<span class="hide-blog-title">The Inspector</span>By NPI, Inc.https://npiweb.com/Blog/PostsHaunted Places Series: Winchester Mystery Househttps://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1530/haunted-places-series-winchester-mystery-houseHoliday,Just for FunMon, 16 Oct 2023 18:42:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HAUNTED PLACES SERIES: WINCHESTER MYSTERY HOUSE</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 16, 2023 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=holiday">Holiday</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=just-for-fun">Just for Fun</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/entertaining">entertaining</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/fall">fall</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/haunted-places-series">Haunted Places Series</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Location:</span> San Jose, California<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Architectural Style:</span> Exterior: Queen Anne-Style Victorian; Interior: Aesthetic Movement<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Built:</span> 1886 - 1922</p> <p>As we progress through the Halloween season, we thought there was no location more appropriate to visit than one of the most notoriously unusual architectural wonders of North America - and the tale of the woman behind it all. For our next entry, we visit the Winchester Mystery House.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Sarah Pardee</span><br /> Sarah Lockwood Pardee was born in 1839 in New Haven, Connecticut. In her upper-class New England home, Sarah had by all accounts a happy childhood with access to fantastic education, going on to learn four foreign languages (Latin, French, Spanish, and Italian). Pardee studied at Yale College’s associated female scholastic institution and became known for both her extraordinary intelligence and her beauty. Called the “Belle of New Haven,” Sarah had many admirers.</p> <p>In 1862, Sarah married William Wirt Winchester, a brother to one of her classmates and member of a wealthy New Haven family. William was an only son and, therefore, sole heir to his father’s considerable manufacturing company, the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. William and Sarah Winchester were a well-off, idyllic young couple, but early on, tragedy beset the Winchesters.</p> <p>In 1866, Sarah gave birth to a daughter whom she named Annie. Unfortunately, the child did not live long, suffering from marasmus, a disease that causes severe malnutrition. Annie would be Sarah’s only child, and when William died of tuberculosis in 1881, Sarah was a widowed heiress to what had become a massive fortune, inheriting somewhere around $20 million dollars and nearly 50% of the Winchester company’s total stock.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Llanada Villa</span><br /> After being widowed, the line separating the history of Sarah Winchester from the legend blurs, but there are a few things that can be determined for certain. For one reason or another, Sarah Winchester left her lifelong home of Connecticut and moved across the country near what today is San Jose, California. There, she bought a two-story farmhouse where she decided to make her new home.</p> <p>This farmhouse, which she called <em>Llanada Villa</em>, would not remain the simple structure she bought for long, as Sarah herself began to chart and design ambitious additions. Carpenters and laborers were hired full-time and work began officially in 1886 with no end in sight. Ceaseless designs, redesigns, additions, and teardowns were ordered with results that were both beautiful and bizarre.</p> <p>By 1904, the farmhouse had become a monstrous 7-story mansion, undoubtedly a sight to behold. It is hard to say where the expansion would have stopped if an earthquake had not damaged the top three floors and caused considerable damage to the mansion’s exterior. Since then, the building continued, but instead of building up, Winchester built outwards. The estate transformed into a sprawling structure really unlike anything else anyone had seen.</p> <p>Construction continued on, in fact, until Sarah Winchester’s death on September 5, 1922. In her wake, <em>Llanada Villa</em> remained, a mystery house with seemingly endless secrets to be discovered.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Mystery House</span><br /> With Sarah Winchester’s eccentric home finally available for viewing, the public was finally able to fully take in the extravagance and the idiosyncrasies hidden inside. Each room was covered with finery and opulence clearly inspired by the aesthetic movement. In short, art for art’s sake: a co-mingling of visually stimulating design with everyday life, and an emphasis on “beauty” over practicality. The woodwork, the flooring, the wallpaper, almost everything was intricately designed with clear Victorian taste in mind. Then, beyond this design philosophy, the public found the peculiarities that helped make the mansion famous.</p> <p>Stairwells led to nowhere, guided straight to the ceiling. A doorway opened from an upper floor into the building’s exterior, and a 15-foot drop to the hedges below. Secret passageways galore, cupboards opening into entire hidden wings, and skylights built into the floor make the mansion a sort of labyrinth, easily capturing the imagination of anyone who might set foot inside. After a visit from Harry Houdini, the famed magician appropriately dubbed <em>Llanada Villa</em>, “the Mystery House,” a puzzle even he could not solve. Ever since, that was how the Winchester home became known: The Winchester Mystery House.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Folklore</span><br /> Sarah Winchester never kept a journal, and had no manifesto to explain her reasonings for her odd design choices. Due to this, the legend of her and her California home has grown wildly over the years.</p> <p>A common story has been that Sarah Winchester felt haunted by the men who’d died because of her late husband’s Winchester rifle. Advised by a medium, Sarah was convinced to “let the ghosts design her home,” performing regular séances which resulted in the rushed design plans. Others claim the designs were Sarah’s way of hiding from the ghosts, sleeping in a different one of her 40 bedrooms each night.</p> <p>In 2018, the movie <em>Winchester </em>leaned heavily into this version of the story, creating a theatrical setting consisting of malevolent ghosts and a large, haunted house. In reality, the Winchester Mystery House seems to tell the story of a woman who went through a lot.</p> <p>Sarah seemed to love gardening, with greenhouses built into her home. She was innovative, designing a complex communication system for her servants. When a safe was discovered (hidden behind two secure doors and within another larger strongbox) they found that the millionaire widow’s most prized possessions were her husband and daughter’s obituaries, and a lock of her daughter’s hair.</p> <p>The Winchester Mystery House is a uniquely beautiful work of architecture made by an extraordinary figure, and without Sarah to explain her purpose or reasoning for its peculiar features, the home will likely remain a mystery.</p> <p><em>To book your visit, visit the <a class="color-secondary" href="https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/" target="_blank">Winchester Mystery House’s website</a>, and for any spooky mansion inspections, <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npiweb.com/Find-an-Inspector">find a skilled National Property Inspections expert near you</a></em></p> 1530Haunted Places Series: Gibraltar Point Lighthousehttps://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1411/haunted-places-series-gibraltar-point-lighthouseHoliday,Just for FunMon, 17 Oct 2022 14:44:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HAUNTED PLACES SERIES: GIBRALTAR POINT LIGHTHOUSE</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 17, 2022 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=holiday">Holiday</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=just-for-fun">Just for Fun</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/entertaining">entertaining</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/fall">fall</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/haunted-places-series">Haunted Places Series</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Location:</span> Toronto, Ontario, Canada<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Architectural Style:</span> Hexagonal Limestone<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Built:</span> 1808</p> <p>With each passing week, we take another trip across North America to some of the most intriguing (and possibly haunted) structures standing today. This week features a last vestige of war and a mysterious disappearance. On the banks of Lake Ontario, we’re visiting Toronto’s own Gibraltar Point Lighthouse!</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">History</span><br /> As commissioned in 1803, the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse was one of three Lighthouses erected with the intention to bolster the town of York’s defenses while tensions remained uneasy between northern British holdings and the newly established United States.</p> <p>Gibraltar Point was a peninsula named after the famous, strategic territory overseeing the strait between Spain and Morocco. The peninsula in Lake Ontario was thought to serve a similar purpose as a powerful fortifying point, intended to protect traveling British vessels. By 1808, the construction was complete and the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse was brought fully into service.</p> <p>Quickly, the lighthouse saw considerable action, standing sentinel during the War of 1812 and standing as direct witness to 1813’s Battle of York. Over its lifetime, the lighthouse watched York become the city of Toronto, and the peninsula it stood on transformed into the Toronto Islands. Today, the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse is the oldest standing lighthouse on the Great Lakes.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">John Radelmüller</span><br /> While being a storied landmark of the Toronto area, the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse has also had early encounters with the macabre. The very first lighthouse keeper at Gibraltar Point was a German immigrant by the name of John Radelmüller. Serving from 1809 to 1815, Radelmüller would not see the end of the war, as he mysteriously disappeared on January 2 of 1815.</p> <p>Speculation about what may have happened to Herr Radelmüller seems nearly endless, but there is one narrative that has become most prominent. As the story goes, Radelmüller was an amateur distiller back in Germany. Bringing this knowledge to the Americas, Radelmüller became rather popular among the sailors and soldiers in the area.</p> <p>One night upon visiting the lighthouse, a few soldiers were becoming rowdy after a few too many drinks. When Radelmüller threatened to cut them off for the night, things turned violent. Outnumbered, Radelmüller was beaten and eventually stabbed by the end of a bayonet, resulting in his death.