Colonial Williamsburg Events

Our Ghost Walk LocationsWilliamsburg, VirginiaOriginally settled in 1632, Williamsburg has been home to many important people and events throughout the centuries. It was one of the first planned cities and the first municipality for the Virginia Colony, not only that Williamsburg was also the largest and richest town in any of the 13 colonies. It was renowned as a political, educational, and social center. Home to the second oldest college in the United States, the College of William and Mary, which produced three presidents, 16 members of the Continental Congress, four signers of the Declaration of Independence, four Supreme Court justices, and is also where George Washington received his surveyor’s license and was a Chancellor. It is the location of the oldest funeral home in the country, founded in 1759 by Benjamin Bucktrout, and is still run by the Bucktrout family today. This is also where Grace Sherwood, the last person convicted of witchcraft, was jailed and tried in 1705. The same capital building that tried Blackbeard’s crew.Williamsburg became the second Capital of Virginia in 1699, a year after the Jamestown state house burned down for the fourth time on Halloween of 1698. It remained the capital for 83 years, until May 1782, when the capital was moved to its current location, Richmond, Virginia. This move is what has been said to be the salvation of Williamsburg, allowing 88 colonial buildings to survive till the 20th century when they were restored with the help of J.D. Rockefeller’s generous donations. Though many of the buildings have had to be reconstructed, partly on account of the Battle of Williamsburg during the Civil War, and various other reasons. The history here is rich and long, with many untold secrets. This may account for the many ghostly encounters seen and heard here.Geneva-on-the-lake, OhioThe Gevena Township was founded in 1816, with the waterfront being one of the last areas to have permanent settlers. It became a popular camping ground in 1881 called Chestnut Grove. After the mapping of the Western Reserve started, it wasn’t long before it became an industrial area. However, over industrialization of this area was prevented by the Spencer family. After the Civil War, they cleared off a bluff overlooking Lake Erie and created public picnic grounds for those who wanted to enjoy the lake and the monster sturgeon fish that live in it. In the early 1900’s it was frequently visited by J.D. Rockefeller, Harvey Firestone, and Henry Ford for business camping trips. Their creation of an affordable family vehicle and frequency to the area is believed to be one of the reasons families began to flock here in the summertime. It became the birthplace of the “Duck,” an amphibious unit from World War II. The “Duck” is used for the Miss Gevena-on-the-lake contest as well as a place to launch fireworks on the 4th of July. Since the birth of this beautiful tourist town 143 years ago. It also has created its own unique history that is not like our other two colonial locations. But it still has its own ghosts and stories to tell, especially being on the edge of a “dead” lake that has a history of its own, like the gangster getaway island.