Frightening sites to see virtually this Halloween
Looking for a thrill this Halloween without leaving your living room? Here are a few online tours of spooktastic, historic locations that require nothing more than an Internet connection.
Winchester Mystery House: After firearms magnate William Wirt Winchester died, his widow, Sarah, traveled from New Jersey to California, settling in San Jose, where she proceeded to continually renovate the farmhouse she bought into a confounding mystery mansion. Theories regarding Winchester’s reasoning for such famous marvels as the so-called “stairs to nowhere” abound, but many say she was haunted by the ghosts of those killed by Winchester rifles. You can explore the architectural curiosities yourself at https://www. winchestermysteryhouse.com/video-tour/. The site currently offers an Immersive 360 Tour for $8.99.
Pittock Mansion Museum: In 1909, newspaper publisher Henry Pittock and his wife, Georgiana, hired well-known architect Edward T. Foulkes to build them a retirement home with views of Mount Hood and Mt. Saint Helens. The French Renaissance-style abode was finally completed in 1914, but sadly, Georgiana died just four years later; her husband passed seven months later of influenza. Family members lived there for many years, but it was empty for about six years before the city of Portland bought it and established a foundation to care for it. Since its opening as the Pittock Mansion Museum, visitors have recounted such strange occurrences as the apparitions of its original owners appearing. See if you can spot them when you take a tour via https://visitingmedia.com/ tt8/?ttid=pittock-mansion#/3d-model?c13rl3=1.
The Stanley Hotel: The inspiration for the Overlook HotelinStephenKing’s“TheShining”wasbuiltin Colorado in the early 1900s for Stanley Steam Engine creator F.O. Stanley, who wanted to a place to return to each summer after recuperating from tuberculosis in the town. Guests and hotel staff have seen Stanley in the lobby, the billiard room and the bar, while his wife, Flora, sometimes plays a tune on the piano in the ballroom. Keep an eye out for the Stanleys while viewing the walking tour of the hotel at https://www.youtube. com/watch?v=kdDWhkr50sw& feature=emb_logo.
Salem, Massachusetts: In the late 1600s, three young girls began experiencing unusual fits, and it was determined by local authorities that the supernatural was to blame. The infamous Salem Witch Trials captured the attention of the colonists then—and the allure continues in modern-day plays, books and films. The Salem Witch Museum offers virtual tours of sites associated with those 17th century events at https://salemwitchmuseum. com/witch-trials-online-tour/.
Lafayette Cemetery No. 1: The oldest of seven municipal cemeteries in New Orleans, this cemetery was founded in 1833 and named after its then-location, the city of Lafayette (which was annexed into New Orleans in 1852). A popular Garden District tourist spot, it is considered the most filmed cemetery in the town. Though it’s currently closed for repairs, you can ghost hunt via the drone’s-eye views at https://www.xplorit.com/new-orleans/lafayettecemetery- no-1/.
The Paris Catacombs: In the 18th century, the City of Lights’ overcrowded cemeteries were causing health problems for the living. Local leaders decided to move the remains of 6 million Parisians into a system of underground limestone tunnels. About 550,000 visitors tour the resulting labyrinth of bones, cemetery relics and monumental tablets each year—and via https://www.catacombes.paris.fr/ visite-virtuelle/, you can gain access to 360-degree views of five rooms of the famed catacombs.
Isla de las Muñecas: Just south of Mexico City, in the channels of Xochimilco, sits a chinampa known as Isla de las Muñecas (or Island of the Dolls). The name comes from the hundreds of dolls that hang from trees, a tradition started by Don Julian Santana Barrera. He claimed to have found the drowned body of a young girl and, shortly after, a doll in Teshuilo Lake. To appease the girl’s spirit, Santana Barrera hung the doll from a tree. Feeling haunted, he hung more dolls that he found all over the island. After 50 years of collecting in solitude, Santana Barrera was found drowned in the exact spot he claimed to have found the girl. Visitors to the island say the dolls are possessed by the spirits of the drowned girl and Santana Barrera, and they bring their own to add to the island. Cozy up with your own readyto- be-possessed doll while taking a tour at https:// isladelasmunecas.com/island-of-the-dolls-videos/.
Pennhurst Asylum: On Nov. 23, 1908, the first patient was admitted to Pennhurst Asylum, a statefunded school and hospital center for “undesirables” of society. Within a few years, the Spring City, Pennsylvania, facility was overcrowded, largely thanks to pressure to house not only those with mental and physical disabilities, but also orphans, immigrants and criminals. In 1968, local TV reporter Bill Baldini exposed viewers to the terrifying conditions inside. At the time, it housed 2,791 people (about 900 more than capacity) and employed nine medical doctors and 11 teachers (none of whom had special education training). Patients were abused and tortured by staff and fellow residents. But it wasn’t until the 1970s that legal actions began to move Pennhurst toward its final closure on Nov. 9, 1987. After 25 years, the complex was reopened as a haunted attraction. Visitors have claimed to hear voices, shrieks and pained murmurs. Last year, the asylum’s supernatural leanings brought A& E’s “Ghost Hunters” to the scene; you can check outwhattheyfoundat https://www.aetv.com/specials/ worlds-biggest-ghost-hunt-pennhurst-asylum.
