Most Haunted Places in America: Houghton Mansion

The Houghton Mansion in North Adams, Massachusetts is nearly a century old, yet carries a history far richer than its years. There have been four notable deaths surrounding the Houghton Mansion and countless claims of ghostly activity within its walls. The Houghton Mansion is said to be so incredibly haunted that the Berkshire Paranormal Group has made the location its base of operations.

The accounts of events that occurred in the Houghton Mansion are somewhat debatable, but the most believably accurate story is this…

Just after the turn of the 20th century, the Houghton Mansion was the residence of Albert C. Houghton, the very first mayor of North Adams, Massachusetts. A terribly tragic event occurred on August 1, 1914 when the family chauffer, John Widder, was driving Mr. Houghton, his daughter Mary and Sybil Hutton, a friend of the family, to Vermont. Traversing the mountain road, they came upon a work crew. Widder swerved to miss the crew and got a little too close to the soft-shouldered edge.

The vehicle tipped and rolled viciously down the mountainside. Sybil Hutton was killed on impact, and Albert Houghton’s daughter Mary died on the way to the hospital. Mr. Houghton and John Widder each suffered injuries, but nothing too serious.

The chauffer could not bear the agonizing guilt of what had happened. His corpse was discovered in the wee hours of the following morning in the barn behind the Houghton Mansion. He had shot himself in the head. Mayor Albert C. Houghton died just nine days later.

Four heartrending deaths in a matter of just 11 days… It’s no wonder the Houghton Mansion is considered to be “extremely haunted, to put it mildly” (according to 5th generation psychic Maureen Wood, paranormal investigator with the New England Ghost Project).

Claims of paranormal activity include everything from simple feelings of being watched to actually being touched by an invisible entity in the basement. Common reports speak of disembodied voices (mostly female), footsteps – both walking and running – doors slamming, knocking sounds on the walls, lights turning on and off and cold spots throughout the home.

A number of mediums have claimed to make contact with the ghosts of Houghton Mansion. Not all of the spirits reached were exactly friendly. All paranormal investigators seem to agree on the fact that Houghton Mansion is primarily haunted by the ghosts of Albert C. Houghton, daughter Mary Houghton and the chauffer, John Widder.

We cannot say with any certainty why these ghosts continue to haunt Houghton Mansion, but a recent psychic’s impression during a paranormal investigation revealed the following theory.

John Widder is afraid of going to hell because he committed suicide.
Mary Houghton was secretly in love with John Widder, telling the psychic their “love was forbidden”, and now refuses to pass over without him.
Albert C. Houghton will not cross over because he is “afraid to leave those two alone”.

Perhaps in the days shortly before the tragic accident, the mayor discovered the love affair between his daughter and servant, and forbade their love. Considering Houghton’s stature in society, the theory that he would not allow his daughter to marry a servant does hold some water.

The presence of Mary in the Houghton Mansion is generally said to purvey a strong sense of sadness, while her father’s ghost tends to give off a feeling of anger, as if it is his home and strangers are not welcome.

Related posts:

1. The Winchester Mansion
2. The Lemp Family Mansion
3. Ghosts at Phillips Mansion
4. Apparitions at Strawberry Hill Mansion
5. Ivy House Inn Bed and Breakfast Spirits