Especially popular in September and October, the Haunted Springfield Tour is a fun way to prepare for Halloween. But if you’re skittish, you may start jumping at things that go bump in the night. Bring a friend to hold your hand and leave children under 10 at home.

If ghost walking is just not your cup of tea and you’re looking for some good, clean fun, you may want to consider the Hidden Lincoln tour. Developed by Moffett and Erika Holst, curator of collections for the Springfield Art Association, this 90-minute tour explores the day-to-day habits of one A. Lincoln and is appropriate for all ages.

Springfield Walks tour guides are engaging storytellers focusing on the unusual and sometimes quirky side of Springfield history. It has been a winning combination since 2004, when Moffett led the first Lincoln’s Ghost Walk. The tour, with a script written by Moffett and submitted for discussion and approval to local representatives of the Springfield Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum and the National Park Service, brought a new kind of tourist attraction to the Springfield area.

Building on the increasing popularity of tours mixing historic fact with ghostly lore, Springfield Walks also offers The Haunted Dead Walk featuring Springfield ghost stories beyond the Lincoln lore. For those who are more interested in real world events, the Wicked Springfield tour focuses on the sordid history of crime and politics in the capital city.

In addition to constantly assuring that his tours are both historically accurate and hauntingly appealing, Moffett makes the most of his love for history by writing. His latest book, Haunted Springfield, will be available soon from History Press. Moffett is also working to develop bus tours from Springfield to other haunted sites.

To learn more about current and upcoming tours, visit the Springfield Walks website at www.springfieldwalks.com or call 217- 502-8687.

Contact Grace at [email protected].