Bethany College Invites Community to Annual Bethany Ghost Stories with Dr. Adam Fletcher

BETHANY, W.Va. (Oct. 28, 2025) — Bethany College invites students, faculty, alumni, and community members to gather for one of the College’s most anticipated fall traditions — Annual Bethany Ghost Stories with Dr. Adam Fletcher. The event will take place on Friday, Oct. 31, from 11 p.m. to midnight in the Academic Parlour. 

Guests are encouraged to bundle up and prepare for a spooky, candlelit evening filled with chilling tales and eerie folklore surrounding the haunted history of Bethany College. Professor of Mathematics Dr. Adam Fletcher ‘02 will lead this storytelling session, offering a thrilling glimpse into campus legends that have been passed down for generations. 

This time-honored tradition began about 40 years ago with Rev. Dr. Larry E. Grimes ‘64, a longtime Bethany English professor and beloved storyteller who first shared Bethany’s ghostly tales on the steps of Alpha Sigma Phi. The event soon moved to the back steps of Richardson Hall, where students would gather in pajamas and sleeping bags to hear Grimes spin his stories beneath the October sky. 

When Grimes retired and moved to Colorado six years ago, Fletcher, once part of Grimes’s audience, stepped forward to continue the tradition. Building on Grimes’s legacy, Fletcher has dived deep into Bethany’s archives, revealing ghost stories with documented origins and eerie authenticity. 

Today, the event welcomes students, alumni, families, and community members alike. It serves as both a celebration of Bethany’s storytelling spirit and a tribute to the enduring legacy of Grimes, whose love of literature and legend continues to inspire. 

From mysterious footsteps in Old Main to whispers of long-forgotten residents, attendees will experience a night that blends history, mystery, and the spirit of Halloween. 

So, grab your friends, bring your curiosity, maybe a blanket, and join us if you dare for a night you won’t forget! 

Event Details:
Date: Friday, Oct. 31
Time: 11 p.m.
Location: Academic Parlour, Bethany College
Note: Dress warmly — it’s going to be a chilling night!