BATH — Those with a penchant for the paranormal, unexplained or just plain spooky might want to look for them in Bath this weekend.

A woman who offers nighttime tours of reputed haunted spots in the midcoast will turn her attention Saturday night to the Winter Street Center, a former church with an imposing Gothic Revival tower.

Mysterious Destinations will lead a paranormal exploration of the church, which is supposedly haunted by the spirits of children. The director of the tour, Sally Lobkowicz, also known as the “Red Cloak Lady,” said she moved from talking about haunted locales in the midcoast to offering tours.

“We found that a lot of our guests were very interested in delving a little more into the paranormal,” said Lobkowicz.

Winter Street Center is a good place to do it. Built in 1848, the former church has had rumors of hauntings for years. Groups have had unexplained encounters – one guest purportedly saw a child standing in the balcony of the sanctuary. Recordings have also picked up strange noises that no one could explain, she says,

“They had some footsteps and also a cry for help that came back on their recording,” said Lobkowicz. “We seem to find something new regarding the paranormal every time we go.”

One theory offered is that the Winter Street Center housed victims of the Spanish flu epidemic in 1918.

“It was definitely used during the Spanish flu epidemic for overflow, because the hospital was full,” said Lobkowicz.

Saturday’s event won’t include the sanctuary section of the old church at night for liability reasons. The former church is now rented out for weddings and other gatherings, so the tour also provides the public a chance to see inside the landmark, Lobkowicz said.

For more information or to make a reservation, call 380-4677 or email mysteriousdestinations@gmail.com.

Chris Chase can be contacted at:

cchase@coastaljournal.com

Twitter: cchaseCJ