The Vermont Statehouse in Montpelier has converted its corridors of power into a seasonal attraction, launching haunted tours to merge legislative history with local ghost stories. The pilot program uses theatrical performances and themed decorations to draw residents and tourists into the seat of state government.
Spectral Presence in the Cedar Creek Room
The experience centers on the Cedar Creek room—the former site of the Statehouse library—where guides weave historical records with tales of the afterlife. Central to these narratives is Ruth Payne Burgess, a Montpelier painter from the turn of the century whose spirit is said to linger in the halls.
For some, the haunting is more than a script. David Schutz, the Vermont state curator, says the atmosphere shifts once the daily crowds vanish.
“I’ve been in the building after dark, no one else around, and you can feel palpably that this building is enlivened by so many different souls who are not at rest,” Schutz said.
David Schutz
Schutz admits he is “just trying to freak people out” for the tour’s benefit. Others are less unsettled. Allison Clark, a member of the Friends of the Statehouse Board, describes her after-hours encounters as entirely benign, noting she has never felt a negative spectral presence in the building.
State Offices Coordinate Haunted House Production
Turning a functioning government hub into a haunted house required two and a half months of coordination between the Sergeant at Arms Office and the state curator’s office. The teams worked to decide what rooms would be available for the tour.
The production relied on local talent. A theater group from Barre wrote the play, which was performed by former members of the Statehouse page program. The tours officially launched following three rehearsals.
A Two-Day Trial for Dark Tourism
As a trial run, the Sergeant at Arms Office limited the event to only two days. The response was sufficient to spark plans for expansion, with officials hoping the event becomes an annual tradition in Montpelier.
The haunted tours involved a collaboration between the Sergeant at Arms Office and a local theater group in Barre that helped write the play.
