WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - The sights and sounds of Colonial Williamsburg transport visitors back in time, but not everyone who has come to the city has left. As one of the country's oldest cities, Colonial Williamsburg is not only filled with history - it's also filled with haunted sights.
Many unexplained terrors are still happening today.
"About a month ago, there was a group outside of the Peyton Randolph home; a guest stood with his back to the house and he was standing with his arms crossed. By the end of the story at the house, he was complaining that his back was burning and itching. His partner pulled up his shirt to see what was wrong, and he had five scratches running between his shoulder blades and the small of his back," said Jacob Black of Colonial Ghosts.
Stories like this are just some of the experiences tour guides with Colonial Ghosts have witnessed while taking groups to some of the most haunted sights in the city.
Tours run all year. The stops are based on verified hauntings made by the company.
"We intensively research all of our stories and we make sure they are constantly updated to reflect new research," explained Black. "We find out about other sightings and interactions. Many of the stories are our own."
Some of their research is collected during Ghost Hunts. Guides use special technology to connect with those who cannot be seen.
"We have something called a 'spirit box,' and what the spirit box does are they cycle through radio signals. It will pick up noises and voices," said Black. "You never know what is going to come over that spirit box. You never know what people are going to see."
The most common sight for interactions with the unknown is at the Peyton Randolph House, one of the oldest homes in the city. There, Black says spirits appear in pictures and windows.
"There is just one face that appears over and over. It’s a very skeletal-like face, not the most pleasant face in the world," shared tour guide, Thomas Waser.
Other times, they are felt.
"Queasy, like to my stomach. That happens a lot to guests," explained Black. "We will have guests that have to leave because for whatever reason, they feel like something is there or something is affecting them."
This Halloween the company is expecting to introduce hundreds to the unknown in Williamsburg. While the living will ultimately leave, these unexplained experiences will stay with them. Just as the spirits will stay in the city.
To learn more about Colonial Ghosts, their tours and Ghost Hunts, visit their website.
