D
riving or walking through
Girard during the day, the
borough appears to be a
pleasant, fairly ordinary town. There’s a law
office, beauty shop, parks, bed and breakfast
and museums—all reminiscent of Girard’s
rich history spanning hundreds of years.
But at night, by candlelight, you can see
Girard from a very different, otherworldly
perspective.
This year, Candlelight Ghost Walks have
returned to Girard! Hosted by Stephanie
Wincik, author of “Ghosts of Erie County”
and “More Ghosts of Erie County,”
candlelight ghost walks began about 15
years ago when Wincik was president of the
former West County Historical Association.
The association held the events as well
as cemetery tours as fundraisers. When
Wincik moved from her hometown of
Girard to Erie, she focused on hosting the
popular Bayfront ghost walks, but decided
to add Girard tours to her schedule.
Wincik’s ghost walks intertwine the
paranormal with local history, sharing tales
of hauntings while also sharing stories of
Girard’s past. “A lot of people have heard the
ghost stories and come for the ghosts, but
they also appreciate the history,” she says.
A Lantern Tour Through Girard
The 90-minute ghost walk begins by
the Civil War Monument at the corner of
Main and Mechanic streets where Wincik,
holding a candlelit lantern, meets her guests.
Stops on the tour include storefronts along
Main Street where people have reported
encounters with the paranormal.
Wincik says one well-known site is the
Maximum Hair Designs building, which
had several prior occupants including a
cabinetmaker in the 1800s who also built
coffins for townspeople. In the 1970s, the
building was home to the What Not Shop
antique store. The proprietors of the store
were the first to report ghosts, discovering
that the antiques on display would move
during the night and footsteps could be
heard on the second floor. When the couple
moved into the second-floor apartment,
they reported seeing an apparition wearing a
long white dress. Wincik says the building’s
current occupants have never seen a ghost,
but sometimes hear footsteps on the second
floor when no one else is in the building.
The ghost walk also includes a stroll
past the Battles Museums of Rural Life off
Walnut Street. Alida Polk, who attended the
learn little things about Girard that
“ you You never
knew, and you’ll be surprised
what you hear.
”
first Girard ghost walk this year, notes that
this stop was her favorite part of the tour.
She says Wincik provides the histories
of the yellow and white house that Rush
Battles built for himself, his mother and
sisters, and the white house next door that
he built for his wife, Charlotte. She also
shares accounts of paranormal activity,
including the story of a plumber working
alone in the museum who was startled
by an elderly white-haired woman in the
doorway. He later recognized her when he
saw a photograph of Georgianna Read, a
longtime friend of the Battles’ daughter,
Charlotte Elizabeth, who lived with her
in the white house from the 1920s until
Charlotte Elizabeth’s death in 1952.
Although the tour doesn’t take guests
to the site of the Gudgeonville covered
bridge that was destroyed by arson in
2008, Wincik includes stories about the
bridge during the ghost walk. “It’s been
a part of Girard lore for many years,” she
says, explaining that everyone knew stories
about the bridge being haunted, and it was
common for teenagers to visit the bridge
on Halloween for a scare.
Are There Really Ghosts in
Girard?
A paranormal investigator and medium
attended the June ghost walk in Girard,
along with a small group of guests who
had the chance to use equipment for
hands-on ghost hunting. One site they
investigated was the gazebo in the center
of town, which was the former site of
Dan Rice’s estate when he lived in Girard.
Rice, America’s most famous clown in
the 19th century, made Girard the winter
headquarters of his circus from 1852
to 1875. He built a magnificent home
surrounded by gardens—the two statues
in front of the municipal building once
stood in front of Rice’s home. Wincik
includes ghost stories related to Rice, and
investigators reported paranormal activity
near the gazebo.
The investigators also detected
paranormal activity at the Battles houses.
Wincik says the medium told her she
sensed the presence of an elderly female.
“She told me that she was drawn to my
lantern,” Wincik notes.
Join the Fun
Polk points out that although Wincik
weaves ghost stories throughout her
presentation during the tour, the
atmosphere is not dark and gothic. “It’s fun
and entertaining and you can ask questions
along the way,” she says. “It’s apparent she
enjoys what she does.”
She adds that Wincik clearly explains
whether a story included in the tour is
fact or theory. “She brings the history
of the buildings to light with a twist,”
Polk says. “You learn little things about
Girard that you never knew, and you’ll be
surprised what you hear. The beauty shop is
haunted—who knew?”
Girard Candlelight Ghost Walks are by
reservation only, and the final tours of 2019
are scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 14, and
Saturday, Oct. 12. Walks begin at 8 p.m.
The cost is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors, and
$3 for children 12 and younger. Wincik says
the tour is not recommended for children
younger than 8.
Ghost walks follow the sidewalk under
streetlights, and the route is accessible.
Guests should wear comfortable shoes, use
insect repellent, and be prepared for the
tour rain or shine.
Additional ghost walks are planned for
the Erie Bayfront through Oct. 5.
For more information, call Stephanie
Wincik at 814.490.5078, or visit
candlelightghostwalks.com. n
WEST COUNTY
❘
FALL 2019
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