Listening in the Dark: Stories of American Spiritualism from 1848-1926

David Hirata brings Listening in the Dark: Stories of American Spiritualism from 1848-1926 to the Stimson-Green Mansion on Wednesday, October 14. It's part of the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation's spooky-season programming, and the night is built around the origins of the Spiritualism movement in America.

Hirata is a magician and a storyteller, and the show runs as part lecture and part magic act. The tagline is "The table rises though no one is touching it," a direct nod to the spirit-raising phenomena that defined Spiritualism in the 19th century. So you'll get the history of the movement alongside the kind of tricks that made people believe it was actually happening.

The venue fits the mood. The Stimson-Green Mansion was built in 1901 and is one of architect Kirkland Cutter's more eclectic works, mixing Moorish, Gothic, Renaissance, and Romanesque influences. It's about 125 years old now and stays open to the public each week for community events. It's also known for being haunted—the staff describe its ghosts as friendly. The evening is presented by the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation, Washington's only statewide historic preservation advocacy organization, which marked its 50th anniversary in 2026.

Doors open at 7 PM, and the show starts at 7:30 PM. Tickets are $10. One practical thing to keep in mind: the mansion is ACA compliant but not ADA accessible, with stairs at each entrance.