Check out some old haunts
The uncanny comes to life at Haunted Taft
As one strolls the Taft district of Lincoln City there is a warm sense of community and culture that makes any day feel bright. Sun glints against the glass floats hanging in the Lincoln City Glass Center window and shines on the Four Brothers rock formation in Siletz Bay. This warm atmosphere masks the presence of spirits weaving their way through town. Silent but present, they patiently wait for the sun to drop below the horizon before slinking out to roam the town they have occupied for centuries. While shoppers happily meander the streets during the day, at night the spirits take back what was theirs all along. If you choose to venture into the gloomy night, you might run into a spirit yourself.
Too scared to journey into the dark night alone? Haunted Taft is a walking tour through the most mysterious parts of town, with tours scheduled every other Saturday from June to October.
On a recent and particularly windy Saturday night, a group of innocent and curious travelers set forth into the darkness. Luckily, the experienced tour guide, Brandon Lucas, kept the spirits at bay as he led the group safely through the eerie gloom to share the history of Taft. Lucas is also known as Sweeney Gray and owns Pacific Coast Piano where he tunes pianos, plays piano for events, teaches students and composes his own music.
Lucas’s expressive storytelling immerses the crowd into each historical chronicle. He combines humor, suspense and mystery to spin tales that captivate the audience, causing them to lean in for more. His passion for storytelling and a background in theater are evident.
“I really like telling people about the history of Lincoln City,” he said. “It is interesting and really really funny. I love this place. There is so much about it that people don’t know. I really like showing people that side of it.”
The director of Haunted Taft, Shellie Stuart, aims for tours to be both informative and entertaining. She hopes people learn about the district’s history and engage with the characters that appear throughout the tour.
Haunted Taft began in 2018 with the intention of highlighting various uncanny occurrences during the Halloween season. However, by 2019 Stuart expanded the tour to six months out of the year due to its popularity among community members and visitors. Locals enthusiastically participate in tours to provide visitors with a unique experience.
“For us who are doing the tour, we never know what is going to happen,” Stuart said. “People just know that they can show up in whatever kind of costume they want. They show up and participate and become part of the tour. That is what we want. We want the whole town to get involved and embrace our tour.”
The spine-chilling mood intensified by stories of murder, disappearances and theft are balanced well with humorous relief from costumed characters that interact with the crowd. Nicole Feldman was one Haunted Taft participant. Her positive review mirrored the laughter and smiling faces of other group members throughout the tour.
“I have lived all over the world and have done tours on five different continents and this is one of the best ones I have ever been to,” she said. “I love that they brought in all of the different elements of having extra characters jump into the scene and that we found little things along the tour.”
Just like the enthusiastic characters and unexpected participation from locals, there is a continual flow of untold ghost stories that create an original and fresh tour experience each season. The North Lincoln County Historical Museum provides Stuart with information on local legends. Community members also offer stories to use for tours.
“We always encourage people to bring us stories and then we research them,” Stuart said. “The local museum has been really helpful with giving us information and bringing us stories.”
Haunted Taft is a great way to draw in locals and visitors, and Lucas believes community events such as this one help rebuild and bring people together after the effects of the pandemic.
“Arts, entertainment and music in particular is the greatest community builder,” he said. “This is just one of those things that just nourishes our culture and provides people with something to do in addition to activities like enjoying the beach or going to the outlets.”
There are plenty of tricks and treats under the full moon at the Haunted Taft tours, causing any summer night to feel like Halloween.
For the complete schedule and to purchase tickets, go to HauntedTaft.com.