANGE PRINT.
>> YOU HAVEN'T SEEP ANYTHING YET!
>> YEAH, IT GETS WORSE.
THE THING WALKED TOO CLOSE TO THE CABIN TO MAKE ME COMFORTABLE SO I WANTED TO FIND WHAT IT WAS.
I ASKED HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WHEREVER I GO, HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A FOOTPRINT LIKE THIS?
NO.
IT STILL REMAINS UNIDENTIFIED.
>> YOU MENTIONED THE CABIN CARRIES KIND OF AN ENERGY AND IT TAKES THE ENERGY THAT YOU BRING TO IT AND FEEDS OFF OF IT.
IS THAT SOMETHING THAT YOU CAME UP WITH OR YOU JUST FELT IT OR WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM?
AND HOW DOES THAT WORK?
>> YOU KNOW, IT'S STRANGE.
YOU KNOW, I NEVER THOUGHT THAT I WOULD BE SO IN TUNE WITH MOTHER NATURE AND ENERGIES THAT ARE AROUND MOTHER NATURE.
THE ROCKS PERMEATE ENERGY IN THAT AREA, TOO.
LAY LINES ALL ACROSS THE GORGE AREA AND THE APPALACHIANS.
AND I GUESS EVERYBODY KIND OF CARRIES A VIBRATION WITH THEM.
I TRY TO KEEP MINE UPBEAT AND POSITIVE ALL THE TIME.
AND WHAT I LEARNED WAS, WHEN THINGS STARTED HAPPENING AT THE CABIN, MY REACTION WAS KEY TO WHETHER THEY ESCALATED OR NOT.
AND THAT'S TAKEN ME ABOUT EIGHT YEARS.
CHARISSE HAS BEEN WITH ME FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS AT THE CABIN FULL TIME.
WE SOLD OUR HOUSE IN LOUISVILLE AND MOVED THERE TWO YEARS AGO.
THE ENERGY THAT YOU BRING, IF YOU COME TO THE CABIN AND MOCK THE CABIN OR DON'T RESPECT THE SPIRITS TO HAVE THE CABIN, THEY HAVE A WAY TO LET YOU KNOW THAT'S NOT ACCEPTABLE.
A VERY GOOD FRIEND OF MINE WHO WAS ACTUALLY WITH ME WHEN WE DISCOVERED THE FOOTPRINT HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, WE GO BACK TO THIRD GRADE TOGETHER.
I TOLD HIM I LEARNED THE LADY'S NAME AND I TOLD HIM THE NAME.
AND HE STARTED MAKING FUN OF HER NAME OUT BY THE FIRE PIT.
AND I WAS, LIKE, BUDDY, PLEASE DO NOT DO THIS BECAUSE I HAVE TO LIVE HERE.
>> YEAH.
>> YOU KNOW, I KNOW THAT THINGS CAN HAPPEN, AND IT CAN ESCALATE, SO, PLEASE, IF YOU COULD JUST RESPECT THE CABIN.
AND I GOT SO FRUSTRATED WITH HIM.
I WENT BACK INSIDE.
HE'D BEEN OUT BY THE FIRE PIT.
HE CAME IN AND SAID, ARE YOU REALLY UPSET?
I SAID, YES, I'M VERY UPSET.
YOU HAVE TO HAVE RESPECT WHEN YOU COME TO MY HOUSE, WE HAVE TO LIVE HERE WITH THESE ENTITIES.
THEN HE STARTED DOING IT IN THE LIVING ROOM.
AND ALL OF A SUDDEN THE LIGHTS AND EVERYTHING STARTED FLICKERING AGAIN.
AND HE THINKS I'M DOING IT WITH THE REMOTE CONTROL.
AND I SAID I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO MAKE THIS BE HAPPENING.
AND HE ENDED UP GETTING VERY UPSET, RAN TO THE FRONT DOOR, PULLED THE KNOB OFF THE DOOR BECAUSE THE DEAD BOLT WAS ON.
WE CALL THAT A FEAR-FEEDING FRENZY IN THE BOOK BECAUSE THINGS ESCALATED FROM THERE.
HE HAD TO GET OUT.
DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS LOCKED.
