1890 House
Many people that have spent the night in the house hear strange noises and they say they sound like ghosts. The whole city of Cortland believe the house is haunted.
52 comments on this haunted house. Share your story »
52 Comments |
Kevin G says: |
December 6, 2005, 4:39 am |
Hate to rain on somebody’s parade but I live in Cortland and haven’t heard a thing about the 1890 House being Haunted. A Psychic has been in the house before and didn’t detect anything. Not that I don’t believe in Ghosts but it doesn’t seem to me that the place could be haunted. No tragedies or anything like that took place there for one thing..
HOOD STAR says: |
February 12, 2006, 12:32 pm |
OK HOW CAN THEY SOUND LIKE GHOST WHEN U DONT SEE THEM THAT SOUNDS KINDA GAY HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
Melissa S. says: |
March 27, 2006, 4:17 pm |
I’ve lived in Cortland for about a year and I,too, am not sure I think the 1890s house is Haunted haunted. It definitely does give off those “vibes” that most great museums do, but I don’t know about it having ghosts…Anyway, I hope more Cortland ghost stories will come up. What about Grace Brown (I think this was her name) who was murdered 100 years ago in the Adirondacks by that Gillette guy who got her pregnant? I’ve heard the site of the Cortland factory she worked at is haunted by her…Well,let’s find some more local ghosts!
B-Man says: |
May 6, 2006, 5:23 pm |
I live near Cortland and grew up around that area. I believe it’s the Phrat house a couple of houses down that is haunted from what I’ve heard. Apparently a college student fell out of a 3rd story window (or comitted suicide, forget which though) and some people have reported seeing someone in the 3rd story window when no one is in there.
At least that’s what I’ve heard. I ahven’t heard anything about the 1890 house however. Of course, now that the clock tower burned down that area will no doubt reveal some activity from those who lived there a long time ago.
Ben says: |
May 9, 2006, 4:18 am |
I used to work there in about 8th grade for a job shadow group. I never saw anything, but I got a lot of weird vibes. Maybe it’s just the overall feeling of being in such an old house.
September 18, 2006, 12:20 am |
This is bullshit i belive in ghosts n if u dnt hear them r see them there not there! i hate it how ppl just make up stories thats y no1 belives them! i recently stayed at ma GF’s house n her house is haunted! her friend lives with her and the ghosts have tryed killing her and 1 ghost has tryed raping her! when i stayed there me n ma girlfriend tryed playn a prank on ma gf’s friend. we threw tha sheets off her bed and put 2 dolls on her bed facing the door. the ghosts didnt like this… we went down stairs and told her that the sheets were off her bed and we told her that it was the ghosts. we thought it was funny…the ghosts didnt! all ov a sudden we herd this sound from up stairs it was a faint noise saying MUM…MUMMY!!! it was wierd! 8i went up stairs and there was a guy standing at the door watching me. but i could onli see him on ma gf’s fone as i was video recording it. the house went cold and we went into the kitchen. there was a ghost standing behind ma gf’s friend we freaked out n went 2 the lounge room. a differnent ghost came n sat down infrount ov us and was listening to us. the next night we were watching TV and the space bar on the keyboard kept tapping. then moments later there was some1 breathing on my arm! this is all real! and none of it is fake! that is a ghost story!
