The Paranormal in Fort Collins, CO

Porter

Dillon

This cute little guy, Porter (left), may have broken a record for the being the youngest Haunted History After Dark tours enthusiast. He was so adorable he also broke a few hearts when he had to leave. This very young ghost buster joined our tour this last Saturday with mom Kathy and equally adorable brother Dillon . Porter and Dillon are the youngest of the proprietors of the new and very popular Pateros Creek Brewing Company located at the corner of Pine and College Avenue. When I first saw this brewery going up I was excited to see the name. I knew this group had done their history. Even before Antoine Janis’ (pronounced Janeey) family had hidden their cache on the banks of the now Poudre river in the late 1830’s, another Frenchman had already traveled this route searching for the most opportune locations to place beaver traps. His name was Pateros. Hence, the original name of the Cache La Poudre River long ago was, Pateros Creek. That name in these waters runs deep. All of Pateros Creek Brewing Company beers are named after early residents, some that we even talk about on our tours. Local historians love this stuff! Definitely check this brewery out. They have done a phenomenal job connecting early Fort Collins history with their involvement in the community while providing an inviting environment to enjoy their many original brews.

Look at this awesome and courageous crowd! Dillon center with caretaker, Lauren, above. Thanks so much you very brave Haunted History After Dark guest!

The location of Pateros Creek Brewing Company was the site of an early corral and stable before the turn of the century. Many folks looking for horses and/or wagons to purchase would have accumulated in this spot to barter. Early writer, Isabella Bird, arrived in Fort Collins in 1879 on her way to see the Rocky Mountains with explorer, Mountain Jim Nugent. Her adventures from early Fort Collins to her travels as the first woman to climb Longs Peak, which she chronicled in “A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains” most likely could have begun at or near this location.

A newly formed Northern Colorado Ghost Hunters Meet-Up Group also joined us this week for a ghostly adventure on the streets of Old Town. We were so honored to have this group on our tour. Coordinator, Rose, said that, “They had looked at other ghost tours and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be guided by a ghost whisperer.” Haunted History After Dark tour guide and medium, Grace Cooley, provided this group with intimate information regarding many spirits on our tour including a top-hatted ladies’ man that appears to people on an elevator (he has also been known to shove and play with the hair of guests on our tour), to a victim of a horrendous and early tragedy who altered the future of Fort Collins forever.

Guests to this tour included Tim and Teresa from Masonville, Colorado. This couple related that in the past they have had family and visitors relate paranormal experiences in their historical circa 1890’s home, which was once a stage stop. On this night Teresa did say that while on our tour she saw a figure peering at us from a window at one of our most haunted locations.

While conducting our tours for Haunted History After Dark we have had the wonderful opportunity to talk to so many residents and visitors that have experienced the paranormal in Fort Collins. The tales are fascinating and endless. One of the most often asked question we get is, “Why is Fort Collins SO haunted?” On our tours we have heard so many accounts of apparitions, unexplained growling sounds in both homes and businesses, channeling, and possessions. Why is Fort Collins so haunted?

Grace and I have discussed comprising a book of the stories and experiences of the paranormal from the many tales of our guests. If you have a story you would like to share about a haunted or paranormal experience please contact us at  hauntedhistoryafterdark@yahoo.com.

 Come walk with the spirits who are dying to meet you…

Take the Haunted History After Dark tour to learn more about Old Town Fort Collins haunted and historical past.

Contact Hauntedhistoryafterdark@yahoo.com for more information. Cost is 10 big ones per courageous ghost buster or 35 clams for an extra brave group of four. Cash only please.

 Stephen Stills begged Suite Judy Blue Eyes long ago, “Will you come see me…Thursdays and Saturdays…” What a coincidence! That’s when our tours are.  Will you come see us…Thursdays and Saturdays.  Or by reservation. 7:30 p.m.  Tours start at 136 W. Mountain Avenue home of Boutique Bravo and Mother Lode Gallery where owner Kate has been in business for a whopping 33 years! Check her out. And remember...YOUR HAUNTED JOURNEY STARTS AT DUSK!

