The History of the Mount Dora Ghost Walk began in October 2008 with a program consisting of a haunted museum, marionette show and ghost walk.   The original Mount Dora Ghost Walk was the collaboration of Hector Deleon and Andrew Mullen whom worked tirelessly for weeks creating the scripts, casting and temporarily converting the Mount Dora History museum into a "Haunted Museum". Hector Deleon's creation of the now famous Dora Drawdy Marionette Theater is an experience unparalleled in the Ghost Walk world. The 1 week long Halloween Ghost Walk ended on the day after Halloween 2008 and had 3 tours nightly.

The brave interlopers who ventured into the tour would first walk through the Haunted Museum were the history of Mount Dora was presented in glow in the dark sepia photographic depictions in a dark hallway. Then they would proceed through a tunnel that had numerous scare zones, next they arrived at  a "Curiosities & Oddities Gallery" where bizarre and never before seen items were displayed. The Fiji Mermaid Show display was a premier attraction. Items such as the body of Calvin Calhoun, infamous bootlegger, was displayed in a large glass case. Transmutations consisting of the Deer Centaur, the Phantom of the Opera playing the organ, and the much acclaim potato light bulb just to name a few. The original jail cell was next including an occupant who regaled a dark story in a somber tone. The Moonshine still was viewable with a life size figure of one of the moonshine gang leader tied up with rope but still able to utter some words.

Next one ventured in Houdini's parlor with a crystal ball telling what lies ahead and numerous scares in this dark room of fright.  Here one will see mystically hanging pictures and objects with an eerie musical accompaniment. Emptying into the photo gallery one would sit and pose with numbers ghosts and skeletally souls that adorned your photos. 

Your were then instructed to sit in the theater and hear a brief presentation of the Dora Drawdy Marionette Theater. A live show produced by our own creative director Hector Deleon and his assistant Drasich Marduk. Hector, or Der Puppenspeiller as he is formally tittled provided a 10 minute overview of the upcoming 1 hour ghost walk through the shadowy streets and alleys of Old Mount Dora. Channeling the voice via the keyhole vortex, Dora's voice permeated the theater with tales of what is yet to follow. Warnings and cautions doled out to the vulnerable quarry sitting complacently before their journey into the past.

Please note that the above narrative was the Ghost Walk venue for the inaugural walk done on Halloween week in October of 2008. It will be reprised next October but the current venues will not consist of the haunted museum, but will have the Dora Drawdy Marionette Theater and a brief interactive monologue about Dr. Nutter, and his infamous "Keyhole Vortex".

Faithfully Submitted
Darhouley Notarangelo
Scribe and Archivist for the Mount Dora Ghost Walk