Haunted Island
If you are interested in learning about the interesting history of Ocracoke and a few of the ghosts who haunt it then you should visit the Village Craftsmen on Howard Street. The ghost walks that Philip Howard offers give a brief glimpse into the haunting past of the Island of Ocracoke. You can hear intriguing tales of ghosts that have been passed down by generations.
You can sign up for a 1.5 hour long Ghost and History Walk online or at the store. It is $15.00 for adults, $5.00 for kids age 6-12, free for kids 5 and under. Trust us, it is worth the money. But, be aware they only take 24 people per walk, so you better sign up fast. There are two different walks you can do, the “Round Creek Tour” or the “Down Point Tour.” Philip Howard and his daughter, Amy Howard, narrate the tours.
One Friday we went on a ghost walk with Philip and Amy. At the Village Craftsmen we split into two groups, the Creekers and the Pointers. We followed Philip’s group, the Creekers, that would be going down Howard Street.
First we came to a stop at one of the graveyards on the street. Philip told everyone his history on the island. He also confessed he was not born here. Philip said sometimes people wanted their money back after that. No one did, fortunately. We also heard stories and information about being buried alive in the old days on the island.
Then we went over towards Books to be Red and stood at the right corner looking over at Oscar’s House B & B. After Philip had told the story, he asked if anyone would like to stay there. Only a few kids raised their hands. We also heard the stories about “Mad Mag” and the many crazy things she did. The group also got to hear a brief history about live oaks.
Then we heard a chilling story about the beach. Afterwards, Philip asked who would want to go out to the beach at midnight. The same daredevils raised their hands, we (Iris and Mariah) not being two of them. Last but not least, we heard the story of the “Green Ghost.”
After that we came back to the Village Craftsmen. Everyone started to disperse. We waited a bit for someone to pick us up, but no one did. We decided to walk home, but took the long way. There was no way we were going down Howard Street!
Hearing these stories will scare the creeps out of you, all the while you are fascinated to learn more. Not only do people who attend the walks get freaked out, they also learn a lot about Ocracoke’s history. On our ghost walk, we had goose bumps everywhere, except for are ears which were ready to listen for more.
If you are on Ocracoke any time soon and haven’t heard these stories before then be ready – and beware.
The Current's youngest staff members, Iris (12) and Mariah (11), are compiling "The Kids' Guide to Ocracoke" over the summer! Up next: horseback riding on the beach!
