Coolest Halloween Plans Ever: After Hours at Famed Civil War Destinations

Photo credit: Heart of the Civil War Heritage Area

Halloween is just around the corner so we have the lowdown on the best historical haunts. Check out these spooky Civil War spots in the dark – and keep an eye out for ghostly specters of the past.

• The Spirits of the Furnace is a night guided walking tour through the Catoctin Iron Furnace and Village. With stops through historic structures and along the landscape, you’ll meet the furnace owners as well as free and enslaved workers on your journey and hear their haunting tales. Refreshments will be served on this kid-friendly tour. Bring a flashlight and wear your walking shoes! This tour runs from 7 – 9 p.m. on October 22 with five guided tours of 15 guests beginning every 30 minutes. Pre-registration is required.
• Don’t miss your chance to tour the troubled past of Frederick! The Murder & Mayhem Walking Tours of Historic Frederick will lead visitors through scary and scandalous moments of the city’s history. Guided tours begin on the steps of the Museum of Frederick County History and wind through the district. Tour ticket holders will also receive a voucher for a free tour and tasting at the Tenth Ward Distilling Company. Tours will be available on select weekend evenings throughout October. To reserve tickets, call 301-663-1188.
• For a frighteningly fun time, check out the Ghost Tours at the Miller House Museum. The candlelit tours will reveal the paranormal past and surprising secrets of one of Hagertown’s most historic houses. Tours are limited to 15 guests and start on the hour on October 22 from 7 – 9 p.m.
• Take a spirited guided walking tour of Westminster with a Ghost Walk in Carroll County. Examining ghosts and goblins along with breathtaking architecture, the 1.5 mile tours are led by the staff of the Westminster branch of the Carroll County Public Library and last approximately one hour. (Tip: dusk tours are the spookiest!) Guided tours available through October. Self-guided tours available all year.
• Check out the haunted Hager House in Hagerstown on a ghost tour. Explore the home of French and Indian War veteran and Hagerstown founder Jonathan Hager, where he lived with his wife until his death in 1775 – and listen carefully for the ghoulish cries of the “Father of Washington County.” Tours available on October 21 and 22 from 7-10 p.m.
• Learn the gloomy and gruesome tales of the American Civil War at Behind the Screams at the National Museum of Civil War Medicine. Take the after hours tour within the darkened galleries of the museum while presenters regale you with their dark tales. The tour takes place Friday, October 28 from 6-10 p.m.
• Join the staff of the National Museum of Civil War Medicine on All Hallows’ Eve with a ghost tour in the most haunted building in Frederick. This Halloween night tour will focus on the history of the Carty Building and its ghostly occurrences that have been recorded over the years. Tour begins at 7 p.m. on Monday, October 31.

To get a haunting history lesson this Halloween, visit http://www.heartofthecivilwar.org/after-dark for more information and event details.