This piece is a part of our Q+A series. Know someone we should interview? Nominate them by emailing us — hello@thelextoday.com
Spooky season is in full swing + Lexington is celebrating this Sunday with its downtown Halloween Festival and Thriller parade. In fact — the next two weekends will be filled with a plethora of paranormal parties and ghoulish galas.
That’s why we’re sharing our conversation with a local ghost tour guide to help get you into the Halloween spirit.
M.C. Fowler is an experienced paranormal researcher, historical enthusiast + official tour guide of The Ghost Walk of Lexington.
Questions
Q: What is your name, and how long have you been giving ghost tours of Lexington?
A: My name is M.C. Fowler and this is the fourth year of The Ghost Walk of Lexington. However, it is my first year hosting the walk. My beloved teacher and friend, Patti Starr, started the walk and taught me how to paranormal investigate at a very young age.
Q: Why did you decide to start giving ghost tours?
A: I decided to start giving ghost tours because I feel as though I was, in a sense, born to do it. I have had unexplained paranormal events happen to me since I was a small child. It started when I began seeing spirits in my own home. In some capacity, these events have left me wanting more answers and explanations my whole life. I have always been obsessed with paranormal phenomena and ghosts and have been blessed to be able to share that interest with others through these walks.
Q: How often do you experience supernatural events on your tours?
A: I never know if or when we will experience supernatural events on a tour, but I have to say that we have been pretty lucky this year in experiencing them. The other night on one of my tours, several people caught photos of what looks to be spirits in and around the homes of downtown Lexington. I also have a guest carry one of my electromagnetic field detectors throughout the tour. One theory in the paranormal community is that spirits are made up of electromagnetic energy. When we get a spike on this meter it just may mean that a spirit is wanting to say “hello”. Sometimes the meter will get no spikes throughout the tour, while other times it will light up like a Christmas tree almost the whole time!
Q: Can you tell me about a time you felt truly spooked while giving a tour?
A: The other night I was hosting a private tour and I had just finished talking about an exorcism that took place when one of my guests fainted and fell to the ground. Luckily, the man ended up being okay, but for a split second, I was terrified!
Q: What is the strangest story you can share?
A: One particular incident that comes to mind is when I had a young girl on my tour who seemed to be communicating with a familiar spirit. She was about six years old and her grandfather used to host ghost tours in downtown Lexington before he passed away. The group let her carry the EMF meter as we walked down the street. All of a sudden, the meter started spiking like crazy. Everyone got the feeling as though the spirit of the girl’s grandfather was with us because the meter was responding to our yes and no questions. This was a very special moment because it showed people that spirits aren’t always scary.
Q: What is your favorite local ghost story?
A: I have always been fascinated by the site of Lexington’s first hospital and city morgue — which still stands to this day. There’s a story about a groundskeeper whose office was in the basement of this building. He saw a full apparition of a man who had ties to the hospital in the morgue, but I’ll tell you more about this man if you come on the tour!
Q: Do you consider ghosts to be mean or playful?
A: I think — just like living people — ghosts can be grumpy or playful!
Q: Is there a certain time of year you experience more spiritual activity than usual?
A: I think we can interact and communicate with spirits at any point in time, but it does seem as though the “veil” that separates our two worlds is thinner during the month of October.
Q: What spot in downtown Lexington do you consider to be the most haunted location?
A: If I’m being honest, I would have to say my mother’s home! She resides in a historic home in downtown Lexington that I have had more experiences in than any other. I have witnessed a spoon flying across the dining room, have seen and felt apparitions there, and have even had a door slam open on me when no one else was home.
Q: Have you ever had a non-believer take a tour, and become a believer by the end of the tour?
A: Believe it or not, yes! The mother of that little girl that I mentioned before was a non-believer before the tour, but after she recognized that her daughter was seeing spirits on the tour, and using words she had never used before, she became a believer.
Q: Would you rather give a tour to a group of skeptics or believers?
A: I respect others’ beliefs, so I am always willing to talk about ghosts with whoever will ever listen to me! I can always learn from both skeptics and believers
Q: What is the best part of your job?
A: Being able to meet new people and share my passion for history and the paranormal with them.
Q: Is downtown Lexington safe?!
A: Of course it is! I think a lot of the time spirits are unnecessarily feared. Really, it’s the living that you worry about!
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