Sunday, July 26, 2009

Paranormal St. Charles

I love Ghost Tours. I've been to one in Nashville and to one amazing tour of New Orleans a few years ago when Shalyn and I went for vacation. So, when Elena and I were discussing possible Paris activies, I suggested that we find out if there is a Ghost Tour of Paris (there is). It was expensive though and seemed to be more of a pub crawl so we passed on that tour. Elena, however, remembered that discussion and recently sent out an invitation for a Ghost Tour of St. Charles. My sisters, Caroline and Leanne, our friends Leah and Lesley and I all joined Elena in the historic district of St. Charles for dinner and chills.

We ate at the "Old Mother in Law" restaraunt and enjoyed their complimentary blueberry muffins. Once our waiter found out we were attending the evening Ghost Tour, he regaled our table with ghost stories about the old restaraunt. Apparently, a boy closely resembling a Little Lord Fauntleroy who enjoys haunting the restaraunt because there is "always something going on".


We met up with our tour guide, Michael , in front of the City Hall on Main Street at 9:30 pm.

Our guide was quite the character. He is a long time resident of the area and has spent some time researching the area surrounding Main street. He has a Ph.D. in communicatons and has a side gig as a magician - so I would take many of his claims with a grain of salt.

Above, is a concerstone of a building contructed by the "Oddfellows". Supposedly, every building contructed by this organization that has been torn down has contained a body in the building.

Above is the only "orb" I was able to capture on the tour. This was the site of the St. Charles gallows...creeeeeeeepy....not really.

Caroline and I enjoy watching Paranormal State on A&E - so she was excited to carry around an EMF detector.

We, of course, never actually saw anything, nor did we expect to. The element that makes for a good ghost tour, then, is the storytelling ability of your tour guide. Our guide, I think, was more concerned about coming off as credible, than providing some good stories. So, while we had a good time I would recommend trying out some other tours in the area - like Alton, Illinois or Lemp Mansion - both of which we will be trying in the coming months. Regardless, it was a fun Saturday night!

7 comments:

Shay said...

At least I know if I don't get tenure there's always the ghost-tour circuit. Nice "orb" btw.

OH MY GOSH! the word verification characters I have to enter to post this spell "MURDER" !!!

lucylucia said...

Yes, Shalyn - you could end your Ghost Tours with "I was walking in the park one daaaaay. In the very merry month of Maaaaaay..."

Also, your word verification joke is hilarious!

Shay said...

Thanks lu! To all of you who thought (like Lucy) that the word verification actually spelled out "MURDER," I assure you it did *not.* It spelled "RED RUM," so sleep easy!

See that? That's what they call a "meta-joke"--take that Apatow!

TBM said...

Ok, that SOUNDS like fun, but if I ever saw something... I probably wouldn't be able to sleep for days. My tour of Hampton Court creeped me out and it wasn't even a ghost tour (though they have those too).

LauraBlab said...

I have always wanted to go on a Ghost Tour! I have a weird fascination with paranormal shows and books, but I do not want to see anything in person (unless a bunch of people are around). So, now there are 2 things on my list of things I want to do when I visit you in St. Louis.

lucylucia said...

JAPRA - I think I would probably freak out a little bit if I ever something too! Too bad the Hauge is even farther away from Scotland. My firend Shalyn when on a ghost tour of their version of the catacombs in Edinburgh and she really did see a ghost! It was terrifying! All these places just have so much history (like Hampton court) I'd be surprised if there weren't any ghosts!

Laura - Oh I we will TOTALLY go on a ghost tour. Alton, Illinois is one of the most haunted places in the country!!

jaxmom said...

That sounds like fun! I love the photo of Caroline holding the EMF detector ;)