Lansing - The night was still, except for howling dogs in the distance.

Old houses built in the 1800s lined the streets as people began a haunted walking tour in the oldest neighborhood in the city.

This is the second year the Genesee Neighborhood Association has hosted the Halloween event as a fund-raiser for the neighborhood.

Lansing resident Rick Bowers organized the event for Friday and Saturday night. He said he hoped the event would bring interest to the neighborhood.

“I wanted to bring people who usually are not around here to the neighborhood,” he said.

Lansing resident Rick Wendurf volunteered to tell a story about 713 W. Genesee St. He said the tours have been very beneficial to the neighborhood.

“We are trying to restore it because it’s full of old homes,” he said.

The tour began at Ferris Park on the corner of Pine and West Genesee streets. People were led to four old houses and were told ghost stories about each of them. Bowers said all the stories were true for every house.

Lansing resident Bob Kingsbury told a story about the first house on the tour.

“I wanted to do something fun in the neighborhood where I could work with kids,” he said.

As Kingsbury stood outside 807 Shiawassee St., he told about Henry Pritchett and his dog, Max. Pritchett became distraught after his wife suddenly died of malaria, and neighbors never saw him or Max outside the house again.

Pritchett and Max were said to have become part of the home. Kingsbury said sometimes you can see Pritchett walking around the driveway with his dog.

Lansing resident Daniel Ameraman, 14, said he thought Kingsbury’s story was the most exciting, but he didn’t get scared.

“I liked the way a dog was barking while the story was being told,” he said. “It gave me goose bumps.”