Lewis County Historical Museum opening doors after hours for ghost tours later this month

Originally a train station constructed in 1912 in downtown Chehalis, the Lewis County Historical Museum will open its doors after hours on Saturday, Oct. 26, for visitors to explore the museum on ghost tours led by the South Sound Paranormal Research Team.

Three tours, starting at 6, 7 and 8 p.m., will be available. Those brave enough to join the tour will not only get to explore the museum floor but also get behind-the-scenes access to its attic — which is used as storage for many historical books, documents and items, and is reportedly the most haunted area.

Various paranormal phenomena in the building have been reported ranging from capturing phantom voices on audio recorders to encountering full-body apparitions.

In one instance, a former Lewis County Historical Museum employee had closed up for the day and was alone in the museum when a woman wearing Victorian-era clothing approached them and asked when the next train was arriving, employees at the museum have said.

The employee is said to have informed the woman the building hadn’t been an actual train station for decades. After the brief exchange, the woman is said to have politely thanked the employee before walking off and vanishing.

Lewis County Historical Museum Executive Director Jason Mattson has had his own paranormal experiences, including opening one morning and discovering shaving cups switched in exhibits overnight when nobody was inside, and books on the floor appearing to have been pulled off shelves they wouldn’t fall off by themselves.

The tours are recommended for those 13 and older only, and tickets are $20 per person and can be purchased online at https://tinyurl.com/2mhnsdfm . All proceeds benefit the Lewis County Historical Museum.

Those taking the tours are invited to bring along their own flashlights and other paranormal investigative tools.

The Lewis County Historical Museum is located at 599 NW Front Way in downtown Chehalis. For more information, visit https://lewiscountymuseum.org/ .

Founded in 2006, the South Sound Paranormal Research Team is a nonprofit that offers investigations free of charge to residents in Washington and Oregon who believe they may be encountering hauntings or other paranormal activity.

To learn more and get in contact about organizing an investigation, visit https://www.sspri.org/ .

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