Ghost tour franchise comes to Rhode Island, giving locals competition
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WJAR) — Even if you don't believe in ghosts, you might enjoy a new Providence Ghost Tour franchise that's come to town.
If, for nothing else, for the exercise, and stories that work out your imagination.
The now historic mile of Benefit Street back in the day used to be called 'Back Street', the edge of town, where family members buried their dead in their backyards, including Rhode Island Founder Roger Williams.
That's just one of the many anecdotes unearthed in the U.S. Ghost Adventures Providence experience -- one of 12 new locations added to their roster of 50. From California, Wisconsin, Florida, points in between, and now Rhode Island, catering to curious tourists.
"In my research, I found a bunch of folks doing this sort of thing," said U.S. Ghost Adventures Providence Tour Guide Bill Clements.
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He ran into the competition while taking pictures for his company’s website. NBC 10 asked Clements if “they were they like, 'Oh you're moving in on our territory?'”
"Actually, it was a little bit like that,” he laughed. "Hey you know that's why they put all the fast food restaurants on the same block!"
The Providence guided tour starts on foot at Memorial Park, and works its way to the Athenaeum on Benefit Street, said to be haunted by Providence writer Edgar Allen Poe.
"People have reported hearing him, in the stacks, at the library, after hours," said Clements.
There's Shunned House, also on Benefit Street, that horror writer H.P. Lovecraft fashioned for his fictional tale of a werewolf.
There's University Hall at Brown that was used as a field hospital and morgue during the Revolutionary War.
"There's an image of a young man in Revolutionary War gear, ”said Clements. “Standing at the window looking out, that generations of students have seen. To this day, some students will not go into University Hall because of that."
At College Hill at 71 Waterman St. is also part of the U.S. Ghost Adventures Providence Tour. It's now a Rhode Island School of Design dormitory.
"100 and some-odd years ago it was a morgue,” said Clements. “Numerous students over the years have reported feeling their beds being occupied when they're in them. Or a hand pushing them down!"
Artist Angela O'Leary's tragic death at the Fleur de Lys, on College Hill, is another part of the tour, that brings all the the backstories to the forefront.
Tour tickets start at $25. Visit the U.S. Ghost Adventures website to schedule your next adventure.
"They want to believe there's something more out there. And I think there's a fair amount of evidence that there is," Clements said.