Question Mark Town Roundup for the week of 10/23 - 10/29
Town Announcements
Spirits of Ohio is investigating you, Question Mark!
Hello neighbors, allow me to introduce myself. I am Gavin Englebrecht, paranormal investigator. Some of you may know me from my popular Buckeye State haunts blog, Spirits of Ohio. Others may know me as a recent transplant to town, having pulled into the Moonlite Grove RV Park just a few months ago. Still others may know me as a colleague on the plastics factory second shift. However you know me, hello.
First of all, I want to say how welcoming this town has been to myself and my daughter, Iris. Secondly, I feel like we made the right decision moving here here just as the number of unexplainable phenomena has greatly increased!
Both Iris and I have a long history of exploring mysterious, otherworldly events. But in the past few months we have been overjoyed to experience your amazingly weird town—complete with its disappearing pets, French ghosts, and The Void. Even murder! For a ghost hunter like myself, let me say: jackpot!
But the main phantasmagoric phenomena drawing me to your strange burg is the ghostly appearances of the Ames Rifle factory, which burned down in 1866 on the same ground where the Question Mark Motel now stands. Many witnesses have claimed to see it appear and disappear across your town in the month of October, the same month of the fiery catastrophe. And it would appear that this mysterious spirit factory has once again appeared this year.
I am looking for credible witnesses willing to share their firsthand account as I search for clues to its appearance and reappearance and its connection to the death of 99 child workers. If you have a story to share, please contact me through my blog, Spirits of Ohio.
Thanks and please keep Question Mark weird!
Posted by Gavin Englebrecht on October 23, 2023
Historic house demolished–fascinating to behold but please stay clear!
A fascinating occurrence is underway in Question Mark this morning as Armillaria Quaestio, the large fungus that gives our woods its occasional purple glow, has emerged once again and is in the process of decomposing a home.
Yes, our thoughts go out to the historic Lindholm estate whose house is now being completely devoured by a particularly active arm of Armillaria Quaestio. From a scientific point of view, this once-in-a-millennium opportunity to study the decomposition cycle of such an incredible specimen is simply breathtaking. In response to many concerned emails, no, we do not know how or why this happened. And yes, it may happen to other buildings and residences around town!
We do not recommend traveling to view this surprising occurrence. However, determined onlookers should wear protective masks and goggles to avoid ingesting fungal spores, which may be highly dangerous.
Posted by George Yakamoto, Senior Researcher, Experimental Crop Station on October 25, 2023
Human remains found; investigation underway
As of 6:43 pm today, human remains have been discovered in a small cave in the Question Mark Woods three miles southwest of the Falls. The remains are of multiple individuals. Many multiple individuals. At this time, no positive identifications have been made regarding the identities of these many, many multiple individuals.
I understand it is the Halloween season, but thrill-seekers and kids should stay away. Unfortunately, this is not a hoax like the Bigfoot sighting around this time last year. This is a tragedy.
Also, in an effort not to alarm anyone, the medical examiner told me in private that he believes, based on the state of decomposition of the deceased, that the individuals may have been buried over a hundred and fifty years ago. So there’s that.
Anyway, stay away. Await further information. Do not jump to conclusions. The Void will maintain its regular operating hours despite police activity in the woods.
Posted by Gus Holt, Question Mark Chief of Police on October 28, 2023
Impromptu ceremony for victims of overlooked catastrophe
If you are a recent newcomer to town, like myself, you may not know the tragic history of the Ames Factory fire, which took place here in town in 1866. You may not know that ninety-nine child workers died in the fire and that their remains were hidden in a distant location in the woods. One could only surmise this was done to avoid scrutiny, allowing the Ames family opportunity to continue to prosper with their tannery operation.
Yesterday, Question Mark police discovered the remains of several individuals in a cave in the Question Mark woods. At the moment, evidence suggests the remains may belong to the missing children.
It is hard to imagine something like this happening in a town I have come to love, but it forces me to recognize that there is something about this place that prefers not to confront complex, uncomfortable moments in history.
