Ghost Walk new take on city history

Orange is one of the oldest Anglo settlements in Texas and the Heritage House Museum is sharing parts of the city's history on Saturday evening with the third annual Historic Ghost Walk.

"We have true stories of deaths and scandals," said Heritage House President Sue Denosowicz. "For instance, a lot of people have heard the story from 1935 when the minister of the First Baptist Church shot and killed the police chief. We will show you where it happened and tell details."

Adam Conrad is the drama teacher at Vidor High School and is a Heritage House board member. He is overseeing high school drama students from around the county to participate as costumed storytellers. Tour groups may also see some "ghostly" figures on the walk.

The event will run from 5:30 to 8 p.m. beginning at the museum, 905 West Division, west of the courthouse. Participants will follow docents to the courthouse and then along the downtown riverwalk. The groups will go from Ochiltree-Inman Park on Front Street to the library before returning to the museum.

Groups will leave from the museum every 15 minutes. The outside of the historic J.O. Sims house, also known as Heritage House, will be decorated for the season. Refreshments will be served and kids will be able to participate in a game and crafts.

Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for children and $10 for a family. Members of Heritage House Museum will have free admission and memberships will be available Saturday.

Denosowiscz said the Heritage House complex has still not opened since Hurricane Harvey flooded two of the buildings.

The Sims house was damaged from leaking rain. She said the museum has insurance and has been working with FEMA specialists on plans to repair and restore the buildings.

Work should begin soon.

"Our mission, stated by our founders in 1976, is to preserve and tell the history of Orange County," Denosowicz said. "We continue with that mission."

Heritage House will have its traditional visit with Santa Claus in December and the Walk in the Past tour of Evergreen Cemetery in the spring.