Filed under: Famous Homes, Cool Homes
A Southern plantation that inspired two centuries of ghost stories: No wonder it's considered one of the most haunted homes in America.THE STYLE: The Myrtles was built in 1796 by General David Bradford, leader of the Whisky Rebellion. It was designed in Southern Antebellum style, with neo-classical features and a 120-foot veranda. The 20-room mansion has ornamental ironwork outside and plaster friezes made of clay, Spanish moss and animal hair. The Stirlings, the third family to own the house, added distinctive touches that aimed to keep spirits away, such as French cross glasswork in the doorways and upside-down keyholes.
THE GHOSTS: The most famous of the Myrtles' many ghost stories is that of Chloe, a slave rumored to be the mistress of the house's second owner, Judge Clark Woodruff. As the story goes, Chloe's earlobe was cut off after she was caught listening to the family's personal business. Enraged, she cooked poisonous oleander leaves into a birthday cake for his oldest daughter. The tainted cake killed two of his children and his wife, Sara. The three Woodruffs, and Chloe, are among the ghosts believed to haunt the mansion. Two generations later, in 1871, William Winter was shot in the chest and died in the house in his wife's arms. Guests still report hearing a woman's voice cry for him at night.
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