History and Hauntings at Hayner Library
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ALTON – Caleb Lewis with Alton Odyssey Tours gave an update on exciting new tour plans for 2025 and more at the Hayner Library’s recent History and Hauntings event.
Lewis said that while they’re best known for their Haunted Trolley Tours during the fall, they also offer private tours throughout the year. Largely a family operation, his mother and founder of the company still acts as executive director, though Lewis has ushered it into a new era with expanded programming.
For newcomers to the city, they offer a Welcome to Alton walking tour consisting of a 90-minute downtown stroll starting at The Conservatory, with stops at the Grand Theater and Stratford Hotel. These run one Saturday each month from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Working with Vintage Voices, some tours feature reenactments from local historical figures. One such tour in the works for this year is the Godfrey Legacy Tour starring John Meehan as Benjamin Godfrey, making stops at St. Paul Episcopal Church, Hayner Genealogical Library, and Lewis and Clark Community College. Another is their Prohibition Tours featuring “firsthand” accounts from Prohibition-era characters and two Prohibition-era cocktails.
Alton Odyssey Tours has also perfected the Craft Beer Walk experience, pairing a thoughtful selection of local brews with historic landmarks around the city. Lewis said even more tours are currently in the works, including “Notable Architecture of Alton” and “Lincoln and the War Between the States.”
For more about Alton Odyssey Tours and their offerings, visit altonodysseytours.com. The full presentation from Lewis can be seen at the top of this story or on Riverbender.com/video.
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