</p> <p>To hide their crime, it is believed that the soldiers buried the lighthouse keeper’s body in pieces around the lands surrounding the lighthouse before making their escape.</p> <p>The validity of this tale is hard to determine, but there have been stories of subsequent lighthouse keepers discovering bones hidden in crawl spaces and buried around the island. By the time the lighthouse was formally decommissioned in 1957, the tales surrounding that night have made the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse a staple in Toronto’s local lore.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Today</span><br /> As urban legends claim, the lighthouse is most definitely haunted today, the ghost of its first keeper still loyally serving in the defense of York. Although it is closed to the public throughout the year, people are free to visit the lighthouse by foot or along <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.viator.com/Toronto-attractions/Gibraltar-Point-Lighthouse/d623-a17393" target="_blank">a bike tour of the Toronto Islands</a>. A testament to the city’s storied history, the Gibraltar Point Lighthouse is a beautiful monument that tourists should not miss out on!</p> <p><em>Is your roof or foundation a horror? <a href="https://www.npiweb.com/Find-an-Inspector">Schedule your next home or commercial property inspection</a> with National Property Inspections. Our professional inspectors have seen it all!</em></p> 1411Haunted Places Series: House of the Seven Gableshttps://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1408/haunted-places-series-house-of-the-seven-gablesHoliday,Just for FunMon, 10 Oct 2022 17:43:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HAUNTED PLACES SERIES: HOUSE OF THE SEVEN GABLES</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 10, 2022 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=holiday">Holiday</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=just-for-fun">Just for Fun</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/entertaining">entertaining</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/fall">fall</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/haunted-places-series">Haunted Places Series</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Location:</span> Salem, Massachusetts<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Architectural Style:</span> Colonial, Georgian<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Built:</span> 1668</p> <p>For our next entry in this year’s Haunted Places Series, get ready for falling leaves, a legendary author, and a set of infamous trials. This week, we visit the historic House of the Seven Gables.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Background</span><br /> In the height of Puritan New England, Captain John Turner I constructed a home for his family on the coast of Massachusetts Bay. This simple two-story, two-room home circled a tall chimney in its first iteration and would expand considerably over the years. Features would be added, removed, and added back again to match various styles over the decades, but its famed “seven gables” would become the home’s most iconic feature.</p> <p>From the Turner family’s hands, the property would be sold to another family of wealthy sailors in the Ingersoll family by 1782. From this, the home gained the colloquial name of the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion. However, it was during this time that Nathaniel Hawthorne, a relative of the Ingersolls, would begin to visit in order to spend time with his cousin Susannah Ingersoll. Though the historic home had already established itself within Salem’s history, it was this association that won the home its fame.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://npiweb.com/Portals/0/Blog/Article Images/Haunted Places/7 Gables/seven-gables.jpg?ver=mKk_SUvlvF7hrWzOeXi9kg%3d%3d" width="100%" /><br /> <em>Photo by <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/mastatelibrary/" target="_blank">State Library of Massachusetts</a>, licensed under <a class="color-secondary" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-NC 2.0</a></em></p> <p>As a boy, Nathaniel injured his leg and was restricted to the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion for two years. Susannah regaled her cousin with the home’s history during this time, as well as the history of their family and the town of Salem. These visits would prove to be of considerable significance to Nathaniel, as he would go on to write a novel based on the stories he’d heard. Nathaniel called this book, The House of the Seven Gables, as a tribute to his cousin’s descriptions of the house from when she was growing up. It has been due to the popularity of Hawthorne’s book that the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion came to be better known as The House of the Seven Gables.</p> <p>In 1908, the home would pass on to Caroline Osgood Emmerton, a wealthy philanthropist in the region. Emmerton renovated the home into a museum and settlement home, making alterations inspired by Hawthorne’s novel and bringing the overall look back in line with a more authentic colonial style. Capitalizing on the novel’s plot, it was actually during this time that a well was added to the garden as well as a “secret staircase” leading from behind the chimney to the attic. Both additions were installed so that incoming tourists would find a location more in line with the novel, although they were not original features to the building.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Nathaniel Hawthorne & John Hathorne</span><br /> Susannah’s stories about the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion and the town of Salem captivated a young Nathaniel Hawthorne, although not always in a positive way. Nathaniel had heard stories of the Salem Witch Trials, but was particularly struck to learn the story of his great-grandfather, John Hathorne’s, direct role in the event.</p> <p>John Hathorne presided over the infamous trials as one of the chief judges, which led to 19 executions based on flimsy claims of witchcraft. Seeing this act as a terrible injustice and a stain on his family’s name, it was for this reason that Nathaniel decided to add a “w” to his surname, in hopes to separate himself from John Hathorne. It seemed that this blemish still marked Nathaniel, at least in his mind, as his novel went on to condemn a fictional version of his ancestor in the character Judge Pyncheon.</p> <p>In the novel, Pyncheon took advantage of hysteria in the community of Salem, and falsely accused a neighbor of practicing witchcraft in order to take his land for himself. As the falsely accused neighbor was executed, he placed a curse on the Pyncheon family, which sets up the events of the novel.</p> <p>Clearly, Nathaniel was similarly troubled by what his ancestor had done, and felt that his actions left an almost supernatural inheritance he couldn’t rid himself of. As he writes in the prologue of <em>The Scarlet Letter</em>:</p> <div class="testimonial testimonial-primary"> <blockquote> <p>He [Judge Hathorne] made himself so conspicuous in the martyrdom of the witches, that their blood may fairly be said to have left a stain upon him…I know not whether these ancestors of mine bethought themselves to repent, and ask pardon of heaven for their cruelties…At all events, I, the present writer, as their representative, hereby take shame upon myself for their sakes, and pray that any curse incurred by them...may be now and henceforth removed.</p> </blockquote> </div> <p>Whether a curse was actually waylaid towards Judge Hathorne during the trials is unknown, but some believe these malevolent forces have remained at the House of the Seven Gables.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Ghost Stories</span><br /> Today, the House of the Seven Gables is open for tours with its focus on historical Puritan life, Nathaniel Hawthorne’s book, and “social uplifting” through citizenship classes and other outreach efforts for immigrant communities (causes championed by Caroline Emmerton.) Tour guides firmly deny the existence of any ghost or ghoul on the premises, though this has not stopped the rumors from circulating over the years.</p> <p>Curious events consistent with the most frequent haunts have been reported. Visitors claim to see “shadow people” and hear ominous murmuring (especially late at night). More reference a general strange atmosphere that surrounds the property grounds. Those more familiar with the house’s history claim that two recurring spirits call the House of the Seven Gables their home.</p> <p>First, a small boy who loves to play in the attic has been said to make noises during tours or peek out from windows on the upper floors. On at least one occasion, the boy was seen scrambling up the secret staircase, only to vanish after being trailed up to the attic. Some claim with absolute certainty that this boy is Julian, the son of Nathaniel Hawthorne, although there isn’t any record of him even visiting the home in his lifetime.</p> <p>The other most common specter sighting has been attributed to Susannah Ingersoll herself, who is said to roam the halls of her former home. Guests claim to see a woman in white peeking down through the windows, watching as they enter through the grounds’ gardens.</p> <p>Whether the city’s history simply inclines visitors into a supernaturally expectant mood or something otherworldly truly walks the halls of the House of the Seven Gables, perhaps the only way to know for sure is to <a class="color-secondary" href="https://7gables.org/tickets/october-guided-tour/" target="_blank">book your visit for yourself</a>!</p> <p><em>Cover Photo by <a class="color-secondary" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:House_of_Seven_Gables_-_Salem,_MA_2.jpg" target="_blank">Upstateherd</a>, licensed under <a class="color-secondary" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0" target="_blank">CC BY-SA 4.0</a></em></p> 1408Haunted Places Series: Ohio State Reformatoryhttps://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1405/haunted-places-series-ohio-state-reformatoryHoliday,Just for FunMon, 03 Oct 2022 19:16:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HAUNTED PLACES SERIES: OHIO STATE REFORMATORY</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 3, 2022 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=holiday">Holiday</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=just-for-fun">Just for Fun</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/entertaining">entertaining</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/fall">fall</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/haunted-places-series">Haunted Places Series</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Location:</span> Mansfield, Ohio<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Architectural Style:</span> Romanesque Revival<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Built:</span> 1886–1910</p> <p>There’s an eerie chill in the air and the souls of the restless are stirring. This can only mean one thing . . . the return of our haunted place series! Every year, we break from our usual content to visit some of the strangest, most unsettling locales of the U.S. and Canada in celebration of the spooky season. This year, our first edition was a clear lock: the Ohio State Reformatory!