Haunted hot spots in Topeka provide a creepy experience for tourists
Story by Dana Davis

"There are a lot of ghosts in Topeka," said Ghost Tour Guide Beth
Cooper.
And Beth should know. She's the tour guide for Ghost Tour Topeka.
"We believe there are at least three ghosts and possibly four here."
The Ghost Tour takes customers to some of Topeka's haunted spots. There
are two featured tours - the Downtown Topeka tour and the North Topeka
tour.

Ghost Tours
Ghost tours is open year-round, you can hop aboard a trolley and visit
the haunted locations. For more information call (785) 383-2925 or go
online for more information about Topeka Ghost Tours.

Beth took 49 News to a few spots on the North Topeka tour. The first
stop - Overland Station.
"And of the three ghosts there is a lady ghost who spends her time up
here in this corner. We have been told that she's been heard crying up
there, Beth said. "And she's actually talked to the janitor who
works here in the evenings."
"During one of our tours when they were doing their hands-on-experience.
A gentleman and his baby posed for a picture right in front of this door
that is behind me. And, in the picture there is a figure of what looked
like a boy. It was almost skeletal looking. He had eye sockets, and the
baby was looking at this Ghost Boy."
To prepare for this job, Beth says she spent many hours researching at
the library and historic museum. She also visited with people who told
her their ghost stories.
49 News and Beth traveled to North Topeka's entertainment
district.
"In this tavern, there's at least two ghosts.

There's a ghost couple. They're Victorian-dressed couple who walk arm
and arm. And they seem to be talking to each other, Beth said.
There's also the ghost of a man who died upstairs. And he was a
regular here at the tavern. And he walks down the stairs, comes through
and sits at his favorite booth up towards the front of the tavern."
Beth says quite a few people have ghost stories in the historic downtown
Topeka entertainment district.
"The most common story that they have - and it seems to be consistent
with most of the businesses - crowd noises, foot steps and talking."

The last stop on this little tour is the little-known Curtis Family
Cemetery. Former United States Vice President Charles Curtis is not
buried here, but members of the family are.
Something strange happened there during one of the Ghost Tours.
"They had a digital thermometer. And it was a summer evening, 90
degrees. There was a cold spot of 65 degrees that they recorded.
Sometimes cold spots indicate a spirit, ghost activity."

On another visit to the Curtis Family Cemetery a ghostly image was
spotted.
"This is where Tuxedo Man spends his time, Beth said.
We call him Tuxedo Man because on one of our trips out here
while we were taking photos, there was a man in a tuxedo standing in
this misty area. And so we have a photo, we dubbed him Tuxedo Man
because of the way he was dressed."
Mysteriously the image faded away.
With all this ghostly activity, has Beth seen a ghost?

"I have to say I have never seen a ghost. And I also have to say I am
somewhat skeptical because I do a lot of photography, so I know how
photos can be reflections and light and not always accurate,
she said. "My own personal opinion is, until the ghost comes up and
pinches me. I'm going to be pretty skeptical."
Though Beth may not necessarily believe in ghosts, she does leave room
for thought.
"I believe strange things happen, because we have had strange things
happen on these tours."

Around Town with Dana Davis
If you have a special event happening in your community, or if you want
your town featured on Good Morning Kansas. Please e-mail your ideas to
dana.davis@49abcnews.com or call Dana at (785) 215-8500.