October is the season of spooky fun, and the Burlington County Parks System is inviting residents interested in the paranormal to visit the Historic Burlington County Prison Museum.
The former prison – described by paranormal investigators as one of New Jersey’s most haunted historic sites – will be hosting Historic Ghost Tours throughout the month of October. The free tours will touch upon some of the darker aspects of the prison’s past, along with stories of the ghostly spirits rumored to still be lurking in the prison halls and cells.
Located on High and Grant Streets in Mount Holly, the Burlington County Prison housed criminals for more than 150 years from 1811 to 1965.
Although the County originally considered demolishing the structure after it closed, the then Board of Freeholders were convinced to save the structure, and it reopened as a museum in 1966. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1986.
Last year, the County celebrated the completion of a $2.9 million renovation project at the museum that included replacing the roof, masonry repairs and preservation work on inmate graffiti. The graffiti includes religious images and Bible verses, calendars and even notes about inmates’ families and loved ones.
“Burlington County is rich with history, and the Historic Prison Museum is one of the County’s most prized assets,” said Burlington County Commissioner Deputy Director Allison Eckel.
“It’s also become a must-visit destination for people interested in the paranormal, including SyFy’s Ghost Hunters. Whether you’re interested in American history, architecture, true crime, or stories of ghosts and unexplained phenomena, the Prison Museum has something different for every visitor to enjoy.”
The Historic Ghost Tours will be offered at the Prison Museum every Friday night between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., through Oct. 24, plus, there will be a Thursday night tour on Oct. 30. Tours will start every 30 minutes and will be guided by park historians. Each tour will be limited to 10 people at a time.
The museum’s regular operating hours are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from Noon to 4 p.m.
In addition to the Ghost Tours, the Prison Museum has so-called “spirit boxes” available for visitors to rent. The boxes are like transistor radios, which some believe can detect activity from spirits who manipulate the radio waves to form words or phrases. The museum charges $5 for visitors to use a spirit box for up to 45 minutes.
The museum also has an audio tour available for visitors to learn more about the prison and life behind its walls, and a fun “escape game” to test visitors’ skills at logic, observation, memory and riddle-solving. The escape game costs $10 for teams of up to four people.
Proceeds from the escape game and spirit boxes go to the Prison Museum Association, a nonprofit group dedicated to the preservation of the museum and its history.
Visit www.prisonmuseum.net for more information.