Dare to Take a Candlelight Tour of Hyde Hall’s Ghostly Chambers

Are you brave enough to step into the depths of Hyde Hall, where ghostly apparitions are said to have dwelled for more than 200 years? Just in time for the spookiest month of the year, the current owners of the Cooperstown paranormal hub are opening its chambers to visitors for candelight tours.

A man named George Clarke and his wife lived in Hyde Hall during the early 19th century. Clarke died in the home in 1836, but many visitors have recalled seeing his spirit roaming the home. Tour coordinator Larry Smith told WSKG Public Media that possibly the most famous paranormal sighting at Hyde Hall comes from James Fenimore Cooper, the grandson of the famous writer with the same name, who once spent the night at the hall.

"In the middle of the night, he woke totally knowing that there was someone else in the room, and that knowledge was reinforced by the sound of footsteps coming from a corner of the room," Smith said. "And the footsteps grew louder and closer and eventually stopped at the foot of the bed. And then, the covers were pulled from the bed."

When Cooper reported his encounter to his hostess the next morning, she admitted that she had placed him in home's most haunted room, George Clarke's old dressing room.

From stories of secret tunnels and a piano that "plays tirelessly" to a ghostly mayday message and a "woman in white" in the nursery, there's plenty of signs that Hyde Hall has its fair share of paranormal activity.

Candlelight tours of Hyde Hall run every Friday and Saturday night in October, where you'll get to hear more stories from the hall's haunted past and maybe even see an apparition for yourself.

Each tour is limited to six people and masks are required at all times. Reserve your spot online now for just $20.

Syfy's Ghost Hunters uncovered the spooky tales of Hyde Hall in 2013. While the episode is no longer available online, this preview will make the hair on your arms stand up.

I mean, really, this place even looks creepy in broad daylight.