Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Ghost Tour

The city of Liberty hosted its first (of many I hope) ghost tour as a fundraiser for the rebuilding of a local theater. Fuchsia and I were on the inaugural run earlier this evening.


For those of us who were smart (or lazy, depending on how you look at it) this horse drawn 'people mover' was our method of transportation. For the rest of the group, it was their feet.



Our tour guide also walked alongside the carriage. He had the only light of the group, a kerosene lantern.


Our first stop was actually just a pass by. The oldest house in Liberty. 20" thick walls. No mention of ghosts there.


Our next stop was in front of a home that has been on the television show Ghost Hunters. Twice. The homeowners told us about various events they had witnessed. Doors that opened and closed, footsteps on the stairs, etc. However, the people were determined that they were not going to leave their house just because of a little ghost action so they settled for semi-peaceful coexistence.

(Our guide in front of the house)


We left the side street the house was on and headed out into the main street. On a horse drawn wagon. With no lights, reflectors, or slow moving triangle signs. Fuchsia and I were in the very back and noticed a car that was headed toward at a fairly good clip. He obviously didn't see us. He got close enough that I jumped up and headed forward while Fuchsia was headed for hopping off the side. I think our movement is what made the driver finally spot us because he locked up his brakes. At that point one of the walkers summoned the police car that was supposed to be directly behind us. He stayed with us for the rest of the time we were on the streets.

We headed to the mayor's home and heard about the presence that resides there. On to the Liberty Elementary basement where we heard about how the locals had poisoned a woman who moved here from outside the area and now she haunted the school (boy that scared the little girl who was on the tour!). Then the house next to the library where another 'outsider' moved in and disappeared a few years later (are you sensing a theme here? Or am I, a transplant, just being paranoid?).

From there to the old Casey County Bank/Masonic Hall. On the way to it, the man sitting next to me told us a story about how he had been working there late one night when he heard someone walking up the stairs. When he looked, no one was present.

At the bank, another person who had worked there in the past had the same story. Both men said their reaction was to grab their stuff and go home. Sounded like a smart move to me.

Over to the old courthouse for another ghost story (if you want to hear them all, you will have to take the tour!). From the courthouse, we went to a cemetery that I had never seen before. We were greeted by a wonderful 'Doctor' and his wife who asked us to stay with them but the tour guide insisted we had to leave.



Off to the island where all the haints hung out. Those of us who had spent the extra $5.00 to ride appreciated our choice at that point. The walkers followed us around a half mile loop. In the dark with only a few cell phones for light (thank heavens for modern technology). We passed a boat on the river (the moaning oarsmen kept begging us to join them), some will o' wisps, and a few floating ghosts.

We left the island to go back to the starting spot. There was a group larger than ours waiting for the 9 PM tour. We had been gone 1 3/4 hours.

Other than our near death experience, it was a really good time. Some scary stories, good actors, and quite a few laughs (okay, hearing the walkers scream when someone jumped out at them was humorous!). Plus, where else could you take an almost 2 hour carriage ride for $10 each?

I hope Liberty continues to offer such wonderful activities. What a fun town we have!

4 comments:

betty-NZ said...

Oh, what an awesomely fun thing to do!! I'm sure that little girl will never view school the same again!

Anne said...

I think everyone who made the Ghost Rides happen deserve a big applause. Next year I'm going for sure!

Nick Ballesteros said...

My hometown also has its share of ghosts. I wonder why nobody there has thought up yet of making a haunted tour!

Misfit in Paradise said...

Thank you all for your comments.
That girl will probably never want to go to school again.
I agree that the people with the Ghost Tour deserve applause (our group did when we got off the ride).
And Watson, it was a sold out (4 days, 2 tours each day) fundraiser. I think everyone was looking for just a bit of harmless fun. So tell them to go for it!