</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Reformatory </span><br /> Founded as a holding for intermediate first-time offenders, the Ohio State Reformatory, also known as the Mansfield Reformatory, was designed with rehabilitation in mind. Even today, its beautiful arches and bright brick exterior make this defunct prison appear more like a mansion or a castle. These design choices were purposeful, intended to inspire all who enter its halls.</p> <p>In this setting, inmates would learn practical trades (such as engineering or plumbing) and invest into skills meant to turn their lives around. This system worked remarkably in those initial years. Compared to other reformatory facilities, convicts who finished serving their sentences at Mansfield were considerably less likely to become repeat offenders. In fact, Mansfield boasted one of the lowest re-sentencing rates in the country, as the former cons took advantage of their second chances in life. Unfortunately, this system and its successes would not last.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Penitentiary </span><br /> Due to the ballooning prisoner population in the United States, the Ohio State Reformatory’s idyllic rehabilitation structure could not continue. Its funding was cut, and the facility made its transition into a maximum-security prison – a function it was never intended for. In this new iteration, inmates were no longer relatively harmless first-time offenders. Violent, unpredictable repeat offenders were added to the mix, and with them came a multitude of tragedies.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://npiweb.com/Portals/0/Blog/Article Images/Haunted Places/Ohio Reformatory/Ohio_State_Reformatory-10.jpg?ver=olCbrRCKegJayDzpNKwz_A%3d%3d" width="100%" /><br /> <em>Photo by <a class="color-secondary" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ohio_State_Reformatory-10.jpg" target="_blank">Marianodemiguel</a>, licensed under <a class="color-secondary" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0" target="_blank">CC BY-SA 4.0</a></em></p> <p>Frequent riots and limited space forced unheard- of conditions where single occupancy solitary confinement cells were shared by six men at a time. Fires broke out, guards were killed, and men took their own lives as the conditions at Mansfield quickly declined. This all led to a lawsuit coordinated by former inmates aimed at the state of Ohio. In the end, the facility was closed by a court order in 1990.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Classic </span><br /> Today, the Ohio State Reformatory has been preserved as a historical site and, if you thought the location looked familiar, it’s likely because of its prominent use on the silver screen. This breathtaking building was featured in films like Tango and Cash, Air Force One, and perhaps most memorably, Frank Darabont’s The Shawshank Redemption. Fans can tour the site today through the lens of this iconic film, visiting the courtyard and cells and learning about the creation of the Oscar-nominated masterwork.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Paranormal </span><br /> Over one hundred years of varied history has been concentrated into one dynamic structure. With that history, it comes as little surprise that the Ohio State Reformatory is considered one of the most haunted locations in America. Even among the inmates, there were rumors of ghostly encounters. Complaints were recorded of invisible hands grasping at men while they were in their cells at night, along with unsettling noises keeping them awake. Tour guides, likewise, attest to hearing odd noises frequently and even spotting shadowy figures. Visitors report similar experiences, hearing movement and mumbling in empty cells or down vacant corridors, while others even claim being pushed over railings.</p> <p>The Ohio State Reformatory has a complex history. Although mired with its own dark periods, it has rich stories to tell, and the location is meticulously preserved. Book your tour today, whether you are <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.mrps.org/tours" target="_blank">a film superfan or a historian</a>, or you want <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.mrps.org/paranormal" target="_blank">a chance to experience the paranormal</a> for yourself!</p> <p><em>Finding the perfect inspector doesn’t have to be a nightmare! <a href="https://npiweb.com/Find-an-Inspector">Let National Property Inspections find the perfect match</a> for your needs and schedule your inspection today!</em></p> 1405Haunted Places Series: Hatley Castlehttps://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1308/haunted-places-series-hatley-castleHoliday,Just for FunMon, 25 Oct 2021 20:22:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HAUNTED PLACES SERIES: HATLEY CASTLE</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 25, 2021 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=holiday">Holiday</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=just-for-fun">Just for Fun</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/entertaining">entertaining</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/fall">fall</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/haunted-places-series">Haunted Places Series</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Location:</span> Victoria, Vancouver Island, BC<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Architectural Style:</span> Gothic Revival<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Built:</span> 1908</p> <p>Rounding out our 2021 Haunted Places series is a major historical landmark near the coast of Vancouver Island. Opposite of another stunning (and spooky) castle, Hatley is surrounded by beautiful grounds lined with blossoming flowers. But what draws many visitors is the chance to capture something more out of the ordinary.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">James Dunsmuir Commissions the Castle </span><br /> Lieutenant-Governor James Dunsmuir, son of coal-magnate Robert Dunsmuir, ordered construction of the castle on Hatley Park. James originally planned the grounds to be used as a farm, complete with a dairy and hunting grounds for James and his friends. Enlisting the help of Victorian architect Samuel Maclure, James envisioned a commanding and lavish home. Cost was no obstacle for James, and it shows in the final details. All in all, the sprawling estate would feature 40 rooms, an 82-foot turret, surrounding stone wall, cow stables, smoke house, and other workstations. Hatley Park and the castle would remain owned by the Dunsmuir family until the latter half of the 1930s.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Hatley Castle and the Military </span><br /> After the Dunsmuir family sold the estate, the Dominion Government purchased it and used it as a Naval Training Establishment. The castle was also considered in the early years of WWII as a place for the English Royal Family to retreat in case Germany took control of Europe. Cadets would live and train at the Royal Canadian Naval College at Royal Roads. Hatley Park’s use as a military academy would continue through WWII. In 1947, the school was renamed as the RCN-RCAF Joint Services College, then shortly changed again to the Canadian Services College Royal Roads. Finally, in 1968, it became the Royal Roads Military College. The Royal Roads Military College eventually closed its doors in 1994, and it would linger on in academia as Royal Roads University.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Doomed Dunsmuirs </span><br /> James was often criticized as a public official, and he used Hatley Park as his escape when he retired. James and his wife Laura had 12 children. Their youngest son, Jim, was of fighting age when WWI broke out. Eager to serve, Jim boarded a ship for Europe--the RMS Lusitania. Tragically, a German U-boat torpedoed the Lusitania, and Jim’s body was never discovered. James was heartbroken by the death of his son. He spent the majority of his days mourning him, dying shortly after Jim.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Hauntings at Hatley </span><br /> The Dunsmuirs have had a long and tumultuous history that’s been ingrained into both the <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/haunted-places-series-craigdarroch-castle">Craigdarroch</a> and Hatley Castles. There have been accounts of music playing in the study, where James would play somber dirges to honor his lost son. Other strange noises, such as footsteps and doors opening and closing, have also been reported in the castle. When the castle was a military college, cadets would see the apparition of Laura Dunsmuir searching the faces in the dorms for her son. One visitor to the castle says a spirit followed her home, mimicking a crying baby in the night and pestering her at work.</p> <p><img src="https://npiweb.com/Portals/0/Blog/Article Images/Haunted Places/hatley-castle2.jpg?ver=9pSUvYaJmjtU8qJQr19QPg%3d%3d" width="100%" /></p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Take a Trip to the Historic Hatley </span><br /> Hatley Park has been a must-see venue for visitors and <a class="color-secondary" href="https://hatleypark.ca/media-film/over-8o-years-filming" target="_blank">movie makers</a> for decades. The castle and grounds are still used as part of Royal Roads University. <a class="color-secondary" href="https://hatleypark.ca/visit-us" target="_blank">Book your trip</a> today!</p> <p><em>Don’t get spooked by your new home! <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npiweb.com/Find-an-Inspector">Contact National Property Inspections</a> and schedule an inspection today!</em></p> 1308Haunted Places Series: Keg Mansionhttps://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1302/haunted-places-series-keg-mansionHoliday,Just for FunMon, 11 Oct 2021 13:56:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HAUNTED PLACES SERIES: KEG MANSION</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 11, 2021 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=holiday">Holiday</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=just-for-fun">Just for Fun</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/entertaining">entertaining</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/fall">fall</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/haunted-places-series">Haunted Places Series</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Location:</span> Toronto, Ontario<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Architectural Style:</span> Gothic<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Built:</span> 1868</p> <p>For our next haunted location, we’re headed up north to “The Heartland Province.” Famous for its diverse population and accredited universities, Toronto is one of North America’s largest and most intriguing cities. Coincidentally, the Queen City is also known for having one of the most haunted houses in Canada.