While Manhattan typically dominates New York City's Halloween celebrations, its outer boroughs are offering a compelling alternative for those seeking a more spine-chilling experience. Ghost tours are now guiding visitors through the historically rich and reputedly haunted streets of Brooklyn, Staten Island, and the Bronx, revealing eerie landmarks and local legends.
Brooklyn's Neighborhoods of Nightmares
Brooklyn, in particular, boasts several neighborhoods with a dark side waiting to be explored. In Bay Ridge, local historian James Scully leads a walking tour delving into the area's unsettling past, uncovering tales of unsolved killings, secret societies, and unexplained disappearances. Reported paranormal occurrences include sightings of a faceless woman, army ghosts, and disembodied sounds.
Scully also guides the "Ghosts of Old Bensonhurst" tour, which explores the neighborhood's spectral residents who may not have moved on. The tour promises encounters with ghosts known to knock on walls, the spirit of a murdered lawyer, a shadowy figure, and a specter haunting a local railroad. Both Brooklyn tours conclude at historic cemeteries, adding to the macabre ambiance.
For a glimpse into Brooklyn Heights' darker secrets, Boroughs of the Dead offers a research-driven walk. This tour uncovers Revolutionary-era remains, hidden cemeteries, and tales of ghost trains, alongside the tragic history of the Brooklyn Theatre Fire and the spectral presence of preacher Henry Ward Beecher.
Staten Island's After-Dark Frights
Staten Island offers its own set of spooky excursions. Michael Pelczar, founder of Spooky Staten Island, leads nighttime walking tours at Snug Harbor, an institution known for its ghostly activity after dark. These tours delve into the area's darker history, including the murder of Chaplain Quinn and a centuries-old disaster that rattled the harbor. Participants can even try ghost-hunting equipment.
Historic Richmond Town presents a different kind of chill with its Village Ghost Tours. Costumed historical interpreters lead visitors through colonial-era ghost stories, local folklore, and accounts of life and death on Staten Island, focusing on atmospheric historic buildings and lantern-lit narratives rather than ghost-hunting gadgets.
A Haunting History in the Bronx
The Bronx also has its own literary haunt. Edgar Allan Poe's last permanent home, the Edgar Allan Poe Cottage, is hosting special tours as part of the Bronx County Historical Society's "Nevermore Literary Salon & Night Market." The event includes cottage tours, a night market with Poe-related merchandise, themed treats, readings, and a live performance.
Real-Life Tragedy at Kreischer Mansion
For those seeking a tour rooted in real-life tragedy, the Kreischer Mansion on Staten Island offers a Halloween-season exploration of its grim history. Led by Pelczar, the tour examines the family's downfall, including the 1894 death of Edward Kreischer and a later mafia murder. The evening begins with refreshments before heading to the mansion for the historically unsettling tour.