Ghosts; real or not? Story tourists decide
“You don’t have to believe in ghosts to enjoy a good ghost story.”
At least that’s what Kristen Clay, professional storyteller of Ogden and Salt Lake City Ghost Tours, said.
Ghost Tours is guided by a professional storyteller who tells ghost stories accounted from first or second-hand experiences. The stories are taken from interviews or have been historically documented, Clay said.
The stories are from the past and present, Clay said, or are local legends, with some that have taken place within the last year.
“We share the stories of the community with the community. It’s a way to bring people together,” Clay said.
By foot and bus, this tour makes its way to places such as cemeteries, historic hotels and theaters, narrated by a storyteller who explains the ghost stories with interest and enthusiasm. The Ogden tour begins at the Union Station and visits buildings such as the Egyptian Theater, Ogden City Cemetery and the Ben Lomond Hotel with stories of each. The Salt Lake City tour begins behind the Rio Grande building and reviews the hauntings that have taken place at the Old Salt City Jail, Trolley Square and the University Of Utah Marriott Library.
Clay said a lot of non-believers (in ghosts) go on these tours.
“Ghost Tours is for everybody,” Clay said. “It’s for everybody whether you believe or don’t believe, young and old. We are just storytellers. We’re here to share the story, and you can enjoy a good ghost story whether you believe in ghosts or not.”
The Ghost Tours Web site states, “We do not attempt to prove the existence of ghosts or to explain the paranormal; you will decide whether to believe – or not.”
Clay founded and created the Ogden and Salt Lake City Ghost Tours, she said. She began her first tour in Salt Lake City in 2002 and said she continues to thrill the curious and bring awareness to the skeptical in both cities. Her disclaimer at the beginning of the tour explains that she is a professional storyteller, not a ghost expert, she said.
In Clay’s words, a ghost is a spirit who has passed away but hasn’t crossed over to the other side.
“They say if somebody dies a violent death, and most of our ghosts have died violent deaths, sometimes you don’t know you are dead,” Clay said. “But who knows? They’re all theories.”
Doors opening and closing or lights turning on and off are the most common ghost signs and play a part in many of the ghost stories told on the tour.
Clay said her favorite ghost is Madam Bell London who haunts the Athenian Restaurant. London was not properly introduced and therefore haunted the restaurant until that was accomplished, she said.
Having a ghost follow a participant home is not unheard of, Clay said. Whether it is an old wive’s tale or for peace of mind, salt is provided at the end of the tour to toss with the right hand over the left shoulder.
“It wards off misfortune, so ghosts won’t follow you home,” Clay said.
Placing shoes in opposite directions is another strategy explained on the tour to get rid of ghosts you may find at home, she said.
Tour participants are encouraged to bring a camera to capture what is not seen in plain sight. Orbs, or round objects not visible at the time to the naked eye, are reoccurring features in photographs, Clay said.
Tours last approximately an hour and a half to two hours.
The Web site states, “The purpose of the tour is to expand one’s imagination and present a fun evening of rich storytelling and maybe a chill or two.”
Children may also enjoy this ghost excursion. Ages 8 and up are recommended, Clay said, but the tour can accommodate any age.
Tours run Friday and Saturday nights for the month of October, as well as Tuesday, Oct. 30, and Wednesday, Oct. 31. Reservations are preferred. For more information, contact Kristen Clay at (801) 604-1218 or (801) 773-5521 or visit the tour Web site at www.storytours.com.
-T.Dixon@aggiemail.usu.edu