About QueenCity Ghosts
When you sign up for a ghost tour, we think there are a few things you are going to want to know. You want to know the stories are going to be good. You want to know you are going to learn something you didn’t know before. Above all, you need to know you are going to be entertained.
Here’s how we meet and exceed all of those needs. We looked in every available place for these stories. The Charlotte Historical Society is a very helpful place. The Main Library that we meet outside of has books, yes books! Many of those are rare or out of print and the local history section has been a great resource.
We don’t want to give away too many of our secrets, but we were fascinated to learn that on Christmas Eve, 1922 Eddie Johnson and his dog Tess passed through Charlotte on their 15-month hike across America. See, you already learned something new! And that one is not to be found on any search engine.
The real secret of our tours are the guides. We all work together to practice the stories, trading details that often work their way into the stories. A good guide will envelop the whole group into the stories. The characters will come alive, and every guest will see what life was like when the ghost died. For example, our guides will paint a picture of the 1950s when the McGlohon theatre was the First Baptist Church. This was when the hymns people hear today were sung with gusto by a huge congregation of passionate worshippers. We are incredibly proud of our guides and they do a great job. Our reviews and ratings speak more about their amazing quality. Check out some of the reviews below.
Racheal Tucker
Amanda was so fun and knowledgeable! It was such an interesting and educational experience. Thank you!
Melisa Jawahir
So fun! Tiffany was so great and very detailed! She showed us around the entire town. My husband ( Brad ) and I, ended our trip to Charlotte with thi...
Amber O
We had such an amazing time. We went during a tropical storm and still highly recommend this tour. Our tour guide was so knowledgeable and entertainin...
Why is Charlotte so Haunted?
Here in North Carolina, two things are true; the Hornets will do it this year, and the surest way to hear a good story is to ask ‘is this place haunted?’
Much of our research started this way. Maybe it’s the relaxed way of life or the broad cross-section of people who have been drawn here for generations. Something in the air of Charlotte makes people want to share the stories of ghosts from the past.
There is certainly no shortage of stories to share, but why might this be? Charlotte has long been a major town in the region, it’s at the hub of several rail lines, and the interstate highway today follows an old Indian trade path’s approximate route. It’s not a case of all roads leading to Charlotte, but roads, rail, and rivers too. This draw has made Charlotte a center for trade since before there was a house even to call Charlotte.
With trade comes people, and with people come conflicts and passions, and the residue of that is nearly always ghosts. The many ups and downs of Charlotte’s economic fortunes over the years have added to human conflict and tragedy. During the great depression, the many suicides by people who jumped from the Dunhill Hotel’s higher floors have left a distinct trace that has been felt for years.
People have come from all over to settle in Charlotte. One bar in town arrived here and was welcomed by the city. The bar owners also brought in an antique bar all the way from Ireland. They might have had an issue at customs had they known the bar brought some supernatural hitchhikers with it all the way from the Emerald Isle. The bar owners are only too willing to show visitors the bar in question. Be sure to ask about the red brick!
And if anyone there introduces themselves as a tar heel, they are referring to the summer practice of workers distilling turpentine, pitch, and tar from pine trees. This was a key industry in North Carolina in the late 1700s and the first half of the 19th century. In the hot summer days, workers distilling the sap used to kick off their shoes and inevitably accumulated tar on their heels. The term was first used as an insult, suggesting a low rent line of work. The term was flipped into a badge of state pride by soldiers in the Civil War. The tar heel state has a long and proud tradition of telling tales. We are proud to continue that tradition with our ghost tours.
Guidelines
Remain calm.
Ghosts can sense your fear, so take a deep breath and relax, and try to get a picture if you see anything spooky!
Be polite.
It costs nothing and might help you see a ghost, make your grandparents proud!
Do not provoke the spirits.
Ghosts have it hard enough; please don't make life any harder for them.
Stay together.
Charlotte is a beautiful city, even though you might be distracted, please don't wander off; stick with the group!
Watch your step.
You always go up to Uptown Charlotte, as the center is on a slight ridge, it's not steep, but still, mind your step out there.
