Abstract
The study of supernatural belief has been a constant in the fields of both folkloristics and anthropology but has rarely been addressed in a modern, Western setting.This lack of attention can be ascribed to many social and academic factors, not the least of which is the general attitude of disdain many hold toward the study of supernatural belief in our own society. Ghost tours—tourist attractions which center around houses, buildings, and neighborhoods that are reputed to be haunted—represent one way in which such continuing belief in the supernatural can be examined. This project, based on the observation and participation in several ghost tours throughout Northern California and Western Nevada in 2015, examines how ghost tours employ legend reenactment in order to create a sense of place among tour goers. The legend narratives these tours present are constructed by ghost tour guides from research, personal experience, and the experiences of previous tour participants. It was found that in the course of a ghost tour participants are often called upon to participate in the performance of legends about the places being visited. Such acts of “performing place” are a means in which haunted places are continuously imbued with supernatural meaning both by and for their visitors. The popularity of these performances is a testament to the persistence of supernatural belief among modern Americans despite academic assumptions that such beliefs are remnants of an ignorant past.