Let me first say a HUGE "THANK YOU" to Debra Fawcett and Lisa Mihalik Franks for allowing my group, Liberty Independent Ghost Hunters of Texas, to host this event at the Haunted Old Lavaca County Jail in Hallettsville, TX. This was an amazing opportunity for us and I sincerely appreciated it. Not to mention being dubbed the "House Band" and being asked to host many more events!
What can I say, that I have not already said about the Haunted Old Lavaca County Jail? Each and every time I have ever investigated this historic location, I have came back with yet another paranormal experience and PROOF that this place has earned the moniker "Most haunted jail in North America".
This years WLGH ( World's Largest Ghost Hunt ) wasn't all too different from how the intended plan was supposed to play out. This year has been rough for social gatherings. They cancelled the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, then toilet paper disappeared like a 15 yr old does when you ask them to take out the trash! But things got more hectic and frantic when public disturbances started to pop up and threaten the communities.
But thanks to the wonderful ladies of the Haunted Old Lavaca County Jail, the WLGH202 marched forward!! We had sold out the event in UNDER 24 HOURS of posting the sale of the tickets on Facebook. We started the planning and logistics since January 2020. We visited the 4th annual WLGH hosted by a different team and we did not like what we seen or experienced. As we stood in the parking lot we discussed several aspects to ourselves and what WE would want to experience from an event like this and what we would have done differently.
So we booked our very first solo visit in January 2020 and WOW, what an experience!!! Within the first several minutes of us investigating we could heard FOOTSTEPS!! We received MASSIVE REM pod responses, EMF "hits" audio EVPs and the very loud and "FAMOUS" loud bang that we caught on video.
So, as me and my wife sat one day at lunch, we discussed the event and how we would have done things differently. Then I started kicking the idea of L.I.G.H.T. hosting the event and I thought... why not ask! So I sent Debra a message asking if she had any teams in mind to host the event in 2020 and that we would like to throw our name into the hat for consideration. Well little did we know they had already been kicking the idea of us hosting the event between themselves!
So fast forward!! We had 15 wonderful guests buy tickets and unfortunately 5 did not show for various reasons. But we had a BLAST!!! We set up a hand draw mural by Staci Hemmenway and her daughter Keali for folks to take selfies. We had a banner to commemorate the event, signs, and even made personal event badges for each guest with their names on them.
I wanted the guests to get the experience that WE DID NOT GET!! They paid for a ghost hunt and that is what I wanted them to get!! Last year some of the guests never even got a chance to enter the building and it was NOT for lack of trying or the managements fault. The team last year just did not have the planning nor the team work to accomplish that task. There was in-fighting amongst them, public cursing matches, so sad. Another thing we did that the other team REFUSED to do, is we ENCOURAGED the other teams that came out with us to WEAR THEIR TEAM SHIRTS!! I wanted to not only represent the Haunted Old Lavaca County Jail or the World's Largest Ghost Hunt, but I wanted those individuals to represent THEIR TEAMS AS WELL. Because like the motto said, TONIGHT WE COME TOGETHER AS ONE!!
Why shouldn't they get to wear their shirts? This event was not a platform or stage for me to elevate my group or showcase them. It was the GUESTS that were important, it was Haunted Old Lavaca County Jail that was important. I wanted the guest to feel as if they were the main attraction and we DID!!! I am so proud of my team and the way we all worked so hard to make this happen. Our guests were so happy they actually got to investigate!! Last year we were made to stand around and WATCH the hosts investigate, we were told that we could NOT bring in our our gear, that we could NOT take pictures or video.
Our ONLY request was for our guests to not live stream or to make a video that would interfere with other people investigating. If they wanted to do that, then we provided a 4 hour block of time for them to free roam the jail and shoot all the video and live stream they wanted. I made sure that team got what they paid for!! The jail provided snacks and bottled water, so did we... we didn't charge folks for water like the other team did last year.. SMH
My goal was to host an event that people would LOVE returning to and it worked!! Several of our guests said they could not WAIT for next years event, that made me VERY happy. Then Debra Fawcett said "oh, your already booked, you signed a lifelong contract"! HAHAHA, talk about feeling good about your accomplishments.. To be invited back in a matter of minutes after the conclusion of the event. I am so excited!! But...... IT. GETS. BETTER!!!
We have also been asked to host several other events at the Haunted Old Lavaca County Jail. For starters, May 1st, 2021.. First Responders Appreciation night, Assisted Ghost Hunts and tours, both day and night!! Of course, the 6th annual World's Largest Ghost Hunt 2021 and more ghost tours and hunts!! So as we sit right now, we have 4 planned public events at the Haunted Old Lavaca County Jail, possibly 5!!
So if your wondering and I know you are!! YES, you too can book the jail for yourself!! https://www.facebook.com/lcj33/ Just follow the link!!!
Its the best decision you'll make!!
If you want to follow our groups adventures?? Follow the link! https://www.facebook.com/groups/LIGHT2018/
I can not say how big of an honor it was to host the WLGH for the Haunted Old Lavaca County Jail and to be asked to host it again and many more. Founding Liberty Independent Ghost Hunters of Texas is probably one of the most memorable things I have done and there is SO MUCH more ahead for this group!! I hope you get to book a stay at the Haunted Old Lavaca County Jail for your self, you will NOT regret it!!
As our motto say,
YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!
