Investigation into Reports of a Wisconsin Serial Killer, Ed Gein Haunting

Some of you may be familiar with the deeds of Wisconsin serial killer Ed Gein, maybe even seen the movie out on his life and what he did? Well, we, too saw the movie, Clint wanted to rent it and it was interesting. Clint then mentioned he did this all not TOO far from us. So, after months of planning to go to Plainfield, we finally got there on the way to the Wausau Ghost tours. Below is a detailed account of our expedition into the 'mind' of Ed Gein.

Who: My husband Clint, son Gideon and myself
What: Going to find Ed Gein and the local haunted hardware store
When: October 10, 2003 4:00-5:00PM
Where: Plainfield, Wisconsin
Why: We were in search of the haunting and the man called Ed Gein

While on the way to a ghost tour in Wausau, we decided to plan a stop in Plainfield, WI to pay a visit to the ghostly remains of Bernice Worden, who was Ed Geins' last victim as well as the earthly remains of Gein himself.

Upon entering the small town, we made a stop at the nearest gas station. While there we asked where the cemetery was. The answer came back - "5th Avenue." With that information in hand we head into town. The streets whir by until my eyes fall on 2nd Avenue, then 3rd Avenue. It seems we are getting close. Then, with no warning the trail goes cold. Fourth nor Fifth Avenue were nowhere to be found. Puzzled, we turn back, thinking it was missed somehow. Still no sign of Fourth or Fifth Avenue. We drive a short ways own an unnamed road, suspecting perhaps the town had it unmarked to deter people such as ourselves. Once determining the street name at a nearby corner, we turn back in search of the now named True Value Hardware store (then called Worden Hardware.) We locate it with ease. We investigated the hardware store as much as one can do in an open place of business. We walked along the narrow aisles on crooked and creaky floors until we returned to the store front. It is here where I simply inquire where the cemetery is, assuming that a town of that size would have only one.

Apparently such an assumption was anything but correct as she asked "which one?" she then proceeded to name three different cemeteries, pointing in the direction of each. We exchanged puzzled looks as to which one we were searching for. Finally, with no other means of differentiating one from another, I replied :the one where Ed Gein is buried." She told us the directions and named another street other than the aforementioned 5th Avenue. The street is 5th Avenue, but for some strange reason it is nowhere near 2nd or 3rd Avenue, it is in all actuality located before you reach the town sign which proclaims a mere population of 899 people.

We however did find the cemetery with ease after the instructions given by the employee. Finding the cemetery was only half of the battle. The next part could prove more difficult, as we had very little to go on. We decided to drive a ways in, so as to give any other visitors room to drive in as well as we thought perhaps he might have been 'hidden' in the back. Other than 'logic thoughts' all we had to go on was a knowledge that his headstone was stolen back in 2000, and the last time Find A Grave was updated, his grave had a handmade marker, which if my memory serves me well, was a handmade cross with what appeared to be letter stickers on it. However, I expected that marker to also have been stolen, which could make our search hard, if not impossible.

Still we searched on, starting in the back, then making our way toward the front. We searched separately, nothing that was planned, it just happened, besides we covered more ground that way. Near the back were two things I thought could be it. Well, actually a few things. There were many handmade crosses fashioned out of what appeared to be white plastic pipes, none of which were his.

There was a pathway of semi matted grass leading to a strange, and rather creepy looking road/path surrounded by trees...where it leads, we don't know. I did, however add this as a mental possibility of being where he lies, if nothing else panned out. Near the road at the back of the cemetery was some sort of strange small stone. It was flat and I believe white in color which had no writing on it. Odd indeed, but not Ed Gein's grave.

Further on we marched, and I soon came upon an odd small rectangular stone, again with no engraving what-so-ever on it. I made a mental note of its location as a possibility as well. I searched more yet. Soon, I came upon the cemetery building and I immediately recognized it from Find A Grave. I too, took a photo of the sign and building.

Now, let me say this, even on a 'picture perfect', sunny and warm autumn day, this cemetery held a particularly creepy feeling about it. My instinct was to spin around at the first foreign sound, my legs were almost weak feeling - rubbery perhaps would better describe it. Perhaps it was nothing more that the knowledge of what occurred in that cemetery and what he had done in general, paired maybe with a semi drive from home. However, I have never experienced such a feeling except that which was felt in a haunted Connecticut cemetery, and again long drives and the 'history of the cemetery' could have been a factor.

I continued all the way through the cemetery where Clint nor I had explored. I met up with him and Gideon at the building and asked him if he too had a creepy feeling there, to which he replied yes, however after being asked if he had such a feeling in cemeteries in general, he said "sort," and later elaborated that he felt the area, town and road in back were pretty creepy.

I led him back to the only stone I saw that could be him - that plain, unmarked stone slab. Just incase, I photographed it. It was then that I saw what we were seeking. The Gein family plot. In a neat row were the three stones, with a space for a fourth. That space not so long ago housed Ed Gein's badly vandalized stone. We were relatively sure this was it, as these were the only Gein's in the whole cemetery. I took several photos of each remaining stone (that of his mother, father and brother,) the empty space, and the whole row in a panoramic shot on two separate cameras. After spying a 'cute' black book stone and taking a quick shot of Gideon 'reading' it, we headed off to our destination. The interesting thing is that we parked right behind and to the right of the Gein family plot.

Later, much later after speaking with Todd Roll, lead investigator for the Wausau Paranormal Research Society, we learned that his gravestone was stolen by some Seattle(?) band and auctioned on E-bay. In turn they were found and the authorities confiscated the monument. The investigator agreed that there is a creepy feeling in that cemetery. He also 100% confirmed that we had indeed found Ed. It's ironic how Ed Gein is buried among some of the very same graves he had robbed years ago, and only a few feet from Bernice Worden, whom he killed. The cemetery and Gein's former property are also reportedly haunted as well.

Our Second Trip To Plainfield

We returned to Plainfield quite some time later with the intent to visit the grave again as well as the True Value Hardware and Gein's former property, which we did not visit the first time.

We located the Gein family plot easily this time as we pretty much knew where to look. We, however were unable to stay around too long as we feared the caretaker there would get suspicious of us milling around the plot and throw us out. You never know how they will act with a plot that has been so defaced repeatedly in the past. We snapped a few photos and noted that there still as no marker there. I suppose the caretakers got tired of continually replacing the marker when it was stolen and or defaced.

We then went to the True Value Hardware store, which to our dismay was closed.

We went on in search of our final destination: Gein's former property where his home once stood. This is the home that he took back all of his grave robbing 'treasures' to and police found skull bowls and nipple belts among the things he fashioned of human body parts in his home. Years later the home burnt to the ground in a fire that was thought to have been a case of arson. It's said that the property (which is private property - no trespassing is allowed!) is also haunted.