Lizzie Borden Society Forum

Hi everyone! I guess I must have been living in a cave because I didn't realise there was a forum such as this one out there. I am glad I found you! I am planning on going to Fall River in a few months and staying at the bed and breakfast and was wondering if there was anyone out there who has already done that and would like to share their story with me, your opinion on your stay or any advice you may want to give. I have always been haunted by the Borden tragedy, not only the murders themselves, but what led up to them and Lizzie's life afterwards. Whenever I try to talk to people around me about the story, I get strange looks. It is nice to know that there are others that I can converse with....finally! Thanks.

Stick around omagem there are a few out there that have been, but sadly I have not yet gone but I'm going soon

Ps don't feel bad about the looks I get them to from everyone but the great people here.

Hi! It would be interesting to know how you found us!
Welcome!

I have been to Fall River twice, and toured the house but have not stayed in the house.
They are very nice there.

Hi! You have definitely come to the right place. I stayed at the B&B several years ago, when it was under different management. I stayed in the guest bedroom, where Abby was slain. It was fairly pricey, and I had to share a bath, but I enjoyed it very much. We were there at Halloween, which was a good time of year. The people running the place were exceptionally nice, and I didn't find the house at all creepy, although some people won't even stay there for that reason. As other threads on the Forum will tell you, the new people who recently took over are rapidly making improvements. The parking situation (which wasn't good when I stayed there) is being improved, and the house's exterior is being returned to its original state. Do make sure you're able to visit the Fall River Historical Society, which I was unable to do. In the fall, the hours there are quite limited, which I didn't realize until too late. There are more opportunities in the summer. Enjoy!

I gave stayed in the guest room twice and Lizzie's room once. Loved it. An experienced not to be missed by any Bordenologist.


Tracy...

Edisto @ Sat Jun 11, 2005 1:55 pm wrote: We were there at Halloween, which was a good time of year.

I've heard that the New England states really enjoy celebrating Halloween. I'd be interested to know what kind of interesting festivities they had going on while you were there? Is it true what I've heard? And staying there at Lizzie's during Halloween, I'd say that would have to be the second best time to stay there right behind August 4th. I spent the night there in the guest room twice also, and I would highly recommend it to anyone interested in the case. It gives you a whole new understanding of the case, because you are actually there where it happened. The staff at the B&B were really great during my stays there! They made both of my visits truly wonderful and memorable experiences.

My experience staying in the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast was a very powerful one. My entire life I had been reading about the house and seeing photographs of the crime scenes and Lizzie with her piercing eyes that came off the page even in black and white photography from last century. I rented a room in the attic, the Knowlton room I believe, and I had to combine my fear of the Borden house with my lifelong fear of attics. To make things worse, the staff and other guests had been filling my head with ghost stories almost since the moment I checked in. They told me of ghost children who played marbles in the middle of the night in the common room in the attic.

I took the three hour tour in the evening and got to see the basement, which was a bit unnnerving since most of the tv programs I had seen that filmed at the house (like Histories Mysteries) emphasized the ghost activity in the basement. But when I went down there, there were more than a dozen people with me. It looks spooky none-the-less.

I spent most of the late evening chatting and discussing the case with the caretaker who was dressed as Andrew Borden. We were seated on the couch in the spot where Andrew was slain, and as the other guests went about their business and drifted upstairs to bed, I realized I was seated in the crime scene room with an Andrew Borden dress-a-like who was seated in the same position on the couch where the body was found. It turned a bit spooky for me and as it got on towards 1 o'clock in the morning, I realzied that I would have to climb the back stair case alone to the attic. At that moment, the caretaker asked me, "Did you ever see the autopsy photographs?" I nervously said, "No, I didn't" and he whipped out a large hardcover book and rifled for the photographs of Andrew and Abby after the coroner had done his business. I realized from the photo of Andrew lying naked on a table that considering the glimpse of the rug under the autopsy table, that we were not only seated in the crime scene, but near the exact spot where the autopsy had taken place. The caretaker verified that the autopsies were done in the very room we were in. I thanked him for filling my mind with such pleasant images at 1 o'clock in the morning, and I bid him good night. The last image I had of him was seated on the couch, alone, smiling and waving goodnight. It was eerie.

The climb up the staircase wasn't any better. When I got outside Andrew and Abbie's bedroom, I realized that there were noises coming from within. Of course my rational mind told me it was the noises from the guests who were staying there. But my crazy panic mind heard everything as if the Bordens' ghosts were settling down for a good night's sleep in their old bedroom.

Then I made a left hand turn and was facing a small stretch of staircase landing that led to a window that was purportedly haunted. Previous guests had reported the window jumping up and down making loud banging noises in the middle of the night. I ran past it to the steps up to the attic and for a split second I could see my own reflection in the glass. I let out with a yelp and then darted up the stairs.

The attic room was pleasant and comfy, but MY GOD it was the Lizzie Borden house at nearly 1:30 in the morning. I slept with my clothes on, my shoes on, the lights on, and after taking a sleep aid to make sure that I conked out until dawn.

Anyway, I'm only relating the part that kind of scared me. It's funny, in retrospect. Outside of this, the experience was wonderful and the three hour tour brought the house vividly alive. After staying in the house for one evening and one morning, I was able to go back to my Lizzie books and read with far more depth of understanding. My spatial relationship to the descriptions and the blueprints in the books was deeper and I no longer had to struggle to imagine the rooms in my mind.

It was also fun meeting other people who were drawn to the house who all have stories of their own.

There's a lot more to tell, but I'm hoping you found this anecdote amusing.