A newly formed Northern Colorado Ghost Hunters Meet-Up Group also joined us this week for a ghostly adventure on the streets of Old Town. We were so honored to have this group on our tour. Coordinator, Rose, said that, “They had looked at other ghost tours and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be guided by a ghost whisperer.” Haunted History After Dark tour guide and medium, Grace Cooley, provided this group with intimate information regarding many spirits on our tour including a top-hatted ladies’ man that appears to people on an elevator (he has also been known to shove and play with the hair of guests on our tour), to a victim of a horrendous and early tragedy who altered the future of Fort Collins forever.



Our awesome and courageous Halloween guests!

For many of us the end of the Halloween season means hanging up the white sheet and stuffing the "Jason" mask back behind a cobwebbed corner of our garage or crawl space for another 365 days. But, for the spirits of Old Town Fort Collins this is a full-time job. 24/7/365. And on the Haunted History After Dark Halloween tour on Monday the ghosts of Old Town really got into the "spirit". For this tour we conducted our "Old Town" route which visits places such as the old Opera House and the Northern Hotel. Local ghost whisperer and tour guide, Grace Cooley, picked up on many new entities in the Opera House. She even related to us about a beagle who was inhabiting this structure. We have researched atleast one death that occured at the Opera House during its construction in 1881. This was a man who was hired to complete the framing of the interior. He died at the site in September of that year in a very horrific accident involving a makeshift elevator that he was using to haul brick and mortar to the third floor of the building. The elevator collapsed and he was sent plunging to his death. His funeral was held the next day at the old Methodist church. And for those of you who like to enjoy one of many of Coopersmith's Billiards awesome Flight C scotches while attempting to put an "A railer through the Ash", you might want to give a quick homage to this man as this is the location where his funeral took place. In fact, many funerals took place here including that of very famous early resident Joe Mason, who Mason street is named after. His funeral at this location was attended by hundreds of residents

 

in February of 1881 after his fatal accident involving a kick in the head by a young colt.

 While on this Halloween tour I noticed a guest waving to me at one of our most haunted locations. When I approached her she said that something had pushed her and was also playing with the hair of the woman next to her. No doubt! One of the many spirits who inhabits this structure is reportedly a centuries old womanizer. He appears to many in a top hat and, as he did when he was alive, is always on the prowl for a "fresh supply", as Grace says. Although he is benign, he definitely gives some our guests a "goose" or two. He is a favorite on our tour.

One Walt Disney enthusiast said "You made my day. I look at Old Town so different now!", when we talked about the not-so-haunted but very extraordinary history of Old Town Fort Collins and the connections with home town boy Harper Goff and his work creating Main Street USA in Disneyland in the 1950's.



Very brave November 3rd guests. You are amazing!



This courageous group was the first of our November season. We have to give HUGE kuddos to them. They not only braved the many spirits of Old Town but 29 degree weather to take our tour on Thursday November 3rd. You guys rock! For this group we did the "Old Post Cemetery" tour. At our first location a tour participant picked up a mist on his camera while Grace talked about early residents who were the victims of a horrific tragedy at this site. Then at the place of the very first cemetery in Fort Collins in the 1860's, another guest caught strange orbs hovering over the building we were talking about. Most of our guests pick up evidence of paranormal activity at this location. (I have to tell you that as the historian, and not the ghost whisperer, some of the evidence picked up around us still gives me the creeps! It's amazing.)

Happy Cynthia

When we got to our last location tonight, one of our awesome guests who was visiting from Missouri, Cynthia, asked if pets go to the "other side". Grace said that "yes they do", and related the presence of the beagle at the Opera House. Cynthia raised her arms in excitment and said, "Yes,!" She obviously was an owner of a very loved and fortunate pooch. We were excited that Cynthia was very happy at knowing this.

Haunted History After Dark looks forward to many more evenings this year with our awesome guests discovering the haunted and history of Old Town Fort Collins with you. We can't wait to share what we have discovered and hear your stories as well.



