When you hear the word “home,” what do you think of? Maybe you consider decorated walls, tall windows, and a strong roof. Perhaps it’s the sound of young laughter or the ultimate comfort felt within. A home is also where hard work turns into dreams, or daily meals at the dinner table morph into cherished memories.
However, a house would only be structural items carefully assembled if it weren’t for our existence within. It is our seemingly mundane lives that make a house into more, that make walls and a roof into a special haven. Moreover, these walls that surround everyday lives act as silent witnesses to humanity: sometimes glorious, other times horrendous. If these dwellings could talk, imagine what they would share with us. They’d tell tales of legendary historical figures, or in other extreme cases, maybe they’d tell us the identities of murderers.
Famous Homes
When you ponder notorious residences throughout our country, what do you immediately think of? Maybe you consider our famous Presidential White House. Or you might reflect on homes that have a different type of legacy, one that is far darker and mysterious. Perhaps it’s even haunted, like the infamous Lizzie Borden House.
Lizzie Borden House
Lizzie Borden House at night. Copyright by US Ghost Adventures.
We all know the famous nursery rhyme: “Lizzie Borden took an axe…” except historians have never been able to conclusively prove that she committed this heinous crime. Only the perpetrator and the victims knew the truth, but another witness saw it all. The walls within this structure silently watched the murders, unable to prevent harm to its owners, and to this day, incapable of telling us the truth.
But if we pay close enough attention, we may just uncover what the walls can tell us, or even what the spirits trapped within may say. Take the Lizzie Borden House as an example; it is considered one of the most haunted houses in America. Throughout the past 30 years, visitors have witnessed 88 spectral sightings with a staggering 207 accounts of poltergeist activity. There have even been auditory experiences, so what if one lucky guest is told what happened that night? The infamous mystery behind this terrible crime may be revealed to us, one day.
Villisca Ax Murder House
The exterior of the Villisca Ax Murder House. Copyright by US Ghost Adventures.
Walls are nothing but lifeless materials, meant to create a shelter. They can’t talk nor feel, but what if they could? The Stone Tape Theory contemplates this. Scientifically speaking, stones and crystals, specifically limestone and quartz, are able to interact with physical forms of energy like heat. In the realm of pseudoscience, the Stone Tape Theory takes this a step further. It theorizes that not only can forms interact with energy scientifically, but it can also experience a type of imprint with emotional energy. If a traumatic event occurred, then the electromagnetic frequencies of heightened emotions and mental distress could then leave traces of it within stones, crystals, or even the walls of a house.
Investigators wonder if this has occurred in notoriously haunted homes like the Villisca Ax Murder House. If the Stone Tape Theory is true, then the unimaginable events that occurred within these walls would have left a hefty mark. It could manifest as a residual haunting, like a continual loop of actions without intelligent spirit interaction.
For instance, visitors to the Villisca Ax Murder House have reported an odd, misty form moving from room to room whenever a train whistle blows at 2 am. The murders likely occurred in the middle of the night, and ghost investigators believe this late-night train whistle triggers a residual haunting trapped within this home, potentially replaying the order of the murders.
If pseudoscience is ever able to actually prove theories such as the Stone Tape Theory, then we could monitor residual hauntings or even uncover further energetic imprints upon the walls. If the walls could tell us what they witnessed, we could solve so many mysteries like at the Villisca Ax Murder House and the Lizzie Borden House.
Jennie Wade Birthplace House
Jennie Wade Birthplace House. Copyright by US Ghost Adventures.
It could be a while before pseudoscience develops verified scientific findings, if it’s ever possible in the first place, but there are things we can uncover from homes today. Through strategic historical preservation, historians can decipher clues about how historical figures lived their lives.
Normal wear and tear on a structure gives us hints on routines. If floorboards are worn out in one corridor more than another, we can infer how prior residents moved through their homes. Furthermore, artifacts tell us how people performed daily tasks, such as cooking their food or cleaning their clothes.
The Jennie Wade Birthplace House is a fantastic example of this. US Ghost Adventures is incredibly passionate about preserving history, and they did so perfectly within this home. With original floors and walls, Jennie Wade’s home is filled with period-accurate artifacts. These items give visitors an authentic glimpse into what Jennie’s upbringing and life were like.
The Welty House
The Welty House: Copyright US Ghost Adventures
There’s another way walls may remember the past: they could also show us.
Sitting adjacent to Gettysburg’s famous Brickhouse Inn Bed and Breakfast, the Welty House witnessed the Battle of Gettysburg. In 1863, the Welty House actually served as a shelter for residents and a post for sharpshooters, which meant it experienced heavy gunfire through some of the most intense fighting.
Here, the walls can actually tell us important historical context. To this day, the exterior of the Welty House still has bullet holes guests can see and touch themselves. The shocking array of scars on this structure shows us the intensity of the battle, then leaves us to imagine how terrified residents must have felt as they hid away in basements and storm shelters.
These bullet-riddled walls are not the only pieces of evidence on this property, though. Amongst the grounds of the Welty House, 36 Confederate and Union soldiers were buried. Between these burials and the prolific significance of this property, it’s no surprise that guests have reported strange spectral occurrences while visiting. Perhaps these spirits are trying to tell the rest of their stories, especially events the walls can’t quite show us.
LaLaurie Mansion
Some walls may show us history like the Welty House, but others conceal horrendous events. LaLaurie Mansion has become famous thanks to pop culture, but strip away Hollywood’s imaginative retellings, and you have one of the most heinous acts in our nation’s history.
After a fateful fire in 1834, authorities found horrifying scenes within the walls of LaLaurie Mansion. Several enslaved people were found chained throughout the house, having sustained torture and mutilation, acts only a true sadist could perform.
When a historical site has such complex events, it’s important to ensure the full history is told. Thanks to historical research and preservation efforts, US Ghost Adventures is preserving the full history of this location. However, the focus must also be on the resilience of freedom-seekers during that dark era in American history.
For instance, a Black woman chained in the LaLaurie kitchen started the fire, and her brave act prevented further horrific crimes from continuing within this mansion. Unfortunately, her name has been lost to history, but her story should be told alongside this structure’s legacy, too.
Modern-day historians and tour guides can tell a different side of history, but you can help too. Every time you visit a historical site, ask about the lesser-known facts and discover the influential figures often concealed behind plaster and historical archives.
McInteer Villa
The McInteer Villa: Copyright US Ghost Adventures
When we uncover the lesser-known histories, especially of small towns, we discover some of the most inspiring stories. The McInteer Villa is one of them. In the 1840s, John McInteer left Ireland and arrived in America with no money or prospects. For decades, McInteer forged his own path against all odds. He built an empire and became one of the wealthiest men in Kansas, then built the legendary McInteer Villa.
While the McInteer Villa is known to be one of the most haunted places in the Midwest, there’s a lot to be discovered within. This stunning Victorian estate has historical tales of survival and entrepreneurship, but its walls also represent the industrious mindset of hardworking immigrants and the tenacious attitude of the Irish people. Perhaps the spirits within, combined with the fortified walls, will help us decipher this home’s important heritage.
Visit America’s Most Haunted Historic Homes for Yourself
Whether you’re a history lover or a curious traveler, all of these haunted homes are open for tours. Discover the unique duality between ghostly encounters and hidden histories. You never know; maybe the solid walls or lingering spirits whisper a new clue in your ear. You could uncover the mysterious perpetrators of the Borden murders or the Villisca Ax murders. Perhaps Jennie Wade herself will inspire you with tales of bravery, or John McInteer motivates you toward a new career path.
