Apparitions, loud banging, and ghostly footsteps are things that happen almost every day and night, inside the Lemp Mansion, from St. Louis, Missouri. Due to its intense level of ghostly activities, it has become one of the most haunted places in all of the United States, what is the history of this house, you ask?
The story of this famous mansion began in 1876 when millionaire William Lemp decided to acquire this property as it turned out to be quite luxurious. Lemp was a prestigious surname for the time, as the Lemp Brewery was a market leader, and this family was a symbol of wealth and power.
However, it wasn’t just money and fame that the Lemp were carrying around with them, their family history turned out to be scarier and more macabre than anyone could have imagined…
For some strange and unfortunate reason, the Lemps were haunted by misfortune. Strong depressions and psychological problems haunted 4 of the family members for years, starting with William Lemp who decided to take his own life and over the years his sons Elsa, William Jr., and Charles, for different reasons in life, ended up following their father’s example.
Besides these outrageous events, the house witnessed other family members fall prey to terminal illnesses or deplorable health conditions. Year after year, the vibe of this house became darker, filled with tragedy and mourning until it became what it is today, a place full of ghosts and spirits. People began to spread the word and hundreds of ghost stories were linked to this house.
In 1975, the old mansion was acquired by Dick Pointer and turned it into a restaurant with vibrant energy and more flow of people. However, paranormal activities never seemed to stop.
The workers of the place mentioned having seen several times ghosts around the mansion, very strange almost inhuman sounds, tools or appliances that were turned on and if that was not enough, they reported a disturbing and uncomfortable feeling of being observed. Many employees felt so frightened that they decided to leave the place and never come back.
Rumor has it that the mansion was never separated from its original owners and that all the Lemp lurk around the halls and the many rooms, in the form of spirits. Among the areas where ghostly activities are most reported are the stairs, the attic, and the basement.
In addition, people have reported different people including a child, staring at them from the window, a very eerie child. This child is said to be the spirit of one of William Jr.’s unwanted children who was called “the monkey-faced child” because the infant was born with Down syndrome. This child was the result of an affair between William Jr. and a servant or some other woman, for this reason, the child was hidden in the attic as a symbol of a disgrace.
The Haunted Mansion is now a center that attracts ghost hunters from all over the country. Today the Mansion is open to the public to be visited and has restored rooms in the style of the time, a restaurant with good food and a theater of mysterious dinners.
A variety of tours are also offered and you have the opportunity to explore the ghostly and eerie halls of the mansion and getting to know the tragic and mysterious life of the Lemp family. Some of the tours offered are the Haunted History Tours and the Lemp Experience.
Maybe having some food right before adventuring into a terrifying tour at the Lemp Mansion sound appealing, what do you think about it?