In 1870 Samuel Buckland dismantled some Fort Churchill buildings he purchased from the government to build his house a half-mile south along a cottonwood tree-lined stretch of the Carson River in northwestern Nevada.
His home, an oasis in the Great Basin Desert next to the Overland Route, offered the amenities of a stagecoach station, supply center, hotel and Pony Express stop.
One fall afternoon during the Nevada Ghost and Paranormal Series, which I manage, we conducted one of the first paranormal investigations to be held inside this two-story, rectangular, white clapboard building.
Buckland Station served as a home, stage coach stop and Pony Express station in the late 19th century in Nevada.
One participant had a $1 Ghost Radar App on her phone. I tend to be skeptical of these devices—similar to an Ovilus that allows spirits to select from random words to communicate. This time, however, the cell phone rang spot on. While in an upstairs bedroom, the app displayed the words “burn,” “child” and “frightened.” While sharing the history of this home, the ranger never mentioned a blaze. But after our investigation, I asked Ranger Paul if a child had been burned upstairs. He verified that one of Buckland’s sons had been playing with fire in his bedroom and was so badly burned he died a few days later.
To establish a tone of appreciation, I set flowers on the counter and thanked the deceased Mrs. Buckland for letting us visit. Later, while conducting EVP, I asked, “Is anyone in this room with us?” The reply on the recorder provided a roundabout answer: “Who’s she?” Apparently, the spirit was asking another spirit about me!
One spirit there made his presence known through his cologne. On the first floor, where a slide show on the history of the home is shown, I caught a brief, yet overpowering whiff of men’s aftershave. And, I wasn’t the only one to experience this gentleman. Others upstairs reported the same manly scent that dissipated as soon as it was acknowledged.
If you’re curious, visit Buckland Station, part of the Ft. Churchill State Park. It is well worth your time.
Do you have a remote location where you like to ghost hunt?