Patrice Le Blanc, Central City.     Central City’s 10th annual Creepy Crawl happened over two weekends in October and was presentd by the Gilpin County Historical Society. Patrons were led by guides to five historic buildings, some of them abandoned, to visit ghosts from the past who told stories of bone chilling murders and ghostly encounters.

The first stop was at the Historic Central City Opera House where the ghost of the Opera, portrayed by Randy Schneider, retold the story of the haunting of Highway 93, by a ghost who was hit by a train from the Colorado Central Railroad in 1881. Sound and light effects were used throughout the story.

The next stop was Washington Hall, where the guests were met by William Jefferson, portrayed by Tom Mathews, in a straight jacket. He told of the story about being shipped to the asylum in Pueblo, CO, in 1895 and the mass murders that took place there. The third stop was the Stables, now used by the Central City Opera for plays. The spirit, Old Man Richards, portrayed by Chuck Roberts, died a mysterious death on November 3, 1886 from a hatchet wound in the back of his head. It took two days for his remains to be found. The fourth stop was at the vacant Grubstake where the spirit portrayed by Robin Schneider retold of the schoolteacher who was haunted by the ghost of Josette, who had her throat slashed in 1886. The schoolteacher stayed in the house for 4 days but finally fled in terror. The final stop was at vacant Baby Doe’s, where the deceased county treasurer in 1874, Christopher Trezise, portrayed by Mike Keeler, mesmerized the crowd with his account of shooting the daughter of the love of his life, after he found out she was going to marry someone else. He then shot himself in the head.

The event is a fundraiser for the Gilpin County Historical Society and attracts repeat visitors along with newcomers every year. The Carrero Family, from Parker, has attended for the past six years and are delighted every year with the dramatic and suspenseful way the stories are portrayed. They have never heard the same story twice. All the stories are based on real events and are researched by David Forsyth of the Historical Society. Deb Wray is responsible for lining up the actors and the guides. The original idea was the brainchild of Linda Jones and the first two years the event happened outside but was eventually moved indoors due to weather.

The Historical Society originally partnered with the Central City Business District to put on the Creepy Crawl, but they have been doing it on their own for the past two years. The Society looks forward to the event’s continuation in the future.