A Spooky Good Time, Walk Amongst the Spirits in Downtown Independence

Spooky season is upon us, and the dark and mysterious lurks behind every corner! Join friends, family and neighbors for the annual Independence Ghost Walk, Oct. 5, 4 to 9 p.m. This fun opportunity will allow you to learn the eerie history of downtown, peruse Halloween-themed vendors, take in a Hearse Car Show and kick off October’s Halloween festivities!

Independence local and author of “Haunted Independence, Oregon” Marilyn Morton started the Ghost Walk in 2002 in conjunction with the Hop & Heritage Festival, and that first year they had 300 people in attendance. Nowadays, the event has exploded, with 20 visiting locations, at least 30 volunteers, and an estimated 2,000+ people of all ages, judging from the attendance last year. “This event truly is for everyone. There’s an adult-child divide when it comes to enjoying Halloween, and the Ghost Walk bridges those nicely,” says Heritage Museum Director Natascha Adams.

The evening’s agenda begins with Apparition Avenue, a new addition this year. The Ghost Walk has traditionally focused strictly on Main Street, but the truth is the whole downtown is full of local lore, and Apparition Avenue will highlight some spooky sites off the beaten path from 4 to 6 p.m. There’s an hour break between that and the Ghost Walk, leaving time to grab a bite at local restaurants or a hot dog from the Heritage Museum Society.

Maps will be available for pickup by the fountain downtown or in the Umpqua Bank parking lot, so grab your guide and let the frightening fun begin! From 7 to 9 p.m., volunteer ghost hosts will stand outside each historic building on Main Street to share the site’s origins entwined with paranormal phenomena sure to send a shiver down your spine! Free glow sticks will be available at the museum during the event.

Some ghost hosts dress up and take on a first-person persona to make the experience extra spooky. “Many of the volunteers have the same locations every year, so they’re well ingrained and tend to weave new spectral facts into their stories from year to year,” Natascha says. “That includes first-person accounts of interacting with ghosts.” But don’t worry because, as Marilyn Morton says, all the ghosts in Independence are friendly!

For the second year, the event includes a Hearse Car Show, held in the Umpqua Bank parking lot from 4 to 9 p.m. Hearse enthusiasts are encouraged to bring their creepy cars to add to the ghostly fun. Registration is available on the Heritage Museum’s website. The event will also feature vendors selling unique Halloween crafts like Jack-O-Lanterns made from propane tanks.

The Ghost Walk is the perfect start to October and the Halloween season, as well as a time to learn the history of downtown and enjoy local businesses and restaurants. The Heritage Museum is proud to host this free, family-friendly event that’s a delight for all ages. “It’s hard to get to all the stops in one night, so people tend to come back, and it varies which sites we highlight based on which volunteers are available,” says Natascha. “It’s an event locals have come to love and look forward to each year.”

For more information on The Ghost Walk, visit the event website at www.orheritage.org/ghostwalk.