Write a commentThe Central New York Ghost Hunters and Friends of Fort Ontario, along with other ghost hunting groups, will host their annual Ghost Tours event at Fort Ontario State Historic Site Friday and Saturday evenings, Oct. 18 and 19.
Tours are by advance reservation only. Tickets are $13 and may be purchased by calling 315-343-4711, or stopping in at the fort's museum shop Wednesday through Sunday. The tours are scheduled in 15-minute intervals and run from 7-10 p.m. Friday evening, and 6-10 p.m. Saturday evening.
"Fort Ontario is purported to be one of the most haunted locations in the United States and was the subject of an episode of the SYFY Channel's Ghost Hunters in the fall of 2012," said Fort Ontario Superintendent Paul Lear. "Ghost sightings and soundings have been reported at or in association with the fort since the 19th century."
During guided tours, evidence gathered in the fort's buildings and underground casemates will be presented in the rooms or areas it was obtained. The public is also invited to bring their own ghost hunting equipment and seek new data under the guidance of experts.
The tour is not recommended for children younger than 8. Footwear suitable for uneven ground, clothing appropriate for cool, wet, and windy weather conditions and flashlights are encouraged. The event will take place regardless of the weather.
"Fort Ontario's most famous ghost is George Fykes, a loyalist soldier who died in a fever epidemic in 1782," Lear said. "During World War I, a member of the garrison may have become the only soldier in history to escape court martial for abandoning his guard post by reason of being scared off by a ghost; when other members of the garrison testified that they had similar experiences, the case was dismissed."
Fort Ontario State Historic Site is located at the north end of East Fourth Street in the city of Oswego. The fort is open Wednesday through Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The fort will close for the season Columbus Day holiday, Monday, Oct. 14.
For information, call Fort Ontario State Historic Site at 315-343-4711. For Oswego County visitor information, go to www.visitoswegocounty.com or call 1-800-248-4FUN (4386).
