THE SPIRITS OF
WAKE FOREST
WHERE OUR HAUNTED HISTORY
GCOMES TO LIFE unshot victims. Unidentifi ed, abandoned corpses.
Rumored bewitchings. Unexplained sounds of
metal clacking. Sighting of ghostly beings. Phantom
footsteps. Unresolved murders. Death and
tragedy along the rails.
No, these aren’t plot ideas or scenes for a scary new Netfl ix series,
but rather goosebump-raising stories of legend and lore derived
from the haunted history of Downtown Wake Forest.
If you’re interested in learning about these legends – and perhaps
are chomping at the bit for something fun and festive to do this
fall – you won’t want to miss the inaugural “Spirits of Wake Forest”
walking tours, hosted by Wake Forest Downtown, Inc., that will
be held every Th ursday through Sunday throughout the month
of October. As you stroll outdoors along the beautiful, tree-lined
streets of Downtown Wake Forest for this exciting event, you’ll be
captivated by tales of times past.
Downtown Wake Forest, a National Register Historic District, is
known for being quaint. So much history resounds there, with
many of the buildings dating back well over a hundred years …
one particular business, Shorty’s Famous Hot Dogs, opened its
doors in 1916 and is still serving Wake Forest residents and visitors
today! Th e Downtown area also has a cool vibe too, boasting
bustling businesses, delicious eateries, awesome breweries,
cozy coff ee shops, and great shopping boutiques. Th ere’s a certain
feeling you get when you visit – a charming, stylish, soulful kind
of edginess with ambience, atmosphere, and aura. It’s a destination
of distinctive shopping, dining, living, learning, cultural, and
entertainment experiences.
But there’s more to this part of town that meets the eye – some
intriguing, some surprising, and some downright chilling – and it’s
all waiting for you as you experience “the spirits of Wake Forest.”
ABOUT THE TOURS
– Tours kick off Th ursday, October 1, and run through Sunday,
November 1. Two tours will run each night Th ursday – Saturday
(starting promptly at 6:00 PM and 8:00 PM) and one tour every
Sunday (starting promptly at 6:00 PM).
– Please arrive 15 minutes prior in order to check in.
– Th e tour will last approximately one hour and 15 minutes.
– Each tour has a maximum limit of 15 visitors (to allow for social
distancing, and to ensure maximum audibility for all attendees).
– Tickets are $15 for adults, and $12 for children (10 and under).
– Th ere are no public restrooms on the tour route.
– Visit wakeforestdowntown.com to purchase tickets and for
further details.
Photo courtesy of the Wake Forest Historical Museum.
16 CIRCA Magazine | October • November • December 2020 | www.circamagazine.com
/wakeforestdowntown.com
/www.circamagazine.com