Virtual Haunted Tour- The Woman in Black

With Halloween quickly approaching the History Museum is beginning to feel a little festive. Throughout the month of October we will be posting different spooky stories and sites from the region. Grab a cup of hot cider and join us as we lead you on a virtual haunted tour of Western Virginia, if you dare!

The Woman in Black

Over 100 years ago the “Woman in Black” began terrifying the city of Roanoke. The woman appears late at night on the city’s streets to accompany married men on their way home. She first appeared in Bristol, then disappeared from the city and reappeared in Roanoke. According to newspaper reports, her name was on every lip–strong man shuttered at the mention of her name.

The “Woman in Black” is said to be fairly tall, and dressed entirely in black, with a veil covering her face. Her eyes are large and saucer like and her brows full. All admit to her beauty. She moves over the streets with an almost noiseless glide, her black robes flowing behind her.

She once appeared to a prominent businessman who was returning to his home sometime after midnight. The woman appeared suddenly at his side and called by his name, even though he had never spoken to her before.  She appeared a few feet behind him and he naturally increased his pace, but she kept stride with no apparent effort. “Where do you turn off? she asked. He replied, “Twelfth Avenue.” She put her head on his shoulder and he tried to shake it off. “You are not the first married man I have accompanied home tonight,” she whispered to him. The woman clung to his arm, walking with him as he rushed towards his home. The man hurried to grab his front door while attempting to shake the woman from his arm. As he turned the handle to enter his home the woman vanished as quickly as she had appeared.

Strange to say, whenever she picks out a victim she calls him be his first name. How she always knows their names, we’ll never know.

She appeared briefly to a business man on the corner of Franklin and Commerce and tried to draw him into conversation. He was not in a talkative mood and rushed home to his wife, in fright.

Two men tried to trap her on a downtown bridge one evening. While watching her very carefully, they approached her coming from each end of the bridge. Just before they reached her, she vanished into thin air. Leaving behind only an eerie feeling.

Many believe the “Woman in Black” to be the wife of an unfaithful husband. Spurned by her lover she seeks revenge on all that are not faithful to their wives.  After some time the sightings in Roanoke lessened. Soon after reports began to trickle in from Bluefield that married men were not returning home and a beautiful woman in black had been seen on the streets. No one knows where she will go next…