VISUAL ARTS + MUSEUMS

From its storied harbor to its stately Victorian mansions, historic Galveston is filled with legendary figures and ghostly stories. This October, Galveston Historical Foundation offers four unique Special Halloween Season Tours at Bishop’s Palace (pictured), Ashton Villa, Galveston Harbor and Galveston’s Broadway Cemetery.

Galveston is one of the most haunted cities in America, according to numerous websites, books and “ghost hunters” that track reports of ghostly occurrences. Galveston has been home to the allegedly cannibalistic Karankawa Indians and merciless pirates, including the famous Jean Laffite whose lavish and lawless den of thieves was the island's first European settlement. Galvestonians in the 19th century knew fires, epidemics of yellow fever and malaria, military occupation and bitter war, and of course, storms.

"The Great Storm of 1900, which washed clean of houses great swaths of the island and killed well over 6,000 people, remains the worst natural disaster in American History,” says Dwayne Jones, executive director of Galveston Historical Foundation. “Many, many people have lived and died by these waters, and perhaps some of the dead still reside here. We invite our guests to listen to the stories, and decide for themselves. But you don't have to believe in ghosts to know that the dead are a presence on this island."

During the month of October Galveston’s haunted history will be explored in four series of tours:

BISHOP’S PALACE – THE HOUSE AT NIGHT TOUR
October 28 & 29 – 8 pm
$15 per person
1402 Broadway, Galveston, TX

Enjoy Bishop’s Palace by candlelight for this unique evening tour. Learn about the history of Bishop’s Palace, it’s presence during the 1900 Storm and take a glimpse at early 1900 life.

ASHTON VILLA – “ARE WE HAUNTED?” TOUR
October 30 & 31 – 7 pm
$20 per person
2328 Broadway St. Galveston, TX

Is Ashton Villa haunted by the spirit of “Miss Bettie,” (pictured below) the daughter of the house’s first owner, James Moreau Brown? Maybe. Maybe not. Since 1975, when GHF opened the restored mansion to the public, legends and ghost stories have attached themselves to Ashton Villa.

HAUNTED HARBOR TOUR
Last two weekends & Halloween (Fri-Sat) -
4 pm & 5:30 pm
$15 per person
Pier 22, at 22nd Street and Harborside Drive, Galveston, TX

The narrated exploration of spooky corners and tragic sites in and around Galveston’s storied harbor takes place onboard aboard the 50-foot passenger boat, Seagull II and continues through October 31, with departures from the Texas Seaport Museum.

“SPIRITS OF THE PAST” CEMETERY TOURS
October 21, 22, 28 & 29 – 7 pm & 9 pm
$15 per person

The spirits are easy to find at GHF’s “Spirits of the Past” Cemetery Tour. They await discovery at the Broadway Cemetery, located right on the divided boulevard along which presidents, movie stars, oil moguls and millions of ordinary people pass through the rich history that abounds in every neighborhood of the city.