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Construction of Keg Mansion </span><br /> In Victorian-era Toronto, Jarvis Street was the symbol of high society. Elaborate mansions lined the street with each one as unique as the last. Built in 1867 by Arthur McMaster, Keg Mansion boasted an ornate interior and exterior. The red shingles and green brass window accents pop against the neutral brick. Soft colors inside line the 26 different rooms and 17 fireplaces. The home would be bought in 1882 by the Cleveland agricultural equipment salesman Hart Massey, and his wife. The Masseys added a turret, verandah, and a greenhouse, but left much of the original decoration untouched.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Massey Family </span><br /> The Masseys quickly became one of the most prominent families in the city. In fact, Hart Massey helped fund buildings at the University of Toronto, such as Massey Hall. After Hart’s death, his daughter Lillian took over his estate and named the home Euclid Hall. Having a woman run such a vast enterprise was essentially unheard of at the time. Hart’s grandsons Vincent and Raymond also rose to a prominent social status. Vincent became the Governor General of Canada in 1952, and Raymond became an Oscar-nominated actor. After Lillian’s death, the house was entrusted to the University of Toronto and it later served as a veteran’s hospital, an art gallery, and even a radio station.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Misfortunes in the Mansion </span><br /> Keg Mansion has seen its fair share of tragedy in its more than 150-year history. Lillian Massey passed away in the home in 1915. After her death, one of Lillian’s most devoted maids took her passing very hard and is said to have hanged herself in one of the rooms. A young boy visiting the home one day fell down the stairs and died from his injuries a short time later.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Ghosts of the Past in the Mansion </span><br /> There’s no shortage of ghost stories from Keg Mansion. People have reported the sounds of children playing around the home, mainly close to the stairwell the boy fell down. The distraught maid of Lillian Massey is also said to roam the building. She will oftentimes appear in the room she died in, hanging in the center. Lillian Massey herself can be heard and seen at different times, most likely still watching over the home she adored. Throughout its different uses, staff at the home have noted strange occurrences, such as feeling pushed near the oval vestibule or witnessing doors opening and closing on their own.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Keg Mansion Today </span><br /> Keg Mansion received heritage status in 1975. Shortly thereafter, it was transformed into a restaurant. <a class="color-secondary" href="https://kegsteakhouse.com/en/locations/toronto-mansion" target="_blank">The Keg Steakhouse + Bar</a> is still in operation today. So if you’re looking to fill your belly and your paranormal appetite, be sure to add this destination to your list!</p> <p><em>Don’t get spooked by your new home! <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npiweb.com/Find-an-Inspector">Contact National Property Inspections</a>, and schedule an inspection today!</em></p> <p><em>Photo by <a class="color-secondary" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:515_Jarvis_St..JPG" target="_blank">BarberMA</a>, licensed under <a class="color-secondary" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0" target="_blank">CC BY-SA 3.0</a></em></p> 1302Haunted Places Series: Cincinnati Music Hallhttps://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/1299/haunted-places-series-cincinnati-music-hallHoliday,Just for FunMon, 04 Oct 2021 20:15:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HAUNTED PLACES SERIES: CINCINNATI MUSIC HALL</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 4, 2021 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=holiday">Holiday</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=just-for-fun">Just for Fun</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/entertaining">entertaining</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/fall">fall</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/haunted-places-series">Haunted Places Series</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Location:</span> Cincinnati, Ohio<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Architectural Style:</span> Venetian Gothic, Victorian Gothic Revival Style<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Built:</span> 1878</p> <p><em>“It’s alive!”</em></p> <p>The leaves are changing, there’s a haunting chill in the air, and spookiest of all, our Haunted Places series has been resurrected! We’re loaded up for another road trip to some of the most paranormal places across the United States and Canada. Our first stop plays host to one of the oldest baseball teams, world-class chili, Steven Spielberg, and plenty of ghostly citizens--you guessed it, it’s “The Queen City” AKA Cincinnati!</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Elaborate Cincinnati Music Hall </span><br /> It comes as no surprise that a city as historically rich as Cincinnati has a building to match. The Cincinnati Music Hall was built in 1878 to replace the older temporary Exposition Hall. Funding for the Music Hall was started by the affluent Reuben R. Springer, who campaigned for donations from other citizens and socialites. Designed by Samuel Hannaford, Music Hall stands as one of the last Venetian Gothic buildings that were part of the Victorian Gothic Revival Style. </p> <p>Music Hall has been the home of the Cincinnati Ballet, Symphony Orchestra, Opera, May Festival Chorus, and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra. It also served as the main convention center for the city until the 1970s. A who’s who of historical figures have been spotted at Music Hall throughout the years. Names such as Ulysses S. Grant, Theodore Roosevelt, and Dwight D. Eisenhower have held public addresses and political rallies within the Hall. </p> <p>Of course, it wouldn’t be “Music Hall” without numerous talented musicians taking the stage as well. Frank Sinatra, Johnny Cash, Richard Strauss, Alexandre Guilmant, and even the Grateful Dead have stood in the spotlight of Music Hall. In 1975, Music Hall received the title of a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of the Interior.</p> <p style="margin-bottom: 30px; text-align: center;"><img src="https://npiweb.com/Portals/0/Blog/Article Images/Haunted Places/cincinnati-music-hall-interior-02.jpg?ver=wnDLfGPwOwhIBBHhob_81A%3d%3d" width="100%" /><br /> <em>Photo by <a class="color-secondary" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Springer_Auditorium_2017.jpg" target="_blank">Larsonj3</a>, licensed under <a class="color-secondary" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0" target="_blank">CC BY-SA 4.0</a></em></p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Music Hall Today </span><br /> After undergoing several renovations throughout the years, Music Hall now has four main areas: </p> <ul> <li><strong>Springer Auditorium.</strong> The main theater, Springer Auditorium has been outfitted with modern acoustics and can seat between 2,300-2,500 people. The Auditorium’s ceiling is adorned by the stunning Music Hall Chandelier.</li> <li><strong>Music Hall Ballroom. </strong>At 17,000 square feet with a capacity of 1,300 people, the Ballroom is the second largest meeting space in the city. The large dance floor makes it the perfect spot for wedding receptions, reunions, and other occasions. </li> <li><strong>Corbett Tower. </strong>Corbett Tower has been used by the Cincinnati College of Music for performances and television broadcasts. Complete with three crystal chandeliers, the 200-occupant room provides a stunning view of Washington Park. </li> <li><strong>Wilks Studio. </strong>Added after the 2016-17 renovation, Wilks Studio serves events from corporate meetings to fundraisers. The adaptable space combines new and old architecture to provide the perfect backdrop for gatherings.</li> </ul> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">What Lies Beneath </span><br /> So how does a building so elegantly crafted garner a dark history? While Music Hall itself hasn’t seen many unfortunate occurrences, the ground it stands on certainly has. Before the construction of Exposition Hall and subsequently Music Hall, there was an old pauper’s cemetery commonly referred to as Potter’s Field. This cemetery was attached to Ohio’s first insane asylum. Then in 1832, cholera ravaged the city and a new “Pest House” was built on the land. Six years later, the steamboat Moselle on the nearby canal experienced an explosion in the boilers. Many of the victims either washed ashore on Potter’s Field or were buried there later. It’s even said that Potter’s Field served as a military hospital during the Civil War.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Show Goes On</span><br /> With so many unmarked graves, it wasn’t uncommon to dig up remains during construction and various renovations. In fact, sightings of apparitions go back as far as Music Hall’s opening. Employees and guests alike have told stories about feeling an uneasy presence in the building. Disgruntled voices can be heard in the elevator, you feel as though you’re being followed, and the sounds of past performances echo the halls. You might even see former patrons in ghostly garb making their way to their seats or awaiting the next show.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Caught on Tape </span><br /> In 2016, local photographer Matthew Zory was taking photos of renovations inside Music Hall. In two of his photos, he captured a dark, mist-like anomaly on camera. The photos have further convinced believers the Music Hall is definitely haunted. Music Hall was also featured on the hit show Ghost Hunters in 2014.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Check Out the Scares Yourself! </span><br /> Music Hall still holds various events both <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.cincinnatiarts.org/music-hall" target="_blank">public</a> and <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.cincinnatiarts.org/plan-your-event/music-hall-plan-your-event" target="_blank">private</a>. Of course, you can go hunt for a haunting with <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.cincinnatiarts.org/events/detail/ghost-tours" target="_blank">their ghost tours</a>! Just be sure to bring your proton pack.</p> <p>Don’t get spooked by your new home! <a class="color-secondary" href="https://npiweb.com/Find-an-Inspector">Contact National Property Inspections</a> and schedule an inspection today!