The Sweet Briar Museum’s annual Ghost Tours return tonight at 5 and 6 p.m. The 40-minute program takes you through the paranormal history of Sweet Briar College. Tours begin at the Sweet Briar Museum.
Groups will be led by members of two student clubs, the Chung Mungs and their rivals, the Tau Phi. The tour ends with cider and cookies in the Browsing Room of Cochran Library, where visitors are encouraged to linger.
Daisy Williams, for whom Sweet Briar was founded, is said to haunt the campus even today — more than 100 years after her death at age 16. There are many stories of students, faculty and staff who have sensed her presence all over campus, and she is said to love playing her harp and music box, which are on display in the museum.
“I’ve heard it a couple of times. It’s both lovely and eerie,” said SBC Museum director Christian Carr, whose office is in the same building.
In addition to tales of Daisy sightings, the tour guides will describe other ghost encounters on campus and recall eerie happenings at Sweet Briar House, the home of Daisy and her parents, James Henry and Indiana Fletcher Williams. Today, the president of the College resides at Sweet Briar House.
The tours cost $5 for the public and are free for Sweet Briar students and employees. For more information, e-mail ccarr@sbc.edu or call the Sweet Briar Museum at (434) 381-6246.