How to Take a Ghost Tour in Washington, DC

By eHow Culture & Society Editor

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Washington, DC is most famous for being our nation's capital and home to famous landmarks like the Washington Monument and the White House. However, paranormal aficionados claim that the city is also reportedly home to a great deal of ghostly activity that is linked to its long and often quite violent history. You'll get to draw your own conclusions if you choose to take a ghost tour in Washington, DC.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

Tape recorder equipped with an external static-free microphone
35mm camera

Step1

Take a tape recorder equipped with an external static-free microphone. While at the site, you may hear nothing. However, there is a phenomenon known as EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomenon) in which the voices of those from the spirit world show up on tape later on as the tape is being reviewed.

Step2

Capture all the spooky moments on film. Bring a 35mm camera. Those in the know report that black and white film with a speed of at least 400 gives the best results.

Step3

Tangle with the Demon Cat of Capitol Hill. With glowing eyes and a terrifying visage, this cat is said to have scared many a night watchman stationed in Capitol Hill. It reportedly appears prior and subsequent to a national disaster or a presidential change of office.

Step4

See more than just books at the Library of Congress. This library is said to be haunted by a deceased police officer who helps those who've gotten lost in the stacks. Those who have visited the library also report mysterious banging in the hallways and doors opening by themselves.

Step5

Take a guided ghost tour of Washington, DC using a service like Natalie Zanin's Historic Strolls Ghost Story Tour of Washington (see Resources below).

Step6

Learn more about Washington, DC's spectral past by purchasing "Haunted History--Washington, DC" on Amazon (see Resources below). This DVD was produced by the History Channel.

Tips & Warnings

Many report that then best times to witness paranormal activity are between 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. However, ghosts have been seen at all hours of the day and night.
If taking photographs, know that those taken at night have typically been most effective at capturing evidence of the paranormal.
If you see an orb or mist, or witness sparkles in your flash, take as many pictures in that spot as possible, since these signs have been said to mark the presence of paranormal phenomena.