WASHINGTON — On a brisk October evening, a group of daring visitors assembled beneath the glow of the season’s first full moon in the center of the nation’s capital.

This cluster of tourists from the Midwest awaited the arrival of Anna Surratt, whose mother was executed for her role in President Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Although Surratt has long since passed, she appeared in the shadows wearing a flowing cape and holding a lantern to illuminate the haunted spots around Capitol Hill.

Portrayed by actress Victoria Sova, Surratt shared chilling stories of tragic events at some of the nation’s most famous historical sites.

Taking a ghost tour in the capital city offers a unique experience that enhances the traditional Halloween thrill. Among the spirits said to still roam in Washington D.C. is Lincoln himself, who has been seen walking the hallways of the White House, along with his young son Willie, who tragically died there in 1862 from typhoid fever. In the US Capitol, after casting a fateful vote against a resolution, John Quincy Adams’s ghost is known to shout “No!” late at night, while a spectral cat, whimsically named Demon Cat, is reported to scare visitors in the basement.

Guides like Sova, who lead ghost tours in Washington and beyond, emphasize that these eerie excursions not only provide spine-chilling fun during Halloween but also serve to educate participants about local history and increase awareness of lesser-known historic sites. While these guides can’t promise that everyone will encounter a ghost – though many claim they do – they aim to offer a captivating evening for both skeptics and believers.

Death is a certainty for all, and Sova humorously cautioned her group in Washington that they might meet a grim fate like those who linger at the locations on the tour.

“Whoever dies on the hill, stays on the hill,” she warned solemnly.

The Growth of Ghost Tours: America’s Haunted Hobby

Paranormal tourism reflects America’s deep-seated intrigue with all things eerie, according to Rachael Ironside, an associate professor at Robert Gordon University specializing in dark tourism. She noted that this phenomenon has roots tracing back to the 19th century’s spiritualism movement, where many Americans became captivated by séances and the mystique of mediums, leading to the establishment of early paranormal research hubs.

In the early 2000s, Ironside observed that reality shows focused on haunted explorations, like “Ghost Hunters,” played a crucial role in popularizing ghost tours. Frankie Harris mentioned that it was around this period that he and his wife Kim launched their ghost tour business, Amerighost Tours, in Nashville.

At that time, Harris recalled, ghost tours were still very unfamiliar to the public, to the extent that a police officer once questioned him about why he was telling ghost stories outside a church late at night. Over the past twenty years, these tours have expanded to cities like Louisville, Kentucky, and Washington, D.C., fostering a passionate community of enthusiasts.

“Ghost tours often evolve into a hobby for participants. Many will seek out ghost tours in every new city they visit,” he stated.

During Harris’s tours, participants are accompanied by actors who Guided by a Victorian-themed presentation, people venture to haunted locales in Nashville, including the Ryman Auditorium, famously known as the former venue for the Grand Ole Opry and rumored haunt of music icon Hank Williams Sr. Meanwhile, in Louisville, tales of spirits like The Lady in Blue at the historic Seelbach Hotel—once a haunt for F. Scott Fitzgerald and Al Capone—entertain visitors.

“Ghost stories are cleverly disguised history lessons, in a sense,” he remarked.

Ghost tours compete fiercely for tourist interest

The paranormal tourism sector is a lucrative multi-million dollar industry in various cities, allowing historically significant locations like derelict hospitals, schools, and prisons to transform their image, purportedly to preserve their structures or to gain vital financial support and renovations, based on a 2020 study in Cornell Hospitality Quarterly.

When Mike Vitka began with Spellbound Tours in 2000, he noted there was merely one contender in Salem, Massachusetts. Now, he estimates the number of tour operators has surged to over 80 in the city, attracting more than one million visitors annually.

“It’s incredibly busy now,” Vitka stated. “Salem has evolved from a fleeting day trip—essentially an afterthought during a Boston visit—to a destination that people from across the globe plan entire vacations around.”

