The Nevada State Museum courtyard was bustling Saturday as locals and tourists lined up for Carson City's Ghost Walk.
The tours offered a unique mix of history, legend, and the occasional ghostly spirit on this bright, warm October day. Leaves danced like puppets in a light October breeze and the sun hung low and lazy over the southern horizon.
At the corner of Robinson and Mountain streets, "General Banjo," watched for "Rebs" and led the crowd in a chorus of John Brown's Body. Two morose and homesick young soldiers who died during the Civil War accompanied him and the crowd seemed both happy and relieved when Gov. Kenny Guinn greeted them in front of the Governor's Mansion, just next door. He invited everyone for Halloween treats next week.
"I was very impressed when the governor talked to us," said Susan Noard, of Concord, Calif. "He seem very down-to-earth and forthright."
Just past the Rickey Mansion on Mountain Street, a ghoulish crew of Nevada Gunfighters established a hangin' tree. The fight was quick and in the best of American traditions, the good guys won. Just a short walk past the Sadler Home, the ghost of baseball's past greeted the crowd on King Street.
"There's a lot of history here, little bits of information we got along the way," said Carson City resident Rob Radasevich. "It was very nice."
The Ferris Mansion, Marshall Robinson House and the Peterson-Krebs house were among those on this easy hour-and-a-half walk, which included four performances inside the district's historic buildings as well as six outdoors performances. Talent was provided by Carson High School's drama department and the Nevada Gunslingers. Groups were large and traffic noise sometimes interfered with people's ability to hear, but the tours sold out for this event, sponsored by the Carson City Redevelopment Authority and the Carson City Convention and Visitors' Bureau. The money raised goes to the redevelopment authority.
