1. "Anyone Slept in the Guest Room?"
Posted by haulover on Dec-8th-02 at 3:57 PM

This is a weird thought, but I was looking at some pictures of the Borden Inn -- and I wondered if anyone here has slept in the guest room, and if so, what were your impressions?  All I would think about is Abby's dead body lying over there beside me.

Also, does it have a reputation for being haunted? I don't think I've heard of anything really distinct or consistent.  Of all places though, it certainly should be haunted.

I forgot which list, but it did make one of those most haunted lists, number 1. I do believe it was the travel channel special now that I think about it. And Maplecroft too is supposedly haunted, people see Lizzie walking the steps, and there's this one room that no matter how hot it is, the room stays freezing cold. The Borden house supposedly has noises, and people walking the halls, moving things around etc. But no actual siting, except some things that have showed up on film.
  RedFern

I stayed in Lizzie's room because I thought I could handle the accused's room better than a murder room. I have heard many stories of people sleeping on the floor of the guest room, right at the spot the body was discovered. Maybe they were hoping to pick up vibes. I have no desire to pick up those kind of vibes, I am a scaredy-cat.


(Message last edited Dec-8th-02  5:08 PM.)

Ah, yes, I visited the B&B on Halloween in 1998.  My husband and I slept in the guest room for two nights.  I had the side of the bed next to the dresser, just above where Abby's body was found in 1892.  I slept very well, heard no noises, and didn't see any shades (except those on the windows).  But I do believe the house is haunted.  I haven't been able to get Lizzie Borden off my mind since then, although I had rarely thought of her before that time.  What's that if it isn't a haunting?

Edisto, you're a brave lady!

stefani:

i'd probably have to take the maid's room.

as for sleeping where abby's body was found -- no way.  Nor do I have any desire to stretch out on the sitting room sofa.

haha

I think I read or had seen in a TV documentary that the guest room was the room where the tour guide saw the impression of a body or head on the bed and left the B&B for good.  Does anyone remember that?

It's got to be the room to be in though.  If I had Lizzie's room I think I'd be tapping on the walls all night looking for a secret hiding place. I bet lots of people have tried that but I'm sure the family occupants over the years and the restoration would have discovered it.

I remember the tale of the imprint on the bed.
Wouldn't that be a NEAT job to have?

From the Resources Section at LABVM/L, LBQ by Author:

McGinn, Martha. "Looking Back: My Life at 92 Second Street, 1960 Till Now." Lizzie Borden Quarterly V.1 (Jan. 1998): 6-7.
"Martha McGinn, the current owner of 92 Second Street and the owner of the Lizzie Borden Bed & Breakfast, relates her memories of living in the house since the age of seventeen when she moved in with her grandparents, the owners at the time."--[S.K.-review]

Ms.M.Mc., quoted:
"There were occasionally unexplained occurrences at the house, such as lights turning themselves on and off, doors opening and shutting, a radio that would randomly go on and off, an unwound alarm clock that would suddenly sound the alarm...little things like that.  There was never anything like a poltergeist and although we might get a little unnerved at times, it was never frightening....Some nights we would have séances.  We never did contact any spirits, but it was a great excuse for the girls to squeal and hang onto their boyfriends."

I haven't heard of Maplecroft having stories like this.
Do you know where they are to be found?!!!
I'd like to find out More!

http://www.projectleo.freeservers.com/lizzy.htm
I do believe, if not now, he used to be on the forum. So far that is the only one to try and confirm the haunting, though I did find another site where they interviewed the owner of Maplecroft, and he neither denies or confirms the haunting, but does seem to hint to it being haunted. Yet doesn't want to say yes, due to the fact he doesn't want to turn it into a haunted house tour.
  RedFern

Yup!
That's our Danny.
He hasn't been around here posting for a long time.
This Ghostbusters site is linked at the Museum/Library...Online Resources.
I go there every now and then, but never found Maplecroft, till now.
Also, I think he updated his story on the Second Street happenings since I was last there.

I wonder how he got into Maplecroft?

That was good, thanks, RedFern.

(Message last edited Dec-9th-02  3:02 AM.)

Wow, thats great!  They got into Maplecroft!  But, sadly, no interior pictures.    I wonder who this Sir-Sleeps-Alot character is?

I believe I read somewhere that the owner does not like pictures taken of the inside for public veiwing. If you do get to take pictures, you must sign an agreement that they are only for your use, and that you can not put them up for public display. Why, I have no idea.
     RedFern

I wish he would relent, or even post them on a pay-for site, I'd pay to see the inside of Maplecroft!  Ah, just to see where Lizzie spent the rest of her days, it must be really something!  Maybe even just to see a floorplan?  Something. 

Ya think he will let us all retire there?
In our elderly Lizziehoods, we are the Lizziehoods
aren't we? What is he saving it for I wonder?
Does he have an intimate/psychic connection to Lizzie &
The House & all us hoods will spoil it?

I remember that show, Harry.  It was 15 minutes long on Histories Mysteries, the Lifetime Channel, July 23, 2001 hosted by Robert Stack.

It showed excellent views of the inside rooms of the Borden B & B and focused on the hauntings.  Martha Ginn and her employees were interviewed about their experiences.  Martha told of hearing footsteps on the floor above her room, little children's voices and marbles.  She also saw the window in the upstairs back hall go up and down on its own.  She saw a filmy see-through woman floating 4" above the basement floor.

One of the young women on her staff, Kerry Roderick, said she saw the form of a person indented in the guest room bedspread (they reinacted this on the show)and got so scared she left the house and didn't even return for her pay check.

Another woman employee who was in the house alone in the sitting room saw a white cloud of smoke come from the upper part of the doorway into the kitchen into the sitting room, over to the couch where Andrew was killed, saw it linger there and disapate slowly. There was nothing cooking on the stove.

Martha invited a ghost hunter, Katherine Ramsland, into the house to document paranormal activity and they both went into the basement with a voice activated recorder, turned it on and said, "Is anyone there?" They heard no response but the recorder showed it was activating. They then played it back and some sort of response was heard, not exactly words but could have been, so they ran back up the stairs.

Interesting show.  Terrence Duniho wrote up his experiences in the Borden House in the LBQ. He and his wife stayed in the guest room.
I hope the Borden House is still a B & B by the time I get there.

http://www.s-t.com/daily/09-98/09-03-98/b01lo045.htm
maybe that will shed some light on why he is saving it. (they done the june 2 death date for lizzie again, grrr) June 1 dangit.
     RedFern

Thanks for the link, Redfern.  Great article.  I wish he would reopen the house for tours or post pictures or something.  I guess we will just have to wait and see.  *sigh* 

Thanks RedFern.
But that article was from 1998, so what are his plans lately, I wonder?

http://starbulletin.com/2002/07/28/travel/story1.html
Anyway, here is a Link to a reporter who stayed at the B&B and is responsible for designing an apron with a hatchet motiff.  (July, 2002)

(Message last edited Dec-11th-02  4:14 AM.)

The "idea" is to get the money. Andy would have understood.

Jay and I slept in the Guest Room a few Januaries ago, and it was thrilling, but not chilling.  Though I am extremely open to the subject, I saw no ghosts.  I admit I did spend some time communing with Abby on the floor when we retired for the night, but I didn't "get" anything.  I did have some trouble falling asleep, but then I went downstairs and asked the night attendant to turn down the TV in the parlor, and everything was ducky!