By Donnelly Clare, City-Times Staff
Three years.

That’s how long sisters Lisa Bishop and Chris Scharrer have been after the property located at 2900 Post Road, known to history buffs as the Old Sherman House, known to others simply as The Cottage.
But it’s known to all for local legends of ghostly activity that has frightened past owners out.

“This was our first choice,” said Lisa Bishop, who recently purchased the property with her sister, Chris Scharrer. “It was like, three years of fighting for this place, but the time and the price just wasn’t right.”
The duo, who run the Stevens Point Paranormal Investigators (SPPI’s) , then looked to purchase The Castle, but that didn’t pan out, either.
“Finally, the price on this place went down, and we felt we could make a profit from it,” said Scharrer.
Once the sisters closed the sale on the property March 16th, their initial plans were to revamp the site as a bed and breakfast inn. The two, aided by their parents and other family members, rolled up their sleeves and prepared for the worst when they first entered the property.
“It wasn’t as bad as we thought,” said Scharrer, “but still pretty dusty.”
“Yeah, we’ve washed all the walls, ceilings, tables and chairs,” Bishop chimed in. “They left everything behind.”
She wasn’t exaggerating.
Sharrer and Bishop found paperwork, office equipment, dishes and dining furniture, linens and even employee name tags throughout the building.
“We have no clue why they left everything,” said Sharrer. “A couple of tables were actually set, too.”
Plans for a bed and breakfast had to be scrapped once the pair learned fire code improvements would be cost prohibitive, so they refocused their idea and finally settled on a coffee shop/ cafe style business plan, something they say is unique for that corridor of Post Road.
Bishop likens the plans to her own experiences traveling the country with SPPI’s, which have included popular paranormal investigation sites like Waverly Hills Sanitarium in Kentucky, and The Queen Mary in California.
“One of the fun things we do is find those out- of- the- way places to stop and eat,” said Bishop. “We eat and then sit there and yack for hours.”
The duo plan to offer a relaxed atmosphere with homemade dishes, including soup and salad dishes for business professionals on the go, and freshly made bakery items. The restaurant will use local ingredients whenever possible.
Beyond the cafe and bakery, the pair also plan to offer venue services to small weddings and other parties. They will also be using the ghostly folklore to their advantage, as well.
Having 25 years of paranormal investigation to their credit, the ladies plan to offer classes to others interested in ghost hunting as well, and may rent out the property during evening hours to groups looking to catch evidence of the paranormal on tape.
Both Scharrer and Bishop said they were impressed with the old heating grates and ornamental accents around the house, most of which was in excellent condition. They were still finding odd nooks, crannies and cabinets two weeks after first arriving.
There’s a door leading to a chimney chase in the middle of the upstairs hallway. Then a small bar in the back room, located inside a closet and served through a half- door.
Then, perhaps oddest of all was something called a “pillow cupboard” above the front entrance, and host to a treasure of history.
“Look,” Lisa said, from atop a foot ladder where she opened the cupboard doors. “It’s the signature of everyone who’s ever lived here,” she said.
The earliest name- that of Sherman- was dated in the 1800’s, and it was followed the Pierce Family name from the early 1900’s.
The sisters said they believe the only name missing is that of the previous owner, the Van Kleef Family, and the manner with which that family left the property is currently up for speculation- much like the that of each previous owner.
Scharrer said verifying the building’s history would be a priority once renovations are complete this summer, but she’s familiar with the stories.
Past owners of the property have claimed all manner of supernatural activity- from moving glassware and furniture to full- body apparitions. Most claim it stems from the ghost of the original owner, the patriarch of the Sherman Family, a strict religious man who didn’t allow alcohol in his home.
According to legend, when a bar was constructed inside the building, it happened to be built in the same spot where Mr. Sherman’s bedroom used to be. This supposedly angered his spirit, which is said to still roam the grounds.
Scharrer and Bishop said the stories enticed them into purchasing the property, and they’re prepared for window- peekers and other curious passersby. It’s in the very nature of their business, according to Bishop, to be prepared.
“We’ll have security cameras in here, so if anybody’s in here, we’ll know it,” she said.