AMERICUS — The Windsor Hotel, 125 W. Lamar St., has good chances of being classified as a Certified Haunted Hotel by a group of ghost hunters from Tallahassee. But don’t get alarmed; all of the Windsor’s ghosts are friendly!

On Ayg. 13, the Big Bend Ghost Trackers spent the night at the Windsor and monitored several areas of the hotel where strange sightings have occurred. Among the areas where they performed the investigation was the third-floor hallway, where legend says that the ghost of a little girl, daughter of a former housekeeper, runs laughing at night. Both the housekeeper and the little girl lived at the hotel and were pushed down the elevator shaft in the early 1900s. The third-floor hallway is also the place where, in August 2005, Turner South recreated the story of the little girl ghost for its Blue Ribbon Show.

Other areas of the hotel will were also investigated, such as old staircases, the basement, the attic, guestrooms, the Grand Dining Room and the kitchen. The ghost hunters came fully equipped. They had flashlights, thermometers, cameras, tape recorders, infrared equipment and electromagnetic monitors, and were looking for signs of a haunting.

Betty Davis, leader of the Big Bend group, has a positive feeling about the Windsor being haunted. According to Davis, “It looks like the Windsor will get an authentication of a haunting.” The Big Bend will review all tapes and videos, frame by frame, and will release an official report in seven days.

Davis personally investigated the third-floor hallway where, according to her, she felt the most ghost activity among all areas of the hotel. The investigation on the third floor started at around 10 p.m., when light bulbs were unscrewed and two infrared cameras were set. While the cameras were on, Davis started singing “Twinkle, twinkle, little star” to catch the attention of the little girl. Shortly after, Davis felt a sudden chill and her thermometer immediately picked up a drop in temperature of four degrees, while at the same time one of the cameras picked up the image of three orbs skipping down the hallway. At that moment Davis felt the presence of the little girl there with her. Davis and other team members also saw one of the unscrewed bulbs turn on by itself, and they heard the voice of a woman and cry of a baby while investigating the third floor.

Another friendly ghost was also on scene w week ago: the silhouette of Floyd Lowery was seen on the third floor by the ghost hunters. Lowery worked at the Windsor as a doorman and elevator man for 40 years. He was known for being a very friendly employee that loved the Windsor and his job. It is likely that he is still wandering around the hallways of the Windsor, because he so loved the Windsor that he doesn’t ever want to leave, according to the Ghost Trackers.

Citizens of Americus that have met Lowery say he was known for being a very cordial employee who greeted every guest that came in the hotel, and took pleasure in his job. According to the Windsor management, Lowery is always going to be welcome at the hotel.

The official report will be out in a few days. According to the Windsor management, whatever the outcome of the investigation is, the whole situation is more exciting than scary, and a lot of people are into ghosts’ stories and spooky events.

For information on the Windsor Hotel, visit www.windsor-americus.com or call 229-924-1555.