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Autumn leaves swirl around your feet as you shuffle along the cemetery path. The rustle beneath you creates an eerie music— a gentle reminder that perhaps late October is not the best time of the year to be walking through a cemetery at night….

Suddenly, there looms in the moonlight a ghostly figure in an old grey uniform. He is carrying a canteen and a rusty old rifle.

What does he want? To haunt you? Possess you? Drive you mad?

Well, no. This particular ghost only hopes to tell you a few tales of what Salem was like in his day…

On October 23 and 26, Salem will again be alive with the spirits and stories of the past. The 13th annual Salem Museum Ghost Walk through the historic East Hill Cemeteries resurrects actual Salemites of the past buried in the two cemeteries, portrayed by costumed re-enactors, telling their tales of the town in days gone by.

“We have found no more effective way to teach folks about local history than the Ghost Walk,” said Museum Director John Long. “Think about it– if the people in a cemetery could rise up and tell us about their lives, how much could we learn? Our Ghost Walk gives us the chance to talk to our forebears, in a sense.”

“This is our thirteenth Ghost Walk this year– lucky number 13!”

And the folks at the Salem Historical Society are especially eager to welcome Ghost Walk visitors this year, with the newly expanded Salem Museum finally open. Before and after the tours visitors will have the chance to see the new museum and the fascinating exhibits on local history.

“We’re going to use our historic house for staging this year,” noted Long proudly. “Our first ghosts will be in the house, enjoying a reunion of Confederate soldiers. We’ve never had the room to haunt our own house before.”

Among the other characters who will “haunt” in the Ghost Walk are Knox Martin, Virginia’s Aviation Pioneer, gravedigger Richard Gholston, and Clementine Chapman, who will tell a bit of a tall tale about how her family lost their fabled Lake Spring Hotel. Revolutionary War hero Gen. Andrew Lewis will make his annual appearance, not far from Dr. George Terrill, who lost three brothers in the Civil War. “All the characters portrayed were actual people, and the stories they tell are true. All are buried in the East Hill Cemeteries,” added Long.

“What makes the Ghost Walk enjoyable is the quality of the acting,” added Assistant Museum Director Helen Johnson. “All of the actors are volunteers, and several are teachers by profession. I think that testifies to the educational value of the Ghost Walk. Folks learn history and have fun doing it.”

Ghost walkers will gather at the appointed hour behind the museum, and proceed from there down Main Street and cross into East Hill Cemetery. The tours run approximately every fifteen minutes from 6:30 to 9:00, and take about an hour. To keep the size of the groups to a reasonable level, reservations are strongly suggested. A suggested donation of $6 per person is requested for the event.

In the event of rain, the Ghost Walk will be held indoors at the Salem Museum, utilizing the exhibit galleries. Call the museum at 389-6760 for more information and to make reservations.

The Ghost Walk involves a trek of some distance, part of it uphill. It may not be suitable for those who have trouble walking, and all should wear comfortable shoes. While not a scary event, it may not be suitable for very young children.

The Salem Museum, located in the historic Williams-Brown House of Longwood Park, is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 am to 4 pm, and Saturday from noon to 5 pm. No admission is charged for the museum galleries.

Submitted by the Salem Museum

Have you seen So Salem’s official guide to the newly renovated Salem Museum? Click here to go to the website.