Kimberly says: |
September 18, 2006, 6:26 pm |
hi i belive in ghosts because one day me and my friends were out side in my friends backyard laying on her tramp and we saw a shaddow in the window it looked like a man but we wernt sure.We thought it was her dad pulling a prank on us so we went inside to see but it was not him he was gone so we went in her room and sat on her bed and talked and all of the sudden we heard the vacume turn on we ran to the living room to see who it was and it was vaccuming by its self.It was going out of control and it wasnt even pluged in.We were freaked out.At that moment we new somthing was wrong we called her dad and told him what had happend he said he was on his way home .we went back to her room and locked the door as soon as her dad got there i left me friends house later that evening her dad saw a ghost in the basment he called the bishop and told him to come bless the house but he couldnt come till the next morning so she went to bed and durring the night she woke up and there was a lady standing over her she screamed her parents rushed in to see what happend her parents also saw the gosht the nexet morning the bishop came and blessed the house and after that everything was fine.I am not making this up!(resently her aunt and uncle had died)
Courtny says: |
September 18, 2006, 6:51 pm |
I DO believe in gohsts this is why Me and my friend were at my house my,my parents we gone for the night so we were there just talking in the kitchen and we heard the door open me and my friend got freaked out then we forgot about it for a while and then the T.V turned on we were scared so we ran up to my room and locked the door then we heard a voice coming from down stairs we were not sure who it was or what it said all we knew is that we were freaked so we got my cell but it was not working we tried to call our other friend and we couldn’t here her my phone was busted so we looked out side and the door was open and a shadow was standing in the doorway we were shocked we didnt know what to do we tried texting our but there was ABSOLUTE NO SERVISE! then the phone rang we know if we should get it or leave it we ran to get it it was our friend we were relieved that it was her we told her to come and get us she came and when we hung up someone was listening to out coversation we hung up imedeently our friend got there but we were too scared to walk down stairs and get out so friend went through the back door she saw a shadow coming from the living room so she ran up! she told us what she saw so we grab the safty latter and put it out the windo we climbed out to the car as we drove away we took a look at the house and there was a gohst stairing at us through the window the next morning when my parents got home i didn’t see it i really never did see it again but i think he is still there cause every time i walk in my house i get a wierd VIBE someone is watching me.(NOONE EVER BELIEVED ME AND MY FRIENDS BUT WE KNOW HE WAS THERE)
Alyssa says: |
September 23, 2006, 6:48 pm |
OMG I MIGHT BE MOVING TO CORTLAND NY
angeleye says: |
October 27, 2006, 5:48 am |
I grew up near Cortland. I believe there is “something” going on in the 1890’s house. I visted it while my grandfather was re-modeling the upstairs. I heard something…. and definitely felt a pressence of some sort. There is also a house in Homer, on main street that we all believed to be haunted. The rumor was a woman hung herself in the upstairs bedroom. They say on the anniversary you can see her hanging in the window.
John says: |
October 28, 2006, 11:48 pm |
I used to live in Cortland and most of my family still lives there. I remember as a little kid hearing numerous stories about the 1890 House. At the time I didn’t believe it until one summer night while I was 17. A few friends of mine and myself were walking down Tompkins Street about 1:30 in the morning.
We were walking towards Cortlandville across the road from the 1890 House. When we passed the house we all looked up at the 3rd story window and swore that we saw the silhoutte of a lady who was wearing a black dress peeking throught the window. In utter shock we walked across the street to the same side the house was on and still saw the lady standing in the window. Right before our eyes she just vanished. We are and will always be believers that the 1890 House has at least one spirit.
I have since that night seen one other instance of the lady in the window.
Brittnie says: |
December 16, 2006, 4:11 pm |
I totally believe in ghosts and ie paranormal but hello people wheres the proof?before you go posting some stuff on this website have some evidence ok?I’ve looked into several “haunted” cases where there was hard evidence!
sami says: |
February 9, 2007, 2:52 am |
The 1890’s house is a beautiful mansion with great historical significance in relation to the cortland county area based on deep industrial roots. What I will tell you is that the previous statement based on the Fraternity house located three houses down (which is the brother’s mansion aka. “The Castle” is in fact a place to investigate if you are curious about the unknown. I’ve lived there, and several sororities and fraternites, and mnay others have been witness to these disturbing and sometimes alarming rude awakenings…literally! The stories about the student who died are true, his death was explained as “accidentl” and we’ll leave it at that. For an example of rude awakenings, imagine waking up to shrieks, bats in the wall, taps at your door at 3 in the morning, objects flying across the room, objects lifting and dropping, dishes and silverwear clanging together, subzero temperatures, feeling like your trapped in your bed, water running from pipes that require significant pressure to power when they were clearly turned off to begin with, walking up and down the steps, window shutters banging shut, EXTREME POWER OUTAGES, odd smells like decay, mold, etc. The list goes on. ps. the banned markings of the fallen boys fraternity still mark the house, found in the basement…look if you dare! And to finish there are secret tunnels that aren’t listed on the registry which also alludes to the underground railroad. Any other experiences I’d love to know, so that I can rest my head soundly once again.
bored says: |
October 3, 2007, 10:31 am |
oooooooook? I don’t get why people actually believe in ghosts/apparations…I admit there ARE such things as what people call “hauntings” but these are mostly just demons and FYI: YOU CAN’T SEE THEM!!!!!!! they just like messing with your head…although it would be cool to go to some of these places, but THERE ARE NO SUCH THINGS AS GHOSTS! ONLY DEMONS!!!
