The Hauntings of Bridgewater Cemetery and the Polarizing Panasonic RR-DR60
Unearthing Paranormal History, Eerie Encounters, and the Flawed Recorder I No Longer Use
I love history. Ironically, nothing brings the past more to life for me than an old cemetery or graveyard. The markers, the designs, and the symbols etched in stone offer clues about a person’s life and death, placed by those who loved them. Or, in some cases, I imagine headstones are anchors to keep some bastards and monsters down in the ground. Of course, I especially appreciate a good ghost story associated with graves. So, when Connor and I were en route to the Scott County Heritage Center & Museum on 10/30/2021 for an investigation, it allowed us a brief stop by Bridgewater Cemetery.
History of Bridgewater Cemetery: Ghosts, Graves, and Samuel Bridgewater
The Bridgewater Cemetery, also known as the Owens-Bridgewater Cemetery, is a small hilltop cemetery that likely began as a family burial ground in the early 1800s. It includes the grave of Samuel Bridgewater (1827), who immigrated from England and served as a Revolutionary War private under George Washington. This cemetery has its share of ghost lore. My favorite is the tale of the “guardian of the grounds,” said to glow after midnight and chase away violators unwelcome in the cemetery.
With this being a short visit, Connor and I did a quick walk around and noted some of the more interesting graves. Sadly, as with many rural cemeteries, we found evidence of pathetic vandalism. I had in my pocket two pieces of ITC equipment: my Panabox spirit box and the ever-coveted, despised, mystifying, and controversial Panasonic DR60.
The DR60: The Most Polarizing Device in Paranormal Investigations
Wait, did I say DR60? THE PANASONIC RR-DR60? The most electrifying piece of EVP equipment ever created? The $3000 plastic, shitty hockey puck that Zak Bagans has used to dupe the entire world? The iconic device utilized by EVP experts, the Constantinos? That one???
It’s confusing — so many conflicting opinions about the devices we use in our investigative kits. Various pieces of equipment instantly polarize people. I try not to give my thoughts on specific types of tech. I won’t do it because I don’t want to be divisive on this blog — except for stupid-shit SLS cameras. And there I go… See? We all have opinions. My disdain for the SLS camera comes from experience. I owned one. I experimented with it. I think they’re turds — mostly. But I’ll get back to that in a second. Let’s take a quick look at the DR60 and have an honest conversation about this device.
Pros and Cons of the Panasonic RR-DR60
First, the pros:
1. Looks great in my hand.
Now the cons:
1. Sounds like shit.
I’m not done. The proponents of this device testify that it’s the best EVP recorder on the planet. And I kind of fall into this with one massive caveat: it’s one of the best when you’re in contact with a discarnate entity. Other than that, it’s a false-positive EVP machine — at times. And it can be used in a disingenuous way — even inadvertently. Let’s go through the legitimate concerns you should know, and I’ll also refute a few of the criticisms as I go.
Legitimate Concerns About the DR60
1. Low sampling rate: The device produces muffled and growly recordings. So true.
2. Internal glitch issues: The voice activation feature may introduce noise caused by an internal glitch in the integrated circuit board, which can trigger a recording. This causes the infamous flaw of the DR60 that often gets misconstrued as the angry old man’s voice or demonic screaming (especially if the sensitivity is set too high). I can’t tell you how many ghost hunters have freaked themselves out when they hear this flaw (I did). So many folks have posted these recordings as EVPs. I’ve even made the mistake of not fully understanding this fault.
3. No digital output: There’s no easy way to transfer the audio for analysis. No USB, making it a hassle.
4. Confusing voice activation mode: When reviewing sessions, the voice activation mode can make the context of your recordings very confusing.
Can You Get a Class A EVP with the DR60?
