From the outside, the beautiful Yonkers Riverfront Library doesn't show its rich history, but the modern four story building that overlooks the Hudson River was originally the Otis Elevator factory. Construction on the factory began in 1861, and a second wing was added to the complex in 1926. In 1976 Otis merged with United Technologies Corporation, and the Yonkers plant closed in 1983. The property was acquired by the city of Yonkers, and in 2002, the 1926 section of the factory was converted into the present Riverfront Library. Today, it stands as one of the most beautiful libraries in Westchester County.
After the library opened for business, librarians, building staff, and patrons began witnessing paranormal activity. This included books falling off of shelves, mysterious voices heard at night when the library was closed, lights turning on and off by themselves, and at least one sighting of a full body apparition.
On January 13, 2024, I conducted an in-depth paranormal investigation at the library. Joining me was a team of investigators, a few librarians, and a custodian. The evidence collected that night is intriguing, and it suggests that the library is haunted by several different spirits.
Below are documents, audio files, and a video clip from the investigation. I suggest starting with the transcripts of the eyewitness testimonies, and the investigation summary. The audio clips were all recorded during the investigation with a handheld digital recorder. The majority are very faint, so you will need headphones to hear the spirit voices that were picked up that night. The video clip from the library's auditorium indicates that a spirit was communicating with us by lighting up an electronic device in answer to our questions.
After the library opened for business, librarians, building staff, and patrons began witnessing paranormal activity. This included books falling off of shelves, mysterious voices heard at night when the library was closed, lights turning on and off by themselves, and at least one sighting of a full body apparition.
On January 13, 2024, I conducted an in-depth paranormal investigation at the library. Joining me was a team of investigators, a few librarians, and a custodian. The evidence collected that night is intriguing, and it suggests that the library is haunted by several different spirits.
Below are documents, audio files, and a video clip from the investigation. I suggest starting with the transcripts of the eyewitness testimonies, and the investigation summary. The audio clips were all recorded during the investigation with a handheld digital recorder. The majority are very faint, so you will need headphones to hear the spirit voices that were picked up that night. The video clip from the library's auditorium indicates that a spirit was communicating with us by lighting up an electronic device in answer to our questions.
Interview #1 -- Click HERE to read the transcript of an interview with a librarian who heard the sound of a ghostly scream coming from an empty room in the library after the library was closed for the night. She also provides information about other paranormal activity experienced by various library employees.
Interview #2 -- Click HERE to read the transcript of an interview with another librarian who encountered unexplainable phenomenon in the library's auditorium/theater, and who was also a witness to the ghostly scream heard coming from an empty room.
Interview #3 -- Click HERE to read the transcript of a custodian who experienced paranormal activity during his night shift, including lights turning off, toilets flushing by themselves, and a mysterious voice heard in the basement area.
Paranormal Investigation Summary -- Click HERE to read a summary of the investigation, including my conclusions about the hauntings.
Video Evidence
In the video below, the investigation moved to the auditorium/theater where a librarian had once witnessed a strange shape on the stage. In this clip, you'll hear me asking questions of a spirit who we believed was a child, and you'll see a device on the stage lighting up in response to my questions.
The device we used that night is simply a cat toy -- a clear plastic ball with light in it that normal reacts when it is moved. During the investigation, one of the balls repeatedly lit up even though no one was near it, and without it being moved. What's more, the ball kept lighting up over and over again instead of stopping the way it normally does. This suggests that the spirit present was somehow able to trigger the electronics in the device to go off.
It's worth noting that at one point, not shown in the clip, I went right up to the ball and stomped my feet on the stage as hard as I could to try to get it to light up, but it wouldn't. This proves that the ball wasn't lighting up due to random vibrations coming from the street.
The device we used that night is simply a cat toy -- a clear plastic ball with light in it that normal reacts when it is moved. During the investigation, one of the balls repeatedly lit up even though no one was near it, and without it being moved. What's more, the ball kept lighting up over and over again instead of stopping the way it normally does. This suggests that the spirit present was somehow able to trigger the electronics in the device to go off.
It's worth noting that at one point, not shown in the clip, I went right up to the ball and stomped my feet on the stage as hard as I could to try to get it to light up, but it wouldn't. This proves that the ball wasn't lighting up due to random vibrations coming from the street.
Audio Evidence
Below are audio clips captured during the investigation. Spirit voices are known as electronic voice phenomenon, and are commonly referred to as EVP. For this investigation I used a handheld Sony ICD-PX333 digital recorder. For the most part, the voices are very faint so you'll most likely need headphones to hear them. For clarity, I repeat the EVP three times.
This voice was captured on the third floor near the elevators. It was not in response to a question. It just jumped in while we were setting up our equipment. For the record, no one was near me at the time, and the voice sounds as if it's whispering into my recorder. It seems to be saying, "Sally's torn apart", but that's open to interpretation.
The following is the clearest voice captured during the investigation. It was picked up in a conference room on the fourth floor. You'll hear one of the investigators say, "My spirit talker just asked if this was a ritual." I laugh, and a voice says, "Fuck this". Obviously, someone wasn't happy we were there! I believe this was a spirit who wandered in off the street, rather than one of the spirits who have been around for a long time.
I picked up another cursing spirit in the conference room a little while later. It's possible that it's the same spirit making himself, and his feelings, known. In this case, Brandi, one of the investigators, asks "What year is it?" and the voice replies, "Who the fuck are you?". Interestingly, Brandi and Mike both heard a voice at that point.
The following isn't a voice, but rather a knock that seems to answer my question. Still in the conference room, I ask, "Did you used to live here before the factory was built?" and a loud knock can be heard in response. Although it can be interpreted as a yes, it could just be an indication that a spirit wanted us to know that it was there with us.
Ten seconds after hearing the knock, I said to the spirit, "We heard a thump or a knock. Can you make that knock again?" A very faint voice seems to say, "He killed himself". Because of the low volume and quality of the voice, this is open to interpretation.
This last clip was also recorded on the fourth floor in the conference room. Investigators Mike and Brandi were telling the spirit that we all respect them, and that we are not there to threaten them. Immediately after, a faint voice can be heard saying, "Help me".