Springfield Ghost Society

Arrived at 10:00AM

Greeted by Charlotte Westenberg and a family friend Ashli Bell.

A friend who lives in the Carlinville area told the Springfield Ghost Society of the St. George Hotel. As the story goes this building was constructed in 1870 by Judge Thaddeus L. Loomis and designed by architect E. E. Meyers. The St. George Hotel has 50 rooms and a large dining room and was last used as a hotel in 1964.

Today the building is privately owned and has several shops operating on the main floor. The second story used to be a restaurant but is no longer in use. The third and fourth floors are in original form and in need of major repair.

Charlotte states that a cook for the St. George Hotel, known only as Gussie, was one of several people who saw a ghost. She left and never came back. Charlotte says she has never seen anything although she is very uneasy in the building at night alone. She feels if there is a ghost in the St. George Hotel one might be a ghost called Chet Calberd. He owned an appliance store in the building from the early 1940's to the late 1970's and was there all the time. She figures maybe his soul just doesn't want to leave.

10:30AM:

Investigation began in the basement. Took several pictures. Very strong feelings in area closest to original storefront. This would be in the hallway to the left of the main hallway. Nothing else stood out for me in the basement.

3rd floor:
Kenny had a strong tingly feeling in the east hallway. I took several pictures. Orbs were captured in these pictures. He left to get Jenny to verify his feelings. I met them on the steps as they were coming up to the 3rd floor. She described an apparition standing behind me. He was 60-65 years old with a mustache and beard. Black vest with gold buttons. Charlotte found a picture of Judge Thaddeus Loomis and Jenny verified that indeed this was the gentleman that was standing behind me and was probably the one Kenny was feeling in the east hallway.

4th floor:
Another sighting was made of a man in one of the rooms on the south end of the building. He stood around 6'3". He looked a little younger, around 40-45 years of age. He had dark hair and was wearing a pocket watch with his dark suit. He was making a motion like he was cradling a baby although Jenny did not see any baby. He told her she could find him in the armoire. Our search was on for an armoire. I asked Charlotte about it after we couldn't find one and she directed us to the north end of the 2nd floor. There stood a modified armoire and in the bottom drawer was an old newspaper with an article about F.L.J. Breymann's Dry Good's Store. In the picture stood Albert Mueller, Wm. Grotefendt, and F.L.J. Breymann. Jenny identified F.L.J. Breymann as the man in the room on the 4th floor who told her to look in the armoire. We still don't know why he was mimicking cradling a child. This is something that needs further investigation.

I took several pictures in this room on the 4th floor and found several pictures with orbs.

According to Jenny there was also another male spirit that remains unidentified. He was a young fellow dress in dark clothes with a dark mustache and beard.

1:00PM:
Investigation over

Going on my feelings and orbs found in my pictures, I truly believe spirits inhabits the St. George Hotel. Jenny has verified 3 of them. It's possible there are many more. In its day it was a thriving and lively place, one which many souls would enjoy staying at after crossing over. I would like to have the opportunity to do another investigation now that I know what I know about this grand place.

Debbie Lowery
Charter Member of the Springfield Ghost Society