Shaker's Cigar Bar & Restaurant

[carol]

I'm wondering if anyone out there has been to Shaker's Cigar Bar in Milwaukee recently? The owner had a paranormal group come in for an investigation back in early 2009 and not much since. Sat., Oct. 23, 2010 is a full moon and I'm going early enough before the night crowd comes in. Hopefully I'll be able to take pix and use the EMF meter, and maybe get to see the haunted basement as previous customers have. The ladies room is haunted by a little Victorian girl named Elizabeth who fell out of an apple tree on site back in her time and broke her neck.

The place has as least six reported ghosts, but it's history goes back to 1894 including a wooden barrel factory and tavern/dance hall back in the 1930s. Also in the 1930s, a fight took place in the basement supposedly stemming from a card game ending with people being killed.

Input anyone?

Thanks,
Carol

[jonnyblaze]

Good luck today..I look forward to seeing some pics and to hear what you experienced..Too bad it'll be busy and you won't be able to use an EVP recorder..

[carol]

Hello out there,

If you ever get to Milwaukee, go to Shaker's Cigar Bar & Restaurant at 422 So. 2nd street in the historic third ward! They usually open at 5pm, Wed. thru Saturday. Also, lots of construction in the area.

Anyway, I was told by the owner that the week before 10/18/10, the Discovery Channel came in and did an investigation of all 4 floors. No one knows when the show will air.

I walked into that place and it's a time warp, taking you back into the late 1800s. The bar up front has a large mirror, barstools plus a raised stage/dining/drinking area. The back bar area has the original tin roof, wine cellar, dining tables plus an even older wooden bar. From the front bar to the back one, you could cut the psychic energy with a knife. There are at least 7 ghosts, and more than likely more!

I brought my 35mm camera and EMF meter and was told I could "explore" the main dining areas. As soon as I got to the middle of the back room bar, the meter went nuts! Same thing happened by the piano, the middle of that dining area and also inside the ladies restroom. Before the two servers gave me a brochure as to who the spirits are that haunt the place, I felt the presence of two males and kept looking up towards the ceiling not understanding why until I later read that a ghostly form "floats" in that area.

I also felt that a card game, poker to be exact, was taking place by these male spirits. The ladies restroom is where the little Victorian girl Elizabeth hangs out. There is a two seat old Victorian-type couch just outside of the stalls. I sat down and put the EMF meter on one side. It registered in the middle, then started blinking, indicating spirit activity. I told Elizabeth I meant her no harm and wanted to talk to her which I did. I told her to reach out and hold my hand. This little seating area was about 15 degrees cooler than in the dining areas, and when the meter went off again, not only did my hand feel like ice, the electricity surged through my arm. I made contact!

After 15 minutes or so of talking with her, I got up and walked over to the piano. Again, the EMF meter went crazy and there were no electrical cords or security cameras in that area. I then approached the wooden bar and the meter flickered.

After having something to eat and drink and conversing with the owner and two female servers, they used the EMF meter upstairs and then in the basement. I was invited to check out the third and fourth floors of Shaker's. The 3rd floor was once used for offices and the 4th floor was a bordello back in the day. When the owner Bob Weiss acquired Shaker's in 1986, he remodeled the 4th floor and found human and animal bones. Police were notified and it was determined to be female bones from at least 50 years prior to 1986. Rumor has it some lady of the evening was murdered in what is now the modern bathroom by the tub area. When one walks up the staircase, you see the bathroom on the 4th floor.

EMF readings were between 3.5 and 5 on the Gauss meter with 5 being the highest reading. There were many cold spots and again, the presence of female ghosts but also of a large, tall and very mean man. I got the feeling he liked to slap his "women" around. In the kitchen area directly around the corner from the 4th floor bathroom, I put my hand on the wall and the electricity ran through me along with hairs standing on end. Something happened here, and with the bones discovered, more than likely the girl was murdered there.

