Recent Investigations by Long Island Paranormal Investigators:

Katie's of Smithtown
Smithtown, NY

Long Island Paranormal Investigators: Investigation January 2008

Long Island Paranormal Investigators: Investigation May 2008

Investigation: January 2008

Prolog: Long Island Paranormal Investigators first spoke with Katie's owner Brian Karppinen in the fall of 2007. At that time the TV show “Paranormal State” was filming an episode at Katie's (click here to read about LIPI meets Paranormal State). Due to contractual obligations with the show Brian was unable to allow LIPI to investigate until after the airing of the episode featuring Katie's. Once the episode aired in January 2008 Long Island Paranormal Investigators was promptly invited in for an investigation of the bar.

Katie's of Smithtown.

Sign on the front door letting patrons know other "spirit seekers" were using the bar that night.

Historical background: The original building that is now Katie's was erected nearly 100 years ago as a shop to service passengers on the newly established rail road system on Eastern Long Island. Over the years the land and building building have served many purposes

In the late 1800's a hospital was constructed on the land where Katie's is now. The hospital burned down on December 5^th 1909. It is not known if any one died in the fire. Later in the 1920's a candy shop was built on the land.

The basement is relatively new. It was dug out and finished in 1978. The current (as of writing this) owner Brian Karppinen purchased the bar in 2000. Over the years significant renovations have taken place. As best known the building is not constructed on any unusual land nor have any significant events happened on the location where the bar stands.

This black&white photograph that is on display in the bar shows the original building
(on right behind telephone pole) that would become Katie's.
 

Reported paranormal activity:

Katie's owner Brian Karppinen shows LIPI members the hot spots in the building.

• In the 1920’s a man named Charlie Klein frequented the bar regularly as a bartender and bootlegger. He was quite found of drink, cigarettes and women. After Charlie died by his own hand in the late 1920’s patrons reported seeing a figure of a man at various locations in the bar. Reports of this man continue to this day.
   
• People in 19/20^th turn-of-the-century clothing have been seen walking through the bar.
   
• The figure of a woman has been seen walking across the main bar floor as well as up and down the stairs leading to the basement.

• The toilet lids in the woman’s bathroom have been reported to jump and bang with no one there.

• The foot steps of people on the main bar floor is often heard from the basement when no one else is in the building.

• Glasses have frequently been reported being moved off the bar (both main bar room and basement), the tables and even flying off the holding racks.
   
• Brian reported that he once was at the top of the back door stair case, lost his balance and started to fall backwards, but something grabbed him and pushed him back up to his feet.
   
• The owner Brian periodically has someone in to bless and cleanse the building. He reports this helps keep paranormal activity down.

The investigation team: The first investigation of Katie's was lead by Lead Investigator Mike Cardinuto. Also attending this investigation were LIPI Investigators Jaiem Fleischmann, Mike Bainbridge, Dimitri Haritos, Paul Guarino, Thelma D’Amico, Peter Ferraro, and Justin "Credible" DiGangi. LIPI official guests Abby Haritos and Amanda DeCarlo also joined the team for this investigation.

The investigation setup: Long Island Paranormal Investigators performed a "lights out" investigation of Katie's. Our DVR cameras were set up in the main bar room and the basement bar room (2 cameras in each location). Our digital thermometers were also placed in the main and basement bar rooms. The temperature data logger was placed on the basement bar. Digital audio recorders were left on both the main and basement bar. Also, EMF Cellsensors were placed on both bars. Our wireless motion sensor was placed in the woman’s bathroom to check for movement of the toilet seats. Investigators also used digital cameras, K2 meters, Digital EMF, EMF Enzone, Geiger counters, volt meter  and IR thermometers.

The camera view as seen by our DVR system.

We also set several "traps" in both rooms: Glasses were placed on the bar and table and the positions marked in order to determine if any moved.

LIPI Investigator Mike Bainbridge (right) and LIPI guest Amanda DeCarlo setup DVR cameras
in the basement of Katie's.

A DVR camera (left) is setup to watch a basement corner where Brain has said an apparition has appeared.
Note the temperature data logger on the bar and the digital thermometer on the column (right).
The hanger was left on the bar to see if anything moved it during the investigation.
 

The investigation:

The team was divided into two groups that rotated between the main upper bar room and the basement bar room. Teams took turns investigating both locations and performing EVP sessions.

Long Island Paranormal Investigators members Paul Guarino and Mike Bainbridge perform EVP sessions
in the basement by the bar.

The basement backdoor stair case where something caught Katie's owner Brian as he started to fall backwards.

The basement bar. Note the DVR camera in the back right corner.

LIPI lead investigator Mike Cardinuto takes night shot video in the basement of Katie's.

LIPI investigators (right to left) Dimitri Haritos, Peter Ferraro and Abby Haritos compare EMF readings
in the basement of Katie's.

LIPI investigators (right to left) Dimitri Haritos, Peter Ferraro and Abby Haritos compare EMF readings while lead investigator Mike Cardinuto takes digital video in the basement of Katie's.

Later in the night part of the team went out side and allowed a smaller group of investigators to remain inside in the hope that a smaller group would be more amenable for paranormal activity.

LIPI investigators in the main bar room on street level.
Note the EMF Cellsensor EMF meter on the bar.

A view of the main bar from the other end. Note the EMF Cellsenor meter at this end too.

The toilets in the woman's bathroom that are said to flip up and down on their own.

LIPI Investigators Mike Bainbridge (right) and Paul Guarino watch for paranormal activity
on the DVR system during the investigation.

This K2 meter is registering a steady high (10+mg) reading that probably is artificial in source.

LIPI Investigators Mike Bainbridge (right foreground) and Paul Guarino watch for paranormal activity
in the main bar room on the main/street level floor.

LIPI Investigators Paul Guarino (left) and Mike Bainbridge take EMF readings
in the main bar room on the main/street level floor.
Note the glass on the table set as a "trap" to observe for something to make it move.

LIPI Investigators (left to right) Mike Bainbridge, Paul Guarino, and guest Amanda DeCarlo record
their instruments and personal observations at the end of the paranormal investigation.

LIPI investigators Dimitri and Abby Haritos check EMF readings in main floor bar room of Katie's.
 

Findings:

EVPs, Photographs and Video: No audio, video or photographic paranormal activity was recording during this investigation.

Conclusion: At this time LIPI was unable to collected documentation of paranormal activity at this location. Further investigations are being planned and the results will be posted.