Most Haunted Places: Liberty Hall KY
Liberty Hall in a historic site in Frankfort, Kentucky. Its history can be traced back to 1786. General James Wilkinson bought a large portion of the land that would eventually become Frankfort. He helped establish the town and named the streets after friends. In 1796, he sold the part of the land on which Liberty Hall would be built to Senator John Brown. Today many claim that Liberty Hall in KY is one of America’s most haunted places.
Over the next decade, the federal-style home would be built. In 1801, John Brown moved into the home with his family. The glass windows were installed in 1804.
More additions would be added to the home over the years. Along with the main house, dependent structures such as a kitchen, smokehouse, carriage house, a privy, and slave quarters were built. A set of stairs was installed leading from the garden to the river level, where a boat landing was built.
Liberty Hall remained unchanged for the most part, until John Brown’s death. He split the land up between his two sons. Another home, the Orlando Brown House, was built on the property,. In the 1870s, the Brown family sold a lot of land between the two homes. William Chinn built a house in between Liberty Hall and the Orlando Brown House. The Chinn-Stutterlin house stood until the 1960s when it was torn down and razed to reconnect the Orlando Brown and Liberty Hall properties.
John Brown’s descendant, Mary Mason Scott passed away at Liberty Hall in 1934. She left the property to her brother, who sold it to a group of citizens who established Liberty Hall, Inc. This non-profit organization turned the home into a museum a few years later. Anne Hord Brown, another descendent of the Brown family, died in 1955, and left the Orlando Brown House to a historical society in KY. Like Liberty Hall, it was also turned into a museum.
After Anne Hord Brown passed away, a family friend, Mrs. Varick journeyed all the way from New York to visit the Orlando Brown House. Mrs. Varick passed away herself from a heart attack a few days later. According to legend, her ghost can be seen at Liberty Hall. An apparition of an older lady wearing a gray dress has been reported many times over the years.
Other ghosts that are said to haunt the mansion include a Spanish opera singer who stayed at Liberty Hall in 1805. The singer, who came from New Orleans to perform in Kentucky, wandered out to the gardens and disappeared. Only her ghost has allegedly been seen since. A male ghost has also been seen at Liberty Hall. He is believed to have been a soldier in the War of 1812. He fell in love with a girl who was visiting the Brown family. According to some, he can still be seen through the windows, walking around outside.
With all the apparitions within the hall making regular appearances, it seems one of America’s most haunted places is living up to the claim. You can find out more about tours and special events at their website: Liberty Hall.