Johnston County’s 22nd Annual Ghost Walk Returns to Smithfield |
Historic Riverside Cemetery comes alive October 29–30 |
History will come to life after dark in Smithfield when the Heritage Center presents its 22nd Annual Ghost Walk on Thursday, October 29, and Friday, October 30.
The two-night event runs from 6 to 8 p.m. in historic Riverside Cemetery. Visitors will gather at the corner of Second and Church Streets beside St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, then join guided tours through the cemetery to meet six people from Johnston County’s past.
Six stories from Johnston County history
This year’s walk introduces Delilah McCoy, a Revolutionary War orphan portrayed by Zen Kelly; Rev. Philemon Wesley Archer, namesake of Archer Lodge, portrayed by Rev. Adam Charville; and John Rufus Coats, a farmer and politician portrayed by Adam Caldwell.
Visitors will also meet Sylvia Richardson Holder, a formerly enslaved matriarch and herbalist portrayed by Denise Joyner; Louis Abdalla, a Lebanese merchant portrayed by Ned Attayek; and Mattie Woodall Creech, a housewife and murder victim portrayed by Mary-Leigh Hamilton.
Rather than a haunted-house attraction built around jump scares, the Ghost Walk uses costumed interpreters and real local history to introduce visitors to the people and stories that helped shape Johnston County. It is part history lesson, part evening walk and part October tradition. |
 Photo by KoolShooters on Pexels |
More than a cemetery tour
The Heritage Center has added several extras to both evenings. Organist Bill McClure of Garner will perform Bach’s Toccata and Fugue in D Minor and other works on the organ at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.
The church’s Brotherhood of St. Andrew will sell barbecue sandwiches and hot dogs, giving visitors a chance to grab something to eat as part of the evening.
After the tour, author James Parker will be at the Hastings House to meet visitors and sign copies of his book Ghostly North Carolina.
Event chairman Matt Dean describes the Ghost Walk as an educational experience for all ages and says last year brought record attendance. Offering the event on two separate evenings gives more people an opportunity to take part.
What to know before you go
Dates: Thursday, October 29, and Friday, October 30
Admission may be purchased in advance or at the event. Reserve tickets through the Johnston County Heritage Center.
With real Johnston County personalities, a historic cemetery setting, organ music, local food and a ghost-story book signing, the 22nd Annual Ghost Walk offers a Halloween-week experience that is unmistakably local.
For residents who enjoy Johnston County history with a little October atmosphere, this is one of Smithfield’s signature fall traditions. |
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Riverside Cemetery after dark, costumed interpreters, Bach on the organ at St. Paul’s, and a local ghost-story book signing sounds like a pretty full evening. I’m glad they’ve kept the history at the center of it instead of making everything about scares. Ten dollars for adults also seems reasonable for an event with this much going on. This is one I’d put on the October calendar.
Six historical personalities seems like a good lineup, and they’re very different from one another. A Revolutionary War orphan, a minister, a merchant and several other local lives should give visitors a much broader picture of Johnston County history. I also like that they’re offering it on two nights because the Ghost Walk can get busy.
I grew up hearing the name Archer Lodge but never knew it was connected to Rev. Philemon Wesley Archer. That’s exactly the kind of local history these events are good at bringing out.
The story of Sylvia Richardson Holder really caught my attention. I’d like to hear more about her life and her work as an herbalist.
Does anyone know roughly how long the guided walk takes? I’d like to hear the organ music at St. Paul’s too if there’s enough time for both.
I like that they focus on real Johnston County people instead of turning it into a haunted house. You get the October atmosphere and actually learn some local history.
The organ music alone sounds worth hearing.
This sounds like a great October tradition.