Local history told through the eyes of ghosts

Above, cemetery ghosts. (Mania Durafour photo). Below, scenes from the ghost tour in South Salem – visited sites said to be haunted. (Rob Cummings photos)

By MAINA DURAFOUR 

A week before Halloween, a crowd gathered in a dark and quiet neighborhood of South Salem to hear spooky stories of the past. The ghost tour was led Oct. 24 by town historian Maureen Koehl, who tells the stories of both the living and the dead.

About 60 people gathered at the library, wrapped up in warm coats and carrying flashlights. People of all ages participated in the tour, listening to Koehl’s stories and getting into Halloween spirit.

Jennifer Bayley has gone on ghost tours many times in her life, in places across the globe. But despite living in Lewisboro, this was her first time doing the ghost walk. She was with a friend, and both had their children volunteering to be “acting ghosts” on the tour.

She said it offers an opportunity to learn about history in a less traditional way. 

“I think Maureen does a phenomenal job, she’s a phenomenal storyteller, and she’s such an amazing asset to this community because she has this knowledge of our history and this knowledge about our town,” Bayley said. “And it’s one of these amazing things that really keeps you connected to the history of Lewisboro.”

The idea for this tour grew on Koehl after she went on a ghost tour in St. John’s, Newfoundland. She enjoyed her experience and thought it would be great to bring that home. About 20 years later, the tour has become a popular local event for children and adults.

Koehl has been gathering ghost stories from neighbors, friends and family who have had unexplainable experiences. She never imagined that the town of Lewisboro would have so many.

“These stories pop out and then I realize my goodness, even on my street here there are like five ghost stories that have been witnessed,” she said.

Working closely with the library and volunteers, the tour takes place every other year, with participants walking around different locations on Spring Street.

At each stop, volunteers embody the ghosts in the stories Koehl tells. This year, they had 12 volunteers, with some as young as 11 years old.

Adults also volunteered, including Rebecca Kovaks, who played the ghost of Edna Vogel, a Lewisboro woman who died in a fire decades ago. She decided to take part in the ghost tours because she loves Halloween and seeing children volunteering to be ghosts. 

“They get all into it and everybody dresses up in the costumes, and it’s fun. I love history, and, yeah, they’re always looking for ghosts here,” she said. “So, it’s a fun activity to do right before Halloween.”

She said she isn’t surprised to see so many people come to the tours each year they’re held. Not only are the tours free, but they allow people to see Halloween differently than just the classical “trick or treat.”