</p> 1299Haunted Places Series: Eastern State Penitentiaryhttps://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/886/haunted-places-series-eastern-state-penitentiaryHoliday,Just for FunMon, 26 Oct 2020 17:21:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HAUNTED PLACES SERIES: EASTERN STATE PENITENTIARY</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 26, 2020 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=holiday">Holiday</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=just-for-fun">Just for Fun</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/entertaining">entertaining</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/fall">fall</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/haunted-places-series">Haunted Places Series</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Location:</span> Philadelphia, Pennsylvania<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Architectural Style:</span> Gothic<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Built:</span> 1829</p> <p>Located near the bustling center of Philadelphia, Eastern State Penitentiary blends right in alongside the city’s historic architecture. Yet while the outside may seem picturesque, the sprawling compound’s interior is marred by a darker past. Designed to be a place for inmates to redeem themselves from their crimes, Eastern State Penitentiary turned into many a prisoner’s personal nightmare.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Eastern State Paves the Way</span><br /> Completed in early 1829, Eastern State Penitentiary was the first prison of its kind and remained in operation until 1971. After it was constructed, Eastern State was the most elaborate and expensive prison in the world, and it would be a model for more than 300 prisons. Eastern State was designed so that each cell would be more like solitary confinement than a typical holding cell. There were no bars to provide a view to the rest of the building, few windows to the outside and prisoners were even kept apart from each other when out of their cells.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Religion and Reformation </span><br /> Unlike previous centers simply meant to hold an offender until their release, Eastern State took things one step further by implementing religious themes into the structure of the building and the disciplinary practices it was designed for. Prisoners were each given a Bible, and their solitude was to be used to read it and reflect about their sins. The few skylights in the building were meant to suggest that they were “always being watched.” Some believe that the small entryways around Eastern State were meant to force inmates to bow down to authority. In the hopes of turning these criminals from their wicked ways, Eastern State Penitentiary proved to be a grueling sentence.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Harsh Punishment, Mistreatment and Murder </span><br /> With its strict rules and iron-fist authority, Eastern State quickly gained a reputation as the toughest prison in America. Guards would torment inmates by dunking them in cold water, strapping them to a chair for days or even starving them. Because inmates were so prone to abuse and neglect, many sadly took their own lives. Others died from disease or old age, but some were the victims of muder by either guards or fellow inmates.</p> <p><img src="https://npiweb.com/Portals/0/Blog/Article Images/Haunted Places/Licensed/east-penn2-02.jpg?ver=3Cah9AWGDY63I1C3GYS3zg%3d%3d" width="100%" /></p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">An After-Life Sentence </span><br /> With the high death rate at the prison, it comes as no surprise that some inmates are still bound to the grounds. Even famed gangster Al Capone said that he was visited by the ghost of a slain rival during his time at Eastern State. Visitors have noted darting shadows on the walls, eerie voices and laughs and apparitions of former prisoners. Believers say the cause of the activity is from the opening of a door to the other side.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">A Tool to Educate</span><br /> Today, the staff at Eastern State Penitentiary give visitors a glimpse of the past through re-telling the stories of the inmates who passed through. They hope that the preservation of Eastern State will help continue the conversation about criminal justice reform. There are a variety of tours offered from <a href="https://www.easternstate.org/visit/daytime-prison-tours" target="_blank">standard daytime</a> and <a href="https://www.easternstate.org/nighttours" target="_blank">nighttime tours</a>, to <a href="https://www.easternstate.org/halloween/node/3" target="_blank">a Halloween haunted house</a> and <a href="https://www.easternstate.org/virtual-school-tours" target="_blank">school and group virtual visits</a>. Book yours now!</p> 886Haunted Places Series: Jefferson Hotelhttps://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/883/haunted-places-series-jefferson-hotelHoliday,Just for FunMon, 19 Oct 2020 14:57:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HAUNTED PLACES SERIES: JEFFERSON HOTEL</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 19, 2020 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=holiday">Holiday</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=just-for-fun">Just for Fun</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/entertaining">entertaining</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/fall">fall</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/haunted-places-series">Haunted Places Series</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Location:</span> Jefferson, Texas<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Architectural Style:</span> Victorian<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Built:</span> 1850-1851</p> <p>We’re off to the Lone Star State as our search continues for the most haunted places. The seemingly inconspicuous Jefferson Hotel, situated in the small town of Jefferson, Texas near the Louisiana border has served as a cotton warehouse, brothel and a speakeasy. Today it’s a lovely historical hotel, though it seems some of the hotel’s guests will be staying indefinitely.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Cotton Comes to Jefferson </span><br /> After the original building was constructed in 1850, the now Jefferson Hotel was initially designed to be a cotton warehouse to accommodate the area’s booming industry. For over two decades, riverboats bound for New Orleans made their way down the Big Cypress, stopping at Jefferson to load up on supplies for the last leg of the journey. Being a major port along the bustling riverway for travelers of all sorts, it was only natural that the warehouse was eventually transformed into a brothel and hotel.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Jefferson Opens Its Doors </span><br /> While there’s some uncertainty when the Jefferson Hotel first originally opened, it was a resounding success when it did. Weary travelers looking to rest their eyes were inclined to stay longer by the women that worked at the hotel, who would stand on the second floor veranda to draw in customers.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">A Prohibition Palace </span><br /> During the Prohibition Era, the Jefferson operated under the moniker “The Crystal Palace” and served as a casino and speakeasy. High-rolling gamblers played the night away in the ballroom, and others danced to lively piano music, all the while, enjoying contraband beverages.</p> <p><img src="https://npiweb.com/Portals/0/Blog/Article Images/Haunted Places/Licensed/jefferson-hotel-2-02.jpg?ver=7yyhfUpkdEYyH76NOSQBhg%3d%3d" width="100%" /></p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Ghostly Guests at the Jefferson </span><br /> Having served different roles throughout the town’s history, the Jefferson Hotel has seen its fair share of death and sadness. Guests have recorded various sightings throughout the building in the hotel’s “book of the dead.” They’ve reported disembodied voices, knocking, objects moving, flickering lights and even being locked in their rooms.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Mill Children </span><br /> Believed to be the spirits of a young boy and girl who died in the cotton warehouse, these two roam the halls in period clothing laughing and playing. Keep an eye on your pockets though, as they love to snatch small items and pull pranks on guests.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Vanishing Man </span><br /> Not much is known about this mysterious figure that resides in the Jefferson, other than that he’s hard to miss. The Vanishing Man wears a long coat and tall boots and will appear in rooms throughout the night for hours at a time. Guests have noted that he’s so life-like, they’ve followed the figure trying to catch his attention, only to lose the Vanishing Man around a corner or witness him disappear into a closed door.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Room 19 and Judy’s Mirror </span><br /> Room 19 is one of the most active locations in the entire building. These quarters are said to be occupied by the distraught spirit of a teenage girl, killed in the bathtub during the hotel’s brothel days. She appears in the steam of the shower and leaves notes, oftentimes warnings or pleas for help, in the condensation on the mirror.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Libby in White </span><br /> The ghost of golden-haired girl, nicknamed Libby, appears in a beautiful bridal gown and is seen floating across the floor. There are two known deaths of women scorned on their wedding day at the hotel, each having hanged themselves on their headboard almost 50 years apart. The ghost of Libby has haunted the same bed she hanged herself in, following it to rooms 12, 14 and even the infamous 19.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Jefferson Today</span><br /> Having recently undergone renovations, the Jefferson Hotel is back open for business. You can <a href="https://www.historicjefferson.com/" target="_blank">book a stay in one of the famed haunted rooms</a>, but you may have more roommates than you checked in with.</p> <p><em>Photos by <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/texasbackroads/" target="_blank">Nicolas Henderson</a>, licensed under <a class="color-secondary" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">CC BY 2.0</a></em></p> 883Haunted Places Series: Craigdarroch Castlehttps://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/880/haunted-places-series-craigdarroch-castleHoliday,Just for FunMon, 12 Oct 2020 15:28:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HAUNTED PLACES SERIES: CRAIGDARROCH CASTLE</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 12, 2020 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=holiday">Holiday</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=just-for-fun">Just for Fun</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/entertaining">entertaining</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/fall">fall</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/haunted-places-series">Haunted Places Series</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Location:</span> Victoria, British Columbia, Canada<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Architectural Style:</span> Châteauesque<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Built:</span> 1887-1890</p> <p><em><strong>“They’re heeeere!”