well, also Angels, but they don’t like scaring you…
Mandy G. says: |
October 17, 2007, 8:14 pm |
I grew up in Cortland, and worked at the 1890 House for a while…never “saw” anything. I’m not saying that I didn’t get some very weird vibes while exploring the basement, and third floor, mostly in places that are not open to the public. As for “The Castle”…that place is definately haunted!!! (been to a few parties there, and have definately seen some weird stuff!!) Another place of interest in Cortland County is the Wickwire house in Homer… had a friend who was a personal aide for Mr. Wickwire before he passed, and said that he definately saw someone walking around in the house, when he knew that it was just himself and Mr. Wickwire there, and Mr. Wickwire was in bed, asleep. On a side note…It was Mr. Wickwire’s grandfather that built the 1890 house.
Alisandra says: |
December 29, 2007, 6:34 pm |
I have been there hundreds of times. I have also slept over, I IS SO HAUNTED!!
alice says: |
March 10, 2008, 2:33 pm |
I want to know what a ghost sounds like, one person stated that the noises they heard sounded like ghosts.
Ainsley says: |
March 18, 2008, 3:58 pm |
A while ago, our class went to the 1890 House, and had a little tour of the house.
Me and my friends felt uneasy there and stuff. It was really weird.
There was a breeze when we went down this one hall with a bunch of pictures on the wall, and by the Christmas Tree.
paul says: |
May 13, 2008, 10:58 am |
I just wanted to comment on a post from John about seeing a woman in a third story window at the 1890 house. The same thing happened to me years ago. Some friends of mine and I were walking down Tompkins street past the 1890 house when I glanced up at a window on the third floor. I looked again to make sure what I was seeing was real and there she was. A woman wearing a black dress just staring out the window. I told my friends and they all thought I was crazy, so I dropped it and never brought it up again. What I thought was strange was that it was after midnight and i knew the place was closed. After all these years I find it incredible that someone else had the same experience as me. To me it confirms that I’m not crazy.
Chrissy says: |
July 23, 2008, 11:05 am |
Ummm…i lived right next door the 1890 house ( in the SDT house) for a couple of years and never heard or saw anything weird…however, our old sorority house has some ghost stories…
Makayla says: |
July 28, 2008, 2:35 pm |
I have been in their about two times. I have never seen anything. I have heard from people that worked their that they have seen a dress that was laying on the bed blow up like their was a body in it, but their was nobody their. Creepy stuff thrills me, I wish I could of seen something.
Kendahl says: |
August 11, 2008, 12:47 pm |
I live in Cortland, but I’ve never been there. I’ve lived here my whole life, but I’ve never heard it was haunted… hmm.
genesiszagora says: |
September 9, 2008, 3:53 pm |
Hey Kevin G: where are you FROM? no tragedies?! have you ever been to the 1890 House? they had SEVERAL fires there back in the day. plenty of people that lived there actually died in that house. you should go there and bone up on the house’s history! just a suggestion…
marg says: |
October 26, 2008, 9:38 pm |
why do people get so angry when others are talking about the paranormal? How can these angry people say that it’s not true? And then to turn around and talk about their experiences? Just a question for the ignorant out there.
Pan says: |
November 24, 2008, 9:09 pm |
Hi Everyone. I just wondered if anyone knows how or where to look to see if there are any reports, whether in this era or a prior one, of a death or missing person, battle or anything that would explain why someone (son-in-law) was driving in the rain and saw a tall man walking along Rte. 221 near Harford, NY wearing what appeared to be a jacket similiar to a flack jacket. He had a hat, which also looked military, that was not as tall as a “tophat” would of been, but looked similiar. Well, my son-in-law slowed down as the man started to cross the road. He observed he could see through the man and he just disapeared! He was not a believer in ghost prior to this, but has since had a change of attitude. I did a google search and tried to find some account or death that may of occurred in the area of Harford, NY but got nothing. If anyone else has any resources to find something out, please post your commment or mail me at: blais_14590@yahoo.com. I appreciate your input or theory, and no, he wasn’t stoned! This really happened. Pam
Marsha says: |
May 2, 2009, 9:32 pm |
I have a picture of the 1890 House…and the Ghost are in that photo.I have seen spirits since I was a child..as did my Grand Parents. Spirits for me are easy to see. If you have not experienced this…fine…but don’t dis the ones who have. That is innapropriate. Wado/Thank you
Kaylea says: |
May 14, 2009, 11:01 am |
Ok i have lived in cortland sence i was twelve.. i have always heard about the 1890 house being haunted but never really had proof. I mean my friends family even had a wedding there an i didnt get any so called “vibes” or hear or see anything so untill thre is real proof i was say no i do not believe the 1890 house is hauntded
BreJ says: |
May 14, 2009, 8:12 pm |
Okay, so, I have visited the 1890 house quite a few times,and it is sort of creepy, but this is about the house that the Wickwire’s had built for relatives(the house is right in the back yard of the 1890 house, on Argyle Place). I forgot what exactly brought it up, but my mom was just telling me how a house historian had looked at the house, and told her that 16 people had died in the house. No one knows exactly how they died, but we do know that there was a fire in the carrage house. For the few years that we lived there, I never saw a ‘ghost’, but there was a ‘vibe’ in that house. I dont doubt that there was paranormal activity, but I am not saying that it is haunted.
