HauntBound archive · catalog record
Reported phenomena — as catalogued
Black Raven Paranormal's 90-Minute Walking Ghost Tours Through Downtown Staunton, Running Since 2008
35 South New St, Staunton, VA 24401
Research updated August 2026
Age
Not specified by operator; discussion of Civil War hospital deaths and a suspected suicide may not suit young children
Cost
$$
Pricing set at booking through the operator's site; private tours available for groups of five or more. Exact per-ticket pricing was not independently confirmed for this listing.
Access
Wheelchair OK
A roughly 90-minute walking tour of downtown Staunton's historic district, starting at the New Street Parking Garage across from Mill Street Grill.
Equipment
Photos OK
Est. 2008 · Downtown Staunton Historic District · American Hotel, Civil War hospital history · Staunton's historic Wharf District train depot
Black Raven Paranormal, founded and led by Marty Siebel, has run walking ghost tours of downtown Staunton under the Ghosts of Staunton brand since 2008, making it one of the longer-running independent tour operators in the Shenandoah Valley. The organization describes itself as focused on research and documentation of paranormal activity with an emphasis on the history behind reported hauntings, and it has been profiled by James Madison University's student newspaper, The Breeze, and by regional TV station WHSV. Black Raven Paranormal also produces an Amazon Prime video series, The Black Raven Chronicles, documenting its investigations at sites including the Clock Tower Building and Montgomery Hall Plantation.
Tours meet at the New Street Parking Garage in downtown Staunton, across from Mill Street Grill, and run roughly 90 minutes, capped around 50 guests per group, with additional tours added on nights the first sells out. Separate themed tours focus on the American Hotel's Civil War hospital history, the historic train depot in Staunton's Wharf district, and other downtown sites; US Ghost Adventures separately runs its own, unaffiliated 'Staunton Ghosts' walking tour in the city, distinct from this operator.
Sources
The operator's route material describes Civil War-era soldiers treated in downtown hospitals, including the American Hotel, and reported hauntings tied to a woman who fell from a building, a haunted bank, and a Staunton depot investigated with spirit-box equipment on the dedicated October tour. The operator also references Mary Baldwin University's namesake, Mary Julia Baldwin, as a reported presence on campus.
All of this is the tour operator's own marketing and narrative material, not documented history independently verified for this listing; it is included here as a description of what the tours cover, not as an endorsement of any specific claim.
Media Appearances
A roughly 90-minute walking tour blending downtown Staunton's documented history with reported hauntings, meeting at the New Street Parking Garage. Runs Fridays at 7:30pm.
A second Friday-evening walking tour covering additional downtown Staunton stories and stops. Runs Fridays at 8pm.
A tour focused on the American Hotel and its use as a Civil War hospital for soldiers from both sides. Runs Saturdays at 7pm and 8pm.
A tour centered on downtown Staunton buildings pressed into service as Civil War hospitals. Runs Sundays at 6pm and 7:30pm.
A hands-on spirit-box investigation at the historic Staunton train depot, offered on select dates in October.
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Named stop and dedicated Saturday tour; the operator ties the building to its use as a Civil War hospital for soldiers from both sides.
Named stop and dedicated spirit-box tour location, described by the operator as the train station in the historic Wharf district.
Named downtown stop referenced in the operator's route material.
Named stop referenced in the operator's route material.
Named stop; the operator ties reported activity to founder Mary Julia Baldwin.
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