Tarleton Oaks

In Barnesville, GA you will find an active bed and breakfast known as Tarleton Oaks.  The home is full of antique furniture, Gone with the Wind memorabilia and some definite paranormal activity. Tarleton Oaks was built in 1849, as the plantation home for cotton magnate Josiah Holmes. Sometime in the late 1850's Maryland educator Charles Lambdin purchased the estate. Lambdin founded Barnesville's first newspaper and Gordon Military Institute, now Gordon College.   Toward the end of the civil war there was a head-on collision train wreck which killed 150 soldiers. The wounded were taken to homes along the railroad track in Griffin, Milner and Barnesville, including the Lambdin estate.  Many of these soldiers were buried in Greenwood Cemetery behind the house. The owners of the house and numerous guests have seen a woman in black, a confederate soldier and 3 children have been heard playing in the attic of the home.  When we got the call from FOX 5 to come and investigate, we knew this would be an incredible opportunity to see a part of history and hopefully capture paranormal activity at the same time.

Investigation Report

Team 1- David & Kimber Team 2- Laurie, Ed, Michele & Cecil Base- Kevin & Ben Library- Laurie’s camera died and a short while afterward, Ed’s camera flashed by itself in the same area where Laurie’s camera had died. We also recorded an EMF reading in this room. Ladies’ Parlor- Nothing was recorded or observed. Dining Room- Several EMF readings were recorded by both teams.  One team reported feeling uncomfortable while in this room.  Laurie & Michele reported a chill by the door as they entered the room.  Odors were reported by both teams.  One team found the source of the odor they were smelling.  The other team could not find the source of the odors they smelled.  Laurie & Michele sat down at a side table to ask questions for EVPs.  All three members of their team heard 2 knocks in response to a question asked. Melanie’s Suite- Nothing was recorded but Michele sensed a woman’s presence in this room.  She had the feeling she might be of French descent. No meter readings were observed in this room. Rhett’s Suite- Kimber sensed a presence in this room. Ed & Cecil had problems with their cameras flashing by themselves.  No meter readings were observed in this room. Scarlett’s Suite- Kimber sensed a presence in this room.  She followed it around the room until she sensed it getting mad.  No meter readings were observed in this room.          Ashely’s Suite- Laurie felt an overwhleming feeling of sadness in this room.  As Ed went over to take a picture of the area, his camera began rapidly flashing by itself.  Laurie asked if it wanted Ed to stop taking pictures and his camera flashed one time. Attic- Kevin observed an orb on the infrared video camera. Base- Ben heard two voices that sounded like little girls giggling on the front porch.  He also heard his name called from the area of the courtyard.