bre says: |
October 4, 2009, 2:16 pm |
I’m not sure if it is actually haunted, but I am very interested in going to the seance later this month. In realation to this, I must say that the house behind the Wickwire House is haunted. My mom, sister, and myself lived there, and we never expierenced anything abnormal, per say, but the house deffinately had its creeks, and moans. We all brushed it off as it being just an old house. After we moved out of the house my mom talked with the landlord and he told us how him and his wife had hired a historian so they could learn about the place. Come to find out, the house was built for the Wickwire’s family(sort of like a mother-in-law house, I guess), but that wasnt all. A few years after the house was built, the carrige house caught on fire, and a few people died. In total, the house has had 16 deaths. And the rebuily carrige house is said to be haunted.
If ANYONE has anymore info on this house, please post it on this website. I am very interested in the history of the house. Thank you.
marg says: |
October 4, 2009, 6:52 pm |
do you have any of the details for the seance. I would be interested in going as well =]
thanks
Kylee says: |
October 7, 2009, 3:14 am |
I have lived in Cortland my whole life and have visited the 1890 house on many different occasions for both school trips and on my own time. And I feel that with the amount of times that I’ve been there that I can honestly say the place has some stories that would make you understand a little better about reasons why it’s considered haunted. Not to mention my brother was the caretaker there living on the top floor in a little apartment that was built specifically for the caretakers. While living there he had many different things occur that would scare most. So due to my own experiences with the place and those that my brother has experienced I believe that it is not haunted but occupied by others.
bre says: |
October 8, 2009, 3:51 pm |
The only thing I know is that it is being hosted on the 10th and 11th of this month, or sometime around there. My friends saw it in the Cortland Standard about a week or so ago.
marg says: |
October 9, 2009, 4:18 am |
ok thank you for your reply. I looked at the archives at the newspaper and didn’t find anything. does anyone else have any more info on this? or maybe a number I can call?
Rachel says: |
October 13, 2009, 11:49 am |
Um..if you want to find out about the seance–just CALL the 1890 House! They’re the ones having this event! haha wow, that was hard!
Rachel says: |
October 13, 2009, 11:50 am |
Um..if you want info on the seance, just call the 1890 House! They’re the ones having the event! Wow..that was difficult haha
marg says: |
October 13, 2009, 4:44 pm |
um…that was unecessary.
Marsha says: |
October 15, 2009, 12:13 pm |
This is a community chat Rachel..so your sarcasim is was quite uncalled for.You show your true immaturity by being insulting. We all have a rite to ask questions.
Rachel says: |
October 15, 2009, 12:29 pm |
It’s called a joke people. Calm down. Considering this conversation is about “haunted houses” and shocked that no one can appreciate humor or sarcasm. Interesting “community”…
Marsha says: |
October 15, 2009, 6:33 pm |
Rachel…it is ONLY a joke…if everybody is laughing. The person felt insulted. You were the only one laughing…smarten up.
