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Haunted
Decatur: The Tour of Decatur's
Spirits,
Scandals & Sins!
In
1854, Colonel Dan Conklin started a
whiskey distillery, racetrack and a
whorehouse on the outskirts of Decatur
and the city earned the first of its
unflattering nicknames -- "Hell's Half
Acre". It would go on to earn others,
including the "Second Most Corrupt City
in Illinois" in the 1920s, and would
gain infamy as a place where murder,
bootlegging, prostitution, kidnapping,
gambling, corruption in city government
and, of course, ghosts were commonplace.
But Decatur's dark origins can be traced
back to the earliest days of the city,
when the original settlers built over
the top of Native American burial
grounds that were scattered throughout
the downtown area of what would become
Decatur. The destruction of these burial
mounds cast a mysterious pall over the
city -- a darkness that continues to
linger today.
The
Haunted Decatur Tour was created by
Skip Huston and author Troy Taylor in
1994 and is one of the longest running
ghost tours in the state of Illinois and
has won several awards for being one of
the most authentic in the Midwest. In
2009, Troy Taylor has re-created
the tour for a whole new look at an even
darker side of the city -- revealing
more murders, scandals, sins and spirits
than have ever been featured on the
tours before! This is the tour that
the "powers that be" in Decatur don't
want you to see -- an open and
honest look at the reason that Decatur
has earned its sordid reputation and a
celebration of the unusual history that
has placed Decatur squarely on the map
as one of the most haunted cities in
America!
Join us in 2009 as we uncover the
secrets that you aren't supposed to
know...
Introduce you to a legacy of crime, murder and death that you were
supposed to forget about... And reveal
haunted places that have never been
featured on the tour before!
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The FINAL Book in Troy Taylor's
HAUNTED DECATUR Series!
The History of Decatur's Spirits, Scandals & Sins:
Troy Taylor
returns to
the
Hauntings of
Decatur for
the last
time and
reveals a
collection
of brand new
stories of
ghosts,
crime,
murder and
corruption
in what is
being hailed
as the
"bloodiest
and scariest
Haunted
Decatur book
yet".
Click Here to Order Your Copy! |
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See
the
Info
Below
about
Booking
a
Private
Haunted
Decatur
Tour
for
Your
Group!
Book
the
entire
bus,
with
driver
and
guided
tour,
for
prices
that
start
at
just
$450.
It's
a
night
your
group
won't
forget! |
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2009
Haunted
America
Conference:
Join
us
June
19-20
at
the
Haunted
Avon
Theater
for
our
13th
Annual
National
Ghost
Conference,
which
started
in
Decatur
in
1997!
Featuring
Speakers,
Authors,
Special
Events,
Ghost
Hunts,
Tours
&
Much
More!
This
is
"America's
Original
Ghost
Conference"
and
the
longest-running
in
the
country!
Click
Here
for
Info! |
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This is the Complete List for the Haunted Decatur Tours for the Spring & Summer Season of 2009. All tour swill depart from the Avon Theater, Located at 426 North Water Street in downtown Decatur. Tour departures will be at 7:00 PM for the designated dates below, unless noted otherwise. All Tours will be filled on a first come / first served basis and Reservations can be made here, by calling us toll-free at 1-888-446-7859
Visa, Mastercard, American Express & Discover are Accepted. |
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ALL of our
Remaining
tours for
the Summer
2009 Season
are SOLD
OUT!
Our October
tour
schedule
will be
posted soon
and tickets
for the
October
tours go on
sale
starting at
8:00 AM on
September 19
at the Avon
Theater in
Downtown
Decatur!
More Details
on How to
get Tickets
-- as well
as dates for
October --
Coming in
July! |
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From
it's earliest days, the city of Decatur
gained a reputation as a place where
murder, bootlegging, prostitution,
kidnapping, gambling, corruption in city
government and, of course, ghosts were
commonplace. But Decatur's dark origins can
be traced back to the earliest days of the
city, when the original settlers built over
the top of Native American burial grounds
that were scattered throughout the downtown
area of what would become Decatur. The
destruction of these burial mounds cast a
mysterious pall over the city -- a darkness
that continues to linger today.
From lost
burial grounds to haunted theaters and
blood-soaked crime scenes, the Haunted
Decatur Tours are much more than just a
run-of-the-mill ghost tour -- they are
history tours, crime tours and a chance for
visitors to possibly encounter the past
residents of Decatur face-to-face! But it's
not all about ghosts, the tour is also a
look back at what has given Decatur it's
sordid reputation over the years and we have
spent years researching the sin and scandals
of the city -- many of which will be
revealed again for the first time in
decades! These are the places and events
that the "powers that be" in Decatur don't
want you to know about and only the Haunted
Decatur Tours will offer a glimpse back into
our history and let you experience them for
yourself!
