Chris Gmyr

Halloween is right around the corner. While those of you with younger children will be spending October 31st trick-or-treating, the rest of you have a great opportunity to check out some of the supposedly haunted locations in and around Syracuse.

The Landmark Theater
The Landmark Theater is considered by many to be one of the most haunted buildings in the Syracuse area. There are several ghosts thought to haunt the property, but the most well known is an actress named Clare, who was supposedly married to one of the stage technicians. One night, while rehearsing for a show, tragedy struck. The technician was electrocuted by some stray wires. In shock, Clare collapsed from the balcony (where she had been overseeing the work on stage) and fell to her death.

There have been multiple sightings of Clare, and her husband, since their deaths. Clare has been seen up along the balcony, sometimes as an eerie apparition and sometimes as a pale blue light. She has also been known to call out to other stagehands as they work on the sets of other plays. Her husband has been seen backstage and in other areas of the theater.

Thirteen Curves
Just outside the town of Marcellus , there is a one mile stretch of road populated with thirteen quick turns. According to local legend, a young couple was riding along these curves, but missed one turn and drove off into the trees. Neither survived the crash. As their vehicle crashed, they were separated, each thrown off in a different direction. They died alone. The young woman has been seen wandering along the curves late at night, looking for her lost lover. She is sometimes caught in the headlights or in a rearview mirror; briefly visible before she turns and disappears.

Split Rock Quarry in Solvay
Of the three haunted hot spots, this is probably the most tragic. The quarry was being used as a munitions plant, which required work with various explosives and other dangerous substances. On July 2, 1918, the plant caught fire and exploded, killing 50 workers instantly. Of the bodies pulled from the site, 15 were unidentifiable. They were put into a mass grave, and the plant was closed down.

All that remains of the work area now is a large rock and one last piece of equipment, called the Crusher. Although trespassing into the quarry is illegal, many have reported paranormal activity in and around the crusher. The sound of booted footsteps, falling rocks, and men calling back and forth to each other are the most commonly reported occurrences. Some say they have seen ghostly figures wandering near the crusher and in the tunnels leftover from the days the quarry was still in use.