Ghost watchers will gather Friday in Franklin

Morgan City’s ghosts, real or imagined, go national Friday night. Franklin is planning a watch party for them.
The Teche Theatre for the Performing Arts, 501 Main St. in Franklin, will show The Travel Channel’s “Ghosts of Morgan City” on a big screen beginning with a warm-up at 7 p.m. The show begins at 8 p.m. Admission is free.
Diane Wiltz, a local history buff who was consulted during the making of the 10-episode series, will be at the event.
According to the Travel Channel, the idea for the series began when Morgan City police sought answers about a number of reports of strange goings-on, including a shape-shifting mist.
The investigative trail led to Shepherdstown, West Virginia, where police had dealt with similar reports.
“We knew we had a whole new series when we heard about all the unnerving hauntings in the bayou,” said Matthew Butler, general manager of the Travel Channel, in a press release.
“Morgan City and surrounding St. Mary Parish are filled with rich history, deep-rooted superstitions and larger-than-life characters, and it’s all set against the beautiful, yet eerie backdrop of Cajun Country.”
A team of paranormal investigators, including a former FBI agent, was in the area earlier this year to film the series.
The release says the team looked into incidents in Morgan City, Berwick, Patterson and Franklin.
There was a brief discussion at a recent Patterson City Council meeting over a proposed agreement between the city and the film crew.
Mayor Rodney Grogan said at the time that the crew was interested in a home that has been the target of a number of exorcisms.
Whether you believe in ghosts or not, “Ghosts of Morgan City” has put the city on the paranormal map.
A Google search for “Ghosts of Morgan City” turns up a total of 49 million hits related to some combination of the words, and at least four screens full of results directly related to the TV show or the watch party.