October is Haunted History Month at the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance and we can’t wait to share our spooky tales with you. In a town as old as Breckenridge, there are bound to be ghosts and spirits lurking around, and we know how to find them! Come learn about the ghost of Katie at the Briggle Museum, the hauntings by Sylvia on the Saloon Tour, and the death of Ada at the Victorian Mourning Exhibit. The Breckenridge Haunted Tour exposes unexplained mysteries around town. And visit the place where everyone was laid to rest on the Tombstone Tales at Twilight Tour. The month caps off with Halloween. The Heritage Alliance offers a night of hauntingly good fun at the Breckenridge Ghost Experience Haunted House and special tours on Halloween night. Please plan to join us all month!
Prepare to get scared on an evening walk about the historic district on town's most popular ghost tour. Hear the mysterious tales of unexplained deaths, haunted buildings, and ghost sightings. Covering about 6 city blocks, the tour is perfect for ghost hunters. Because some of the stories are spookily unsettling, the tour is not recommended for younger or sensitive children. Offered on Wednesday and Saturday evenings at 7:30pm plus a special tour on Halloween night. Reservations are required two hours prior to the tour.
Behind Swinging Doors Saloon Tour
The popular Behind Swinging Doors Saloon Tour takes on a new twist in October. One of Breckenridge’s most famous ghosts -- Sylvia, a miner’s young widow -- haunts an historic building on Saloon Row. She sometimes makes a tantalizing appearance at the window. Offered Friday and Saturday evenings at 5:00pm; for adults only. Reservations are required two hours prior to the tour.
Tombstone Tales at Twilight Tour
If you like visiting the dearly departed without the scare factor then our tour of this nationally recognized historic cemetery is for you. Breckenridge’s lovely Valley Brook Cemetery is the place to learn about citizens of the past, how to decipher the art on headstones, and the history of epidemics, accidents and conflict in Breckenridge, highlighting the vulnerabilities of living in a mountain mining camp. Offered on Sunday evenings at 5:00pm plus a special tour on Halloween night. Reservations are required two hours prior to the tour.
Milne House in Mourning: A Wake for Ada Finding
Breckenridge was founded during the Victorian era and the town’s historic architecture reflects Queen Victoria’s aesthetic. Queen Victoria was also famous for mourning the loss of her beloved Prince Albert and she raised the bar on the art and ritual of mourning. Breckenridge citizens followed suit. Learn about the strict etiquette and elaborate practices upon the death of a loved one. Rules governed the decoration of the home, appropriate clothes and jewelry, and the ways the deceased would be memorialized. The unique mourning exhibit at the Alice Milne House Museum is based on the death of Ada Finding, and includes mourning attire and Victorian hair art. The exhibit will be on display October 1 through November 3.
Halloween fun begins on Sunday, October 20th with an event just for kids at the historic Briggle House. Ideal for children ages 4-10, the afternoon includes a wacky psychic fortune teller, Victorian parlor games, and cider and snacks. Costumes are encouraged and kids should be ready for tricks and treats and a whole lot of spooky fun. Offered 1:00 -3:00pm; $10 per kid, parents are free. Space is limited so reservations are recommended.
Halloween Weekend in Breckenridge
Halloween night is when the frights ramp up to spook-tacular heights. The cemetery might get a little eerie on October 31st; take the exclusive Tombstone Tales at Twilight Tour to find out. Or walk the dark streets of Breckenridge by lantern light and see if you can scare up some spirits on a special Halloween offering of the Breckenridge Haunted Tour.
Trick-or-Treating and haunted houses make a perfect pair. Historic Halloween hauntings for all ages continue with the Breckenridge Ghost Experience Haunted House on Thursday, October 31st. Come trick-or-treat at the Briggle House Museum on Harris Street with small scares for small folk (ages 4-12) from 5:00-8:00pm and then big scares for big folk (ages 13+) until 10:00pm. Ghostly spirits include Alferd Packer, William Briggle and Ada Finding. The Milne House in Mourning Exhibit will also be on display 5:00-8:00pm on Halloween night. With free admission there is no reason to miss it! The museums are located at 104 N Harris Street and parking is available at the BGV Community Center and Library.
Close out the weekend of hauntings with the Witches Brew Trick-or-Treat Tea on Saturday, November 2. Enjoy tasty tea and unique treats at the haunted Briggle House Museum from 2:00-4:00pm. Reservations are required two hours prior to the tea.
We hope to see you in October for a hauntingly good time with the Breckenridge Heritage Alliance!
written by Leigh Girvin