AUDIO TRANSCRIPT: Ghost stories bring Syracuse’s past back to life
Maddy Osborne: As Halloween approaches, Syracuse’s dark and ghostly past starts to come alive once again. First-time visitor of the city, Sofia Seuro, says she can feel the haunted spirits.
Sofia Suero: It does give a little eerie vibes though. And it’s kind of spooky at night.
Osborne: The Educational Coordinator at the Onondaga Historical Association, Scott Peal, says there is something about Syracuse that keeps ghost stories alive, and people coming back for more.
Scott Peal: The Landmark theatre has a number of different ghostly things, but the most famous is the lady in white who appears in the balcony with a scent of lilacs.
Osborne: Ghost stories that never fade and a city that never forgets them. Syracuse is the place to be this Halloween weekend.
Osborne: Osborne, NCC News.
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) – As Halloween approaches, Syracuse’s haunted past comes alive. From ghostly brides to mysterious figures spotted in old theaters, the city is full of stories that have been passed down for generations.
Syracuse’s haunted reputation isn’t just about the stories themselves: it’s about the people who keep them alive. Scott Peal, an educational coordinator at the Onondaga Historical Association, says ghost tales have a unique way of drawing people in
“It’s something unknown, people are interested in it,” Peal said. “And especially this time of year, everyone wants to know if there are any ghosts around.”
One of the eeriest stories Peal tells is about a pair of trousers that seemed to move on their own. During a historic preservation project, workers reported seeing pants standing upright in a corner without anyone inside them. While no one could ever explain how, the story has stuck around as one of Syracuse’s strangest mysteries.
“The legend goes that after the mysterious trousers vanished, someone placed a penny on the sidewalk. And by morning, the coin was gone. Locals say that’s how the ghostly mortician finally got his payment,” Peal said.
From haunted theaters to mysterious trousers, Syracuse’s ghost stories continue to connect people to the city’s past. Proving that its history is very much still alive.