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General Investigation Information
Investigation Number: 120608

Mary Lou Johnson-Hardin County District Library

325 East Columbus Street
Kenton, OH  43326
Phone - (419) 673-2278
Fax - (419) 674-4321

Email
Date of Investigation: December 06, 2008
Time of Investigation: 19:00-00:30
Type of Investigation: Public location
Solar Conditions:
Lunar Information:

Weather Conditions:

Location Information
Description of Location:
 Mary Lou Johnson is the granddaughter of Louella Sullivan from the local museum.  This library is standing on the old high school grounds and there is one of the pillars left from the school still standing.  The library building was built in 1969.  Mary Lou was the board president at the time and they got a grant and the community matched it.  Mary Lou died in 1977 and her friend Levina died 30 days apart from one another.
Elevation of Location:
 974 ft / 297 m
Investigators:
 Amy, Gene, Heather, Nathan, Penny
History of the Home/Area:
Time Line
  • 1820: Hardin County was formed from old Indian territory
  • 1833. January 8:  Hardin County was organized
  • 1840: Hardin County had only nine inhabitants per square mile
  • 1853: Kenton Library Association was formed
  • 1855, February 21: the first lecture was given by Horace Mann
  • 1856, February 11: Samuel Sullivan "Sunset" Cox lectured in Kenton
  • 1866: leading citizens meet to discuss plans for opening a library after the Cival War
  • 1866, August: a large room was opened on the second floor of the old Ingman Block, over the McCoy Drug Store
  • 1886 to 1892: Miss Pansy Pearce was the first Librarian
  • 1892-February, 1906: Librarian Miss Margaret Rogers
  • 1896, January 10: the second Kenton High School was opened at the cost of $50,000 ($50,000 in 1896 would cost $1,230,683.53 in 2007)
  • 1902, January 25: Kenton obtained a donation of $17,500 from Andrew Carnegie ($17,500 in 1902 would cost $414,172.34 in 2007)
  • 1904: the books were moved from the old location, formerly the old Wm. M. Chesney home at 121 North Detroit Street, to the new Carnegie Library
  • 1905, February 17: the formal dedication of the Carnegie Library was held
  • 1936: the Carnegie Library was renamed the 'Hardin County District Library'
  • 1936, December 7: a resolution was passed by the Kenton Library Board, to extend the facilities of the library to all people in Hardin County in order to participate in the classified property tax (on stocks and bonds) collected in Hardin County. 
  • 1939:  the second Kenton High School was closed
  • 1966, September: the drive for funds for a new library building began
  • 1966. December: the entire amount had been raised in either cash or pledges for a new library building. The building cost $450,000 of which $300,000 was raised in the county. ($450,000 in 1966 would cost $2,846,293.19 in 2007)
  • 1698, March 17: move to the currect location was started
  • 1969, April 19: replacement building dedicated
  • 1977: library was dedicated to Mary Lou Johnson after her death and renamed the 'Mary Lou Johnson - Hardin County District Library'
  • 2008: Mary Lou Johnson-Hardin County District Library has a staff of 17, governed by a seven member Board of Trustees
Horace Mann

May 4, 1796 –
August 2, 1859

 Samuel Sullivan
"Sunset" Cox

September 30, 1824-
September 10, 1889

 Andrew Carnegie

November 25, 1835 –
August 11, 1919

 Mary Lou Johnson

January 22, 1909-
April 12, 1977
Carnegie Library

Opened 1905

 2nd Kenton
High School

1896-1939

 McCoy
Drug Store		 Mary Lou Johnson-Hardin County District Library
Activity Reported:
  • Lights turning off and on
  • Batteries don’t last (such as cell phones, clocks, and even when the laptop computer is plugged in still wants to turn off)
  • Automatic doors opening and closing
  • A typewriter typing the wrong letters and nothing is wrong with the typewriter
  • (The laptop wanting to turn off with it plugged in happened to John Kachuba during his visit.)

Data Collected
Video Findings:
 none
Photographic Findings:
 none
Audio Findings:
  • mp3= cleaned
  • wav= unaltered

Classification Scale

 Recorded in the Genealogy department; during this time there was one male and one female investigator in the area.

Recorded in the community room with all doors shut; during this time there was one male and one female investigator in the area.
Personal Experiences:
 During investigating the office area, several 'electronic' sounds were being made. Upon inspection no source for these sounds could be found. However, since there are so many sources that can generate this type of sound we are saying these are not paranormal.
Equipment readings:
 all normal

False Positives
Video:
 The first video will show interference in one of our IR cameras. This interference was traced back to a motion sensor on the wall.

Video #1

This next video was recorded toward the end of the night. All investigators were accounted for at this time. However, it is possiable that someone could have pulled a cord. However, it is very odd that the camera moves side to side and up and down. It should also b noted that the camera cord directly behind the camera was weighed down with a large book.

Video #2
Photographic:
 none
Audio:
 none

Conclusions
Investigation Summery:
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In our opinion, based solely on the evidence collected at the
time of this investigation we believe this location to be:
_ No paranormal activity
X Paranormal activity, but not enough to consider it a haunting
_ Residual Haunting
_ Intelligent Haunting
_ Benevolent Spirit
_ Malevolent Spirit
_ Benign Spirit
_ Inconclusive
Case Status
X Follow-up recommended
_ Case Closed

Additional Notes
General Photographs:
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Related Web Sites:
Investigation Lessons Learned:
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