Grace Cooley at left connecting to spirits of Old Town



Some of our guests tonight questioned tour guide and medium, Grace, about personal readings. If you would like to book a session with Grace please contact her at hauntedhistoryafterdark@yahoo.com. Grace is increasingly being recognized as one of the most well known psychics in the nation. She has been giving accurate and insightful psychic readings for twenty years and is regarded as one of the most gifted in the area as well as the U.S.

The "other half" of HHAD Stephen and Mark.
  

Thank you so much to all of our very courageous and enthusiastic guest tonight! You were amazing!

If you would like to catch evidence of spirits in Old Town or learn about the haunted history of Fort Collins contact hauntedhistoryafterdark@yahoo.com Cost is 10 big ones per courageous ghost buster or 35 clams for an extra brave group of four. Cash only please. 

 Stephen Stills begged Suite Judy Blue Eyes long ago, “Will you come see me…Thursdays and Saturdays…” What a coincidence! That’s when our tours are.  Will you come see us…Thursdays and Saturdays.  Or by reservation. 7:30 p.m.  Tours start at 136 W. Mountain Avenue home of Boutique Bravo and Mother Lode Gallery where owner Kate has been in business for a whopping 33 years! Check her out.

And remember...YOUR HAUNTED JOURNEY STARTS AT DUSK!

...he told me that when the lights went out he immediately felt like someone was standing right next to him. But, he was the only clerk on duty that night.




 Haunted History After Darks wants to give a HUGE thank you to all of our courageous guests this last week. We enjoy all your enthusiasm and insightful questions. During this Halloween season our tours have grown tremendously with the presence of both human and ghostly residents and visitors of Fort Collins.

This last week one brave ghost buster asked if the spirits are scared away by so many people coming into structures and locations where they inhabit and where we go. What we have learned from our tours and the evidence by photos is that it is quite the opposite. It seems that a congregation of humans attracts more entities and they seem to multiply in numbers according to the volume of the crowd. Local ghost whisperer and tour guide, Grace, adds that the reason people are picking up so much evidence of mists and orbs on our tours recently is because some entities may be already attached to some of the guests on our tour. And basically, they are just coming along with us. These spirits that include themselves could be family members or friends that have passed away and are already a part of that particular tour participant’s energetic circle.



Generously contributed by awesome tour guest Eileen Sake

So, orbs and mists picked up on equipment on our route doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a past historical resident that we talk about, which many are, but could also be a contemporary protective spirit surrounding a person on our tour. And with good reason! Our tours are filled with stories of the paranormal and historical events in early Old Town Fort Collins.


Many residents come to Grace and me with their own experiences and stories of the paranormal. Recently, I was at a convenience store on my route home from the tour. I mentioned to the clerk that I had noticed a day or two ago that the store was completely dark and asked if the power had gone out. The clerk behind the counter indicated that it had because of Tuesday’s storm. Then he took a deep breath and smiled and said, “Something weird happened that night.” He related to me that when the lights went out he immediately felt like someone was standing right next to him. But, he was the only clerk on duty that night. It happened at 1:30 am. He went on to say that the feeling of a presence standing over him was so intense and real and frightening that he fled the store and waited in his car for 4 hours with the engine running until a co-worker showed up for the next shift. He also mentioned that when they wash the glass door of the store there are always and inevitably small hand prints that show up near the bottom. He has no explanation.

“Dust in the Wind”. This last weekend while driving through country roads just 10 miles from Cheyenne on my way home from my regular job I heard this song by the very famous 1970’s band Kansas. I used to feel complete fear and anxiety of this particular song and would change channels immediately if it came on.  In the past, to me, it was a message of impending doom and sadness and despair and nothingness because of an event that happened to me while I was in my early twenties. In the spring of 1989, while in a little apartment in Salt Lake City, Utah near the University of Utah where I was attending school, I got a call in the early morning hours that my mother had suffered a life debilitating heart attack. I was told that she had died twice in the ambulance. That she had been brought back, but was not expected to live through the night. I was told to get on the next plane to Reno, Nevada where she was in a hospital in the ICU department, to say my goodbyes. She was only 54 years old. My entire life changed at that moment. In a bewildered fog I made arrangements. An hour after the call I got in my little yellow Toyota pick-up alone to make the trip to the airport and turned on the radio. This is the first thing I heard.