</strong></em></p> <p>With the return of the spooky season comes the return of our Haunted Places series! We’re starting off on a new ghost hunting adventure by taking a trip to Canada and the famed Craigdarroch Castle. From hauntings to Hollywood, this location has attracted both the living and the dead. What better way to get in the Halloween mood than with a castle fit for Dracula?</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Background</span><br /> Craigdarroch Castle is a 39-room, Victorian-era castle that spans over 25,000 square feet (2,300 m2). The castle was originally built for Scottish-immigrant turned coal-magnate Robert Dunsmuir and his wife Joan. Located atop a hill overlooking the City of Victoria, the mansion was meant to be a status symbol for all below to see.</p> <p>However, Robert would never get to bask in the beauty of the completed castle. He died 17 months before construction was completed, one in a string of deaths that followed the family. The original architect, Warren Heywood Williams, also died following the passing of Robert Dunsmuir.</p> <p>With Mr. Dunsmuir gone and the castle only halfway finished, the Dunsmuir boys Alexander and James took it upon themselves to see their father’s dream to fruition. Once the castle was done, Robert’s widow Joan would live there the rest of her life, ultimately passing away in 1908.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Death Divides the Family </span><br /> Robert and Joan Dunsmuir had 11 children in total, but only 10 would make it to adulthood. They had one child die in infancy and a daughter, Agnes, died soon after the death of Robert. After his father’s death and a lengthy battle for ownership of the company with Joan, Alex Dunsmuir died in 1900 while on his honeymoon. Alex’s death then again pitted Joan and James against each other for control of Alex’s will, ending with James never speaking to his mother thereafter.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Dunsmuirs Still Roam </span><br /> With the constant fighting between family members and various untimely deaths, the walls of Craigdarroch Castle have held onto the broken history of the Dunsmuirs. Visitors to the castle say they have heard whispers, a child’s cry and even a piano playing. Oddly enough, the castle doesn’t even have a piano. Of course with any good haunting, you might even catch something out of the corner of your eye. On the main staircase, it’s said Joan Dunsmuir likes to stroll down the ornate steps in a ball gown. If you’re daring, you can make your way to the basement to see a child-like spectre staring at the ground, only to vanish before you can approach it. There’s also the scent of burning candles, cold spots that form randomly and objects moving seemingly on their own.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Craigdarroch Makes the Silver Screen </span><br /> Craigdarroch Castle provides the perfect backdrop for ghostly cinema with its daunting architecture and creepy occurrences. In 2013, the popular teen supernatural show <em>Spooksville </em>filmed at the castle, and then in 2016 the castle was used to film the horror movie <em>The Boy</em>. Craigdarroch has also been used for films and shows ranging from <em>Little Women</em> to <em>The Amazing Race Canada</em>.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Visit Today if You Dare! </span><br /> Today, Craigdarroch Castle offers tours to those that want to find proof of spirits, or who want to learn more about its history. To book your visit, go to: <a href="https://thecastle.ca/">https://thecastle.ca/</a>.</p> 880Haunted Places: The Deane Househttps://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/831/haunted-places-the-deane-houseHoliday,Just for FunWed, 30 Oct 2019 17:36:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HAUNTED PLACES: THE DEANE HOUSE</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 30, 2019 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=holiday">Holiday</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=just-for-fun">Just for Fun</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/haunted-places-series">Haunted Places Series</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/entertaining">entertaining</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/fall">Fall</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/real-estate">real estate</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Location: </span>Calgary, Alberta<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Architectural Style: </span>Foursquare, aka Cornbelt Cube<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Built: </span>1906</p> <p>In our latest installment of NPI’s Haunted Places Series, we’ll take a closer look at the Deane House, one’s of Calgary’s most intriguing haunted places. With a history marred by tragedy from its earliest construction, the Deane House has earned its reputation as a hub of ghostly activity for over a century.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Fort Calgary and the Deane House</span><br /> Established at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers in 1875, Fort Calgary became the region’s command post of the North-West Mounted Police. Keeping order in this time period was a tough prospect, with the area populated with whiskey traders, outlaws and other colorful characters. As rail lines were laid, trade increased and the city of Calgary grew around the fort.</p> <p>In 1906, the fort’s superintendent, Captain Richard Deane, had a home built for his wife, Martha, on the grounds of the fort, as he believed that the existing accommodations were unfit for family living. The home was constructed by prisoners of Fort Calgary. Martha, however, wouldn’t live to see the home completed—she died of an undisclosed illness shortly before construction of the house was completed.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Deane House Moves</span><br /> After Fort Calgary closed in 1914, the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway purchased the land and tore down every building, except the Deane House. Transformed into the station agent’s living quarters, the house was moved to the property’s southeast corner where it sat for the next 15 years.</p> <p>In 1929, the home was purchased by C.L. Jacques, an entrepreneur who planned to use the building as a boarding house. To accomplish this, the Deane House was moved once again, this time across the Elbow River to the opposite shore. The house was later sold to Alex Brotherton, who continued to run the property as a boarding house called the Gaspé Lodge.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Tragedy Over the Years</span><br /> During the Deane House’s years as a boarding house, many tragic events occurred. In 1933, a 14-year old boy committed suicide in the attic after being bullied at school for his epilepsy. In 1952, a tenant named Roderick Umperville stabbed and strangled his wife Irma while his children looked on, then killed himself in one of the home’s apartments.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">A History of Hauntings</span><br /> After Alex Brotherton died in the house in 1968, the Deane House’s violent and tragic past cemented its reputation as one of Calgary’s most haunted houses. One famous story tells of an old telephone that occasionally rings despite not being connected (and without any inside wiring!). Other visitors claim to hear voices and footsteps, smell cigar smoke and hear an antique piano play by itself.</p> <p>Staff members have also reported dark apparitions missing legs below the knees floating down the stairs and disappearing. In the attic, storage bins appear to have blood stains on them that can’t be scrubbed away. The ghost of a native man, his hair in a single braid and wearing a long-sleeved shirt and vest, has been seen haunting the home. One witness to this spirit said that the man warned her that she shouldn’t be in the house because it is a sacred place.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Deane House Today</span><br /> The Deane House currently operates as a fine dining restaurant and wedding event space. If you stop by for dinner, be on the lookout for any unexplainable phenomenon and let us know what you find!</p> <p><em>Photo by <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/keithjmurray/" target="_blank">Keith Murray</a>, licensed under <a class="color-secondary" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/" target="_blank">CC BY-NC-ND 2.0</a></em></p> 831Haunted Places: McPike Mansionhttps://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/830/haunted-places-mcpike-mansionHoliday,Just for FunTue, 29 Oct 2019 19:43:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HAUNTED PLACES: McPIKE MANSION</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 29, 2019 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=holiday">Holiday</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=just-for-fun">Just for Fun</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/haunted-places-series">Haunted Places Series</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/entertaining">entertaining</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/fall">Fall</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/real-estate">real estate</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Location: </span>Alton, Illinois<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Architectural Style: </span>Italianate-Victorian<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Built: </span>1869-1871</p> <p>McPike Mansion in Alton, Illinois is one of the most notorious purportedly haunted houses in the Midwest. With 150 years of history within its walls, McPike Mansion boasts countless tales of intrigue and good old-fashioned spookiness. Read on to learn more about the alleged hauntings of this infamous home.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">McPike Mansion</span><br /> McPike Mansion was completed in 1871 by Henry Guest McPike, a local businessman, real estate developer and horticulturist. McPike became famous for cultivating the mammoth, prize-winning McPike grape, an important species for wine-making. McPike was involved with local politics, serving as Alton’s mayor for three years. Quick fun fact: he was also close friends with Abraham Lincoln, and was by his side when he received the telegram informing him of his election to the presidency.</p> <p>Built on a 15-acre plot of land, McPike’s three-story, Italianate-Victorian-style home featured 16 rooms and a vaulted wine cellar—extravagant even by today’s standards. The house featured 11 marble fireplaces and intricately carved banisters and trim. In their prime, the grounds were adorned with lush gardens and orchards, home to rare trees, plants and shrubs. McPike passed away in 1910, but his family lived on at McPike Mansion until 1936.