Join us in 2009
as we uncover
the secrets that
you aren't
supposed to
know...
Introduce you to
a legacy of
crime, murder
and death that
you were
supposed to
forget about...
And reveal
haunted places
that we aren't
supposed to talk
about!
It's going to be
a wild ride
about the
Haunted Decatur
Bus in 2009 and
we hope that
you'll be there
to take it along
with us!
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Public Tours:
The Haunted Decatur Tours are
offered through the spring, summer and fall of
each year, beginning in April. The same tours
are offered throughout the year (including
"Ghost Hunter's Tours") but the tours in greatest
demand are the tours that we offer in October,
during the Halloween season. The tickets for
the October Tours go on sale September 19,
2009 and
are reserved on a first come / first served
basis. Our Halloween "Haunted History" tours
will include our regular bus tours, as well as a
limited number of our extended "Ghost Hunter's
Tours" (aboard the Haunted Decatur Bus).
Price range from $30 -
$45
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Private Tours on
the Haunted Decatur "Ghost Bus":
Want a Private Haunted Decatur Tour
for Your Group? Rent the
Haunted Decatur Ghost Bus (with guide &
driver) for the night for the flat fee
of
just $450!
Includes
3-hour tour of Decatur's Most Haunted
Places! Great for bachelorette parties,
corporate events or just a group of
ghost buffs who want to see the dark
side of
Haunted Decatur!
Private tours must be booked at least 30
days in advance and dates depend on
availability.
Click Here to Email Us about a
possible date for a private Haunted
Decatur Tour!
Note: We offer a VERY limited number of
Private Tours during the Halloween season, all
private tours must be booked before September 1! |
Private Tours for Larger Groups:
Private Haunted Decatur Tours
with our larger buses are
also available for groups of 25 people or more.
A 30-day notice and deposit are required for
reservations. Private tour prices start
at $30 per person. Check with us about
customizing your tour!
Different Types of Public & Private Tours
Offered:
Haunted History
Tours:
Travel
throughout the city of Decatur in search of
history, hauntings, crime scenes, scandals and
spirits!
Join us for a journey back into the history of
one of America's most haunted towns and discover
not only our favorite haunted places, but new
locations of crime, infamy and spirits that have
never been featured on the tours before.
Re-invented in 2009, experience Haunted Decatur
in a way that you've never done it before!
Popular with ghost buffs and history enthusiasts
alike and includes new and favorite haunted
locations! Lasts approximately 3 hours.
$30 per
person
Ghost Hunter's Tour:
An expanded edition of the Haunted
Decatur Tour with
additional locations and a "behind the scenes"
look at the places that make Decatur so haunted!
More History, More Hauntings and an additional
hour of sites that aren't normally featured on
the standard tours! Lasts approximately 4 hours.
$45 per
person |
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Weird Chicago Tours Chicago, Illinois!
Join us for the Ultimate Tour of Chicago's Ghosts, Gangsters & Ghouls! Available All Year Around and offering ghost tours and unique specialty tours like our original Devil & the White City and our Bloody Chicago Ghost & Crime Tours! Departs from Chicago's Hard Rock Cafe!
Click Here for the Weird Chicago Tours
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Haunted Decatur Tours Decatur, Illinois!
Join us in the "Haunted Heart of Illinois" for one of the longest-running ghost tours in the state! Visit one of the Most haunted cities in the Midwest! Created by Troy Taylor and based on nearly 20 years of Research! New Locations Coming in 2009!
Departs from the Avon Theater!
Click Here for Haunted Decatur Tours
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Alton Hauntings Tours Alton, Illinois!
See the Dark Side of Illinois History and Discover why Alton is "One of the Most Haunted Small Towns in America"! Based on the best-selling book by author Troy Taylor, this is a walking (& sometimes bus) tour of Alton's most haunted sites. Departs from Alton's History & Hauntings Book Co.
Click Here for Alton Hauntings Tours
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Haunted Lebanon Tours Lebanon, Illinois
Discover the spirits of one of Illinois' most historic small towns! From the Looking Glass Prairie to the Mermaid House, you'll come face to face with our resident spirits! Hosted by author & ghost hunter Len Adams, this is the first history & hauntings tour ever held in the area! Departs from the Lebanon Visitor's Center!
Click Here for Haunted Lebanon Tours
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Email us Here for
More Information or Call Us Toll-Free at 1-888-446-7859 
© Copyright
2009 by Troy Taylor. All Rights Reserved.
Questions or comments? Contact
webmaster
Troy Taylor
All written material on this website is
copyrighted by Troy Taylor and Whitechapel Productions Press. No
material may be used without permission of the author. The
written material on this website has been excerpted from
copyrighted works by the author. Use of this information without
permission falls under international copyright laws.
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