Like the rest of Ohio, and perhaps the United States, Question Mark seems unwilling to engage the many ways our painful past continues to influence the present. In disregarding these historical difficulties, we allow similar tragedies to recur again and again. As we’ve seen in the case of the Ames Factory fire, other horrific fires have continued, most recently the Cellcon fire in 1998 and the wedding dress factory in 2022.
In order to acknowledge the past and shape a future together, we will be holding a brief memorial for the children who died in the Ames Factory fire this afternoon at 5pm. Mayor Zisk and Town Council member Tom Weathers will each make remarks. I dearly hope everyone will consider attending.
Posted by Holly Peterson, Third Grade Teacher on October 29, 2023
Read all our Town Announcements.
Community Notes
Hello, Question Mark parents and families,
Halloween is a time for fun and tricks. It’s also a time for vandalism, truancy, and other acts of degradation. Have you ever looked at what your children are wearing as costumes and wondered how it reflects on the moral and ethical standards of this fine community?
Let me be the first to say I love Halloween. I have worn the same Oliver Hardy costume for the past twenty-five years and it serves me well. But can you say the same about your teenager’s sexy witch or sexy superhero costume? I am afraid not.
As many of us know from history and television, witches are never sexy. They are green and have warts on their noses and like to feast on children. What about that is sexy? Also you can never be truly attractive when you are in league with the devil. This is just common sense and another example of the Hollywood elite trying to erode our values with their moral laxity in order to make money.
What I am suggesting this Halloween is a moratorium on sexy costumes. No sexy nurses, no sexy pirates, no sexy witches, no sexy anything. Let’s make Halloween great again by celebrating the day the way it was meant to: carving turnips and frightening off evil spirits, of which, I am afraid to say, in this town, there are plenty.
Also, on that point, I believe I speak for many when I say I do not believe ghosts of any kind should be eligible for work permits, regardless of their age. And, yes, I am willing to go on the record on that.
Please support Owen Brandt 2023!
—Owen Brandt, Question Mark H.S. Assistant Principal
Next Tuesday is Election Day
Eligible voters of Question Mark, just a quick reminder that next Tuesday is Election Day. While we mourn the loss of Tom Childs, our head of the Voting Committee, he did leave one final gift for all of us in the form of our new, revised voting system. This year there are two ways to vote:
1) By dropping a completed ballot off at dropboxes located at Question Mark High School or the Veteran's Hall.
2) By completing the ballot that you will recieve through this email list on Election Day.
Honestly, #2 is much easier for both our elections officials and you. Please encourage your fellow citizens to subscribe by Election Day.
Crime Reports
October 28
6:43 p.m. — East Avenue and 20th Street, human remains discovered. A 45-year-old Question Mark woman reported discovering human remains in the Question Mark woods near the Falls. Officer R. Dublowski at scene. Medical examiner dispatched. Investigation underway.
October 25
8:22 a.m. — Grant Avenue and Main Street, house demolished. Private property belonging to the Lindholm estate destroyed by underground fungus. Officers T. Holland and B. Lindholm reported to scene.
We are asking the people of Question Mark for any leads regarding the homicide of one Tom Childs on October 14.
Please continue to distribute missing persons fliers to help notify the public about the disappearance of Quentin Quinn.
Read all our Crime Reports.
Upcoming Events
October 31, 2023
Halloween Read-a-Thon Please join the QMPL staff for an all-ages reading of Bunnicula followed by Silence of the Lambs. 3pm
Question Mark Public Library
November 1, 2023
Indigenous People’s Month celebration. Please join the QMPL staff for a discussion of Louise Erdrich’s The Nightwatchman. 7pm
Question Mark Public Library
November 7, 2023
Election Day. Please drop off your ballots at our dropboxes or vote online via our Town Announcement newsletter. Be sure to sign up.
Question Mark High School and Veterans Hall
See all our Upcoming Events
Did You Know?
The first town celebration of Halloween in Question Mark was in 1923 with the arrival of several immigrant families from Ireland. Favorite pranks that year included unhinging fence posts and loosening cart wheels. Unfortunately, three people lost their lives.