With Halloween time not that far off, thoughts of ghosts, ghouls and haunted houses are conjured up in the minds of every paranormal buff I know. The new seasons of popular paranormal shows like Ghost Adventures and Ghost Hunters will have started up again, renewing our fascination with things “otherworldly.” Perhaps you have even thought of going on a ghost tour or ghost hunt yourself. If you live near, or plan to visit the far western suburbs of Chicago, you just might get that chance.
Naperville, Ill. offers not just one, but two separate ghost tours. Both offer walking tours of lovely downtown Naperville, and you will hear spine tingling tales of accounts of past Naperville residents, who seem to still be lurking around town, long after their passing. Whether you actually believe in the paranormal or not, it’s still a fun, exciting experience, especially around Halloween time. Plus, you will get a very detailed and accurate historical account of Naperville’s past, which I find almost as interesting as the spooky stuff.
Both tours meet in separate locations in downtown Naperville. Tours usually start in the months of April-May, and run through the end of October into an early November time frame. One tour is called Historical Ghost Tours of Naperville, ( http://www.historic-ghost-tours-naperville.com/ )and is operated by Diane Ladley. Either she or one of her ‘ghost hosts’ will lead you on either the Historic Haunts tour, or the Ghosts of the River tour.The other ghost tour, Ghost Tours of Naperville ( http://naperville-ghosts.com/ ), is operated by Kevin Frantz. On Ladley’s tour, you may visit places such as the North Central College campus and the downtown historic district. On Frantz’s tour, you may visit spots such as the old Nichols Library location, the site of Naperville’s first cemetery,and the famed haunted Red Geranium, where Frantz himself was the ghost hunter on the case.
Both speakers are very entertaining and have great knowledge about historical Naperville facts. I have had the opportunity to hear both presenters speak, and have copies of each of their books. Both books are very interesting as well. (See more details on the web site links for each tour, provided with this article.) I have also attended one of mister Frantz’s tours, and thoroughly enjoyed it. I never imagined I would be one to actually catch anything on my camera, but was amazed at what was actually captured after I got home and reviewed the photos. Tons of orbs and several orb showers were on my personal photos, which only enhanced the experience. A friend who was with me also captured several similar things in her photos , taken with her camera. We also got to hold EMF meters that measure electromagnetic energy, but mine never went off while I was holding it. It was fun just being able to take part in our own little ghost hunt. (I felt like I was ready for Ghost Adventures after that night.)
If you are interested in booking a reservation for either tour, I would recommend doing it early, as the dates near and on Halloween fill up extremely fast. Whether you’re a paranormal buff or not, this is a fun and educational experience, and certainly fits in well with the Halloween theme.