Myths & Mysteries of The Octagon House

A Halloween-season guided tour at the Armour-Stiner Octagon House, Irvington, NY

For generations, the eight-sided Armour-Stiner Octagon House has inspired whispered local legends, and this fall its guides are opening the door to them. Myths & Mysteries is an hour-long guided tour through the National Historic Landmark that goes beyond architecture and furnishings to explore the strange stories, unexplained happenings, and firsthand accounts left behind by the people who once lived there. Along the way, history and the otherworldly blur together, and visitors leave with a new sense of just how unusual this Hudson Valley landmark really is. Want a taste of the lore before you go? Read Ghosts of the Octagon House for the stories of the fragrant spirit and the Lady in White.

The experience continues after the tour with Remember You Must Die, an exhibition drawn from Ryan Matthew Cohn’s Memento Mori collection. Spanning ancient artifacts to contemporary pieces, it looks at how earlier generations faced death through art, ritual, remembrance, and spiritual practice.

It’s a fitting stop on any October outing in Sleepy Hollow Country.

Details: Tickets are $38 per person and required for every guest. Timed entry varies by day. Because the tour frequently touches on 19th-century illness, disaster, and death, it’s open to ages 12 and up. The route includes three flights of stairs and extended standing, so it isn’t accessible for wheelchair users or those with limited mobility. Free on-site parking is limited, so carpooling is encouraged, and guests should arrive no more than 15 minutes early.