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Discover the Haunted History and Mystery of Our Oldest Town and the Gateway to America's First Western Frontier!!
| Who's red eyes are seen through the windows of the Abingdon Tavern late at night? Does Bob Porterfield still "manage" the Barter Theater from beyond? Who is the musician presenting the mysterious violin performances |  |
 | inside the Martha Washington Inn? Originally named Wolf Hills by Daniel Boone in the year of 1760, you'll be amazed by the mystery, Native American folklore, and legend wrapped in the true stories of history and science |
| woven by your host. Get ready for an evening of enlightenment as you learn about the life and times of those long gone and apparently holding on to the present by virtue of their interactions with local patrons and business |  |
 | owners alike. If you dine at the Tavern Restuarant before the tour, you just might have an encounter with "The Lady of the Tavern" who you'll hear more about during our tour. Then, you'll hear about the history and hauntings of the Martha Washington Inn, once listed on the Travel Channel as being one of the most haunted inns in America!!! In addition, while enjoying one of the wonderful live plays at the prestigious Barter Theatre, the longest running |
| professional resident theatre in America, you may be treated to one of the many mysterious happenings which we will share with you during your Abingdon GhostWalk. Perhaps, you'll run into Bob Porterfield, the previous |  |
| theatre owner, especially if you happen to be there on opening night!! And so much more on our Abingdon Ghost & History Tour!!! |
The Abingdon Ghost Tour Departs From the "Smith Stage" of:
The Barter Theatre, 110 W Main St, Abingdon 24210
| Appalachian GhostWalks' "Haunted Historic Abingdon GhostWalk" Lantern-Led Tour operates year-round by request. Advance reservations online with a minimum of two participants in your party are required to reserve as follows... |
March through October  RESERVE NOW
Evening Lantern-Led Abingdon Ghost Tours Begin at 8:30 PM DST |
November through February RESERVE NOW
Evening Lantern-Led Abingdon Ghost Tours Begin at 6 PM EST |
| Tours and dates are booked on a first come first served basis so it's a good idea to reserve your date as soon as possible. Keep in mind that if you book a tour and need to change the date, or even postpone your tour indefintely, you may do so as often as needed without limits, or change fees for up to one year from the date of purchase. By reserving your tour in advance, you're worry free knowing you will have the tour and date of choice for you and your travel companion, family, or tour group. |
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Here Are a Few Reviews From Past Tour Guests
We had a wonderful time on our ghost tour through Abingdon, Virginia, with Stacey Allen! He was a delightful tour guide who genuinely loves what he does. He was very informative about the town's history and spiritual activity and even took the time to let one our group experience a little activity himself. We will definitely be joining him on other tours in the future! Thanks again, Stacey Allen, for such a wonderful experience! - Tiffany Brustowicz
Highlight for our Honeymoon - My now husband participated in a tour almost 7 years ago and his experience was one of his favorite memories he shared with me when we first started dating. It seemed only appropriate that we do two more tours as highlight activities for our honeymoon. Johnson City was our first tour and our guide was so genuine and clearly cared about those who had and still do live in the area. Rich in history, our guide energized the group with his talent for storytelling. We had the pleasure of having the same tour guide for the second night at Abingdon. Once again he kept us energized the whole tour. Flexible when the weather did not cooperate and very respectful when taking us through the town. We would not hesitate to find time again to travel the thousand plus miles to take more tours in the coming years. - Lyn W.