It slips away, and all your money won’t another minute buy.

“Now don’t hang on, nothing lasts forever but the earth and sky.

Dust in the wind. All we are is dust in the wind. “ -Kansas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH2w6Oxx0kQ

My mother a year before her heart attack

My sadness was immense.  Although I hated the words I was hearing, I continued to listen hoping to get some solace, some message from the song that would help me cope. But, it was just too despairing. My mother meant more to me than just “dust in the wind”. I turned it off.

Even though the ICU surgeons told us her heart had literally exploded, somehow miraculously my mother survived.  Whether it was the intense love for her four children, her faith in God, her passion for art, or the strength from the “good stock” she always tells her children they came from, she lived.  She now is in her 70’s and is living happily in Las Vegas, Nevada. But, her experience changed all of us forever. Even until recently though, I have had a very hard time listening to this song. Then I met Grace.

Before a tour this last week, Grace told me about a friend of hers who had recently and suddenly passed away. A man she was very close to. She was very sad and said that she had energetically connected to this man in the spirit world. She said that he was depressed when he died and kept that depression with him in the afterlife.  Grace added that he had gone to a place that was so dark that she was unfamiliar with it and asked for benign energies or angels to help get him out of that space he had created.  With help and encouragement from her, after much hesitation her friend finally made the decision to go to the “Light. “

I have listened and observed and watched so many of these stories from Grace since I’ve had the opportunity to know her. From her I know now that even in the darkest of places HOPE lives and survives and has much more strength than even our darkest depressions, fears, and anxieties. That the will of the human spirit to experience PEACE outweighs its need to continue in pain.

Now, when I have the opportunity to listen to this song, even on my long drives from my work, I celebrate what the amazing authors were so brilliantly trying to convey in these lyrics.  I know that our time here on this planet is so short and what we make here for ourselves follows us. Our physical bodies are just “dust in the wind” but our spirits live forever. The friends that we make, the positive connections  and LOVE we share here last more than a lifetime.  And it’s ever changeable. Even in the afterlife we can accept and love ourselves and others. Death is not the end.  Thanks for hanging in there Mom.

…And  thanks for hanging in there Joe Mason, and Frank Stover, and Franklin Avery and all the early residents who we will never consider “dust in the wind”.  Thank you so much to these gentle spirits who have so generously let us bring their stories  alive for our Haunted History After Dark guests.

Enjoy photos from this last week below. Thank you also to the Fort Collins Zombie Stroll participants who allowed me to photograph and blog their photos.





Check out the orb directly on top of the guest near the center and top of the photo.



Gorgeous crowd!  October 22nd.
(The guest third from left is Alice Ashmore. Alice is a celebrated Texas journalist who is most famous for covering the Baby Jessica story in the 1980's Colleen, in direct center with blue coat on, recently lost her home in the California fires. She moved to FC just a few months ago and loves it. Fort Collins loves YOU Colleen!)



Grace in a snow shower October 25th.

Front row: Treloar, Tiffany,Collin. Back row: Amy, Rhonda, Bob, Starr.

Treloar, Tiffany, Amy and Starr are from the Fort Collins museum. Rhonda is a ranger with the City of Fort Collins Natural Area. She brought along her husband Bob and son Collin.



Fun October 22nd  guests

Wendy and Jim Abbott. Jim's Fort Collins roots run deep. His ancestors ran the Commercial Bank and Trust, which is now known as the "Vault". This was the first bank started by outside investors after the boom of the Sugar Beet industry and the event of the Union Pacific Railroad coming into town. The bank replaced Emma Malaby's grocery store which was moved to Meldrum Street. Haunted History After Dark was so honored to have these guests on our tour. Suzy was so excited she would have rolled out the red carpet for the Abbotts. To her they are like royalty. Thank you so much for taking the tour.



