McDonough's Ghost Walk: Scary past back to haunt tourists

©Article courtesy of Atlanta-Journal Constitution

BYLINE: ADD SEYMOUR JR.


Staff
DATE: December 3, 2006
PUBLICATION: Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The (GA)
EDITION: Main; The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
SECTION: Metro News
PAGE: E1

When she moved to McDonough, Leslie Chrysler heard ghoulish tales about the lady in a Victorian dress haunting the city cemetery or the misty guy with his hair parted down the middle sighted at Truman's Restaurant.

Chrysler, the city's new tourism director, thought about the success of Savannah's tours of haunted spots and started McDonough's own ghost tours, in which thrill-seekers are bused to places like the cemetery and the old Globe Hotel.

Chrysler expected about 60 people for a few October tours. Instead nearly 600 showed up, and 300 more are on a waiting list.

The tours were so successful that Chrysler is incorporating ghosts into McDonough's pitch for tourism. The city holds a large geranium festival and a Little League baseball tournament, but nothing to really make tourism a city staple.

"Obviously we wanted to promote tourism that's unique in towns in this area," she said. "And how many can really display the fact that they are haunted?"

Savannah's history -- it was a major stop for the African slave trade and played a pivotal role in the Revolutionary and Civil wars -- led promoters to bill Savannah "America's most haunted city."

Ghost tours became good business. They help drive Savannah's tourism economy, which is twice that of Atlanta's, said Richard Cebula, an economics professor at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah.

"There is a mysticism associated with Savannah," he said. "It brings back images of atrocities and rumors of ghosts."

McDonough also has a rich history.

In 1900, 38 people died there in Georgia's deadliest train wreck.

Union Gen. William Sherman slashed his way through town on his March to the Sea during the Civil War.

John Quinn, known as "The Ghost Man of Henry County," said those events, plus McDonough's changing landscape, has left a ghostly cloud over the town.

"When you move historical places to another ground, its upsetting to the spirits and the past history of the buildings," said Quinn, who says he has seen ghosts at his home. "Just like the [area's Civil War] battlefields -- you're going to have some type of paranormal activity going on."

A costumed Quinn helped lead the first group of tours.

McDonough resident Laurie Wright, 47, took her three children.

"They were scared to death," she said. "They enjoyed it."

The tours were full, but the city didn't make much money. The $5 tickets covered bus rental, but not much else.

The tours also turned out to be too much for Chrysler and Quinn to handle. They've turned them over to a local bookstore to conduct when the tours start again in January.

Chrysler said making money isn't the goal.

"Its going to be a big draw for the area," she said.

TRAIL OF FEARS

• The Globe Hotel: Victims of a 1900 train wreck were taken there. Ghosts and lights have been seen in the hotel.

• McDonough Cemetery: Residents have seen a woman in Victorian dress and a security guard with a bullet in his head.

• Bell, Book and Candle bookstore: Legend says two men were killed in the 1800s when a bale of hay fell on them at a blacksmith shop located on the site. They were buried there. Voices and footsteps have been heard inside.

• The Hazlehurst House: Ghosts of Civil War soldiers were seen.




Photo

ALLEN SULLIVAN / Special

What they did this winter: A tour group creeps closer to the legendary locations of two fatal train wrecks in McDonough. The Henry County town's ghost tours are expected to resume in January 2007.





Photo

ALLEN SULLIVAN / Special

Stories of hauntings at Bell, Book and Candle appear to have 8-year-olds Dylan Nisoff (front) and friend Brian Troy on edge. Legend says two men were killed in the 1800s when a bale of hay fell on them at a blacksmith shop located on the site.