Investigation Log

Historic Ghost Watch and Investigation Tarleton Oaks February 21, 2005 Team 1: David, Kimber (Kevin and Cecil join team for third investigation) Time of Event Phenomena Witnessed Location 8:45pm Team begins investigation. Upstairs Stairway 9:00pm Kimber felt a presence near the fireplace. Melanie’s Suite 9:11pm Kimber felt a presence in the room. She was able to follow it around the room for several minutes. Scarlett’s Suite 9:30pm Kimber reported that she felt the presence in the room was getting mad. Scarlett’s Suite 9:39pm David reported that when entering the room Kimber surprised something that was just to the left of the door. She saw something move quickly from the couch . Rhett’s Suite 9:45pm Team finishes upstairs investigation. Upstairs Stairway 10:45pm Team begins downstairs investigation. Front Right Parlor 10:50pm David report large EMF reading near floor behind the rocking chair. Front Right Parlor 10:59pm David reports that the EMF readings are as high as 8.0 on the digital. Front Right Parlor 11:27pm Team reports a "hot spot" of EMF activity. Dining Room 11:30pm Team ends downstairs investigation. Dining Room 12:00am Team begins whole house investigation in total darkness. Kevin and Cecil join team to record the investigation on infrared video. Upstairs Stairway 12:20am Kevin reported that the team has located a "hot spot". Everyone in the room, including the Fox5 cameraman, could actually feel a significantly hotter area in the middle of the room. Kimber reported that the area was about the height of a young child. Scarlett’s Suite 12:30am Team entered attic. Attic 12:37am David reports that they seem to have recorded a very bright and strange orb. Kevin reports that the orb did not look anything like the dust orbs that they had been recording and ask base to verify if a car had gone by. Attic 12:37am Base reported that the last car was several minutes earlier. Base - Side Porch 12:45am Base: Ben reports that he "heard whispering and giggling on the front porch" it "sounded the girls whispering to each other." Base - Side Porch Front Porch 1:00am Base: Ben reports hearing a female voice behind him say his name. When he turned to see who was calling him there was no one there. Base - Side Porch 1:05am David finds that the large EMF reading is no longer near the floor behind the chair. Right Front Parlor 1:15am Kevin reports the strong smell of perfume in the dining room Dining Room 1:20am Team finds the source of the perfume that Kevin smelled as the candles on the large dining room table. Dining Room 1:22am Cecil gets EMF reading in the doorway of the dining room. Dining Room 1:30am Team ends investigation and lights of the home are turned back on. Right Front Parlor 1:30am David and Kevin investigate the EMF reading behind the chair. They find that now that power is restored to the home the reading as returned. EMF reading is found to be electrical and not paranormal. Right Front Parlor 1:40am Kevin takes Team 2 into the dining room to "debunk" the perfume smells that they reported. Laurie and Michele both stated that the candles were at all close to the smells that theyh had reported. Dining Room   Historic Ghost Watch and Investigation Tarleton Oaks February 21, 2005 Team 2: Laurie, Michele, Ed, Cecil Time of Event Phenomena Witnessed Location 8:59pm Laurie's camera died Library 9:02pm Ed's camera flashed twice by itself in the same area of the library where Laurie's camera had died. Library 9:07pm Team reported a EMF meter registered a reading. Library 9:23pm Laurie reports that they are getting an EMF meter reading. She then reports that their meter is registered a reading under the portrait of Rhett. Dining room 9:39pm Laurie reports that the EMF meter registered a reading at dining room table. Dining Room 9:41pm Team finishes downstairs investigation. Dining Room 10:30pm Team begins upstairs investigation. Staircase upsta 10:52pm Ed's camera flash started going off by itself. Rhett’s Suite 11:02pm Cecil had problems with his camera. Rhett’s Suite 11:30pm Team ends upstairs investigation.   12:00am Team begins whole house investigation in total darkness.   12:24am Laurie reports that they got an EMF meter reading in dining room. Michele & Laurie felt a chill by the door and smelled a woman's floral perfume. All 3 team members felt uncomfortable in dining room. Dining Room 12:27am While sitting at the small dining room table Michele and Laurie got a two knock response to a question that Laurie asked. Dining Room 12:33am Michele and Laurie smelled a masculine "woodsy" smell. Dining Room 12:59am Michele senses a woman’s presence. She feels that the woman is French. Melanie’s Suite 1:02am Laurie has an overwhelming feeling of sadness. She left area to sit down but the feeling went away as soon as she left the area. Ashley’s Suite 1:04am Ed went to the area where Laurie had the feeling of sadness to take a picture. His camera began flashing rapidly 6 or 7 times. Ashley’s Suite 1:05am Laurie asked "If you want Ed to stop taking pictures in here, make his camera flash once". Ed’s camera flashed one more time. Ashley’s Suite 1:06am Ed’s camera flashed twice by itself. Scarlett’s Suite 1:20am Team ends investigation.

Investigator Pictures

Recorded EVPs

Our Conclusion

There was a great deal of activity to be found in the home during the nights we investigated here. We captured numerous Electronic Voice Phenomena or EVPs throughout the home, and recorded a significant amount of electromagnetic activity. Our investigators had many personal experiences in the home which include hearing voices and the movement or manipulation of objects. It is Historic Ghost Watch and Investigation belief that this home is quite possibly one of the most haunted homes we have investigated to date.