Silas Buryman stood on the red brick sidewalk in the pelting October rain. He had been through some cold nights on the job, but a night like this was rather unusual this early in the fall- even in Boston. An annoying mixture of sleet and bitterly cold freezing rain nicked his face. Yet, he wore no oilskin jacket, nor a boat cloak, not even his tarred canvas hat to keep him dry. A local passed by and made a comment about donning a jacket and staying warm. But, Silas said he didn’t need it- his love for his crew and his zeal for his job kept him quite warm. Now, I know what you would say. Were it from any other man you would cry out, “Oh what pitiful stuff,” and dismiss it as mere enthusiasm. But there, on the coldest of nights, Silas felt his heart glow.

He stood there, not caring that he was drenched, shivering, and probably coming down with pneumonia- again. He knew that he had only one fleeting moment more before he had to jump back into the fray. But that could wait. He was determined to soak in this moment, and never forget it. Before him were hundreds of people. Most were guests clamoring for a seat aboard one of his trolleys departing that night. For their business and their patronage, he would be forever grateful. And he hoped that all, in turn, would have a frightfully good time. But what inspired this warmth inside of him that night was watching his crew work. Each one down to the last man jack of them shrugged off some of the worst weather this side of Cape Horn, and were not only completing their jobs, but excelling at them.

Silas scanned the Ghosts & Gravestones Booth and saw Carmen Zarella, his always-reliable first mate, cracking her whip, sending a pack of young hooligans screaming down the street. Madeline Sewall and Stephen O’Normal were busy answering questions and reminding several people that “No, we don’t go to Salem.” Dr. Bartholomew Jonathan Ribgy Wilberforce was answering a telephone that never seemed to stop ringing. On one trolley there was Minerva serenading her patrons with operatic tones, and on the other Anthraxicon the Death Bringer was busy making grown men think twice about taking his tour. Dick the Slasher, with whiskey in hand, was sitting in an elated woman’s lap and Seamus Rattigan was wearing a fitted bed sheet fashioned to look like a ghost as he chased a squealing woman in circles around the podium.

Silas chuckled to himself and turned his thoughts to Zati and Mortimer Strange huddled in the burying grounds waiting to scare more tourists as they wandered the forgotten pathways of the Granary Burying Ground and King’s Chapel. But his thoughts were broken up when a thunderous scream split through the air. Silas turned to see sixty more delighted guests screaming like Banshees as they ended their tours with Mercy Witherer and Maggie Poppins. He thanked them all as they disembarked and gave Maggie a slight jibe for letting so many of them “survive their journey”. One patron took Silas aside and said, “This was one of the best things I have ever done. We will be back next year- with my entire family.”

This certainly was not his first October at Ghosts & Gravestones. In fact, he had been doing this for years. But he had never been as proud of his entire crew as he was that night, and he wondered what he had done to deserve to captain a crew of such remarkable and dedicated souls. With that, Silas smiled and placed his tarry hat snuggly over his brow, gave it a tap, and walked briskly into the sea of people ready to be scared out of their wits.

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Gravediggers of the Ghosts and Gravestones Tour in Boston.

I’ve always thought of Boston as this proper town just overflowing with history and oozing with patriotism. And of course, those images are right on target—but on the Ghosts and Gravestones Tour of Boston I learned about the sinister people, shady characters and spooky places that gave the city its’ haunted reputation.

First, let me tell you, the Gravedigger Guide was hilarious and compelling. Dressed in colonial garb, speaking in true dialect of the region and era, and spewing out fascinating facts about Boston’s most infamous villains and events, he made the tour so entertaining.

For me, the most spine-tingling part of the evening was going into the two cemeteries. This part of the tour we walked through the burial grounds that are approximately 400 hundred years-old. It was eerie seeing all those graves up close, at night, while hearing tales of some of the legendary people that are buried there. Paul Revere is there, John Hancock and other really distinguished Bostonians are also among the dead. And while you’re strolling through, the Gravedigger Guide fills you in on executions and tortures that took place during the colonial years as well as unmarked graves and the big grave robbery scandal. I was more than spooked–although I enjoyed it just the same!

The Ghosts and Gravestones Guide was also really knowledgeable on some of the gruesome murders and mysteries that Boston is famous for–I never really knew the whole story about the Boston Strangler, I was never brave enough to see any of the movies made about it. So I liked finally getting the details about that and some of the other infamous crimes that took place in Boston over the centuries.

The big thrill was seeing the Omni Parker House, which is known to be the most haunted hotel in Boston. People have reported hearing voices and experiencing many strange phenomenon while staying there-especially those that were lucky enough to get room 303, which is the room that Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is said to have stayed in many times and is believed to be haunting to this very day.

