Haunted Asheville

Asheville, North Carolina:  With a city as steep in history as Asheville, it would only make sense for there to be a rich paranormal history as well.  This historic town nestled in the mountains is home to many ghost stories and we decided to learn a little more about them by taking the Classic Walking Tour by Haunted Asheville. We have gone on ghost tours in some of the most haunted cities in the country and were really looking forward to hearing what haunts lie in wait in Asheville.

We met our guide Tadd and the rest of the group in the alley behind the Masonic Temple.  This is where our ghostly adventure would begin. From there, we hit the streets of Asheville to listen to tales of hauntings in this great city.

Tadd gave us a brief overview of the city and a history of how it became one of the more haunted cities in America before taking us to our first stop, Pack Square and the Jackson Building.  The Jackson Building is one of the first skyscrapers in the area and during the stock market crash, home to many investors meeting an untimely death. 
Next we headed over to the site of one of the bloodiest days in Asheville history.  In 1906, Will Harris went on a killing spree on what is now known as Hell’s Half Acre.  He killed several people launching the biggest manhunt in western North Carolina.  Today the ghosts of those killed still haunt Hell’s Half Acre.

The next major stop on the tour was Church Street where we listened to stories of the Nun that haunts the Methodist Church as well as other ghostly occurrences tied into the area.

The last ghost story stop was at the Battery Park Hotel.  This was one that was pretty interesting for us in terms of experiences or evidence.  For those of you who follow the site you will know we usually take a ghost tour in each city we visit.  Our family is a 50/50 mix, my wife is a firm believer in the paranormal and I am a bit of a skeptic and try to debunk what we see.  For me it’s more about the stories than the encounter.  But at the Battery Park Hotel, we had one of those things you can’t explain.

While Tadd was telling the story about the brutal murder and how the second floor window can at times glow red, my wife noticed a figure standing in the window.  When we drew Tadd’s attention to the window, the figure had disappeared, but not before I was able to get a photograph of it.  While it was low lighting and grainy, you can certainly see a figure there.  Then while comparing it to other photos of the building taken early in the stop, there is nothing in that window.  Could it have been a ghost or was it just a coincidence, we may never know.

The final stop of the tour was the basement of the Masonic Lodge where they house their Mystery Museum.  Here you will find evidence of some of their investigations and other mysterious items.  A great way to cap off a nice haunted stroll.

I purposely did not go into complete detail on everything we did, saw or heard.  I was simply trying to paint the picture and hopefully inspire you to take a tour with Haunted Asheville on your next trip to Asheville.  They do a great job of making the haunted history come alive and it was an enjoyable trip appropriate for the entire family.  

The Haunted Asheville tours are based upon the writings and research of Josh Warren.  Josh has appeared on numerous television shows that spotlight paranormal investigations.  At the end of the tour, several of his books were available for sale.  I forgot my wallet in the hotel room, but I will be ordering a copy of his Haunted Asheville book on Amazon to read more about the ghosts that reside in the city.

Haunted Asheville and the Mystery Museum are  housed at the Asheville Masonic Lodge at 80 Broadway Street.  The Classic Walking Tour is offered on select nights and it is $20 for adults, $15 for kids 9-14 with 8 and under free.  In addition to the Classic Walking Tour, Haunted Asheville also offers a Biltmore Village Mystery Tour and a Supernatural Tour.  To learn more about their offerings, visit their website at www.hauntedasheville.com.

Click on the photos above to view more photos from our visit to Haunted Asheville.


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