Madame Marie! We are here! We have cash! The awesome crowd from Oct. 29th. (City of Fort Collins Natural Area ranger Norm Keally and his beautiful wife DJ are in the center.



The story below was inspired by the spirit of a young early Old Town Fort Collins resident. His body was sent to a morgue after his unfortunate death in this frontier town, a location that Haunted History After Dark visits on their tour. The spirit of this young man appeared to Haunted History After Dark tour guide and nationally known psychic, Grace Cooley, just a little over a month ago. He is lost and scared and searching. Although Grace has communicated with him and attempted to send him to the other side, he returns. Grace has spent much time communicating with him and will eventually give him confidence to go to the "other side". On our tours we encounter many lost spirits, this particular spirit grabbed our heart strings. We hope the story below will provide a new understanding to some of the hauntings in Old Town Fort Collins. Thank you so much to all of our guests and supporters. You are making history every night you take our tours. Your amazing stories that you share with us become a part of the extraordinary town we call Fort Collins.

Stepping off the wooden sidewalk I saw,

a horse and a wagon. I thought it was Pa.

I yelled, “Pop wait!” But before I knew

My momma’s worst nightmare had all but come true.

People gathered round a young body in the dirt avenue,

From the tops of the buildings I watched some of the people I knew.

They carried the body to an old Oak tree,

Why were they so sad when I felt so free.

I witnessed a body that once held my soul,

Be put in a carriage, pulled by a bay mare and her young foal.

Confused by all the excitement,

I watched my limp frame go under strange treatment.

Behind a glass door my mother cried,

While a man in a white jacket prodded and pried.

I don’t remember much after this event,

But more folks have arrived and yelled and prayed at other bodies to “Repent!”

I stay in this place where I last saw my ma,

I know she’ll come get me, both her and pa.

Momma always told me to keep myself safe,

So I crouch in the corners, recesses and I found a dark place,

At this structure where I last saw her face.

Sometimes I’ll venture to look for her and walk towards the door,

My legs feel so light and don’t quite hit the floor.

Momma was right, because when I do this I hear people scream,

And they comfort each other, and say “it was only a dream.”

Many more have come to this place where I wait.

Old and young…we don’t know our fate.

A familiar face comes, a man Poppa once knew,

I go to him for comfort, but his face is all blue.

He notices me and says things will be “okay.”

Then I hear people sob and begin to pray.

I don’t know why, but I give people a fright,

So, I’ll be a good boy and come out only at night.

Even though this photo was taken on Jefferson Street last week in Fort Collins, it isn’t a group of die-hard Occupiers. And it isn’t a family photo (although Grace and I felt like family after spending a spooky night with these very courageous guests on the streets of Old Town). This was Haunted History After Dark tour’s biggest group ever! We hosted 27 awesome and brave participants for our Saturday night tour.  We want to give an ENORMOUS thank you to all of these ghost busters! We loved all of you (like family).

Sarah

Auntie Stone

Sarah was especially interested in the history of the old Lindell Mills which is now Ranchway Feeds on Willow and Lincoln. The mill was actually the brain child of early resident’s Auntie Stone and Henry Clay Peterson. These two entrepreneurs built it way back in 1868 in order to grind the wheat, corn and oats that early farmers were harvesting, into marketable flour to sell to Denver and other neighboring cities. It is a true relic of Fort Collins and is one of the structures that kept Fort Collins growing. Way to go to Jane for her interest and insight in this particular structure! And thank you Elizabeth Hickok Stone and Henry Peterson for having the fore thought and ingenuity to bring an economy to this early frontier town and keeping it on its feet! It is rumored that one of the large trees in a parking lot just east of Ranchway Feeds is an Oak tree planted by Auntie Stone herself.

Christina Lintz, organizer of the Meet-Up Mingles also brought a fantastic group this last week.  Christina loved the first tour so much that she brought another group of courageous guests. We loved their passion for both the haunted and history of Fort Collins.

