It’s hard to imagine that a tiny four-room house built in 1827 was the beginning of the 12,000 sq foot Cheney Mansion that stands today.

The four-room frame home built in 1827 and dubbed the “Red House” was converted to a tavern by 1830 and served as the first stagecoach station and tavern in the area.

In 1839, the little Red House was converted back into the residence by physician Dr. Edward D’Arcy. Dr. D’Arcy added a wing in the 1850’s to continue his practice and added a separate outside entrance so patients wouldn’t have to enter through the main house. The original portion of the home consisted of the area now comprised of the dining room, sitting room and the two bedrooms immediately above those rooms.

In 1863, during the civil war, P. D. Cheney commenced building around the Red House again adding, among other things, the safe room. During the civil war there was a run on the local banks, so P.D. Cheney started his own bank.

Dr. D’Arcy’s daughter, Catherine, married Prentiss D. Cheney in 1869. The couple had four children, three of whom died in infancy. Dr. D’Arcy gave the home to his daughter and her husband who were the first of three generations of Cheneys to live there.

The Red House was a stop on the Underground Railroad. Of two cisterns designated for the Red House, only one was used to collect rainwater.  Slaves were hidden in the false cistern accessed from a livery stable across the street via an underground tunnel.

Among the artwork in the house is a painting of flowers and vases from a local man who served with the Allied Headquarters at the end of WWII. Being one of the first troops to enter Adolf Hitler’s headquarters, he used a knife to cut this painting out of its frame as a souvenir.

What began as a little four-room Red House is now preserved as part of a grand residence reminiscent of a gracious English country home. The Cheney Mansion boasts six bedrooms, seven baths, multiple reception rooms and parlors, and separate servant’s quarters. The mansion retains much of its original appearance including original doors, woodworking, floors, Newell posts and three fireplaces.

Other interesting facets of the home include the “stairs to nowhere,” which are in the kitchen near the cellar and were ascended by servants to watch for arriving company, as well as a special stairwell to be used by servants when the family was entertaining.

The haunted Cheney Mansion has a haunted reputation and many visitors have been fortunate to capture and witness the paranormal here.

Caretakers of the Cheney Mansion has reported extinguishing candles when locking up for the night to only return in the morning and discover them still lit.

A young child has been heard singing, a woman has been heard laughing and many conversations have been witnessed with no-one situated in the rooms.

One of the beds in the upstairs bedrooms often has an imprint of saying laying on it, and the lights on the third floor have reportedly turned back once they have been turned off.

The most talked about apparition is that of a former nursemaid which have been seen roaming the hallways and the bedroom which bears her name.

Who is the young girl that has been captured yelling and pounding on a nearby bathroom door?

Many guests have been touched, and others have had their hair pulled, others have reported strange smells who appear to resonate from the “drunk room”

In every corner of this mansion, paranormal has been encountered, and the EVP’s that have been captured have left many fleeing, vowing not to return.

Do you have what it takes to ghost hunt in this 12,000 sq foot home?