Ghosts of Troy Walking Tour: Murder, Fire & Gilded Age Legends

Walk Troy's darkest history: murder, fire, spiritualism and the stories behind the city's haunted landmarks

Ghosts of Troy is a 90-minute guided walking tour through downtown Troy that traces the city's most infamous tragedies, true crimes and local hauntings. You'll stand at the courthouse where The Veiled Murderess confessed, visit the Hart Cluett Museum's archives of murder and mayhem, explore sites from HBO's The Gilded Age, and hear about serial killers, mobsters and the burned-over district's spiritualist past. The tour covers indigenous folklore, cryptids, cemetery hauntings, and the case that inspired David Lynch's Twin Peaks.

Step-by-step itinerary

Ghosts of Troy walking tour

• Start at Monument Square with folklore
• Discuss indigenous folklore by river
• View West Hall and cryptid tales
• Visit St. Pauls Episcopal Church
• Discuss haunted cemeteries at City Hall site
• Learn true crime at county courthouse
• Discuss Twin Peaks case at library
• Explore serial killer stories on campus
• Talk about Enslin House in Sage Park
• Visit Hart Cluett Museum archives
• See John Paine Mansion hauntings
• Discuss political intrigue and gangs
• Visit Baachus building hauntings
• Learn about mobster Jack "Legs" Diamond
• Hear hauntings at Rice Hall ruins
• Discuss hauntings at Hendrik Hudson Hotel
• End at Sailors and Soldiers Monument

The experience

You have a free afternoon in Troy and want more than the usual downtown walk. This tour anchors itself in real crime and documented hauntings rather than invented ghost stories. You'll start at Monument Square discussing the region's indigenous folklore, then move through the city's most consequential moments: the county courthouse where The Veiled Murderess case unfolded, the Troy Public Library connected to the Twin Peaks inspiration, Sage Park and the Enslin House (featured on Most Haunted Houses in America), and the John Paine Mansion, which HBO's The Gilded Age used extensively as a backdrop. The guide is an expert storyteller who frames each stop around the actual events and the people who lived through them.

The route weaves through downtown's architecture: the ornate Rice Hall, decimated by fire but still standing; the beautiful bank where you'll learn about mobster Jack "Legs" Diamond; the Baachus building, a local pizza spot hiding one of the tour's darkest hauntings. You'll pass West Hall at RPI under the Uncle Sam statue, stop at St. Paul's Episcopal Church to discuss seances and the spiritualist movement, and visit the site of Troy's former City Hall, which once held an inner city burial ground. The tour ends at the Sailors and Soldiers Monument with a story about the Axeman of Lansingburgh High. A tale so widespread it took on a life of its own, even though it was completely made up.

The 90 minutes move at a walking pace through downtown, with the guide stopping at each site long enough to tell the story fully. You're not rushed through. You're standing in the actual places where these events happened, which is what makes the hauntings and the history feel present rather than distant.

What’s included

Expert guide and storyteller leading the full 90-minute tour through downtown Troy's most infamous sites and hauntings.

Before you book

Days and timesFriday and SaturdayDepartures at 18:30 and 20:00Last departure this season: 31 Oct

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (16 to 64 years) · Senior (65 and older) · Youth (12 to 15 years) · Under 12: can't be booked

GroupUp to 20

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 6 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Haunted Upstate

Is this one for you?This tour works best for groups of mixed ages (children from 12 up) or solo travelers who want the real history behind Troy's reputation rather than invented ghost stories: the guide grounds each stop in documented crime, spiritualism, architecture and local legend, so you're learning the city's actual past.

Traveler reviews

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 15 years). Children under 12 can't be included in the booking.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is The Veiled Murderess case that the tour mentions?

The Veiled Murderess and the case of Andreas Hall are discussed at the county courthouse, one of Troy's most infamous true crimes. The tour covers the case in detail at the site where the confession took place.

Does the tour visit any sites from HBO's The Gilded Age?

Yes. The John Paine Mansion is featured extensively in The Gilded Age and serves as a backdrop for stories about how hauntings touch even the wealthy. Other Gilded Age sites are woven throughout the downtown route.

What is the Twin Peaks connection the tour mentions?

The historic Troy Public Library is the stop where you'll learn about the case that inspired David Lynch's Twin Peaks. The tour discusses how this real Troy story influenced the television series.

Is the tour accessible for people with mobility challenges?

Yes. All areas and surfaces on the route are wheelchair accessible, and the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels. Public transportation options are available nearby if you need them.

Who leads the tour?

An expert guide and storyteller leads the group through Troy's haunted history in English, sharing documented events and local legends at each stop along the downtown route.