Today we’d like to introduce you to Gin Keel.
Hi Gin , can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
My background is in Radio & Television broadcasting. I went to college for that and I’ve worked at radio stations in Hoyston and in Washington state as a board operator, a producer, and as on air talent. I became a tour guide for Dash Beardsley’s Ghost Tours of Galveston about ten years ago, after working for him, guiding ghost tours for a few years, a friend and I decided to step away from his business and start a Historical walking tour company. We were in business for about five years, and then she was no longer able to continue with the work so I created Spooky Galveston and started operating tours on my own. Three years ago Dash Beardsley reached out and asked me to take over his ghost tour company, and I did, and now I own both Spooky Galveston and Ghost Tours of Galveston. I have created partnerships with several non-profits and small businesses on the Island and we work for the common goals of mutual benefit while offering unique experiences for our guests that they can’t get anywhere else!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No it has definitely not been a smooth road. Galveston is oversaturated with tour companies. Several national chains operate on the Island now, and there are times when pop-up tour companies advertise online and they turn out to be scams, unfortunately people end up booking those tours and the tour guide never shows up; when it happens it reflects poorly on those of us who are passionate about our work and strive to make an honest living. It can really be a struggle but when you love what you do you will do everything you can to keep going and that is what I do.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a professional tour guide. I guide a variety of tours in Galveston. I started as just a Ghost Tour guide, and now I offer The Great Storm Talk and Tour at the Galveston County Museum five days a week. I do walking in the city and also offer Cemetery tours (Historical Tours and Ghost Tours), I do Golfcart Tours through Carriage Haus Rentals, Ghost Tours at the Galveston Naval Museum, Pop-Up Tours at Moody Mansion, and I am always creating new tours and developing new partnerships. I am known for the partnerships and collaborations that I do as a portion of the ticket sales sold for the things I do with the non-profits, are given back to them for their preservation efforts. I am extremely proud of being able to do this work and to help out in my community.
What matters most to you? Why?
Historical accuracy is honestly what matters most. I want my guests to know the true stories of the city, and for the city to be known for the true stories of the people who made the city what it is. We can learn a lot from the past, and I never want someone to go home after taking a tour, thinking they have learned something interesting that later they find out is a lie. Ghost stories are subjective; they cannot be proven or disproven, but the circumstances surrounding how or why there is a ghost story can be, and that information is what should always be true.
Pricing:
- Tours start at $35 per person
Contact Info:
- Website: www.spookygalveston.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/spookygalveston
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SpookyGalvestonTours/
- Other: tiktok.com/spookygin
Image Credits
Aj Reid, Wendy Woodward Barron & Barron Photography
