Halloween is right around the corner, and among the fall festivities popping up on the calendar are some thrilling ghost tours in a town near you. These events may not only send chills up your spine, but you may even learn something about historic places and neighborhoods along the way.

Elizabeth City

Episcopal Cemetery, Elizabeth City (courtesy ECHNA)

Each stop on the tour has an outside docent and an interior docent, educating the tourists on a particular architectural feature of the house. Visitors enjoy being able to view the inside of these historic homes in addition to hearing some spooky stories.

There are skits at each stop, depicting the ghost story associated with that location. One of the most popular stories is about Nell Cropsey, who was murdered in Elizabeth City in 1901-author Bland Simpson relates her tale in The Tale of the Beautiful Nell Cropsey (UNC Press, 1993).

Jean Baker, chairperson of the Ghost Walk for 11 years, explains the advantages of reaching out to the community through this outlet, "People always comment on how surprised they are that we have so many beautiful homes in Elizabeth City which of course they never really notice until they get ‘up close' by going inside. The event is also a wonderful ‘get-together' spot, from the comments we hear of people waiting in line, saying they haven't seen someone since the last Ghost Walk."

The annual tour rarely repeats a site and never repeats a script, so it's an original experience every time. 

The Elizabeth City Historic Ghost Walk takes place October 1-3. Tickets are $12 per person ($10 with Military I.D.) For more information, visit www.historicghostwalk.org

Greensboro

Storyteller and Guests at Blandwood (courtesy Preservation Greensboro)

Although there is no direct integration of historic architecture in this particular event, Brown does include legends and folktales of North Carolina. Poteat explains how events such as this help the site's mission: "I think any and every opportunity we at Blandwood have to offer special programs to the public reinforces the role that we play in the overall fabric of Greensboro's community. It moves us beyond the image of a stuffy, ‘you can't touch anything' house museum and integrates the importance of historic buildings and the role they can play into the community's collective mindset."

Blandwood will also be hosting a first time tour on Halloween this year, where one can take advantage of the rare opportunity to be John Motley Morehead's Italianate mansion at night. That alone can send chills up your spine. . .

Blandwood's Ghost Story Telling takes place on October 17 and 24 at 7:00 p.m.; admission is $2 per person. The special Halloween tour is October 31 at 10:00 p.m.; tickets are $25 per person. For more information, visit www.blandwood.org/events.html

Wilmington

Price House, Wilmington, site of Gallows Hill (courtesy Old Wilmington Tours)

One example is Old Wilmington Ghost Tours, which operates year-round in the historic Port City. These tours began in 1999 and a pub-crawl-style ghost tour was added in 2002. This, of course is a more adult-oriented, whereas the original ghost tours are open to families and school groups. Although this type of tour is different from a historic one, stories do rely on accurate dates, names, events, and occasionally information about historic architecture.

One of the most popular stories featured is about so-called Gallows Hill, at the site of the 1860 William J. Price House. According to tour leader John Hirchak, "Bones were found buried around the house and the family [two generations] had many strange experiences. They continue to have strange things happen there. During the tour we have had hundreds, if not thousands of guests experience strange things, like cameras failing to work, strange odors, strange lights, cold pockets, physical illness, seeing faces in windows, or feeling fingers running through their hair."

Along with this thrilling experience, visitors can really see the enthusiasm among the tour guides. John explains, "They have a passion for what they do and this, combined with interesting stories and history or the backdrop of Wilmington is what makes our tour successful."

Tours take place twice nightly at 6:30 and 8:30 through Halloween. Learn more at www.wilmingtonwalkingtours.com

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And no matter where you go this Halloween season, remember that without genuine, intact historic places, our history loses much of its power to frighten, inspire or enlighten. Now that's a scary thought!

Allisyn Miller, a graduate student concentrating in Historic Preservation at UNCG's Interior Architecture Department, is a Fellowship Assistant with Preservation NC.