CENTRAL CITY – There’s something spooky about Central City at night, especially when you’re in a group of people winding through dimly lit streets, hearing tales of terror and tragedy. 

On October 12, 2024, at precisely 6:30 p.m., I embarked on the famous Creepy Crawl ghost tour, led by the Gilpin Historical Society.

The tour, already sold out for the evening, gathered in the lower level of the Century Casino, which by day bustles with energy but, this October, at night transforms into the portal for one of Central City’s most haunted walks. With the air crisp and the sun set, the night promised chills, and the Gilpin Historical Society did not disappoint.

Our first stop was the infamous Teller House, a structure that has stood since 1872. This is where we met a ghost in overalls, believed to be Matthew Miller, a conductor who stumbled upon a gruesome discovery in Clear Creek. 

His spirit shared the tale of finding a headless body weighed down with rocks. As the actor recounted Miller's story, a soft draft swept through the room, making everyone shift uncomfortably. Was it just the breeze, or something else?

Next, we ventured to the Central City Opera House, built in 1878. This grand building has more than music echoing through its halls. 

There, a spirit of a woman told her tale, of being found by Central City Police, under a seven-foot log in Cottonwood Creek, a short way from Black Hawk. Her spirit is said to whisper the details of her grisly demise to anyone who listens closely enough. 

Her body remained in the Gilpin County Courthouse for 14 years, detectives still searching for her identity, and her killer. The only way they could identify her burnt remains: by her distinctly crooked teeth.

But the eeriest moment came when we reached the old Silver Dollar Casino. Here, we gathered around as a spirit told the story of Arthur Cleveland, a gambler and murderer who shot James McMahon, a Cornish wrestler, after a rigged fight. It was said Cleveland discovered McMahon had “fixed” the wrestling match, and shot him. Later, McMahon was found to still be alive, but eventually was actually shot dead – for good, this time.

A showdown ensued between the two characters with live gun action, giving everyone a reason to jump and chuckle nervously. McMahon’s ghost is said to still ride a fast horse through the streets of Central City, fleeing justice that never quite caught up to him.

Adding to the spine-tingling tension, we were led to the site of Henry Teller’s cabin, where a seance was held to contact the ghost of a young girl trampled by horses. 

The cabin’s log walls seemed to breathe, expanding with the heavy, chilling air of unseen presences. The cabin, now used to house the Central City Opera’s old marquee signs, had an eerie hollowness to it. 

A psychic by the name of Angelique introduced the character of Michael Stroud, carrying a large Bowie knife, said to be owned by a serial killer who was shot by vigilantes out back of the cabin. 

The tension in the room grew thicker as the psychic invited volunteers to step forward and form a circle at the seance table. I hesitated, but a few brave souls took their places. Angelique called upon the spirit connected to the knife, summoning it with slow, deliberate chants.

The room fell to a stillness as she asked for a sign of the spirit’s presence. And then, footsteps echoed across the room, though no one moved. The psychic continued to chant, asking the spirit if it still sought vengeance. At that moment, a voice seemed to emerge from the dark corners of the cabin, sending shivers through the volunteers.

Ghostly footsteps and whispers of long-dead killers filled the room, heightening the group’s anxiety. We leaned in closer, hoping to escape whatever restless spirits had lingered too long in Central City’s haunted past.

The history of Central is as rich as its ghost stories, and every turn of the tour reminded us that the past is never far from the present. The city feels like a place where time has blurred, and its spectral inhabitants remain.

Support the Gilpin Historical Society and keep the history alive by visiting https://www.gilpinhistory.org/donate-ceef. Attend the Creepy Crawl to learn the tragedy of Mary Smith, who lost her child and came to haunt what is known as the “Lace House.”

With a real paranormal investigation scheduled for December 7 and more Creepy Crawls on October 18 and 19, there's no shortage of opportunities to uncover Central City’s haunted secrets.

For those brave enough to walk its ghostly streets, this tour is a must. But be warned – some of Central City’s ghosts have been known to follow you home.