History, Mystery, Murder, and Mayhem Lantern Tour at Woodland Cemetery

A version of this article was published on DaytonLocal.com in October 2015.

Now that it’s October, the sun sets a little earlier, the wind rustles the dying leaves, and there’s a definite chill in the air.  With Halloween fast approaching, the nights are getting a tad bit spookier and if you’re someone who likes to spend these eerie autumn evenings at the cemetery after hours, you’ll definitely want to check out the History, Mystery, Murder, and Mayhem Lantern Tour at Woodland Cemetery.

The tour starts at the entrance of the cemetery where the tour guides pass out lanterns and talk a little about the cemetery.  They warn that the walk can be strenuous – keep in mind that Woodland Cemetery is situated on a hill so a good portion of the tour is technically an uphill trek. They take you off the beaten path among the gravestones you’ve probably never stopped to look at – this is not a tour to see the Wright Brothers or Paul Laurence Dunbar. The tour guides take you through Dayton’s past through the eyes of the common, ordinary people (who happened to fall victim to murder or other mysterious circumstances).

The lanterns definitely come in handy towards the end of the tour because it gets almost completely dark by then. It’s pretty spooky seeing all of the headstones reflecting the lantern light and honestly, I can say without hesitation that this was my first time in a cemetery after dark and this is the perfect time of year for that new experience!

Reservations are required so make sure to contact 937-228-3221 to reserve your spot. Check out Woodland Cemetery’s website for more information.