Great writing and reporting Richard, Thanks!

I second Nancie's remark

Thanks again Richard! Does anybody know the square footage of living space?
I think the house is bigger than people think who haven't been there, because people have written that it is small (authors and their atmosphere...)...

Thanks, Richard! You really made your experience come alive!
Alas, I didn't have any ghostly experiences, but the Halloween party was delightful. It included a play about the Borden murders, which was a bit over the top, in my opinion. One of the characters was Jack the Ripper! Besides those who were staying at the B&B, there were many guests from Fall River and nearby communities. One of the funniest things I experienced was handing out candy to the kids who came trick or treating. Can you imagine knocking on the door of Lizzie's house and shouting "TRICK OR TREAT?" There weren't many kids who braved it, but that may be partly because there aren't all that many families living in the immediate area of the B&B these days. I don't know much about New England Halloween customs. I lived in South Carolina until I was ten. In our small community, we had a big carnival at the school, which was a fundraiser for community projects. Kids didn't go trick or treating, although some of the bigger boys did pull tricks on their neighbors. One November 1, as I was walking to school, I passed a house with a picket fence. The gate had been neatly removed and was up on the roof! Soaping windows was popular too. I wonder what, if anything, the folks of Lizzie's day did for Halloween. It was only after I moved to North Carolina in 1943 that I became acquainted with the "trick or treat" tradition. On the same trip to Fall River, we encountered many, many people who had come to see the beautiful fall foliage. We were lucky we had reservations for every night, because it's hard to get rooms on the spur of the moment during the fall. I learned that the hard way on a previous trip.

Kat @ Mon Jun 13, 2005 5:11 am wrote:Thanks again Richard! Does anybody know the square footage of living space?
I think the house is bigger than people think who haven't been there, because people have written that it is small (authors and their atmosphere...)...

The map of the Borden property on page 45 in Rebello shows the measurements of the house as 27 x 47 which would equal 1,269 square feet for each floor. 2,538 square feet for 2 floors and 3,807 if you count the attic floor.

I'm assuming the figures in Rebello are for the outside of the house so the actual square footage of the inside would be less allowing for wall thickness.

Thanks, Harry. I have Bill Pavao's indoor measurements of the Borden house; 45' 7" x 25' 8". Don't know if I calculated it right, math not being even a mediocre point of mine, I came out with 1181 square feet per floor. I guess the cellar would be considered living space in the Borden house too?

Thanks you guys!
So that's a big house, right?
2,300- 2,400 sq. ft. for 2 floors, averaged?
Then a cellar and an attic?

Again, thanks you guys for the House stories!

I think there will be more great stories right after the first part of August...but then I am just guessing !!!


Tracy...

Hi omagen,

We stayed at the B&B three years ago this month. We stayed in the double bedroom (Andrew and Abby's room).
It was a blast! The house is beautiful, and the people were great! I hope to go back some day, and see the awesome job they did at removing the print shop from the side of the house.
Click on this link to see a photo essay of our stay.
http://www.raykeim.com/index610.html

I read your site on your Borden House stay, keim.
Thanks for the link.
I think I've seen it before. The best part is the link to your 3-D pictures!

I think that Andrew Borden bedroom closet door shuts itself, not being level, but I'm not positive. I remember trying to take a picture of the inside of the closet and it kept closing.
Is that where you found the ashes trap door? If so, did the closet try to close on you?

The bodies were not laid out on the Borden's dining room table. The undertaker was there and they were placed on undertaker boards in the dining room.

That "doiley" story was creepy!

I called the house not too long ago to check the status of the beginning of the demolition of the Press building and a group was just leaving. Since I was on a free cell phone (Gratis Stefani) I allowed them to put me aside through the goodbyes- and just after they left Eleanor mentioned in the background something that just was *happening*- I heard the exchange in the background. Something about *the children* were at it again, something happening to the window or a curtain- while I was holding on the phone!

Great story Kat ! I remember Eleanor mentioning the children's activities on both of my visits. I am very tempted to stay in the Knowlton (?) room on my next stay...as that's where she said 'the children' are most active.


Tracy...

theeb - you would want to stay in the Jenning's room - that is where they live.

The house is slowly becoming more active - I can't imagine what it's going to be like when we start rennovating the exterior!

As an update, we're all aiming to have all the property changes/barn built by October! We're having a staff meet in July, so maybe I can sneek in an update then, too.

I did my very first 2 evening manager positions last week. I had a blast - the guests are very in-tuned to what you're saying, and it's great to meet so many different people from different places!

Kat, I didn't know you were on a documentary on the house? I was watching some with the guests, and I saw you on the show! I can't quite remember which one, though - maybe History's Mysteries?

That's all for now!

Ben

Thanks everyone who replied to my question! Especially you, Richard. You told your story in an interesting way that makes me that much more excited about going. I won't be able to go on Halloween but the first part of October. I guess that will have to be close enough. When I get back I'm sure I'll have stories to share with all of you. Thanks again!

Thanks Ben !...I knew it was one of the attorney rooms.


Tracy...

bsr88 @ Thu Jun 16, 2005 10:41 am wrote:Kat, I didn't know you were on a documentary on the house? I was watching some with the guests, and I saw you on the show! I can't quite remember which one, though - maybe History's Mysteries?

That's all for now!

Ben

-- partial

I finally received my copy of the video! It came Friday! It's called a Viewing Copy and is in a black box, white label- no artwork.
I haven't had a chance to look at it yet- I've been really busy.
It's called "Lizzie Borden Had An Axe."

That's great Kat ! I'll bet you and Stef are way excited !


Tracy...