The Lady in White-An Immersive Octagon House Ghost Story

An immersive ghost story tour at the Armour-Stiner Octagon House, Irvington, NY

Some ghost stories are told about a house. This one is performed inside it. In The Lady in White, guests move through the rooms of the Octagon House as a story written by one of the home’s own residents plays out around them. It’s based on a 1956 tale by Carl Carmer, the American author and folklorist who lived in the house for thirty years. The story follows a young woman who lost her love when their steamboat went down on the Hudson River, and whose spirit is said to still wait along its shores. Her mother is part of the story too, still searching and never learning what became of her daughter. The result is a 75-minute experience that blends local legend, live storytelling, and the real rooms where the tale was imagined.

After the performance, guests can visit Remember You Must Die, an exhibition drawn from Ryan Matthew Cohn’s Memento Mori collection. With objects ranging from ancient artifacts to contemporary works, it explores how earlier generations dealt with death through art, ritual, remembrance, and spiritual practice.

A seasonal favorite at the house, it’s a fitting stop on any October outing in Sleepy Hollow Country. Once you’ve seen it, read the full story behind the legend in Ghosts of the Octagon House.