Looking for a real scare this Halloween? Not the latex and fake gore kind of scare, but real fright that chills your spine. Take a break from the haunted house this year and visit downtown Wilmington for The Ghost Walk of Old Wilmington, named one of the Top 5 Ghost Walks in America by USA Today and one of the Top 10 Overall Tours in America by Tripadvisor.
I went on an 8:30pm tour led by Anthony Lawson, one of the many talented tour guides employed by The Ghost Walk. Anthony has lived in places such as Kansas and the Philippines, but Wilmington has a special appeal for him.
“Wilmington is one of the most haunted places in the world,” says Anthony. “There is so much history here, and Wilmington is just full of stories and old ghosts.”
The Ghost Walk of Old Wilmington is a 90-minute walking tour that covers five locations per tour. A popular site is Gallow’s Hill, the most active haunted site in Wilmington. The town gallows were located here back in the day, and any unclaimed bodies were buried in a mass grave on the property. This place is the source of many stories and strange occurrences, and gives people the chills to this day.
The Ghost Walk will give you goose bumps, but it will also educate you about the history of Wilmington. They’ve dedicated 34 years to researching the ghosts of Wilmington, and continue to add to that research.
Visitors are encouraged to bring their cameras and take lots of photos, as it is not uncommon for ghosts to make an appearance during the tour! So change things up this Halloween and head to downtown for real history and some great ghost tales. Visit the Facebook page and the website for tickets and times, and while you’re there look at some of the haunted photos taken by previous walkers!
The Ghost Walk of Old Wilmington
www.hauntedwilmington.com
www.facebook.com/GhostWalkILM
(910) 794-1866
8 Market Street
Wilmington, NC 28401
By Luke Edwards, WDI Intern
