A Nighttime Stroll: Sewickley Ghost Walk Spooks Believers and Skeptics

Armed with tape recorders, cellphones and digital cameras, a group of around 40 people recently took to the streets in the , expecting to encounter something otherworldly in the dark.

Most had taken the familiar walk before, but on this night, the path offered a whole new look at the borough rarely seen on an everyday stroll.

Professional medium Lorraine Scott led a mixed group of believers and skeptics on a Ghost Walk, moving from Walnut to Thorn, then over to Broad and Beaver streets.

Guests who joined the Ghost Walk on July 22 were encouraged to take lots of pictures and keep their minds open to detecting colder temperatures, different smells and odd sounds.

Darby Trovato, a massage therapist at , organized the  to coincide with a weeklong list of events and activities to raise money for the . 

Such tours are common in historic towns, where guides typically mix little-known facts with intriguing stories of haunted buildings and odd occurrences. If age is a factor, the perfect setting for the walk is Sewickley, where some homes and structures date back to the 1800s.  

The group first enjoyed hors d'oeuvres and an outdoor tent at the , where even the extra-thick humidity from recent rain couldn’t ruin the night. Afterward, they ate dinner and dessert at the . From there, it was out for a stroll.

During the walk, the medium, a self-described ghost magnet, was drawn to  where the town clock is in the church steeple.

“There was a lot of activity there. I got some great shots and so did other people,” Trovato said.

Suddenly, the quiet community streets so familiar from daily walks, shopping and errands felt different. Shadows and silhouettes popped out more than usual, and some people used their camera phones to capture orbs -- balls of light that are said to be ghosts of the departed. While some lagged, others followed closely to hear Scott, who described the streets of Sewickley as "filled with more activity than Savannah."

Scott assured those who captured peculiar moments that they were all depictions of something -- an energy, a following, a moment of an other worldly being. All were friendly, Scott said.

Trovato said her brother, Jim, who was on the walk, felt a strong pull to the site of the old .

There was “a lot of activity” on Broad Street, she said. At one point, when the group turned left at the corner of Beaver and Broad, Trovato said they came upon a man.

“There was a man, whose name was George, wearing a top hat following us for a bit,” she said.

Trovato said the block of Locust between Beaver and Division streets "was very powerful” as well.

The crowd seemed pleased and curious, asking Scott about the light and odd images they had captured in their photos. The walk ended at the , where most stuck around to discuss experiences. 

Scott plans to return to Sewickley in the next few months, possibly for another walk in a different area of town. She will also be available for private consultations.  Anyone who is interested in learning more can call Sean's at 412-749-6144 to join a list of people who would like to talk to Scott.  

 “I highly suggest people do that quickly. She can only do so many in a day,” Trovato said.