{"id":11255,"date":"2025-10-21T21:30:31","date_gmt":"2025-10-21T21:30:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/11255\/"},"modified":"2025-10-21T21:30:31","modified_gmt":"2025-10-21T21:30:31","slug":"inside-madame-morbids-spooky-story-packed-trolley-tour-brooklyn-paper","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/11255\/","title":{"rendered":"Inside Madame Morbid\u2019s spooky, story-packed trolley tour \u2022 Brooklyn Paper"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"Madame\t\t\t<\/p>\n

In its eighth year, the famous Brooklyn trolley tour brings guests along haunted spots in the borough. <\/p>\n

Photo by Caleb Caldwell<\/p>\n

\t\t Search our comprehensive guide to things to do in Brooklyn<\/a> for more local events \u2014 or submit your own<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Did you know there\u2019s a mass grave of 30,000 bodies beneath a Williamsburg arcade? Another fun fact: A Park Slope mansion built by the inventor of Chiclets gum might still be haunted by the ghosts of his household staff. And if you\u2019ve ever stopped by the Trader Joe\u2019s on Court Street, rumor has it the building itself has a few lingering spirits.<\/p>\n

These are just some of the stories shared aboard Madame Morbid\u2019s Trolley Tours<\/a>, a 90-minute journey through Brooklyn\u2019s darker side.<\/p>\n

Guests step onto the trolley<\/a> and straight into the 19th century, greeted by a waft of fog and vintage music. Over the next hour and a half, they travel past landmarks such as the Brooklyn Naval Cemetery, McCarren Pool and the site of the 1876 Brooklyn Theatre fire \u2014 all while learning about true crime, tragedy and local legend.<\/p>\n

At the helm is Allison Huntington Chase, the tour\u2019s owner and creator, joined by her canine co-host, Lulu. Known on the trolley as \u201cMadame Morbid,\u201d Chase is part historian, part showwoman and part set designer.<\/p>\n

\"MadameOwner and founder Allison Huntington Chase is at the helm of Madame Morbid, and calls herself a \u201cprofessional spooky ghost historian.\u201dPhoto by Matt Zaller<\/p>\n

\u201cI give some of the tours myself a couple of times a week,\u201d she told Brooklyn Paper. \u201cI guess you could call me a professional spooky ghost historian, if that\u2019s a thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Chase launched Madame Morbid\u2019s Trolley Tours eight years ago, drawing inspiration from her childhood.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dad had a haunted house in the \u201990s,\u201d she said. \u201cIt was in an old department store, and he put some amazing detail into it. I wanted this to be a mobile version of that.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

The result is a fully immersive trolley experience that blends Brooklyn history with ghost stories, urban legends and true crime. Although the vehicle looks antique, it\u2019s brand new and custom-designed by Chase herself. She said she wanted it to \u201clook\u201d haunted, but not \u201cbe haunted.\u201d<\/p>\n

The seats are tufted in a Model T pattern, green velvet drapes line the windows, and chandeliers hang from the ceiling.
\n\"MadameThe trolley\u2019s vintage design transports guests to the 19th century, where much of the stories take place.Photo courtesy of Madame Morbid\u2019s Trolley Tours\n<\/p>\n

\u201cMy dad did all the electronics and lighting. It doesn\u2019t always work \u2014 he\u2019s not an electrician \u2014 but it\u2019s got personality,\u201d she laughed.<\/p>\n

Over the years, the tour has evolved from a simple storytelling ride into a multimedia experience. Videos and lighting cues now punctuate the route, and the script changes annually.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery year, it gets better,\u201d Chase said. \u201cWe add new information, new locations. Some of our guests come back just to see what\u2019s changed.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Chase said each tour guide is given creative freedom to interpret the stories in their own style, adding that some take a serious approach while others emphasize comedy.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI want them to find their own characters,\u201d she said. \u201cSome dress like flappers, others lean steampunk. That way, no two tours are the same.\u201d
\n\"\"Chase employs other tour guides who take their own approach to Brooklyn\u2019s spooky history, giving repeat guests an entirely new experience.Photo courtesy of Madame Morbid\u2019s Trolley Tours\n<\/p>\n

In the 2025 iteration, the trolley travels under the Brooklyn Bridge, over the Gowanus Canal and through neighborhoods packed with historic intrigue. The stories blur the line between documented history and whispered legend.<\/p>\n

One of Chase\u2019s favorite stops involves the site of a long-buried cemetery in Williamsburg.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are about 30,000 bodies buried under Barcade,\u201d she said. \u201cThat one always gets a big reaction.\u201d\n<\/p>\n

Another tale centers on a Park Slope mansion built by the inventor of Chiclets gum, Thomas Adams Jr., whose household staff reportedly starved to death in the home\u2019s private elevator.\n<\/p>\n

Despite her line of work, Chase doesn\u2019t actually believe in ghosts.\n<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been to the most haunted places in the country, and I\u2019ve never seen anything,\u201d Chase said. \u201cI think if they existed, I\u2019d have seen one by now.\u201d
\n\"\"The trolley has become synonymous with the \u201cspooky season\u201d and has received national acclaim.Photo courtesy of Madame Morbid\u2019s Trolley Tours\n<\/p>\n

Still, she admits to a lingering fear. \u201cI\u2019m terrified of them, though. I never want to see one.\u201d<\/p>\n

What sets Madame Morbid apart from other ghost tours is its grounding in real local history. The stories may feature restless spirits, but they\u2019re rooted in verifiable events and old Brooklyn lore.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou walk away learning something,\u201d Chase said. \u201cIt\u2019s not about making people believe in ghosts, but about giving them great stories to tell later.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"In its eighth year, the famous Brooklyn trolley tour brings guests along haunted spots in the borough. Photo…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":11256,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[36],"tags":[98,9073,100,6766,99,9074,9075,9076,9077,9,24,370,63,9078,9079,9080,9081],"class_list":["post-11255","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-brooklyn","tag-brooklyn","tag-brooklyn-ghost-tour","tag-brooklyn-headlines","tag-brooklyn-history","tag-brooklyn-news","tag-ghost-stories-nyc","tag-halloween-in-brooklyn","tag-haunted-brooklyn","tag-madame-morbid","tag-new-york","tag-new-york-city","tag-newsletter","tag-nyc","tag-spooky-nyc-attractions","tag-things-to-do-in-brooklyn","tag-trolley-tour-nyc","tag-williamsburg-tours"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11255","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11255"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11255\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11256"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11255"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11255"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11255"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}