Ghosts come alive during Haunted Eatonton

  • Sylvia, the famed ghost of Panola Hall, greets visitors during Haunted Eatonton. HANNAH BARRON/Staff
    Sylvia, the famed ghost of Panola Hall, greets visitors during Haunted Eatonton. HANNAH BARRON/Staff
  • The warden keeps his flashlight trained on a prisoner outside the abandoned Eatonton City Jail. HANNAH BARRON/Staff
    The warden keeps his flashlight trained on a prisoner outside the abandoned Eatonton City Jail. HANNAH BARRON/Staff
  • A Prohibition-era ghost poses for the camera during Haunted Eatonton Oct. 25. HANNAH BARRON/Staff
    A Prohibition-era ghost poses for the camera during Haunted Eatonton Oct. 25. HANNAH BARRON/Staff
  • Michael Homeier, the current owner of Panola Hall, tells visitors of the strange occurrences happening in the home. HANNAH BARRON/Staff
    Michael Homeier, the current owner of Panola Hall, tells visitors of the strange occurrences happening in the home. HANNAH BARRON/Staff
  • Connie, a ghost from the Roaring Twenties, enjoys the spotlight at the historic Adele Theater. HANNAH BARRON/Staff
    Connie, a ghost from the Roaring Twenties, enjoys the spotlight at the historic Adele Theater. HANNAH BARRON/Staff
  • A purse left behind at the historic Adele Theater prompts stories of a ghostly star. HANNAH BARRON/ Staff
    A purse left behind at the historic Adele Theater prompts stories of a ghostly star. HANNAH BARRON/ Staff
  • Two ghost schoolgirls look back at history inside the old soda shop in Eatonton. HANNAH BARRON/Staff
    Two ghost schoolgirls look back at history inside the old soda shop in Eatonton. HANNAH BARRON/Staff
  • A ghost greets visitors outside of a Prohibition-era speakeasy. HANNAH BARRON/Staff
    A ghost greets visitors outside of a Prohibition-era speakeasy. HANNAH BARRON/Staff
  • A ghostly trial at the Putnam County Courthouse is part of the action during Haunted Eatonton. HANNAH BARRON/Staff
    A ghostly trial at the Putnam County Courthouse is part of the action during Haunted Eatonton. HANNAH BARRON/Staff

    Eatonton’s otherworldly residents came alive last week to meet mortals during the Georgia Writers Museum’s annual Haunted Eatonton event.

    The sold-out ghost tours, choreographed in partnership with The Arts Barn and co-sponsored by the Eatonton-Putnam Chamber of Commerce, were held from Oct. 24 to Oct. 26.

    The tours took attendees to many historic sites in Eatonton, including Panola Hall, Adele Theater, the abandoned Eatonton City Jail, the Putnam County Courthouse, the Union Church cemetery, and the former Eatonton School (now The Plaza Arts Center).

    Attendees heard many ghost stories, including the story of an escaped prisoner and the story of Sylvia – Eatonton’s most famous ghost – who is said to haunt Panola Hall. During Haunted Eatonton, attendees met Sylvia, explored her home, and heard about Sylvia's haunts from Panola Hall’s current owner, Michael Homeier.

    Haunted Eatonton traversed through many periods, including the Prohibition era of the 1920s and early 1930s when the 18th Amendment made it illegal to manufacture, sell, or transport alcoholic beverages. Barrel 118’s Backstage Lounge, turned speakeasy, featured spooky cocktails and music with the looming presence of a police raid.

    Entrenched in both truth and fiction, the tours celebrated the rich history of the ghosts who call the city home.

    Haunted Eatonton Ghost Tours
    Georgia Writer's Museum