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Business College, Boarding House and Beyond</span><br /> The house changed hands several times since, serving as Browns Business College and then a boarding house, owned by Paul Laichinger. It was during this time that tenants began to experience strange phenomenon that couldn’t be explained. Throughout the late 30s and early 40s, boarders at the McPike Mansion claimed to hear the sounds of children playing and laughing, even when no children were present.</p> <p>When Laichinger passed away in 1945, the home became vacant, and time started to get the best of McPike Mansion’s once-elegant facade. Windows were broken, paint began to peel and the iron fence rusted, giving the home a menacing look. It was around this time that passersby began to report seeing faces looming in the windows.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">A Modern Day Haunting </span><br /> In 1994, Sharyn and George Luedke purchased the McPike Mansion in the hopes of restoring and converting it into a bed and breakfast and historical landmark. The couple hadn’t been at work long before Sharyn Luedke had her first unexplainable experience. She was gardening in the front yard when she spied a man in old-fashioned attire staring down at her from a window. The two locked eyes for a moment before he disappeared. After doing some research, Mrs. Luedke found a photo of Paul Laichinger wearing similar clothing.</p> <p>The man in the window wouldn’t be the only strange occurrence at McPike Mansion. Visitors would go on to spot strange mists and orbs, some even appearing in photos. They would feel the sensation of being touched, smell a phantom lilac perfume (thought to be the presence of former servant, Sarah Wells), and hear metal doors scraping across the floor on their own. The wine cellar seems to be the epicenter for paranormal activity; psychic mediums report feeling a surge of energy in the basement, even sensing the presence of Henry Guest McPike himself.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Visit McPike Mansion</span><br /> Today, the home is open for private tours, overnight campouts and nighttime paranormal research excursions. Would you brave a night in McPike Mansion? Let us know!</p> <p><em>Photo by <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/blackdoll/" target="_blank">Black.Doll</a>, licensed under <a class="color-secondary" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">CC BY 2.0</a></em></p> 830Haunted Places: The Vaile Mansionhttps://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/829/haunted-places-the-vaile-mansionHoliday,Just for FunTue, 15 Oct 2019 14:59:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HAUNTED PLACES: THE VAILE MANSION</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 15, 2019 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=holiday">Holiday</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=just-for-fun">Just for Fun</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/haunted-places-series">Haunted Places Series</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/entertaining">entertaining</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/fall">Fall</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/real-estate">real estate</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Location: </span>Independence, Missouri<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Architectural Style: </span>Second Empire<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Built: </span>1871-1881</p> <p>The Vaile Mansion has stood for nearly 140 years at 1500 North Liberty Street in Independence, Missouri. Its history has been fraught with scandal, tragedy and more than a few reported hauntings. This makes the beautiful yet foreboding Vaile Mansion perfect for our Haunted Places series! Read on as we uncover the fascinating history of this haunted home-turned-sanitarium.</p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-6"><img src="https://npiweb.com/Portals/0/Blog/Article Images/Haunted Places/vaile-mansion-02.jpg?ver=Pfxz4gb7lNJoh_wAm7CbIg%3d%3d" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-md-6"><img src="https://npiweb.com/Portals/0/Blog/Article Images/Haunted Places/Vaile Mansion/Vaile Mansion Side View.jpg?ver=2019-10-15-094800-880" width="100%" /></div> </div> <p> </p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Meet the Vailes</span><br /> Colonel Harvey Merrick Vaile was born in 1831 in Bennington, Vermont. After building his fortune carefully for years as a lawyer, journalist and business investor, he became part owner of Star Mail Routes, a U.S. postal contractor that would run mail from St. Louis to points west in the frontier. As budding socialites in Independence, Missouri, he and his wife, Cecilia Sophia Vaile, set out to build a home reflective of their wealth and status in the community.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Vaile Mansion</span><br /> The Vailes’ new home was designed by renowned Kansas City architect Asa Beebe Cross in the Second Empire style, borrowing popular stylistic embellishments from French Baroque Revival architecture. Breaking ground in 1871, the Vaile Mansion was constructed over the course of 10 years and cost an astounding $150,000 ($4,000,000 in today’s dollars).</p> <p>The 31-room mansion was built with nine marble fireplaces, intricately painted ceilings and a 48,000 gallon wine cellar. It also incorporates features that we take for granted today but were rare at the time, such as flushing toilets and a built-in 6,000 gallon water tank. The Vaile Mansion served as a gathering place for many important people of the day, including U.S. senators and other travelling dignitaries.</p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-6"><img src="https://npiweb.com/Portals/0/Blog/Article Images/Haunted Places/Vaile Mansion/Vaile Mansion Interior 1.jpg?ver=2019-10-15-094800-880" width="100%" /></div> <div class="col-md-6"><img src="https://npiweb.com/Portals/0/Blog/Article Images/Haunted Places/Vaile Mansion/Vaile Mansion Interior 2.jpg?ver=2019-10-15-094800-880" width="100%" /></div> </div> <p> </p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Mail Scandal and Tragedy to Follow</span><br /> Shortly after Colonel Vaile and his wife moved into the mansion, the Vaile household became mired in scandal. Vaile, in his position as a postal contractor, was accused of defrauding the U.S. government by participating in a scheme in which postal authorities awarded lucrative contracts for new mail routes in the Southwest to high-bidding contractors, then split the profits.</p> <p>Vaile was summoned to Washington, D.C. to stand trial twice, in 1882 and 1883, and while he was eventually acquitted of the charges against him, he spent more than $100,000 defending himself. The ongoing trials did irreparable damage to the Vailes’ reputation in Independence, leaving them embarrassed and isolated in a community that had once welcomed them with open arms.</p> <p>To make matters worse, Sophia was diagnosed with stomach cancer in the midst of Vaile’s second trial. While he was in Washington, she committed suicide by an overdose of morphine on Valentine’s Day, 1883. Colonel Vaile returned to an empty home, and lived the rest of his days in the house alone as a recluse. According to one legend, he was said to have been so distraught at the death of his wife that he buried her on the front lawn in a glass-topped coffin set flush with the ground, so he could see her whenever he wanted. After many years alone in the house, Vaile died of a stroke in 1895.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">After the Vailes</span><br /> After the death of Harvey Vaile, the mansion was appropriated for a number of other uses, serving as an inn, a sanitarium and, eventually, a museum.</p> <p>Many visitors to the Vaile Mansion over the years have reported spotting a woman in white, commonly thought to be the ghost of Sophia Vaile, wandering the halls of the property. She often looks out the windows at visitors on the grounds. She’s seen most often on the second floor, the site of her untimely death.</p> <p>Sightings of a young man who many believe to be a patient of the sanitarium have also been documented—this spirit stalks the rooms of the third floor where he lived most of his life.</p> <p>The Vaile Mansion is also overrun with other ghostly activity, from disembodied voices to shadowy figures ascending and descending the dark mahogany staircases.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Visiting the Vaile Mansion</span><br /> If you want to try catching a glimpse of these spirits yourself, the Vaile Mansion is open to visitors from April to December, with many nighttime paranormal tours, as well. If you spot a ghost, let us know!</p> <p><em>Cover Photo by <a class="color-secondary" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vaile_Mansion.jpg" target="_blank">Melissa Kothe</a>, licensed under <a class="color-secondary" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en" target="_blank">CC BY-SA 3.0</a></em></p> 829Haunted Places: The Ottawa Jail Hostelhttps://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/85/haunted-places-the-ottawa-jail-hostelHoliday,Just for FunWed, 31 Oct 2018 15:49:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HAUNTED PLACES: THE OTTAWA JAIL HOUSE</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 31, 2018 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=holiday">Holiday</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=just-for-fun">Just for Fun</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/haunted-places-series">Haunted Places Series</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/entertaining">entertaining</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/fall">Fall</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/real-estate">real estate</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Location:</span> Ottawa, Ontario<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Architectural Style:</span> Italianate<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Built:</span> 1862</p> <p>Ever wonder what it’s like to spend a night on death row? Now you can, though you probably won’t be getting much sleep. This jail-turned-hostel comes with enough history, intrigue and apparitions to send a permanent shudder down your spine. Read on as we explore this fascinating haunt in the heart of downtown Ottawa.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Beginnings</span><br /> Built in 1862 and first known as the Nicholas Street Gaol, the Ottawa Jail Hostel was designed by Henry Hodge Horsey, a prominent 19th century architect who designed many civic buildings and churches in Ottawa and eastern Ontario. Constructed directly adjacent to a courthouse, the jail was the site of many executions, including the hanging of the assassin Patrick J. Whelan in February 1869, which was witnessed by a crowd of over 5,000 people.</p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-6"> <p>Many inmates died at the Nicholas Street Gaol over the years, from causes ranging from malnourishment to disease to generally unclean living conditions. Cells were cramped, bathrooms These prisoners were often buried in unmarked graves on the jail’s grounds. As you can imagine, this makes the building ground zero for ghostly activity.