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Kelso Theatre Pub ghost highlighted in 'Weird' book

Thursday, May 8, 2008 12:31 AM PDT

By Tom Paulu

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Washington is the second-weirdest state in the union when it comes to mysterious phenomena, according to a company that compiles ghost stories, unsolved mysteries and colorful characters into factoid-rich books.

Plenty of tales from our neck of the woods fill the 256-page "Weird Washington" by Jeff Davis and Al Eufrasio, which was recently published by Newman Communications. It's the 17th volume about weird states published by the outfit.

For people who have explored the Evergreen State on the roads and through prose, some of the book's stories may be familiar. But there are surprises, including a local one.

The authors devote a page to the Kelso Theatre Pub, which reportedly offers paranormal drama to those who seek it.

"Customers have seen a woman in the upper floor of the theater and immediately know something isn't quite right, because she is transparent," the authors reveal.

The see-through theatergoer may haunt the women's restroom, where paranormal researchers reportedly recorded her saying "I'm cold."

Elsewhere in Southwest Washington, Vancouver has several haunted spots on Officer's Row just off the Mill Plain exit of I-5. One ghost named Sarah "appears to women, especially when drinking is involved," the book says.

Other roadside oddities described in the book are not transparent, and one needn't imbibe to spot them.

According to the authors, Long Beach "offers one of the healthiest doses of weirdness in Washington!"

The town can boast its Ugly Mermaid carving, a giant frying pan and a squirting clam. The book also devotes 2 1/2 pages to Marsh's Free Museum and its star, Jake the Alligator Man.

The Gospodor monuments in southern Lewis County also warrant a spread, with news that the builder hopes to erect several other towers next to I-5. There's no news about whether or when there might be a recognizable way to get to the "park" and safely view the $500,000 set of icons designed and placed by Dominic Gospodor.

Longview makes the book briefly with a picture of the old car atop the Chinese Village sign on Ocean Beach Highway, a vestige of days when the joint was Bonnie and Clyde's.

Another certified strange spot in Southwest Washington are the rock pits near the top of Silver Star mountain in eastern Clark County.

"Weird Washington" includes chapters on D.B. Cooper and Bigfoot, not that either is lacking in publicity.

Yes, there's a tale about a bigfoot mating with a human woman and producing a son. Whether the descendents haunt the woods will have to wait for a sequel.

The authors promise a "Weird Oregon" within a year or so.

The book

'Weird Washington," published by Newman Communications, costs $19.95. For more information, visit www.weirdus.com

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Patty Dowling wrote on May 8, 2008 7:59 AM:

" This is completely freaky to me, because I have felt a presence in Kelso Theatre Pub so strongly that I will not go into the ladies room upstairs anymore. I told this to a number of people before I had heard anything about the place being haunted. Very freaky. My husband mentioned my reaction to one of his co-workers, and before he could finish, she related similar experiences there. At that time, I tried to research it, but I didn't find anything. So I am glad this book has come along. I never would have believed this story if I had not felt it myself. "

Kelso Native wrote on May 8, 2008 8:04 AM:

" You can bet that Southwest Washington won't be left off any list of things/places that are weird. I've been all over, but I've yet to see anywhere that even comes close to being as downright strange as Cowlitz County. "

Related wrote on May 8, 2008 8:24 AM:

" Yeah, the bigfoot kid I think is one of my husband's cousins.... "

What about... wrote on May 8, 2008 10:05 AM:

" ...Nutty Narrows Bridge?? "

Pierce Co. Repub wrote on May 8, 2008 10:22 AM:

" Home of two Miss White Trash winners wasnt mentioned??? "

Hmm.. wrote on May 8, 2008 1:58 PM:

" Where can we buy the book? I am curious to see what else is said about the Thteater pub. Where did they get their information? Now I want to go back there to "see a transparent woman"
Are you sure it's not a man they see? "

Tom Paulu wrote on May 8, 2008 2:50 PM:

" The report on the Kelso Theatre Pub in the book came from the Southwest Washington Paranormal Researchers. For more info, see the group's Web site at www.swpr.org.
Happy haunting, I mean hunting. "

shocked wrote on May 8, 2008 4:50 PM:

" So where are all the people who just love to leave their intelligent comments? Ghost got your tongue? umm..
fingers? "

Seen it wrote on May 8, 2008 4:53 PM:

" My parents would bring us to the theater as a special treat in the early 1970s. While visiting the restroom upstairs I saw a woman in the mirror behind me, I thought I was in her way, so I moved, but turning around, no one was there. I stopped drinking sodas at the movies there. "

re seen it wrote on May 8, 2008 5:11 PM:

" Hey, now you can go there and have a cold beer!! You don't even have to sneak it in! I think it is way cool. I WISH I could see her...gotta go there soon. "

Creepy cool wrote on May 8, 2008 6:31 PM:

" Okay, so I'm going, what's playing? I wanna see me some chick in the bathroom mirror!!!! I heard a while ago there was something else there too? Anybody know about more at the theater pub???? "

re creepy wrote on May 8, 2008 8:59 PM:

