Milwaukee Third Ward Ghost Walk
The Original Milwaukee Ghost Tour. Meet the spirits of "The Bloody Third."
"Do you want to have some real fun?" With those words, the wildly eccentric Clair Richardson founded the Skylight Music Theatre. While Clair died in 1980, many say he never left. In fact, his human remains still reside in the building and have even taken part in two productions. To this day, his ghost is known to disrupt live performances if the perpetual spotlight, shining on his urn in the Cabot Theatre's trap room, is allowed to go out. The stage manager checks that the bulb is burning before each and every show.
The Third Ward, dubbed "The Bloody Third" in 1846, is a charming arts district today but conceals a violent gangster past. Once home to Milwaukee's mafia operations and, before that, Irish gangsters, known as the Third Ward Cowboys, its streets have been touched by tragedy and the paranormal.
Expect to learn more about paranormal happenings and ghost sightings at the Skylight Opera Theatre, the Italian Community Center, and MIAD, as well as many other lesser-known locations. Ghosts stories with Third Ward connections including supernatural encounters at the Hilton Garden Inn and the Pfister Hotel.
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What To Expect
The Milwaukee Third Ward Ghost Walk was developed by lifelong Milwaukeean and paranormal researcher Allison Jornlin who is Brew City's original ghost historian and winner of the Milwaukee Paranormal Conference's 2016 "Researcher of the Year" award. Painstaking investigation was conducted on location with trips to local archives and interviews with business owners and experiencers to provide the most accurate and fascinating haunted history in addition stories you can't find anywhere else! Other tour companies use our research and the ghost stories we found, but we are the original Milwaukee Ghost Tour since 2008.
Check out our tour founder telling some Milwaukee ghost stories to Channel 12 WISN-TV
Tour Highlights
- ▸Meet the mischievous ghost boy "Timmy," who still makes his presence known with phantom phone calls and pranks.
- ▸Explore Commission Row, once mafia territory, where strange footsteps and flickering lights hint at bricked-up secrets.
- ▸Hear the mystery of Milwaukee's 1897 "airship" sighting—decades before anyone coined the word UFO.
- ▸Discover Italian folklore of the Evil Eye and meet the top-hatted phantom said to roam the Italian Community Center.
- ▸Visit the Broadway Theatre Center, where the founder's ashes beneath the stage still demand their own spotlight.
- ▸Stand at the marker of the Great Fire of 1892, a disaster some claimed was foretold by spiritualists and ghostly dreams.
- ▸Learn about the haunted halls of the Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design, where footsteps echo and doors open by themselves.
- ▸Encounter the Lady Elgin tragedy, Milwaukee's worst maritime disaster, and the visions and phantoms it left behind.
- ▸Because this is a limited capacity tour, all sales are final. But we will reschedule you if you have an emergency, we love ghosts, not monsters!
- ▸Service animals are welcome but for liability issues, please leave your furry friends at home.
Check out our tour founder telling a Milwaukee ghost story to Channel 4 WTMJ-TV
Itinerary
Meet your guide at 400 N Water St, Milwaukee, WI 53202 — 400 N Water St, Milwaukee, WI 53202.
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Milwaukee Public Market
Meet on the corner St. Paul Avenue and Water Street for a history lesson they never taught you in school. Get glimpse of the scandalous 19th Century past of these streets when the area was nicknamed the Bloody Third.
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Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design
What have the teachers, students, and security guards experienced at this 1920 building (originally The Jane Petit Milwaukee Terminal Building)?
- 3
The Marshall Building
Who was the vanishing man in dusty overalls who allegedly vexed a writer for Milwaukee's famous weekly newspaper Shepherd Express?
- 4
Commission Row
The block bounded by N. Broadway & St. Paul Avenue was once known as Commission Row. For about a hundred years, if you wanted fresh produce this is where you came to buy it. Many believe this area was also once ground zero for Milwaukee's mafia operations. Today tales of ghostly wiseguys abound.
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And much, much more...
Important Info
- ▸Metered street parking is available as well as a paid lot behind the Milwaukee Public Market.
- ▸The duration of our tours is 1.5-2 hours depending on the engagement of each group. Please allow for 2 hours since our guides take pride in what they do and can sometimes provide updates and extra juicy details when guests ask questions.
- ▸This tour runs in cold temperatures and light rain, so please dress accordingly and wear comfortable shoes.
- ▸The tour route is wheelchair-accessible, just let us know if you plan on using one, so we can adjust the route appropriately for your comfort.
- ▸Because this is a limited capacity tour, all sales are final. But we will reschedule you if you have an emergency, we love ghosts, not monsters!
- ▸Service animals are welcome but for liability issues, please leave your furry friends at home.
Meeting Point
Corner of St. Paul Ave. & Water Street, in front of the Milwaukee Public Market (400 N Water St, Milwaukee, WI 53202)
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you go inside any of the haunted buildings?+
Do guests really see ghosts on this tour?+
Can I bring my pet?+
Is this ghost tour kid-appropriate?+
What if I'm late or cannot find my guide?+
What is your cancellation policy?+
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Do You Have The Courage To Join?
Explore haunted locations and hear chilling tales. Face your fears and uncover dark secrets — if you dare.
Book Your Milwaukee Ghost Walk