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Iron Soup to host Zombie Walk in History
By EMMALEE C. TORISK
CAMPBELL
Next Saturday night, zombies will take to the streets of the world’s first modern apartment complex.
They’ll do so for the first Zombie Walk in History, hosted by the Iron Soup Historical Preservation Co.
Attendees “will hear about the company homes and the urban legends, [of which] there are quite a few,” said Linda Gens, executive director of ISHPC, which is working to preserve and revitalize the national historic site that was built in 1918 by the Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. for steel workers and their families.
Those interested should gather at 40 Chambers St., ISHPC’s headquarters, at 5 p.m. that day.
The event, which takes place on World Zombie Day, is free, though donations will be accepted.
In addition, refreshments such as hot chocolate and baked goods will be available by donation, and various ISHPC products, including coasters and T-shirts, will be for sale. All donations and proceeds from the event will go toward ISHPC’s restoration efforts, though the point of the zombie walk is just to have fun, added Gens.
The actual zombie walk will commence at 6 p.m. It will be, for the most part, family friendly, but parental discretion is advised.
Gens explained that people dressed as zombies will lead attendees around the 6-acre complex and even down to the old Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. hospital, telling true stories and urban legends — “those stories that come out only at Halloween” — all the while. The zombie walk will be lit by candlelight.
Though attendees won’t actually go into apartments or the hospital during the zombie walk, they will be met at each location by actors dressed as zombies. Volunteers are welcome; they need only contact ISHPC through its Facebook page, or simply show up that day at 5 p.m. to be assigned to a location.
After hearing about ghost tours at other historic sites across the country, ISHPC had hoped to host a similar event last year but was unable. This year, organization members want to gauge the level of interest in such an event, and are already planning to expand it next year if it’s warranted.
“Who knows what will happen?” Gens said.
Prospective attendees are encouraged to RSVP on the Zombie Walk in History event Facebook page, www.facebook.com/zombiewalkinhistory.