Haunted Covington Tour

We all know that Covington can be a bit spooky with the shirtless locals wandering the streets. But did you know that part of this city is rich in Civil War era history?Haunted Covington, presented by the same folks who bring you the Newport Gangster Tour, takes guests on a five block journey through the Licking River Historic District. We heard stories about Mr. Bruce, whose residence was haunted by a galloping black horse. He also posted bail for John Hunt Morgan, a notorious Civil War Confederate who was captured by the Union Army. Down the street, the unemployment office on 4th Street used to be home to a slave owner. Tales were also told about the "Lady In Grey," an infamous ghost of a wealthy woman who spent her life throwing lavish parties. This residual haunting reports the woman comes downstairs to straighten the dishes and make sure the setting is ready for company. Nearby, the Governor's Point condominiums were converted from an old hospital...which also used to have a psychiatric wing on the second floor. Residents have plenty of tales from that floor. My favorite was the story about the doctor who invented Valium, who fell off his balcony and was impaled on his fence. In addition to learning all sorts of cool history about Covington, the path the tour takes is absolutely gorgeous. We went on a crisp autumn evening with a chill in the air and the sidewalks lined with fresh fallen leaves. With all the old colonial houses in the area, it felt like we were walking through New England. I'd go on the tour just for that experience.Carl, our guide, was an adorable old man dressed in period costume. He was very knowledgeable and a great story teller. It was like having Grandpa show you all the interesting things in a neighborhood. Carl was also full of whimsy, making hilarious commentary along the way. One of my favorites:"Behind me is one of the most terrifying, desolate places in Cincinnati....Paul Brown Stadium." HA!The tour concludes with a visit to the Baker-Hunt Museum. Both buildings feature gorgeous Victorian architecture and many artifacts, furniture, and clothes left from the family's estate. One building is reportedly haunted by a young boy named Duncan, who has interacted with patrons in the past. (Our group didn't experience anything.) Still, it made for a cool story.If you're looking for a Halloween adventure with spooky folktales and beautiful autumn scenery, a tour of Haunted Covington is a must!Price per person: $20 (or find a GroupOn for 2/$20)Viewing Time: 2 hours

Let me preface by saying that I am a huge fan of American Legacy Tours. After going on the Queen City Underground tour, I was quite excited to see what they had in store for the Haunted Covington tour.The Good:Here's the bright side- I felt like I had never seen Covington before. I pride myself on being a Cincinnati connoisseur, but I had never really stopped and taken the time to smell the roses in Covington. Wow. While looking at the beautiful houses around Covington, we were told many ghost stories about them. Some of them were good, others not so much.The Bad:My friends and I did our best to stay towards the front of the group to talk to the guides and get a good view of the scenery. While talking to the guides we asked him about how much studying he had to do in order to feel comfortable giving these tours. He told us that he was a paid actor and had been given material to memorize. As my friend put it, the tour lost the "Disney Magic." It's not as though I expected these people to have studied the city their whole life...but I guess it didn't do much for me to know that these people likely didn't have the same love for this city that the people on the tour did.Here's my advice to American Legacy Tours when it comes to these haunted tours: Lose the funny hats, the costumes, and stick to your guns. The Cincinnati underground tour blew me away. I loved that other people were talking about the city with such passion. Sure, throw in some ghost stories...but keep the tour "real."

This was a great tour. The tour guides were very good and the stories very interesting. The backdrop to the tour was beautiful.