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About Seaside signal. (Seaside, Or.) 1905-current | View Entire Issue (March 31, 2017)
March 31, 2017 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com • 7A Calling all ghost hunters Seaside’s Ghost Conference doubles number of events Pittock from Page 1A By Eve Marx For Seaside Signal Calling all ghost hunters, busters and those fascinated in all things paranormal to the sixth-annual Oregon Ghost Conference, the largest para- normal convention held in the Pacific Northwest. Psychic readings, magic and ghost stories, along with Seaside’s haunted history is on display Friday through Sunday at the Seaside Civic and Convention Center. Conference Director Rocky Smith is a historian and paranormal investigator who has been featured on lo- cal radio and television. In 2006, Smith founded North- west Ghost Tours offering paranormal tours in Portland and Oregon City. Smith said what makes this year’s event special is “double the amount” of classes and events. New speaker topics and entertainment includes Mys- tiques Roadshow, psychom- etry readings by Ankhasha Amenti, and the Historical Conjurer Magic Show. Seth Michael and Sharon Lewis will debut at the gallery read- ing, “one of our most popular events,” he said. Last year the Oregon Ghost Conference offered a haunted Seaside tour. Will that be repeated? “I asked around and no- body had any specific para- normal experiences on the tour last year,” Smith said. “But people did have para- normal experiences inside the Seaside Civic and Convention Center itself, and in specific locations like the Bridge Ten- der and the shop right next door.” Smith said that during a psychic readings by Tiffa- ny event last year, most of the people in the group had a paranormal experience. “One of the investigations was led by Aaron Collins from Paranormal Crossings,” Smith said. “He has some sto- ries to tell,” Couple brings Victorians to life SUBMITTED PHOTO Conference participants on the Seaside ghost walk at the 2016 event. R.J. MARX/SEASIDE SIGNAL R.J. MARX Vendors at the ghost confer- ence. R.J. MARX/SEASIDE SIGNAL Inner Voice jewelry was among booths at last year’s conference. Panelists at the 2016 Oregon Ghost Conference. The Bridge Tender has special T-shirts for sale this year heralding their connec- tion to the Ghost Conference. As legend goes, the Bridge Tender has a few resident spir- its, including the “Madame” and a little boy and girl. The T-shirts, which feature the Madame, glow in the dark, Smith said. And on the bottom of the shirt it says ‘Watch who you pick up.’” Smith said ghost tours of Seaside will be offered this year on both Friday and Sat- urday nights. “We’ve added tours and will be offering two tours each night, one of downtown and Broad- way and the other the Prom- enade and oceanfront.” The conference, which has its roots in Oregon City, attracts visitors from all over the Pa- cific Northwest and beyond. The Oregon Ghost Confer- ence connects its attendees with some of the top para- normal experts in the area. $5 general admission gets you in the door for the entire week- end. Kathleen Dudley, a Sea- side resident and presenter at the conference, has been a practicing numerologist for 20 years. “Numerology is a meta- physical divination, a branch of philosophy that deals with abstract concepts, such as being, knowing, substance, cause, identity and time and space,” Dudley said. “It’s a systematic method to orga- nize random facets of exis- tence and provide insight into a problem at hand.” Sacred numbers, she said, provide a measure of our tal- ents and our potential. “It is believed that by un- derstanding why and how our lives and those around us, our earth, and all involved, evolved to become today who and what they are, we can be more fulfilled, happier, con- tent,” she added. For more information about the conference and to book your reservation for tours and classes, log on to visit www.oregonghostcon- ference.com “We’re anticipating 800 visitors and attendees to the conference this year,” Smith said. “We had 600 last year.” This is a show that just keeps getting bigger and better.” How many unseen visitors will be in attendance is any- body’s guess. P LACE Y OUR When Mary’s contract ended with the Rose Festival after four years, she became independent and, together with her husband, they have continued to share the Pit- tock story to schoolchildren, residents at assisted living facilities, libraries, civic centers and philanthropic organizations — always in full period costume. The Pittocks played a major role in the history of Portland and to the growth of Oregon’s largest city. The Pittock Mansion was built on Portland’s original “lover’s lane” above Burn- side. Built in the style of a French Renaissance chateau in 1914, it was a progressive masterpiece for its time. Amassed on 16 acres with 44 rooms, it included all the latest technology. A central vacuum system, a telephone and intercom sys- tem with intercoms in every room, refrigeration, indoor plumbing and electricity. There was a dumbwaiter and a passenger elevator was in- stalled for Georgiana after her stroke. (The elevator is still operable today.) Henry Pittock used Oregon artisans and craftsmen and insisted that all materials used in- cluding marble, tenino stone and wood came from the Northwest. The Pittocks were deeply connected in their commu- nity and spent much of their time improving the lives of local residents. Family and community were central to them and they shared their home with some of their children and grandchildren. Generations of Pittocks lived in the mansion up to 1958 when it became too much to endure. Now a museum, the man- sion has become a popular destination for visitors, bird watchers, event planners and gardeners. Though it seems lavish, it is a testament of who the Pittocks were as REBECCA HERREN/SEASIDE SIGNAL Georgiana Pittock (Mary Hutchens) and her chauf- feur Herman Hawkanson (Mike Hutchens) visited the Seaside Library. pillars of the community in both business development and philanthropy. Pittock suffered a stroke in 1913, just before the mansion was completed. Sometime afterwards, she started to read The Orego- nian for the first time. She never cared for it before, but started to feel her world getting smaller. Because of the Spanish-American War, there were stories about Ger- man atrocities, propaganda, spies and submarines. “I liked that stuff,” she said. “I know I shouldn’t have, but they opened my mind.” Seaside connection The Hutchens divided their program into two parts. The first story covers the years 1845 to 1907 and in- cludes the wagon trains that brought the Burton family to Oregon; Georgiana’s mar- riage to Henry Pittock, the formation of the Portland Rose Society; the Lewis and Clark Exposition and the Rose Festival. The Hutchens’ portrayals covered part two of the pro- gram: the last years of Geor- giana’s life, the building of the Pittock Mansion, the evolution of women’s voting rights in Oregon, World War I and her final years suffer- ing from the debilitating ef- fects of a stroke. Top Brands. Factory-Direct Prices. Free Coupon Book at Wine & Beer Haus or online, www.seasideoutlets.com. A DS N OW ! Our Packages Include: • Daily Astorian • Chinook Observer • Coast Weekend • TMC Marketplace • Seaside Signal • CB Gazette • and online! Jamie Call Today (503) 325-3211 ext 231 Visitors will be arriving soon - Make sure your staff is ready! W E G ET R ESULTS ! 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