For this spooky time of year, why not explore the stories of our local ghosts and ghost towns – abandoned haunts, strange sightings and creepy feelings.
In “Haunted Montana” and “More Haunted Montana” by Karen D. Stevens, every ghost story shares three commonalities: recent ghost activity, historic locations and sites that are open to the public.
“Spooky Montana” by S.E. Schlosser features crazy railroad men, giant lake monsters, a bleeding sink, unhappy love stories and drunken gunslingers.
Read “Montana Chillers” by Ellen Baumler to learn the spooky secrets of the Conrad Mansion, the legend of the boy who drowned and the mystery of the metal coffin.
For an immersive film experience, watch “A Haunting in Garnet, the Story of the Kelly Saloon.” Montana’s own Bigfoot makes a special appearance.
Ghost towns may not actually contain ghosts …or they just might. Abandoned settlements with evocative names such as Gilt Edge and Maiden are featured in “Ghost Towns of Montana” by Donald C. Miller. He tells the tales of nearly 30 ghost towns, including Castle, where a man presumed long dead appeared out of the hills to take his share of a discovery of 10 barrels of brandy.
Create your own spooky tour! You may be able to spot a ghost at the Conrad Mansion in Kalispell or Belton Chalet in West Glacier. For a combo, explore the ghost town of Elkhorn and the historic hot springs in Boulder, which boasts a resident ghost who was a lady of the night. If you’re brave, you can even stay in her room.
ImagineIF Libraries encourage exploration, fresh ideas and self-discovery. Learn more at www.imagineiflibraries.org.