Back downstairs, we all talked about what we felt. Bob then said it would be okay to explore the basement and the two gals lead the way. After setting foot off the last step, the atmosphere down there is completely different....more heavy, thicker and a bit dizzying. The air is also denser and at a several places, it felt extremely hot and had nothing to do with any furnace. One gal said she's seen a shadow figure midway and gets a sense of foreboding, and was hesitant to continue. Here I am walking ahead of both gals and it didn't phase me until I got to the very end of the basement, facing east. There is a distinct male presence in this area, and a malevolent one at that. Nothing to be messed with. The EMF meter kept going on and off. The ceiling at this point is low, and somebody 5'9" would more than likely have to bend their head. The meter registered about a foot from the ceiling to maybe 3 feet up from the floor.

One of the gals used the meter then and did a sweep with it. Nothing. We turned to head back and the meter went nuts again. You could also feel this male spirit around us...nothing to be messed with and not wanting us to be there either. How I wished I would have brought my voice activated micro cassette and left it down there for an hour. We approached the steps to go back upstairs to the 1st floor when a shadow figure was seen going into a small storage area that lead right into a stone wall. I took several pictures. I then walked to the very east end of the basement alone and could still feel this male presence, wanting me to leave.

The three of us went back upstairs and discussed what took place. I had no idea I was going to investigate all 4 floors of Shaker's and would have been happy just taking pix on the 1st or main floor. Nor have I ever been anywhere where there is so much activity going on all at once, and I've been to many haunted castles in Britain. I sure hope the pix turn out! If I captured anything on film, I will get copies to Bob.

Maybe it was me, maybe the two gals and the owner that these spirits congregated to. Then again, it was the full moon. I will be going back again in November and see what develops.

So if you're ever in town or want some libations, check out Shaker's. Not only a bordello, but a tavern and dance hall and also a wood barrel factory. Stepping back into time with all the history and spirits alike! Not a bit disappointed at all.

Carol

[firefightertbone]

Holy cow, Carol! What an interesting experience. I live 45 miles north of Milwaukee and I used to live there. My wife and I will be heading over to Shakers real soon. Thanks for the information!

[carol]

Hi firefighterbone,

Your welcome for the info. Again, I don't know if all what took place was because of the full moon or not. Bob, the owner, said every night is different there with the spirits energies. This Halloween weekend 10/29 and 10/30, Shakers has somthing going on where you have to where a mask, or buy one at the door. And they are showing people the basement as well.

Please share you experience there once you go.
Thanks, and happy Halloween!

Carol

[matt2009]

Hi, I'm from the group that was there filming an episode in October. It wasn't for the Discovery Channel. The show is called "Paranormal Generation" and it airs on Illinois' ARTV channel, and you can watch it online too. We premiered the Shaker's episode today, actually. You can watch it at www.youtube.com/paranormalgeneration (the episode is titled "Smoke & Mirrors"). It's split into 4 parts, so make sure you watch all 4 parts. You can find out more about Paranormal Generation on the official website (www.paranormalgeneration.com) and on our group's website (www.midwestpreternaturalresearch.com).

[carol]

Hello Matt,

I checked out the You Tube videos on Shakers. It was interesting to see the place during the day. When I was there later on in October, 2010, Bob Weiss did say Discovery Channel investigated the place. How he got them mixed up with your group is puzzling.

I also took pix and nothing unusual showed up except for one of a man lying close to the floor. You can see his handlebar mustache and he had a thick head of hair. Why on the floor only leads to many conclusions. In the basement, the very east part had the creepiest feelings for me...very sinister man there. I also checked the ceiling, cables and electric boxes and got similar EMF readings. However, most of the EMF readings were taken at least two feet above the floor and one foot or more below the ceilings, like there may have been "floating" entities.

On the top floor in the kitchen area that was remodeled, I got very strong EMF readings by a locked door and in the bathroom area by the tub. Granted, there could be electrical devices but explain how one's arm hair and at the back of the neck stands on end? Also, there is a definite temperature variation in these areas and no windows were open. Being a "sensitive," I can tell you that a very large man demanded something from one of the ladies who rejected him, and she was murdered. I also sensed a strangulation.

One last thing that I have not previously mentioned: I gave
Amanda, one of the Shakerettes, my business card with the cell phone number on it. Five minutes after being in the car and driving home, someone from Shakers called me but didn't leave any message. I found this out after arriving home so I called them. According to Amanda, the other server and Bob, NO ONE called me. WEIRD!

Looking forward to watching more of your group's You Tube investigations.

Carol