You can experience St. Johns’ paranormal, peculiar, and criminal heritage as Slabtown tour guides take to the streets to converse about the history that is left out of the history books. They will take guests to locations where the spirits are known to be less than peaceful. The Murder, Mayhem & Oddities of St. Johns Tour starts at 7 pm on Saturday, Oct. 19; Saturday, Nov. 2; and Friday, Nov. 15,
Gear up to learn about cautionary tales including Elizabeth Huff Byars’ murderous daughters, Thelma A. Taylor’s ghost, the theater poltergeist, the Doppelganger, and the local contestants in a eugenists Better Baby Contest. Uncover jaw-dropping mysteries and gain insights into the perplexing past.
The tour starts at the Cathedral Park sign at the corner of N. Edison & N. Pittsburg. This is a walking tour with steep grades. Unfortunately, it is not ADA accessible. It’s recommended that you bring rain gear and walking shoes. Participants will walk from a residential neighborhood that was once an orchard belonging to the Byars family and then loop back to the starting point along St. Johns’ main street.
Highlights include the historic St. Johns Bridge completed in 1931 that has become a symbol of the neighborhood and offers stunning views of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. Beautiful Cathedral Park located directly below the St. Johns Bridge. It features a boat ramp, a dog off-leash area, a hiking trail, and a natural habitat wetland sanctuary. The St. Johns Twin Cinemas that originally opened as the Venetian Theater in 1926. The vaudeville ghost haunted the previous theater structure with an astral presence for over a 100 years. He has settled by all accounts, less than peacefully, into the new theater.
Note: Our evening tours are not for the faint of heart for those under the age of 12. This tour is offered on the Third Saturday of each month at 7 pm. Reach out to our team if you are interested in this tour but cannot attend on the currently offered dates; we can often add additional dates.
A different tour, the St. Johns History Tour, will also be offered on Saturday, Nov. 16, at 3 pm. This tour starts at Two Stroke Coffee Co. at 8517 N. Lombard St. It has some steep grades and runs between 90 minutes and 105 minutes because of the incline. The tour is offered year round on the third Saturday of each month at 3 pm.
Living tour guests: $30. Ghosts tour guests with death certificate free.
Slabtown Tours reserve tickets can be found here.
Please arrive 15 minutes prior to start time. Wear comfortable shoes and clothing that are appropriate for the weather. It’s a good idea to bring a hat, sunglasses, and a jacket or umbrella if there’s a chance of rain. We allow friendly leashed dogs on our tours. There are no refunds for no shows. Tours run rain or shine. We can often accommodate a friend if the walking tour you booked is sold out. You should receive a text for your tour guide in advance of the tour. If you will be arriving late, reply to the text so that the guide can direct you to a meet up location at a later stop point on the tour. The parking is free in this area.