Central City Creepy Crawl
By David Josselyn
The ghosts of past residents are haunting the historic town of Central City. Scarlet Rose, Professor John Morrissey, Elizabeth Court Tabor, and others have been seen inhabiting the Teller House, the Opera House, Baby Doe’s Casino, and Doc Holliday’s. They don’t seem to be here to harm any mortals, but they do appear eager to share their stories.
The Ghost Light
If you go to almost any theatre in the middle of the night, you would see a single dim light shining down on the stage illuminating just a piece of the front edge. The theatre is said to be a popular place for the souls of mortals to stick around after their bodies have given up the ghost. Leaving a light on is a consideration for those souls who want to continue to perform. Legends show that not turning on the ghost light upsets the departed and mischievous things happen inside and outside of the theatre. It has been reported that the ghost light in the Central City Opera building has been off for a couple weeks now.
Taking Advantage
While most people would be disturbed by these reports, the folks of Central City look at it as a business opportunity. They’re selling tickets for tours of the historic buildings where you will get see these apparitions yourself and hear their tales. As soon as the phantoms get rowdy, they will turn the ghost light back on and shut down the tours.
Creepy Crawl
An annual tradition, the Central City Creepy Crawls are held over two weekends in October. In recent years, the event has been coordinated by Deb Wray, sitting member of the historic preservation committee, with help with Dr. David Forsythe. I took their tour this year and I can say that this has been the best year yet. The theatrics, the stories, and the acting are all improved making the tour a pure enjoyment.
Addendum
While not scheduled for the tour this year, our group did see some spirits in the third story windows of Century Casino that were having a grand old time in their… birthday suits. You never know what you’re going to see when playing with ghosts!