If you believe you can get a Class A EVP with this device, good luck. I’ve used one for years and have only recorded a handful. Most of the time, they’re just not going to be that precise. But if you’re indeed in contact with an entity, it’s possible. So how do you know when a DR60 is working for you versus against you? Here are a few tips:
1. Don’t force it: If your session produces nothing but guttural screams, it’s probably not an EVP — it’s the recorder screwing up. I recommend lowering the sensitivity. Most legit EVPs from the DR60 are whispery and seem embedded in white noise, allowing you to distinctly hear faint vocalizations. One reason people don’t like this recorder is the same reason I do — the craptastic microphone has a minimal range. On the one hand, you don’t need to worry about audio contamination from an interstate three miles away. On the other hand, you need to keep it dead-still in your hand or set it down. Anything that produces noise near the device can prompt the voice activation and create an audio artifact you might confuse for an EVP (much like the internal glitch issue). So, you have to be very honest and discerning when reviewing.
2. Run a high-quality recorder alongside your DR60: Preferably capture your session on video too. This is the best way to validate a possible EVP from this device. Because of the technical constraints, these recorders are liars. Don’t get duped.
White Noise, EVPs, and the DR60
My optimism for this device stems primarily from the number of sessions I’ve conducted with it that have produced NO EVPs. Many of my sessions don’t even produce the “angry old man yelling about his hemorrhoids” internal flaw. So it’s not always in misfire mode, despite what the Paranormal Naysayers Gospel Choir might claim. I’m also a proponent of the theory that white noise possibly helps ghosts — which technically shouldn’t have vocal cords — by providing extra phonic material to manipulate for speech. The DR60 has a very analog sound versus the super-clean sounds of modern recording equipment. I like experimenting with both. I’ve caught simultaneous EVPs with each device. I think the DR60 excels in this aspect. My theory is that the flaws and limitations of the Panasonic RR-DR60 are the very things that make it a fantastic recorder when everything comes together — entity, corroborated data, etc. Maybe even the glitch helps with communication? Who knows?
And what if I told you that an audio engineer friend, who is also an ITC researcher, took a DR60, disconnected the device’s microphone, and still recorded EVPs with it? Well, that happened. This completely undermines the argument that Panasonic’s “EVPs” are solely manufactured by the voice activation mode triggering a recording due to its internal functions. Interesting, right?
I believe whatever happens with this recorder regarding EVPs is happening through internal manipulation. It seems much more like an ITC device than a regular EVP recorder. That damned microphone seems inconsequential for EVP and is the source of the device’s detrimental flaw.
Cross-Referencing and Corroboration: Your Best Bet for Validation
3. Use corroborative data to validate your EVP capture: Because of the issues with this recorder, its recordings have a wobbly leg to stand on when presented as an anomalous response. As I mentioned earlier, this recorder is at its best (like all devices) when in the presence of a discarnate intelligence. Since we cannot validate a ghostly intellect, capturing the validity of the experience becomes more compelling — especially when you have other devices that log data and trigger at the exact moment you’ve caught an EVP on the DR60. Like when your TriField meter spikes, your REM Pod chimes, your goth tech-gal Betty Elvira II levitates upside down on camera, and your Tascam captures an EVP — but so does your Panasonic RR-DR60. See? We can’t prove what happened there. We documented strange phenomena and a weird voice — but we can’t prove what caused it. We’re just calling it a ghost.
So, when you review that moment on your DR60 and get a Class B EVP that sounds like “I’m Satan’s twisted sister,” it becomes harder to dismiss it as just the internal performance of a flawed recorder. But alas, the real scientific community will never accept an EVP from this device due to its design defects. Sadly, that’s the stone-cold fact.
A Change in Direction: Why I No Longer Use the DR60
Now, as much as I’ve discussed the pros and cons of this device, I’ve reached a point where I can no longer include the Panasonic RR-DR60 in my investigations. Even though I firmly believe it has a place in the annals of ITC and EVP history, and despite my own positive experiences with this recorder and some wild results, it’s been so wildly misrepresented by charlatans on YouTube and TikTok that, in good conscience, I don’t want any of my methodologies to remotely resemble that scene. And I offer no apologies for my time in experimenting with this recorder either. I’ve always been transparent in my claims and the devices I’ve tried out over the years.
This is a line I’m drawing to say I don’t condone folks who exploit the field, and I don’t want to be anywhere near anything they portray. The DR60 has been lumped into a category of sensationalist equipment that’s become more of a prop in the hands of these “influencers,” rather than a serious tool for EVP research.
