Walk summons up ghosts, history

Inside one of the rooms of the St. Charles Hotel, Janet Jones - dressed in full 19th century garb - played a video of a ghost hunt she had recently conducted inside the building.

An audience of about a dozen people leaned into watch the video as a shadowy figure moved across the screen. Jones said it was the ghost of one of the hotel's recently departed residents.

The experience was enough to help Michelle Dufrisne, 34, convince her that ghosts exist.

"I wouldn't want to be there at night, definitely not at night," she said.

Dufrisne was among the few hundred people who participated in Saturday's Ghost Walk through historic Carson City, now in its 18th year.

Jones, who works for the Carson City Convention & Visitor's Bureau, is an avid ghost hunter with The Thin Veil Investigators who set up video cameras and sound recording equipment inside haunted places throughout the region.

She played more recordings from inside the St. Charles Hotel, including one that featured the faint sound of a boy calling for his mother and another of a cat - presumably dead - meowing in the distance.

As the group of tourists moved into another room, Jones asked if anyone was feeling dizzy. A ghost was apparently nearby.

"That means the spirit is standing right next to you and draining your energy," she said.

Before the tour started, Adam Whitney, one of many actors from Reno's Bruka Theater participating in the ghost walk, kicked off the tour as Dr. Hingleblotter who tried to summon the ghost of Madame Curry.

"There are many ghosts who like to come around energy," Whitney said in his best German accent, imploring the audience to scream "whoa, whoa, whoa!"

As she was following the group to one of Carson City's haunted houses, Sharon Duncan, 66, said the tour was a good way to see the capital's historic district.

And if she's convinced that ghosts exist?

"Absolutely," she said.