(November 1, 2010) The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Gettysburg announced today that all permission for ghost tour activity on the Seminary’s campus will be suspended as of April 1, 2011.
No ghost tour groups will be allowed on seminary property as of that date until further notice, according to seminary staff. The decision stems from the prospect of construction of an historic walking pathway on the Seminary Ridge campus beginning in the spring of 2011. Conditions for an evening and night-time touring of the 52 acre campus will no longer be safe for visitors once construction begins.
Because of the potential for additional rehabilitation construction work in connection with Schmucker Hall beginning sometime thereafter, the Seminary is not announcing an expected date of an end to the suspension. “This is a simple matter of safety” said John Spangler, executive assistant to the seminary president. “Common sense says that the construction of the pathway will make it impossible to welcome those night time visitors,” he added, “but we believe this gives adequate notice to those few groups who have been using the space.”
The Seminary also noted that it does not sponsor or endorse the content of the ghost tours, and that the graduate and professional theological school does not receive compensation for the use of the campus grounds.
More information is available at the Seminary’s web site: www.ltsg.edu/ , by email at info@ltsg.edu, or by calling (717) 334-6286.