I wanted to extend a great big thank you from Troop 222 and the Overmountain District for an outstanding job on our Abingdon GhostWalk. This was the perfect way to begin our weekend. The kids were all ears and loved the hands on activity. Our troop will be sending out thank you cards and will be sure to get one in the mail to you guys! Thanks again for an amazing performance!! - Jennifer Johnson
These are just a few of the many kind words expressed by our past guests. Read hundreds of other testimonials on the Guest Review page of our site. Many thanks to our wonderful past guests who we have toured with for more than twenty years. We appreciate you sending us your gracious feedback. We hope to see you again soon for another simply SPOOK-tacular good time!!! |
A Brief History of This Very Haunted and Historic Town
| The region was long the territory of varying cultures of indigenous peoples, including the Chisca and Xualae. From the late 17th-century, it was occupied by the Cherokee Nation, whose territory extended from the present-day area of borders of Tennessee, Virginia, and Kentucky through the spine of North Carolina and later into Georgia. Abingdon is considered the Gateway to the First Western Frontier of America rich in spirit, history and hauntings - a true spirit tour, presented by Appalachian GhostWalks since 2004!!! |
| Between 1748 and 1750, Thomas Walker, a principal in the Loyal Land Company, surveyed the land where the town of Abingdon is now situated. It was on the Great Road that Colonel William Byrd III ordered cut through the wilderness on to Kingsport, Tennessee. Walker called it the Wolf Hill Tract. In the twenty-first century, the town sponsored a public art event, in which artists created 27 wolf sculptures, which were installed around the town. Most were later sold at an auction to raise money for Advance Abingdon. |
| Between 1765 and 1770 James Douglas, Andrew Colville, George Blackburn, Joseph Black, Samuel Briggs and James Piper settled in and around present-day Abingdon under purchases from Thomas Walker. By 1773 there were enough settlers, primarily Scots-Irish, to establish Presbyterian congregations, and the Rev. Charles Cummings became the first settled pastor west of the Allegheny Mountains. |
| During Lord Dunmore's War, Joseph Black built Black's Fort in 1774 to protect local settlers in the region from attacks by the Cherokee of the Lower Towns. It consisted of a log stockade, with a few log cabins inside, where nearby settlers took refuge in event of attack. They retreated to the fort in 1776 when attacked by the war leader Dragging Canoe and his Chickamauga Cherokee forces. Hoping to push out the colonists, the Cherokee had allied with the British in the American Revolutionary War. The settlement was known as Black's Fort prior to being named Abingdon. Black, Briggs and Walker donated the 120 acres of land upon which the original town was laid out. |
| The area was at the intersection of two great Indian trails, which had followed ancient animal migration trails through the mountains. It was a prime location as a trade center and access point to the west and south. In 1776 the community of Black's Fort was made the county seat of the newly formed Washington county. In 1778, Black's Fort was incorporated as the town of Abingdon, said to be named for Abingdon-on-Thames the ancestral home of Martha Washington in Oxfordshire, England. Other possible namesakes for the town include Jake Dore's home in Abington, Pennsylvania, or Lord Abingdon, friend of settler William Campbell. |
| With a bequest of $10,000 from salt entrepreneur William King, the Abingdon Male Academy opened in 1824. By 1830, over forty students were enrolled. It continued to thrive until 1861 when classes were suspended during the Civil War, and eventually closed in 1905. The property later became the Abingdon High School and is now home to the William King Museum of Art. |
| Martha Washington College, a school for women, operated in Abingdon from 1860 to 1932 in the former residence of Gen. Francis Preston which was built about 1832. Since 1935 the building has been occupied and operated as a hotel, the Martha Washington Inn. In 1867, Roman Catholics opened Villa Maria Academy of the Visitation for the education of young ladies. The Stonewall Jackson Female Institute operated from 1868 to 1930 in the former residence of Gov. John B. Floyd next to the Preston home. |
| The Barter Theatre, the state theatre of Virginia, was opened in Abingdon in 1933 during the Great Depression. It is now the longest-running professional equity theatre in the United States. Abingdon is the final stop along the Virginia Creeper Trail, which allows pedestrian, cyclist and equestrian traffic. This rail-to-trail conversion is 35 miles long, extending from Whitetop Mountain through Damascus, Virginia, with the trailhead in Abingdon. The Historical Society of Washington County, Virginia, located in Abingdon, serves as a regional genealogy center, in addition to being a repository for Washington County history. |
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