Explore the dark side of the history of the River City... Richmond has a curious share of horrific accidents, coolly calculated slaughter, and incidents of implacable deceit in its history. Here, the wronged, the devious, and the heartbroken enact their lives on the stage set of the River City's ostensibly genteel neighborhoods, where a tree-shaded city street may have been the site of a crime of passion and an innocuous path in the woods recalls a grisly unsolved murder. Discover these and other lesser-known stories, from a young bride poisoned by her husband to the horrific fate of an entire airliner. Local historian Selden Richardson explores tales from a time when murder and mayhem stalked the streets of Richmond.

With over four hundred years of history, Richmond abounds with ghostly tales and ghastly deeds from the past. Step into the shadows and take a tour of thirteen of Richmond s most haunted sites. Visit Church Hill, home of the famous St. John s Church, and discover the events that led to the tragic tunnel collapse of 1925. Discover the long-forgotten Civil War hospitals of Shockoe Bottom, where hundreds of wounded soldiers met their end. Feel the icy chill at the bottom of a staircase where a young apprentice was murdered in cold blood by his jealous master in 1826. These stories and more await as you discover the mysterious, tragic and terrifying events of Richmond s dark past."

Based on Colonial Williamsburg's popular evening programs, Cry Witch; and Legends, Myths, Mysteries, and Ghosts, here are scary stories from the eighteenth century. Here are the stories of a farmer whose hitchhiker turns out to be a deadly spirit; of a young woman buried alive; of a finger detached from its body but still able to point to that person s murderer; of a man and woman whose love outlasted their lives, of a groom whose brides never survived the wedding night; of a ship and its crew forever frozen in an icy hell. Here are the stories that amused and frightened Virginians more than two hundred years ago. Read them if you dare!

Dare you not believe? The apparition of an unhappy 18th century bride at Tuckahoe Plantations. The specter of a notorious rogue who guards a hidden treasure at Whichello. The strange bird which signalled impending death at Clover Hill. The mysterious "presence" of a beautiful young woman at the Governor's Mansion. These and more than 25 other examples of inexplicable psychic phenomena are chronicled in "The Ghosts of Richmond." Are the stories true? Skeptics may scoff, but a number of respected witnesses who have personally seen or otherwise experienced spiritual visitations swear by them. Judge for yourself. -- Back cover.

Richmond is chock-full of ghosts and haunted places. This city names Edgar Allan Poe as its native son, and it is rich in ghostly lore, legends, and tales. Join this tour to: - Learn why Virginia's governor shares his mansion with ghosts; - Dine with ghosts at Ruth's Chris Steak House and Crab Louie's Seafood Tavern; - Discover that the Byrd Theatre has more than movies to offer customers; - Visit the prison in Powhatan (it might not be safe, even for those working there); - Call on the Lady in Red who roams the corridors at Wrexham Hall. These and other interesting and scary stories will transport you beyond, to a Richmond that most mortals never see!

Manhattan's past whispers for attention amongst the bustle of the city's ever-changing landscape. At Fraunces Tavern, George Washington's emotional farewell luncheon in 1783 echoes in the Long Room. Gertrude Tredwell's ghost appears to visitors at the Merchant's House Museum. Long since deceased, Olive Thomas shows herself to the men of the New Amsterdam Theatre, and Dorothy Parker still keeps her lunch appointment at the Algonquin Hotel. In other places, it is not the paranormal but the abnormal violent acts by gangsters, bombers, and murderers that linger in the city's memory. Some think Jack the Ripper and the Boston Strangler hunted here. The historic images and true stories in Ghosts and Murders of Manhattan bring to life the people and events that shaped this city and raised the consciousness of its residents.