My crew is always up for something that is off the beaten bath, a bit unusual, and perhaps even a bit quirky, so we all agreed that a ghost walk might offer something that each of us would enjoy. We have lived near Salisbury for many years, but we had never tried out the ghost walk, so our tour on May 28, 2022 was a new experience for us.
I had seen groups gathering for a walking tour in Salisbury several times over the years and eventually read about the Downtown Salisbury Ghost Walk at their official web site. We could either make reservations or walk up and hope for empty spots. Since this was a spur of the moment decision, we decided to wing it and hope for the best. We were in luck! Even with our group of five, the tour group totaled less than 20 people. I recommend that you make a reservation if you are traveling to this event from out of town or if everyone has their heart set on a particular date because numbers in the group are limited due to COVID. Some tours may be full, particularly in October and near a full moon, but the web site looks pretty easy to navigate for reservations.
The web site recommends packing flashlights, but John Tucker, our guide was well prepared with flashlights for anyone who did not bring one. Although you might consider using a flashlight on a smart phone, it will likely be easier to use a separate flashlight if you are trying to get photos and videos with your phone during the tour. Warmer weather beckons mosquitoes to the Tarheel State like a porch light attracts moths, so be prepared with bug spray if you go on any outdoor adventure in NC in warmer months. We have been blessed with some unseasonably cooler nights lately and the mosquitoes were not an issue when we did the tour in late May. Be prepared with gear appropriate for any weather conditions since this tour goes rain or shine except for perhaps a rain delay or the possibility of a cancelled tour due to lightening.
The weather was perfect for our tour. The evening temperatures were ideal for jeans and a short sleeved shirt. About 15-20 minutes prior to our scheduled tour, people in our group began to join John on the white marble steps of a county office building nestled at the corner of Innes and Church Streets. Similar to Spencer's famous storyteller Jackie Torrence, John told stories to many children when he worked for the public library years ago. The starting point of the tour is actually in sight of Rowan Public Library and also in sight of the original location of Fame, a confederate statue that stood in the middle of the intersection for 111 years. Before the tour was even scheduled to start, John was already sharing tidbits of information about several ghost sightings while also sharing research related to the architecture and history surrounding us.
Amidst a city boasting several buildings predating the Civil War and a large overcrowded Civil War prison just a few blocks away from the main square, it is no wonder that ghost tales abound in the area. One person in our tour mentioned that he was going on his sixth tour and said he learns something new and different each time. Another group brought a contraption that I think was supposed to pick up ghost-like activity. John offered a few people in the group some devices that had green lights that turn red if they pick up paranormal activity. Ours turned red numerous times when we tried it out. Hmmm....could it be for real?
Did we see or interact with ghosts? The jury might still be out on that one. One of my daughters tried sitting on a rope swing that was featured on the tour. She said it was moving on its own, which could indicate interaction with a ghost. Did she want to have the experience so badly that she unknowingly moved the swing with slight movements of her own body or did a spirit give her a few pushes? The photo above, taken by John, shows two orbs above her. Are these orbs actually spirits captured by the camera or are they accompanied by some sort of scientific explanation like reflections of other light sources? I'll let you be the judge on these questions!
John offered various additional evidence of ghosts, including pictures on film, photos and videos on his phone, and recordings of what might have been voices of ghosts answering questions. The web site has examples of several photos, but the tour offers quite a few additional pieces of evidence. As we walked around, we were invited to peer in certain windows and several lucky people had a few moments to sit on a swing to see if a ghost would push them. We walked into a studio at one point, but that opportunity is not guaranteed. Pictures and videos are encouraged throughout the tour. Several pictures that were taken during our tour had orbs in them. John mentioned that the spirits often become much more active the week before a full moon. Who knew?
Even if you are not particularly interested in ghost sightings, if you are a history buff or would like for your kid(s) to learn some memorable information about the history of downtown Salisbury, this tour is likely to be a hit with your group. My daughter who is finishing the eighth grade lit up as she heard about famous battles and people who were featured in her social studies class. Tidbits that I particularly remember from out tour include a famous pre-Civil War era African American barber, a Lindbergh flyover, an elevator tragedy, card game clues, secrets under some of Salisbury's shops, famous postcards, the significance of the train depot, soldiers being buried alive, a haunted hotel and theater, Salisbury's ties to a former President of the United States, a lookout, a love triangle, a ghost cat, the bell tower, and a family cemetery in a basement that also offers a final resting place for a young student from an all-girls school. Yes, I'm being vague, but I wouldn't want to ruin the plethora of information that you'll glean from this tour. John certainly put a significant number of hours into researching his topics and also shared his personal experience of participating in the quest to find hauntings in quite a few buildings. He also mentioned that PBS was doing a special on the topic that will air soon.
The ghost walk web site mentioned to expect the tour to last about an hour, but our tour lasted about two hours - and nobody in our group seemed bored. No, you won't be walking for the entire time. The tour encompasses a total of about six blocks. John would stop often and offer interesting details of stories while mentioning names and details of various people whose spirits might still be near. We looked at some images of these people from the past and then compared them with photos that were said to be their ghosts. Our group actively asked questions and the weather was gorgeous, so I'm sure that contributed to our longer tour length.
Two of my kids are teenagers while one has surpassed the two decade mark, so it's challenging to find something to appeal to everyone. This was one of those rare activities that appealed to my whole group! I appreciate the obvious effort that went into researching the history and people of the area. John has been offering these tours since 2010, so he is well-prepared with a variety of stories and interesting opportunities and also knows about other ghost tales in other parts of the Piedmont. John carried a microphone, which was very helpful since we were walking along some busy streets. If you have small children who are frightened easily, you might want to consider how they might react if they hear about ghosts and such, but the atmosphere of this tour was one of learning and being inquisitive rather than attempting to surprise or scare people. "Family friendly" tours are also available that leave out information about drinking and such with a sole emphasis on history and haunted tales. I would suggest calling or emailing John if you wish to customize the experience.
Visit the official Downtown Salisbury Ghost Tour web site where you can see some pictures of the ghosts featured on the tour, find helpful tips about preparing for the tour, make reservations, find the address for starting the tour, and more. If you have a larger group, private tours can be arranged outside of the listed days.
Thanks so much for visiting my Travel with Kids blog! Feel free to check out other articles through my site map, topic area, or try typing in specific information in my search bar. Here are a few additional articles featuring additional activities nearby:
- NC Museum of Dolls, Toys, and Miniatures in Spencer NC Boasts and Amazing Variety
- Dunn's Mountain Park in Salisbury, NC - Beautiful View!
- Looking for Fun and Free Family Activities This Summer? Check Out Your Local Library