If you love history as much as I do, Boston is a city of discovery and delight. Our nation’s heritage is evident on every corner, from the Boston Common to the Boston Harbor and down the many picturesque streets and alleyways. And one of my fellow Ghosts and Gravestones Tour guests told me that she had taken the tour three times, and each time there was a different, more colorful Gravedigger Guide at the helm. I guess that means I’ll have to go again, only this time I’m bringing a friend…or two!

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Gravediggers of the Ghost Tour St Augustine

Do you believe that St. Augustine is haunted by spirits from centuries ago? I had heard from others that the ancient city has had its share of supernatural occurrences, but I was interested to find out for myself if any of these tales had merit. On the Ghosts & Gravestones Tour of St. Augustine, you get to visit some of the city’s most popular haunted spots and hear accounts of ghosts and other paranormal activity.

The Spanish Military Hopsital is one of St. Augustine’s creepy-est attractions in my opinion. It’s a fascinating place as far as historical significance, as this was the hospital during the Spanish Occupation of the late 1700’s, early 1800’s. You can see the surgeon’s room and tools they used during that time period, the mourning room where the final prayers were said before the patient passed, etc. What spooked me was the Gravedigger Guide’s narration about the way they treated patients back then, really horrible amputations and more. They say that some of the people who died in that hospital never left and are haunting the place. One of the people who was on the tour with me swore she heard a faint noise that sounded like someone crying for help. I was so glad I did not hear that! Although I would have liked to return home and report a supernatural experience.

Another great sight on the tour was the Old Jail. I had a good laugh when we stopped here because my 8 year-old, who was not on the tour, was adamant that I not take him there at any time! Something about the place just freaked him out! When the Ghosts and Gravestones Tour stopped there it was a little eerie, but then it was dark and we were looking for spirits of the undead! This part of the tour was fun because we heard about some of the prisoners of the past and looked for clues for the book of the dead.

We also stopped at the Old Drug Store and drove past some of the local St. Augustine Cemeteries. If you like this kind of thing, you’d have a ball because the whole tour is focused on long-lost souls and how they still live where they died, just on the other side. The Hugenot Cemetery is where many of the people who died from Yellow Fever are buried. Our guide told us that guests on the tour have reported seeing weird and unusual sights there. I kept my eyes out for ghosts the whole time but did not actually see one. Maybe next time! One of the greatest aspects of this St. Augustine tour was seeing some of the most historical sights and learning the background of the places and the original settlers to the area. I have taken many other tours when visiting St. Augustine, but the Ghosts & Gravestones Tour offers a whole new perspective on the city.

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Gravedigger on the Ghosts & Gravestones Tour

Spooky sounds, inexplicable orbs of light and an eerie chill in the air; now I know why Savannah is considered America’s Most Haunted City. On my most recent visit to Savannah, I took the Ghosts and Gravestones Tour out of curiosity. Although I was never one to fully believe in ghosts, I do feel that there are some things in life that go beyond the realm of our world. And I wanted to see for myself what a real haunted house looked and felt like. I got to do just that when the tour took us into the Sorrel-Weed House, which is known to be one of the most haunted places in the city…and for good reason!

The mansion itself is gorgeous, a magnificent, stately Greek Revival home, and on a sunny afternoon I am sure it looks like a warm, friendly, storybook Georgian home, but once you go inside(especially after dark), you can almost feel the heaviness that fills the air. The story goes that Francis Sorrel’s wife killed herself by jumping off the second floor balcony. Visitors to the house have reported hearing a woman’s voice calling for help–and although there’s never been confirmation of who actually haunts the place, the Travel Channel’s Ghost Hunters Show did a whole segment here and found real evidence that spirits from the other side were present.

I loved walking through the Sorrel-Weed house, and I must admit, I was a tiny bit scared as I wandered through some of the hallways. I also enjoyed when the tour took us past the Colonial Cemetery. It’s the oldest burial ground in Savannah and holds so much history that is apparent in the some nine thousand graves that are there. As my Gravedigger Guide for the tour gave fascinating facts and told intriguing stories about Savannah’s past, I was amazed at the fact that some of the first settlers to the city were buried right there. I heard from a few fellow tour guests that the Colonial Park Cemetery has had various accounts of supernatural activity so I was sure to remain alert as we drove past. Although I did not see any actual ghosts (that I am aware of!), I was sure I saw what looked like a white light flash more than once. Was it my imagination? I couldn’t tell you. But the rest of the tour–which included a look at Juliette Gordon Low’s house, which is also haunted they say, I had goosebumps.

All in all, this visit to Savannah was one of my favorites, the Ghosts & Gravestones Tour was a totally new, unusual way to see some of the city’s most beautiful attractions, and to discover Savannah’s Haunted reputation. Do you believe in ghosts? Next time you’re in town, find out!

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