Creepy tales attract movie makers to Mudd House

Ghostly secrets will be subject of documentary

Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Click here to enlarge this photo Staff photos by EMILY BARNES Frank Polievka Jr., right, co-founder of AdventureMyths, and Michelle Burnette, an investigator with AdventureMyths, prepare video equipment at the Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House in Waldorf on Friday. E-Mail This Article | Print This Story Click here to enlarge this photo Jonathan Ness, co-founder of AdventureMyths, films background material for their documentary at the exhibit building at the Mudd House. The group conducted a paranormal investigation and is making a video documentary. Click here to enlarge this photo Co-founders of AdventureMyths, Jonathan Ness, left, and Frank Polievka, center, talk to Eddie Roberts, vice president of the Dr. Mudd Society, before they interview him on camera at the Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House in Waldorf on Friday. Click here to enlarge this photo Frank Polievka, center, co-founder of AdventureMyths, Michelle Burnette, investigator, and Jonathan Ness, co-founder, review their plan at the Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House in Waldorf on Friday. Click here to enlarge this photo AdventureMyths investigator Michelle Burnette takes photographs at the Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House in Waldorf on Friday. The group will be conducting a paranormal investigation and making a video documentary. Click here to enlarge this photo Frank Polievka, right, founder of AdventureMyths, and Michelle Burnette, left, investigator, listen to Eddie Roberts, vice president of the Dr. Mudd Society, tell stories about the house at the Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House in Waldorf.   See related stories Mudd house gets gussied up for Christmas party Mudd House plans shindig Abundant area attractions not just for tourists

In the thick darkness of the Dr. Samuel A. Mudd House on Friday, Frank Polievka Jr., four companions and some recording equipment braved the lonely night.

Lonely, that is, if you don't count ghostly presences as company.

Polievka along with two other members of the AdventureMyths club turned up at the Mudd House on Friday to conduct a paranormal investigation and make a documentary in the process.

"We want to validate the myths and legends," Polievk said.

While the sun was still up and keeping ghouls at bay, the crew kept busy by interviewing those familiar with the home's secrets. Eddie Roberts, vice president of the Dr. Samuel Mudd Society and a Civil War re-enactor, was one of the people who gave his spine-tingling account on film.

"I believe there are things that happen in this house, and not things that can be explained," Roberts said.

About six months ago, Roberts said, an encampment of re-enactors was stationed in the fields that fan out around the home. The campers noticed that some candles in the windows were still illuminated and went into the home to loosen the bulbs and turn them off.

But when they returned to the field, they saw the lights were still on.

A few of the re-enactors went back, this time taking the batteries out of the candles altogether. About 30 minutes later, the campers looked back.

The lights were on again.

"I don't know how you explain that," he said.

"That's perfect, that's perfect," Polievka said. "Are all those candles still here? Because we need to get some footage of that."

Polievka said he will re-enact some of the scenes from the stories to add interest to the film, in this case perhaps showing a ghostly hand as it unscrews the light bulb. After the filming and editing is complete, the video will be posted on YouTube.

AdventureMyths, a local group of ghost hunters and thrill seekers, has made several such documentaries, including one at the Sotterley Plantation in St. Mary's County. Often, Polievka said, the club will give the film to the historic site for sale in a gift shop.

"We're making short documentaries to try to bring attention to these historic sites," he said.

At the Mudd House, Polievka, club members Jonathan Ness and Michelle Burnette and two of the home's representatives waited out the night on Friday for possible haunting presences. At about 10:10 p.m., their patience was rewarded.

"I asked if there were any children present with us tonight, and as I finished saying ‘tonight,' we heard footsteps in the hallway," wrote Polievka in an e-mail.

He added that he'll have to analyze the footage and recordings to see if there were any other supernatural occurrences during the night.

If they see something unusual in the film, club members will try to rule out possible natural causes for the phenomena. When none are left, members will confirm that something extraordinary happened.

But, ultimately, "it's up to the viewer to decide what they think," Polievka said.

brodgers@somdnews.com