West Virginia Independence Hall is a historic building, a Civil War museum, and the birthplace of West Virginia.
But did you know it has a darker side as well?
Many say it is one of the most haunted places in Wheeling. Visitors and staff have experienced strange happenings in the building over the years including things being knocked to the floor, doors slamming, mysterious footsteps, lights flickering off and on — even an apparition and angel encounter.
To learn more about the strange happenings at Independence Hall, plan to attend the Saturday, Oct. 18 Ghost Walk that is open to the public.
Visitors will have a chance to learn about these unexplained encounters and weird events during dramatic presenters. They will also hear some interesting facts about the site which is the most historic place in the state.
“Please join us for a little spooky fun. Though this isn’t exactly a haunted house event, costumed guides will escort groups through the historic landmark and tell stories about supernatural things that both visitors and staff have experienced in the building since the 1970s,” said Pattie Hershey, Vice President of the West Virginia Independence Hall Foundation (WVIHF).
Completed in 1859 for use as a United States Custom House, West Virginia Independence Hall was built at a time when Wheeling was one of the fastest growing cities in the-then state of Virginia.
Gerry Reilly, President of the WVIHF, and site manager of the building between 1996 and 2006, will be one of the guides and will recount some of the things he and others, have actually experienced first-hand while working in the building.
“I’m not sensitive enough to actually see apparitions, but I have experienced things like lights being turned off, things moving on their own and unexplained sounds,” he said.
“Almost everyone who has worked here has some weird story to tell,” he noted.
Another presenter will be actor Wayne McCord. Born and raised in Wheeling, McCord earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Point Park College (now university). Over the years, he has performed in many local productions, most of them through Oglebay Institute’s Towngate Theatre. This marks his third appearance at the WVIH ghost programs.
The program is a fundraiser for the West Virginia Independence Hall Foundation, a volunteer organization, that supports the historic site throughout the year.
West Virginia Independence Hall is the site of the first West Virginia Constitutional Convention and the first and second Wheeling Convention. Wheeling is the only city to serve as the capitol of two states and West Virginia is the only state formed from the Civil War.
Ghost Walk tours will be held at 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on October 18. Admission is $10 per person. Reservations should be made by calling Independence Hall at 304-238-2300 by Oct. 16.
The program is not recommended for children 12 and under. Please make checks payable to the West Virginia Independence Hall Foundation. You may mail them to West Virginia Independence Hall, 1528 Market St., Wheeling, WV 26003.
Operated by the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, West Virginia Independence Hall has free admission, limited free parking and is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday. For more information, please call 304-238-1300 or visit online at wvculture.org.
