By Taytum Marler

Many of us are excited for autumn to be in full swing: pumpkins, cooler weather, leaves changing color, apple cider, hayrides— all very exciting! October, however, brings a certain spookiness with it each year. Now, you might be surprised to find that the Triad has quite a few scary stories of its own, some could be right in your very own back yard!

The first ghost story takes place in our very own downtown. Körner’s Folly, the beautiful and historic home of Jule Körner was declared “haunted” by a ghost hunting team (SPARS) back in 2009. Most people in Kernersville know the story of the house; built by Körner in 1878, he used it to showcase his works of furniture, art, and interior design. He is said to have died inside the house in November of 1924. Many accounts over the years claim to have heard phantom footsteps walking through the halls, children laughing in the playroom, and disembodied voices heard throughout the house. As well as furniture moving on its own and lights turning on and off randomly. Most convincingly though, there were several claims from visitors of the house that something, or someone, tapped their head three times—but when they would turn around, nothing was there!

Our second ghost story takes place a little further away, in Old Salem. The Brother’s House was originally a communal home for unmarried, Moravian men. Here, on a dark night in 1786, Andreas Kresmer, a local shoemaker, died. He was trying to help build an expansion to the house, when he was caught under a collapsing bank of dirt. After many hours he passed away. The spooky part of this story is that for years afterwards, the sound of a cobbler’s hammer was heard coming from the very basement Kresmer passed away in. Many people also claimed to see a little man wearing a red cap, much like Kresmer was wearing the night he died, running through the halls. The most prominent sighting was years later, after the house was converted into a Moravian widows home, a little girl named Betsy was visiting her grandmother when she encountered him. As being only a child, Betsy knew nothing of the Little Red Man or his story, but one afternoon she claims she made friends with a small man wearing a red cap while playing in the garden. During one of his scurries through the halls, the Little Red Man was seen by an important member of society, who immediately called for a minister to get rid of the ghost. Kresmer has not been seen since.

Our last, and arguably the most exciting, story takes place in the Biltmore Greensboro Hotel and involves not one, but two ghosts. Built in 1903, the building was first the “Cone Brothers” offices. A man named Phillip, who was an accountant for them, was found, mysteriously dead in the ally. He had a wire from the lobby piano stuck in his throat, many say it was suicide, but some believe he uncovered some dirty secrets of the company and was killed for it. It is believed that after Phillips death he stayed in the building, mainly haunting female guests. Several people in the Hotel complained that they can hear stomping on a wood floor upstairs, which is unusual since the hotel is carpeted. Loud noises and talking have been heard from room 332, Phillips room, even if the room was empty. When guests would stay in the room that was once his office, which was also the window he fell out of, they would claim to see a man standing at the end of the bed before quickly disappearing.

When the building changed owners, it became an all-female apartment home. One lady, Lydia, was a “woman of the night” who was supposedly killed by one of her clients. She was thrown from the balcony and is said to still haunt the hotel today. Apparently, if you stay in her room, room 223, you need to bring something pink for her. In her room there are a myriad of pink things to keep her happy; the room is painted pink, pink lipstick in the closet, and a pink purse under the dresser. Some female guests of the room claim that their purses will be turned over in the morning and all of their pink items will be pulled out. Her perfume even haunts the halls, especially when she is irritated. Things such as the TV, lights, or the water faucet will turn on randomly. There are constantly long strands of red hair, Lydia’s hair, in the bathroom sink, no matter what guest stays in that room. Strangely, the door to her room is the only one that will not stay open; supposedly, if you say, “Lydia, will you please let the door stay open?” then she will keep it opened. The only person to claim to see Lydia after her death was in 2010, a young boy, came out of the bathroom and wanted to know who the pretty red-headed lady was. His mother was furious and wanted to know why housekeeping was trying to trick her son—housekeeping had not been in the room yet!

These are only a few of the ghosts that haunt the Triad, but I am sure you can find many more if you go looking. Whether you celebrate October by curling up for a cozy movie night or by sitting around a fire sharing ghost stories, I hope that these stories got you ready to celebrate the spooky season!