Rachel says: |
October 16, 2009, 8:37 am |
“Smarten up” haha ooookaaay….and guess what? I’m STILL laughing! Have fun here KIDS:}~ (And lighten up before you give yourself a stroke! There are much more important things going on in the world than a little disagreement over an online comment. Wow.)
gabby says: |
November 4, 2009, 9:17 am |
i know how hard it is to not belive in haunted houses but i live in one. my dad died when i was 10 and my twin sister was killed in a car crash. my mum’s brother was killed when she was 7. we all belive that they fallowed us around and is tring to scare us so we can join them. we had T.A.P.S come to our house and declare it haunted. now how cool is that. so here are some of the thing that happen…. my light in my room turns on and off and my door will open with a sound of people talking to me and my friends… my bestfriend said that she watched 4 ghosts walk into my room and sit next to me on my bed and she also heard him talking to me and eachother. when she told me in the morning i was wondering how she was able to see into my dreams. because i was dreaming that i heard people talking to me. idk if its real but i taped it one night and you can see them talk to me and to eachother. i put the tape on youtube.com if you want to see it
Rachel says: |
November 4, 2009, 10:07 am |
Gabby–oh I totally believe in people or places being haunted. I don’t know if anyone checked out the ghost walk or seance they did at the 1890 House last Friday, but my sister got some serious EVP recordings..the one thing she’s hear on the recording SO FAR was a voice that spoke DIRECTLY into the recorder when it was just her and another kid in the room at the time. They were also talking in the background, so you could tell it wasn’t her or the other kid. I wish I had been able to go! I’m sooo there next time:) Hopefully she can get Ghost Hunters to come hehe
gabby says: |
November 5, 2009, 9:31 am |
Rachel- Well i was there and i have recording on my cell phone of the gost talking and it was walking in the room. You can hear me talking to it and u hear it talking back. The ghosts name is grant and he is 19 he died my a bullet to the head and he how roams around looking for a girlfriend. I go there every year so we can talk. He is nice and dosent want to hurt anybody. He found a girlfriend and it was my sister she and i are both 15 now. Hope u reply cuz i think we can be friends….
gabby says: |
November 5, 2009, 9:33 am |
Rachel- Well i was there and i have recording on my cell phone of the gost talking and it was walking in the room. You can hear me talking to it and u hear it talking back. The ghosts name is grant and he is 19 he died my a bullet to the head and he how roams around looking for a girlfriend. I go there every year so we can talk. He is nice and dosent want to hurt anybody. He found a girlfriend and it was my sister she and i are both 15 now. Hope u reply cuz i think we can be friends….
Rachel says: |
November 5, 2009, 11:36 am |
Gabby, how old are you first off? Second, are you saying you were at the 1890 House ghost walk last Friday and that’s where you talked to this ghost guy? How did he “find a girlfriend” in your deceased sister? That’s where I’m confused. If he inhabits the 1890 House, how would he just happen to come across the ghost of your sister?
gabby says: |
November 5, 2009, 3:17 pm |
♥rachel- I am now 16 and yes i was there last friday…. its easy.. they are both dead and will never come back agean. so could we be friends????…. ♥ Gabby
gabby says: |
November 5, 2009, 3:22 pm |
♥rachel- Well my sister died right in frount of the house so she now helps haunt it and she will pull other girls hair when she is mad at them……… ♥Gabby
Rachel says: |
November 5, 2009, 3:25 pm |
Gabby–your sister was killed in front of the 1890 House? What is here name and when was this? I am 30 yrs old, so I’m not sure if you thought I was younger:P That is really too bad about your family. What a rash of tragedies…
gabby says: |
November 5, 2009, 10:29 pm |
♥Rachel yes she was and i cannot give her name out. i thought u where older idc abou-t age as long as ur nice. i hope u understand what its like to lose ur twin ♥gabby
BRANDON says: |
December 22, 2009, 5:12 pm |
ok i have been a ghost hunter for about 2 years we arent big time ghost hunters like taps but we do have infred camera lots of night vision cameras emf and lots of voice recorders and we go around the world looking for supposedly haunted places there is only 6 of us and we ghost hunt and this place is totally haunted we went there and exactly at 12:50 am me and my team was in the mane part were you first walk in we decided to sit on the floor for about 20 minutes and i prevoct it wich is saying mean stuff to it i said why are you such chicken if you want us to stay here you have to give us a good sign so about 2 minutes later every one in the team seen the same thing a shadow standing right next to me and walk in a different room then we got really loud bangs in the room and then all through out the night we kep seeing that same shadow
tobeamiss says: |
December 22, 2009, 10:33 pm |
you travel around the world?


Mandala says:
November 17, 2005, 1:44 pm
The third floor of the place does have creepy vibes, I’ll grant you that.
Mandala