Welcome To Blacksburg Ghosts
Anguished ghosts plead from Blacksburg’s darkest shadows in search of reprieve and an escape from their curse to forever hover between the land of the dead and the living.
The School of Spectral Haunts
Since 2007, Virginia Tech’s history has been stained by the violent acts of one man, but the school was not without controversy before then. Join Blacksburg Haunts on a deep dive into the mysterious workings of the Virginia Tech School of Visual Arts.
Uncover the network of tunnels snaking beneath Virginia Tech, designed to keep each hall and building connected and powered. Within this labyrinthian maze, some have claimed to have seen an unexpected apparition.
Venture with Blacksburg Haunts to hear dreadful stories about the tunnels that will have your hair standing on end. Experience shivers down your spine as you learn of the persistent specters that pursue anyone who steps foot inside the prohibited area. Are they protecting the tunnels from outsiders, or is there a far more sinister secret they’re trying to hide? Find out with Blacksburg Haunts.
What Will I See?
Visit Blacksburg’s Most Haunted Locations, Including:
- Lyric Theatre – A relic of Blacksburg, this antique theater originally opened in the early 20th century and moved around before landing in its current location on College Avenue. Noisy spirits inhabit the theater, their hushed whispers and pleading cries filling the silence. The haunt is believed to be a man and a woman, possibly connected by a singular tragedy that befell the historic building.
- Cabo Fish Taco – Go for the tacos; stay for the otherworldly happenings at this chain restaurant. Inhabiting one of the city’s best-known taco joints, mischievous specters cause grief among the kitchen staff and patrons. Their presence manifests primarily in the kitchen and an upper-floor women’s restroom, but it’s not uncommon for them to migrate elsewhere in this former Civil War field hospital.
- Squires Student Center – Ghosts are a commonality across college campuses around the world. Be it the jilted lover, the perfectionist who couldn’t stand a B average, or the fraternity pledge gone wrong, student specters are an expectation of the university experience. Virginia Tech is no outlier, with tales of ethereal figures meandering campus grounds from the student center to the local duck pond.
The Students That Never Left
Few places carry an emotional charge as diverse and as strong as a college campus. From this psychokinetic energy, the many specters of Virginia Tech manifest. Listen as Blacksburg Haunts unveils incidents involving the spectral presence lurking throughout the Squires Student Center and beyond.
Hear the tragic tale of a hard-working student whose study session ended with blood spilled on campus grounds. How they died remains unknown, but their lengthy tenure within the grounds of Virginia Tech has made them a fixture of Burruss Hall.
Join Blacksburg Haunts on a spooky nighttime tour that reveals the terror at Virginia Tech’s grounds. Students know all about the mysterious presence on the grassy field, though why she patrols the stadium raises questions. Is she a bride whose life was unexpectedly shattered? Or maybe a former student perpetually looking for something lost? Judge for yourself on a heart-pounding ghost tour of Blacksburg.
Dinner and a Haunting
Cabo Fish Taco is a simple chain found in Virginia and North Carolina. It’s a seemingly normal establishment, until Blacksburg Haunts introduces you to its dark past. Formerly a Presbyterian Church, the seafood restaurant flourishes with both customers and the undead.
Explore the ghostly tales of one of Blacksburg’s most unique haunts as you learn of the building’s eclectic history as a church, lodge, and hospital. Discover the haunts on the second floor, where an unsettling presence watches over a women’s restroom. Empathize with Cabo Fish Taco’s female staff, who have complained of feeling like they’re being watched while tending to the bathroom.
With its extensive history, any number of ghosts could be tied to the taqueria. Maybe it’s a Civil War soldier whose lifeless body once lay limp in the field hospital. One apparition may also be a former Presbyterian congregation member confused about the presence of customers and a restaurant. Learn who else may be lurking within the building’s walls with Blacksburg Haunts.
Why is Blacksburg so Haunted?
The Plantation Poltergeists of Blacksburg
Plantations and plantation-style homes are magnets for the otherworldly. They’re also symbols of wealth, which the Preston family had a considerable amount of when they built the ornate structure on the Smithfield Plantation Grounds. Turn your ears to Blacksburg Haunts and learn about the Preston family, the imprint they left on Blacksburg, and the haunted legacy of their 18th-century home.
A stark contrast from the haunts of Virginia Tech, the specters of Smithfield Plantation Grounds are more rooted in Blacksburg’s history. Follow the plantation through the years, from its time as a home for the Prestons to a museum for locals to marvel at relics of the past.
Mischievous maladies linger at the Smithfield Plantation Grounds, their origin a mystery waiting to be solved. From shadows slinking about in the dark to impossible noises ringing out in the night, the plantation is not short on stories of the otherworldly, and you’ll hear them all with Blacksburg Haunts.
The Party is Always Rocking at the Holiday Inn
Few places round off a haunting trek across town better than a genuine tavern. The Blacksburg Tavern is the endcap of Blacksburg Haunts’ core introduction to the ghosts of the Virginian city. Take in the tavern’s haunted history, which includes the Holiday Inn & Attitude Bar.
Laugh at the cacophony of specters who were so loud, they’d disturb guests. The front desk’s line rang often, tired voices of the living on the other end of the phone pleading for relief from the lounge music that stopped hours ago. Imagine a stay at the Holiday Inn, the end of your day disrupted by the frantic spirits who refuse to let the party die.
Hear Blacksburg Haunts recount actual incidents of frustrated guests merely trying to catch a wink. You’ll question every noise you hear in a hotel from then on, and you’ll be left wondering what’s real and what’s a residual stain that plays ad nauseam until you check out.
What’s so Special About the Blacksburg Haunts Tour?
See A Different Side of Blacksburg’s Nightlife
Known for being a college town, it can seem like much of Blacksburg’s haunted history is tied to Virginia Tech. Places like the Lyric Theatre subvert the contemporary and sidestep the more modern ghost stories the university is known for.
An unnamed man and woman are the resident haunts of the performing arts theater, a familiar tale told among theater-goers and crew. When the theater isn’t playing movies, it’s hosting live events that take to the stage in hopes their time won’t be disturbed by the shrill yell of the woman’s spirit.
A Once in a Lifetime Opportunity to Uncover Blacksburg’s Haunted History
Just a quick 7-mile drive south lies Christiansburg, a smaller town with a ghostly legend far too fascinating not to touch on. When the Black Sisters arrived at the Virginia town just south of Blacksburg, unthinkable horrors befell the community, and witchcraft was suspected. It was a hysteria that stretched up to Blacksburg, as parents feared for the lives of their children.
Blacksburg Haunts revisits the tragic and unsettling story of the Black Sisters of Christiansburg, including the haunts that have manifested since their trials. Though justice would be mostly served, the sisters’ grip on the people of Christiansburg can still be felt in Blacksburg today.
Be a Part of a Growing Ghostly Community
Blacksburg Haunts invites you to become part of an enthusiastic ghostly community eager to share spooky stories and first-hand experiences you won’t soon forget. Set aside the usual activities enjoyed by those who visit Blacksburg and immerse yourself in an experience that’s equal parts thrills, chills, and historical lessons.
Reserve your spot on a Blacksburg Haunts tour tonight to explore the realm beyond our own.
* This is a walking tour and we do not enter privately-owned buildings or private property *