As Old Town Fort Collins is very haunted by spirits of the past, we always encourage guests to bring digital recorders, EMF detectors, cameras and whatever they need to get evidence of hauntings in Old Town. On our last Saturday night tour, this brave guest had brought along a phone that could take photos as well as videos. We are still going through those photos and will publish them soon, but what the participant caught was amazing! As local ghost whisperer and medium, Grace, was talking about a specific haunted location on our tour, I stood back to watch what our guest was recording. We saw one spirit in a blue form in front of Grace, then a brown figure formed in front of our crowd. After that we witnessed even another brown entity enter the frame and materialize. The guest turned her camera toward me, and saw an apparition standing just to my left, and the entities were multiplying as we watched.  I immediately got goose bumps.

This guest is Eileen Sake. Eileen is an award winning tour guide with the city. We were so honored to have her on our tour!

Grace and I have been giving tours every week since this last May. We are a grass roots, home grown tour. One of my sole and passions in life is to study the early residents of Fort Collins. Grace is a nationally, well known medium. On our tours and even through just exploring Old Town alone, I myself have caught many orbs and mists, and I have been verbally and physically assaulted by spirits. I processed these events okay with Grace’s help. I thought of myself as de-sensitized…but when I watched the video of this guests recorder live, and saw the enormous amount of spirits that were enveloping our tour, I was seriously shaken up. I had no idea that so much activity surrounded our tours. Although our guests that night were able to witness first -hand the events, and the video, we have not been able to publish it to you as yet. We will try to get this evidence to you soon.

On this tour we had one of the best crowds of ghost busters ever! This young crowd asked some of the best questions we have ever had regarding the haunted and history of Old Town Fort Collins. Thank you so much to our Thursday October 19^th group! You were amazing and very brave! Wow! what a beautiful group! Their photos are below.

Contact Hauntedhistoryafterdark@yahoo.com for more information. Cost is 10 big ones per courageous ghost buster or 35 clams for an extra brave group of four. Cash only please.

 Stephen Stills begged Suite Judy Blue Eyes long ago, “Will you come see me…Thursdays and Saturdays…” What a coincidence! That’s when our tours are.  Will you come see us…Thursdays and Saturdays.  Or by reservation. 7:30 p.m.  Tours start at 136 W. Mountain Avenue home of Boutique Bravo and Mother Lode Gallery where owner Kate has been in business for a whopping 33 years! Check her out. And remember...YOUR HAUNTED JOURNEY STARTS AT DUSK!

 

and remember...YOUR HAUNTED JOURNEY STARTS AT DUSK!

Sidewalk Psychic



Psychic and Medium Grace Cooley

Haunted History After Dark just completed another ghostly adventure on the streets of Old Town Fort Collins. This enthusiastic and courageous group asked many awesome questions for both well-known local ghost whisperer Grace Cooley and myself. We were joined tonight by the Native Women’s Circle from Colorado State University as well as two very brave participants from Denver, Isabella and John. Thank you so much to all of our wonderful guests tonight!  



CSU Native Womens Circle from left Kodi, Katrina, Lyla, Jessica, Heather


You are truly valued and are a crucial part of all the “sidewalk stars”, both human and spirit, that Grace and I love to have on the tours.

Isabella (center) and John (right) from Denver

 

 

YMSB courtesy of yondermountain.com

Nederland based bluegrass group, Yonder Mountain String Band, has a song they call “Sidewalk Stars”. It’s one of my all-time favorite songs. I have listened to this song probably over a thousand times. But, while sitting at a red light on my route towards the location of our tours on a Saturday night I was hit head on at the corner of Shields and LaPorte by the lyrics to this song;

“You looked at me through old windows

And said, "Dust is all I know"

And you're so clean and I'm so tired

Like lovers' smiles and green marker miles

Can't go back that's much too far

I'm asking you to laugh

But after all

You love a tragedy

Hope remains a sidewalk star.”

Linden St. 1880's/photo courtesy of Fort Collins musem

I was T-boned, broad sided, by the words and I couldn’t help but think about all the spirits we talk about on our tour. Even on a tour we were getting ready to start in just a few minutes. From the dusty images that peer down to us from window frames, the lost early victims of tragedy, these are the “sidewalk stars” that come to us on our ghostly adventures in Old Town Fort Collins, and through Haunted History After Dark tour guide, Grace, hope remains.