" Who cares what movies are playing now!? It might be worth the cost of a ticket just to sit there with a beer and watch for spirits. Rumor has it they are FRIENDLY. I will see you there! And, I'll race you to the girls bathroom mirror. Boo! "

Free Rubber wrote on May 8, 2008 11:07 PM:

" I'll believe it when I see it. I guess its no surprise, half this town is so wrapped up in god they're insane enough to see ghosts. "

come on... wrote on May 8, 2008 11:10 PM:

" There isn't anyone else out there who has a Kelso Theater ghost story? I have heard about people from the early 70's that worked there and said weird things had happened. Noises, etc. would be really fun to go now. let's go 'seen it' and 'creepy'. Bring your friends with you...if they dare. "

SciFi wrote on May 9, 2008 3:47 AM:

" Bring in TAPS! "

pangborn wrote on May 9, 2008 7:08 AM:

" Mrs. Bashor. The ghost might be Mrs. Bashor.

Ray Bashor and his wife ran that theatre with an iron hands fo many years.

She did consessions and Ray did everything else. including tend to his Champagne Velvet Beer stash in a room behind the stage.

"

spirits wrote on May 9, 2008 7:23 AM:

" Whether you are a believer in spirits or not would make this a good story. My husband who does not believe at all would think "yeah right" to this story. But I am a true believer and have always been spooked when in the theatre pub bathroom. I even thought to myself that this place could easily be haunted as old as it is. I believe there could be spirits almost everywhere we go and especially in old buildings like this. "

Just for fun wrote on May 9, 2008 8:25 AM:

" Ok someone need's to call in TAPS from the tv show on SciFi. Never know good old kelso can someday be on tv. never know. "

chicken girl wrote on May 9, 2008 11:10 AM:

" Was recently there, experienced a strange sensation in the bathroom...and I hadn't drank anything yet...didn't go back in there...I know, what a wuss! lol "

I wanna go wrote on May 9, 2008 12:14 PM:

" I love this stuff! I am going now! FOR SURE "

Katie wrote on May 9, 2008 1:14 PM:

" What about the Mansion, up on the hill in Longview? I can't belive that isn't going to be mentioned in the "Weird Washington" book... Rumor has it that place is haunted and I've herd many stories about that place, and was always spooked every time I have been there.. My uncle was maried there a few years back and just before his wedding he had seem the ghost/one of the ghost that hauntes the Mansion.. I have never herd anything about the PUB but used to go there as a kid and always got a weird feeling (that of a unnormal presence) when there.. "

Love it.. wrote on May 9, 2008 1:16 PM:

" What a great way to market that business! Maybe that will put more "butts in seats"!! I know I will be there, beer in hand. Maybe they should start doing "scary" movies for a late show on Fri. or Sat. nights "

Caleb Greenwood wrote on May 9, 2008 4:36 PM:

" I worked at the KTP for just over two years and I can honestly tell you the place is a bit strange. Is it haunted? Im not sure, but I can tell you working late after hours has reveled some creepy things for instance while mopping the theatre floor one night (not sure after what event but it was late )and rockin out to some slayer on the theatre sound system (very cool)it had all of a sudden stopped! At first I thought it was my friend Jason messing w/ me so I ran out of the theater throught lobby and up stairs to the projecter booth and he was not there. so I messed w/ the stereo a bit to find it had simply turned down by NO ONE!!! Puzzled after qetting the music back on I headed down stairs bout that time Jason came out of the ketchin he had been washing pizza trays and pitchers the whole time. it would have been impossable for him to have made it up stairs to turn the music down and back to the ketchin w/o me seeing him Impossable!! oh and then theres the whispering you hear when alone and a pssst I heard while opening the place up to get the ovens going. But other than that I'd say it's pretty normal. "

how cool wrote on May 10, 2008 12:54 PM:

" That is so awesome. I thought I "felt" some 'presence' there as well. Not scary for me. How about other employees or the owners? Anything "cool" happen to them? "

to Pangborn wrote on May 10, 2008 1:03 PM:

" In what years was Ray Bashor running the Kelso theater? "

Director of SWPR wrote on May 13, 2008 9:52 PM:

" Just to let everyone know we have investigated The Rutherglen Mansion many many times and is currently one of our on going investigations. I wrote two stories about The Rutherglen as well as a private residence in Longview in a book called The Encyclopedia of Haunted Places. Weird Washington is just one book that is mentions locations locally and wont be the last if I have anything to do with it. I am currently trying tow write a book of my own about my teams travels. For more info on our team visit us at www.swpr.org. I was the one interviewed for the book Weird Washington. Jeff Davis is a good friend of mine. "

SWPR STACEY wrote on May 13, 2008 10:17 PM:

" Taps don't need to come here you have one of the best research teams in the country already on the case lol. So if anyone is interested in having us out for a FREE investigation just contact us at our site www.swpr.org. "

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