TRIED TO PULL THE DOOR HANDLE OFF AND FREAKED OUT WHEN I TOUCHED HIM.
NEXT THING YOU KNOW WE WERE IN THE A WRESTLING MATCH IN THE LIVING ROOM.
[LAUGHTER] AND THAT'S THE LESSONS WE'VE LEARNED.
EARLY, WHEN THINGS STARTED HAPPENING, CHARISSE AND I WOULD WATCH THE GHOST SHOWS, SOME OF THESE GHOST GUYS OUT PROVOKING GHOSTS FOR REACTIONS, AND THEN WHEN THEY GET SCARED THEY END UP RUNNING AND HIGH TAILING OUT.
AND I COULD RELATE TO THAT.
BUT I WAS NEVER A PROVOKER AT ALL.
WHEN WE GOT THE LAND, I WANTED TO BE A GOOD STEWARD TO THE LAND.
I TOLD GOD, LOOK, THIS IS MY DREAM COME TRUE.
I USED TO WATCH DANIEL BOONE EPISODES AS A KID AND DREAMED OF A CABIN IN THE HILLS, IN THE MOUNTAINS AND HERE WE ARE.
ONE PARTICULAR DAY CHARISSE AND I WERE WATCHING A GHOST SHOW, I WON'T SAY WHICH ONE, BUT THEY DESERVE WHAT THEY GET PROVOKING THE THING.
I SAID TO CHARISSE, SHE WAS IN THE RECLINER BY THE FRONT DOOR, I SAID, SEE, CHARISSE, ALL WE HAVE TO DO TO GET THE SPIRIT TO COMMUNICATE IS CALL IT OUT.
I WENT TO THE BAY WINDOW IN THE FRONT OF THE CABIN, AND I SAID IF YOU'RE HERE, SHOW YOURSELF.
AND TWO SECONDS LATER, WHAM, WHAM!
AT THE FRONT DOOR RIGHT NEXT TO CHARISSE'S HEAD IN THE RECLINER.
SHE RUNS STRAIGHT ALMOST INTO THE FIREPLACE.
I'M, LIKE, WHAT WAS THAT?
IT SHOOK THE FLOOR IT HIT SO HARD ON THE DOOR, TWO HUGE POUNDS.
AND THEN I WAS, LIKE, LET'S INVESTIGATE IT, LET ME OPEN THE DOOR.
THE SCREEN DOOR WAS STILL CLOSED SO IT DID NOT EMANATE FROM INSIDE THE DOOR, THE POUNDS CAME FROM INSIDE.
I WAS, LIKE, THAT'S IT.
THE NEW RULE IS RESPECT THE CABIN.
NO MORE JOKING AROUND.
WE HAVE TO COME TO GRIPS WITH MAYBE WE'VE GOT A HAUNTED CABIN.
AND IT FEEDS OFF THE ENERGY.
I MEAN, IF YOU GO IN THERE WITH GOOD VIBES, LIKE WE'VE LEARNED TO KEEP THE VIBRATIONS UP BY PLAYING JIMMY BUFFETT AND MARGARITAVILLE ON THE RADIO ALL THE TIME.
IF YOU COME UP YOU MIGHT SEE THAT GOING ON.
IT'S A HUGE LESSON.
YOU KIND OF GET WHAT YOU GIVE IN THIS WORLD AND AT THE CABIN.
SO... >> IF YOU DARE, THE BOOK "IN SHADOWS CANYON RED" IS AVAILABLE AT VARIOUS LOUISVILLE LOCATIONS INCLUDING FRIEWRS MUSEUM GIFT SHOP, CARMICHAELS.
FOLLOW HIS STORIES ON SOCIAL MEDIA, YOUTUBE CHANNEL AND A FUTURE PODCAST IS IN THE WORKS.
WE'VE LINKED YOU UP ON OUR SOCIAL MEDIA.
GIVE US A FOLLOW.
SEE SOME OF HIS MOST INTERESTING EVIDENCE AND YOU CAN DECIDE FOR YOURSELF.
THANKS FOR SPENDING TIME GETTING TO KNOW LOUISVILLE.
HOPE TO SEE YOU HERE NEXT TIME.
UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK.
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