Vitka leads tours that explore the narrative of the witch trials, highlighting the 200 women accused of witchcraft, with 20 ultimately executed, as well as the city’s “active vampire scene,” notorious figures like the Boston Strangler, who was known to visit Salem, and “chilling true ghost stories,” many of which he claims are based on firsthand experiences.

The competition is intense. Several tour guides, including Vitka and Harris, told YSL News that they face competition from national franchises entering their territory and even stealing stories from local tours.

“Our strategy is simply to ignore that and focus on our customers,” Harris explained. “But if you speak with people nationwide, you’ll hear of various disputes and even lawsuits.”

Navigating complex histories in ghost tours

The guides interviewed by YSL News emphasized that their tours are well-researched, yet Ironside pointed out that the reliability of ghost tours can greatly differ, and over time, accounts of actual crimes or tragedies may become sensationalized for entertainment purposes.

“This can be an engaging way to attract interest in the history of a location, especially from those who might not typically show interest in that subject,” she noted. “However, ethical considerations do arise.”

For instance, ghost tours on plantations in the South can sometimes transform the grim truths of slavery into intriguing stories, according to Tiya Miles, the author of Tales from the Haunted South: Dark Tourism and Memories of Slavery from the Civil War Era. However, Miles mentions that when tales are approached sensitively, they can shed light on the hardships faced by marginalized individuals during their lives, including people of color, women, and those with disabilities.

“Ghost stories possess a unique ability to highlight these experiences that might not be conveyed through other artistic expressions,” she commented.

Vitka observed that some locals in Salem may be reluctant to fully acknowledge the city’s history, either due to frustration with the high volumes of tourists or a desire to distance themselves from its violent background. Nevertheless, he argues that “the optimal way to address the witch trials is to acknowledge their historical significance so that we can learn from the past and ensure such tragedies do not occur again.”

What motivates people to take ghost tours?

Unlike a haunted house or a horror film, ghost tours don’t aim to elicit shock reactions or scares. Thus, the tours attract various crowds, including those intrigued by the supernatural, history enthusiasts, true crime buffs, families, and even skeptics, according to Ironside.

For some, these tours can even hold spiritual significance. Lopaka Kapanui shared that his fascination with ghost tours started in the late 1990s and resonated with teachings on Hawaiian culture and spirituality that his mother imparted to him during his childhood.

Kapanui currently manages the Mysteries of Hawaii tour with his wife, sharing narratives about Hawaii’s evolution from a kingdom to a state, enriched by its diverse spiritual heritages. He concludes each tour with a blessing, asking spirits for guidance to ensure that everyone returns home safely.

“This is the part I treasure most because as I offer the prayer in Hawaiian, I see family and friends huddling together, embracing one another, and holding hands,” he expressed. “That truly warms my heart.”

Will I encounter a ghost during a ghost tour?

Numerous ghost tour operators began their ventures after having their own paranormal encounters; however, the likelihood of spotting a ghost during a tour varies based on whom you consult. Kapanui mentions that he occasionally sees a spirit of a deceased relative.

“It doesn’t happen all the time, but it does occur… previously, these spirits have essentially taken control of the entire experience until I intervene,” he explained.

A 2023 IPSOS survey indicated that 39% of survey participants believe in ghosts, while around 25% claimed to have encountered or been around a ghost. Ultimately, Ironside suggested that it might not be crucial whether a ghost actually shows up during a tour or even if they exist at all. She believes the real draw for people coming back repeatedly is the possibility of witnessing something beyond explanation.

At the U.S. Capitol, there’s a section of marble steps that is strangely slick, leading Sova to mention that this oddity has resulted in several journalists slipping and sustaining injuries – a form of retribution for the murder of Rep. William P. Taulbee, stemming from his long-standing rivalry with journalist Charles Kincaid that turned lethal in 1890.

The conflict escalated due to Kincaid’s sensational report exposing Taulbee’s extramarital affair, which ultimately led to the reporter shooting Taulbee, who then succumbed to his injuries on those very steps. The blood stains are reportedly still visible today.

“With so many violent and bloody incidents, including duels, wars, and battles, it makes one ponder,” Sova stated. “How much of this marble city is simply soaked in blood?”