Eerie Legends and Folklore

Class Description

Ages 10+ with parent or guardian supervision. A signed waiver is required at the time of registration for all participants under 18.

Location & Meeting Information

Class meeting locations are tentative and may be adjusted based on permits, weather, or other logistical considerations. Registered participants will receive a confirmation email before each session with the final meeting location, directions, and any important updates.

Legends of Presque Isle

Presque Isle State Park is one of Erie’s most beautiful places, and one of its most haunted. This session explores the peninsula’s most enduring legends, including ghost ships on the lake, the Lady in White, and mysterious disappearances tied to the shifting sands and dense forests. Participants learn how folklore forms around natural landscapes, then dive into Erie’s own stories through maps, archival accounts, and eyewitness retellings. A twilight optional add‑on walk can deepen the atmosphere.

Haunted Erie: A Historical Walking Tour Class

This hybrid lecture‑plus‑walking‑tour explores Erie’s haunted architecture and the stories behind it. Participants begin with a classroom session on Erie’s 19th‑century boom, Victorian death customs, and how industrial cities developed ghost lore. Then the group visits sites like the Watson‑Curtze Mansion, Gudgeonville Bridge lore, and downtown buildings rumored to host lingering spirits. The focus is on storytelling, historical context, and how hauntings reflect the anxieties of their era.

Folklore of the Great Lakes: Erie’s Dark Waters

Lake Erie has inspired centuries of chilling tales, shipwrecks, lake monsters, phantom sailors, and unexplained lights over the water. This class blends maritime history with folklore analysis, teaching participants how sailors’ superstitions, Indigenous stories, and Erie’s own tragedies shaped the myths we still tell today. Students examine real shipwreck artifacts, map out legendary sightings, and create their own folklore‑inspired lake tale as a final activity.

Halloween Traditions of Northwest Pennsylvania

This event explores how Halloween evolved in Erie and the surrounding region, from early Pennsylvania Dutch superstitions to mid‑century trick‑or‑treating culture to modern haunted attractions. Participants learn about regional customs like “mischief night,” local ghost‑story gatherings, and rural folklore involving witches, barn spirits, and protective charms. The session ends with a hands‑on activity where attendees create a folklore‑inspired Halloween craft or ritual object (like a protective lantern or story charm).

Price

This is operating on a sliding scale. You may purchase the class at a rate you feel financially comfortable with, up to the maximum class cost of $25. All students will receive the same instruction regardless of payment. Classes are purchased per-session.

Dates & Times

This class meets on Thursdays, October 1st through 22nd, from 6:00 – 7:30 pm.

Materials Required

Please wear comfortable walking shoes.