Ghosts of Carson City’s past brought to life

The ghosts of Carson City past haunted historic downtown Saturday, entertaining tourists and townspeople alike on what proved a sunny fall day for everyone to enjoy.Ghost Walk “Legends” 2012 featured more spooks than a witch could shake a broomstick at, plus docents to keep the walkers informed as they went from one 19th century architectural survivor to another.Along the way the touring groups — shoving off from 3rd and Curry streets every half hour or so from 10 a.m. until mid-afternoon — saw and heard details of the state capital's lore from the early days.At 3rd and Curry streets folks heard from Abe Curry, portrayed by Adam Whitney, and his wife Mary Curry, played by Mary Burnett. Both were in period costume and got the walkers off to a fun start.Standing in the first group at 10 a.m. was Loretta Brawley, who lives in Topaz Ranch Estates. She was with a group of women in the Red Hat organization and said it was her first Carson City Ghost Walk.“This is neat,” she said. “I didn't know what to expect.”Along the way she and others saw dozens of figures dressed in period costume as they went to places such as the Ferris Mansion, the Bliss Mansion and Bliss bungalow, the Rinckle Mansion, the Crisler House, the Prang House and the Brewery Arts Center Performance Hall.Among the costumed players inside houses or along the trek were such well known early settlers and frontier folk as Mark Twain, portrayed by McAvoy Lane and Kit Carson, played by Ted Neal.Also in the mix were Elizabeth Bliss, portrayed by Sandra Neace; Marchella Rinckle, played by La Ronda Etheridge, and the Bride Ghost of Ferris Mansion, whose modern persona is Isabella Hicks.The Ghost Walk, which is billed as supernatural entertainment and historical folly, began in the 1990s after establishment of the Kit Carson Blue Line Walking Tour in 1994 that features the city's history.