History on Tap!

About this event

Step out of the ordinary and into the shadows of the Hill City. History on Tap is not your average historical walking tour—it is a two-hour, dark-history immersion and spirits tasting rolled into one. Together, we will drink our way through the hidden scars, tragic romances, and forgotten corners of Lynchburg’s golden age. Led by a master storyteller under the dim glow of the lantern light, you’ll traverse a shifting chronological timeline, exploring the blocks where history happened while sipping custom, themed libations crafted specifically to match the energy of our stops. The Haunted Route & Itinerary Stop 1: Echoes of the Toymaker (The Historic Bragassa Toy Store) We begin our journey on the historic brick paths of 12th Street. Before the drinks flow, we step into the deceptive nostalgia of Lynchburg’s very first 1870s toy store—where some say the echoes of long-forgotten childhood play still linger behind the vintage plate glass. Stop 2: The Grease and the Gears & The Infernal Night (The Vaughan Garage Bar) We slide into the roaring, industrial 1920s for our first indoor outpost. Here, we uncover the gritty and hazardous reality of early automotive mechanics, before confronting the heavy, lingering energy of a nearby Great Depression disaster that permanently scarred the geography of this block. Stop 3: The Underground Afterlife (The Raven Lounge) Next, we plunge completely beneath the pavement of Main Street. Descending into a subterranean, Edgar Allan Poe-inspired vault, we’ll explore historic 19th-century brick arches that once served a grim, hidden purpose during the height of the Civil War. Stop 4: The Ghost of the Boarding House (Dish) We emerge back to the street level and step into the elegant, vintage atmosphere of Dish. Behind its modern charm lies a poignant, turn-of-the-century Edwardian tragedy—anchored so deeply to these walls that guests and staff still catch glimpses of its lingering reflection. Stop 5: The Haunted Outpost (The Trading…