Local ghost whisperer, Grace Cooley,  and I created this tour not only to help residents and visitors learn more about Old Town Fort Collins historical and haunted past, but to bring to life the early settlers stories, their past and their tragedies and triumphs. Our goal is to talk about their struggles in order to bring clarity to their successes in this early frontier town. Without the resourcefulness and courage of early residents like Joe Mason, the Stover brothers, Jay and Clark Boughton, and the Avery family, Fort Collins would have been a ghost town. Rabbit brush would inhabit where the Northern Hotel now sits.  Where Austin’s keeps customers busy on the patio of the Welch Block today, cotton tails and mule deer would have been the only guests dining on fringed sage and winter fat without these early settlers. But, early residents stayed, and the town flourished.

Frank Stover's store 1880's/photo courtesy of Fort Collins museum

Early Fort Collins brought in travelers looking for fortune in the West. Mercantile owners, miners, cowhands, cavalrymen, railroad workers and others looking for a new life flocked here in the 1860’s and 70’s. Hispanic and German-Russian immigrants came here when the Sugar Beet factory opened in the early 1900’s.

This mix of varied cultures in such a small area, unfortunately brought conflict, crime, persecution and often times death. Many times on our tours, those victims emerge from the early structures. To most of us they can appear as orbs, mists, or even subtle apparitions. But, to Grace Cooley they reach out as real as the guests on her tours. Often times, sad or angry faces and entities appear to her and other times more benevolent spirits, searching for a resolution and peace approach Grace on our tours. Grace says she sees entities in sometimes a human form, other times a color, such a spirit who recently contacted her in a blue form who she found out died of emphysema. Grace says that some of the people we talk about on our tour often follow her home afterward and some continue on our tour. Most are looking for peace; some are in search of attaching themselves to a human.

Grace says, “I am not nice like other mediums. I don’t question whether they would like to go to the other side or not.  If I feel a spirit has not gone to the “other side”, I don’t ask, I just take them (to the other side). Most come back and thank me.” Grace has contact with “historical” spirits on our tour, as well as more contemporary entities, or those who have passed more recently. Sometimes, if an entity is in too much pain, she will decide to take them to other side, sometimes even while we are conducting a tour, which is exactly what she did on this night. While connecting with spirits at an early brothel on our tour, Grace realized that there was an entity that was very frightened and lost and had attached itself to a particular building. Our guests were able to witness first-hand how Grace works as she gently talked to the spirit and guided her towards the light. What a treat for the rest of us!



Grace Cooley

Nationally well-known psychics like John Edwards and Sylvia Brown provide meetings and conferences to packed auditoriums, but, we are so fortunate to have our own “sidewalk psychic” giving insight to the lives, culture, tragedy and trauma of Fort Collins early residents, as well as clues to our own lives through Grace Cooley.  That intimacy with a genuine psychic is what makes Haunted History After Dark unique.

After tonight’s tour, as on all of our tours, Grace cleansed the group of any attachments, and of any negativity that had preceded our guests even before the tour.

If you would like a private reading with Grace or have questions regarding the haunted and/or history of Fort Collins please contact hauntedhistoryafterdark@yahoo.com.

Check out photos of other recent brave ghost busters on the Haunted History After Dark tour!





Contact Hauntedhistoryafterdark@yahoo.com for more information. Cost is 10 big ones per courageous ghost buster or 35 clams for an extra brave group of four. Cash only please.

 Stephen Stills begged Suite Judy Blue Eyes long ago, “Will you come see me…Thursdays and Saturdays…” What a coincidence! That’s when our tours are.  Will you come see us…Thursdays and Saturdays.  Or by reservation. 7:30 p.m.  Tours start at 136 W. Mountain Avenue home of Boutique Bravo and Mother Lode Gallery where owner Kate has been in business for a whopping 33 years! Check her out. And remember...YOUR HAUNTED JOURNEY STARTS AT DUSK!