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Jail as Hostel</span><br /> In 1972, the aging building was closed. Shortly afterward, the jail was purchased by Hostelling International and converted to its current use. Most of the original structure and fixtures were saved and restored. The top floor, which served as the Nicholas Street Gaol’s death row, was restored to its original condition and opened for daily tours (and the occasional overnight stay).</p> </div> <div class="col-md-6" style="padding: 15px;"><img src="https://npiweb.com/Portals/0/Blog/Article Images/Haunted Places/ottawa-jail-02.jpg?ver=2pRi1esncoynzJCKXyGZog%3d%3d" width="100%" /></div> </div> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Hauntings</span><br /> As travelers started spending nights in the hostel, many reported unexplainable events that occurred all over the building and grounds.</p> <ul> <li><strong>The Ghost of Patrick Whelan:</strong> Arguably the hostel’s most famous spook, you’ll see Patrick Whelan walking the halls toward the gallows where he was hanged. His restless spirit is said to be caused by an undignified burial after his execution.</li> <li><strong>The Hole:</strong> Also known as solitary confinement, this area of the jail is filled with an ominous, negative energy. Visitors report overwhelming feelings of despair in this cramped, lightless space.</li> <li><strong>The Gallows:</strong> The jail’s preferred method of execution is still standing and functional, so don’t try it out. Hotel guests have heard footsteps, disembodied voices and other baffling sounds coming from the execution chamber.</li> <li><strong>The Lounge:</strong> The hostel’s lounge was once used to house women and children prisoners, echoes of whom can still be heard today. Visitors claim to hear sounds of children crying and screaming, as well as knocking on doors and footsteps in the empty room.</li> </ul> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Staying at the Ottawa Jail Hostel</span><br /> <a class="color-secondary" href="https://hihostels.ca/en/destinations/ontario/hi-ottawa" target="_blank">The Ottawa Jail Hostel</a> offers all kinds of cell accommodations for the ghost-hunting traveler. If you’re not too claustrophobic, opt for the Authentic Jail Cell (3 feet by 9 feet) to really recreate the prison experience!</p> <p><em>Photo by <a class="color-secondary" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/lac-bac/" target="_blank">BiblioArchives / LibraryArchives</a>, licensed under <a class="color-secondary" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/" target="_blank">CC BY 2.0</a></em></p> 85Haunted Places: The Whaley Househttps://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/86/haunted-places-the-whaley-houseHoliday,Just for FunTue, 30 Oct 2018 16:16:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HAUNTED PLACES: THE WHALEY HOUSE</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 30, 2018 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=holiday">Holiday</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=just-for-fun">Just for Fun</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/haunted-places-series">Haunted Places Series</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/entertaining">entertaining</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/fall">Fall</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/real-estate">real estate</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Location: </span>Old Town, San Diego, California<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Architectural Style: </span>Greek Revival<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Built: </span>1857</p> <p>Sure, we’ll never be able to prove the existence of ghosts, but who doesn’t love a good spooky story? To celebrate Halloween, we’re spotlighting some of North America’s most famous allegedly haunted houses every day this week till Halloween. For Day 2, we present the Whaley House in Old Town, San Diego, California. From the outside, this Greek Revival (the first brick building in California, in fact), is plain and unassuming. You would never know by its appearance that it holds a rich and sinister history.</p> <p>The Whaley House was built in 1857 by Thomas Whaley, a successful businessman from New York City. The fact that he was knowingly building his home on the former site of the town’s gallows didn’t deter Whaley, who settled his wife, Anna, and their six children in the home and opened a general store on-site.</p> <div class="row"> <div class="col-md-6"> <p>Not long after the family had settled into the home, their 18-month-old son, Thomas, passed away of a bout of scarlet fever. A few months later, a fire broke out in the home, destroying the general store. The Whaleys moved to San Francisco for a time to escape their bad luck, but decided to return to Old Town, San Diego in 1868. The family breathed new life into the Whaley House, and it came to serve as a beacon of the community for a time. The home served as headquarters for the city courthouse, a showcase for San Diego’s first theatre troupe and another general store. In a few short years, however, tragedy struck again.</p> </div> <div class="col-md-6" style="padding: 15px;"><img src="https://npiweb.com/Portals/0/Blog/Article Images/Haunted Places/whaley-e1540934820293.jpg?ver=2019-04-05-110846-933" width="100%" /></div> </div> <p>In 1871, Anna Whaley was robbed at gunpoint while Thomas was away on a business trip. The men stole important courthouse records, and this violation of trust and privacy was said to have soured the family’s feelings toward their living space and even each other. Years later, their daughter, Violet, took her own life in the home after divorcing her husband and growing unbearably depressed. Several more members of the family would go on to live and die in the house, until it was left in disrepair. In 1909, the Whaley House was restored and turned into a tourist attraction. It has since been named one of the most haunted houses in America.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Ghostly Encounters</span><br /> Even dating back to when the Whaleys were residents of the home, there were rumors of hauntings. One famous criminal, Yankee Jim, who was hanged on the property before the house stood there, was said to torment the Whaleys with heavy footsteps. Windows would unlatch on their own and fly open. Similar happenings are reported today.</p> <p>The Whaleys themselves are also said to haunt their former home, manifesting as disembodied sounds and full-bodied apparitions. Guests report the sound of baby Thomas giggling or crying, accompanied by tiny footsteps. They also report seeing the apparition of Violet on the second floor and Thomas and Anna in the sitting room.</p> <p>Today, the Whaley House is home to a popular café and museum. It’s also open for haunted folklore tours, as well as not-so-spooky daytime history tours. To book your visit, go to <a class="color-secondary" href="http://whaleyhouse.org/" target="_blank">http://whaleyhouse.org</a>.</p> 86Haunted Places: The Stanley Hotelhttps://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/PostId/87/haunted-places-the-stanley-hotelHoliday,Just for FunMon, 29 Oct 2018 16:24:00 GMT<p><span style="font-size:26px;"><strong><span style="line-height: 1;">HAUNTED PLACES: THE STANLEY HOTEL</span></strong></span><br /> <em class="fa fa-calendar"></em> October 29, 2018 | <em class="fa fa-folder-open"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=holiday">Holiday</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts?Category=just-for-fun">Just for Fun</a> | <em class="fa fa-tags"></em> <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/haunted-places-series">Haunted Places Series</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/entertaining">entertaining</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/fall">Fall</a>, <a href="https://npiweb.com/Blog/Posts/Tag/real-estate">real estate</a></p> <p><span class="emphasis-primary">Location: </span>Estes Park, Colorado<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Architectural Style: </span>Colonial Revival<br /> <span class="emphasis-primary">Built: </span>1908-1909</p> <p>One of the most haunted places in America, the Stanley Hotel’s past is filled with interesting characters, remarkable coincidences and most importantly, all kinds of spooks. Read on as we delve into the fascinating history of this haunted hotel.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Beginnings</span><br /> Nestled in the Rocky Mountains 1.5 hours northwest of Denver, Colorado, The Stanley Hotel was built near the turn of the last century by Freelan Oscar Stanley, inventor of the Stanley steam-powered automobile. In 1903, Stanley moved to Denver from Massachusetts on the advice of his physician, to combat the effects of tuberculosis. In love with the clean mountain air of nearby Estes Park but put off by the overly rustic surroundings, Stanley decided to create a resort that combined the health benefits of mountain living with the modern amenities he was used to in the Northeast.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Haunted Rooms</span><br /> From the beginning, odd events were frequent at the hotel. As the years wore on, ghostly sightings became common throughout the eleven buildings of the hotel complex.</p> <ul> <li><strong>Room 217:</strong> In 1911, the hotel’s head housekeeper was injured in an explosion as she lit lanterns in room 217. While she survived and went on to live a full life, her spirit seems tied to the room she almost died in—guests in the room to this day report their items moved, luggage unpacked and lights turning on and off with no reasonable explanation.</li> <li><strong>The Concert Hall:</strong> Flora Stanley, Freelan’s wife, haunts the concert hall just east of the main hotel. In life she was an accomplished pianist, and today you might hear a few lonely notes echo through the hall as she practices.</li> <li><strong>The Grand Staircase:</strong> Guests taking photos of the hotel’s main staircase have captured images of spirits ascending, and you can occasionally catch a glimpse of ghosts in the many mirrors that line the walls.</li> <li><strong>Room 408:</strong> The ghost of a young boy haunts this guest room, where visitors often hear tiny footsteps running back and forth across the room.</li> </ul> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">The Shining</span><br /> Many people know about the Stanley Hotel by way of Stephen King’s landmark horror novel, The Shining. Stephen King spent the night at the Stanley on October 30, 1974, where he slept in the infamous room 217 and had a nightmare of his three-year-old son being chased through the hotel’s corridors by an unknown force. This nightmare image became the seed of The Shining and its famous Overlook Hotel.</p> <p><span class="emphasis-secondary">Staying at the Stanley</span><br /> The Stanley Hotel is still in operation today, and you can even stay in the hotel’s most haunted rooms—just be prepared for a long wait. Rooms with the most ghost activity are booked out months in advance, so it pays to plan ahead.</p> 87