A NOTE ON GHOST AND VAMPIRE TOURS |
Ghost and vampire tours do not always reflect accurate folklore or history. Ghost stories are embellished and created for a variety of reasons; many of the famous ghost stories were concocted by restaurants, bars, hotels, etc. as a means to attract business. (More than one have asked for my help in creating a ghost for them - which, of course, I will not do.) Often the embellishments come from those tour guides who are performers rather than historians. Vampire stories and legends did not exist in New Orleans until the publication of Anne Rice's INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE in 1976. It was the film version, however, in 1994 that brought a large interest in tales of the vampire to New Orleans. Although vampirical stories have become accepted as historical fact, they simply offer entertainment and have no truth at all. The most famous fiction tells of the Casket Girls. Many of us find the vampire version to be highly offensive to our Women's History - My advice about ghosts and vampires is that you enjoy them as street theatre, for that is what they are. I choose not to make any recommendations about these folkloric tour companies, however, if you're in the market to find one, here is |
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