The show is about the unexplainable and the people searching for the unknown answers.
There are believers and non-believers, and the host of Fireside Paranormal, Wheeling resident Jordan Cline, enjoys hearing from both groups of people.
“I think it’s the personal stories that listeners like to hear,” he said. “There is something special that happens when someone shares their personal paranormal story.
“People get quiet, they listen closely, and the hairs start to stand up on their necks,” Cline explained. “It’s like the perfect blend of vulnerability and acceptance that goes with it.”
Fireside Paranormal is broadcast each Monday evening from 6-7 p.m. on Facebook Live and additional podcast networks, and Cline interviews ghost hunters, individuals who have extensively researched alien visitors, and many more.
“With each show the ultimate goal is to let the story be heard. Some people may not “believe” in the topic, but the guest does! Passionately,” Cline said. “They believe they’ve seen something or heard something. Their experience is real.
“I try to ask questions that someone coming in as a first-time listener may ask because I think that curiosity is a driving force,” he continued. “It’s also why I love to end the show with ‘Don’t be afraid. Only Believe.’”
The Valley’s Haunts
The former West Virginia Penitentiary. The Capitol Theatre. Some of the oldest homes in the Northern Panhandle and East Ohio.
There are many locations in the area said to be inhabited by unseen souls who, from time to time, choose to interact with those calling their names or those invading their stowaway spaces. Cline believes the region’s storied history is one reason, and perhaps another involves the tragedies that have taken place during the past century or so.
“I think there is a lot of activity in this area. There is a lot of history here. This area is old! I’m not just talking about the ‘modern history’ old,” he insisted. “There are ancient Native American tribes that occupied this area. There are many stories about this part of Appalachia including cryptids, UFO encounters, and haunted locations.
“The best areas to do investigations would depend on what you’re looking for. The Penitentiary in Moundsville is a place that ghost hunters from all over the USA save up to visit or dream of investigating, and it’s in our backyard,” Cline said. “The Bellaire House is known as one of the most haunted locations in the world. Or you can simply go exploring in our Forests, There are well-known Bigfoot sighting areas on either side of us; you never know what you might find.”
Is Halloween a Holiday?
Trick-or-treating soon will take place in communities throughout the Upper Ohio Valley in close to two weeks, but Cline is attempting to attract as many personal stories he can for his Oct. 25th Halloween special.
Those interested in sharing can send their written or recorded stories to the Fireside Paranormal host to firesideparanomralpodcast@gmail. The deadline for the shared tales is Oct. 23 by 6 p.m.
But will Cline believe any of it?
“There is a side of hauntings referred to as ‘residual.’ Think of it as a scene from a movie that gets played over and over again. With an area like ours with such deep history, I believe that is a lot of what we see here,” he insisted. “Personally, as a Christian, I do not believe in spirits that haven’t crossed over. On the other side of that there are ‘Intelligent’ hauntings. That’s where something is interacting with you. That is the big mystery. Is it good? Is it bad? Is it here to help you? Will it hurt you?
“But I love the mystery behind it all,” Cline added. “I’m definitely not saying I believe every aspect of the paranormal, but the ‘What If?’ is what I find thrilling.”