Just as I would never use an app or device that has origins in the realm of, and I don’t even want to name it here — let’s nickname it Puff Haranormal — I am distancing myself from this type of equipment. In the same way that I want nothing to do with any gadgets associated with the Puff scene, I now feel the same about the DR60. It’s unfortunate because I’ve had some incredible experiences with it, but I can’t, in good conscience, be part of the mess that others have made of it.
Still a Tool in the Paranormal Toolbox – With Responsibility
That said, I don’t believe the DR60 should be discarded altogether by serious researchers. It has its place in the annals of ITC and EVP history for a reason. The key is to use it responsibly. Like every tool in this field, it requires a skeptical and discerning approach. Cross-reference your findings. Don’t rely solely on the DR60, and always be upfront about its limitations. If used correctly, it’s possible to capture something genuinely interesting.
However, paranormalist need to understand that no matter what equipment they use, there is no such thing as perfect proof. Paranormal investigation is not about certainty — it’s about exploring possibilities. That’s why it’s crucial not to put blind faith in any device, especially one as flawed as the DR60. Always remember that the limitations of our tools, including the DR60, mean that we are working with suggestive data, not definitive answers. Ultimately, this device would be best utilized by an ITC researcher in a lab versus someone ghost hunting at locations. But that opinion is just to make your EVP efforts more credible and easier than what it would take to validate a DR60 recording.
Conclusion: Moving Forward with Integrity
For all the DR60 critics out there, they’re 100% within their rights to criticize the DR60. But they’re also 100% full of shit to discard it as a tool for EVPs when no device gives concrete, empirically indisputable results. Same with me and the loathsome SLS camera. If we were investigating together and you whipped one out, I’d internally groan. Still, given that we cannot define the parameters of the paranormal, prove its existence, or say how the supernatural might choose to interact or manipulate devices or communicate with us, I’d be begrudgingly open to the potential of your SLS maybe capturing something incredible. Who am I to say what the paranormal can or cannot do?
In this field, nothing we capture conclusively proves anything, so why dismiss the DR60? Critics are right to point out its flaws, but they’re wrong to discard it all together. No device gives indisputable results. Investigators cherry-pick what they accept or dismiss concerning the supernatural. In the end, the paranormal remains elusive, and we’re all chasing spectral hopes and dreams.
If the paranormal were a sandwich, it would be peanut butter assumptions and superstition jelly on What-The-Fuck-Wonder Bread. Maybe, just maybe, we should all consider the big bites we take before swallowing and chugging a glass of milk?
— Evel Ogilville
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Appendix: Historical and Paranormal Lore of Bridgewater Cemetery
Bridgewater Cemetery, also known as Owens or Owens-Bridgewater Cemetery, is located on County Road 400 S in Lexington Township, Indiana. The small hilltop cemetery likely began as a family burial ground in the early 1800s. One of the most notable graves is that of Samuel Bridgewater, who passed in 1827 after immigrating from England. He served as a Revolutionary War private and sided with George Washington. The cemetery saw burials from the 1820s to 1930, with some Civil War-era graves.
Paranormal Claims
Bridgewater Cemetery is steeped in eerie lore. Popular paranormal reports include:
• Growling sounds near the back of the cemetery, resembling a dog.
• A riderless white horse said to chase away visitors.
• Sightings of a man on horseback, sometimes appearing headless.
• The grave of the “guardian” is said to glow after midnight, chasing away trespassers. A man in a white hat, believed to be the night watchman, is also said to appear in spectral form.
• Visitors report glowing balls of light and small, bright red eyes in the woods toward the back.
• Electronics and vehicles frequently fail within the cemetery grounds.
• The temperature inside the cemetery is said to be noticeably cooler than outside the gates.
Additionally, a myth surrounds an oak tree known as the “Death Tree,” where enslaved people were said to have been hanged. However, this lore has been largely disputed, as graves were present on the grounds before the gates were constructed, and family plots extended into areas later repurposed for parking.